LAZARUS_LOGAN
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Why draft so many CBs and no safety?
- Thread starter dbair1967
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Plans to convert one or more of them?
Scot
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Just what we need
A rook learning a new position while also learning on the job when the bullets are flying during a real NFL game.
Or we can just wait to sign some other teams cast off scrubs that couldn’t even make their team.
Either way it seems like a great fucking plan, and one that has worked wonders for us for the last decade.
I had hoped Dan Quinn would have helped put a little more emphasis on the safety position in the draft. But I see it’s the same as it was before. Zero
Maveric
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Gotta make sure special teams are represented...
LAZARUS_LOGAN
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This is defiantly stupid. It seems like they are like FUCK IT! with the safety position after Roy Williams. Which I don't understand because Ro was a good safety, yes he was a liability in coverage, but overall he was a good safety.
The safety is the last line of defense on the DEFENSE, and it's atrocious that they would neglect it in this manner for all these years.
The safety is the last line of defense on the DEFENSE, and it's atrocious that they would neglect it in this manner for all these years.
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First time I've ever missed the draft and didn't even know it was on until Saturday. Still didn't watch. Interest is nil. My time was spent much better.
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As Ions stated, it's all over and it's not just the Cowboys. I'm not going to lie....I lost a lot of enthusiasm for the Cowboys thanks to the Jones family but now I've lost most of my enthusiasm for the NFL. Sports in general has lost me.
Hell, I didn't even know the draft started or was on TV until my son called me to talk about the Parsons pick. I didn't watch any college football nor any March Madness. And, truth be told, I didn't miss it.
Lastly, this team is the personal soap opera of the Jones family. It's almost like you tune in now to see who gets killed (cut) and who's a bust. It's not even football. There is no vision for building a team. Maybe Quinn will make a difference on D but it's just tiresome to watch us spam the LB position when we've invested so many draft picks in the past. We burn picks to make up for for our past/recent bad picks. Just ugly.....
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Front-office people said they were impressed with the drafts of the Cowboys, Chargers, Giants, Jaguars, Jets, Ravens, Steelers and Vikings, among others.
With linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Kelvin Joseph as their first- and second-round picks, the Cowboys were viewed as a team that added two high-end talents to its defense. One scout thinks Joseph was the third-best cornerback in the draft. He also believes both of the Cowboys’ fourth-rounders — linebacker Jabril Cox and offensive tackle Josh Ball — will be NFL starters. He said Ball could have gone in the second round.
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nickb
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I know way late to the party but loved the thoughts from everyone
I'm still one that thinks ET could bring something to this team especially with Quinn at the helms but do also agree that the lack of attention to the S position is puzzling to say the least
Scot
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Film room: Breaking down the best clips from Cowboys camp, including CeeDee Lamb’s circus catches
Plus, we take a look at a forgotten corner who has seemingly entered the conversation due to his playmaking ways during practice.
By John Owning on Jul 30, 2021
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) participates in a drill during the first practice of the team’s training camp on Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Oxnard, Calif.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)
The Dallas Cowboys are hard at work laying the foundation for, hopefully, a successful season during training camp over in Oxnard, Calif.
While I and many of you have been unable to make the trip to So-Cal, thanks to all of the clips posted by media and fans in attendance, it’s allowed us on the outside to get a glimpse at the action during Cowboys camp.
Now, it’s important to not glean too much information from the individual clips, as they are merely providing a look at Cowboys camp through a keyhole. However, what these clips can do is give us an idea of what to expect from players on the roster bubble during the preseason and more established ones in the regular season.
So let’s take a close look at some of the best clips from camp so far and see what information we can glean despite not being in attendance.
Tyron Smith still looks like...well...Tyron Smith
Dallas Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith (77) works against defensive end Randy Gregory (94) during a practice at training camp on Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Oxnard, Calif. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)
While, again, it’s important to not put too much value into these clips, I’ve seen enough to feel confident that Tyron Smith looks back to full health and back to his dominant ways.
Typically, it’s important to take any offensive-defensive line action with a grain of salt without pads, as it’s the DL huge advantage due to the OL’s inability to latch onto the DL’s pads, making it much more difficult to land hands. Nevertheless, as you see in the above clip, Smith’s elite hand technique, timing and placement still stand out despite being in a disadvantageous situation.
If you watch the slo-mo version of the clip (starts at 0:06 of above clip), the beauty of Smith’s hand technique is much easier to identify.
After establishing a great pass set with half-man leverage (always the goal of an OTs pass set) on second-year defensive end Bradlee Anae, Smith fires a heat-seeking missile with his outside (left) hand. However, Anae shoots the proper counter at the perfect time — a cross chop with his inside (left) hand, knocking down Smith’s initial strike.
For most offensive tackles, this action would create panic, as most OTs haven’t mastered their hand technique enough to be able to consistently counter when their initial strike is parried or knocked down, especially in a scenario without pads, which just ramps up the difficult to All-Madden. But, as Cowboys fans should know, Smith isn’t most offensive tackles.
So while Smith’s initial strike gets knocked down, Smith seamlessly sequences to a strike with his inside (right) hand, which A) pushes Anae past the apex of the “QB’s” drop and B) establishes a point of contact that enables Tyron to latch with his outside hand and render Anae’s rush ineffective.
In addition to the hand technique, it’s notable that Smith’s movement skills and power haven’t dissipated despite the time off from injuries last year. Don’t take my word for it, though, just ask Randy Gregory, who got ragdolled by one of Smith’s infamous techniques where he clubs pass-rushers upfield with his inside hand, also called a “draw block.”
