Dallas Cowboys 2026 Offseason Thread
- Thread starter dbair1967
- Start date
dbair1967
Administrator
- Messages
- 70,784
- Reaction score
- 18,908
He's a damn good player. You're getting hung up on what you perceive is a lack of turnovers but he did get 2 picks each of his 3 seasons. And he was used all over their back 7, lining up as a FS, SS, nickel CB and even LB. Alabama probably played him back more than Ohio St did and you can definitely see the range on his Alabama clips. Ohio St wanted to take advantage of his skills in man to man coverage and up more against the run (and as a blitzer) and the downside to that is teams can avoid him more in the passing game, leading to less opps for making plays on the ball. It doesn't mean he isn't capable of it.11th pick for a strong safety (so stop the Reed comparisons) who doesn't force turnovers and will get big-boy rolled in the pros. God help us all.
I watched him force two fumbles against Miami (against their best player too) in Ohio State's biggest game of the season and he was clearly their best defensive player in that game. He also doesn't miss tackles. And I know you have seen for years the propensity our team has for busting coverages and not knowing where to be aligned. He's a massive improvement for us in that area.
I also can't imagine him getting "big boy rolled" in this league. It didnt happen at Alabama or Ohio State. The kids a great form tackler. He's also slightly bigger than Jalen Thompson, who averages close to 100 tackles per yr. 6'0, 205lbs is not small. It's like you think he's the Kavontae Turpin of safeties or something.
Doomsday
High Plains Drifter
- Messages
- 27,591
- Reaction score
- 11,482
I think it might have been Galloway? Some Dallas media figure said pretty much the same thing about.... Woody.11th pick for a strong safety (so stop the Reed comparisons) who doesn't force turnovers and will get big-boy rolled in the pros. God help us all.
bbgun
Administrator
- Messages
- 15,709
- Reaction score
- 3,358
Second rounder. Not nearly as much was expected of him.
Dodger12
Super Moderator
- Messages
- 8,489
- Reaction score
- 6,095
Show me where the Pats or the Chiefs were considered SB favorites because of a coordinator they hired. They weren't. The QB's stirred that drink. You guys are delusional......and I like CP. But it's all going to come down to the scrub under center.
dbair1967
Administrator
- Messages
- 70,784
- Reaction score
- 18,908
We have Caleb Downs.
Dodger12
Super Moderator
- Messages
- 8,489
- Reaction score
- 6,095
I didn't know he was a QB too. I'm all in......
dbair1967
Administrator
- Messages
- 70,784
- Reaction score
- 18,908
The Dallas Cowboys made a recent move that had nothing to do with roster depth, injuries, or trade speculation. However, it is as instrumental to the franchise as statistics are to a player.
NFL analyst Seth Walder reported that the Cowboys’ front office have hired Sathya Balakumar as their Football Data Engineer on May 5.
“The Cowboys hired Sathya Balakumar as a Football Data Engineer, per source. Balakumar had been a software engineer for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics,” Walder wrote.
Balakumar would begin working as a Football Data Engineer with the Cowboys, after coming from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. He worked there as a software engineer, which is not a typical path to an NFL front office.
A football data engineer is more focused on infrastructure rather than being an analyst or expert. The role requires building pipelines, databases, and structural systems that allow the rest of the analytics staff to work seamlessly and efficiently.
Lockheed Martin specialises in building some of the sophisticated aerospace and defense systems. The technical demands of the environment involve machine learning, automation, and large-scale data architecture.
He contributed to the development of control station software for unmanned vehicle systems at CDS Systems, and extensive operational use of its software at Lockheed Martin, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He previously worked in Nalam Hospitals before Lockheed Martin. His role there mainly focused on ML applications, optimising datasets to create accurate predictive patient bill pricing models.
Balakumar also has a personal connection with the Cowboys, as he played football at Liberty High School in Frisco in 2017-18.
What This Means for Dallas Cowboys Going Forward
Under Director of Strategic Football Operations John Park’s tenure, the Cowboys have transformed their analytics department into one of the most respected in the league.As noted by David Howman of BloggingTheBoys, the Cowboys were recently voted among the top three analytics operations in the NFL, alongside the Ravens and the Eagles.
This momentum transcends football operations. Dallas Cowboys CIO Matt Messick is developing an AI dashboard for stadium operations staff ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Dallas is set to host nine games at AT&T Stadium and will use the dashboard for the same.
His team also completed a two-year ERP system migration from Microsoft Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365. They’re focused on leveraging automation and AI across the organization, according to CIODIVE.
Messick has noted that the executives, including Jerry Jones himself, are keenly engaged in the team’s AI strategy. Their potential applications spans game-day fan experience, coaching game-planning, and player evaluation, as per Digital CXO.
In that context, Balakumar enters a rapidly evolving and still-underrated department. Their innovative front-office could prove just as critical as on-field upgrades in shaping the team’s future.
Mustang1
0le Ball Coach
- Messages
- 287
- Reaction score
- 326
So now Kenny Moore is available. I hope we invite for a visit and at least check him out. I have heard all the naysayers on Bobby Wagner about how terrible he is in coverage. He is still a stud against the run and brings veteran leadership that we desperately need. He is a smart experienced and a productive player and can be the glue that holds our defense together. This defense still needs to add some veteran expereince especially at corner and linebacker. I'm afraid that DaRon Bland may be finsihed. Two foot surgeries is not reassuring for a cornerback expected to start in 2026. Can't have enough corners.
dbair1967
Administrator
- Messages
- 70,784
- Reaction score
- 18,908
Agree on Moore and he was a player they reportedly had interest in draft weekend. There will prob be a number of teams interested in him now that he is a free agent and dont have to forfeit draft pick/s.
Guess we will see on Wagner, but it's still telling to me that Dan Quinn apparently had zero interest in keeping him. Unless someone gets hurt during camp I really don't see what his role will be here. He probably wouldn't start and I doubt he does much (if anything) on special teams any longer.
Agree on Bland, not sure we can ever expect him to be what he was again and that's a shame because he was really good for two years. Dynamic playmaker but a shell of his former self since the two injuries. Really never looked right at all last yr even before he got hurt again. Moore would definitely be a solid addition because like Jalen Thompson and Caleb Downs, he can play all over in the secondary. He also might make Hooker (one of the worst players in the league at his position) completely expendable.