Now that Ezekiel Elliot is here...

[bbgun]

 

[MrB]

I'm still kind of hoping that Zeke changes numbers as cuts are made. Now that Ben Malena is gone he could take 33. That would be much better than 21.

 

[bbgun]

Now that Ben Malena is gone he could take 33

no one's worn 33 since Dorsett left

 

[MrB]

no one's worn 33 since Dorsett left

Didn't a spare CB wear 33 a couple years ago? Ben Malena has also had it the last couple years. He's never been on the active roster though.

 

[bbgun]

there are certain numbers that surface in pre-season (33, 74) but never the reg season

 

[cmd34]

no one's worn 33 since Dorsett left

Yeah they have. Anthony Dorsett (Tony's son) even went public about it that the Cowboys were being disrespectful to his father.

 

[cmd34]

Didn't a spare CB wear 33 a couple years ago? Ben Malena has also had it the last couple years. He's never been on the active roster though.

Jason Bell, Nate Jones, others as well.

 

[bbgun]

Nate Jones

ok, I remember him. still, it's clear they issue 33 reluctantly, otherwise a lot more guys would have worn it.

 

[cmd34]

.

.

.



<----- plus Jamal Adams will wear it next year.

 

[Scot]

I don't know why but the 21 is buggin me! I can't stand seeing it on his back with his name attached to it

He needs another number
I don't care which one as long as it's not 22

No one should ever wear that one again

 

[ZeroClub]

On dc.com there is some information/discussion about Elliott's number selection. Sounded like the team was eager for him to make a decision on a number as he was flying into Dallas for the initial press conference. Apparently he was halfway thinking about requesting 22 but someone there (the media guy with the long beard) suggested it might not be a great idea and so Elliott went with 21. Elliott said that he likes 21.

Obviously the team wanted a quick decision on the jersey number so they could push merchandise.

They've sold a lot of those 21 Elliott jerseys already. It'd suck for those suckers who bought the Jerrywear to have their jerseys become dated in less than a couple of weeks.

I'm not a fan of the 21 either, but once he starts playing, I'm sure I'll get used to it.

 

[bbgun]

looked good on LT

 

[MrB]

looked good on LT

Eric Metcalf wore it too didn't he?

Yup, sure did.

 

[Midswat]

I don't think anyone suggested no running backs in NFL history wore 21. Just that it looks like shit on EE.

Which it does. If you disagree, suck off.

Also I had no idea LT was #21. WGAS about that guy. Eric Metcalf was pretty good on Tecmo Bowl though.

 

[bbgun]

No one ever wore #8 before Aikman, and I guess no one will succeed him. This bit of Cowboys trivia is brought to you by Cooper and Sons Heating and Air Conditioning, proudly serving the greater Wichita community since 1968.

 

[Doomsday]

No one ever wore #8 before Aikman

Buzz Sawyer 1987.

 

[bbgun]

I don't recognize replacement players

 

[Scot]

On dc.com there is some information/discussion about Elliott's number selection. Sounded like the team was eager for him to make a decision on a number as he was flying into Dallas for the initial press conference. Apparently he was halfway thinking about requesting 22 but someone there (the media guy with the long beard) suggested it might not be a great idea and so Elliott went with 21. Elliott said that he likes 21.

Obviously the team wanted a quick decision on the jersey number so they could push merchandise.

They've sold a lot of those 21 Elliott jerseys already. It'd suck for those suckers who bought the Jerrywear to have their jerseys become dated in less than a couple of weeks.

I'm not a fan of the 21 either, but once he starts playing, I'm sure I'll get used to it.

Even tho I can't stand the 21 right now I'm sure I'll be just fine with it the first time he breaks off a 40 yarder to the house and i jump out of my chair screaming at the TV spilling beer everywhere

 

[Bob Sacamano]

He's the answer to any red zone problems this team has had in the past.

DING!

 

[MrB]

Bob Sturm on NFL draft: I think Derrick Henry would have absolutely destroyed teams with the Cowboys

Kevin Sherrington: As you said, you don't want to give them a grade. Let me just ask you this. First of all, we know that you felt like with the first pick, you certainly liked Zeke Elliot as a running back but probably would have leaned towards Jalen Ramsey instead?

