Archer: Cowboys Hidden Gems - George Selvie

Cotton

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Cowboys Hidden Gems: George Selvie
January, 6, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

As a whole the Cowboys' 2013 season was a disappointment, but they did manage to have some hidden gems. In this series NFL Nation reporter Todd Archer looks at some under-the-radar success stories.

IRVING, Texas -- Not much was expected of George Selvie when he signed with the Dallas Cowboys on July 24.

The Cowboys had a need with Tyrone Crawford out with an Achilles' injury and Anthony Spencer slowed by a knee injury that eventually required season-ending surgery.

0By the end of the season Selvie was one of the Cowboys' most consistent defensive players and that is not meant to be a backhanded compliment considering just how bad the defense was in 2013. Selvie finished with 39 tackles and seven sacks for the season. He also had seven tackles for loss, 22 quarterback pressures, two pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

In the first 36 games of his career with the St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars, he had 57 tackles, three sacks and six tackles for loss.

“It was a good ride,” Selvie said. “I was at home and I wasn't in nobody's training camp, nobody's [organized team activities], but they gave me an opportunity to show what I can do and I ran with the opportunity. I felt like I had a really solid season. I'm just going to keep going with that.”

With Jason Hatcher and Spencer set for unrestricted free agency and DeMarcus Ware's status up in the air because of a hefty salary-cap figure, Selvie could be playing as prominent a role in 2014 as he had last season. Ideally the Cowboys would like to lower his snaps and make him more effective.

“Pass rush,” said Selvie on where he needs to improve most. “That's what I need to do, be more effective in the pass rush. I know that. I'm my biggest critic and I didn't get enough pressure [against Philadelphia] or through the year. I made some plays and that felt good, but I felt like I can do more.”
 

boozeman

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Feh. He faded as teams prepared for him. I certainly hope he is not viewed as someone we could think of to pair with the unstoppable force of nature that is Tyrone Crawford so we can ignore the severe need for a DE.
 

Cotton

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Feh. He faded as teams prepared for him. I certainly hope he is not viewed as someone we could think of to pair with the unstoppable force of nature that is Tyrone Crawford so we can ignore the severe need for a DE.
98% of our fans want to keep him.
 

p1_

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He seems to be capable of being part of the rotation, not a mainstay.
 

Simpleton

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He was pretty damn solid in that last game against the Eagles, I'm more than fine with him as our 3rd DE.
 

Smitty

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I'm not "more than fine" with him as our third DE. Our DL should be like the Giants in 2007.

But he's not a trainwreck as a backup.
 

Simpleton

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I'm not "more than fine" with him as our third DE. Our DL should be like the Giants in 2007.

But he's not a trainwreck as a backup.
You're thinking theoretically, I'm thinking next season, it's not realistic to build a completely dominant DL in one offseason when we have absolute shit right now.
 

Clay_Allison

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I'd be fine with him as the third DE. What I'm not fine with is Ware as a 16 million dollar starter.
 

BipolarFuk

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I'll be keeping Ware and his big contract for at least another year in Madden. He's still a 99 beast and is on pace for 20+ sacks. Selvie was cut after the Cowboys traded for Vinny Curry, who is also on pace for 20+ sacks.
 

ravidubey

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Selvie was one of those moves that lent a few bright spots to a bad situation, but it did not represent a real solution. We saw Selvie's very best this season and it would be stupid to think he can be a mainstay. He's more Hurvin McCormack than Tony Tolbert. If anyone could have been Tolbert, it was Crawford before his Achilles injury.

With Crawford's status unknown, Ware breaking down, and Hatcher aging and all but unsignable we officially have no longterm solution at LDE, LDT, RDT, and RDE. You can't architect a 4-3, or any defense, on the run that way.

At the start of 2013, planning for Crawford, Spencer, Ware, Hatcher, and Ratliff with Bass and Hayden rotating in a transition year was acceptable. But then ignoring the position in both free agency and the April draft was fucking stupidity at its highest.
 

Smitty

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I have very little hope for Crawford to be a quality starter.
 
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