ravidubey
DCC 4Life
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Bulking up is a natural change for a pass rusher. Helps against the run and gives you the size to line up a precious yard closer to the QB. No big linebacker should be dropping into coverage.
The OTA/Mini Camp Thread...
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Broaddus: Crawford Looking More Physical; Carr Adjusting
Posted 2 hours ago
Bryan BroaddusFootball Analyst/Scout
Some more thoughts from my Scouting Notebook:
•There is truly a physical difference in how Tyrone Crawford has approached this season. He has added solid weight to his frame without losing the quickness that he showed during the 2012 season. I remember in training camp than defensive line coach Brian Baker really grinding on him about developing his technique. Crawford seemed to pick up on things very quickly and was given more and more opportunities to play in special packages for Rob Ryan and he made the best of them. When the scheme changed with the coaching staff, I was trying to figure out where Crawford might be the best fit and strong side defensive end seemed to be a logical spot or maybe even as a one technique. The one thing that I have learned over the years when I was a scout and these coaches were in Tampa that their defensive linemen were always attacking up the field from both the defensive tackle and end spots so Crawford was a natural fit because this was the style of defense that he played at Boise. Where Crawford has made a great deal of progress is in his upper body strength. You can see power when he rushes off the left end and when he extends his arm into the tackle and he is able to control the blocker while he is going up field getting the corner. There were also times where he was used on the twist from the outside, coming inside and he spilt the block of Frederick and Leary. He has done a nice job of when the ball comes to his side against the zone block and held up well at the point. He is a stronger player than Wilber who was playing on the opposite side but those are two nice young backups to Ware and Spencer on the outside.
•Tyron Smith is now working into his second season as the starter at left tackle and as things were not always perfect in his first experience in that role, he managed to be the most consistent linemen they had. There have been a really nice battles these last two camps with Smith and Kyle Wilber. As a scout, I always enjoyed when two young players were battling to get the best of each other. With no Ware in the lineup, Wilber has received plenty of good work and mainly it has come against Smith who might be a quiet personality off the field but there have been sometimes where he has jumped on Wilber so quickly that he spends the whole play trying to fighting off the block as the ball goes past him or Orton completes the pass. You can see Smith playing with more confidence in what he is doing technique wise. Things you see without pads like the depth of his set and the width to the outside make a huge difference. Where Smith was not his best at times last season was when rushers took an inside charge on him, now you see him slam the door with a power step to cut that off. This zone scheme in the running game is perfect for him because when he can get his mass going sideways, then forward, he can really set the edge because once he gets a hold of the defender, he can control and that will be the key.
•When the Cowboys signed Brandon Carr before last season, I remember studying his tape and thinking to myself what an outstanding press corner he was. He and Brent Grimes of the Falcons were my two favorite corners during that free agency period. When it comes to playing technique, reading the route and adjusting to the ball, Carr has a real feel for this. When the switch was made from the scheme that Rob Ryan used to the one he currently plays in, I felt like there was going to be a big adjustment in the way he plays. I am not saying that Carr can’t play in off coverage but his strength has always been his ability to get his hands on the receiver and keep in position throughout the route, he is a master at this. While Carr has never been the quickest of foot say like Claiborne, Scandrick or Webb, he plays with smarts and technique and with a physical style that allows him to shut down the better receivers in the league. In this scheme, there are times where the corner will turn and bail in an attempt to funnel the receiver inside to the linebackers and safeties. What will happen to Carr is that a receiver will get a run on him developing separation and this is where the quickness comes into play. It’s going to take some time getting used to playing this type of technique for all these corners on the squad but maybe an even bigger adjustment for Carr.
