Cedric Thornton Signed

boozeman

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In a three man line, sure he can. Like this signing more and more as I think about it.
 

ravidubey

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Good value. About as good as we could expect from the market after Harrison and Ian Williams were signed/resigned.
 

DLK150

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I like the signing,especially if it means the end of the "Hayden Era", can possibly produce more, add some versatility.and all at a reasonable cost.
 

Simpleton

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The fact that Thornton was obviously our focus right out of the gate says alot about our interest in Buckner at 4. Both are about 6-6, 6-7, 290-300, strong against the run, primarily interior players in this scheme with some flex out to DE, although obviously Buckner is more athletic, a better pass rusher and has more ability as a DE while Thornton is more stout against the run.

Still, the similarities are pretty obvious. My only question is does this signing make us less likely to draft Buckner since I don't think we would want Buckner as a full-time DE and obviously the plan is to start Crawford/Thornton at DT.

Of course I wouldn't let a mid-tier FA signing have much of an impact on what I want to do at number 4 overall in a draft but if Bosa and Buckner are graded about equally, is the fact that Bosa is more natural at DE the tiebreaker?

Should be really interesting although either way I'm very pleased that we prioritized getting a guy with some lead in his ass at the 1 technique.
 

NoDak

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The fact that Thornton was obviously our focus right out of the gate says alot about our interest in Buckner at 4. Both are about 6-6, 6-7, 290-300.
Everything I've seen says he's either 6-3 or 6-4. His combine profile says 6-3 309.
 

Simpleton

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Everything I've seen says he's either 6-3 or 6-4. His combine profile says 6-3 309.
Yea I'm losing my mind here, he looks to have more length from his body type than he's listed at so that must've been the impression that stuck with me.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Everything I've seen says he's either 6-3 or 6-4. His combine profile says 6-3 309.
Yeah I saw somewhere yesterday 6'4" 310. He looks like he has pretty long arms too. That seems to be the ideal size for our 1 technique spot. We clearly don't just want a massive slug. Which is why your 330 pound guys with no movement skills were never going to get consideration. I think Thornton will be able to actually produce some penetration from the 1 technique spot. I bet he puts up career numbers this year.
 

Cotton

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Cotton

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Moore: What the Cowboys are getting in defensive lineman Cedric Thornton?

By David Moore , Staff Writer
What the Cowboys did Thursday is a ripple in the wake of what took place to open free agency.

But it's the sort of prudent move that fits the club's approach and one that should pay immediate dividends.

Cedric Thornton signed a four-year deal that can escalate up to $18 million. A third of that total -- $6 million -- is fully guaranteed.

Acquiring a little-known defensive lineman doesn't move the needle compared with the New York Giants, a division rival that added defensive end Olivier Vernon, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and defensive tackle Damon Harrison since the start of free agency. But it upgrades the interior of the Cowboys' defensive line and gives them some flexibility heading into next month's draft.

Nick Hayden has been a functional defensive tackle for the Cowboys the last three seasons. Playing the underappreciated one-technique, his primary responsibility has been to stop the run in Rod Marinelli's 4-3 scheme. He's made 75 tackles with no sacks in those three seasons.

Thornton has started at defensive end in Philadelphia's 3-4 scheme in that same span. Outstanding against the run, Thornton has nearly twice as many tackles (144) as Hayden over the last three seasons.

Hayden is a free agent. Thornton is expected to take his place in the starting lineup with veteran Terrell McClain in reserve.

At 6-4, 309 pounds, Thornton is more athletic and versatile than Hayden. He has the quickness to push the pocket and generate some pass rush, something Hayden doesn't possess. Thornton had four sacks for the Eagles over the last four seasons.

The Cowboys will ask Thornton to shed a few pounds to emphasize his quickness even more. The staff envisions giving Thornton some work behind Tyrone Crawford at the other defensive tackle position and believes he can provide spot duty at end.

Another plus is that Thornton is two years younger than Hayden. He turns 28 before the start of training camp.

The addition of Thornton has draft implications as well.

This is regarded as a strong draft for defensive tackles. There should be some quality players available at the top of the second and third rounds.

Thornton's presence frees the Cowboys from the need to take a player at that position in the first two days of the draft and allows them to concentrate on other positions. It allows them to draft a player who holds more positional value in their system at a lesser cost than would happen in free agency.

Thornton wasn't the only free agent at Valley Ranch on Thursday. Quarterback Matt Moore and Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll also met with coaches.

It sounds simplistic to say whether Moore signs with the Cowboys comes down to money, but if the veteran wants too much, there are indications that the club is comfortable with Kellen Moore as the backup to Tony Romo.

