Cowboys Crumbs

We will still have much use for Glover next year. The 4-3 scheme will still be used in a significant portion of our defensive snaps. La’Roi will have trouble however, as we continue in our inevitable shift to the 3-4. Next season, he may no longer be a Cowboy. If the rookies develop into the kind of players that they have been speculated to be, Glover, who’s leadership and presence have been unwavering, will have no place on our Defense. While I doubt that BP and JJ (Jerry) will feel that they can do without Mr. Glover at the end of the upcoming season, his final position on the team will be that of trade-bait.

Fortunately, he will be in Dallas for at least another season. He will continue to be the guiding presence in the lockeroom, and will be an eccelent role model for the likes of Demarcus Ware, Marcus Spears, Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff, and even Kevin Burnett (not to mention all of the other young players on the roster). And when he does indeed depart, I can only hope the team he moves to will provide as good a situation for him, as the player we acquire in return can make a positive impact for us.

Correction—
“We will still have much use for Glover THIS year.”

my mistake

YEAH!!! GET THE FIRST ROUNDER FOR NEXT YEAR SO WE CAN GET LEINHART!!! lol (poking fun at self)

Damn, Bill really knows what hes doing. I would of never thought of that.
But the fact that that Detroit was waiting thoose 15 minutes and talking to us means they are willing to make that trade, and I think we should really consider it.

Maybe next year we trade Glover, Morgan and our 1st for Rodgers and thier 1st.

If he’s only playing a certain percentage of the snaps will he be a probowl pic next year. If not we probably would not get as much for him. Just a thought. I certainly wouldn’t mind him in our rotation at all.

Yeah, that WAS pretty slick of ol’ BP keepin’ em busy. heh

AS Bill said, “I want to reduce their playing time (Glover and Ellis), and increase their productivity (paraphrased)”. Glover will spend 1 more year with us and then will be traded. Unless, of course, the rookies are ready to go earlier than expected. His contract is too big and he doesn’t fit into the new system. Brutal as it is , we are better off getting something for him than not (and moving him to a situation where he can still play to his potential, he is a stud)!

Laroi Glover has been the most consistent player we have on the line of scrimmage and the only probowl player on the line of scrimmage we have had in YEARS. He wins the NFL strong man competition in Honolulu while at the Pro Bowl………..sometimes 10 or 20 lbs is necessary and other times it is not. Laroi Glover is a necessary link as a DE, DT in either 3 or 4 man front.

Jason Ferguson is Great, and I hope Ratliff, Canty, Ware and Spears are as advertised……….but you do not get rid of a veteran with quality leadership like Glover. Not now, not next year. Glover went to the pro bowl last year, wait until he is told to play ALL OUT every play he is on the field cuz he can have a few more breathers…………Oh la la………

Get used to having Glover around……….this year and NEXT!!!!!!

glover has alot of use for us this year, if its helping develope some younger guys then thats his roll. i would deffinetely not trade him till after the year or if someone in the middle of the year offers. like weve all discussed on here i like the depth we have, granted we could prolly get some good players or a nice draft pick for next year.

I believe Glover will be a BEAST at the line this year knowing he could be traded or go to some other team because of his cost…..Losing Glover will be a big mistake…..Now Ellis I would let go in a heartbeat….He’s just not fitting in as a consistant player at the line…..Parcells is doing what he does best and that is bring in talent at those positions to let everyone know to stay on there game or someone else is taking your glory…..He could have easily only signed one CB for this year and letting T. Newman think that his position was safe….OH NOOOOOOOOO not the Tuna…..Lets bring in A. Glenn…….All I have to say is Newman,

I believe Glover will be a BEAST at the line this year knowing he could be traded or go to some other team because of his cost…..Losing Glover will be a big mistake…..Now Ellis I would let go in a heartbeat….He’s just not fitting in as a consistant player at the line…..Parcells is doing what he does best and that is bring in talent at those positions to let everyone know to stay on there game or someone else is taking your glory…..He could have easily only signed one CB for this year and letting T. Newman think that his position was safe….OH NOOOOOOOOO not the Tuna…..Lets bring in A. Glenn…….All I have to say is Newman, DONT GET BURNT

My Baddd…didnt know it posted twice

I agree, Glover has been by far the best and most consistent player on the line that the ‘Boys have had in a long time. He is so good, and he garners so much respect from his opponents and peers, that he will be voted to the probowl many more times in his career. I would hate to see him go. He is the reason our defense did not slide into the realm of the bottom-dwellers. But he is simply not a 3-4 type lineman. He relies on speed, quickness, agility, and avoiding blocks to be effective. He is not a “run-stopper” at DT, but a pure pass-rusher (whic is the reason he has seen time at DE throughout his career; he’s as quick on the outside as most ends). The former is what is needed for a 3-4 scheme though. While he has the size to play DE in the 3-4, he doesn’t clog up lanes like a 3-4 end should. He can play NT in the 3-4, but ONLY as a pass-rusher. He is perfectly fitted for the 4-3 scheme, but his trade value is much more useful to the Cowboys if they make the switch completely to the 3-4.

Believe me, If we were staying in the 4-3, I would head the rebellion if Glover was traded away. He’s done much more for this team than we ever could have asked him to. But with the way our defensive scheme is changing, it appears that his days in Dallas are numbered.

This is Glenn Que, now masquerading as onepaniolo, meaning “One Cowboy.” Paniolo is Hawaiian for Cowboy. I grew up on the Islands rooting for Staubach and Co. Enough of me, now for the good stuff!

I believe that we still need Glover, especially for this year, while we find out how well these rookies can play. For next year, it may not be a bad a idea to get a “quality” WR for him, but it all depends on how well the rookies play this year. We’ll have to wait and see, but it would be premature to get rid of him so soon, especially because he IS a perennial pro bowler and we need his leadership.

Ty Law would be overpriced, and I would avoid the Poston brothers. I am thrilled to have Ware instead of Merriman, who is showing his true colors. We don’t need his attitude at The Ranch!

Laroi Glover will outbench and out Squat every rookie we got in camp for the next five years……….How does that guy fail to CLOG up the middle.

Put him at DE in the 3-4, as often as you like, and you will like your results. And if you don’t think he can play Nose Tackle, alternate him and Jason Ferguson and see who plays better. I would not bet against Laroi Glover.

Do ya’ll want to let our other undersized guy go too? See ya Dat thanks for playing. Neither Ellis or Glover are the 250lb Speed Rushing DE, both of these guys are 275-280lb guys. Both have experience. Neither is a distraction. High Character guys……….you do not let a guy like that go.

Marcus Spears and Chris Canty and Ratliff all look great. For our sakes I hope all three live up to the potential……..but neither one of them has what Ellis and Glover has………..a whole lot of snaps in the NFL under their belt.

Do not be surprised when one of these two guys is leading our teams in Sacks at the end of the year. They have never had the level of talent around them Bill Drafted this year………..and in Jason Ferguson……..it will only make them THAT MUCH BETTER.

I agree with you, Jon. You can’t let a guy go whose a proven NFL player. A pro-bowler no less, especially when we needed DEPTH last year. The youth movement must be tempered with veteran savvy and experience. We haven’t seen this kind of depth on the D-Line in 10 years. Let’s enjoy it before they depart for more cash in free agency. We can’t get ahead of ourselves, though……. Let’s see what these younsters can do first. We’ve been fooled before(Shante Carver.)

Kokopelli,

I agree we should get a first rounder and try to land Leinart next year. I don’t care how good he is, he wont get as much playing time, he wont be a pro bowler next year might as well trade him when his stock is thru the roof as it is now. He would be a great addition to any team which chooses to play the 4-3 D. The Cowboys are going in a different dirrection. Get a 1st round choice and daft a young QB. We wont be successful with the Drew’s or Tony.

I hope you’re right Jon, because I’d love to have him stay. But it’s up to BP, and if you look at the players he’s kept vs the players he’s let go or traded, it doesn’t look great for all of us Glover fans (yes, I’m a BIG fan of Glover, and don’t forget it). I’m just tryin to look at it from BP’s perspective. But I do hope that I’m wrong, believe me. And if he does in fact leave Dallas, we’d better have an amazing group of D-linemen by then to fill in for him. While he’s not the biggest guy, he would leave some pretty humongous shoes to fill.

