The Valley Ranch Review: More Cowboys Draft Talk…Punt Returner, Anyone?
by Aaron Novinger on Apr 18, 2009 2:00 PM CDT
in Dallas Cowboys News
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The Cowboys concluded their visits with potential draft choices.
The visits, which began Wednesday and conclude Friday, included such players as Ohio State receiver Brian Robiskie, Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas, Richmond linebacker Lawrence Sidbury, Oregon cornerback Jairus Byrd and Texas Tech safety Darcel McBath.
Bobby Carpenter and Isaiah Stanback remember coming to The Ranch as draft prospects.
The Star-Telegram says Dallas needs another punt returner. I agree. What does the draft offer at this position?
Cornerbacks Alphonso Smith (Wake Forest) and Victor Harris (Virginia Tech) are two of the top punt returners in the draft, but likely will be gone when the Cowboys pick in the second round and even in the third. Arizona wide receiver Mike Thomas could be worth looking at in the middle rounds and Oklahoma wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias is a middle-round prospect who has return capabilities.
For an even better look at potential punt returners in the draft, review Carl's article from a month ago.
This is pretty cool. Billion Dollar Stadium will be featured on the Science Channel Monday night.
While the facility will not be open to the public until June 6, 2009, the Science Channel will showcase the new three million square-foot NFL venue on its hit show "Build it Bigger," airing Monday, April 20, 2009 at 10 p.m. (EDT).
In Rick Gosselin's 2nd mock draft, he has the Cowboys taking safety Patrick Chung with their first pick.
Philadelphia traded away their 1st-rounder (28th overall), a 4th, and a 6th in 2010 to Buffalo for OT Jason Peters. Last night, the team signed the big man to a 6-year, $60 million contract. ESPN's Matt Mosley already ranks him as the best starting left tackle in the NFC East. He has Flozell coming in last.
Under the Tony Sparano (offensive line) regime, Adams played like an elite left tackle at times. Now he appears to have trouble getting out of his stance.
A Philadelphia city judge's campaign: "I've hated the Dallas Cowboys all my life". Feeling's mutual, I'm sure.
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You
just knew that everyone would be drooling over the Eagles trade. They can’t do anything wrong in the media’s eyes. Meh.
They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.
where do you get THAT idea?
The two big media centers in the area – Washington, DC and NY City absolutely LOVE to crap all over anything philly… msm does enough things wrong, no need to cloud the facts
Tar Heels started this college Bball season with one goal in mind - that loss to Kansas in last year's final 4 will make this team all bid-ness!
We have Crayton....
and Newman can but we will only use him maybe 10 times all year. We need Brandon Tate
by nicholas.rodriguez on Apr 18, 2009 2:35 PM CDT reply actions
I yawn every time Crayton goes back to field a punt and close my eyes because there’s a good chance he’ll get hurt when Newman goes back.
What did you do when Pacman was back there?
I shook my head in disgust.
Feb. 27 -- Veteran free agency signing period begins. Trading period begins.
April 25-26 -- NFL Draft
by APerfectStar on Apr 18, 2009 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions
I wondered
why this guy sucked for us but was good with Tennessee.
Trying too hard
The Cowboys and the media made him feel like a big deal instead of reminding him that he’d been out of the game for too long.
I think this was particularly damaging to the punt return part of his skills — everybody assumed his coverage would suffer as a CB, but he would pick right back up as an elite returner. Turned out that his return skills needed some polishing too.
Everything's looking up, Milhouse!
by accidental innuendo on Apr 18, 2009 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Adam missed his 'window' of opportunity by messing up. When the first window opened,
with TT, he was motivated and in top mental and physical shape. After his missteps, his skills and motivation declined together, and his mental stablity fell. He may get other chances in life, I hope so, but his NFL window has slammed shut.
Family, Friends, Cowboys, Beer & BBQ. Life is good!
AGREE on the Brandon Tate pick...
The Tar Heels offense set records with Tate as their #1 … to me he falls in the “safe pick” category of certain to make it at the next level. Folks around Carolina will be surprised when he doesn’t go in the first round. I don’t think he’ll make the first round, but if he’s available at 51, it would be surprising to pass on such a talent.
Tar Heels started this college Bball season with one goal in mind - that loss to Kansas in last year's final 4 will make this team all bid-ness!
I heard
Tate wont be 100% ready to play until 2010. Torn ACL and MCL doesnt sound very safe at pick 51. Not saying he wont be great but bad knees scare me
shows how closely i follow it...
there are now a few comments here about whether the knees will be healed in time. i still think we should take a shot at him – if he’s still around in later rounds – talk about up-side! … but knees can be tricky… then again, Michael Jordan suffered from knee problems his first few seasons in the NBA before they fully healed… who knows
Tar Heels = National Champs in Basketball ... top 5 in Baseball ... Top 10 this year in Football?
