What have we learned?

[junk]

Personally, I don't think Jerry is much for smoke screens. He's usually fairly transparent in what he is thinking. I'm not sure Stephen is either. Garrett is a little better at being diplomatic, but I do think we learned a few interesting things in the last couple of days.

» Jones reasons that the Cowboys can get by with lesser talent along the offensive line because of Romo's expert mobility. When forced to choose, the team will invest more resources in wide receivers and tight ends.

» Speaking of the salary cap and wide receivers, Jones said Miles Austin and nose tackle Jay Ratliff won't be cap casualties: "They're not that. ... Miles is very much in our plans." (Ian Rapoport reported earlier Saturday that Austin wasn't a cut candidate.)

» Jones sounds resigned to losing outside linebacker/defensive end Anthony Spencer if he hits the open market: "The number I have in mind is much less than he's going to take."

"If there is a need on defense to me the biggest need is going to be safety," Jones said. "You got Church coming off an Achilles and obviously we really like everything we saw in Matt Johnson other than he couldn’t get healthy. We still don’t know about him but we like him a lot and we would still spend a fourth round pick on him if not higher knowing what we know. But when you got two young guys coming off injuries you can’t count on that."

Asked is Sensabaugh could be a cap casualty, Jones was anything was possible. Sensabaugh has a base salary of $3 million next season.

"We will continue to look at that," Jones said. "What his cap is and what that means. I don’t rule out anybody. Obviously there are some that are in. Tyron Smith, Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray, DeMarcus Ware, guys like that are going to be here. They are going to be here. Everybody else you evaluate their situation and if it’s a guy who is not playing at a great level and yet he got a pretty good cap number. You have to continue to evaluate that."

According to a source, the Cowboys believe Church can return to be an in the box safety in Monte Kiffin's new defense but they are looking for a playmaker on the back end whether that's Sensabaugh, Johnson or a potential draft pick.

“I wouldn’t rule Doug out,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said.

Jones, however, would not discuss the possibility of the team asking Free to take a pay cut.

“That’s speculative,” he said.

Free, who has started 48 straight games, struggled in 2013, moving to right tackle with Tyron Smith moving left side. He led the Cowboys with 15 penalties (seven holds, eight false starts) and later in the season he split time with Jermey Parnell. Free’s play improved under the rotation.

Jones said he expects the offensive line to improve in part because of the second year learning from Bill Callahan, who took over from Hudson Houck in 2012, improved health from guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau and a more stable center position.

“I’m not naïve either. I know not everybody’s going to be healthy because guys get hurt,” Jones said, “but last year I do think it was inordinate.”

This was a second Broaddus quote that someone transcribed from Talkin Cowboys, so take it with a grain of salt.

* Broaddus, while the OL had problems the lack of a running back who could carry the load hurt more when Murray got hurt.

My interpretation:

I think they really think they are close and are loathe to make many changes. I also get the impression that they are falling into the same trap they continue to fall into year after year. Inability to accurately assess their performance/areas of weakness and react. I think they overvalue/overrate some of the talent on the team.

I think they are counting on getting Costa back and counting on improved health/time working together/another year of Callahan. We might even see a rotation of Free/Parnell again at RT. Best hope for an upgrade might be one of those guard positions.

I find it odd that they seem oddly unconcerned with DL upgrades. They seem to think they have guys that can play there.

I think a RB might get picked higher than we think.

Assuming there are no smokescreens and we take these comments literally, what would you think if the draft looked looked something like this?

1) Kenny Vaccaro - S -Texas
2) Terrance Williams - WR - Baylor
3) Joseph Randle -RB - Oklahoma State
4) David Quessenberry - OG - San Jose State
5) Nick Kasa - TE - Colorado
6) Anthony McCloud - DT - Florida State

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

completely disagree....jerry ALWAYS lies

 

[cmd34]

Inability to accurately assess their performance/areas of weakness and react

Absolutely our biggest downfall since 1994.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

Jones said he expects the offensive line to improve in part because of the second year learning from Bill Callahan, who took over from Hudson Houck in 2012, improved health from guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau and a more stable center position.

Not to mention a full training camp with wiocock

 

[SixisBetter]

I think they really think they are close and are loathe to make many changes. I also get the impression that they are falling into the same trap they continue to fall into year after year. Inability to accurately assess their performance/areas of weakness and react. I think they overvalue/overrate some of the talent on the team.

Absolutely spot on.

 

[Midswat]

I just have a hard time Jerry spoke with trusted confidants, football people... and they told him he could get by with the Oline we have in Dallas.

I just refuse to believe that.

This has to all be a smokescreen, doesnt it?

