dbair1967

Administrator
Messages
54,704
Reaction score
6,037
I hate to get sucked in by the Randy Gregory news the last few days, but it is highly encouraging.

And seems like every day we see positive Dorance Armstrong stuff.
 

yimyammer

Quality Starter
Messages
8,951
Reaction score
2,607
the first thing that i noticed is that he is well spoken.

I noticed that too

on draft day

and then he shit the bed

still rooting for him but addicts always know the right thing to "say"

hopefully he's mastering the "do"
 
Last edited:

ThoughtExperiment

Quality Starter
Messages
9,906
Reaction score
3
I hate to get sucked in by the Randy Gregory news the last few days, but it is highly encouraging.

And seems like every day we see positive Dorance Armstrong stuff.

I have a lot more faith in Armstrong. Liked him from the start. He was a very good player on a terrible team with nobody else around him.
 

dbair1967

Administrator
Messages
54,704
Reaction score
6,037
I have a lot more faith in Armstrong. Liked him from the start. He was a very good player on a terrible team with nobody else around him.

I think it's also understated that he played virtually all of last season on a partially torn ACL. He never complained about it. Didn't sulk or decide to sit out because his team was awful. He played through it and busted his ass.

And his prior year he was outstanding. Definitely excited about him.
 

icup

Super Moderator
Messages
9,575
Reaction score
5,472
zeke contested catch in the endzone vs. sean lee:



 

icup

Super Moderator
Messages
9,575
Reaction score
5,472
I noticed that too

on draft day

and then he shit the bed

still rooting for him but addicts always know the right thing to say

hopefully he's mastering the do

dammit youre right

usually i always google 1st if im not sure...





nex ttime i will remember :

Google, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot search,
Courage to re-phrase the things I can,
And wisdom to find the answer, not just go with the 1st result.
 

yimyammer

Quality Starter
Messages
8,951
Reaction score
2,607
dammit youre right

usually i always google 1st if im not sure...





nex ttime i will remember :

Google, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot search,
Courage to re-phrase the things I can,
And wisdom to find the answer, not just go with the 1st result.

Dooms should put you on his payroll, I come here knowing I'll get at least one lulz a day from an icup post and another one from a dbair post (for vastly different reasons)
 

dbair1967

Administrator
Messages
54,704
Reaction score
6,037
These five Dallas Cowboys have been outstanding in training camp without us really expecting much from them.

Training camp is an interesting animal because it’s where you get answers to certain questions, but sometimes the answers are quite unexpected. You expect stars like Ezekiel Elliott to do their thing. You expect the offensive line to be dominant, bolstered by their three All-Pro’s. You expect Sean Lee, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Tyrone Crawford to be leaders on a young defense. What you don’t expect is what’s most exciting to talk about. Here are five Cowboys that have exceeded our initial training camp expectations:

5. Antwaun Woods, DT

Free agent signing from May 30th

What perfect timing for a 1-tech defensive tackle prospect to make an impact. In general, the Cowboys were light at defensive tackle coming into camp with Maliek Collins’ injury and David Irving’s ongoing personal matters. With Collins returning, he’s likely to get first crack at the 3-tech but that still leaves an opening at the 1-tech. Jihad Ward and Brian Price have each had their moments but the real surprise has been Antwaun Woods.

Todd Archer, of ESPN, reported that the Cowboys had an eye on Woods dating back to his time with the Tennessee Titans. When Rod Marinelli finally got his mitts on Woods this summer, it wasn’t long before he started to get noticed. Woods dropped some excess weight in the conditioning program but hasn’t lost a single ounce of his power. In compete periods, often the most hyped portion of camp, Woods has taken the fight to All-Pro linemen Travis Frederick and Zack Martin on a few occasions.

In the Cowboys preseason opener, Woods got the nod to be the starting nose tackle. What you get with him is a guy that knows the game of leverage. Woods is strong at the point of attack as was evident with his ability to crush the 49ers pocket on a few plays. Woods also has lower body agility to outwork his blockers, shed them, and get to the ball carrier. Antwaun Woods has been a real find for a team that needed not just rotational depth but a potential starter for the season.

