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You Can Call Him Ray, or You Can Call Him James...

or you can call him Bart,

But you better call an inside linebacker.

On Monday, a rumor surfaced that the Cowboys will pursue ILB Ray Lewis when free agency begins next month.  If true, this means the Zach Thomas era is likely over after one season. 

That's not a knock on Thomas.  He was the gritty, determined vet Cowboys' fans expected.  Thomas displayed the instincts and heart the team sought when it signed him to replace Akin Ayodele. 

But Thomas could not overcome simple physics.  He's listed at 228 lbs. on the team's site.  That's tiny.  Mighty mite Donnie Edwards excelled at this weight in Wade Phillips' San Diego 3-4, but Edwards was stacked behind the 348 lb. Jamal Williams.   Thomas played behind the 298 lb. Jay Ratliff. 

This means that on interior runs, Thomas had to engage guards and tackles who out-weighed him by 100 lbs. or so.  He had the balance and the technique to keep his feet, but he often resembled a human pinball.  The Redskins, in particular, made Thomas their target on running downs.  

For perspective, look at these four Thomas-sized teammates. Can you name them?

  • Player A -- 6'1", 224 lbs.
  • Player B -- 6'0", 225 lbs.
  • Player C -- 6'2", 225 lbs.
  • Player D -- 6'3", 227 lbs.

(Player A is Mat McBriar,  Player B is Roy Williams, Player C is Tony Romo and Player D is Kevin Burnett.)

This list gives me a much greater appreciation for Thomas' play.  He's no bigger than the team's punter, quarterback or strong safety, yet he endured 16 games in the NFL's meat grinder.  At the same time, it also reveals why Thomas offered only a modest upgrade over Ayodele, even though Thomas finished with 94 tackles, up from Ayodele's 2007 total of 57.  Thomas lacks the ballast to shed Big blockers.  He made a lot of stops, but too many of them were five, six and seven yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

Burnett's lack of size also reveals why the Cowboys are looking outside the organization again.  He's the team's best coverage linebacker, but he's not better built to play the run.

Dallas is also looking for more bulk at the nose tackle spot.  News from the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, has Cowboys' scouts talking to Boston College's Ron Brace, among other big linemen.  Getting a Brace (329 lbs.) or a Dorrell Scott(320 lbs.) would make life easier for Burnett or Thomas, were they to return, but the Cowboys need more size. 

The team will have some big, experienced free agent options.  Lewis, Bart Scott and James Farrior are all between 240 and 250 lbs.  They may be too experienced, however -- Lewis is 33, Farrior is 34 and Scott will be 29 before the season starts. That said, they're all younger than Thomas, who turns 36 in September.

The team will probably look for a rookie ILB as well.  They loved defensive rookie of the year Jerod Mayo entering last year's draft, but he zoomed up the charts, landing in the top ten.  When you are charting rookies, discard any player who lists under 235 lbs.  The Cowboys already have too many midgets.

Trivia Questions of the Day:  There are enough Jacksons, Johnsons, Smiths, Thomases and Williams in the NFL to stock almost four entire rosters.

A.  Which "family" is the league's largest?

B.  Match the families to their total:

43, 42, 41, 23, 23

C.  Which family has the best team?

(Try to answer without looking up the answers.)

Comment 76 comments  |  0 recs  | 

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I knew

Thomas was small but that is pretty impressive that he can hold up at 228 pounds. It’s also one reason I would not over-pay Kevin Burnett. I remember I was surprised when we drafted Burnett because of his size. I have a ton of respect for Thomas but it’s better for the Boys to move forward without him anyway. Bart Scott will help and that’s who I would try to get if you go the FA route to fill the ILB position. I bet the Jets will give him a call as well. I will be very surprised if Brace is still on the board when Dallas picks in round 2. I have a feeling he may end up in Miami.

My New Mock:

2. Alex Magee, DT, Purdue, http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=72724&draftyear=2009&genpos=DT
 
3. Jamon Meredith, OT /OG , South Carolina, http://www.pigskinheaven.com/draft/player.php?playerid=648
 
4. David Bruton, FS, Notre Dame, http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=72944&draftyear=2009&genpos=FS
 
4. Lawrence Sidbury,Jr, DE/OLB, Richmond, http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=81224&draftyear=2009&genpos=DE
 
5. Andy Kemp, OG, Wisconsin, http://www.draftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/og/Andy-Kemp.php
 
5. Antonio Appleby, ILB, Virginia, http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=88799&SPID=10606&DB_OEM_ID=17800&ATCLID=1133490&Q_SEASON=2008
 
