Archer: Mel Kiper Jr. sticks with D, changes position for Cowboys

Cotton

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Mel Kiper Jr. sticks with D, changes position for Cowboys
March, 5, 2015

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- ESPN Insider Mel Kiper Jr. has offered up his third mock draft Insider and he has moved away from the Dallas Cowboys selecting a defensive tackle.

He doesn’t have them taking a running back either. Nor does he have them taking a defensive end.

Kiper Jr.’s pick? Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson.

In Todd McShay’s first mock draft, he had Johnson as the Cowboys' pick.

Based strictly on the need at the position, it makes a ton of sense. The Cowboys need cornerbacks. We’ve talked a lot about Brandon Carr's $12.7 million cap figure and $8 million base salary. We’ve talked about Morris Claiborne's return from knee surgery. We’ve talked about how the team might not tender restricted free agent Sterling Moore.

Ultimately, I believe Carr will be back at a discounted price, but that decision won’t come until the spring. Go back a couple of years when the Cowboys waited and waited and waited on Doug Free before finally coming to a deal in the spring when the free-agent market was essentially tapped out for right tackles.

Anything the Cowboys can get from Claiborne this season should be viewed as a bonus.

Orlando Scandrick has been their best cornerback the past two seasons, but they need to add talent and depth.

Johnson is a fluid athlete, and the fact that he was able to add some bulk to his frame since the season ended is a good thing. At 6-feet, he has the height you want with bigger receivers. He has started a lot of games as well.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Ultimately, I believe Carr will be back at a discounted price, but that decision won’t come until the spring. Go back a couple of years when the Cowboys waited and waited and waited on Doug Free before finally coming to a deal in the spring when the free-agent market was essentially tapped out for right tackles.
So we have a massive need at corner, even with Carr coming back? I guess I'm just missing something here.

If Carr does get cut, I would consider corner to be an issue. We'd probably need to sign someone or draft someone. Of course having a bunch of extra money for free agency would allow us to fill a need there.
 

dallen

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Carr, Scandrick, Sterling Moore and Tyler Patmon is a decent back field. Just add in a cheap vet or a late round pick and we will be ok if we can upgrade the pass rush
 

Cowboysrock55

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Carr, Scandrick, Sterling Moore and Tyler Patmon is a decent back field. Just add in a cheap vet or a late round pick and we will be ok if we can upgrade the pass rush
Not to mention Claiborne is going to be on the roster no matter how much us fans dislike him.
 

Cotton

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Carr, Scandrick, Sterling Moore and Tyler Patmon is a decent back field. Just add in a cheap vet or a late round pick and we will be ok if we can upgrade the pass rush
They did decent this year. If they had a pass rush to help them they would look even better.
 

ravidubey

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Kiper: Need for pass defense == CB.

It's media thinking that's evolved from stats, highlight reels, and probably a lot from Deion Sanders.

The DL, particularly the middle, is where all defense starts. Get one or two guys there, and everything else will improve.
 

Cowboysrock55

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They did decent this year. If they had a pass rush to help them they would look even better.
Our corners aren't anything special, but they aren't horrible. I'd even say Scandrick is pretty good. If I'm focusing on anything it would be D-line and safety. Fix those two things and these corners will look good. (Unfortunately I don't think safety gets addressed at all this offseason).
 

boozeman

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CB in the first?

Big Ben, Parliment
Not to mention I don't think Johnson is all that great. Second round type guy. If that's the pick for Dallas in the first round, I will be pretty pissed off.
 
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Deuce

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Kiper: Need for pass defense == CB.

It's media thinking that's evolved from stats, highlight reels, and probably a lot from Deion Sanders.

The DL, particularly the middle, is where all defense starts. Get one or two guys there, and everything else will improve.
It's not just the media. I heard a former NFL GM on the radio a few weeks back talking about spending money in FA. Basically said, there are only 4 players who break the bank for: QB, LT to protect your QB, DE to get after a QB and a CB to cover the guy the QB is trying to get the ball to. Everything else can be pieced together.
 

dallen

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It's not just the media. I heard a former NFL GM on the radio a few weeks back talking about spending money in FA. Basically said, there are only 4 players who break the bank for: QB, LT to protect your QB, DE to get after a QB and a CB to cover the guy the QB is trying to get the ball to. Everything else can be pieced together.
Key word there is "former". That may have been true before the NFL decided that playing pass defense was illegal, but it certainly isn't now.
 
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data

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It's not just the media. I heard a former NFL GM on the radio a few weeks back talking about spending money in FA. Basically said, there are only 4 players who break the bank for: QB, LT to protect your QB, DE to get after a QB and a CB to cover the guy the QB is trying to get the ball to. Everything else can be pieced together.
"Pieced together". :lol

Fuck, we might as well just play 3-on-3 and eliminate these extraneous positions.
 

Clay_Allison

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It's not just the media. I heard a former NFL GM on the radio a few weeks back talking about spending money in FA. Basically said, there are only 4 players who break the bank for: QB, LT to protect your QB, DE to get after a QB and a CB to cover the guy the QB is trying to get the ball to. Everything else can be pieced together.
How does that logic make any sense when it doesn't include WR?
 

ravidubey

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It's not just the media. I heard a former NFL GM on the radio a few weeks back talking about spending money in FA. Basically said, there are only 4 players who break the bank for: QB, LT to protect your QB, DE to get after a QB and a CB to cover the guy the QB is trying to get the ball to. Everything else can be pieced together.
DE's and CB's get paid way too much.

The impact of a DT can be greater than either a DE or CB, but the football outsider just doesn't see it. A great Center can key your whole OL, and are you going to tell me you wouldn't break the bank for Eric Dickerson or Randy Moss?

JJ Watt should be the gold standard. You want "market value"? Then do what Watt does-- 20 sacks and double-digit passes defended in multiple years-- all from the interior. Probably the best ever.
 
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