Posted 2 hours ago
Bryan BroaddusFootball Analyst/Scout
Some more thoughts from my Scouting Notebook:
•There is truly a physical difference in how Tyrone Crawford has approached this season. He has added solid weight to his frame without losing the quickness that he showed during the 2012 season. I remember in training camp than defensive line coach Brian Baker really grinding on him about developing his technique. Crawford seemed to pick up on things very quickly and was given more and more opportunities to play in special packages for Rob Ryan and he made the best of them. When the scheme changed with the coaching staff, I was trying to figure out where Crawford might be the best fit and strong side defensive end seemed to be a logical spot or maybe even as a one technique. The one thing that I have learned over the years when I was a scout and these coaches were in Tampa that their defensive linemen were always attacking up the field from both the defensive tackle and end spots so Crawford was a natural fit because this was the style of defense that he played at Boise. Where Crawford has made a great deal of progress is in his upper body strength. You can see power when he rushes off the left end and when he extends his arm into the tackle and he is able to control the blocker while he is going up field getting the corner. There were also times where he was used on the twist from the outside, coming inside and he spilt the block of Frederick and Leary. He has done a nice job of when the ball comes to his side against the zone block and held up well at the point. He is a stronger player than Wilber who was playing on the opposite side but those are two nice young backups to Ware and Spencer on the outside.
•Tyron Smith is now working into his second season as the starter at left tackle and as things were not always perfect in his first experience in that role, he managed to be the most consistent linemen they had. There have been a really nice battles these last two camps with Smith and Kyle Wilber. As a scout, I always enjoyed when two young players were battling to get the best of each other. With no Ware in the lineup, Wilber has received plenty of good work and mainly it has come against Smith who might be a quiet personality off the field but there have been sometimes where he has jumped on Wilber so quickly that he spends the whole play trying to fighting off the block as the ball goes past him or Orton completes the pass. You can see Smith playing with more confidence in what he is doing technique wise. Things you see without pads like the depth of his set and the width to the outside make a huge difference. Where Smith was not his best at times last season was when rushers took an inside charge on him, now you see him slam the door with a power step to cut that off. This zone scheme in the running game is perfect for him because when he can get his mass going sideways, then forward, he can really set the edge because once he gets a hold of the defender, he can control and that will be the key.
•When the Cowboys signed Brandon Carr before last season, I remember studying his tape and thinking to myself what an outstanding press corner he was. He and Brent Grimes of the Falcons were my two favorite corners during that free agency period. When it comes to playing technique, reading the route and adjusting to the ball, Carr has a real feel for this. When the switch was made from the scheme that Rob Ryan used to the one he currently plays in, I felt like there was going to be a big adjustment in the way he plays. I am not saying that Carr can’t play in off coverage but his strength has always been his ability to get his hands on the receiver and keep in position throughout the route, he is a master at this. While Carr has never been the quickest of foot say like Claiborne, Scandrick or Webb, he plays with smarts and technique and with a physical style that allows him to shut down the better receivers in the league. In this scheme, there are times where the corner will turn and bail in an attempt to funnel the receiver inside to the linebackers and safeties. What will happen to Carr is that a receiver will get a run on him developing separation and this is where the quickness comes into play. It’s going to take some time getting used to playing this type of technique for all these corners on the squad but maybe an even bigger adjustment for Carr.
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Broaddus: Murray Protecting Pocket, Beasley Productive
Posted 3 hours ago
Bryan BroaddusFootball Analyst/Scout
Here are some thoughts and observations after Tuesday’s practice during Organized Team Activities:
•DeMarco Murray has worked his way back into practice and appears to be moving around well. There are traits that Murray has where I feel like he doesn’t get enough credit for his game. DeMarco Murray in my view is a complete back. If I can expand on what I mean by that complete back, it is one that runs the ball well, shows solid, dependable hands and can blitz pickup or make adjustments in the blocking scheme to help in the protection. Where Murray doesn’t get the credit he deserves is as a pass protector and you can see it when he is not in the lineup. As good as Phillip Tanner, Lance Dunbar and Kendial Lawrence have been at times, they do not have the understanding, awareness or skill level of Murray. In the blitz period, with the down and distance of first-and-10, Murray lines up off set to the left of Kyle Orton who is in the shotgun. At the snap, Kyle Wilber gets a heck of a jump on Tyron Smith, who is beaten off the ball badly. Murray sees what is happening, but instead of stepping up and getting in the way of Smith, stays wide which causes Wilber to have to pause. Smith then is able to adjust and along with Murray push Wilber to the outside. Orton feels the space, because Leary and Frederick have Hayden pinned inside, and is able to step up to make the throw. It was an outstanding, heads up play by Murray to not only help his tackle but give his quarterback a throwing lane, something these other young backs need to develop more.
