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Here... let me get that for you:
Coming off a 12-4 season with an NFC East title, the biggest question mark Super Bowl-winning quarterback Troy Aikman has for the Dallas Cowboys is at running back.
"The glaring omission, I guess, is the fact that they did not keep DeMarco Murray," Aikman, a commentator for NFL on FOX, told KTCK-AM on Thursday. "I haven't talked to anybody inside the organization as far as what went into that decision. I know what I heard from people who cover the team in saying they had a price that they weren't willing to pay and they weren't going to go above that."
In the offseason the Cowboys decided to let Murray test free agency, a "shop and drop" approach. Murray ultimately signed a five-year, $40-million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. While Aikman had no issues with the Cowboys deciding to pinch pennies when it came to re-signing a veteran running back, he questioned why the team would then contemplate pursuing Adrian Peterson.
"I know that Adrian Peterson is a unique back, but I would say the same is true in some regards for DeMarco Murray in that you know what you have with him," said Aikman. "You just came off a great season, 1,800 yards, led the league in rushing, great camaraderie with the players. And to be able to keep him if in fact you could have some how come up with that kind of money to sign Adrian Peterson, then I think that maybe should have been done. But I think time will tell."
Aside from the running back situation, Aikman is impressed with the draft Dallas had, especially in their acquisition of three first-round caliber picks in cornerback Byron Jones, defensive end Randy Gregory, and offensive lineman La'el Collins. Still, Aikman cautions the results still remain to be seen.
"Essentially they had three first-round picks," Aikman said. "Especially in the offensive line with a lot of teams going after Collins and the Cowboys being able to land him. It seems like they've made themselves better in the areas that they needed to with the question mark being, well, okay is this going to be able to run the football the way that they did a year ago, which I think a lot of people talk about.
"But it went a long way in helping keep Tony Romo healthy. It allowed him to be a more efficient quarterback, and more importantly, I think it helped that defense out. And they played better than a lot of people anticipated. And I think the defense will be better at least talent wise than they were a year ago. But will it look the same without their ability to run the football and control the line of scrimmage?"
The Cowboys defense had a bottom-five defense with only 28 sacks. They bolstered their pass-rush with the addition of free agent defensive end Greg Hardy, who will serve a four-game suspension to start the season for violating his conviction for domestic violence in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in 2014.
Coming off a 12-4 season with an NFC East title, the biggest question mark Super Bowl-winning quarterback Troy Aikman has for the Dallas Cowboys is at running back.
"The glaring omission, I guess, is the fact that they did not keep DeMarco Murray," Aikman, a commentator for NFL on FOX, told KTCK-AM on Thursday. "I haven't talked to anybody inside the organization as far as what went into that decision. I know what I heard from people who cover the team in saying they had a price that they weren't willing to pay and they weren't going to go above that."
In the offseason the Cowboys decided to let Murray test free agency, a "shop and drop" approach. Murray ultimately signed a five-year, $40-million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. While Aikman had no issues with the Cowboys deciding to pinch pennies when it came to re-signing a veteran running back, he questioned why the team would then contemplate pursuing Adrian Peterson.
"I know that Adrian Peterson is a unique back, but I would say the same is true in some regards for DeMarco Murray in that you know what you have with him," said Aikman. "You just came off a great season, 1,800 yards, led the league in rushing, great camaraderie with the players. And to be able to keep him if in fact you could have some how come up with that kind of money to sign Adrian Peterson, then I think that maybe should have been done. But I think time will tell."
Aside from the running back situation, Aikman is impressed with the draft Dallas had, especially in their acquisition of three first-round caliber picks in cornerback Byron Jones, defensive end Randy Gregory, and offensive lineman La'el Collins. Still, Aikman cautions the results still remain to be seen.
"Essentially they had three first-round picks," Aikman said. "Especially in the offensive line with a lot of teams going after Collins and the Cowboys being able to land him. It seems like they've made themselves better in the areas that they needed to with the question mark being, well, okay is this going to be able to run the football the way that they did a year ago, which I think a lot of people talk about.
"But it went a long way in helping keep Tony Romo healthy. It allowed him to be a more efficient quarterback, and more importantly, I think it helped that defense out. And they played better than a lot of people anticipated. And I think the defense will be better at least talent wise than they were a year ago. But will it look the same without their ability to run the football and control the line of scrimmage?"
The Cowboys defense had a bottom-five defense with only 28 sacks. They bolstered their pass-rush with the addition of free agent defensive end Greg Hardy, who will serve a four-game suspension to start the season for violating his conviction for domestic violence in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in 2014.
VTA
UDFA
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I don’t think anyone’s omitting it, I think it’s just old news right now. When the consequences become obvious it will be news again. If he disappoints in Philly, regardless of what Dallas has at the position it’ll look like a good move. If not, every one can have a field day criticizing the move.
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Yeah, a FIVE year deal with a RB on the back side of age for the position, and who took the pounding of nearly 400 carries the season before. What could go wrong?
Well, anything short of a repeat performance of last year will be the sign in many people's eyes, that Philly made a mistake. Never mind that a Chip Kelly offense is never going to have a 400 carry back.
5 years 40 million is ridiculous money for the back and for the situation. I'd be railing against it with foaming mouth, if Dallas had signed Murray to anything resembling that.
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If our group of RBs fail to tote the rock,behind this line,then yes it's a glaring omission.
I've got a feeling one of these guys will step up(although it may be wishful thinking)I just don't know who.
I've got a feeling one of these guys will step up(although it may be wishful thinking)I just don't know who.
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If we fail to feature the run, and to stick with it - then it's no omission at all - it's a philosophy.
Which as I have been saying, is why we didn't sign Murray anyway, and why we didn't draft a replacement.
ThoughtExperiment
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I heard the interview live this morning. Troy said he was a big Murray fan because of his toughness and attitude and professionalism, and he thinks we'll miss that this year. He said no, he doesn't believe you can put just any back behind even a good OL and get the same results.
Basically, the same concerns a lot of us have had.
Basically, the same concerns a lot of us have had.
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He would have pretty first hand knowledge of just that. We trotted out a who's who of JAGS in the early to mid 90's as Emmitt's backups and none of them had any decent success.
LAZARUS_LOGAN
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It was either Dez or Murray. A no-brainer as far as I am concerned.
