Cowboys OTA's/MiniCamp/Pre TC thread

[icup]

gil brandt's observations (via twitter):

A few notes from Cowboys minicamp:

• Noticeably more enthusiasm than at this time last year. The malaise that sat over team in 2017 appeared gone, at least for 1 day.
• Three really solid coaching additions (OL Paul Alexander, WR Sanjay Lal, DB Kris Richard) + one promotion (QB Kellen Moore). All should pay dividends this season and beyond.
• Two players stood out to me:
  TE Blake Jarwin - No one will replace Witten but Jarwin is a good player w/ big hands. Cupboard wasn't left bare
  DB Chidobe Awuzie - Looks like he can play S or CB and is real deal. Should have breakout year.

 

[theoneandonly]

TE Blake Jarwin - No one will replace Witten but Jarwin is a good player w/ big hands. Cupboard wasn't left bare

Curious about Jarwin. Didnt really play last year but players normally make biggest improvement between year 1 and 2. If he is even a serviceable NFL player it would be a win.

 

[dbair1967]

Curious about Jarwin. Didnt really play last year but players normally make biggest improvement between year 1 and 2. If he is even a serviceable NFL player it would be a win.

Witten has been talking this guy up almost since the day he showed up here.

Jarwin was the guy the Eagles wanted off our PS and we signed him to our active roster even though he really didn't have a role.

 

[icup]

hope is pretty much all dallas has at TE this yr


but then again, youth did wonders for the secondary

 

[dbair1967]

hope is pretty much all dallas has at TE this yr

If they have someone or a combination of guys that can occasionally get open and maybe they (combined) nab 40-50 balls, 3-5 tds and provide above average to good blocking, that's all they really need.

I really think we're going to see Elliott catch 60-75 balls this year, and it wouldn't shock me if ultimately he ended up leading the team in receptions. I doubt we have any WR or TE catch more than 50-60 balls this year, but we could see several guys catch 50+ each.

 

[icup]

im thinking about what this defense can do if awuzie can become that guy that is shutting down the teams best receiver every week

 

[CouchCoach]

im thinking about what this defense can do if awuzie can become that guy that is shutting down the teams best receiver every week

I don't see many shut downs in the NFL, not the kind like Sanders and Reavis that could shut out half the field.

I feel they made the move they needed to make last year with the movement to youth and Awuzie and Lewis showed tendencies to want to play press coverage.

This defense will rise or fall with the pass rush, like most of them. They do not have DB's that can stay with speed receivers for long and will have to count on pressure from the front 7.

The key to the defense's progression is the same as it was last season, Lee's health. The numbers in the run game are about the same when Bob Sanders was out and teams played keep away from Manning. Lee is the critical factor in the run D and every OC we'll face knows it. And with him out, Marinelli is not crazy about risky D like blitzes and stunts.

The thing I am most interested in this season is the progress of that secondary. The D was in a rebuild and the only one I have ever seen let 3 of the 4 starters walk. If these sophs can play well, this rebuild just got a two year leap and flexibility in the next coupla drafts.

 

[icup]

I don't see many shut downs in the NFL, not the kind like Sanders and Reavis that could shut out half the field.

I feel they made the move they needed to make last year with the movement to youth and Awuzie and Lewis showed tendencies to want to play press coverage.

This defense will rise or fall with the pass rush, like most of them. They do not have DB's that can stay with speed receivers for long and will have to count on pressure from the front 7.

The key to the defense's progression is the same as it was last season, Lee's health. The numbers in the run game are about the same when Bob Sanders was out and teams played keep away from Manning. Lee is the critical factor in the run D and every OC we'll face knows it. And with him out, Marinelli is not crazy about risky D like blitzes and stunts.

The thing I am most interested in this season is the progress of that secondary. The D was in a rebuild and the only one I have ever seen let 3 of the 4 starters walk. If these sophs can play well, this rebuild just got a two year leap and flexibility in the next coupla drafts.

yep


dlaw is going to get more attention this yr. what will that open up for the others? can dallas count on irving? (no) who is ready to become #2? is he even on the roster? im optimistic about this position group overall.


camp reports say that awuzie is looking like the real deal (per gil brandt). what are we going to see from byron in his comeback to CB? if their trajectory continues from last yr, the secondary is shaping up to be the strength of the defense.


on all or nothing, lee called out former secondary coach joe baker for calling a defense with impossible reads. if nothing else, lets hope new DB coach richard is going to come to work more prepared than baker. lee is absolutely the brains of the defense. if he's out, it all falls apart. they have not found a solution to this problem for now or the foreseeable future.... save for divine intervention from a 1-legged fighting irishman and a small-school injury prone all-star.

 

[CouchCoach]

Same here, Lawrence is going to get the Ware treatment and someone else better come to his defense. Irving is such a physical specimen, I hate to give up on him because I believe he could be as good as Watt. He could be the guy pulling doubles on the inside. But he's got this history that doesn't build trust in him. Charleton, needs to make the soph jump, Tapper needs to play or get out and maybe Ganjory gets his pass and can at least be used as a situational pass rusher this season.

You know who else is concerned about this too? Lawrence. He's auditioning for his next contract and if he doesn't get help on that DL, could cost him millions.

Ya know the other thing that concerns me about this D? The Leary factor with Hitchens. I remember posters saying "no worry, he's a JAG, we'll be fine". Leary was the most undervalued O player on the team and I feel the same thing about Hitchens. He was there and he was steady. So easy to undervalue consistent dependable play from a player.

 

[icup]

it all make sense....

all that hanging out with the dallas OL before the draft...


cowboys were training a mole to infiltrate the giants and ensure another losing season by taking them down from within