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Gosselin: Here's the key for the Cowboys now that they've started to do right by the salary cap | Dallas Morning News
In a chat with fans Gosselin lauds the Cowboys for their recent cap management, but warns that it will all be for naught if they don't draft well.
Any reason for optimism should stem from the fact the Cowboys are finally doing right by the salary cap. They have become more wise in their spending and roster assessment. Whether you agree or not with the decisions to part ways with Jay Ratliff, DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher, it was the right thing to do. You couldn't carry players at their ages at those price tags in a salary cap world. Signing a young, Pro Bowl-caliber talent like Henry Melton at a club friendly contract was another step in the right direction. The key, now, is that the Cowboys have to draft well. Every time you miss on a draft pick, you wind up overspending to correct the mistake in free agency. The Cowboys have too many misses on draft day and too many overcompensations in free agency. That's how they got into this mess. There's only one way now to get out -- draft well.
Fisher: What did booing Jerry Jones at Final Four prove? | Mike Fisher, FOX Sports
Fisher concludes that when you boo, you care. And that's more than can be said for most other owners of a professional sports franchise.
Why Pittsburgh DT Aaron Donald makes sense at No. 16 | Rainer Sabin, Dallas Morning News
Sabin offers a brief profile of Donald and argues that Donald would make sense as a foundational piece for the defensive line.
Kony Ealy to the Cowboys in latest mock draft - Dan Kadar, SBNation.com
Draftniks talk all year about how teams must absolutely draft the best player available. Then they construct mock drafts based entirely on need. Which they then ultimately use to judge a team's draft by. Go figure.
16. Dallas Cowboys: Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri. After DeMarcus Ware signed with the Denver Broncos, it opened somewhat of a need at pass rusher for the Cowboys. Even if Anthony Spencer is brought back, a player like Ealy would go nicely on the defense with George Selvie.
Kiper: 'Probably five second-round' guards - ESPN Indianapolis
If the Cowboys are looking for an upgrade at guard, the second round might be the place to go looking for one. ESPN's Mel Kiper said "there will probably be five second-round guys, maybe as many as six that go in Round 2, early Round 3." After Brandon Thomas' injury, that number may be down to four. Here are the top-10 guards on Kiper's draft board.
1. Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State
2. David Yankey, Stanford
3. Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA4. Brandon Thomas, Clemson
5. Joel Bitonio, Nevada
6. Trai Turner, LSU
7. Cyril Richardson, Baylor
8. Jon Halapio, Florida
9. Kadeem Edwards, Tennessee State
10. Ryan Groy, Wisconsin
Analyzing The Pros, Cons Of Extending Murray Past 2014 - Rowan Kavner, DallasCowboys.com
Despite missing 11 games in three years with injury, Murray's abilities make him a key cog in the Cowboys offense. But because Murray is an all-around talent as a blocker, runner and receiver, the Cowboys don't know exactly what they have in their other running backs like Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar. Which leads to a conundrum:
They could try to extend their star back now and hope the injuries dissipate while getting Murray at a cheaper deal; they could stay the course and pay Murray a lofty extension if he stays healthy and has a productive year; they could utilize their complementary backs more and see if a player like Randle could be a long-term starter; they could add another running back in free agency, or they could draft a running back this year with the hope of turning him into a starter after this season.
There are reasons to support any of the answers, but none of them come without potential drawbacks.
Mailbag: What's New On The Anthony Spencer Front? - DallasCowboys.com
A reader asks the question, "What's the status of Anthony Spencer's recovery?" If you are expecting somebody to answer that question, avoid this link.
Team Blitzing - Pro Football Focus
PFF looks at which teams blitzed the most in 2013 and how successful they were while blitzing. Turns out, the Cowboys didn't blitz a lot (ranked 29th), and when they did, they weren't particularly successful (19th). So did the Cowboys dial up the pressure when they weren't blitzing? No, sir. They ranked 28th in pass rushing success when not blitzing.
North Texas … Anaheim East … What Is Arlington? "
Arlington is the new sports capital of America, writes Bryan Curtis. Get used to it.
Somehow it was decided — without any of us fans getting a vote — that just about every big game would happen in Arlington. In the last five years, Arlington has hosted a Super Bowl, a Final Four, two World Series, an NBA All-Star Game, every Dallas Cowboys home game, two Manny Pacquiao fights, the Cotton Bowl, some big "neutral site" college football games, and the Texas high school football state championships. The first college football playoff championship game will be played here next year.
Why it’s necessary to understand the complexity of compensatory picks | The MMQB
The Ravens, who were awarded 41 comp picks since the system was installed in 1994, are the king of compensatory picks. And it’s very much by design, Andrew Bedard writes.
"All of those players we signed last year were free agents and weren’t UFAs," general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "They were cap causalities of other teams, which allowed us to be able to maintain our compensatory picks for the guys we lost. So there is a rhyme and reason in how we acquire players—to continue to maintain our ability to stay strong going forward. And we will do the same [this year]."
You want to take a guess at who ranks second on that list of comp picks awarded since 1994? The Cowboys, with 33 picks, that's who. Of course, we all know that Stumblin' Steven and Jumblin' Jerry completely lucked into those picks. Nobody can deny this!