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DCC 4Life
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- Apr 10, 2013
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Good call, Dallas Cowboys.
It feels like only yesterday when the organization was raked over the coals for choosing linebacker Leighton Vander Esch with the 19th-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, many wanting the Cowboys to select a wide receiver like Calvin Ridley instead. Feeling at the time that they were set to go at wideout, having signed both Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson to deals, they chose to fill a less-publicized but equally grievous need at the LB position instead. For while they would be without Dez Bryant going forward, they had already lost Anthony Hitchens to free agency and the injury bug on Sean Lee had again appeared in 2017.
Lee would miss a total of five games, and the team went 1-4 in his absence.
That means they essentially had two voids to fill for 2019 and beyond, and with one pick, Vander Esch providing both a replacement for Hitchens and insurance for Lee. Flash forward to Oct. 17 and Lee has now missed three of the first six games, predictably thrusting the rookie into the starting role and the corresponding limelight.
The Cowboys are 2-1 without Lee on the field in 2018.
All Vander Esch has done so far is tie with Jaylon Smith for a team high tackle tally, racking up 50 overall (41 of them being solo), and in only three starts plus initial rotational duty. Smith is on fire himself, playing at an All-Pro level -- for perspective -- having fewer solo takedowns (31) but four tackles for loss that include three sacks, making him a weapon in both blitz and coverage packages. The naysayers on the Vander Esch pick are now put out to pasture, and Smith is no stranger to such himself, having been routinely labeled an egregious choice as a 34th-overall pick.
And yet here they both are, dominating NFL offenses and making the absence of Lee negligible when it's been anything but prior to 2018 -- also giving a keen glimpse into what life post-Lee will look like. The two are both 20 tackles ahead of cornerbacks Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie, both tied for third-most with 30 a piece. They both have as many pass deflections as Awuzie and Smith is second behind only DeMarcus Lawrence in sacks, besting a slew of talented defensive linemen that include Randy Gregory, Maliek Collins, Antwaun Woods, Tyrone Crawford, Daniel Ross and Taco Charlton.
In short, the Cowboys haven't seen a LB tandem this talented since Dat Nguyen and Dexter Coakley in the early 2000's, and if you're wondering how a returning Lee will fit into all of this -- it's simple:
He's Darren Hambrick ...without the character issues.
Considering Lee is set to hit the salary cap for $11 million in 2018 and $10 million in 2019, without a reduction in pay, he may ironically find himself in Hambrick's shoes circa 2001. Nguyen was selected in the third round of the 1999 draft and hit the ground running, helping to push Hambrick -- an incumbent starter -- out a couple seasons later due to contract disputes, among other reasons that you'd never attribute to Lee.
"What do voluntary mean?", for example, are words the All-Pro would never fathom uttering. Lee's also never had off-the-field issues, but the back end of his on-the-field career could very well end with a similar time arc.
After all, those are hefty sums to pay a player who can't stay healthy for more than a few games at a time.
Re-focusing on the now, Lee will regain his starting role whenever he returns to the field, with a strong chance of it happening in Week 7 against the Washington Redskins unless the Cowboys choose to give him two additional weeks off via the following bye -- but don't expect Vander Esch to play second string snaps. He'll still land a fair share of reps between both the WILL (weak side) and SAM (strong side) positions, having proven it's a bad idea to take him off of the field anymore than necessary. With Smith the incumbent and unequivocal MIKE (middle) LB, base 4-3 packages will see variations of all three on the field at the same time, while the nickel will see Vander Esch and Lee rotating. And, yes, the Cowboys will shave some of the reps on the latter.
It'll be for his own protection given how many games are left to be played, while also keeping Vander Esch growing at a rapid pace.
Translation: Smart football.
"For a rookie to be able to handle as much of the reads and to play as clean as he's played, it's not easy as a rookie," said Lee of his eventual successor, via Kate Hairopoulos of The Dallas Morning News. "He's made it look easy."
For a player who was compared to Bobby Carpenter and another who was told he'd never play another down of football, Vander Esch and Smith are now the future at the position, and it's so bright you have to wear shades. Both have exceedingly high praise for each other, and the coaching staff don't know where they'd be without either right now, two key reasons why the Cowboys' defense is one of the best in the NFL -- and No. 1 in the NFC.