P.S. Glover’s strength is negated a bit by his size when playing against the run, because force is pretty dependent on mass (reason why Glover has had some troubles stopping the run, though he was pretty good at overcoming that with his great agility and ability to “shed” blocks—not something he can do in a 3-4).

I think if we can get something for Glover, now is the time to do it. IF and thats a BIG IF, we have what it takes to go to a base 3-4. Before the draft I suggested a trade for GB’s Davenport and their 2nd round pick. But obviously that’s an afterthought. I’d dangle him and see if we could get a WR or a FS. Not a SS, but a FS.

You cannot go wrong having a guy like Glover on your team. He is the consmate professional and a perennial pro-bowler. The only thing that will become an issue is his contract. If he is going to play only about 25 snaps a game, I think we can get decent production for less money, especially if Ratliff or Canty step up. Not the Glover wouldn’t be awesome for those 25 plays, but its a question of is it worth the big contract. Also, if there is a chance to improve the team by making a trade, then I don’t think BP will hesitate to pull the trigger on a deal. It would be sad to see Glover go, but he is getting up there in age (10 year vet) and we can see that the Cowboys are heading in a different direction. But if he has to go, I would love to add a solid safety or a playmaking receiver.

that should be consumate, im really tired right now.

Matt, Im sorry, but thats insane.
Drew Henson, hasnt had a chance to prove himself yet. Going by what we saw of him, and giving up on him, you would of gave up on Troy Aikman, eli Manning, Carson Palmer, Byron LEftwich, David CArr…and so on…
Henson would of been the #1 pick if any of the past 3 or 4 drafts, the boy can throw the ball, all he needs to is learn to read defenses, and that takes time. 2 or 3 years usually.

And besides, I think Matt Leinart isnt even good.

—-(Rafeal, can I do a blog about Drew Henson, and our QB situation?)

thanks Matt, I’ve never had anyone agree with me before. lol

Without a ridiculously high first round pick in the package, I wouldn’t even consider letting Glover go this year. He would be great trade bait, but I’d like to at least have a look at our rookies first to see what we’ve got. I don’t think Glover’s stock will fall that much in a year. Once we’ve had a year to check out our new aquisitions, then we’ll be in a better position to make a decision about what to do with Glover.

Besides, we’re going to be transitioning this year, and let’s face it folks, we ain’t gonna come out of the blocks perfect in the 3-4. Hell, Zimmer is still learning the scheme, so we’re gonna see some 4-3 schemed, probably a lot of them. If we’re made an offer we just can’t refuse, then so be it, but short of that, I think it’s a mistake to let a proven veteran, and pro-bowler, go until we start growing some of the young pups into studs.

Fellas,

If a team can’t get a first round pick for Edge or Shaun Alexander, what makes you think you could get one for Glover? Come on fellas lay off the Cowboy koolaid and start thinking reasonably.

Edge and alexander are RBs those guys are a dime a dozen………

Defensive Lineman that are perennial pro bowlers are NOT………a dima dozen………so he is more valuable.

However, he is not worth trading exactly becuase he is more valuable…….and valuable to the Dallas Defense……..not any other NFL team.

I think the question raised about Glover is a valid one and it extends to all the non-prototypical 3-4 players. I think they are indeed in jeopardy of being phased out. If â€Å"opportunity meets resources,” to paraphrase Parcells, anytime, this year or next, a good deal for Glover comes along—quality for quality (not for the injury-riddled Rogers), I think the Cowboys would and should jump at it. Ditto for Greg â€Å"Not-the-Moss” Ellis and Dat Nguyen.

Yes, these are quality players and citizens but I think the writing has been on the wall since Parcells’ arrival at the Ranch. Just few were reading it.

Bill Parcells made no secret that he wanted to scrap the 4-3 defense and he did not suppress his distaste for undersized players. He was persuaded to keep the scheme because the personnel matched it and Jerry wanted a quick turnaround to the teamâ€â"¢s fortunes. No time for wholesale changes. When the team finished his first season 10-6 with the no.1 ranked defense, Parcells may have been happy with the results but he was hardly at rest. Albeit slowly, he begun phasing in his type of players. When the wheels came off last season, Extreme Makeover: The Parcells Edition went into around-the-clock production.

Muellerâ€â"¢s take on Glover is valuable insight, Ellis has expressed his concerns about being effective in the 3-4 scheme, Nguyen and Coakley, although each proved to play large, were among the first to be singled out about size when Parcells rode into town. Coakley is already gone. Itâ€â"¢s not a matter of if this change (or changes) will happen, but a matter of when. The reality is that every player is expendable, no one is indispensable.

He called Nguyen “One football playing DUDE.”

And when asked if he had to start a team today, (at some point last year in the offseason) who would he take.

He said Jason Witten and Dat Nguyen. I doubt he is going to let Dat go. Dat has proven himself in the 4-3 as a MLB and will be fine in the 3-4……..

Glover and Ellis might become more expendable if the rookies proved thier salt. However, go back to that Cowboys Super Team of the early nineties and you still find Chad Hennings and Jim Jeffcoat in the rotation of the front seven………Landry Leftovers……….and that great offensive line was anchored by the likes of Tuienau and Newton………also Landry Leftovers………Jimmy scrapped Herschel for draft picks and was willing to bide his time at 1-15 to rebuild……….but he also kept the guys that were contributing………..I would say next year if the rookies all proved and we were playing a 3-4 as a base defense then yeah Glover and Ellis might be more movable……….however I doubt the Cowboys run the 3-4 more than 50% of the time this year…….and unless Bill wants to go to it full time……look for Ellis and Glover to be on the roster for a few more years. I think he talked about Flexibility………to play both and that what he has with the roster now.

Do not expect Bill to leave a guy like Dat, not all Parcells Guys are found in the draft. Some just happen to be on the team when Bill arrives to take the reins.

Let’s say for the sake of argument, that we can’t get a great deal out of Glover. Gee, I guess then we’d have to keep him around. Guys, this is not a bad thing. Jon is right, defensive lineman that are perennial pro bowlers are not a dime a dozen, so if we keep him around, don’t expect to see me crying about it. As I said earlier, I’d like to see what the newbies are going to do before we go casting off a star.

Josh, let me assure you, we ARE thinking reasonably, but sometimes, things do happen that you wouldn’t expect. All I’m saying is that IF something wonderful fell into our lap, we should look at it, otherwise we keep our pro bowl guy and pound opposing offenses with him. What’s so wrong about that? Maybe I’m wrong, but it appears to me that everyone here wants what’s best for the Cowboys. We may not all think that it’s the same thing, but we all want to see them in the playoffs, and even winning a superbowl. Oh, and before you even get started, NO, I am not suggesting that we will win the superbowl this year, but it is what I’d like to see, and I offer no apologies for that.

Jon,

Your homerness outwieghs your reasonability.

Just a quick comment from across the pond. Just pull back on those reins guys!!!!! Can’t say that I’m not looking forward to next year but everyone accepts that you can’t properly grade a draft class for about 3 years so let’s not assume that we’ll have 4 or 5 starters on D from this draft this year and we’ll be No 1 on Defense. I can see a significant improvement if everyone stays healthy but better things are to come in 2006.

Like I said before, and most of you agree, let’s see how these new guys respond to expectations before we start trading our vets, who just so happen to be a HUGE part of our #1 ranked defense just two years ago.

I am very encouraged by all the moves that JJ and BP have made this off season, and I think we have the beginnings of something great in Big D. We finally have depth at many key positions, save for FS, but we still have to wait and see how the right side of our O Line turns out to be, but overall, I think we will contend this year barring injuries.

A lot of our focus is on our D Line and the switch to the 3-4, and rightfully so, but we must not overlook the fact that the KEY to our season will actually be on the O Line and our running game.

The return of a healthy Dan Campbell will be a HUGE help this year, because his blocking is top notch. Plus, our two TE set will not only beef up the O Line, but present a serious challenge to any defense(Witten will have another huge year catching passes.) The addition of Rivera will prove to be the biggest acquisition of the off-season, because now, the right side of the O Line isn’t going to be as weak as it was last year, no matter who plays RT.

You couple that with the arrival of A-Train and Barber, a healthy Julius, throw in Bickerstaff, Kincade, Thompson, Barnes and Polite, and guess what? The other team’s defense will have its hands full stopping the run.