•Solid day for Cole Beasley, who has been in the shadows of the conversations about Bryant, Williams and Harris during these sessions. Where you think Beasley would struggle would be in the red zone where he doesn’t have much room to use his quickness, but he was outstanding in the one-on-one drills working himself open. There were several reps where he had his man on his heals making it hard for the defender to adjust to his routes. Beasley showed nice pace on his routes with little or no hesitation. Movements were quick and decisive. He in the blitz work, he was able to work inside out of the slot against Matt Johnson on a 3rd and 5 play, where he started up the field hard to the outside, then planted off his left foot which gave him direction and separation. Orton was able to read it all the way for an easy pitch and catch in front of Johnson. Beasley during these camps has been working both on the outside and inside out of the slot so that tells me that the offensive coaches are trying to find spots for him to be success.
•With defensive linemen like Ratliff and Hatcher rehabbing injuries or taking a break from practice, it has given a guy like Ben Bass more opportunity to work with the first defense. Bass showed up well today and was disruptive on several reps from his three technique spot. He and Tyrone Crawford both did a nice job of attacking David Arkin and Doug Free up the field in the blitz period. Bass is a much better player in this scheme because he can just worry about working that shoulder of the guard and not having to play two gap with his hands. Bass showed some explosiveness in the scheme when he and DeVonte Holloman worked a twist game with Holloman going to the outside and Bass diving down inside beating Kevin Kowalski up the field causing Nick Stephens to have to flush out of the pocket to his right and causing him to throw the ball wide. One of the nice traits of Bass is his athletic ability and movement skills. On one rep, Kiffin went with a “Fire Zone” blitz which required Bass to have to drop in coverage and he was able to carry tight end Gavin Escobar 15 yards down the field which was quite impressive.
•Justin Durant is an interesting player in that I believe he is one of those players that has the ability to line up in a couple of different spots and be effective. Since coming back to practice last week after showing signs of a sore hamstring earlier in the sessions, he has shown to be a nice fit in this defense. In his last stop in Detroit, he showed the ability to play on the strong side in this 4-3 scheme, use his hands to battle blocks and control blocks to make plays. For the Cowboys, he is not the athlete of Carter or Lee but I do like the way he can play as the Mike dropping in the zone and reacting to the ball in front of him. This morning, he was paired with Ernie Sims and there was a play in the nickel where James Hanna went on an inside route with receiver Anthony Amos crossing at the same level. Amos’ route was designed to move the linebackers but this didn’t bother Durant at all who was at nice depth, saw the ball and made the play. It was a good read by a veteran linebacker that is showing he can do more than just play as a Sam linebacker.
Posted 3 hours ago
Bryan BroaddusFootball Analyst/Scout
Here are some thoughts and observations after Tuesday’s practice during Organized Team Activities:
•DeMarco Murray has worked his way back into practice and appears to be moving around well. There are traits that Murray has where I feel like he doesn’t get enough credit for his game. DeMarco Murray in my view is a complete back. If I can expand on what I mean by that complete back, it is one that runs the ball well, shows solid, dependable hands and can blitz pickup or make adjustments in the blocking scheme to help in the protection. Where Murray doesn’t get the credit he deserves is as a pass protector and you can see it when he is not in the lineup. As good as Phillip Tanner, Lance Dunbar and Kendial Lawrence have been at times, they do not have the understanding, awareness or skill level of Murray. In the blitz period, with the down and distance of first-and-10, Murray lines up off set to the left of Kyle Orton who is in the shotgun. At the snap, Kyle Wilber gets a heck of a jump on Tyron Smith, who is beaten off the ball badly. Murray sees what is happening, but instead of stepping up and getting in the way of Smith, stays wide which causes Wilber to have to pause. Smith then is able to adjust and along with Murray push Wilber to the outside. Orton feels the space, because Leary and Frederick have Hayden pinned inside, and is able to step up to make the throw. It was an outstanding, heads up play by Murray to not only help his tackle but give his quarterback a throwing lane, something these other young backs need to develop more.
