Byron Jones' skill set has put J.J. Wilcox on bench

Jiggyfly

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Byron Jones' skill set has put J.J. Wilcox on bench
4h


Jean-Jacques Taylor, ESPN Staff Writer

IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys safety J.J. Wilcox lost his job last week. The angle he took on Jordan Matthews’ game-winning catch-and-run Sunday is among the reasons why.

After Byron Jones stumbled on the play, Wilcox took a poor angle that didn’t put him in position to make the tackle.

“He’s done some good things and he did some good things in the game last night,” coach Jason Garrett said. “J.J. and others needed to make a tackle after the catch.

“What’s critical there is that you’re in overtime, and if you get a stop there and, somehow, hold them to a field goal, then we get a chance, but we didn’t get it done."

While Wilcox is a punishing hitter, the safety is the last line of defense. He needs to be a player who makes the safe play that ensures the defense lives to play another day.

In half a season, Jones has shown he has superior coverage skills and he’s a solid tackler.

The reality is the Cowboys probably wouldn’t have drafted Wilcox if current college and pro scouting director Will McClay was running the 2013 draft.

That’s because McClay prefers for the Cowboys to draft productive players from Power 5 conferences. Wilcox spent one season playing safety at Georgia Southern, and he’s spent three seasons with the Cowboys learning the nuances of the position.

Jones, who played cornerback and safety in college, has made a smooth transition and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has called him one of the best rookies he’s ever had.

He’s playing the slot when the Cowboys use their nickel defense, and he’s playing Wilcox’s safety spot in the Cowboys’ base defense.

“We wanted to make the safety position competitive,” said Garrett, “and get some other guys out there and we’ll keep it competitive. The best guy is going to play the most."
 

boozeman

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Irrelevant.

Wilcox is still on the field too much because we have zero safety depth. We have Heath, who is already playing too much and Danny McCray as a dedicated ST player.
 

1bigfan13

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The reality is the Cowboys probably wouldn’t have drafted Wilcox if current college and pro scouting director Will McClay was running the 2013 draft.

That’s because McClay prefers for the Cowboys to draft productive players from Power 5 conferences. Wilcox spent one season playing safety at Georgia Southern, and he’s spent three seasons with the Cowboys learning the nuances of the position.
It still pisses me off that we spent a 3rd pick on this guy.

Small school guy who had minimal experience as a defensive player/Safety.

The Cowboys could have drafted this dude in the 5th or 6th round.
 

ravidubey

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Wilcox gives up too many big plays, but it's harder to judge the safeties when the front seven doesn't pull its weight and stop the run.
 

Chocolate Lab

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Too bad he wasn't on the bench in overtime Sunday night. :(
 

BipolarFuk

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Why wasn't McClay put in charge like when he was first hired. That's the question. He's probably better at talent evaluation than all the other numbnuts put together.
 

DLK150

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I don't see why they can't give Corey White some reps at safety, didn't he play a CB/S hybrid in college? Anything. I mean, it's laughable to even mention safety depth when not one of them would start on 75% of the teams in the league. Only in Dallas could a scrub like Danny McCray hang around the two deep for six fricking years.
 

NoDak

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Only in Dallas could a scrub like Danny McCray hang around the two deep for six fricking years.
Danny McCray hasn't even been in the league for six years. And he just resigned with Dallas this past off season for special teams, coming back from Chicago.
 

boozeman

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Danny McCray hasn't even been in the league for six years. And he just resigned with Dallas this past off season for special teams, coming back from Chicago.
He has been in the NFL since 2010.

2010.

2011.

2012.

2013.

2014.

2015.
 

NoDak

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He has been in the NFL since 2010.

2010.

2011.

2012.

2013.

2014.

2015.
The point was, he hasn't been HERE for 6 years as was stated in the post I quoted. And 2015 is only half over. That's 5 1/2. :art
 

Cotton

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The point was, he hasn't been HERE for 6 years as was stated in the post I quoted. And 2015 is only half over. That's 5 1/2. :art
You said he hasn't been in the league for 6 years.
 

DLK150

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Danny McCray hasn't even been in the league for six years. And he just resigned with Dallas this past off season for special teams, coming back from Chicago.
I had forgotten about his stint in Chicago. I guess the fact that I had forgotten he wasn't with Dallas for some of that time underscores how forgettable he is. This is his sixth year in the league though and it boggles the mind that we can't come up with a better option than him.
 

boozeman

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I had forgotten about his stint in Chicago. I guess the fact that I had forgotten he wasn't with Dallas for some of that time underscores how forgettable he is. This is his sixth year in the league though and it boggles the mind that we can't come up with a better option than him.
He doesn't even see the field on defense. They don't dare do it, been there done that.
 

dallen

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Calling McCray a safety is joke. He is a special teams specialist. Not a very good one either judging from our results
 

Rev

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I remember being told to "just wait" on Wilcox. I guess we will still be waiting.
 
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