Cowboys Free Agency Thread

[NoDak]

Team is going for flash in 2020. Only a matter of time til we sign Dez

I sure hope so. His signing will provide a lot of entertainment. And that is what football is, after all. Entertainment.

 

[Simpleton]

You should watch Epenesa. His game against USC was really impressive.

I actually watched a good amount of that game live, the fact that he was often mathced up against Austin Jackson was extremely impressive, although I can't shake the feeling that he's kind of an uber Tyrone Crawford as far as being a 4-3 tweener who is going to be a jumbo strongside DE who kicks inside in nickel/dime without bringing that much juice off the edge.

That could definitely have alot of value given how Seattle ran their defense with 2 run-stuffing DT's, a jumbo DE and then Cliff Avril (Demarcus Lawrence in our scheme) off the edge with a stand-up edge rusher like Bruce Irvin off the ball.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I actually watched a good amount of that game live, the fact that he was often mathced up against Austin Jackson was extremely impressive, although I can't shake the feeling that he's kind of an uber Tyrone Crawford as far as being a 4-3 tweener who is going to be a jumbo strongside DE who kicks inside in nickel/dime without bringing that much juice off the edge.

That could definitely have alot of value given how Seattle ran their defense with 2 run-stuffing DT's, a jumbo DE and then Cliff Avril (Demarcus Lawrence in our scheme) off the edge with a stand-up edge rusher like Bruce Irvin off the ball.

Yeah his build and play style just doesn't remind me of Crawford at all. Admittedly I haven't pushed his name at all with that shit forty but what he did in college was very impressive. He is definitely more your prototypical 4-3 DE who can be dominant both against the run and pass. He has the size and strength to actually overpower OTs as opposed just trying to run around them.

 

[Stasheroo]

I actually watched a good amount of that game live, the fact that he was often mathced up against Austin Jackson was extremely impressive, although I can't shake the feeling that he's kind of an uber Tyrone Crawford as far as being a 4-3 tweener who is going to be a jumbo strongside DE who kicks inside in nickel/dime without bringing that much juice off the edge.

That could definitely have alot of value given how Seattle ran their defense with 2 run-stuffing DT's, a jumbo DE and then Cliff Avril (Demarcus Lawrence in our scheme) off the edge with a stand-up edge rusher like Bruce Irvin off the ball.

Exactly the name that he reminds me of. Tyrone Crawford. I want no part of Epenesa. I didn't going into the combine, and his workouts confirmed it.

 

[Plan9Misfit]

You should watch Epenesa. His game against USC was really impressive.

He was unblockable in that game.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Exactly the name that he reminds me of. Tyrone Crawford. I want no part of Epenesa. I didn't going into the combine, and his workouts confirmed it.

I get it. Chaisson reminds me of Leonard Floyd mixed with Mingo. It's why I'm not high on him.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

He was unblockable in that game.

It's why I can't believe the USC OT is being called a late first rounder.

 

[Stasheroo]

I get it. Chaisson reminds me of Leonard Floyd mixed with Mingo. It's why I'm not high on him.

Touché.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Touché.

I'd like to think Epenesa is more like Cameron Jordan than Crawford. But I think I always tend to value guys in college with the impressive stats as opposed to the potential with a lack of stats.

 

[boozeman]

I get it. Chaisson reminds me of Leonard Floyd mixed with Mingo. It's why I'm not high on him.

I agree with this assessment.

 

[boozeman]

It's why I can't believe the USC OT is being called a late first rounder.

Bad OT class is pushing these guys up.

 

[Stasheroo]

I'd like to think Epenesa is more like Cameron Jordan than Crawford. But I think I always tend to value guys in college with the impressive stats as opposed to the potential with a lack of stats.

Theres no wrong answer.

 

[Simpleton]

Yeah his build and play style just doesn't remind me of Crawford at all. Admittedly I haven't pushed his name at all with that shit forty but what he did in college was very impressive. He is definitely more your prototypical 4-3 DE who can be dominant both against the run and pass. He has the size and strength to actually overpower OTs as opposed just trying to run around them.

An uber Tyrone Crawford is a borderline Pro Bowler, so that's not really a knock on him, he's kind of the prototype for an old school 3-4 DE. I just don't think he's a guy who is going to consistently get pressure off the edge in the NFL due to his lack of explosiveness/burst, and ultimately in nickel/dime I think he's going to mainly kick inside.

I don't want to go through what we went with Crawford where he's bouncing back and forth between positions and never really maximizes his potential, although that may not be a concern with this staff. For me he's solidly in the conversation if we move down to 25ish, so it's not like I hate him, but I'd prefer Chaisson, Baun or Gross-Matos simply because it's hard to envision a guy being able to consistently threaten the edge after running a 5+ 40 with very questionable 10-yard splits to boot.

I'm not throwing the baby out with the bath water and completely writing him off, I still think he's a 1st rounder and would definitely take him after trading down, but there's other options I like better.