Ball control is what Parcells wants and ball control is what we’ll have, which not only will make our defense well rested, but more effective. It will also open up a lot of passing lanes for our receiving corps. Barring injury, I think Terry Glenn will have a huge year, because defenses will be busy trying to stop Julius and Co.

So, I don’t think our defense is going to be a problem for us, because of the additions we’ve made, and our running game will keep them fresh. Time of possesion will be in our favor and we WILL win a lot of games next year…… IF we stay healthy!

I skipped past a few postings… hopefully the Glover discussion is still going in this blog.

(a) don’t trade away the most dominant player in your defense because he’s short a few inches or pounds – even if we play 3-4 75% of the time.
(b) if we lose Glover, we’ll only have fergurson and Carson in the middle. That becomes a suspect group and frankly, a weakness when we go to 4-3. Maybe Spears is an incredible rookie and moves into DT in the 4-3, but then spears would end-up playing 95% of snaps — bad
© I can’t understand why Glover would not be a dominant (pro bowl) 3-4 DE. He’s quick, fast, and the strongest guy on the field. He is 6’2", 285 (supposedly) — ratliff is only 1 in taller and 5 lbs lighter and he’ll be playing DE for us. Glover can certainly hold his own against any OT and will beat a few with his quickness.

For sure, we cannot trade him during this season. And if we consider trading him in the future, we need a bonified, top-notch, game-changing, team-first starter at a position of need (e.g., WR). Anything else won’t suffice.

I like Dat Nguyen and Iâ€â"¢m sure BP does too and as I recall, he liked him particularly in pass coverage. I donâ€â"¢t make my comments as some personal vendetta against any of these players because they are Cowboys and I am loyal to them and to their contributions to the team for as long as they remain. I would be more than happy if they stay and work into the hybrid system. But this desire is tempered by a certain degree of realism too and for the sake of debate, I am playing the devilâ€â"¢s advocate.

Posters on another board I used to visit prior to finding this blog, were lamenting before the draft over Nguyen’s performance late last season, fixating on a particular game where he frequently looked outmatched and overrun—their characterizations, not mine, and asserting that these shortcomings were representative of Nguyenâ€â"¢s game in general.

(I wonder if Bill made a similar observation? How close were they actually to dealing Nguyen to the Saints? Furthermore, do we expect Jerry Jones to fess up that he was the subject of talks? That wouldnâ€â"¢t be conducive to keeping a player happy who you might want to keep around. Had the Saints not demanded a high draft pick, I think Howard would be on the team now.)

Granted, anybody can have a bad day and I do recall Dat struggling at points (though statistically, he had only a minor drop-off in total tackles, 107, from 2003â€â"¢s 119), but the entire defense struggled. So, I donâ€â"¢t point a finger at any one of them, in fact, their woes were more likely the result of inept offense.

Imagine what is running through Billâ€â"¢s mind as he witnessed the season end with Tiki Barber running through his ragged defense, unable to preserve a late lead in NY. â€Å"Okay. These guys are being pushed around; do I add depth to keep them fresh and prolong a system I do not prefer? Or, do I start from scratch?” It seems he was thinking the latter, but it won’t happen overnight unless the opportunity presents itself.

Consider this:

Does Billâ€â"¢s affection for good-to-great players supercede his desire to super-size his team? (maybe)

Are the perceptions of this trio vs. run-blocking completely unfounded? (perhaps)

Will anyone be paid well to play primarily situational roles? (doubtful)

Will anyone stay to play for less money and less playing time? Ask Dexter.

Carioca,

Glover could play DE, but he’s probably about 20lbs she of ideal for the 3-4. Ideally you want your 3-4 DEs in the 285lb range at LEAST. You have to have bigger guys because they are always having to take on a G and an OT. That’s 700lbs of fat bodies to deal with every snap. Earlier in the offseason I heard Parcells say he thought Glover could play DE in 3-4 sets, but when asked again more recently he said that he would play Glover at the NT position in a 3-4 set. He’ll be able to play it just not be able to start at it.

It is one thing when contracts are up in a few years………or if there is a legitimate offer for a player…not Mr. Rogers……….when others are there that have proven they can play. Similar to how the Saints dealt with Howard.

However, the Revamped Dallas Defense is yet to take the field. You never scuttle a ship while you are trying to sail across as ocean. If you think Dat Nguyen made mistakes……..just wait til we see the inevitable mistakes of Burnett, Ware, Spears, Ratliff, Canty and Bierault………..rookies………even the best of em make mistakes.

I was all for a great Corner or coverage FS before the draft……..I also was in the camp that at some point in the absolute near future we need a WR that can replace an aging KJ and Glenn. However, at no point would I have talked about shipping out the best parts of our Defense.

Sometimes there are just football players. Guys that do not fit anybodys mold. However play after play they just produce. They don’t do well in the 40 and they are a little small and maybe a little slow……..but when they retire………sometimes………they end up with the ALL TIME RUSHING RECORD………..Emmit Smith had all those labels put on him. His 40 times were awful……..he was small……..he never seemed to break the big ones. But then when Jimmy started watching the film he reeled off 20-30 yard runs in every game against the best the SEC had to offer. He made guys miss……..he beat faster guys through the hole…….he made another bigger stronger faster guy miss……..he broke a tackle or two………and before you know it………..he was just one heck of a football player.

Somecoaches have different names for it. Call it Pad Speed……..with the pads on the guy is a football player. Dat Nguyen, Sam Mills, Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor, Dexter Coakley, and although he has good size but undersized for a NT Laroi Glover……….all can have that label put on them. However, before you go trading that guy away you better make sure the rookie you hired can TACKLE as well as he did.

Bradie James is a great example……..3rd Round pick from LSU. Played in both a 4-3 and 3-4 set in college. Yet when he was on the field last year in place of Dexter Coakley we lost a step. Coakley’s tackles were down due to his time on the field not his performance on the field. James vs. Coakley……..i go Coakley every time. You cannot blame Dexter who was already getting less plays and less money for going to a team that needed him. Perhaps we had a few too many undersized linebackers that can cover………do not get me wrong I want WARE to be the next LT and Burnett the next Carl Banks………as bad as anybody………but I ready to walk away from Defense that was the league best 2 years prior.

If the additions of Spears, Ware, Burnett, Ratliff, Canty and Bierault are of help in the 3-4 they are also of help in the 4-3. Like Wade Phillips said the major difference between the two is in one you have 3 guys with the arm on the ground and 4 guys standing and in the other you have 4 guys with the hand on the ground and 3 guys standing.

Sure you want a big plug at NT, and a couple of DEs that can take on Tackles………but do not overthink the scheme or fail to put a football player on the field. The undersized overachiever has made it to plenty of probowls and Super Bowls……..I also think Bill is going to like having the 4-3 ability as much as he does the 3-4……….he is going to make great use of both schemes and multiple looks with multiple players.

Your Starters in the 3-4 would probably be Ellis, Ferguson and Spears, but I don’t think it matters who starts, because there will be a lot of substitutions anyway.

Besides, there will be a lot of 4-3 alignments as well, so Glover will get his share of the snaps, he just won’t be as worn out at the end of games like he did last year. You just don’t let your pro-bowl DT watch on the sidelines. He’ll be there for a majority of the snaps, whether at DT or DE. Ferguson is no spring chicken either, so we will need the depth. Hm…. what a nice problem to have.

As I said in my previous post, ball control will be the key to our season, because a defense on the sidelines is a FRESH defense. This also goes for Dat Nguyen. I don’t care if you are Mike Singletary or Dick Butkus, if your front four can’t clog up the running lanes, you’d be worn out as well.

Our defense, no matter what the alignment, or who starts, will be much better this year, because we will run the ball more effectively. Don’t forget, the ‘85 Bears defense would not have been as effective if they didn’t have “Sweetness” back there to eat some clock.

Payton, Gault, McKinnon, Moorehead, Suhey and their O Line sure made Jim McMahon look like Joe Montana quite a lot. The ’85 Bears 46 Defense was a monster, but it sure helps when you can run the ball a lot. Every great defense, had a good running attack to eat the clock.

Jamaal Lewis, Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Ottis Anderson, Joe Morris, Tony Dorsett, Franco Harris, etc… These guys and the rest of their Offense, sure helped to keep their defenses fresh, and they won Super Bowls. I don’t care how good your defense is. If you can’t eat some clock, they’ll be worn out in the 4th.

