Cowboys close to locking up Patrick Crayton
by Dave Halprin on Dec 27, 2007 2:30 PM CST
in Dallas Cowboys News
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PrintThe Cowboys are close to locking up one of their offensive weapons. Word is that Dallas and WR Patrick Crayton are very close to finalizing a deal that will keep Crayton off the open market.
D.C.com blog, here.
And now it appears wide receiver Patrick Crayton is getting close to a contract extension. The fourth-year pro, who is expected to become an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, said on Thursday he is hopeful to get a deal done in the near future, possibly as early as this week.
"Hopefully pretty soon," Crayton said. "This is exactly where I want to be."
DMN blog, here.
Plus, odds are that Crayton will never become an unrestricted free agent. Superstar columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor mentioned earlier this week that the Cowboys are negotiating a long-term deal with Crayton's agent that would include a signing bonus of at least $5.5 million. Crayton said today that the deal would hopefully be done pretty soon.
I like this signing, assuming it happens. Crayton has been a valuable WR and has put up some nice numbers supporting Witten and Owens. He has the hands and the ability to be a solid #2 WR. I hope they finalize it soon.
Hat tip to kingbillito for the news posted in a diary, here.
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I think he should be a well paid
number 3 receiver. He doesn't have the speed to dominate as a number 2, but he certainly plays the slot as good as the best of them.
by Burt D @ Blogging The Boys on Dec 27, 2007 3:55 PM CST reply actions
I got news for you Burt
most #2 WRs in this league don't dominate, I'd say very very, very few do, if any.
To me, guys like TJ Housmahzadah, Reggie Wayne, Terry Glenn and Larry Fitzgerlad are not #2 WRs but are #1 WRs playing along other #1s.
To me, Crayton is a very good #2 because he can get open and take pressure off of T.O. and Witten which he did very well this season and can for season to come. I don't think he needs to be a burner, so long as your other WRs can fly.
T.O., Hurd, Austin and Stanbach all can fly so its not absolutely necessary for Crayton as a solid #2 to be a burner, and I'm sure we'll be bring another rookie into the mix next year who can fly.
I would still like our offense to have
a Terry Glenn like threat on the other side.
by Burt D @ Blogging The Boys on Dec 27, 2007 4:11 PM CST up reply actions
it will for the rest of this season
with a healthy Glenn and I see Hurd or Austin being that burner next year.
That's what I was talking about in my diary
Whether or not you think Crayton is a #2, #3 reciever or whatever, the guy has awesome hands and is a clutch player. He may not put up the numbers but he has consistently made clutch catches during his career and that is an invaluable trait for a reciever.
Zackly
he's something like Keyshawn - almost a TE with his ability to make tough catches over the middle, only a little faster. Your classic "possession receiver".
I think he compliments T.O. very well
Most people don't view T.O. as a burner but he is.
T.O. is not that quick he is fast though when he
picks up steam, we need a quick receiver to complement him.
by Burt D @ Blogging The Boys on Dec 27, 2007 8:53 PM CST up reply actions
I disagree
I think speed, the ability to stretch defenses out, is more important than quickness at the WR position as defenses fear that a lot more.
T.O. has the ability to stretch defenses because of his blazing speed, so that allows someone like Crayton to work underneath and get one on one matchups.
Now I'm not saying it wouldn't be great to have a guy like Wes Welker who is quick, but thats more of a luxery than necessity.
If the choice is between
Speed and quickness, quickness is thee most important, the ability to get seperation because of quickness in the first five to ten yards is the key for a receiver, top end forty yard speed is not a way to judge a receiver, what receiver just runs straight line routes in a game.
quickness can't stretch a defense though
and thats why you have to have at least one WR on the team that can fly. Quickness is important but I don't think its more important than speed.
If you want proof, just look at the Pats and Cowboys. You take Moss and Owens out of those lineups, they become completely different offenses. Moss and Owens are really great because they run past and away from pass defenders. Quick guys might be able to get open right away but they can't run away from people like your speed demons.
to stretch the field
you have to have good blocking on the offensive line to get deep, any receiver whether he has top end speed or not can get open deep, it has more to do with coverage called and ability of a receiver to get open quick. When you have a receiver that runs forty yards in 4.5 and a receiver runs a 4.3, one is considered a slow possession receiver, the other is a speed field stretcher, that two tenth's in forty yards isn't a difference maker. Its the ability to get open early via quickness is more important ,IMO.