4. Joe Thomas, LB


Free agent signing from March 21st

Joe Thomas was the Cowboys first free agent signing of the offseason but most fans at the time were hoping Dallas had lured the recently retired Browns’ offensive tackle of the same name to the squad. Thomas had been a Cowboy once before back in the offseason of 2015 but he really worked on his craft in the three years he spent with the Packers.

At this point, he’s already being lauded as the next great find by Will McClay and people are puzzled as to how Thomas wasn’t re-signed by Green Bay. He fits what the Cowboys lost in Anthony Hitchens as a run-hit linebacker. After his stellar performance in the preseason opener that saw him register five tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception, Thomas has been the flavor of the week. Not to mention he accomplished all of that in only 28% of the defensive snaps.

If the Cowboys were to suffer an injury at the position, Thomas could step in at either spot. He’s got the quick reactionary skills, athleticism, and tackling ability needed to play WILL. He also has the awareness to see plays develop with the physical nature to attack rushing lanes at MIKE. Joe Thomas has shown real playmaking ability and will likely serve as the first linebacker off the bench. There’s going to be an effort to get this man involved in tons of sub-packages.

3. Lance Lenoir, WR

Practice squad player in 2017

This guy came into the offseason program determined to change his practice squad status. All he has done all summer long is make himself readily available to his coaches and teammates. One teammate in particular, Dak Prescott, has been singing his praises at every level of the offseason program. Lenoir has also shown up daily on the practice reports and highlights for all the right reasons.

Lenoir has taken all his inconsistencies of last season and committed himself to becoming a valued technician in Sanjay Lal’s vision. The rapport between Lenoir and Prescott is undeniable but he also has been a consistent target for the backups. Lance Lenoir realizes that the opportunity in front of him is huge. There may be a few veterans to contend with but there are no established stars in that receiver’s room.

With a developing quarterback, the best trait for a receiver is simply being reliable. With every day that passed in training camp, Lance Lenoir has made it harder for the Cowboys to cut him.

2. Michael Gallup, WR


Third-round pick

We have written a ton of receiver articles over the past eight months. Michael Gallup was on our draft radar and he had one of the more productive college careers at Colorado State. When he was selected in the third round of the draft, the Cowboys were commended on what a value pick he was. As much as the Legion of Gallup Disciples like myself trumpeted his potential, it’s still surprising how quickly he has risen on the depth chart. Gallup has had plenty of rookie moments and will likely have a few more. Still, the way he battles and often beats these pretty solid defensive backs is impressive.

Wide receiver is often discussed as one of the more difficult transitions to make from college to the pros. These guys come in and just aren’t used to battling top defensive backs down after down. The guys that do have success making quick transitions are those that know how to create separation and understand the importance of learning route concepts. There’s no way that Gallup beats sticky man coverage from Byron Jones, who has played 48 games in the NFL, without being a great route salesman. Gallup is not the fastest or the biggest guy in the receiver room but it hasn’t stopped him from being one of the more consistent receivers at camp.

Everything that Michael Gallup does well fits exactly with the philosophies that Sanjay Lal has implemented. If he continues to impress in the preseason, he’ll follow that recent trend of day two receivers who were able to make impacts as a rookie.

1. Dorance Armstrong, DE

Fourth-round pick

The top spot has to go to Dorance Armstrong because he went from a developmental guy to a stone-cold lock for the rotation. A roster spot was never truly in jeopardy for Armstrong because this team almost traded up for him in the third round. However, when he was selected, nobody was driving that hype train, he was mostly forgettable in the draft process to be honest. Armstrong had just struggled mightily his junior season after a breakout sophomore campaign where he had 20 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

There’s no better teacher of the defensive line than Rod Marinelli and he’s done a nice job of squeezing the juice out of Armstrong. The Cowboys already have incredible potential between DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford, Taco Charlton, and now Randy Gregory. Dorance Armstrong has given the Cowboys offensive line quite a few fits during camp and showed the 49ers that he can be dynamic.

Armstrong has already outshined veteran edge rusher Kony Ealy to where he’s in danger of being cut. He also worked over Chaz Green so much during compete drills that Green could be a quick casualty, too. Dorance Armstrong has a good combination of speed, power, and amazing bend. What’s equally impressive about Armstrong is that he has a much more polished array of pass rush moves than usually expected from a rookie. He does his best to never use the same move too frequently. It’s clear that Armstrong has a place in this rotation, his outstanding training camp put the stamp on it.
 

icup

Super Moderator
Messages
9,575
Reaction score
5,472
the pass aint exactly ideal:



Scot

Pro Bowler
Messages
14,675
Reaction score
5,978
I hate to get sucked in by the Randy Gregory news the last few days, but it is highly encouraging.