Boys, We’re gonna run the ball a lot! Ball Control will help to make our “Doomsday” look like the ’85 Bears at times, or for that matter the ’92-94 ’Boys! Let the season begin!

While you are right, Sweetness did eat up a lot of clock. Jim McMahon never looked like Joe Montana.

The Bears were a ball control offense though and had some decent WRs as well. I see Julius Jones, A Train and Barber and possbily Thompson as a pretty strong backfield. Bill Parcells always liked having a couple of backs to hand the rock too. Marco Rivera and a healthy Julius Jones maybe as good as our rookies added to the D to keep us FRESH.

I am loving the idea of Bill telling a guy like Glover or Ellis to play all out….on every down……turning a kid like WARE loose and saying…….GET TO THE QB……….it should be a fun year!!!!

I think the no.1 ranking of 2003, was an aberration. This was the essentially the same defense that went 15-33 over the prior three years, one of them with Glover. The sudden success was likely indicative of the clout Parcells carried into the clubhouse, with everyone eager to prove themselves to the man who held their fates in his hands. Last season they simply reverted to old form (well, one game better).

RW MCQUARTERS is being used as trade bait from CHICAGE for a 7th rounder. i know he aint no GEM but he is decent as a backup, especially since thats what hes been most his career. i mean it never hurts to have another HALF WAY DECENT guy back there in your CB corps IN CASE something drastic happens. hes an 8 year pro, maybe he could add EXP as well…..

ANY THOUGHTS????

Jon, I may have gotten carried away with McMahon! His “Supporting Cast” made him look good, much as Jamaal Lewis and Co. made Trent Dilfer serviceable.

I am really excited to see how good Julius will be, especially with A-Train and Barber pushing him to be even better providing depth. It will indeed be an exciting year!

StarStruck, You are right about the #1 ranking in ‘03, with Parcells making his presence felt, but you still can’t take away what Glover has done the past few years, especially as Jon says, an undersized NT, but with “Pad Speed.” I like how he summed up Emmitt Smith…. Just shows you that “HEART” makes a huge difference! Fran Tarkenton comes to mind…. The little guy that could!

BP likes to play guys with HEART, no matter the size. Dat Nguyen is one of those guys, so I don’t think he’s going anywhere. He just may become the heart of this defense and take over where Woodson left off. Oh, how could we forget that “Little Guy” named Joe Morris? He was a key member of those ‘86 Giants who won Tuna’s first Super Bowl. Bill likes guys who can play, no manner the size. Dat is going to be the glue of this defense, and oh by the way, I think he also played the 3-4 in college. Go Cowboys!

Last year we had no Julius Jones for 8 Games and Vinny Testaverde at QB. A marginal Offensive Line.

Our defense was on the field way too much. The year before Bill Parcells pieced together a running game out of the likes of Hambrick, Richie Anderson, Avieon Cason, Erik Bickerstaff and even old and out of football Adrian Murrel…….who actually looked pretty good in a few games. Those pieces combined with just a tad of mobility out of Quincy made us a better offense than last year. While Vinny might be better than Q, he had concrete shoes on…….and was a target. Nobody could carry the rock after the rookie JJ was hurt. Our defense missed Darren Woodson and Willie Blade……….not to mention Hunter’s injury which we would have addressed CB in FA last year had there been anybody out there to buy.

While we were not a dominating defense in 2003, we were so much better against the pass with Mario Edwards and Darren Woodson. Roy was able to play close to the line of scrimmage………and Willie Blade had a pretty good year in the middle……….

Darren Woodson probably hurt us as much as anything last year, but no corner and a loss of leader like Woodson is tough for any defense. I agree the front seven needed an upgrade and it sure looks like we got it, but gaining yards with Julius Jones, Barber, A Train or whoever it is this year……….sure is going to help Drew look good.

One,

I often wonder which Defense was better the 46 of the 85 Bears or the 86 Giants. I do remember their Defense of Chicago and the Giants taking over games……..sure hope we get that in Dallas. Hard to believe we had back to back guys that were that dominating on Defense in the same era.

Josh – makes sense. thanks for the comments. however, I figure if a pro bowl player can handle DT in a 4-3 or possibly even NT in 3-4, he can also muscle with the G or OT in the 3-4 as a DE. Perhaps that’s a bad assumption. However, if the assumption is correct, then Glover is a top candidate for DE int he 3-4 — though perhaps not the prototypical size.

As StarStruck wrote – is Bill’s affection for top-notch players greater than his affection for supersize players? I think that’s a little more than a maybe. I think its 75% yes and 25% maybe. Look at Fergurson. He’s not a 325lb load. He’s a strong, scrappy, thick NT who Parcell’s loves because of his husle and effectiveness. He supposedly plays at 305.

Finally, I’d like to chime in as a voice of dissention regarding Dat Nguyen. I’m a long time Cowboys’ fan that would not be heart broken to see him go. He’s fast, but not scary fast. He hits, but he’s not a game changer with his collisions. He takes on blocks, but with his size he’s not a menace in there in the middle. To me, he’s just an effective middle linebacker who plays in position and with some range. Am I alone thinking this way?

Carioca,

The difference is that in a 4-3 Glovers responsibilities were mainly to get beyond the line of scrimmage disrupt the pocket and try to get to the QB. In a 3-4 lineman are generally just used to hold thier ground to allow the LB’s to make the play. It would be a waste of what he is best at, and surely won’t do anything to extend his career. So why not trade him if you can get some value for him?

Carioca,

Josh’s point about Glover’s size is apt. He’s always played in 4-3 schemes that protected him, in that he played next to slant tackles who kept the centers busy and assured Glover that he only had to beat a guard. In the 3-4, it’s a different animal. You’re going to be doubleteamed on EVERY running play and while he may be strong, simple physics can overcome that. You’ve got to have impeccible technique because 600 to 650 lbs. of beef are coming at your 285. A guy like Tony Casillas, who could dip and spin and time his moves perfectly, could shake the guard and hold the point of attack at Glover’s weight. Glover is better known for his rushing skills, not his run-stuffing ones. I’m not so sure he can, on a regular basis. Now, he’ll be very valuable as a rushing tackle, but valuable enough to justify the biggest salary on the defense? I’m not so sure this will fly long term, but in ’05, it probably will.

While the Cowboys were ranked #1 in yards allowed in ’03 we were near or at the bottom in take aways. Bill wants to create turnover, so that we can have more short field opportunities to score. One thing about the Patriots, is that I see Brady get alot of short yardage opportunities to make touchdowns, because their D is so damn aggressive and good at jarring the ball lose.

Josh & rafael; superb detail. thanks. your comments make a lot of sense.

Let’s see how ‘05 goes and if perhaps Glover himself will wish for a trade by ’06 (if no sooner). By the end of the year, we’ll probably be playing the 3-4 for well more than half our defensive snaps. Or at least that’s what I think Bill’s envisioning — personel being the only limitiation.

Go ’boys.

Jon, Those were the days when the NFC just dominated! I think the AFC went went like 14 years withoutwinning a Super Bowl, between the Raiders in ’83 and finally Elway and the Broncos came through in ’97. What a run that was, when the Bears, Redskins, Giants, 49ers, Packers and our Cowboys just owned the AFC!

As for who was better, the ’85 Bears or the ’86 Giants, I would have to give the nod to the ’85 Bears, because they were just so dominating with the 46, thanks to Buddy Ryan, who as much as we despised him, especially when he led the Eagles, was one hell of a defensive genius. Of course it helps to have Singletary, Hampton, Fencik, Marshall, Duerson, McMichael and “The Fridge” to put out on the field.

Carioca, while I agree that Dat is undersized, and won’t make us forget Lee Roy Jordan, Bob Breunig, or even Kenny Norton, he is as you point out, “Effective,” and most importantly, he has a lot of heart and utilizes his skills to his best advantage. I don’t think anyone expected him to be in the NFL this long when he was first drafted, let alone be the Cowboys’ starting MLB. If BP didn’t think he could play, he would have gone out with Coakley, or he would have been cut, not Coakley.

Regardless, this is going to be a fun season seeing how the rookies develop and seeing how this team will respond to last year’s 6-10. We’ll certainly be much improved in all areas, even at FS!

