Crack Hits:Freebased Ideas Episode 4:The Controversy Edition

Crack Hits is back, welcome all returning readers and to our new readers. I want to start off this week's edition with a message to you, the reader. Crack Hits in no way promotes drugs, or drug behavior. Crack Hits is the title I have chosen and is meant to be a play on words, it is not promoting drug use. Freebased Ideas, is also included because the idea's are free in form, and was actually suggested by the BTB community. If you find this too offensive, that's fine we understand, but the door is the page back button or the big X on your Internet browser. If you can find it in your hearts to look past a innocent title and are ready to read some very knowledgeable football information that focuses around our beloved Dallas Cowboys, then please read on. I didn't mean to offend anyone and I want everyone that logs onto the BTB website to read my fanpost, I love being liked. So lets move on folks, in this edition we will talk about my favorite time of the year the draft, what Michael Irvin has to say about our new head coach, draft prospects, the assistant coaching search and some general idea's about the Cowboys.

I had some controversey for my recent post, Back To Basics:The Von Miller edition. Let me start with that I am in no way advocating ignoring the OL and S needs of the Dallas Cowboys, but what I love about Miller is he is a top 10 draft pick IMO. Pass rush is something we clearly lacked this year, and I believe its a big reason we lost games and why our defense continued to leak all season long. Now what I see happening is Jerry goes out and gets 2 OL that come in and become instant starters at RG and RT. I see us maybe going after a big name Safety, so if we do that it gives us some serious leeway in the upcoming draft. I drool over the propsects of seeing DeMarcus Wareand Von Miller "Time". Maybe I should of been more clear about that, I just wanted you to hear my opinion on why we could afford to take a premier pass rusher 9th overall. Dallas has a strong history of solving OL needs through free agency and recent players Leonard Davis, Kyle Kosier, Marc Columbo, all 3 starting OL were brought in via free agency and I see no reason especially in a deep OL market not to continue this trend.

Safety now that's a little more tricky actually. A few names I would look at are Dashon Goldson, Quinton Mikell, Atari Bigby, Donte Whitner, Michael Huff, Roman Harper, and Eric Weddle. Not the sexy names all of you have been accustomed to, but like Deion said, Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu don't grow on trees. I think Huff will be a idea because of him being from Texas, seems we are always a little more interested in the hometown guy. Im not saying Huff is elite, but he is serviceable and solid, something we need. Roman Harper got absolutely smoked in the game vs the Seahawks, but he is still a major upgrade, a leader, and a guy who is activley involved with the community. But if I had to choose I would take Eric Weddle from San Diego, he is a player that just always makes the right play and is in the right place. He isn't the flashiest player but he just makes plays, I think Eric Weddle would be a very subtle move that could actually have some serious impact. Donte Whitner is another safety I value highly for his leadership qualities and athletic ability, I would definitely take a strong look at Whitner. Dashawn Goldson is a safety for the 49ers I have liked for a while, still young and has the ball skills that we need. I wonder if the Niners actually let him walk, but you never know.

Now a player I just want to bring up is Eric Wright from the Cleveland Browns. Wright was a 2nd round pick, the 53rd overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. I remember there was some talk the Cowboys were interested in Wright that April of 2007. Now what is funny is the draft pick used to take him was actually our draft pick that we traded to the Browns when they traded back into the 1st round, taking our 1st round pick to select Brady Quinn. Wright lost his starting job this year and nettted only 1 interception, but had 4 in 2009 and 3 in 2008. Wright is known for his cover skills and most likely will not be returning to Cleveland for a variety of reasons, and I think he is a player we should take a look at. He had a similar season to Mike Jenkins, where in 2009 he was the Browns best corner, who could be left alone on an island and trusted to make the play. Now we all would love to get Nnamdi Asomugha from the Raiders, but we gotta be realistic here. I don't even know if we could afford Nnamdi, but as much as I would love to get him I start to think about the New England Patriots. The Patriots make it work with a variety of players, instead of banking on the one big player who cost you your whole free agency. Nnamdi is basically going to want DeMarcus Ware type money, and if I get Nnamdi heck I would be thrilled, but I wouldn't lose sleep over not getting him. Because we took a chance on a Cleveland Brown castoff a few years ago in Anthony Henry, and was a really good signing for us. I think Eric Wright is a starting cornerback in the NFL, if given the right situation like here in Dallas, I think he would have a bounceback Pro Bowl type year. For the record I am not saying Eric Wright is better than Nnamdi Ashomugha, I just think Wright might be a nice signing for the Cowboys.

One more mid level signing I think might make sense for us is Tavares Gooden from the Ravens. A 3rd round pick, 71st overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, Gooden is from the U, for those not familiar with the "U" it stands for the University of Miami. At 6'1 242 he fits the ILB mold we have for the 3-4 ILB that we like to use. He has the athletic ability and speed to be a starting LB for us. Now we simply don't have the ILB depth we need, especially going into a offseason where we released Jason Williams, we got Keith Brooking either retiring or not being retained, and no other ILB depth. Sean Lee is our starting ILB next year with Bradie James, thats a fact. Sean Lee is a stud, I have no issue there, but we have no ILB behind Lee or James, and we need to start thinking about the future, especially the future of who we pair with Sean Lee. Most likely we can solve that in the draft, there a bunch of quality ILB this year, but Gooden can give us depth at a modest price and with the upside of becoming a starter. Gooden never really became a starting player for the Ravens, he got the occasional spot start, but is primarily used on ST's, the Nickel, and reserve role. I think Gooden is good enough to start in the NFL, I have seen him have some dominate games for the Ravens, but what I like about Gooden is he is fast and can rush the passer. He is a versatile player you can use in Nickel, put on the outside to pass rush, and he can start and be productive for you. Would be a modest signing at around 400,000 dollars if you ask me.

