Diamonds in the rough....

by Frankster_1 on Feb 6, 2012 1:31 AM CST

I'm fairly new to BTB so please forgive me if this has already been discussed at any length. With all the talk about who we need to get in FA and who we need to draft, has anybody done a real evaluation of the talent we currently have on the team that were recently aquired or have been on the practice squad? Are they better than the 2nd, 3rd or 4th round selections we'd make in the draft? I'd like to know what the experts and scouts on BTB think of the following guys:

Baraka Atkins (DE 6'4"), Robert Callaway (DT 6'5"), Orie Lemon (LB 6'1"), Brashton Satele (LB 6'), Mana Silva (S 6'), Mario Butler (CB 6'1"), Justin Taplin-Ross (CB 6'3"), C.J. Wilson (CB 6'1"), Andre Holmes (WR 6'5"), and Raymond Radway (WR 6'3").

Some of these guys have the right size for their positions (most of these CB's are taller than most of the draft class). I'm really curious to know whether Mario Butler, Mana Silva or any of the other secondary guys are ready to make plays for us. Do they have what it takes to contribute and improve our team?

If we believe that JG, the coaches and the scouts have focused again on finding talent (I hope they have based on the last 2 drafts), then maybe we can believe that they see something in these guys and they might be ready to fill in some of the holes that we have, especially in the secondary. If that's the case, then hopefully that'll help narrow their choices in FA and the draft. What do you guys think?

Poll

Which practice squad member has the best chance of starting for the Cowboys in 2012?

Baraka Atkins (DE)

4 votes

Robert Callaway (DT)

19 votes

Orie Lemon (LB)

37 votes

Brashton Satele (LB)

1 votes

Mana Silva (S)

6 votes

Mario Butler (CB)

33 votes

Justin Taplin-Ross (CB)

15 votes

C.J. Wilson (CB)

1 votes

Andre Holmes (WR)

10 votes

Raymond Radway (WR)

46 votes

172 votes | Poll has closed

Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.

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Comments

Idk about starting

But I could see silva and orie lemon getting some playing time this year

by howboutdemcowboyz on Feb 6, 2012 4:57 AM CST via mobile reply actions

Likewise on the starting, but if we can't re-sign Robinson . . .

I could see Radway and/or Holmes stepping up for PT.

From the hometown of Bob Lilly,

by Long Ball on Feb 6, 2012 7:42 AM CST up reply actions

Tre aren't many highlights to choose from but

I could see Mario Butler being an effective corner.

by Frankster_1 on Feb 6, 2012 7:56 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

There

by Frankster_1 on Feb 6, 2012 8:23 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

yeah the votes seem to bear that out.

Would be awesome if Radway, Lemon, and Butler were contributing to this team in 2013. Or really any of these guys. It would show that we’ve got some good talent evaluators and the right kinds of coaches on the staff.

by StarloverinWNC on Feb 6, 2012 12:58 PM CST up reply actions

Agreed

by Frankster_1 on Feb 6, 2012 5:22 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

just so you know

I touch on a few of these guys in my Position outlook Series…

The Last one is currently in the Fanpost section and contains links to all of them..

I didn’t get them all in because several of them where signed after I posted their position….

Here’s a theoretical play from 2010: Snap. Tony takes 7 step drop. Tony looks left at Miles, who is doubled, and looks right to where Roy Williams should be…but instead sees Colombo on his back and a Defensive End foaming at the mouth jumping over Marc’s carcass. Tony proceeds to run like hell and look for Witten
-by CotySaxman on Jul 11, 2011 7:50 AM PDT

Now, if somebody doesn’t agree with that, that’s cool. I also don’t agree with the fact that I don’t have $10 million in my bank account. But the fact that I don’t agree with it doesn’t make it any less true.
by One.Cool.Customer on Dec 23, 2010 12:00 AM PST

by I am Ironman!!! on Feb 10, 2012 12:34 AM CST up reply actions

HERE'S MY TAKE ON FREE AGENCY AND DRAFT!!!!!!!!!!!! USE THE GIANTS MODEL.....

FREE AGENCY: Jerrah should sign Carl Nicks (OG), Mario Willliams (DE) or Calais Campbell (DE), and Paul Soliai (NT). With Carl Nicks on the OL and Mario or Calais and Paul added to our DL, we’d SEE a drastic improvement to our PASS RUSH and RUN DEFENSE!!! Yes, we could fit these FA signings into our current Salary Cap…..and they’re ALL young guys….LOL!!!

NFL DRAFT: Dallas would have to draft a good man-cover CB or two (i.e. Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson) and a backup stud RB like Terrance Ganaway (6’1" 241lbs/3rd & short/goal-line battering ram) in the DRAFT and pay them at the Rookie Pay Scale rate. Note: Terrance Ganaway is the ‘animal’ that played with Robert Griffin (Heisman Winner) at Baylor and gained 1,547yds and scored 21 TDs this year alone!!!! If Demarco goes down again this year, this BEAST could pickup the running load without missing a beat!!!

With an improved Pass Rush, these 1st year CBs and our current group of (young but experienced) CBs would drastically improve our secondary. They’d be picking off passes left and right from our improved Pass Rush. With an improved RUN DEFENSE, our Inside LB’ers (with super fast Bruce Carter and Sean Lee) and outside LB’ers would be policing up any RB’s that tried to go inside or bounce outside because with (big-boy) Paul Soliai at NG and (monster) Calais or Mario at DE. You’d also wouldn’t be seeing Brandon Jacobs (or any RB) gnashing us for 6-8yds runs on 1st down or easy runs on 3rd&short/1st &goalline or talking trash about our WEAK ( middle) Defensive Line anymore.

Cowboys Offense: Drafting Terrance Ganaway would make HIM a terror on 3rd&short and 1st& goal-line. Ganaway running behind Carl Nicks and Doug Free would be a gorgeous sight to see for Cowboy fans world-wide. Demarco and Ganaway would be our OWN (Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs) for years to come!!! And did I mention that Romo would have even bigger success with JG’s play-action passing plays.

THAT’S MY TAKE ON FREE AGENCY AND THE DRAFT!!!!

by Pacerman on Feb 6, 2012 10:23 AM CST reply actions