 

[Simpleton]

Theres no wrong answer.

I have a hypothesis that many of the high picks who bust are pretty much a function of work ethic/character issues, environment, and often both. Unless you're just a completely rare athlete with preternatural feel for the game you're never going to be elite in the NFL unless you have the requisite work ethic/character/demeanor/whatever you want to call it.

The environment a player goes into into, the coaches they have, and especially the plan a team has for them when they're drafted are also major factors. If a 4-3 team took Watt a few years ago and asked him to put his hand down and go stop the run heads up on an island vs. OT's all game he probably wouldn't have been very successful. Same for a guy like Baun and Chaisson this year.

If a team takes Ruggs and asks him to go line up as a static X WR all game, beat press, and beat CB's running comebacks and slants he probably isn't going to be very effective.

Look at a guy like Charlton. I don't think he had his head screwed on right and/or couldn't take the pressure of being a number 1 pick, had a falling out with the staff, sulked, and got cut. Would a guy like DeMarcus Ware be DeMarcus Ware if he had the same mindset/demeanor?

Probably not.

And even then he goes to Miami and puts up 5 sacks in 10 games once he's in a new environment. Even if he lucked into a few of those that's still on pace for 8 sacks after getting cut mid-season.

Byron Jones is another great example. He goes from maybe an above average safety over his first 3 years to becoming the highest paid CB in the league 2 years later once he fell into a scheme that accentuated his abilities. Would that have happened if we never hired Richard/went to almost strictly Cover-3?

Doubtful.

All of that is a very long-winded way of saying that often we have no idea why a player busts and/or there are multiple very impactful factors at play that could've resulted in very different outcomes had they been different.

 

[Stasheroo]

I have a hypothesis that many of the high picks who bust are pretty much a function of work ethic/character issues, environment, and often both. Unless you're just a completely rare athlete with preternatural feel for the game you're never going to be elite in the NFL unless you have the requisite work ethic/character/demeanor/whatever you want to call it.

The environment a player goes into into, the coaches they have, and especially the plan a team has for them when they're drafted are also major factors. If a 4-3 team took Watt a few years ago and asked him to put his hand down and go stop the run heads up on an island vs. OT's all game he probably wouldn't have been very successful. Same for a guy like Baun and Chaisson this year.

If a team takes Ruggs and asks him to go line up as a static X WR all game, beat press, and beat CB's running comebacks and slants he probably isn't going to be very effective.

Look at a guy like Charlton. I don't think he had his head screwed on right and/or couldn't take the pressure of being a number 1 pick, had a falling out with the staff, sulked, and got cut. Would a guy like DeMarcus Ware be DeMarcus Ware if he had the same mindset/demeanor?

Probably not.

And even then he goes to Miami and puts up 5 sacks in 10 games once he's in a new environment. Even if he lucked into a few of those that's still on pace for 8 sacks after getting cut mid-season.

Byron Jones is another great example. He goes from maybe an above average safety over his first 3 years to becoming the highest paid CB in the league 2 years later once he fell into a scheme that accentuated his abilities. Would that have happened if we never hired Richard/went to almost strictly Cover-3?

Doubtful.

All of that is a very long-winded way of saying that often we have no idea why a player busts and/or there are multiple very impactful factors at play that could've resulted in very different outcomes had they been different.

I would definitely agree with the 'other factors' part, there's never just one reason as to why draft picks bust. As you mentioned, a lot of things go into it.

 

[fortsbest]

I usually don't like bringing in the headcases, so I won't expect too much here.

But Smith was a certified badass. I'm going to say the most talented rusher we've had since Ware. If he can be anything close to what he was for even a dozen plays a game, he'll help.

These are probably the types of risks you have to take when your stars start getting paid and you lose some of your other best players to FA.

I keep thinking,
Remember the last time the Cowboys brought in a former 49er no one really wanted or liked? How'd that work out for ya? Then I think, why the hell not.

 

[ravidubey]

I remember the first 49er they brought in, Paul Hackett.

He was hot garbage. Bruce Coslet (though he was years removed from the 49ers) also sucked.

Yeah, to my recollection ex-49er coaches don’t have a great track record around Dallas.

 

[shoop]

I remember the first 49er they brought in, Paul Hackett.

He was hot garbage. Bruce Coslet (though he was years removed from the 49ers) also sucked.

Yeah, to my recollection ex-49er coaches don’t have a great track record around Dallas.

I think he was talking player(Aldon Smith) equating it to Charles Haley.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I mean, is where he came from anywhere near as important as how long it's been since he played?

I think he last played for the Toledo Maroons.

 

[p1_]

I mean, is where he came from anywhere near as important as how long it's been since he played?

I think he last played for the Toledo Maroons.

I think your concern is what makes this such a long shot. Has anyone taken 4/5 away from the game and come back to play successfully? I don't know of any.