Been in class, but I can continue now. (I’ll do this in 3 parts so you can skip to whichever interests you the most)

(Part One)
Thanks Rafael, that is precisely what I was going to say this morning before I realized I was late. Glover’s contract is exponentially larger than that of a 3-4 lineman (end or tackle). He would be wasted in a 3-4 scheme as well. So what if he can rush the passer better than anyone his size at DT (which he can)? That is not the job of a 3-4 lineman, Period. Linemen in the 3-4 exist only to eat up blockers and hold the gaps. Attempting to get to the QB decreases the effectiveness of the ENTIRE scheme. If you need me to go into more detail for you, I’d be glad to, but I’d rather address something else that has been mentioned.

(Part Two)
With regard to Nguyen, let me first say that I have yet to talk about him. Even though he is a bit undersized, it appears that BP does not consider that to be an issue for him anymore. Coming from BP, this means a lot (and I mean A LOT). I love Dat (as I do all Cowboys, if my loyalty has come into question), and I think he is the LB equivalent of Darren Woodson in terms of leadership and knowledge. He tells everyone else where to be (I can recall him directing Coakley too), and had pretty good recognition on the field. I’d love it if BP thinks he could play in the 3-4, but I’d also respect a decision to let him go.

(Part Three)
I also agree completely that we need Glover and Nguyen around for at least another season (hopefully more). Ellis on the other hand, I’m not so sure. Ellis is the guy who will have the most trouble with the 3-4 (unless he can miraculously play at OLB—but I highly doubt it). While Glover definitely could do it (see my argument above for why he SHOULDN’T, as opposed to he can’t), Ellis is truly unable. His skills, size, and ability are completely opposite those necessary to have a hint of effectiveness as a lineman in the 3-4 scheme. Especially at DE, where size is even more important than at the NT position (Tackles are generally bigger than Centers), Ellis cannot compete. He is not a “run-stopper,” nor could he become one. Even if he could put up LA like numbers on the bench (or while squatting), he is too small to hold any ground. He is much too lanky, where Glover has a bit of girth to his build. I still, however, would like to see him see him stay for as long as possible.

Just a few thoughts ….alot of you folks get too hung you on numbers height,
weight, forty times etc. they are important but the real proof is how a player performs on the field. I have never seen Parcells cut or trade a guy simply
because he wasn’t the right size.Some of Parcells most effective players
through the years have been guys like jim burt( too small to be a nose tackle)
or dave meggett(way too small) or I’m sure you guys remember everson walls(way too slow) and his contribution to 1991 Giants Super Bowl win.Parcells doesn’t care about much just get it done on the field … where
it counts!

well said Becker!!!

Darren Woodson was by far the biggest loss for the Cowboys, on both sides of the ball. His presence on the field, on the bench (in uniform at least), in the lockeroom, and everywhere, inspired everyone to play hard and play smart. His knowledge of the game, speed (even at his advanced age), and hitting ability (don’t forget, he could bring the juice up there with the best of them) were unreplacable (especially in just one player). He, like Cliff Harris, will probably be snubbed from the Hall of Fame. It’s really a shame, considering he’s one of the best safeties to have ever play the game (same with Harris). Of course, that is a different argument for a different thread.

Didn’t really have a point, just needed to get that out there. Woodson cannot be replaced.

David, You’re right on about Woodson. He’ll be hard to replace, though I’m hoping you’re wrong about him not going to Canton, but I would have to agree with you concerning Cliff Harris. His best shot at going to Canton was last year.

Becker, Thanks for bringing up Everson Walls. He sure was one heck of a DB! Didn’t he finish with something like 54 career INTs? Not bad for a SLOW guy with a nose for the ball! It was nice to see him get his ring even if it was with the Giants.

Size isn’t the biggest issue here, but it’s feasibilty down the line (so not this coming season, and maybe not even the next). You can’t pay a guy with Glover’s skill to play end or tackle in a 3-4. It just doesn’t make sense. He would be much more useful to us (once he’s had the necessary impact on the rookies) if we traded him for a player (not just a draft pick!) that makes sense in the 3-4 (salary/job proportionality). Great, he can play—we already know this. But he won’t get the chance to in the 3-4 (not to knock 3-4 linemen). Completely different job descriptions, that’s all. It’s possible (but not probable) that BP could find a way to use Glover in a 3-4 that would allow him to go after the QB, though I think it’s more likely that he just moves to a place that allows him to do his thing.

Well said Dave,I think the biggest hole on this team has been in the
 leadership category and without D.W. it got worse.In the final game
with all the new players i finally saw some enthusiasm and emotion its
 toobad we lost.
I will however disagree with you on Glover,he may not be a typical 3-4
run stopper but he is ideal against the pass because he can tie up two
lineman or easily beat one.Also B.P. plays alot of 2-5 in long yardage
situations, some place else i think he will effective, especially since
teams will be looking for pressure from the outside.I don’t know if the B.P.
will go to a fulltime 3-4 my guess is he will split it fairly evenly depending
on the personnel he has and down and distance.With the jets he did that alot.

You are correct becker, but I’m talking about the seasons after the upcoming one. Of course we do not have the personnel to make the switch full-time this season, but after that, BP is looking to build around his beloved 3-4 scheme.

Guys, let’s not forget that the 3-4 is most likely going to be a secondary scheme. Watch, Dallas is going to employ the 4-3 more than 50% of the time while the team transitions into the 3-4 set. You are still going to see Ellis and Glover do what they do best. Let’s not run them off yet, at least not without some serious compensation that works to the team’s advantage.

I don’t think you will ever see a 3-4 like B.P. had with the Giants.The
game has changed too much with the emphasis on the pass.So i really
don’t see Glover moving simply because he is not a traditional 3-4
guy.

rob, you stole the words right out of my mouth. i was gonna say the same thing after reading these comments. wait til nexxt year if we trade GLOVER i mean we’ll be using the 4-3 alot still, its not being dismissed yet. and, by using the 4-3 still this year, IF we do indeed wanna trade LG then at least he’ll still be a guy that teams will want at the age he is at, since they’ll know that in his last year with us(the 2005 season…….dont worry this is all hypothetical) he still PRODUCED….

does anyone feel the same way rob2 and i do?

Right on rob.This is typical of espn speculation and projecting if a=b then b=c then someone wins and someone loses.
I saw B.P. use Bryan Cox as a an effective pass rusher something BC
had hardly done in his career to that point.
So I think he knows how to get the most out of his people.

The ‘Boys will not use the 3-4 exclusively. They will use both formations depending on the situation. As a result, even if the rookies all become pro-bowlers(that would be nice), there will still be room for Glover, Ellis and Carson. We need the depth, so until we start having cap problems, I wouldn’t think BP and JJ will trade any of the old guys unless something too good to pass up comes along, but I doubt it.

Glover has been our best player the last couple of years. Trading him for Rogers isnt value. If its any of their other 2 WR’s, then its different. But the Lions wouldnt do that. We will keep Glover for this season and he will prove all the doubters wrong because he will cause hell when he is in there and rested.

I think we have to trade Glover in the 2006 Draft, not early, and only if, only if, any of our rookies play they way they should play

Thanks guys. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who feels this way.

I think alot of this is pure speculation on espn ‘s part.They also had L. Allen
going to Detriot last year didn’t they?Lets see…. the last time Dallas traded
for a big name wideout was Galloway… that worked out pretty well so i could be wrong!
B.P. has never been a fan getting top flight receivers never had one with the Giants,he didn’t want T. Glenn in N.E. (led to his leaving N.E.)and he traded Keyshawn for picks.I think he feels you tie up too much cap space with one guy when you have to have 4 at the position anyway,look at how N.E does it.And for cap problems look at philly with T.O..Llook around
the league at how many solid receivers there out of work right now!!
Just wait until after june1 and then training camp!!!!
If glover goes it won’t be for a wideout…….if he goes at all

There is rampant postulation of how well Glover (and Nguyen) will do in the 3-4, despite not being â€Å"prototypical” fits, yet no one has said anything about how well, or not, the new additions would do in the 4-3, which, if the apparent majority here is correct, will be the base defense. Of course, Rafael has yet to post his ideas on the scheme, so perhaps itâ€â"¢s better to wait for his cue and discuss it then.

All the valid points made here about Gloverâ€â"¢s prowess, IMO really only serve to bolster the argument that he should be traded now while value is optimal and it remains in his and the Cowboyâ€â"¢s favor to do so (theyâ€â"¢ll both get more). Now, if does stick around, Iâ€â"¢m sure he will be playing because heâ€â"¢s won the job and because he earns too much money to sit or stand around.