•Solid day for Cole Beasley, who has been in the shadows of the conversations about Bryant, Williams and Harris during these sessions. Where you think Beasley would struggle would be in the red zone where he doesn’t have much room to use his quickness, but he was outstanding in the one-on-one drills working himself open. There were several reps where he had his man on his heals making it hard for the defender to adjust to his routes. Beasley showed nice pace on his routes with little or no hesitation. Movements were quick and decisive. He in the blitz work, he was able to work inside out of the slot against Matt Johnson on a 3rd and 5 play, where he started up the field hard to the outside, then planted off his left foot which gave him direction and separation. Orton was able to read it all the way for an easy pitch and catch in front of Johnson. Beasley during these camps has been working both on the outside and inside out of the slot so that tells me that the offensive coaches are trying to find spots for him to be success.
•With defensive linemen like Ratliff and Hatcher rehabbing injuries or taking a break from practice, it has given a guy like Ben Bass more opportunity to work with the first defense. Bass showed up well today and was disruptive on several reps from his three technique spot. He and Tyrone Crawford both did a nice job of attacking David Arkin and Doug Free up the field in the blitz period. Bass is a much better player in this scheme because he can just worry about working that shoulder of the guard and not having to play two gap with his hands. Bass showed some explosiveness in the scheme when he and DeVonte Holloman worked a twist game with Holloman going to the outside and Bass diving down inside beating Kevin Kowalski up the field causing Nick Stephens to have to flush out of the pocket to his right and causing him to throw the ball wide. One of the nice traits of Bass is his athletic ability and movement skills. On one rep, Kiffin went with a “Fire Zone” blitz which required Bass to have to drop in coverage and he was able to carry tight end Gavin Escobar 15 yards down the field which was quite impressive.
•Justin Durant is an interesting player in that I believe he is one of those players that has the ability to line up in a couple of different spots and be effective. Since coming back to practice last week after showing signs of a sore hamstring earlier in the sessions, he has shown to be a nice fit in this defense. In his last stop in Detroit, he showed the ability to play on the strong side in this 4-3 scheme, use his hands to battle blocks and control blocks to make plays. For the Cowboys, he is not the athlete of Carter or Lee but I do like the way he can play as the Mike dropping in the zone and reacting to the ball in front of him. This morning, he was paired with Ernie Sims and there was a play in the nickel where James Hanna went on an inside route with receiver Anthony Amos crossing at the same level. Amos’ route was designed to move the linebackers but this didn’t bother Durant at all who was at nice depth, saw the ball and made the play. It was a good read by a veteran linebacker that is showing he can do more than just play as a Sam linebacker.
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OTA Notebook: Perception Of Cowboys
MIKE FISHER |
Published: Tuesday, June 04, 2013, 6:17pm
IRVING, Texas – Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was asked after Tuesday's OTA workout at Valley Ranch if it fair to conclude that he and owner Jerry Jones have different philosophies as to how information is disseminated.
"I think,'' Garrett deadpanned, "you can draw your own conclusions."
The central issue of this discussion is assistant Bill Callahan's ascension to offensive playcaller, something that's been apparent to Valley Ranch insiders since late January but continues to be a "controversy'' even today because of the unorthodox way Garrett and Jones have handled it publicly.
The coach has opted not to handle it at all, believing the "privacy'' ("private'' unless you observe Callahan's work in the last three open-media Tuesdays at practice) gives Dallas a "competitive advantage.''
The owner revealed this poorly-kept secret on his own Tuesday, creating a dysfunctional look to the organizational chart.
Of course, this organizational chart has 24 years of shelf life. So maybe "dysfunction'' is simply "function'' – at least until a Callahan call goes bad in a game, in which case the world might start to understand that changing drivers doesn't automatically mean the car wins the race.