6. Chase Holbrook, QB, New Mexico St, http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=67828&draftyear=2009&genpos=QB
 
7. Khalif Mitchell, DT, East Carolina, http://ecupirates.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mitchell_khalif00.html

by tyler2 on Jan 23, 2009 12:04 AM CST reply actions  

I asked my buddy

who went to U. South Carolina (and is also a fan of the douche bag Steelers) who Jamon Meredith is, and he says,
"Underachieving lineman for the shamecocks

He was suspended a couple of times… should fit in perfect in Big D"

by Joey2zs on Jan 23, 2009 8:14 AM CST up reply actions  

I like your FS pick

He looks like the hardworker the Cowboys need in the secondary. Hopefully, he slips to them at the top pick in the 4th, but they may have to use their 3rd on him.

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Jan 23, 2009 10:18 AM CST up reply actions  

Bruton is a SS

definitely not a FS. But that said I think he would be a great pick.

by quincyyyyy on Jan 23, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions  

Sidbury has looked pretty good at the Senior Bowl practices.

Myaock was saying he has trouble holding up against the run though.

by houseofprime on Jan 23, 2009 1:11 PM CST up reply actions  

thats fine

We would probably use him as a situational pass rusher

by quincyyyyy on Jan 23, 2009 1:27 PM CST up reply actions  

Hahahahahaha!

I’m gonna have to revise this. This is fun. Give me two minutes.

by Rafael Vela on Jan 23, 2009 12:14 AM CST reply actions  

Johnson

I’m sure every NFL team has some big Johnsons on it! uh, ..never mind.

"He has a peculiar felicity of expression." John Adams

by Jim Vance on Jan 23, 2009 12:19 AM CST reply actions  

LMAO!!!

Celebrity or Imposter?
YOU Decide...
http://www.xanga.com/metaltometal/689036052/celebrity-or-imposter/

by silverblue5 on Jan 23, 2009 5:51 AM CST up reply actions  

"I can call you Betty, and you can call me Al"

Love that Chase-Simon duo.

Anyway, I’d guess the Johnsons ware who everyone is chasing for numbers.

Because Clemson went through so much turmoil, Dorrell Scott may be a bit under the radar, but I would bet he is worth it for a 4-3 DT or a 3-4 DE or NT. In my “unbiased opinion”, of course. :)

by mdlusk on Jan 23, 2009 12:23 AM CST reply actions  

if burnett is not retained

then which LB takes over passing-down coverage responsibilities?
will Carpenter finally get the nod?

by falconPUNCH on Jan 23, 2009 1:11 AM CST reply actions  

Say what you want about Zach Thomas..

but that guy has one hell of a lot of heart.

by Benthere on Jan 23, 2009 2:17 AM CST reply actions  

I think that's what I said

but it’s hard sometimes watching him get ping ponged around by 330 lb O-linemen.

by Rafael Vela on Jan 23, 2009 7:21 AM CST up reply actions  

You are right,

being a Tech Ex I loved me some Zach, but being a Cowboy fan I think we need to find a bigger body for our LB’s. Oh, and fast too, is that too much to ask for? Yeah, big, strong and really fast give me one of those please.

When did I become a Cowboy fan? When my mom told me I was.

by GunsUp on Jan 23, 2009 7:32 AM CST up reply actions  

What happened in the regular season?

I was disappointed in Zach in 2 ways. First, he didn’t really step up as a leader on the team. I know he was a new player. But a multi-time All-Pro has the right to get in the face of players who’ve never done anything in the league (that would be the whole defense – besides Ware). Second, I was expecting Zach’s dominant preseason to carry over into the regular season. I don’t know what happened but he wasn’t nearly as great as he had been. He wasn’t as quick into the hole, running sideline-to-sideline, or even tackling.

by JimmyJohnson on Jan 23, 2009 9:42 AM CST up reply actions  

A new player coming into a defense where most everybody was drafted by the team

is not going to get in guy’s faces. Besides, most of the breakdowns were in the secondary—by the safeties. And they all stopped doing those pushups after week 1.

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Jan 23, 2009 10:21 AM CST up reply actions  

Oh, sorry if you think that was directed at you.

It wasn’t. I was just realizing, for the first time, how much smaller that guy is than I thought he was. Didn’t realize it till you pointed it out.

by Benthere on Jan 23, 2009 10:18 PM CST up reply actions  

let's try

Williams – 43
Smith – 42
Johnson – 41
Jackson – 23
Thomas – 23
Do I win a trip to the SB if I’m right?

""I really dig Hannibal. Hannibal had real guts. He rode elephants into Cartilage." -Tyson

by cmr3 on Jan 23, 2009 5:49 AM CST reply actions  

Love the reference to the old "you can call me ray, or you can call me j, or you can call me raymond j..."