But, imagine for a moment, that Gloverâ€â"¢s playtime is reduced, letâ€â"¢s just say, because the 4-3 is seldom employed and he proves less effective in the 3-4. How much does his trade value drop? What would injury do to his trade value and the potential hit weâ€â"¢d take on the salary cap? I know this concern applies to everyone, but weâ€â"¢re not discussing them. If the team plays him this year with the intention of baiting him for trade next year, and he is seriously injured, his value is lost. Is that a risk they are willing to take, I wonder?

As to the base defense and the personnel to man it (this is a very broad-stroke observation, without regard for talent, size, speed, vertical leap, heart, character, likeability, etc.), it would appear the Cowboys have in their front seven, three 4-3-type players leftover from the previous administration, and about sixteen players on the current expanded roster from the new administration, all presumably in the 3-4-style.

Based on these numbers, it just doesnâ€â"¢t seem reasonable to conclude the 4-3 will be the base defense. To quote Mickey Spagnola: â€Å"But golly-jeepers, it’s not as if you have to (be) some Sherlock Holmes to deductively reason the Cowboys want to use a 3-4 alignment as their base defense… Come on. All this seems to scream 3-4, or our deductive reasoning is really faulty.”

In case you have not read Mickâ€â"¢s â€Å"Hieroglyphics” article, I suggest you do or do again: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=A4A51480-F9A0-8759-7641E5CDE985B13F

My money is on them going 3-4. How that impacts Glover, Ellis and Nguyen (probably in that order) remains to be seen. If they stay, they stay, but with a couple of them, things donâ€â"¢t seem to add up to that.

StarStruck – precision conclusions. nice.

I’d say the probability of the ‘boys playing 3-4 as the base defense increases with each game in ’06. When zimmer and parcells both become comfortable with our version of the 3-4 and the rookies have 6-10 games in their belts, why wouldn’t the transformation be complete?

I say by game 10 we’re playing 3-4 as the base defense and the 4-3 is a change of pace. perhaps we go 4-3 when a team is pounding us with a power running attack and little passing threat.

However, Glover is still Glover. NFL scouts know what he can do and know that a drop in numbers is likely attributable to our schemes more so than a drop in his talent level, desire, age, etc… (though I’m in the camp that he’ll be effective in 4-3 and 3-4 — specially when he’s taking fewer snaps). Injury, however, is a scary proposition.

btw., becker – I disagree about the Galloway trade. In my books, the trade for Galloway proved to be one of JJ’s worst moves. Two 1st rounders for an often injured player who was never the game changer he could have been and was on the way down of his career? I think Galloway fell well short of his trade price.

Anyone,

I don’t know enough about the 3-4 alignment, but is Dat too small to play LB in that formation. And the fact that BP likes big LB’s how long do you see Dat staying in Dallas.

StarStruck,

Interesting how different people see the same situation differently. You see the arguments made about the 4-3 as bolstering the idea that Gover should be traded while his value is high, and I get that, but you also made the point that we haven’t seen what the rookies will do inthe 4-3. To me, that bolters the argument that he should not be traded, especially not this year. You’re right, we have no idea what these pups are going to do. We all hope they’ll turn into full grown dogs foaming at the mouth by season’s end, but none of us knows what’s going to happen. If any one of them turns out to be a complete failure, I certainly want Gover there as insurance.

Besides, the man is a pro-bowler, so the compensation package would have to be something like we got for Herschel Walker. If you got something like that, then I say roll the dice. Otherwise, it’s just not worth it.

Thanks for the nod and you’re dead-on about Galloway. Bust, bust, bust! I think our friend becker is in our camp on this one too (but I could be wrong about his sarcasm). Joeyâ€â"¢s a good receiver and probably a nice guy to boot but we got zip in exchange. Lost two first-round picks…I’m still dismayed. Itâ€â"¢s now known, you can get Moss for less, but thatâ€â"¢s another sore subject.
I think the only reason Jerry was baited into that trade was from the input of the recently hired running backs coach from Seattle. He says it was because of the inordinate prep time given to defend against Joey. What? I havenâ€â"¢t checked, but how many times did the NFC Cowboys face the then AFC Seahawks in Jerryâ€â"¢s tenure? Once? Twice?

On the other side of the coin however, if the Galloway trade didnâ€â"¢t occur, Bill Parcells may not be here today. They say everything happens for a reason and losing those two picks, not to sound overly dramatic, crippled the Cowboys or at least sent them tumbling to lows from which they could not alone recover. So, maybe we did get something out it after all.

Also, I see your game-to-game in â€â"¢06 (did you mean â€â"¢05?) and raise you practice-to-practice, preseason game-to-preseason game ‘05. I think theyâ€â"¢ll know itâ€â"¢s the 3-4 going to San Diego week one.

And I agree that Gloverâ€â"¢s value wonâ€â"¢t be dinged but so much provided he stays healthy. It should be minor, whatever it is. But, all scenarios should be considered.

Glover will be a pro bowler for a couple of more years. He still has 3-4 good years in front of him. We don’t need a stud WR right now, just good role players. Look at the Pats. Where’s the stud WR? Can anyone even name their starting WR’s? and Troy Brown didnt start, fyi. The great teams win because they have great defenses and good offenses. We have the potential to be very balanced on both sides of the ball for years to come. Glover can teach the young kids a thing or two, and with him and Fergenson at NT, we have 2 very good vets. Even though his role will be reduced, give me a well rested Glover for fewer plays than a wore out Glover who plays every snap. We can’t trade him, at least not this year.

Lou,

It would take special effort for me to agree with you more.

Lou,

I wholeheartedly agree.

Glenn

Rob2

Yes, it is interesting—and fun! I think everyone here has valuable input. I enjoy coming here to read all the angles and hopefully learn something. And your counterpoint is well taken.

The rookies are what they are but it’s not like we can turn back now either. Parcells is driving this herd in a definitive direction and I think only time will tell the tale on the draft. Glover canâ€â"¢t insure against them being busts forever. I think BP is more likely to throw defensive linemen and linebackers into the fray than he is Drew Henson. And really, he has little choice given the numbers and youth of bodies at his disposal.

Let me clarify that I was happy when we acquired Glover and Iâ€â"¢ll be happy if he stays. He has value no matter what kind it is: playing, trade, mentor, Monopoly. Iâ€â"¢m not of the thinking that we should get rid of him necessarily, just that if itâ€â"¢s even remotely the case in the Cowboysâ€â"¢ thinking, maybe it should be now rather than later.

You’re right, it is fun. I love talking to other Cowboy fans, getting their perspective on the team and what each person would like to see the team do. The one thing that makes me really enjoy this site is that everyone here is rooting for the same team. I’ve seen other sites where the people posting just go nuts on each other. Some of the things they’ve said have been funny, (true and not true) but when you’ve got fans of different teams on the same discussion boards, they can get pretty rough with their opinions. At least here, for the most part, everyone seems to be respectful of opinions contrary to their own.

i say try to get something like the herschel walker trade. BUT, we still dont know how these rook’s will play and if they can easily turn to the 3-4. if they can, and its a smooth transition, then i say see what there is out there for LG. if the rooks suck at it or are mostly busts (which i desperately hope they arent) then we DEFINITELY keep LG

if some one has subscription to THERANCHREPORT….could they send me the new story IN FOCUS: THE RB’s @ esmithcatch22@cox.net?

Ryan-CT

If someone sends that to you, please forward it to me at SA189@bellsouth.net

Let’s sum it up:

We all agree that trading Glover to Detroit for Rogers is rediculous.

We also agree that Glover will be very important and have a very large impact next season because the 4-3 will still probably account for at least half of the defense played—especially since he won’t be worn out all of the time.

Nguyen is quite important to the ’Boys, and he plays much larger than he is.

The one thing I don’t think we agree on, is that Ellis will be most affected by the switch to the 3-4 (of the big three, I mean). He is an edge rusher, and has no business trying to take up more than one blocker (or “taking up” any blockers for that matter). Ends are much more reliant on size/girth/mass in the 3-4 than even the NTs are. Ellis vs. a T and a G is rediculous. He’ll be the first gone if we get to the point where the 4-3 scheme accounts for less than 20-25% of the snaps.

