Dallas Cowboys News & Notes: Could DE Anthony Barr Fall To The Cowboys?

Bill Polian: Dallas Cowboys should draft UCLA OLB/DE Anthony Barr, not a safety | John Machota, DMN
Shortly after Mel Kiper and Todd McShay both had the Cowboys picking a safety in their latest mock drafts, former NFL general manager Bill Polian handed out a little football 101 to the two draftniks:

"Defensive line. Pass rush. In the Tampa-2, which is what Dallas plays, you have to rush the front four," Polian said. "Take Barr from UCLA. He’ll be fine. He’s got all the right numbers as a seven or nine technique, which is where he’ll play. His lack of physicality against the run won’t be a liability. He’s a much better pick than the safety."

Interesting side note: When Polian was discussing Aaron Donald, he mentioned that the Pittsburgh defensive tackle is the perfect fit to play the three-technique spot. Polian called the three-technique the most important position in a Tampa-2 scheme. To give you a better idea of how important it is, Polian said a Tampa-2 team could make the argument that they should draft Donald over South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

2014 NFL Draft Rumors: Zack Martin 'absolutely' a top 15 pick - Big Blue View
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said Wednesday during a conference call that he "absolutely" expects Notre Dame offensive lineman Zack Martin to be selected in the top 15 picks of the 2014 NFL Draft, and more than likely in the top 12. Coincidentally, of course, the offensive line-needy New York Giants have that 12th overall pick. Either way, having Martin go high will push someone else down to 16, so we're all for it.

McShay: Taking Barr In The Top 10 Picks Would Be A Reach - David Helman, DallasCowboys.com
If Barr is the player pushed down to the Cowboys at No. 16 (and the Cowboys pick him) many Cowboys fans would be happy. Todd McShay is doing his best to ensure that happens:

"He wasn’t bad –I don’t want to give the wrong impression," he said. "He’s not very strong at the point of attack, he’s not very good at setting the edge, he’s close to a one-trick pony as a pass rusher, in terms of just a speed rush. His speed-to-power moves, they stall – they almost always stall out."

"In the league, those guys are so good at offensive tackle that if you can’t beat them both ways – with speed and with power – then you’re in trouble," McShay said. "He can still be a very, very good player at the next level. I just think it’s a lot bigger of a production, still, than I was expecting it was going to be at this point in the process."

Cowboys LB Bruce Carter on Why He Struggled in 2013 - ThatSportsGirl
Gina Miller shot a short interview with Bruce Carter (follow the link above to watch it), in which he talked about why the adjustment to a 4-3 defense was a struggle for him. Here's an excerpt, in which Carter is asked whether the switch to the 4-3 was a particular challenge for him:

"Yes, I think that was it for me, just being more comfortable with the system and going from the previous year in the 3-4, playing Mike, to the outside, playing Will, which is kind of like night and day, but in the same sense it’s still playing linebacker. so I think for me, just getting more comfortable, knowing that that position and knowing my role and just going from there."

Cowboys Pick Up 5th-Year On Tyron Smith Contract - Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys will do the obvious and pick up the 5th-year on the rookie contract of their star left tackle, Tyron Smith. The move guarantees that Smith will be with the team through 2015, and gives the Cowboys time to work out a long-term deal with the franchise tackle.

Cowboys Sign Free-Agent Wide Receiver LaRon Byrd - Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys made another move in free-agency today, though not one expected to significantly alter the landscape of their roster. After working hm out during Dallas Day, the Cowboys signed wide receiver LaRon Byrd to a two-year contract on Thursday.

Sherrington: Kyle Orton situation the most mysterious thing you can possibly imagine | DMN
Kevin Sherrington is flabbergasted by the Orton situation.

"This is the most mysterious thing you can possibly imagine. As a father of a former quarterback, my goal for him was to make it to the NFL and be a third-string quarterback and sideline and hold a clipboard all season. It’s the world’s greatest job. If he retires, he has to give back $3 million. Who’s going to give back $3 million when the opposite thing you can do is stand on the sideline and hold a clipboard? I don’t understand what he’s doing. I don’t know if he’s trying to force the Cowboys’ hand in trading him. I don’t think any of those things are particularly happening here."

Dat Nguyen to announce Cowboys second-round pick - NFL Communications
As in the previous three years, former players will announce the second-round draft picks next Friday. For the Cowboys, that honor will go to Dat Nguyen. Rounds 2 – 3 will air at 7:00 pm ET next Friday.

What's it like to be a scout during the NFL draft? | SportsonEarth.com
Russ Lande shares some war stories about just how inexact a science drafting. 40 yard times driving player grades, boards being overruled during the draft, one pro day changing the entire outlook on a player, evaluations made based on high school performance; and you thought what you know about the Cowboys was bad.

NFL may bolt Radio City Music Hall, could take draft on the road - NY Daily News
New York City is on the clock. When the curtain comes down at Radio City Music Hall after next week’s NFL draft, it could stay down for a while, with the possibility of the league taking its show in the road, Gary Myers reports. Myers also points out that, if the draft were to leave New York, a bidding war would emerge across the country for the right to host the event.