If the 4.5 receiver that runs his first fifteen yards quicker than the 4.3 receiver, I'd take the 4.5 guy over the 4.3 as he's the receiver that can get open earlier meaning he's quicker, where its more important than abilty to stretch the field. I've seen Jerry Rice run eighty yards on a slant more times for touchdowns, and he was never considered a speed field stretcher. Top end speed receivers are highly over rated in the league. Randall Williams was kept around here for years because of his so called 4.2 speed, but never seen him open deep to much, and even when he was open deep couldn't catch the ball because of his stone hands.
Jerry Rice was most certainly a speed
field stretcher, the best I've ever seen. Sure he took slants 80 yards, but he also ran past CBs on fly patterns just as much.
I disagree with your assessment regarding the difference between a 4.5 guy and 4.3 guy. If that was the case, teams wouldn't place such a high premium on it when scouting players for the draft.
The difference between 2 tenths of a second is actually about 3-5 yards after 40 yards so I would think thats really important in terms of separating from CBs who all run around 4.4 or better.
two tenths isn't 3-5 yards in the difference
between all these receivers at the combine, you're talking less than half a second between all of them for forty yards, not much of a dfference, the forty yard times mean very little in judging a receiver, it gives you an idea if a receivers is more quick or has top end speed. Players, when they go to the combine, have been trained by these track trainers to run like a track star in form, its alot of technique, they dont have a helmet, shoulder pads or uniform, which contribute to a players actual time, Its all straight line which really doesn't mean much as a receiver, times in the forty are taken at different intervals, ten, twenty, these are the more important times overall in judging a receivers quickness or speed. I've seen track guys win a sixty yard race but end up in fourth in the 100 meters, or guys easily win 100m, but lose the 200m. I ran some track when I was younger, and that was a while ago, I had top end speed not quickness, I was beaten out of the blocks by almost everyone, but once I was in gear, I ate up ground and over took others. A quarterback isn't going to wait until a receiver is forty yards down the field to throw him the ball, it'll have to be in the air long before that. When you talk about great corners, its not their top end speed that makes them good, its their ability to change direction and close quickly in short yardage, thats quickness, not top end speed.
Jerry Rice was never known as a burner coming out of college, Jerry Rice reportly ran a 4.70 at the combine, thats not a burner. He was a great player on a great team with a new ariel offense that teams couldn't figure out how to stop.
You have to carefull about these forty times because of they are NFL combine training programs which are designed to help players get a few tenths taken off their straight line forty times to increase their draft status by running like a track a field runner, but are not accurate for judging football speed, its a short term program gain.
don't kid yourself
Rice could run a 4.2 in pads, that 40 before the draft time was a complete abberation.
If you don't think a QB isn't going to wait until a WR is 40 yards downfield, then you really don't pay attention when watching Brady, Romo and Manning because they do it all the time.
Good signing
I think the brass must have figured they might not get him re-signed if he tested FA waters, or at least some other teams would have driven his price up.
Jerry gets it done again.
Crayton has taken a nice step forward
Like all of these signings, it’s hard to pass judgment until we see the financial terms.
I was quite vocal on this blog before the season started about Patrick Crayton being very, very average. Despite the numbers backing up my perspective, my opinion was nearly universally discarded - in hindsight, correctly discarded. Crayton has been a pleasant surprise for me this season. I now view Crayton as an outstanding 3rd wide receiver and a competent second wr. I still think he is mostly a product of the system – single coverage all day long and usually by the oppositions second or third best corner. But I will eat some crow – call it an appetizer worth, not a full meal – and salute Crayton for taking his game to the next level.
I think the reason why this signing is so important is not because Crayton is a difference maker. It is important because our two starting wide receivers are well over 30 and one is about to play his first game this year. As long as Dallas didn’t overpay, then once again Jerry will have made the right call.
by Cowboy Louie on Dec 27, 2007 7:52 PM CST reply actions
4 year 14 million dollars
with a 6 million signing bonus INCLUDED...so 8 mil over the next 4 years ...not to bad.Especially for a #2 receiver who has almost 50 catches(2 shy) almost 700 yards(11 shy) and 7 touchdowns.not great numbers but when you look at TO's numbers,wittens numbers,you kinda wonder when crayton actually got a chance to do his damage!
add to that he's performed well as our punt returner and the fact that he's our emergency QB ( hope he never needs to earn his money in this capacity!) you can see why this deal is a bargain...IMO
4 years $14 million
That seems like a good number to get Crayton at. And if I read that right, his cap number is $2mil/year?
Dancing in the Aisles
(If I could dance). Those who have been here the longest know this is my pet cat all grown up into a tiger. There is everything to like about Crayton and nothing to knock. He simply makes plays. Sportsline is now reporting this as a signed deal. I could not be happier.
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