And seems like every day we see positive Dorance Armstrong stuff.

The news from a number of different podcasts is this years 4th rounder Armstrong is looking better and is further along in his development right now than Taco is and Taco has an entire season under his belt. That’s encouraging for Armstrong, not so much for Taco
 

theoneandonly

Quality Starter
Messages
5,258
Reaction score
531
The news from a number of different podcasts is this years 4th rounder Armstrong is looking better and is further along in his development right now than Taco is and Taco has an entire season under his belt. That’s encouraging for Armstrong, not so much for Taco

I think a lot of us liked rolling the dice on Armstrong in the 4th as opposed say being the 34th pick in the draft.
 

theoneandonly

Quality Starter
Messages
5,258
Reaction score
531
Little surprised nobody resting their beer can on Mickey's head, probably much easier to fit under Jerry's desk at that height though.
 

theoneandonly

Quality Starter
Messages
5,258
Reaction score
531
· Saturday is going to serve as another opportunity for guys like Lance Lenoir, Mekale McKay and K.D. Cannon to crack this 53-man roster while Deonte Thompson and Noah Brown continue to sit out. Of the guys available Lenoir has shown the most during these practices, but McKay and Cannon have enjoyed their moments, as well. I still believe this front office will carry six receivers, and by my count Tavon Austin, Cole Beasley, Michael Gallup, Allen Hurns and Terrance Williams appear to be making this squad. That leaves one spot open so this is a big game for those who suit up.

· I still don’t believe the staff is any closer to figuring out this tight end situation. Geoff Swaim has been the most consistent of the group, as both a receiver and blocker. Blake Jarwin has been a good route runner and receiver but not as good when put in those blocking situations. His lack of power hurts him here. Dalton Schultz has had some nice moments catching the ball and playing in space. Where I believe he’s been a miss is at that inline blocking spot. He hasn’t played with nearly enough power or strength – which, to be honest, has been very surprising from what I saw of his college tape. Rico Gathers has had some outstanding practices catching the ball, but that’s about it. My biggest concern with Gathers is how well he really understands the playbook. He is a tremendous athlete -- but if you’re not sure of your assignments, that’s an issue. David Wells doesn’t get many snaps in practice to evaluate fully. I still believe they only keep three tight ends on the 53-man roster.

· We know the five starters on the offensive line, with Joe Looney and Cam Fleming as the backups. With Marcus Martin now out on injured reserve, that eighth spot is really in question. Kadeem Edwards has had a nice camp, but is that enough? This is a position where I believe the staff is going to look to the waiver wire or perhaps a trade to fill that position -- regardless of how Edwards plays. I just don’t see any of the other backups at this point playing their way onto the roster.

· Cooper Rush is leading the backup quarterback race at this point. Mike White has had some opportunities, but he just hasn’t been as good as Rush. If White is going to make this a closer battle, he’s going to need to do a better job of moving the offense for sustained periods in this game. I am not asking him to be reckless, but I am asking him to cut it loose more. I have felt like he has been too deliberate and cautious in practice. White has some receivers that are capable of making plays for him, so it will be on him to step it up.

· Right now, I am giving Bo Scarbrough the nod as the third running back on this squad until Darius Jackson, Trey Williams or Jordan Chunn proves otherwise. Scarbrough should get the majority of the carries against the Bengals with Jackson, Williams and Chunn receiving what they can. Scarbrough is also receiving more action on special teams, which was a question mark for him on whether he was going to make the club or not. By lining up on the punt and punt return teams and executing his assignments well, it’s putting a great deal of pressure on the other backs.

