bbgun

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Kevin Sherrington, sports columnist for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered your questions about the Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks and local college sports in a live chat Wednesday. Here are some highlights.

Are there any free agents out there at a reasonable price that Cowboys could add to the pass rush?

Kevin Sherrington: The price of good DEs is almost never reasonable. I campaigned for the Cowboys to sign Olivier Vernon last year. He went to the Giants, where he didn't put up flashy sack numbers (8.5). But he ranked high among DEs in other categories, and his motor's always running. He would have made a difference on this Cowboys team. Now, could they have fit him under the cap and still made the other moves they wanted to make? Questionable. So that's the problem they face. My guess is that they'll have to find help at the position in the draft and hope that Charles Tapper comes back from his injury and makes an impact as a second-year player.

How long do you think it will take for the Cowboys-Romo situation to resolve itself?

Kevin Sherrington: I don't think they're going to find any takers on a trade, so it probably comes down to releasing him after June 1. Do they make an announcement of some sort before then? Knowing the Cowboys, I don't think so. I just don't see any way he comes back with the team as a back-up. I think he still wants to play, too. He won't play just anywhere. It'll have to be a team with playoff possibilities, so that restricts the field. Probably limits it to Denver or Houston. Problem with Houston is that they've already committed so much money to Osweiler. Don't know how you tie up that much money to two QBs. Denver seems a better fit, but that OL leaks, and that's a disaster for a QB with Romo's health history.

In your opinion, what should the Cowboys focus on most when looking to improve the team this offseason?

Kevin Sherrington: Obviously the defense. They need help up front and in the secondary. The return of Jaylon Smith -- if he indeed is able to play -- should improve the LBs significantly. Offense shouldn't be ignored, though. The Cowboys could use another WR, somebody who's a legitimate deep threat to stretch the defense. Also could use a TE who could be Witten's successor when he decides to hang it up. And they've got decisions to make in the OL, as well. Need to decide if Chaz Green replaces Free at RT and if Collins will just step in for Leary once he's healthy again. The Cowboys don't do much in free agency, but they should kick the tires on DeSean Jackson, who had another 1,000-yard season. And, as always, with that first-round pick, take the best guy available, within reason. Would help tremendously if he's a cornerback or safety or DE, but if that's a WR, do it. Look what Zeke did for this team when a lot of people thought they didn't need a RB.
 

theoneandonly

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Broaddus still talking up Andy Jones. You know, another OTA legend who disapeared when the lights came on.
 
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I hate Desean so I wouldn't want him here.

But then again I said the same thing about TO when rumors of him coming here started so idk.
 
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Can't see Desean here. In our offense WR2 is the 4th option after Dez, Witten and Beasley. Is Desean gonna be happy with 45-50 catches? He'll go back to Philthy, and we'll sign some cheap retread like a Kenny Britt or a Brian Quick.
 

lons

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I hate Desean so I wouldn't want him here.

But then again I said the same thing about TO when rumors of him coming here started so idk.

Desean is different than TO. TO's ego was so large that it wasn't about dissing Dallas as much as showing himself off that one game where he ran to the center of the Star. Desean on the other hand... Relishes taunting us. Revels any opportunity to make us look like idiots and then laugh. I don't know that I could accept someone like that on this team. He is right up there with Brandon Jacobs. Players that enjoy any chance to make a mockery of Dallas and then rub the wound with salt. I don't think I've hated 2 players more in our division in the last 10 years.
 

bbgun

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Jackson is always hurt. Always. Plus, he's a professional malcontent who's always complaining about something. We don't need two brittle divas on the team.
 
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Need at least 2 fast WR. Must each be </=4.40/40. They need players who get into their routes immediately and burn coverage. It's supposed to be a downfield scheme but TWilly can't always get off the LOS and is very meek and unexplosive in his routes and he can't even make all the catches. Butler runs a 4.38 but is gradual in his deep speed. If you have a player who is immediate in his speed launch (like they way DeSean is although I think he's done in that role), press coverage on those players in stupid. Press coverage on TWilly and Butler right now is smart because neither one is really a speed threat and TWilly plays scared unless he is blocking (the only part of his WR role that doesn't involve using his hands to catch).

Garrett has the Norv Turner theory that tall WRs are important because of the probability of catching the ball in coverage but the success of Beasley, who I believe freed up the passing game (once the ball started going to Beasley the distance patterns and other routes were more probable), was his immediate quickness. He didn't have to be tall because he was open; he didn't have to play the contested pass because he was open. Beasley stood out as an Undrafted FA and really outplayed TWilly and Streets who were scouted and drafted because of his speed. Whitehead was the right idea: his speed stood out as a necessity when he was placed side by side in OTAs or training camps with the TWillys who did not have that ability.

Why would two players having a quickness, speed and elusiveness ability stand out? It's because it's a contrasting necessity that the team did not have.

It's silly to keep playing the scheme with WRs who attract coverage and start getting WRs who deny proximity. It's not just running great routes in this schemes because it's timing based and the same 9 routes can be dictated by the defense (the Garrett tree really hasn't changed from the Coryell routes in the early 80s), unless the defense has to back off very fast WRs in order to keep up with them or roll safety coverage in fear toward the deep route, then the offense is dictating.
 

cmd34

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I wanted DeSean bad at USC (ditched us last second for Cal) and then here at pick 25 in the 2008 draft (we took Mike Jenkins). Now? I really want a speed guy but I'd prefer a young guy and DeSean is a world class headache.
 
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Yeah. Another guy who is constantly hurt and wont earn his money. Can never have enough of that, am I right?
Last season played 15 games. 68 catches for 1002 yards and 5 touchdowns. And that's with Case Keenum and Jared Guff throwing to him.

One interesting factor is that he was one of the anthem protestors. I thought Jerry was quite down on that. Could this be false interest from the Cowboys in order to drive up the price for the Eagles, Skins and 49ers, who are also rumored to be interested?
 

dbair1967

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Last season played 15 games. 68 catches for 1002 yards and 5 touchdowns. And that's with Case Keenum and Jared Guff throwing to him.

?

I don't think Britt would be a horrible add if the price were cheap, but to people like yourself that post these stats, please remember there is some context.

Williams is the 3rd or 4th fiddle in this offense, which is also the only offense in football that runs more than it passes. And in two of the last 3 years, we have constantly played with leads. If we threw the ball 40-50 times a game or were down big all the time, TW's stats would probably be quite a bit different.
 

Bob Sacamano

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I don't think Britt would be a horrible add if the price were cheap, but to people like yourself that post these stats, please remember there is some context.

Williams is the 3rd or 4th fiddle in this offense, which is also the only offense in football that runs more than it passes. And in two of the last 3 years, we have constantly played with leads. If we threw the ball 40-50 times a game or were down big all the time, TW's stats would probably be quite a bit different.

Except for he started much of last year as our #1 option at WR and did nothing with it.
 
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I don't think Britt would be a horrible add if the price were cheap, but to people like yourself that post these stats, please remember there is some context.

Williams is the 3rd or 4th fiddle in this offense, which is also the only offense in football that runs more than it passes. And in two of the last 3 years, we have constantly played with leads. If we threw the ball 40-50 times a game or were down big all the time, TW's stats would probably be quite a bit different.
People like myself? I was just putting his 2016 stats up for anyone that was interested and to show that he had a fairly decent season. Where was I in anyway comparing him to T-Willy?
 
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