Bob Sturm: My perfect solution to this draft, I was asked a million times, what are you doing when it comes to No. 4? I did not imagine Jalen Ramsey was going to be available before everyone started making trades for quarterbacks. But once those trades happened, the Cowboys had a chance to take the best defensive player in the draft or maybe the best player in the draft, although quarterbacks always turn the market on its ear. So I thought the chance to get a blue-chip difference maker at corner or safety was a really great idea. But then, honestly, what governs my decision-making process at No. 4 is partly I would never take a running back that high, unless I was absolutely positive that player was Adrian Peterson or something similar. And I think with each passing year and each passing generation, running back is becoming less and less important. The Cowboys are trying, I think, by kind of using their 1990s philosophy. In 2014 it was pretty convincing, but the rest of the NFL doesn't really believe that 1990s football works. They believe it's a passing league. And we know this. We can look at any Cowboys game in the last couple of years. Where the game is in doubt if the Cowboys are tied or behind, pretty much every play they call is going to be a pass. So in that situation, if you're tied or behind, late in a game the game's on the line you obviously pay your quarterback what you do because he now decides the outcome of the game. They had DeMarco Murray in 2014. DeMarco Murray helped ice away a few games. But when they needed rallies, heck when they were trying to rally against Detroit in the playoffs or Green Bay in the playoffs they weren't running the ball in the fourth quarter. They weren't running the ball at all. So to put all of that in a running back seems crazy.

Kevin Sherrington: I will say this. I was stunned by the second-round pick of Jaylon Smith.

Barry Horn: What about this? What if they had taken Ramsey with the first pick and if they wanted a running back taken Derrick Henry with the second pick? Would you have liked that better?

Sturm: Oh my gosh yes. I think Derrick Henry with this team would have absolutely destroyed teams. And that's not at all me saying Ezekiel Elliot is not a really good player. I will stop short of saying he has Adrian Peterson or Todd Gurley traits, but I still think far and away he is the best RB in this market. That said, with the Dallas Cowboys specific situation of having so much talent on their offensive line and so much success running the ball with replacement level running backs like Darren McFadden, it seems foolish to me to take your biggest asset and fix something that's not broken. So basically, if you could get a top college running back, maybe not the best one, but the second or third or fourth best running back, later on in this draft, kind of using the same theory with Dak Prescott, we like the kid, but there' a price where its too expensive so let's wait, that's what I wish they would have done at running back. That, I think would have been the better way to skin the cat. That said, if the object of the game is to leave the draft with elite talent you didn't already have, to get Ezekiel Elliot and Jaylon Smith assuming thy have medial information that gives them the likelihood Jaylon Smith will be Jaylon Smith again really soon within 12 months, that's still a pretty good day. I know everyone wants an A+ or an F grade on every single draft. I'm just not that type of guy. I think we require a little nuance here. I think they did okay. I think they could done better. But I realize every Cowboy fan is so excited that Ezekiel Elliot is Emmitt Smith so I don't want to rain on the parade. I just think they could have spent slightly differently.

Sherrington: It seems funny to me they're so intent right now on building with linebackers. We have Sean Lee, terrific linebacker. I'd say Sean Lee was as good of a linebacker they've had in the past 25 years when he's healthy. And then you add Jaylon Smith, that's another guy with tremendous athletic ability. Are we talking about the difference in the game today because of what's required from a linebacker in coverage or is that just a completely different mindset all together?

Sturm: I think what's interesting though, I do think at some point you're required to do a little draft study and kind of cross reference it with career spans. And I think the positions of Ezekiel Elliot and Jaylon Smith are the two positions where the NFL has kind of stopped over paying for because they are high-collision positions where it's impossible for human beings to endure for years at a time and live long careers. We always talk about the money four positions, quarterback, left tackle, pass rusher and cornerback. These are long life span positions. There are exceptions of course to every rule, but if you are a run and hit linebacker, or a running back, odds are by the time you're 28 teams are going to get a little squeamish about offering you a five-year deal.

So how exactly is Henry doing again?