Archer: Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster projection (07/23/15)

[Smitty]

I'm hoping Ryan Russell makes us keep him at the expense of WGAF Jack Crawford.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I'm hoping Ryan Russell makes us keep him at the expense of WGAF Jack Crawford.

I hope so. Russell has way more upside as a potential 3 technique then Crawford has anywhere.

 

[Simpleton]

I'd be very surprised if we didn't keep Russell considering the fact that we will have an extra spot due to Hardy's suspension for the first 4 weeks.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I'd also be surprised if we don't keep Russell. I feel like he'd have to be just flat out awful to get cut.

 

[ravidubey]

The main gripe people seem to have is that our secondary passing game targets like Beasley play a very niche role and probably couldn't fill in on the outside like a guy like Adams probably could if Nelson goes down.

There's no WR pipeline. Your number 3 should be the guy who could start for you one day. Jimmy Johnson understood this when he drafted Jimmy Smith in the 2nd and Kevin Williams in the 3rd round. Jerry Jones probably looked at Williams as a replacement for Kelvin Martin, but I know Jimmy knew what he was doing. Regardless of how they turned out you keep feeding the position, work talent into the slot, and let nature take over when a starter goes down or otherwise leaves.

Williams eventually did start, but the Cowboys stopped drafting WR's to feed the system and instead kept trying to keep Michael Irvin and pick up castoffs like Anthony Miller, Ernie Mills, and Raghib Ismail who were already breaking down.

Today Dallas' slot position is contractually locked up by a guy who it seems won't ever play outside or grow as a WR. No one can take his spot, he can't take anyone else's, and I wonder if the Cowboys are even thinking about drafting another WR.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

There's no WR pipeline. Your number 3 should be the guy who could start for you one day. Jimmy Johnson understood this when he drafted Jimmy Smith in the 2nd and Kevin Williams in the 3rd round. Jerry Jones probably looked at Williams as a replacement for Kelvin Martin, but I know Jimmy knew what he was doing. Regardless of how they turned out you keep feeding the position, work talent into the slot, and let nature take over when a starter goes down or otherwise leaves.

Williams eventually did start, but the Cowboys stopped drafting WR's to feed the system and instead kept trying to keep Michael Irvin and pick up castoffs like Anthony Miller, Ernie Mills, and Raghib Ismail who were already breaking down.

Today Dallas' slot position is contractually locked up by a guy who it seems won't ever play outside or grow as a WR. No one can take his spot, he can't take anyone else's, and I wonder if the Cowboys are even thinking about drafting another WR.

I would say that's exactly what we did with Street last year. We started rotating him on the field so that he could gain experience as a rookie. The organization and coaches clearly have high hopes for him. Now those high hopes might be misplaced if he just straight up sucks but I like the guys potential. He had a really nice catch called back last year too.

 

[ravidubey]

I would say that's exactly what we did with Street last year. We started rotating him on the field so that he could gain experience as a rookie. The organization and coaches clearly have high hopes for him. Now those high hopes might be misplaced if he just straight up sucks but I like the guys potential. He had a really nice catch called back last year too.

We've historically had a problem getting these guys on the field since Johnson left.

We'd draft guys like Willie Jackson and refuse to play them even when players ahead of them on the depth chart were injured. I remember a 1994 game vs Detroit on MNF when they doubled the outside receivers and the Cowboys never adjusted to a 3 wide set the entire game to lose 17-20 in overtime to a team they had no business losing to. Somehow we feel that starters had to play every down or else. Absolutely retarded.

I almost feel sorry for Street if the team keeps this shit up. It's like he has zero chance to develop, when if anything should flourish under a QB like Romo.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Not sure why people think Street even has much to develop. He's not particularly big, not fast, just screams average NFL WR all the way around.

Sure, the coaches have propped him, but that's pretty much every player.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Not sure why people think Street even has much to develop. He's not particularly big, not fast, just screams average NFL WR all the way around.

Sure, the coaches have propped him, but that's pretty much every player.

With a receiver I am not as much concerned about speed as hands and eye coordination. Height is important but not drop dead if they are slightly under 6 ft. Getting open and recognition of when to break off a route is critical.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Right. the "getting open" part is what I'm concerned with.

I'm not saying he can't play at all. When everyone's concerned with Dez and Witten and he's singled on a spare corner, I'm sure he can make some catches. Just saying that I'd be a lot more excited about a player with something special physically.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Not sure why people think Street even has much to develop. He's not particularly big, not fast, just screams average NFL WR all the way around.

Sure, the coaches have propped him, but that's pretty much every player.

He is 6'3"? Is that not big to you? He's our tallest WR actually. Plus he has good speed and has shown a good ability to make tough catches. Not saying he will ever develop but there is plenty to work with.

 

[Smitty]

Right. the "getting open" part is what I'm concerned with.

I'm not saying he can't play at all. When everyone's concerned with Dez and Witten and he's singled on a spare corner, I'm sure he can make some catches. Just saying that I'd be a lot more excited about a player with something special physically.

Yeah but even if he carves out a Patrick Crayton type of role here you'd take that and call it a win as a 5th round pick.

 

[ravidubey]

Yeah but even if he carves out a Patrick Crayton type of role here you'd take that and call it a win as a 5th round pick.

Definitely.

In order to get there he needs opportunities to prove himself on the field in games. Practice isn't enough.

 

[Cotton]

[MENTION=24]mschmidt64[/MENTION], might be cool to start up a thread with your final 53 projection and asking for others to project their own as well.