Shiningstar
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2020
- Messages
- 959
bad article, bad take. I am not a fan of every move we make, but this was the best move at the time.
2020 Random Cowboys Stuff Thread...
- Thread starter boozeman
- Start date
- Status
Genghis Khan
The worst version of myself
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 51,142
King is a decent reporter but his personal opinions have always been spotty. Drafting Lamb was as close to a no-brainer as it gets.
The best defenders remaining might have somewhat improved the defense. Lamb almost certainly significantly improves the offense.
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 145,318
So I am assuming he thinks Chaisson would be a difference maker?
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2013
- Messages
- 23,835
Chaisson would have definitely improved the defense, perhaps even significantly depending on what we can get out of Smith/Gregory. With that said, anybody arguing that we should've taken a defensive player over Lamb is a straight up retard.
At best you might be able to argue it's a toss-up, and if the alternative had been Ruggs or maybe even Jeudy I think you could make even more of a case. But not with Lamb, he's too good of a prospect and you couldn't pass him up.
And on top of just how good of a prospect he is, we actually had somewhat of a need at WR. It wasn't glaring, nor did it have to be addressed in the first 3 rounds, but it was an area the team was clearly looking hard at early on and getting a guy like Lamb who can play outside or in the slot at an elite level, and who can allow Cooper to move back and forth from the slot, represents significant value.
At best you might be able to argue it's a toss-up, and if the alternative had been Ruggs or maybe even Jeudy I think you could make even more of a case. But not with Lamb, he's too good of a prospect and you couldn't pass him up.
And on top of just how good of a prospect he is, we actually had somewhat of a need at WR. It wasn't glaring, nor did it have to be addressed in the first 3 rounds, but it was an area the team was clearly looking hard at early on and getting a guy like Lamb who can play outside or in the slot at an elite level, and who can allow Cooper to move back and forth from the slot, represents significant value.
p1_
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2013
- Messages
- 27,424
having him equates to increased scoring/firepower on offense, where at times last season we fell flat and couldn't score. Not to mention scoring and field position improvement on punt return alone. Cee Dee = TD.
Genghis Khan
The worst version of myself
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 51,142
He is really the only one in that range that would have made sense.
I didn't read the article but I'm guessing the argument is that any level of improvement on a suspect defense is more important than any level of improvement on an already good offense. I definitely disagree with that. Bringing a unit from good to elite is much more impactful than bringing a unit from marginal to good.
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2013
- Messages
- 23,835
To be fair, I don't expect our defense to be terrible by any means. Our talent level is either mostly even or improved on the 2018 defense that was near the top of the league.
On the DL we've added McCoy, Poe, and potentially Smith while losing schlubs like Daniel Ross and Charlton. Collins is the only meaningful loss but clearly McCoy/Poe outweigh that.
We're basically exactly the same at LB. In the secondary we've lost Byron/Heath while adding Clinton-Dix, Diggs, Worley, Robinson, etc. We lost a high-end talent in Byron but replaced him with a significant amount of depth, so while we don't have that "CB1" anymore, the depth is much stronger while we still have most of the guys who played heavy snaps at CB in 2018 in Awuzie and Brown. Clinton-Dix is at least a push, but probably really an upgrade over Heath.
On the DL we've added McCoy, Poe, and potentially Smith while losing schlubs like Daniel Ross and Charlton. Collins is the only meaningful loss but clearly McCoy/Poe outweigh that.
We're basically exactly the same at LB. In the secondary we've lost Byron/Heath while adding Clinton-Dix, Diggs, Worley, Robinson, etc. We lost a high-end talent in Byron but replaced him with a significant amount of depth, so while we don't have that "CB1" anymore, the depth is much stronger while we still have most of the guys who played heavy snaps at CB in 2018 in Awuzie and Brown. Clinton-Dix is at least a push, but probably really an upgrade over Heath.
NoDak
Hotlinking' sonofabitch
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 27,665
I don't think Chaisson was a certainty to have improved our defense. He was one of the biggest boom or bust guys in the first round, imo. Could he be great? Sure. But he could also easily be Vernon Gholston. He is a measurables/projection guy. Not a whole lot of production to go off of in college.
Lamb has the chance to be a transcendent type of talent. And barring injury, I'd say his floor is of a good WR that makes a few probowls in his career.
No brainer choice in taking Lamb over Chaisson or whoever. King is just wrong.