· You have to be impressed from what we’ve seen from the defensive line here in Oxnard. There have been more answers than questions, which is always a situation the staff welcomes. It appears that things are settling in for the ends, but Kony Ealy and Charles Tapper could be wildcards with those plans. Ealy has been moving around throughout these practices, playing at both tackle and end. I personally think he has been better playing at tackle, and with need for a bridge player there, that very well could be his spot. The battles are likely going to come down to Daniel Ross, Datone Jones, Jihad Ward and Richard Ash for those tackle spots. Jones and Ward were the starters when we arrived at camp, but now we’re seeing more of a rotation where Ross and Antwaun Woods have played a larger role. These battles are likely to come down to the final game in Houston for those final spots.

· The staff has received some outstanding work from this linebacker crew. I feel that they will only keep six, so there are not many opportunities to crack this group. Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith and Damien Wilson are your likely Day 1 starters in Carolina, with Leighton Vander Esch, Joe Thomas and Chris Covington as the primary backups. The wildcard here is Justin March-Lillard, who would be the guy if they carried seven for the spot. I need to keep an eye on the Covington and March-Lillard battle to see if that flips the other way for that sixth spot. Covington has just returned to practice and has appeared extremely active in doing so.

· There’s still an opportunity for Donovan Olumba or Charvarius Ward to make this roster at cornerback. Both players went into the 49ers game to step up and take ahold of that spot, but neither played as well as they practiced. The week after the game, Olumba practiced better than Ward overall -- but these games down the stretch will tell the story. There still are plenty of questions at safety. Jeff Heath will likely not play due to his ankle injury, so that means Xavier Woods and Kavon Frazier will draw the start. Frazier has had his own issues with his knee, so how long he goes will be a question. I expect that we’ll see plenty of Jameill Showers, Kam Kelly and Tyree Robinson in this game. Robinson has been the best one in coverage, so I’d give him the slight edge. There is an opportunity for a roster spot here if one of them could just step up and take it. If that doesn’t happen, this position could be like the offensive line where that final spot is a waiver wire claim or trade.

ttps://www.dallascowboys.com/_mobileview/news/scout-s-eye-roster-battles-to-watch-vs-bengals
 

dbair1967

Administrator
Messages
54,704
Reaction score
6,037
The news from a number of different podcasts is this years 4th rounder Armstrong is looking better and is further along in his development right now than Taco is and Taco has an entire season under his belt. That’s encouraging for Armstrong, not so much for Taco

Taco was arguably the best player on the field for us defensively last night.

Armstrong didn't do much. Gregory looked a little rusty (to be expected) but definitely showed speed and athletic ability.
 

dbair1967

Administrator
Messages
54,704
Reaction score
6,037
Zoner personnel "gurus" all up in arms over Bengals Safety George Iloka.

"SIGN HIM NOW!!!!!"

"MAKES TOO MUCH SENSE!!!!!!"

"KIND OF MOVE A PLAYOFF TEAM WOULD MAKE!!!!!!!!"

None of them know jack shit about the guy or what kind of player he is. He's a name player who has started elsewhere, so they automatically believe he'd be great here. One dumbass Zoner actually started a "Iloka v Earl Thomas" thread and said Iloka was the better move.

Never mind the fact that he is limited with speed and range, has never been much of a playmaker (9 picks in 6 seasons, only 1 season with 10+ passes defensed). Last season he started every game and had 5 passes defensed and only 1 pick. Oh, and apparently he's one of those idiot Anthem protestors.
 

dbair1967

Administrator
Messages
54,704
Reaction score
6,037
Katherine Terrell
ESPN Staff Writer

A Bengals source said the team wasn't happy with how George Iloka played last year, which was pretty clear when they tried to pursue Kurt Coleman at the NFL combine. The Bengals went after him hard but he signed with the Saints. A source told me the Bengals indicated the move was for financial reasons, but as for the timing, it's obvious they like what they see in Jessie Bates, which is why he was subbing in for Iloka with the first team during Saturday's preseason game.
 

dbair1967

Administrator
Messages
54,704
Reaction score
6,037
As a follow up to above, I'm not 100% opposed to signing the guy, we do need safety help (although I HATE Anthem protestors and my opinion is only 100% dumbasses do that)

But the idea that he is some ballhawking FS that is going to change the defense is laughable. He isn't that player and if he produces the same numbers here that he did in Cinci, Zoners would quickly turn and play the other side of the fence and say "See!!!!!! We don't value the true FS position after all!!!!! We should have traded for Earl Thomas!!!!!!!" Terrible move by the FO!!!!!!!!"
 
Top Bottom