Seriously though, it’s good to know that they are looking to get bigger up the middle.

Celebrity or Imposter?
YOU Decide...
http://www.xanga.com/metaltometal/689036052/celebrity-or-imposter/

by silverblue5 on Jan 23, 2009 5:50 AM CST reply actions  

Bobby Carpenter..

Raf, I remember at last training camp , Carpenter looked like he might be making progress and breaking in to the line up. Isn’t this the year he needs to make his move or be officially labeled a bust?

"He has a peculiar felicity of expression." John Adams

by Jim Vance on Jan 23, 2009 8:56 AM CST reply actions  

I would love to see Bobby on the field

only if he succeeds though. Why is he not AJHawk yet? Has he been that untrustworthy, or is the coaching staff doing its usual we’re-scared-to-try-something-new?

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Jan 23, 2009 10:28 AM CST up reply actions  

I think AJ would be a better fit for the Cowboys

because he’s more of an inside guy

and Bobby would be better on the Pack as a more athletic, weakside LB. A straight up trade would be dually smart.

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Jan 23, 2009 10:58 AM CST up reply actions  

I didn't know Dallas was interested in Jerod Mayo.

That Scott McKillop kid from Pitt is a tackling machine. Don’t know that he compares much to Mayo, but it would be nice to have another Eugene Lockhart on the team.

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Jan 23, 2009 10:26 AM CST reply actions  

The Hatin' Continues...

Man…Mike Celizic just flamed us. While writing a story about how the Steelers do things the right way, he repeatedly cites the Cowboys as evidence of how to do things the wrong way. Here’s a couple of choice excerpts:

“You could say that Dallas is one of the teams that reflect the city it plays in. Except the team doesn’t mirror the ethic of the long-ago cow town populated by callused cowpunchers, but the new, sprawling Dallas that puts a premium on arrogance and glitter. And Jones has seldom been able to keep from buying whatever flashy gewgaw he sees come onto the market, whether it fits his needs or not.”
****
“If a player in Dallas turns out to be a jerk, Jones coddles him if the owner thinks the player is a superstar. If a player in Pittsburgh is a jerk, he’s sent packing at the earliest convenience. That’s why the Steelers no longer have Plaxico Burress and the Cowboys still have Terrell Owens. The players that Jones collects are the same type that Pittsburgh kicks off the bus…”

A little harsh, don’t you think?

by Boundforbeach on Jan 23, 2009 11:09 AM CST reply actions  

He has a point.

When did I become a Cowboy fan? When my mom told me I was.

by GunsUp on Jan 23, 2009 11:22 AM CST up reply actions  

At the risk of being a homer...

I’ll take Jerry over Rooney as an owner any day. He may be flashy, eccentric, and a showman in the make of PT Barnum, but he’s a great businessman and he takes chances. Despite everything that’s been written, he’s not Al Davis and we still have a pretty damn good team.

by Boundforbeach on Jan 23, 2009 11:30 AM CST up reply actions  

We "won" a bye last year...

Wade says that is the same as a win…lol

by Boundforbeach on Jan 23, 2009 12:23 PM CST up reply actions  

Read what I wrote

I was only qualifying Boundforbeach’s comment that the Cowboys are still a pretty good team. I said nothing about Jerry Jones being the cause of it—but have written elsewhere on this blog that he is the principal obstacle preventing the changes necessary to transform this pretty good team into a team that enjoys postseason success.

by NCCowboy on Jan 23, 2009 2:08 PM CST up reply actions  

I see where you're coming from

I just think it’s more of Jerry’s determination to be the GM that is hurting the team. He’s a great owner and he collects very talented players but he really needs to step back when it comes to managing the roster and coaching the players. I see Jerry’s ownership and general management as canceling each other out. He just needs to get it through his thick head that he needs to hire a coach and allow that coach to do what he sees fit when it comes to the roster.

by hiafex on Jan 23, 2009 7:26 PM CST up reply actions  

Some truth

Dallas and Pittsburgh run their Organizations differently.

He is right Pitt would have never signed TO, Tank or Pac. They don’t hold on to aging players. They let Plaxico, Joey Porter, and Fanica go, and never skipped a beat.

They build there team around defense. They will be good again next year, because they are stacked on D and they plays consistently every season.

"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"

by Wmillion on Jan 23, 2009 11:58 AM CST up reply actions  

Wasn't Dallas an "arrogant and glitter" town in the 90s?

That seemed to work out OK back then.