Lamb has the chance to be a transcendent type of talent. And barring injury, I'd say his floor is of a good WR that makes a few probowls in his career.
No brainer choice in taking Lamb over Chaisson or whoever. King is just wrong.
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2013
- Messages
- 23,835
Chaisson was pretty dominant towards the end of last season. He was the defensive MVP against Oklahoma in the semifinal and was impressive in the SEC Championship against two first round OT's in Thomas and Wilson. He didn't have much in the box score against Clemson but he pressured Lawrence consistently and made an amazing tackle in space on Etienne.
I'm not going to belabor the point since it's pointless given that Lamb was there, but if Lamb was gone as he should've been Chaisson would've been a no-brainer and an excellent pick.
I'll be interested to see how he turns out in Jacksonville but I'd be shocked if he had a career that's even comparable to Lamb, let alone better.
Smitty
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 25,626
Agreed. Chaisson would have been my pick over a CB there, but Lamb was really the last of the Mohicans at 17; Chaisson was entering “I feel like we missed the talent cut off point,” for me, he would have very much reminded me of the 2017 class with Charlton but also Takk McKinley, Charles Harris has Derek Barnett. Those middle-of-the-first DEs can be hit or miss, especially when they are risers to that range and not fallers, and Chaisson was really a riser.
Lamb was in a much safer tier of talent, he’s not likely to be a whiff unless something unforeseen happens, he’s got it all to be a star, there is not talent extrapolation or development necessary.
And there was another article not long ago detailing how WR3 is not only a starting position these days, but also that offense is more important than defense in today’s NFL. Better to be elite on O and average on D than vice versa. Lamb helps us get there.
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2013
- Messages
- 23,835
The Rams ran 11 personnel some ridiculous amount in 2018 I believe, something like 70-75% of the time. All you're basically doing is taking out the FB from the old school idea of offensive starting positions (QB, RB, FB, WR, WR, TE, 5 OL) and replacing them with a WR, so it makes perfect sense that either your 3rd WR or your 2nd TE is now considered a starter, although it seems much easier to integrate a 3rd WR rather than a 2nd TE.
Cobb played 64% of the snaps last year, I'd expect Lamb to be up around 70% or so.
ravidubey
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 23,875
All playoff teams and it's no coincidence. Garrett kept trying to get this right his whole career in Dallas. We are going the opposite direction in adding Lamb.
End of the day, it's going to take really good coaching and talent to buck the trend. Lamb has the talent for sure.
Who knows? Maybe the real breakout star in 2020 is Jarwin.
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 138,101
My guess we will be in 11 personnel upwards of 70% of our plays this year.
Genghis Khan
The worst version of myself
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 51,142
As we should be. I thinks it is kind of dumb to chase the latest trend every year. Use the personnel and blaze your own path. There are a thousand different ways to skin a cat.
ravidubey
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 23,875
I think this philosophy burned McCarthy more than almost any other factor during his time in GB to tell the truth.
He'd go 01 or 00 at times that boggled the mind, trusting his QB alone to beat the entire defense in critical situations. I mean good as Rodgers has been, great NFL defenses get paid too. Passing at the wrong time really hurt the Packers and especially against the best teams. Hey-- let's go empty backfield!-- Ridiculous -- No way in Hell should they have lost that NFC Championship vs Seattle.
I hope McCarthy really has grown during his time off, as all these articles have implied.
When you all but tell them you're passing the ball, you go against their nickel and dime corners. From 12, you are likely facing LB's instead, and passing from that formation is hugely productive.
Granted we don't have a Kelce or even an Ertz, but I think bailing on 12 is a mistake.
ravidubey
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 23,875
It takes really good coaching or maybe unbelievable talent to win those matchups that is all I'm saying.
Genghis Khan
The worst version of myself
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 51,142
It is a complete coincidence actually. The eagles made the playoffs based on our incompetence, not through their own dominance or anything. Titans and vikings relied a lot on their defense, etc. Hard to make a causation with having two TE offenses and winning for those 3. And that's the majority of the top 5
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2013
- Messages
- 23,835
Yea and in 2018 the Rams led the league in 11 personnel I believe as well as play-action. There's no reason you can't do both and I'd argue that if you have a dominant trio of WR's that play-action is even more effective out of 11 personnel given how effective the running game should be with a spread out defense worried about the passing game.
- Status