*The entire starting D-line took most of the day off on Tuesday. No 11-on-11 work for Ware, Hatcher, Ratliff or Spencer.
*It would be a mistake to take for granted the participation of DeMarco Murray, who showed no signs of hamstring problems.
*Buzz is, the good people of Frisco are being very aggressive in hoping to get the Cowboys to move their headquarters from Irving to their city.
*Miles Austin sat out the workout, leaving rookie Terrance Williams to get a great deal of first-team work.
*Quarterback Tony Romo, still recovering from surgery to remove a cyst from his back, might miss the June 11-13 minicamp.
"We're probably going to be real conservative there and it's probably unlikely," Jones said.
*Running backs coach Gary Brown has been absent from recent workouts, reportedly due to his daughter's battle with Leukemia. Special-teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia was absent Tuesday to attend a family graduation.
*The Cowboys signed special-teamer/defensive back Eric Frampton, who spent some time with the club last season.
*Dallas now has $9.7 million of cap space – a good portion of that earmarked for a contract extension this summer for linebacker Sean Lee.
*A step in the development of receiver Cole Beasley: being more than "just'' a slot receiver. And he's doing just that.
*Dallas is leaning toward not employing a full-time fullback this year. As an experiment, linebacker Caleb McSurdy did some work as a goalline fullback.
*And maybe, new veteran tight end Dante Rosario can utilize some of the H-Back skills that are on his resume.
"The things they're asking me to do, I think I'll be able to excel there,'' Rosario said. "Catching the ball, blocking … Playing in the slot, in the backfield, out wide in space … that's what I look forward to doing.''
*Justin Durant on the athleticism of his linebacker mates: "It's crazy. I've seen some great, athletic linebackers but they (Sean Lee and Bruce Carter and company) have a chance to be as great as any I've played with. I'm just trying to fit in any way I can.''
*A great use of OTAs: Teaching the zone-blocking scheme that has very quietly become the foundation of the running game.
*I think we can further shelve the notion of Travis Frederick as anything but a center – and at this early stage, the Cowboys believe he's a potential decade-long pillar there.
*Callahan, after being told that Jones had spoken openly about the playcalling plans, said he is "flattered" and "honored'' to work under Garrett in that capacity.
"Jason has placed a lot of trust in the staff," Callahan said. "He is still involved in the game-planning and in the meetings, and rightfully so. He is the head coach. This is his area of expertise. This is his system. So I'm really honored. I'm flattered to be part of this and take on the additional responsibilities of calling the plays in the course of the game."
Again, the unorthodox handling of the situation is a bigger deal than the actual change. Some misunderstand this as a conflict between owner and coach.
"Not at all," Garrett said. "He and I get along great. We have a great relationship. He's an outstanding owner. He's an outstanding owner because he cares a great deal about this football team and making the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys great. When you're in an environment like that, working for a guy like that, the pedal is down, and that's a good thing. The pedal is down for all of us."
As to folks who don't see it that way … who imagine power struggles and conflicts?
"Perception doesn't matter to me a whole lot," Garrett said. "Doing my job to the best of my ability matters the most.''
MIKE FISHER |
Published: Tuesday, June 04, 2013, 6:17pm
IRVING, Texas – Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was asked after Tuesday's OTA workout at Valley Ranch if it fair to conclude that he and owner Jerry Jones have different philosophies as to how information is disseminated.
"I think,'' Garrett deadpanned, "you can draw your own conclusions."
The central issue of this discussion is assistant Bill Callahan's ascension to offensive playcaller, something that's been apparent to Valley Ranch insiders since late January but continues to be a "controversy'' even today because of the unorthodox way Garrett and Jones have handled it publicly.
The coach has opted not to handle it at all, believing the "privacy'' ("private'' unless you observe Callahan's work in the last three open-media Tuesdays at practice) gives Dallas a "competitive advantage.''