I agree completely, I love this site. Everyone here obviously loves the ‘Boys, and only wants what they think is the best for the team. So I’d like to say, that I don’t disagree with any of y’all, because all of these ideas carry good intentions behind ‘em. I’m just itchin for training camp to start.

Guys,

I agree, that this is the best place for Cowboy fans to discuss our team. I’ve seen the other sites where all these fans rooting for different teams just go after one another. It sure is refreshing to be able to share with and learn from other Cowboy fans who are not only knowledgeable, but respectful of one another as well. Go Cowboys!

Guys i was being sarcastic about the galloway deal.As for the 3-4 and personnel, i have always felt the best coaches fit their schemes around their
players and not vice versa.Just look at Steve Spurrier in washington.
As for trading L. Glover i hate to tell you i don’t think at his age
 he is going to bring alot… maybe a #2 and that is if everything falls
 right for Dallas

That’s the beauty of having a guy like Glover. If we can’t get something GREAT for him, we walk away with a pro bowl defensive lineman who still has a few very good years of football in him. How do we loose?

i agree w/ all of you. thank you so much for giving me a place to talk with fans JUST like me. i mean all my friends hate the cowboys and just talk trash to one another and dont take it seriously or look into the real DEEPness of footbal.. all they care about is if their team wins.

rafael your an awesome writer and you provide so much insight and knowledge and youve made my football life be able to extend past JANUARY. thanks for all the great threadS!

oh and rafael,

are you leaving the site for good? or are you jsut really lookin for help with the threads??

I’ll waste a few words agreeing that this is the best site on earth. period. thoughtful opinions from everyone. fantastic.

i think there is almost year round football now… with the cap cuts and the free agent signings,the draft,mini camps the "off- season " is a thing of the past.I think cable sports has completley blown covering the nfl.
We have mini-camps in two weeks and then a new round of releases and signings come June 1 so it ain’t over yet.
Now if they only had a spring league here in the U.S. instead of the NFL Europe I would be a happy man……

May be out of the question. But Ravens Sack Artist Peter Boulware is released. Do the Cowboys have what it take in cap room to make a winning offer on this 4 time pro bowler?

Slightly off topic……free safety lance schulters

Like a lot of other posters, I am interested in the June cuts. About a week ago, there were a few posts on this site about Schulters possibly being released from the Titans in June.
I didn’t know much about him, so I visited a Titan message board to see what their fans were saying. There were several posts on the subject and they were in agreement that they hated to lose him. So…of course, I’m even more interested about the possibility of the veteran FS. Does anyone know anything about him? Is is a possible fit in our secondary? Although we currently have a FS by committee that includes some young talent, would Schulters be a better fit for us? Currently, it seems that Atlanta is the front runner to sign him as soon as he gets released.

One more question, does anyone know of a site that lists a bunch of players that are on the bubble come June? I need more rumors to keep me occupied until September.

Thanks.

By the way, my 2:44 post was directed to Carioca, sorry for the omission C.

becker,
I agree with your sring-league idea. I even went as far as to come up with some team names and cities and logos. I called mine the AFL. I thought I was the only one weird enough to think about it.

Back to Glover: I don’t think we’ll see trades the likes of Herschel Walker, or Ricky Williams or even Joey Galloway in the future of the league, much less for Glover. I think LaRoi’s a stud, but he’s not “The Manster” Randy White.

An interesting story (to some maybe) about Randy White:

When I was discharged from the Marine Corps in the late 1980’s, I lived outside my duty station in Quantico, VA., and I soon took a job for a friend’s family business in Northern Virginia working as a bricklayerâ€â"¢s laborer. The company was comprised predominately of Redskins fans, naturally. One day when the foreman asked which team I liked, as I was laboring toward him, with limited success, trying to maneuver a heavy wheelbarrow down a narrow plank-path bridging a wet and muddy job site, he and the crew just smiled when I answered, â€Å"Cowboys”. But not the normal smirk that I was accustom to ‘skins fans doing, these were smiles of affection.

â€Å"Aw, hell,” said the foreman, â€Å"thatâ€â"¢s alright, I reckon. We like one Cowboy anyway.”
â€Å"Which one is that?” I asked.
â€Å"Randy White.”
â€Å"Oh yeah? How come?”
â€Å"He used to do for us, what youâ€â"¢re doing right now.”
â€Å"No Way!” I exclaimed.
â€Å"Yep, sure did. When he was in college up in Maryland, he used to labor for Corky (the owner) during his summer breaks. Itâ€â"¢s funny, he had problems keeping the wheelbarrow on the path too. It must be something about you Cowboys. One time, I saw him get so pissed off, he just picked up the whole f*#!ing thing and carried it over!”

Needless to say, that story has stayed with me verbatim. Now, it may be bricklayerâ€â"¢s lore, but Corky did substantiate the tale for me later that day. I still canâ€â"¢t attest to its validity nor to the weight of the wheelbarrow, but I know two or three of us had to â€Å"muscle” it back onto the pathway whenever I steered it off. I can assure you, for one man to pick it up and carry it, is an amazing show of strength.

Why didn’t Boulware play last season? If it was b/c of an injury, how healthy is he supposed to be now?
He clearly has the size and he has definitely proven in the past that he can get to the quarterback.

Wow,

With all the discussion about Glover, no one really got into the fact that a number of guys are going to be “homless” in June, until now. Guys, that could be a lot of fun for us. Who knows? That FS with cover skills we all covet so deeply might just find himself looking for a place to go. So far, we still have a spot open. Keep your fingers crossed.

He hurt his knee in 2003 and then hurt his foot last year and failed to see a single snap. I don’t think that this in fact will have an impact on his pass rushing skills, but maybe dropping back into coverage. If the price was their I Would take him. Ware on one side and Boulware on the other. Both pass rushers. I would take my chances on him for a short term contract. He only finished 4 years out of Baltimores 7 year contract in a cost cutting move for Baltimore come 2006 season so I can’t see him wanting to much.

Great story S.Struck it brings back a time when athletes walked among
us mere mortals.If randy went to school now you would only see him on the field and in his $100,000 Hummer…. and he sure as heck wouldm’t be laying bricks!!!

Cooper,

I used to live in the Bay Area when the 49ers drafted Schulters. He was really good back then, but I’m not too sure how good he is now, but if the price is right, I say sign him as a stop-gap measure for two years.

StarStruck,

Great story! Those were the days when players weren’t afraid of hard work. We see less and less of that nowadays!

If Boulware comes cheap, then yes, I’d sign him, but I’d be wary of his health, due to the recent injuries.

Personally, I think we’re good to go with the people we have now, barring injuries, and if the rookies pan out.

Hall is visiting tomorrow. Im interested to see if we take a chance and offer him a contract. Its Cory Hall, FS from Atlanta if anyone is wondering.

Lou,
I heard about Hall being available, but I didn’t know he was visiting. We could use a veteran at FS, so if he’s not asking for too much, then yes, sign him.

but is hall really that good? just wondering cuz i dont know much about him

if some one has subscription to THERANCHREPORT….could they send me the new story “IN FOCUS: THE RBâ€â"¢s” @ esmithcatch22@cox.net?
it would be so much appreciated cuz im dying to wonder how they are viewing our RB position

we signed reggie love from duke. this guy is 6-4 and looks like a WR but we want him as LB. hope he makes more than the practice squad….he’d look like a force back there if he made it on the team

Matt:

I believe that when Dat Nguyen played at A&M they ran a 3-4 defense. That was the “Wrecking Crew” defense.

Also Matt and Raul,

If I remember correctly, in college Nguyen was the leader of the “wrecking crew”. He was excellent at anticipating plays, and he always let his teammates know (like D-Woodson in our secondary). I think this was why he didn’t have such amazing statistics, to go along with his average workout numbers, all leading to his being passed over in the draft. My mom remembers watching their games, and was telling me how he set their defense up on the field, and, “with that kid out there, the defense didn’t need a coach”.

That’s interesting about Hall coming in for a visit tomorrow. I do think it is interesting that Atlanta let Hall go while also making it known that they are interested in Schulters if he become available after the June cuts.

I’m sure onepaniolo has it right…..we just want an insurance policy to guard against the worst-case scenario (i.e. last season).

I see Hall and Boulware both as being suspect for various reasons. Let’s not piss away ALL of our cap space this year and next (keep next year in mind, it starts now as far as the cap allowances). I think that TunaMan is banking on protecting the FS position with a good pass rush and nickel package (i.e. our draft and signing Glenn) so as to give the guys there now the time to develop. Or to wait another year and address FS in the 2006 draft. The preliminary talk is 3-4 guys next year worth a first round pick. Although, at this point, it is just talk.

