Archer: Garrett - No decision to be made on Brandon Carr

Cotton

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Jason Garrett: No decision to be made on Brandon Carr
December, 17, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett doesn't think there's anything to decide regarding Brandon Carr's starting status.

Despite giving up a 72-yard catch to Jeremy Maclin in last week’s win against the Philadelphia Eagles, a 27-yard touchdown catch the previous week to Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, and not recording an interception this season, Carr will remain with the top defense Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

“Oh, I thought Brandon did a really nice job in the game and unfortunately, he’s been involved in a couple of plays each of the last few weeks within the game that gives them a big play,” Garrett said. “He does make the gamble on the one (against Philadelphia). If he had a chance to do that over again, you probably would not have made that decision and would have tackled the guy for a 13-yard gain. But he went and made that play. That’s a play he thought he needed to make at that time. He’ll look at it, and he’ll learn from that.

Carr has gone 18 games without an interception, but the Cowboys aren’t filled with a lot of options to replace him. Sterling Moore would be the top option. While he has done a nice job as the third cornerback, there is no way to know if he would be an upgrade. The only other cornerback on the 53-man roster is rookie Tyler Patmon, who missed three of the last four games with knee and ankle injuries.

The Cowboys will have a decision to make after the season on Carr, considering his $12.717-million salary-cap figure for 2015, but Garrett believes Carr has been better lately.

“He’s done a really nice job in coverage,” Garrett said. “I think he’s tackling better, and I think he’s showing up more as a physical guy just like the rest of our defense. We’ve got to do a better job of preventing some of those big plays.”
 

Carp

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We need 2 CBs next year...Carr and Claiborne should be gone. Just be smart and get a lower level FA and spend a pick on a CB in the 4th or later.
 

vince

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“He’s done a really nice job in coverage,” Garrett said. “I think he’s tackling better, and I think he’s showing up more as a physical guy just like the rest of our defense. We’ve got to do a better job of preventing some of those big plays.”
Garrett is describing a rookie CB here. This is definitely not something you would say about your highest paid corner.
 

Simpleton

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I wonder what the cap implications of cutting Carr would be.
I think we'd end up saving money one way or the other, although the dead money would be significant of course. He only has 2 years left on his deal so the proration amount can't be that huge considering his base is probably around 8 million next year to begin with.

Might as well get him off the books now so we can clear up all that space on the 2016 cap, and I agree with the strategy of going after lower tier FA's and mid round picks. I want the Jeremy Mincey version of a CB and then spend a mid round pick or two on CB's.
 

DLK150

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I'd dump him as well. There's something screwy going on when our best CBs are a lower round draft pick and a couple of journeymen. Anthony Henry was a better FA signing than Carr and either Newman or Jenkins were better high round picks than Claiborne.
 

boozeman

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June 1st cut to maximize the savings since cutting him before then would sting. Can't see why you keep the guy based off of his play. Maybe they think that if they prop him, he will take a pay cut.
 

Cowboysrock55

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June 1st cut to maximize the savings since cutting him before then would sting. Can't see why you keep the guy based off of his play. Maybe they think that if they prop him, he will take a pay cut.
I don't like the use of the June 1st cut rule because you don't get any of that cap room until June 1st. Basically means by the time you get the cap space no one is available to sign still. I'd rather bite the bullet and cut him while there are still players out there we can spend the cap savings on.
 

boozeman

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I don't like the use of the June 1st cut rule because you don't get any of that cap room until June 1st. Basically means by the time you get the cap space no one is available to sign still. I'd rather bite the bullet and cut him while there are still players out there we can spend the cap savings on.
There is nobody to sign though, that is the deal. Take a real good look at the likely available FA cornerbacks. It is pretty shitty.

You either draft a guy (:budd) or just hope for the best.

But you cannot keep a guy like this on the roster at his salary when dudes getting paid a third or even less of his salary are outperforming him.

You just can't.

We have done it in the past and it hurts competition.
 

Cowboysrock55

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There is nobody to sign though, that is the deal. Take a real good look at the likely available FA cornerbacks. It is pretty shitty.

You either draft a guy (:budd) or just hope for the best.
Someone like Antonio Cromartie would be great but I'm guessing his cost will be higher then I'd prefer to pay. I'd like to sign a couple guys and draft a guy. Go for the numbers approach and hope to get some solid veteran play out of someone.

I'd sign a guy like Kyle Wilson and hope that at worst he can be a good nickle corner with the hopes that maybe he can tap some of that first round potential still.
 

Simpleton

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Draft someone in the 3rd-5th area, re-sign Moore, sign some shitbox like Kyle Wilson and hope to catch lightning in a bottle, and roll with Scandrick/Moore/Claiborne/Patmon/Wilson/rookie.

Not great but if we upgrade the DL like we should we should be fine.
 

Smitty

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Draft someone in the 3rd-5th area, re-sign Moore, sign some shitbox like Kyle Wilson and hope to catch lightning in a bottle, and roll with Scandrick/Moore/Claiborne/Patmon/Wilson/rookie.

Not great but if we upgrade the DL like we should we should be fine.
That group would be fine if you improve the DL.

Really, what you need is a guy who can play the slot at a decent level. You don't need that high first round "shut down outside corner" that is so expensive and overdrafted. You need a smaller slot guy, who can excel in that role, which would allow Scandrick to bump to the outside -- he's good enough to be that guy. Those type of guys are not hard to find at all.
 

Simpleton

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That group would be fine if you improve the DL.

Really, what you need is a guy who can play the slot at a decent level. You don't need that high first round "shut down outside corner" that is so expensive and overdrafted. You need a smaller slot guy, who can excel in that role, which would allow Scandrick to bump to the outside -- he's good enough to be that guy. Those type of guys are not hard to find at all.
Yea, I agree. I want to slowly rebuild the CB corps with mid-round picks and lower tier FA signings over the next two offseasons. Hopefully Claiborne can give us a half decent year next season but he'll obviously be gone in 2016. In the meantime I'd like to sign a few bandaids and rebuild long term with mid-round guys in the next 2 drafts.

And as an aside, I have the perfect guy for you, he's just not eligible yet. Will Likely, true sophomore at Maryland, he'll fall when he comes out because he's only about 5-8 but he's tough, strong tackler, great ball skills, 4 TFL, 1 sack, 6 picks, two of which were returned for TD's, and 14 pass deflections this year. He's also one of the best punt returners in the Big 10.

Basically exactly what we're going to want out of a CB.
 

ravidubey

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We need 2 CBs next year...Carr and Claiborne should be gone. Just be smart and get a lower level FA and spend a pick on a CB in the 4th or later.
I agree on a CB in the middle rounds, but why should Claiborne be gone? He can be decent if he's healthy.
 

Carp

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I agree on a CB in the middle rounds, but why should Claiborne be gone? He can be decent if he's healthy.
He needs to be salvaged elsewhere...his walkout of practice because he was not starting showed a softness we don't need on the team.
 
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