The owner revealed this poorly-kept secret on his own Tuesday, creating a dysfunctional look to the organizational chart.
Of course, this organizational chart has 24 years of shelf life. So maybe "dysfunction'' is simply "function'' – at least until a Callahan call goes bad in a game, in which case the world might start to understand that changing drivers doesn't automatically mean the car wins the race.
*The entire starting D-line took most of the day off on Tuesday. No 11-on-11 work for Ware, Hatcher, Ratliff or Spencer.
*It would be a mistake to take for granted the participation of DeMarco Murray, who showed no signs of hamstring problems.
*Buzz is, the good people of Frisco are being very aggressive in hoping to get the Cowboys to move their headquarters from Irving to their city.
*Miles Austin sat out the workout, leaving rookie Terrance Williams to get a great deal of first-team work.
*Quarterback Tony Romo, still recovering from surgery to remove a cyst from his back, might miss the June 11-13 minicamp.
"We're probably going to be real conservative there and it's probably unlikely," Jones said.
*Running backs coach Gary Brown has been absent from recent workouts, reportedly due to his daughter's battle with Leukemia. Special-teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia was absent Tuesday to attend a family graduation.
*The Cowboys signed special-teamer/defensive back Eric Frampton, who spent some time with the club last season.
*Dallas now has $9.7 million of cap space – a good portion of that earmarked for a contract extension this summer for linebacker Sean Lee.
*A step in the development of receiver Cole Beasley: being more than "just'' a slot receiver. And he's doing just that.
*Dallas is leaning toward not employing a full-time fullback this year. As an experiment, linebacker Caleb McSurdy did some work as a goalline fullback.
*And maybe, new veteran tight end Dante Rosario can utilize some of the H-Back skills that are on his resume.
"The things they're asking me to do, I think I'll be able to excel there,'' Rosario said. "Catching the ball, blocking … Playing in the slot, in the backfield, out wide in space … that's what I look forward to doing.''
*Justin Durant on the athleticism of his linebacker mates: "It's crazy. I've seen some great, athletic linebackers but they (Sean Lee and Bruce Carter and company) have a chance to be as great as any I've played with. I'm just trying to fit in any way I can.''
*A great use of OTAs: Teaching the zone-blocking scheme that has very quietly become the foundation of the running game.
*I think we can further shelve the notion of Travis Frederick as anything but a center – and at this early stage, the Cowboys believe he's a potential decade-long pillar there.
*Callahan, after being told that Jones had spoken openly about the playcalling plans, said he is "flattered" and "honored'' to work under Garrett in that capacity.
"Jason has placed a lot of trust in the staff," Callahan said. "He is still involved in the game-planning and in the meetings, and rightfully so. He is the head coach. This is his area of expertise. This is his system. So I'm really honored. I'm flattered to be part of this and take on the additional responsibilities of calling the plays in the course of the game."
Again, the unorthodox handling of the situation is a bigger deal than the actual change. Some misunderstand this as a conflict between owner and coach.
"Not at all," Garrett said. "He and I get along great. We have a great relationship. He's an outstanding owner. He's an outstanding owner because he cares a great deal about this football team and making the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys great. When you're in an environment like that, working for a guy like that, the pedal is down, and that's a good thing. The pedal is down for all of us."
As to folks who don't see it that way … who imagine power struggles and conflicts?
"Perception doesn't matter to me a whole lot," Garrett said. "Doing my job to the best of my ability matters the most.''