Flozell
Isn’t as bad as people think. He doesn’t allow very many sacks…it’s the false starts that kill him.
Last year, he was that bad
Injuries, deKosiered, whatever, really hampered his technique, and too many smaller speed rushers got right around him. I think it’s the false starts that we’ve learned to live with.
Everything's looking up, Milhouse!
by accidental innuendo on Apr 18, 2009 4:11 PM CDT up reply actions
He's definitely declining
If he can lock on to defenders, he’s solid, but he lets too many speed rushers beat him to the edge. That is going to lead to even more false starts I’m afraid. At some point, in the near future, his negatives will outweigh his positives and then the Cowboys will have to eat the fat contract he received because there were no viable options available at the time.
Feb. 27 -- Veteran free agency signing period begins. Trading period begins.
April 25-26 -- NFL Draft
by APerfectStar on Apr 18, 2009 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't know about that
Flo was awesome in ’07. Stalemated all the big-time rushers. Trent Cole and Osi Umenyiora were invisible when they played Dallas.
Flo played several games with one arm last year. Suffered a neck stinger and had no punch in his left arm.
Then, the finger on his other hand got severely infected.
The problem is that Dallas had not depth and wouldn’t sit him two to three games to let him heal. He was a no-armed man in those games and you can’t play left tackle with no reach. He looked awful around the Arizona, St. Louis and first Giants games, around the time Romo was out.
I’m going to reserve judgment on “decline” until I see how he plays this year.
Fair enough
I know he had some injuries that should have put him on the bench last season, but I’m not as optimistic that he’ll ever get back to the 2007 level. His play was embarrassing at the Pro Bowl game, and that’s the last image I have of Flo.
Feb. 27 -- Veteran free agency signing period begins. Trading period begins.
April 25-26 -- NFL Draft
by APerfectStar on Apr 18, 2009 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions
I have stated the same thing about 1,000 times on here.
But i do understand why people are so quick to bash him. The whole line was out of sync this season. And that includes all 3 pro bowlers. Adams, Gurode, and big Leonard had a down year. Hell, Columbo had the best year of anybody and he gets ZERO praise.
by TARHEEL PAUL on Apr 18, 2009 6:05 PM CDT up reply actions
Peters was a solid move by the iggles
BUT….
if this young stud LT is all that AND a bag of chips, why did the bills trade him?
He also gave up an ass load of sacks last year.
At least thats what they are saying on the Eagles blog anyway.
by TARHEEL PAUL on Apr 18, 2009 9:33 PM CDT up reply actions
And
he had 3 years left on a contract and wanted a NEW MEGA DEAL that the Bills refused to entertain
After 2 or 3 more LTs sign huge contracts over the next little while, Peters will want yet another pay hike in just a few years and if PHILLY does not pay him, …………he’ll pout, balloon out of shape, and give up another dozen sacks.
Haha, and PHI paid THAT KIND OF GUY 60 MIL.
I’m laughin so hard – my sides hurt Haha Hee Hee Baahaaa, Wheee Whoa Mama
And, 1st and goal inside the five, you can always count on Flozel to take you back five
Family, Friends, Cowboys, Beer & BBQ. Life is good!
IMO
With the possible exception of the 2007 season, Big Flo has been one of the most over rated players in the NFL. As to, “…doesn’t allow very many sacks,” go back and watch some of the NFL Network’s replays of Cowboys games last season—especially during the latter part of the season against good defenses. Don’t watch the quarterback dropping back on pass plays; where possible, watch Adams.
Unlike a Cowboys' season, in life, there may not be a next year.
So we can call an entire year an exception?
That may take the cake. I’ve heard people try to make an argument with comments like “if it wasn’t for this play or that” or maybe even a game, but calling an entire year an abberation is a stretch
by StillHateTheGiants on Apr 18, 2009 10:01 PM CDT up reply actions
Well see how good Peters is when Ware and Osi are eating his lunch every down.....
He hasn’t faced pass rushers like this when he was with Buffalo. I’ll tell you what, I’m not impressed with Peters. He is good at run blocking and suffers with pass protection. He had a awesome 2007 granted, but I won’t consider him the best LT in the game until he can show he can shut down the elite pass rushers in the NFC East. Eagles are taking big gambles with Stacy Andrews and now Peters. They laid out a ton of doe on two positions..
Mike Thomas
would be a very good addition. He had a college career filled with outstanding plays and he is a solid citizen. The Cowboys could forget about Crayton and his mouth.
I'm pulling for Bradon Tate in the 3rd or 4th as far as punt returners are concerned
and Lawernce Sidbury in the 2nd
Now thats what im talking bout Aggie.......