Cowboys - 2. Draftniks - 0.
It feels like only yesterday when the organization was raked over the coals for choosing linebacker Leighton Vander Esch with the 19th-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, many wanting the Cowboys to select a wide receiver like Calvin Ridley instead. Feeling at the time that they were set to go at wideout, having signed both Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson to deals, they chose to fill a less-publicized but equally grievous need at the LB position instead. For while they would be without Dez Bryant going forward, they had already lost Anthony Hitchens to free agency and the injury bug on Sean Lee had again appeared in 2017.
Lee would miss a total of five games, and the team went 1-4 in his absence.
That means they essentially had two voids to fill for 2019 and beyond, and with one pick, Vander Esch providing both a replacement for Hitchens and insurance for Lee. Flash forward to Oct. 17 and Lee has now missed three of the first six games, predictably thrusting the rookie into the starting role and the corresponding limelight.
The Cowboys are 2-1 without Lee on the field in 2018.
All Vander Esch has done so far is tie with Jaylon Smith for a team high tackle tally, racking up 50 overall (41 of them being solo), and in only three starts plus initial rotational duty. Smith is on fire himself, playing at an All-Pro level -- for perspective -- having fewer solo takedowns (31) but four tackles for loss that include three sacks, making him a weapon in both blitz and coverage packages. The naysayers on the Vander Esch pick are now put out to pasture, and Smith is no stranger to such himself, having been routinely labeled an egregious choice as a 34th-overall pick.
And yet here they both are, dominating NFL offenses and making the absence of Lee negligible when it's been anything but prior to 2018 -- also giving a keen glimpse into what life post-Lee will look like. The two are both 20 tackles ahead of cornerbacks Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie, both tied for third-most with 30 a piece. They both have as many pass deflections as Awuzie and Smith is second behind only DeMarcus Lawrence in sacks, besting a slew of talented defensive linemen that include Randy Gregory, Maliek Collins, Antwaun Woods, Tyrone Crawford, Daniel Ross and Taco Charlton.
In short, the Cowboys haven't seen a LB tandem this talented since Dat Nguyen and Dexter Coakley in the early 2000's, and if you're wondering how a returning Lee will fit into all of this -- it's simple:
He's Darren Hambrick ...without the character issues.
Considering Lee is set to hit the salary cap for $11 million in 2018 and $10 million in 2019, without a reduction in pay, he may ironically find himself in Hambrick's shoes circa 2001. Nguyen was selected in the third round of the 1999 draft and hit the ground running, helping to push Hambrick -- an incumbent starter -- out a couple seasons later due to contract disputes, among other reasons that you'd never attribute to Lee.
"What do voluntary mean?", for example, are words the All-Pro would never fathom uttering. Lee's also never had off-the-field issues, but the back end of his on-the-field career could very well end with a similar time arc.
After all, those are hefty sums to pay a player who can't stay healthy for more than a few games at a time.
Re-focusing on the now, Lee will regain his starting role whenever he returns to the field, with a strong chance of it happening in Week 7 against the Washington Redskins unless the Cowboys choose to give him two additional weeks off via the following bye -- but don't expect Vander Esch to play second string snaps. He'll still land a fair share of reps between both the WILL (weak side) and SAM (strong side) positions, having proven it's a bad idea to take him off of the field anymore than necessary. With Smith the incumbent and unequivocal MIKE (middle) LB, base 4-3 packages will see variations of all three on the field at the same time, while the nickel will see Vander Esch and Lee rotating. And, yes, the Cowboys will shave some of the reps on the latter.
It'll be for his own protection given how many games are left to be played, while also keeping Vander Esch growing at a rapid pace.
Translation: Smart football.
"For a rookie to be able to handle as much of the reads and to play as clean as he's played, it's not easy as a rookie," said Lee of his eventual successor, via Kate Hairopoulos of The Dallas Morning News. "He's made it look easy."
For a player who was compared to Bobby Carpenter and another who was told he'd never play another down of football, Vander Esch and Smith are now the future at the position, and it's so bright you have to wear shades. Both have exceedingly high praise for each other, and the coaching staff don't know where they'd be without either right now, two key reasons why the Cowboys' defense is one of the best in the NFL -- and No. 1 in the NFC.
Cowboys - 2. Draftniks - 0.
