Boys Targeted D-Line In Late First Round

[sbk92]

Posted by rphillips at 4/29/2011 12:28 AM CDT on truebluefanclub.com


We've all been saying it for months now: offensive line and defensive line were probably the Cowboys' top two draft priorities. They went O-Line with Tyron Smith at No. 9, but tried to trade back into the first round for some D-Line help.

Jerry Jones didn't name names, but the defensive linemen taken late Thursday were Cameron Jordan (24th-Saints), Muhammad Wilkerson (30th-Jets) and Cameron Heyward (31st-Steelers). Jones also hinted that running back Mark Ingram (28th-Saints) was a target.

The Cowboys could go defensive line with their first pick on Friday, No. 40 overall, or seek value at another position.

Although it's a need due to numbers -- ends Marcus Spears, Jason Hatcher and Stephen Bowen are all scheduled for free agency at some point -- Hatcher and Bowen would be restricted if the NFL decides to operate under uncapped rules similar to 2010. The league is expected to announce their plan for the new league year on Friday, which obviously could be altered by their pending motion with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.

But the chance that Hatcher and Bowen remain restricted "took a little of the urgency" off their D-Line interest in the first round, Jones said.

 

[sbk92]

I knew they couldn't be patient.

 

[sbk92]

Cowboys tried to get back in first round to get DE but Jones said the price was too high


Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he tried to trade back into the bottom of the first round of the draft to take a defensive end.

It’s a need position because the Cowboys have just one signed on the roster in right in Igor Olshansky. Marcus Spears is a free agent and Jason Hatcher and Stephen Bowen are restricted free agents who both could become unrestricted free agent in a new labor deal.

Jones said they looked hard at making a move but in the end didn’t feel it was worth it. The Cowboys believe they will resign one or two of their free agents even if they don’t get one in the draft.

“We actually looked at some potential trade-ups near the end of the round that we didn’t do and couldn’t get satisfied that was worth it for us for a defensive lineman,” Jones said. “It is an area that we are interested in. It doesn’t make it a priority because we have defensive linemen that we are proud of, they are out of contract. They may or may not be restricted according to how we end up. I’m talking about some of them may or may not be restricted according to how we end up and what system we are in. Knowing that we have the unsigned veterans that we are satisfied in (Stephen) Bowen and (Jason) Hatcher and possibly (Marcus) Spears, then that kind of takes a little of the urgency off. That’s what was right at the end of the first round. The last and next to the last players taken were defensive linemen. We were trying to do the same thing, we were working with most of those clubs right at the end to try to trade up.”

 

[Midswat]

I knew they couldn't be patient.

They looked into trading back into the first, but decided the cost was too much.

That's being patient.

With the Dline talent that fell to the late first, Cam Jordan specifically, it would've been foolish to not look into it. Disregarding price, and making the move regardless... that would've been impatient.

 

[sbk92]

The fact that the Cowboys were willing to package some picks in a trade up shows they just don't have the patience to stick where they are and take the BPA.

They wanted to, they just didn't find the right deal. I wouldn't put it past them to try to trade up from 40. Probably to take a guy who would most definitely still be there at 40. It's what we do.

If they had their preference, we'd be walking away with a 5 or 6 player class.

 

[Midswat]

You're bitching just to bitch. Shocking.

Cam Jordan would've been a great value if we were able to trade up and get him. He's head and shoulders better than any DE that would be available at #40.

I love the fact that we looked into trading up... and I can appreciate that we showed resolve in not sacrificing too much to do so.

 

[NoShame]

You're bitching just to bitch. Shocking.

Cam Jordan would've been a great value if we were able to trade up and get him. He's head and shoulders better than any DE that would be available at #40.

I love the fact that we looked into trading up... and I can appreciate that we showed resolve in not sacrificing too much to do so.

I agree. I woulda been PISSED if we ending up trading too much just to grab a DE at the end of the first. But I'm glad we did look into it at the very least... that shows we are being somewhat aggressive with the players we want.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Seriously. You always look into moving up if a player pegged as a top 15 pick starts to slip to the end of the 1st round. It's not like we tried to move back into the teens to take him.

But we just telegraphed like shit what we're looking to do with our next pick.

 

[sbk92]

I agree. I woulda been PISSED if we ending up trading too much just to grab a DE at the end of the first. But I'm glad we did look into it at the very least... that shows we are being somewhat aggressive with the players we want.

There's nothing wrong with being aggressive. Just in the right direction.

This team can't draft. Doesn't have a true talent evaluator at GM or at his director of personnel. It would stand to reason if that's your situation, you need to stockpile picks and increase your margin for error. Not sell out on a handful of prospects and end up with a short class.

Jerry Jones has the absolute worst feel for value in the draft of any GM I've ever seen. He's made more pointless trade ups over the years than I care to count.

 

[Midswat]

There's nothing wrong with being aggressive. Just in the right direction.

This team can't draft. Doesn't have a true talent evaluator at GM or at his director of personnel. It would stand to reason if that's your situation, you need to stockpile picks and increase your margin for error. Not sell out on a handful of prospects and end up with a short class.

Jerry Jones has the absolute worst feel for value in the draft of any GM I've ever seen. He's made more pointless trade ups over the years than I care to count.

It would stand to reason that if you have a need at DE, and a blue chip DE is falling in the draft, that you should explore trading up to get him.

You're just looking for something to bitch about.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

There's nothing wrong with being aggressive. Just in the right direction.

This team can't draft. Doesn't have a true talent evaluator at GM or at his director of personnel. It would stand to reason if that's your situation, you need to stockpile picks and increase your margin for error. Not sell out on a handful of prospects and end up with a short class.

Jerry Jones has the absolute worst feel for value in the draft of any GM I've ever seen. He's made more pointless trade ups over the years than I care to count.

For a team that can't draft, the Tyron Smith pick was certainly a good one. But then again the Murray pick made me throw up in my mouth. Guess it depends on who gets final say on any given pick.

 

[Midswat]

Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones pwned sbk in this thread.

 

[sbk92]

No Draft Trades, But The Cowboys Tried

Posted by rphillips at 4/30/2011 8:49 PM CDT on truebluefanclub.com


The Cowboys did something that's rather unusual with Jerry Jones as owner/general manager: they navigated an entire seven-round draft without a single trade.

It's only happened one other time (2000) since Jones became owner in 1989. But the Cowboys didn't make a conscious decision to simply sit and pick in every round.

"We were close to several trades," Jones said, "and we were working our you-know-what off in several cases trying to trade."

The biggest would have been a deal with Jacksonville in the first round, moving back to No. 16 overall. Ultimately they didn't want to risk missing out on USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith, so they stayed at No. 9 and grabbed him.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

That's two years in a row where the Cowboy's seemed to do a decent job selecting guys who represented good value. It's a nice change from the "car-wrecks" found at the beginning of the '09 draft, i.e. selecting guys at spots that didn't represent good value.

Wouldn't it be nice to think that this is how the Cowboys are going to handle the draft for the foreseeable future...