As a tarheel, i’ll be the first to admit that I’m a total homer. But this guy can flat out play. Before he got injured, he was the #1 option. Not Hakeem Nicks. And we all know how good Nicks is. I have heard the NFL network talk about off the field problems with him but i follow the team pretty closely and have not heard of anything first hand. So im not sure what they are talking about. He did blow out his ACL and MCL last year so i think if we took him in the 4th or 5th round we may be better off letting him sit out next season and rehab. I know that doesnt help us next year but believe me guys, if he comes back 100% we will be thankful for years to come.
by TARHEEL PAUL on Apr 18, 2009 6:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Agreed on Brandon Tate.
If that knee fully recovers, he could be a dangerous playmaker. He’d be an instant update returning punts. Having a punt returner who can actually break a tackle would be very refreshing. I think he was averaging around 30yards per punt return before he got hurt this year. Stock seems to be rising though. He may go in the 3rd and we’ve got other pressing needs. But, he’s exciting to watch.
Doesn’t showcase his receiving skills that much in this particular video, but you can see how dangerous he is as a returner and playmaker/with the ball in his hands.
Great funny link to the philly judge! (oops, their Super Bowl Win? = Cowboys playoff game!)
“I’ve hated the Dallas Cowboys my entire life. When the Eagles beat the Cowboys in 1981 for the NFC championship, I was there. I was there with 15 buddies at the top of the Vet. It was like we won the Super Bowl.”
Of course they didn’t win the Super Bowl – but why quibble? For Dugan and lot of others around here, it was almost the same thing.
Dugan’s hatred for Dallas has become an obsession over the years – one that even led to a discussion about the Cowboys being named enemy combatants.
Of course they didn’t win the Super Bowl but why quibble? Hilarious.
This is the best philly has for their memory banks!!! It would be as if the only game we could remember was one NFC Championship!! (Rams in 79 … SF in 92 …
Tar Heels = National Champs in Basketball ... #2 in Baseball ... Top 10 this year in Football?
I like Alphonso Smith
He serves multiple roles which is what we have looked for in players the last few years. He would immediately come in as our punt returner, provide depth at CB and would probably be our slot corner on third down(moving Scandrick to nickle safety) and he would be our gunner on punt coverage. If you think that’s too much for a rookie take one away and he’s still a good value but you may have to move up to get him.
I can't believe the fascination with draftiing a guy because he MIGHT be a great punt-returner!
What is this? How many times in NFL history has a team drafted a guy for his return skills, and hit it big?
Bears—Hester. OK, who else? Green Bay and Desmond Howard?
Maybe in the 5th or 6th round, which even then can be a real wasted pick. Teams actually find STARTERS in those rounds. Skyler Green, anyone?
It’s a joke. You cannot predict success, for one thing.
Oh yeah, and didn’t I read all last offseason, on Raf’s blog, how we were going to have so many great punt returners? Weren’t Jenkins and and Scandrick supposed to join Pacman in that role, and the Boys’ special teams were going to be incredible?
Packers didnt draft Howard.
The redskins did. The packers signed him off the streets after the redskins and the raiders gave up on him. Just clearing up the facts.
by TARHEEL PAUL on Apr 19, 2009 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanks, you're right. I was happy I remembered his name.
I mostly remember the KO in the SB they played.
by Realist Larry on Apr 20, 2009 12:17 AM CDT up reply actions
Punt returners are very important.
What could help this sputtering offense more than an occasional short field? This team needs a difference maker badly.
And no one is saying that we should draft some Michael Lewis type of guy who has no other role. Whoever returns punts should be expected to compete for the 4th corner job, or the 4th/5th receiver spot.
Also, Jenkins and Scandrick had 4 career punt returns between them, so I dont know why anyone would have been saying that they would help.
And this…
You cannot predict success, for one thing.
Well what the hell, why do teams even scout players and draft? Let’s just pull names out of a hat.
"I see the door, I just get off on running through the wall." - Young Tripp
by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Apr 19, 2009 11:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Every position on the field is important.
But,
1) Punt returners rank about #26 on my list of importance, behind the 22 starters, the 2 kickers, and the KO returner.
Wait! They rank #27, behind the LONG SNAPPER too!
really-you get a few draft picks a year. Teams rarely even draft kickers, as the Boys did w/Folk, and they are a LOT more important than the punt returner.
2) And, as for your point about predicting success-you have a heck of a lot larger sample size for college players who’ve started games, maybe 20-30 snaps per game, for 2-3 years than a guy who returned punts.
3) Also, a guy can look great returning punts in college, but in the NFL EVERY guy chasing him on Sp. Teams is a speedy stud, probably a college starter, not some 19-year=old sophomore.
There is very little chance for success.
by Realist Larry on Apr 20, 2009 12:16 AM CDT up reply actions
Once again...
You’re not going to draft a guy JUST for his punt return abilities.
Draft a guy who can fill another need that also has the ability to return punts.
They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.
by AirforceBat on Apr 20, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions
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