The search for the filling of the staff has begun, and we have interviewed a few candidates. One guy I want to bring up is Vic Fangio who has coached the 3-4 in Houston under Dom Capers, and in Baltimore, one of my favorite defenses ever. He spent 4 years with Dom Capers in Houston, and as most of you know I love Dom Capers. Fangio was the Stanford DC and is rumored to head to the 49ers with John Harbaugh. Now I won't go into too much detail about one guy because everything is still undecided and there are more interviews to be scheduled, but I just wanted to say why I am a fan of Vic Fangio, he is a fan of the zone blitz scheme. I feel being creative with our blitzes is something Wade Phillips either just never understood, or simply didn't care. I do not know which one it was, or if he was just plain too dumb to run a different look of a scheme. Maybe Wade was stuborn as a horse, we will never know. This system also shouldn't be too hard to implement, we run a 3-4 defense already, its just a change of philosophy that is going to be changed. In a zone blitzing scheme you attack the quarterback, but you attack him from different angles and different blitzes. I read today in DMN that Vic Fangio isn't a risk taker, he called himself a " educated gambler". I loved that he described himself that way actually, I want a guy who is going to take chances, but at the right costs. I know we can't get Dom Capers but Im sure Garrett called Capers and asked who would be a good candidate for the job, and IMO Capers suggest Vic Fangio.

I actually support the idea of Greg Manusky from the 49ers as well, because if Harbuagh indeed hires Fangio, Manusky who is the 49ers DC would be out of a job. The Cowboys like Manusky and will interview Manusky tomorrow as reported by the media. He is a part of the Wade Phillips coaching style of the 3-4, where they coached together in San Diego. It kinda bothers me thinking that but Manusky was a pretty good DC in San Francisco and was a little more creative IMO. Greg Manusky and Todd Bowles might not be sexy names, but they would be really good choices for us.

Bobby Williams is another interesting guy, he is the tight ends coach for Alabama and is from the Saban tree. Im not a huge Nick Saban fan but I do like him. Bobby Williams is rumored to be interviewing for the WR job, since Ray Sherman is going to be moving on. He coached the WR's at LSU back in 2004 and also was head coach for Michigan State, so has some experience. Both have coached in Miami when Garrett was the QB's coach and Williams was the RB's coach, so that tells me Garrett is definitely having major input on his staff, and that is something we should all be thankful for.

I read today also on DMN that Michael Irvin is a big supporter of Jason Garrett, and to me that speaks volumes because Irvin knows his stuff, especially when it comes to football. Go over to DMN and check it out, but basically he says if the players and the Cowboys listen to Garrett, he will lead us to a Super Bowl. He goes on to say that Garrett is a hard worker, he works so hard and because of his work ethic and intelligence he is a reason why the Cowboys star will shine bright again. Reading Michael Irvin, one of the best football players of my time speak about Jason Garrett that highly is remarkable. Irvin also goes to tell a story about how Garrett would stay late with him after every practice and let Irvin run a additional 75 routes, just to be better and on top of his game. A backup QB doesn't have to do this, that shows me that Garrett has a great work ethic, and will work hard to achieve success, especially not for himself but another player.

Not gonna get into too much draft talk this week, gonna wait until the underclassman declare for the NFL Draft, which I believe they have until the 15th to do so. But once that day comes I will get into more draft talk, because the draft is one of my favorite times of the year and I do alot of preparation leading up until the draft. When I know who is eligible I will do a mock draft on here, but its going to be a creative mock draft. I am going to draft my way, the Cowboys way, and Jerry's way, a unique look at 3 different mocks according to how those styles draft. It should be pretty cool and that will be the major area of Crack Hits next week. I will do my mock, I will do a Cowboys mock, and I will do a mock as Jerry Jones, 3 different styles but should be fun. The Oregon Auburn game also gave me a few new prospects I might talk about in that mock.

One last breaking story, Martellus Bennett is on Twitter saying he has been brought up in trade rumors, not really sure where Marty B is getting his info, since all NFL rosters are locked out until after the Super Bowl, and again idk how many teams would be willing to part with a draft pick for a average tight end. Go on over to the mothership who has the story in the True Blue part, of course it is wonder boy Josh Ellis who is reporting the story.

As always folks thanks for reading and feel free to comment below. I enjoy and appreciate all who read and REC Crack Hits, and am really looking forward to your comments below. ChiaCrack will be writing a little more since I have a little more time on my hands the next few weeks, so I will be posting all the time now instead of a weekly basis. Folks thanks for your time and everyone have a good one. PEACE

PS Please vote on the pole below please, its a read suggestion box for the name of my series, if I get enough votes it will stay Crack Hits, if not then it will be changed to Chia Hits, or if you have a better name drop down there in the comment section thanks