Green Bay's Casey Hayward is another cornerback who has piqued the Cowboys' interest.

What happens at those positions is yet to be determined. What was determined is that the Cowboys want Cedric Thornton to plug into the interior of their defensive line. It wasn't flashy.

But it was a solid start.
 

Cotton

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Simpleton

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Sign Casey Hayward and bring back Mo for cheap, DB set.
Yea, cut Carr, sign Hayward to a Jeremy Lane type deal, re-sign Claiborne or sign Carroll for about the same price and our CB's are perfectly fine. If we want to spend a mid round pick on one to bolster depth that's fine too.
 

Simpleton

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Yes, it's basically a perfect signing. We identified a need that most of us have been bitching about for 2 years, targeted a guy who fits the role well but wouldn't come too expensive and closed the deal with decisiveness.
 

Cotton

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[h=1]Bob Sturm On Free Agency: Cowboys Land Run Stopper Cedric Thornton From Eagles[/h]
By Bob Sturm, Special contributor Contact Bob Sturmon Twitter:@SportsSturm

It is nice to know that "Free Agency Week" is not just about teases and rumors. Sometimes, you actually add a nice piece to your team and yesterday the Cowboys did just that. Cedric Thornton has been signed for what appears to be roughly a 4-year, $17 million deal. The deal includes $5m up front in a signing bonus and then base salaries of $1m, $3m, $4m, and $4m - with the first 2 years ($9m fully guaranteed). The final two years will basically be team options with only the remainder of his signing bonus ($1.25 per year) as potential dead money.

Cedric is going to turn 28 years old in June and 6'4 and around 310 pounds. He has been an Eagles force in the middle for the past 4 seasons out of Southern Arkansas. He is a run stopper who will play around 600 snaps as a run-down speed bump 1-technique. But, he is actually much more than that.

Nick Hayden has played this 1-technique spot for the past 3 seasons and has performed admirably for a player who wasn't even in the league when the Cowboys called. But, Thornton has a much bigger and impressive toolbox. He plays all 1st and 2nd downs and has a knack for destroying outside zone blocking plays. Now you may be wondering how this helps the pass rush - well, it really doesn't. In nickel or passing downs, he is generally on the sideline. He will occasionally get to the QB, but odds are you have better natural pass rushers than him.

The price is what makes this right for me. The Giants just paid Damon Harrison $46m with $24m guaranteed to do the similar job in New York. The Giants, I guess, plan on playing Harrison and Johnathan Hankins both inside on their line which will not allow much on the ground but will certainly not get to the QB, either. Either way, Harrison for almost $10m a year or Thornton for $4m? There is no question if you are going to pay for a 2-down-run-stopper, you want one but you also don't want to give them all the money. I can't imagine the Giants are going to like that deal in 24 months.

Either way, let's focus on Thornton. No team has given the Cowboys' running game more problem than the Eagles. There are many reasons for that - Fletcher Cox, Bennie Logan, and the overall depth of the Eagles front as well as their willingness to play 8 in the box as a general rule and take their chances with Dez Bryant (which killed them in 2014) or Terrence Williams (which sort of killed them in 2015 at their place). But, in all 4 of those meetings, you can see #72 doing damage as he destroys run plays. And he is constantly going up against Zack Martin to do his damage which should tell us a few things about his ability to hold his own. Neither guy was winning every play. And I bet these performances against the best Dallas has to offer sold them that they should plunk down some cash to steal away a nice piece at the right price.

I went through much of his 2015 in the last day to try to demonstrate what the Cowboys surely saw that inspired them to strike at what could be a bargain in free agency.
Cedric Thornton - #72 - 6'4, 309 - 27 years Old



Here is a good place to start. Look at the Panthers wanting to get on the outside with a pulling guard and get their runner into space. Thornton - #72 - is not going to let that happen and see the big man turn on the wheels from defensive end. He uses his arms to stay in front of the right guard and then displays athleticism to make the play. Top notch stuff, here.



But, this right here is his specialty. Lined up at the 1-tech between the right guard and the center, Thornton kills zone plays by finding a way through the wall and then making the play from behind or at the point of attack. He is too quick for most interior linemen to stay in front of and he gets in and makes the tackle himself. He kills zone plays. I saw this repeatedly.



Zone read to his side as #72 lines up at DE again. He reads the play, keeps outside leverage, and then gets in on the tackle. Again, Nick Hayden played hard, but he can't dream of this skill set.