Smith came into camp looking like he’s in fantastic shape, and it appears to be paying off.
While I may not be at camp, Dallas Morning News’ own Micahel Gehlken reported that this has been a regular occurrence during camp, as he noted that Smith is “where pass rushers go to die,” and I honestly can think of better news for a 30-year-old coming off an injury-riddled season and the first surgery of his career.
It’s only been a few clips, Tyron Smith looks like the Tyron Smith of old, and any pass rushers on the Cowboys schedule this year should be very worried.
CeeDee Lamb showing why he’s going to elite
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) makes a catch over safety Donovan Wilson (6) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (27) during a practice at training camp on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Oxnard, Calif. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)
If you’ve been paying close attention to Cowboys camp coverage (hopefully here at the Dallas Morning News; buy a subscription if you haven’t already), you’ve probably been enthralled by the circus catches CeeDee Lamb has made on almost a daily basis.
While those are undoubtedly impressive and show off Lamb’s upper-echelon ball skills, leaping ability and body control, it’s Lamb’s ability to create separation with notable route-running and subtle physicality at the top of the route that has caught my eye in the clips posted online. Here’s an example:
Here, Lamb is working against rookie Israel Mukuamu in the slot during seven-on-seven drills. While it’s true that Lamb should be able to get open against a rookie sixth-round pick at will, it’s how he created so much separation that really caught my attention.
Once the ball is snapped, Lamb does a good job reducing his surface area and releasing outside so that the rookie can’t land his jam at the line of scrimmage. Still, instead of drifting further and further outside, Lamb did well to stem directly upfield after his release, putting pressure on the rookie to get into phase. However, after stemming vertically, Lamb does an excellent job using his eyes, posture and a subtle push to create a ton of separation out of the break. To put the cherry on top, once Lamb gets out of his break, he properly comes back downhill — AKA breaking “friendly” — so that if the rookie had tight coverage, Lamb would still be in position to box him out at the catch point.
It’s not just the fact that Lamb created separation, it’s the little details Lamb got right along the way that bodes well for him this year and beyond.
Lamb’s touchdown grab against second-year defensive back Reggie Robinson during seven-on-seven drills was yet another example of Lamb getting the details right en route to a positive play.
After lining up in the slot in the previous clip, here, Lamb aligns on the outside against Robinson in press coverage. Once again, Lamb looks to release outside; however, Robinson does a much better job staying on top and in phase with Lamb through the release. Nevertheless, Lamb does a great job using active hands to prevent Robinson from landing a thunderous jamb, allowing Lamb to stay on track and on-time for the route concept.
Once Lamb is able to get vertical and the ball is in the air, he used a subtle push that even DeAndre Hopkin (the kind of using subtle physicality to create separation at the catch point). The subtle push enables Lamb to create late separation, elevate and make the grab in the end zone.
While, again, it’s hard to make definitive judgements based on clips without actually being in attendance, the traits Lamb displayed in the two above clips combined with the ball skills required to haul in the circus catches (even if he didn’t technically get both feet down inbounds on the best one) that have lit up social media in recent days, it paints that picture that Lamb is on the precipice of an outstanding season.
The forgotten DB is making some noise
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Cedrick Wilson (1) can’t make a catch in the end zone as cornerback Maurice Canady (31) defends during a practice at training camp on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Oxnard, Calif.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)
Coming into Cowboys camp — unless you were reading your’s truly — most of the talk surrounding Dallas’ cornerback group centered around Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright and Reggie Robinson; however, Maurice Canady has seemingly entered the common conversation due to his playmaking ways during practice, posting interceptions in numerous practices.
When intercepting Dak Prescott during the 11-on-11 drills, Canady displayed really spot-drop zone technique — something that will be common in Dan Quinn’s coverages this year:
On this play, Canady (No. 31) appears to be playing the hook/curl zone (hard to tell exactly without a full-field view) on this play. While a re-route on Cedrick Wilson would have been nice, Canady made sure he hit his landmark and got his eyes to the QB. From there, Canady allowed Dak Prescott’s eyes to take him to the football, when he ended up with a Sportcenter worthy interception by making the diving grab with outstretched hands.
Apparently, plays like this have impressed the Cowboys coaching staff as well because with Jourdan Lewis out of practice due to injury, Canady has seen time as a slot defender with the first-team defense. That’s pretty good for a CB almost nobody thought had a chance to make the team.
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Source:
Film room: Breaking down the best clips from Cowboys camp, including CeeDee Lamb’s circus catches
The Dallas Cowboys are hard at work laying the foundation for, hopefully, a successful season during training camp over in Oxnard, Calif. While I and many of...
www.dallasnews.com
Scot
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All the talking heads on all the podcasts are drooling all over him saying that he is the best WR on the team, and that it’s not even close.
I hope he takes a big step forward this year and rips that #1 spot right from under Cooper. That way we can trade Cooper and at least get some value for him.
I’m done with Coopers always injured ass. He’s worse than Romo with his injuries. At least Romo had a game or two where he wasn’t injured. Cooper has been injured before he got here. My buddy who is a huge Raiders fan was glad to get rid of him and said he was always injured on the Raiders too.
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ya i just said the same thing pretty much and read this reply. it makes cooper expendable and opens the door to keep gallup around if necessary. but OTOH WR seems like a position that is an abundance of riches across the NFL and rookie WR's are making a big impact in recent years. maybe an indoor team will want cooper and give up something for him? but highly doubt dallas goes out in search of a suitor.