 

[junk]

I just have a hard time Jerry spoke with trusted confidants, football people... and they told him he could get by with the Oline we have in Dallas.

I just refuse to believe that.

This has to all be a smokescreen, doesnt it?

Who are Jerry's trusted confidants? They claim Parcells and Jimmy, but I'm not sure I buy it.

I suspect it is the committee brain trust that are basically a bunch of Jerry yes men, Lacewell and Switzer.

 

[Midswat]

But even Lacewell and Switzer, wouldn't they have enough sense to tell Jerry you can't get buy with this Oline?

I want to bash Jerry for his idiotic comments about getting by with the a pourus Oline, and I should - because history has proven he doesn't place an emphasis on the position. But I honestly think his comments are just a smokescreen or something. They have to be.

I mean, fuck... THEY HAVE TO BE...

 

[boozeman]

completely disagree....jerry ALWAYS lies

That is mostly to himself and that is why we never get any better from year to year.

When he is asked questions like this, he is not trying to deceive anyone.

I cannot name the last time he just fooled everyone.

In fact he is fairly predictable.

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

^^ this is completely wrong

Jerry always says dumb shit to deceive us

Said wade wouldn't be fired mid season..like 2 days later wade was fired.. There are plenty of other examples

 

[Midswat]

Glorydays is right that a lot of times you can't put stock into anything Jerry says when it comes to free agency/draft.

But I also agree that he's pretty fairly transparent when it comes to his 'evaluations' of the team.

Which is... alarming to say the least.

 

[boozeman]

^^ this is completely wrong

Jerry always says dumb shit to deceive us

Said wade wouldn't be fired mid season..like 2 days later wade was fired.. There are plenty of other examples

Your example has nothing to do with his evaluations of the players on the roster.

He loved Holland, Holland hung around for years. He loves Costa, he will be here for the foreseeable future.

Continue to be gullible and believe in "smokescreens" if you like.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I think Jerry's biggest problem is that he fears the unknown. Which why he's reluctant to get rid of guys like Ratliff, Spencer and Austin. He knows what they are capable of and doesn't want that leaving the organization; that their leaving means there is this gaping hole that is going to be impossible to fill, and that would disrupt the team being one or two players away from competing for something.

I hope by Jerry saying that they can get by with a lesser Oline means only that he's not going to be using a 1st round pick on one. But you need to constantly use picks on Oline every year, and this draft is loaded with offensive line talent. We should be able to scoop up a couple of future or current starters. We don't need a total overhaul of the line, but we do need to plug in a better C, an OG, and maybe someone to compete with Parnell for the RT job.

 

[boozeman]

I think Jerry's biggest problem is that he fears the unknown. Which why he's reluctant to get rid of guys like Ratliff, Spencer and Austin. He knows what they are capable of and doesn't want that leaving the organization; that their leaving means there is this gaping hole that is going to be impossible to fill, and that would disrupt the team being one or two players away from competing for something.

If I were pretending to be a general manager and did not know talent, I would probably behave the same way.

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

Way to completely CHANGE the argument.

Lolol, I guess when you lose one argument, change it altogether and try and win a different one.

Jerry also said we weren't going to trade for Roy Williams

Guess you lost this one too

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

I don't think I've ever encountered anyone who thought it was a good idea to take Jerry for his word, lol.

Guy is the biggest fucking liar there is. Cannot believe anyone is arguing otherwise

 

[boozeman]

I don't think I've ever encountered anyone who thought it was a good idea to take Jerry for his word, lol.

Guy is the biggest fucking liar there is. Cannot believe anyone is arguing otherwise

You are talking the roster here. He does not play games when he is waxing delusional about whatever marginal talent he is overvaluing.

When is the last time he said someone is safe and they got cut?

This is not him lying to your face counting on you to believe the team is a Super Bowl contender.

There is a big difference.

 

[boozeman]

Way to completely CHANGE the argument.

Lolol, I guess when you lose one argument, change it altogether and try and win a different one.

Jerry also said we weren't going to trade for Roy Williams

Guess you lost this one too

Again, you said he lies about everything. I said not everything. He does not lie about the talent on this roster that he is paying.

He does lie about who he is drafting, how good the team is, who he might be interested in. But I challenge you to prove he lies about EVERYTHING, which is exactly what you wrote, moron.

Who is changing the argument? Oh, you are.

You made the blanket statement and you aren't even smart enough to keep up with what we are arguing about.

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

Ok. So he lies about the draft.

Hence why he would lie about the current OL.

Put 2 and 2 together pal.

You want to bet we take an OL in the first 2 rounds?

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

Just so happens to be draft season in case you didn't know