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Broaddus: Wilcox, Magee Both Showing Up More On Defense
Posted 11 minutes ago
Bryan BroaddusFootball Analyst/Scout
Here are some thoughts after taking a moment to empty my scouting notebook from OTAs:
Posted 11 minutes ago
Bryan BroaddusFootball Analyst/Scout
Here are some thoughts after taking a moment to empty my scouting notebook from OTAs:
- From my scouting eye, it’s pretty clear that the defensive coaches would like to have Barry Church as one of the starting safeties when the club opens the season against the Giants. Who the other safety is going to be opposite him will be a nice battle. Currently, Matt Johnson is running with the first defense and rookie J.J. Wilcox with the second group while veteran Will Allen works to get himself back on the field. I have really liked what I have seen from Wilcox, who manages to always be around the ball when it is blown dead. He has shown more coverage awareness and skill that I remember observing at Georgia Southern. He has done a better job of matching up against these tight ends that all can get up the field in routes. He appears to have a feel for how to carry his man across the field and get his hands on the ball. He has the size, like Church in when the ball is down in the red zone and he has to be physical to gain position, he can handle that. On college tape he really showed the ability to react downhill to the ball in the running game but he has also shown some reactionary skill in coverage. Johnson hasn’t played poorly but there have been times in the scheme where Wilcox has shown up a little more. Church has also caught my eye with his play as well. There doesn’t appear to be any problems with his movement or confidence in his ability to break on a play.
- I have said this on a couple of different occasions, but I thought I would get it down in black and white. With the way that Jason Garrett and Bill Callahan are using these tight ends in different packages, it appears that are going to play without a true fullback in this offense. I could easily see this club carrying four tight ends and all of them with similar skill sets. Newly signed Dante Rosario, like Witten and Hanna, can line up as the “F” and when these coaches get in a short yardage situation, they can bring “13” personnel on the field with Witten as the inline “Y”, Hanna as the “H” and Rosario as the “F”. With this personnel group it also allows them to attack defenses with play action because teams will try and match the heavy personnel with larger bodies. It’s nothing for Witten or Hanna to slip out if they have created a mismatch in coverage. Gavin Escobar could also be in this mix most likely as the “H” until he gets a better understanding of how to play the “F” if the coaches have that in mind for him. We have seen Witten in the backfield as the “F” before but that was because Martellus Bennett struggled with it while John Phillips was injured. If Lawrence Vickers was a dominate special teams player or even at times a consistent down after down blocker, I might have some different thoughts. I know he can catch the ball but his job is to block first and there are times where that has been a struggle. These tight ends give Garrett and Callahan several nice options to work with.
- Was told that Jay Ratliff was back on the practice field today and took a healthy dose of action. The medical staff has been cautious about the amount of work that he has received and for that I have no problem because he is going to be a key piece to this defense this Fall. When I was in the pro personnel department here, we signed La’Roi Glover from the Saints to play as the three technique for this scheme under Mike Zimmer. We had some poor teams but our defense was not bad and that was because of players like Glover. As much as I am grateful for Glover and what he was able to accomplish here, Ratliff has the potential to be a better player than Glover. I really feel that this defense is the perfect fit for him because of the way he is so explosive up the field. What made him an outstanding nose was his ability to play with his hands and control blocks, now all he has to is attack the gap which is one of his great traits. We have all seen him get pressure inside as a nickel rusher. Now that he doesn’t have to face two blockers down after down, it makes his job much easier. From what my sources said today, there were several reps where he showed that quickness I was speaking of but power and strength as well just throwing blockers around. From that report it appears that Ratliff is enjoying the change as well.
- I have to admit that I was one of those guys that was cheerleading for the Cowboys to draftBrandon Magee out of Arizona State and when they passed on him at the end of the draft, the scout in me was disappointed. It was nice to see that the front office was able to grab him after the draft and from what we have all now seen from the draft board, the scouts thought enough of him to have him in the fourth round. I bring up Magee now because he is starting to show up more on plays in both the running game but in coverage as well. There were several reps where guys like DeVonte Holloman and Taylor Reed were showing up more than Magee and that was a concern. The one trait that Magee has is his ability to cover some ground when he runs. In practice on Tuesday, there were several reps where the ball went to the outside and he was right there in position to make the play. In coverage on Dunbar to the outside, he was right there as well and Dunbar has been a nightmare for the linebackers to have to deal with in space. Magee appears to be more comfortable in what he is trying to do assignment wise and that has allowed him to play with better flow. What I have also noticed about Magee is when there is some accidental contact and the ball carrier ends up on the ground, it’s Magee standing there with hands in the air like he didn’t do it. I believe where Magee will really shine is when the pads come on in Oxnard but until then, he is catching my eye with more consistency.