Great BP and JJ are always evaluating new talent—youth and veterans alike. I say let’s see what happens 1 Jun….I’m willing to bet due to teams needs and salary caps, there will be quite a few studs available. Speaking of studs, how about that Bill Parcells? I’m sick and tired of hearing rumors about BP leaving in 2006.

Coach Parcells is here to stay. Jerry Jones has learned some valuable lessons as the owner and thus the coaching mistakes he made previously will not repeat. I also believe that Coach Parcells and JJ has built a relationship of trust and respect. Yes you are correct in that lont as BP is at the helm players with potential will find thier way to Dallas.

This is evident by the FAs signing and the drafts that was made. BBP is the coach and JJ is the owner. They make and excellent team. I can’t wait for the start of football.

David I used to watch Dat play in college and he was a monster!He kinda played like Roy,smashing people over the middle and always around the ball.He was a terror,he got passed over because of his size….but he IS a player fo sho…..

good move signing free safety Cory Hall away from the falcons…heheh….now what about shopping for playmaker wide reciever…?

Hold it, Robert. Unless I’m missing something, they haven’t signed him yet. They’re just looking at him. Now, I do like the idea of finding a playmaking wide receiver, but it’s not a huge problem for us yet, because we’ve got a couple of new kids who at least showed potential at WR. I would guess that Big Bill is more concerned about that safety position than WR. Keyshawn and Terry Glenn (IF THEY STAY HEALTY) should be able to handle the load for us this year. Copper and Crayton, and now Crowder, who does have good speed, will hopefullly provide enough backup support for us to do okay.

Lets not forget about Quincy Morgan everyone. I know most Cowboy fans dont like him, but he was injured last year. He was forced to play because of Glenn and Randal Williams not stepping up. BP and JJ said that he’s been working his butt off this offseason with Drew. This is his year to step up with all the talk of getting a stud WR. Let’s at least give him a chance, and he does have some speed. With him on the outside and Glenn in the slot, it will be good for our 3 WR sets.

Sorry,

I meant to include him in my post.

I’m eager to see Quincy Morgan step up. I think he’ll do well and if not, it just creates an opportunity for other players who have much potential, as noted. I see it as a win-win situation.

Besides the three Cs, there’s Zuriel Smith (who may try to blow up with his second shot), Ahmad Merritt (presumably fast and a special teams threat), Jamaica Rector (who’s small-school resume is outstanding—nuts!) and Reggie Harrell (big, fast, excellent hands). They won’t carry but six active, and I hope they store one or two of these guys away on the practice squad. I’m excited about our receivers and I hope the clamoring for some stud subsides. I think if Bill thought he needed one, he’d have him.

What do you think about puting Tyson Thompson at WR. I heard he has great hands and the explosive speed the Cowboys are supposedly looking for. Is this out of the question?

matt

IMO, anything is possible but I don’t see that happening. He has a better shot at making the team as a RB with those attributes and even then, probably just on the practice squad. He has enough to learn now, I canâ€â"¢t see them making him learn another position entirely. Besides that, the open slots for WR are fewer than at RB, and thatâ€â"¢s IF they carry four backs on the active roster. He’ll have to battle Bickerstaff & Kincade for any extra spot as Jones, Barber and Thomas are the definite three actives. Training camp is going to be very competitive and cut-down days, very interesting!

StarS.

That is the hallmark of a B.P. team competition at every postion guys fighting
to start,guys wanting to start and being pissed if they don’t….. I hope the days of guys starting because there are no alternatives are over in Big D.

I think we’re set at WR. Don’t forget, they are also looking at Tom Crowder at WR, who used to be a safety, and there is also Thompson as mentioned, who is more of an RB, but with his speed, might be interesting to have him line up at WR from time to time.

We also just signed Reggie Love, as a LB, but was a WR in college. I wouldn’t be surprised if I see him tried out at WR in training camp. With his height, 6-4, he’d be a tall target on 3rd down, especially with his basketball skills(on-side kicks?) I don’t think they signed him just to be a LB. BP likes the athleticism and flexibility this guy brings. A lot of upside!

I can’t wait for the June 1 cuts. That will be very interesting to see who gets cut, not only on the Cowboys, but league-wide.

Amen.

Also come June one guy I would love the Cowboys to get if he is healthy
and that is a big if, is Kyle Turley he would help the right side so much.

Becker,

Kyle Turley would be a great addition, and would comeplete our OL, but I wonder how his back is? That’s a tough injury to come back from. For that matter, I hope Marco Rivera’s back is fine as well. I can’t wait until June 1.

Onepaniolo,

I love his attitude and i know B.P. will too….it all depends on his health

I don’t think Turley’s back is the problem in St. Louis, the problem is he has a coach who does not like him and his spirit has been crushed by that I think with a coach who respects him, BP, he will have no problems.

Didn’t Turley ask to move to the D-line to save him from the pressure applied on his lower-back during blocking?

off topic a bit — but I saw Drew Rosenhaus on ESPN this morning. I was surprised by his appearance. He looks and sounds more like a mob boss than a business man ready to negotiate a multi-million dollar deal. The guy appears to be so classless. I for one hope no Cowboy has him as an agent and applaud Lurie for flat-out just saying that negotiation is not even in his mind. I can’t remember Troy’s agent (currently Ricky William’s agent) but recall how he carried himself and hope more agents are like him.

Leigh Steinberg

Starstruck,

He did but on an interview with Jim Rome he seemed very dejected about playing for the Rams, I think he was using his back as a way to get released. I don’t think the rams are in need of a d-linemen.

I’m all for Turley being signed if his health (including mental) is not an issue and if he is released. Imagine Adams, Allen, Rivera & Turley around center…

Carioca

Rosenhaus must be doing something right, because I read yesterday on kffl.com that the Titans’ Billy Volek and Justin Hartwig just fired their reps and signed with him (hopefully, not in blood). Does anyone know of a source that lists agents and the players they rep?

StarStruck,

Wouldn’t that be one hell of an Offensive Line? We’ll see what transpires. June 1 is just around the corner.

Turley reminds me alot of guys that Parcells has gotten in the past that were labeled “troublemakers” guys like: bryan cox,keyshawn,lavernues coles, k. byars etc. but they worked out.I think Turley just wants to win

This is a little off topic, but I was wondering with the trade talks around Glover, why not trade Ellis instead. My thought is to convert the undersized DT into an DE to replace Ellis. Glover has the speed and is bigger than Ellis, Ellis on the other hand will be destroyed in the 3-4 format as he is just to damb small. And the fact that Ellis has been constantly improving should make for decent compensation, possibly a playmaking FS or WR, or even a high draft pick for next year.

Let’s just dream for a moment…

Say they do sign Turley and he is healthy (mentaly & phyically)…just say for a moment the rumors are true and the trade is made for Glover for Rogers if he is healthy as well from his injury problems…now the focus would not only be just how much better the defense would be this year with the solid draft/ FAs or what defense will they be running…that could almost be a moot point…I say good luck stoping the offense…

Defenses would have to try and stop Rogers, Keyshawn, Glenn AND Witten as solid Rec options (which one would you double) and a QB that can get them the ball…that is when they pass… When they run the ball with one of the most impressive o-lines in some time (plus getting TE campbell back to help block) with JJ, A train & Barber, maybe even throw T Thompson in as 3rd-down back if that works out…AND now they could run left or right…if that WERE to happen…well we could probably buy the defense a little time to gel as we might just OUT SCORE opponets and that has not been a thought for a few years…

Yep, sure is nice to dream…ok back to reality…lets get back to building that defense…

Hey…I saw that there is a big, mean DT up for grabs in the Supplementel Draft…a DT named Manual Wright…he lost his eligibility over academics…he apparently had some game in the Rose Bowl (I have no idea what he did- but it has everyone a buzz). In his senior year he had 142 tackles (60 solo) and 16 sacks.

Has it struck anyone else odd that the Cowboys are not settled at the FS position yet they did not bring in many FAs to try out at FS? Several other teams signed a bunch, there must have been some out there worth a shot at our weekest link, no?

Thomas,
I agree if they get Turley and rogers I won’t worry about the defense.