- Messages
- 11,877
- Reaction score
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Currently on roster
Miles Austin (age 27, signed through 2016)
Dez Bryant (age 23, signed through 2014)
Laurent Robinson (age 26, Unrestricted Free Agent)
Kevin Ogletree (age 24, Restricted Free Agent)
Jesse Holley (age 28, Exclusive Rights Free Agent)
Raymond Radway (age 24, under contract)
Dwayne Harris (age 24, under contract)
Andre Holmes (age 23, under contract)
Teddy Williams (age 23, under contract)
Jason Witten (age 29, signed through 2017)
Martellus Bennett (age 24, Unrestricted Free Agent)
John Phillips (age 24, signed through 2012)
Starters – Miles Austin missed 6 games due to injury and when he came back he seemed to suffer from the same lack of focus that has plagued his teammates. Personally, I think he has a bounce back year. Dez Bryant has to decide if he’s going to be a great talent or a great player. He can dominate a game but can just as easily disappear. Romo seems to have to give him personal instructions at the end of every huddle. He has to get the technical aspect of being a receiver down if he wants to rise to the level of an Andre Johnson or Calvin Johnson. I’ll throw in Laurent Robinson because your #3 WR plays as much as a starter in today’s pass-happy NFL. He is a must sign this off-season. While I don’t think he’ll come cheap, I don’t expect him to out price himself out of Dallas. Robinson has played on 4 teams in 5 years and nowhere did he develop the chemistry with his quarterback nor have the success he had in Dallas.
Reserves – When Roy Williams was cut the Cowboys told us all that Kevin Ogletree was an adequate #3 WR. He had 15 catches this year. The Cowboys can offer him a one-year tender but I’m not even sure they will. Dwayne Harris will get a look because of his return skills. I like his chances, he seems like he could be a dangerous yards-after-the-catch player. The rest, Raymond Radway, Andre Holmes, and Teddy Williams, all have impressive size-speed ratios. The staff was very high on Radway and indicated he would have made the 53-man roster last year. I expect him to battle Dwayne Harris for the 4th WR job.
Tight Ends – Jason Witten, despite his Pro Bowl snub, continues to be one of the best in the business. His bond with Tony Romo has bailed out the offense over and over again and that won’t be changing anytime soon. If I had to say something negative about him it would be that he’s starting to lose a step. Once he stops, it takes him a while to get going again. When the team drafted Martellus Bennett I think they envisioned the kind of player that Jimmy Graham is now for the Saints. Instead, we got a merchandise-pushing, Twitter-obsessed, clown. He wants to start somewhere and that isn’t an option here. Still, if he comes back hat in hand, I’d sign him to a short dal. He’s an effective blocker and occasionally shows flashes of the athleticism Dallas saw from him at Texas A&M. I think most fans will be content with the dependable John Phillips as the #2 TE. He isn’t flashy but he gets the job done. If Bennett leaves, a third TE will have to be added.
Draft possibility? I’m a big believer in trying to add a WR in the draft every year. That strategy has worked for Pittsburgh, Green Bay, and the Giants. With Austin, Bryant, a hopefully re-signed Robinson, and Radway already here, that just may not be addressed. If we did draft a WR, I’d like to see someone who can double as a return man like the Arkansas duo of Jarius Wright (5’10”, 180 4.34 40 time) and Joe Adams (5’11”, 190 4.38 40 time) or Alabama’s Marquis Maze (5’8”, 164 4.49 40 time). We have also shown a willingness to gamble on injured players so keep an eye on Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles (5’10”, 188 4.52 40 time).
Tight End is a need but this isn’t a great draft for the position. The Pro Scouting guys have found quality players like Scott Chandler and Martin Rucker in the past and a pick-up like that now would work. If they look to the draft I like USC’s Rhett Ellison (6’5”, 250) who started 2 years at TE and 1 year at FB for the Trojans. He should be available on Day Three of the draft.
Miles Austin (age 27, signed through 2016)
Dez Bryant (age 23, signed through 2014)
Laurent Robinson (age 26, Unrestricted Free Agent)
Kevin Ogletree (age 24, Restricted Free Agent)
Jesse Holley (age 28, Exclusive Rights Free Agent)
Raymond Radway (age 24, under contract)
Dwayne Harris (age 24, under contract)
Andre Holmes (age 23, under contract)
Teddy Williams (age 23, under contract)
Jason Witten (age 29, signed through 2017)
Martellus Bennett (age 24, Unrestricted Free Agent)
John Phillips (age 24, signed through 2012)
Starters – Miles Austin missed 6 games due to injury and when he came back he seemed to suffer from the same lack of focus that has plagued his teammates. Personally, I think he has a bounce back year. Dez Bryant has to decide if he’s going to be a great talent or a great player. He can dominate a game but can just as easily disappear. Romo seems to have to give him personal instructions at the end of every huddle. He has to get the technical aspect of being a receiver down if he wants to rise to the level of an Andre Johnson or Calvin Johnson. I’ll throw in Laurent Robinson because your #3 WR plays as much as a starter in today’s pass-happy NFL. He is a must sign this off-season. While I don’t think he’ll come cheap, I don’t expect him to out price himself out of Dallas. Robinson has played on 4 teams in 5 years and nowhere did he develop the chemistry with his quarterback nor have the success he had in Dallas.
Reserves – When Roy Williams was cut the Cowboys told us all that Kevin Ogletree was an adequate #3 WR. He had 15 catches this year. The Cowboys can offer him a one-year tender but I’m not even sure they will. Dwayne Harris will get a look because of his return skills. I like his chances, he seems like he could be a dangerous yards-after-the-catch player. The rest, Raymond Radway, Andre Holmes, and Teddy Williams, all have impressive size-speed ratios. The staff was very high on Radway and indicated he would have made the 53-man roster last year. I expect him to battle Dwayne Harris for the 4th WR job.
Tight Ends – Jason Witten, despite his Pro Bowl snub, continues to be one of the best in the business. His bond with Tony Romo has bailed out the offense over and over again and that won’t be changing anytime soon. If I had to say something negative about him it would be that he’s starting to lose a step. Once he stops, it takes him a while to get going again. When the team drafted Martellus Bennett I think they envisioned the kind of player that Jimmy Graham is now for the Saints. Instead, we got a merchandise-pushing, Twitter-obsessed, clown. He wants to start somewhere and that isn’t an option here. Still, if he comes back hat in hand, I’d sign him to a short dal. He’s an effective blocker and occasionally shows flashes of the athleticism Dallas saw from him at Texas A&M. I think most fans will be content with the dependable John Phillips as the #2 TE. He isn’t flashy but he gets the job done. If Bennett leaves, a third TE will have to be added.
Draft possibility? I’m a big believer in trying to add a WR in the draft every year. That strategy has worked for Pittsburgh, Green Bay, and the Giants. With Austin, Bryant, a hopefully re-signed Robinson, and Radway already here, that just may not be addressed. If we did draft a WR, I’d like to see someone who can double as a return man like the Arkansas duo of Jarius Wright (5’10”, 180 4.34 40 time) and Joe Adams (5’11”, 190 4.38 40 time) or Alabama’s Marquis Maze (5’8”, 164 4.49 40 time). We have also shown a willingness to gamble on injured players so keep an eye on Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles (5’10”, 188 4.52 40 time).
Tight End is a need but this isn’t a great draft for the position. The Pro Scouting guys have found quality players like Scott Chandler and Martin Rucker in the past and a pick-up like that now would work. If they look to the draft I like USC’s Rhett Ellison (6’5”, 250) who started 2 years at TE and 1 year at FB for the Trojans. He should be available on Day Three of the draft.