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Feh.
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Lotuseater
Banned
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So does that mean you believe me now? That he is one of the best safety prospects we've had in years?
My boy Wilcox is determined to make something of himself.
Last edited:
Carp
DCC 4Life
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Not really. I think still think you have overstated on the player, but take it as a victory.
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He is already better then Tony Dixon... Wilcox isn't as bad of a prospect as some people on here make him sound. He was the best safety at the Senior Bowl. His lack of experience is certainly concerning but this isn't some off the radar small school safety. This is a guy that was fairly highly ranked around the NFL as a safety prospect. Getting invited to the Senior Bowl and out performing the other safeties there doesn't simply happen by accident, it happens because the guy does legitimately have some talent.
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
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Agreed.
I wasn't in love with the pick because I don't have full confidence in our coaches to develop an unrefined prospect and of course I'm still annoyed that we generally ignore the lines but I can recognize that Wilcox was deserving of a pick in that range and that he does have talent.
NoDak
Hotlinking' sonofabitch
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I like Wilcox, but is saying he's the best safety prospect we've had in years saying much? We've trotted out bums at that position for way too long. Including safeties we've brought in as FAs. But I wouldn't exactly call them 'prospects'. Who are you comparing him to?
For arguments sake, I went back to when we drafted Darren Woodson. And started the following year.
Brock Marion- 7th round, 1993
Izell Reese- 6th round, 1998
Tony Dixon- 2nd round, 2001 (calm down, booze)
Roy Williams- 1st round, 2002
Justin Beriault- 6th round, 2005
Pat Watkins-5th round, 2006
Michael Hamlin- 5th round, 2009
Stephen Hodge-6th round, 2009
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah- 4th round, 2010
Matt Johnson- 4th round, 2012
JJ Wilcox- 3rd round, 2013
Out of all of them, Brock Marion had the best career. By light years. And we drafted him waaaaay back in '93. (any guesses on who was running the war room then?) Roy had all the talent in the world, but we all know what happened there. Even so, that was still 11 years ago. So, I'll ask again. Who exactly are you comparing Wilcox to when you say he's the best safety prospect we've had in awhile? Better than Tony Dixon? AOA? I sure as hell hope so.
For arguments sake, I went back to when we drafted Darren Woodson. And started the following year.
Brock Marion- 7th round, 1993
Izell Reese- 6th round, 1998
Tony Dixon- 2nd round, 2001 (calm down, booze)
Roy Williams- 1st round, 2002
Justin Beriault- 6th round, 2005
Pat Watkins-5th round, 2006
Michael Hamlin- 5th round, 2009
Stephen Hodge-6th round, 2009
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah- 4th round, 2010
Matt Johnson- 4th round, 2012
JJ Wilcox- 3rd round, 2013
Out of all of them, Brock Marion had the best career. By light years. And we drafted him waaaaay back in '93. (any guesses on who was running the war room then?) Roy had all the talent in the world, but we all know what happened there. Even so, that was still 11 years ago. So, I'll ask again. Who exactly are you comparing Wilcox to when you say he's the best safety prospect we've had in awhile? Better than Tony Dixon? AOA? I sure as hell hope so.
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Texas Ace
Teh Acester
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Good lord.....what an awful list that is. And you're right, Marion was by far the best player of that bunch.
But look at the rounds most of those guys were taken in:
6th, 6th, 5th, 5th, 6th, 4th, 4th, 3rd.
While you do expect something from a 3rd and 4th round player, that shouldn't be the highest draft pick you spend on a position in 11 years if you expect to find an answer to your problem. And of those picks, look how many were small school/injury concern/project guys.
It's no mystery why we still suck at safety.
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Texas Ace
Teh Acester
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I wasn't a super homer for him, but I too did think the guy was going to be a player.
I remember taking him in the Melsy that year for whatever team I had and hoping that the Cowboys would take a look at him in the real draft. He had athleticism, but he had no instincts.