Same concept against the Lions. The RT is trying to get the reach block on Thornton and can't. Thornton has the strength in his upper body to hold the opening open for himself to rush through and then track down the RB from behind to make the play. There isn't much accomplished against the Eagles front with this type of play.



1-Technique clinic here. Push the center right out of the way, peel back and make the tackle yourself. There is no question that "keeping the linebackers clean" is a selling point of a proper DT from the 1-tech, but what if he just makes a bunch of tackles himself? This should be getting you fired up by now.



I had some people ask me to find some double teams on him and how he stands his ground. When two 300-pound OL key on you, it is a lot to ask for a man to stand up to them, but Thornton does fine above and actually gets in on the tackle. This is not his specialty, but he can handle it as well as Hayden can.



And others were asking about his pass rush. Honestly, he is not a huge factor here because he has a very limited rolodex of moves. He has one. It is a bullrush. This can help collapse a pocket and get some hustle sacks/hits, but it is not why you signed him. You signed him to shut down 1st and 2nd down so that your rushers can get there on 3rd and long. He does his job quite well.

Now, here he is against Zack Martin, Doug Free, and Travis Frederick in games this year against the Cowboys:



Here is a sack from Thornton. Don't go falling in love with them, but it has happened against the Cowboys. It looks like Doug Free has no idea the play started and that Romo decides not to throw a ball at the last second. The whole play looks bizarre, but Thornton did get a sack against Romo back in September. It happened.



Here he is being double teamed by 68/70 and is battling his tail off to stay in there and ultimately to help get in on the stop after a few yards. Again, if a team wants to double you, it is hard to affect the play, but that means you have just taken out the right guard and right tackle and your mates now have a clear path to the ball. You did your job.



He is not perfect. He is very good, but so is Zack Martin. Here, he gets out leveraged and Martin clears him right out of the screen. Like I said, they both had their wins.



Thornton on this play has Free on a zone left where Mcfadden picks a hole off of 72's shoulder. Thornton again loses his man and makes the tackle himself. He is great at this which involves winning a quick physical battle while keeping an eye on the ball carrier so that you can stop the play.



Thornton turned Martin here and closed off the flank, causing the RB to head right into the waiting arms of 96-Bennie Logan. Again, Thornton ends the path of this play with a really quick and athletic move around Martin but will not get a stat on this play. He merely the play with his nice effort here and again, this is a club the Cowboys did not have in their bag on the interior.



Another rare chance to pass rush from DE for #72 and another exhibition that he pretty much just keeps contain and uses his bullrush. He is not much of a pass rusher unless he gets his man off balance, but it is all power.



This is the Eagles Bear Front which they showed the Cowboys a bit last season. This means that the center and both guards are covered by interior Eagles (taking away the chance to double team). Watch 72-Thornton knock 70-Martin right out of the way to get in on the play. Also, notice 91-Fletcher Cox show that he is a superstar who can do everything Thornton can do and many things Thornton cannot. But, Cedric was not out-classed by Zack Martin at all.



One more time. Thornton versus Martin on a zone left. McFadden follows the lead Fullback and then decides to try the cutback lane. Doug Free doesn't help much here as he stumbles through the path and Thornton has his arms open and waiting for McFadden. Thornton is fantastic on the backside of these zone plays and he cleans up most of them. This also reminds us that McFadden is not great running zone plays, too.

Hopefully this study shows you some real promise here. I think the price is great and the player has certainly shown that he can provide something the Cowboys did not have.

He is not a world beater, but exactly the type of bargain shopping you want this time of year. At his price of about $4m a season, the Cowboys plugged a hole they have had for several seasons with a nice upgrade. I like this deal quite a bit.
 

Cotton

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I have such a weird boner right now.
 

Cowboysrock55

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The thing about double teams are that they have to be earned. If a team can handle your 1 technique with one guy, they aren't going to double team them. Or double team them for long. This has always been my biggest problem with Hayden. There wasn't a reason to double team him. Your center or guard could pretty much handle him alone depending on which direction the run is headed. Thornton at least forces teams to double team him or face the fact that he will probably make the play.

I also think he is a better pass rusher then you see on some of those plays. When you line a guy straight up his quickness kind of gets eliminated as part of the ability to rush the passer. You'll see Thornton is usually directly over top of the tackle or the guy across from him. As soon as you shade a guy like that between two lineman his quickness becomes a bigger factor because now he is just getting upfield. I think our system will actually benefit Thornton who definitely has some quickness to his game.
 

Genghis Khan

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I have a request: can we limit these sturm articles to their own threads? All those gifs crash the shit out of my phone.
 

Cotton

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