But otherwise, there does seem to be a glaring difference between the way the Rooneys run their team and the way Jerry does.

by DavidH22 on Jan 23, 2009 12:10 PM CST up reply actions  

I don't mine the comments towards the team...

But I wonder if the guy has ever been to Dallas. There are some flashy things in Dallas, but its not exactly like its so different than most major cities in the United States.

I’m sure you can find some pretty crazy stuff in Pittsburg if you look hard enough.

by AirforceBat on Jan 23, 2009 8:45 PM CST up reply actions  

The Oprah Diet

Tony Romo is a biscuit away from 240

by Montecito Tex on Jan 23, 2009 11:40 AM CST reply actions  

and you must be blinder than a bat

better check those specs Tex, I think your prescription needs increased.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jan 23, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions  

Romo is a secret Fat Man.

No muscle mass and has a pancake ass. How bout some conditioning Tony then maybe you can lead by example.

Let T.O. Go!

by Captain Comeback on Jan 23, 2009 3:39 PM CST up reply actions  

So What

Brady Quinn could beat the crap out of Peyton, Ely, Tom Brady and Joe Montana, maybe all at once, just not on the field.

by birdness on Jan 23, 2009 4:45 PM CST up reply actions  

ummmm

I don’t know about that. Peyton’s a pretty big boy.

by AirforceBat on Jan 23, 2009 8:42 PM CST up reply actions  

Well quinn fights 325 lbs D linemen

Hes so hardcore he doesnt even care if they are on the same team as him

"Ask Philly was it hard tryin' a stop TO, he da main reason that the fans would come fo'."

by aussie_cowboy on Jan 23, 2009 10:04 PM CST up reply actions  

....

ummm the same way I know hulk hogan is big, i have eyes.

by AirforceBat on Jan 24, 2009 10:20 PM CST up reply actions  

.....

Your looking at his ass?

There is no heterosexual way to explain that comment.

by AirforceBat on Jan 23, 2009 8:41 PM CST up reply actions  

Just thinking outside of the box ...

What are everyone’s thoughts on moving Burnett to safety, ala Woodson. While it seems he’s got the speed, range and coverage skills, would he - woody … get it? … Darren Woodson 8^) - have the head for it? Another possibility, though it seems he lacks the heart, might be Barbie Carpenter. He’s reputed to have the head for it, as well as tackling and coverage skills.
I realize this is thinning out an already thin position. Just looking at options should we get some beef at the ILB position through FA or the draft.

by GalTex on Jan 23, 2009 2:53 PM CST reply actions  

I found this on the Niner blog

I thought it was pretty cool. They did their own mock draft with people from the blog.

Last year we had our first annual community mock draftt in mid-March. This year, I’ve decided to do multiple mock drafts to see how people’s views change over the course of the draft process. We’re conducting the first mock draft as we speak. The second mock draft will probably occur immediately after the combine. The third mock draft will occur in mid to late March to reflect free agency. We’ll wrap it up with a fourth mock draft the week leading up to the draft more than likely. The people who are doing the current mock draft are encouraged to help out in the future ones, but I also will open the door to participation from other community members. Depending on the volume, we might even expand the draft to 2+ rounds in the subsequent version

.

SF

"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"

by Wmillion on Jan 23, 2009 4:43 PM CST reply actions  

doubt it.

KC will not be good for a while..

"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"

by Wmillion on Jan 23, 2009 5:10 PM CST up reply actions  

Jerry needs to get to work

KC would be a great trade down partner. Give up our 2nd for thier 3rd and 2nd in 2010.

by birdness on Jan 23, 2009 7:51 PM CST up reply actions  

Why would we do that?

Our 2nd round pick is the first one we have this year.

"Ask Philly was it hard tryin' a stop TO, he da main reason that the fans would come fo'."

by aussie_cowboy on Jan 23, 2009 10:07 PM CST up reply actions  

Shanahan's going to have some work to do

They need a blue chip QB bad. Larry Johnson has morphed into Troy Hambrick. Their D is spotty at best and that’s been a problem for Shanahan. Although they’ve gotten better. Starting to get some youth on the O-line but they still have a lot of work to do there. Also, I know Lamar Hunt’s son is in charge now and he’s a different owner but traditionally they haven’t had the money to put into quality FA’s. Almost completely built through the draft and then have to let good players go because they can’t/won’t pay for them.

by kameleon_o on Jan 24, 2009 5:48 PM CST reply actions  

Well although it appears Shanny wont go to KC

Any job with Piolo as my GM seems pretty good

"Ask Philly was it hard tryin' a stop TO, he da main reason that the fans would come fo'."

by aussie_cowboy on Jan 24, 2009 6:41 PM CST up reply actions  

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