Agree. Damien Wilson may be our starting SAM this year or he may be cut. If Smith is our starting SAM and seems to be healthy we will want LBs that can back up all 3 spots as depth and Joe Thomas will likely be one of them so it doesn't leave too many other spots. Well, maybe a bad example because Wilson is good on STs and doesn't make a lot of money so he would still be a good backup, but I think you get my point.
I'm on both sides of this one
Just my thoughts, but I think expecting Gallup and Jarwin alone to be better than Witten and Dez would have been is very premature. Yes, we all hope that and yes it looks like the potential may be there for them to be better than Witten of last year and Dez of the last couple of years, but let's tap the brakes a little because we don't even know how many snaps each is going to get at this point, let alone put those type of expectations on them to be the focal point of the offense in their first week of training camp.
But, what I am expecting is the passing game as a whole to be better and the receiving corps as a whole to be more productive than last year. I said it months ago and I still feel it will be the case. Not only do I expect production from Gallup, but I expect Beasley and all of the other guys to do better without Dez on the field taking 130 targets. I also expect that more speed (a lot more speed!!!) will produce a lot more big plays when teams are expecting the run and stretch the defense to open up the middle of the field on 3rd downs. I think we will make better use of our RBs in the passing game with Zeke catching a lot more balls and Austin being used in space all over the field to try to isolate him and use his speed and elusiveness. As for TE I think they will rotate too much for one guy to replace Witten, but I love what I am reading about using Jarwin as more of a down field target the way we used to with Witten when he would just go right up the seam and produce some big plays for us. This makes it a lot easier for him to get open in the middle of the field on 3rd downs because the defense can't just sit on his route. I still think Swaim is going to get a lot of snaps and may be our most important TE because I think he will be doing a lot of the early down blocking. Very interested to see how the rookie plays during the preseason games as I think he can do a little of both. Lastly I am expecting MUCH better blocking for Dak from the OL and better play from Dak himself. To me, this all adds up to a better passing Offense.[/QUOTE
I agree. Cant wait to see the game next week and the rest of preseason. I want to see improvement in stopping the run and safety coverage. For me that is most important. The offense is going to take time due to the new recieving corp.
It's interesting, I look at the 2nd or 3rd we might have given up this year, and while I would love to have Thomas, I'd hate to not have Williams or Gallup....
I’m all in on the Cowboys this year. I don’t expect many of the regs here to be on the same boat as me. This is just opinion and if Im wrong so be it. You all know how I am. I’m usually always cautiously optimistic about all things Cowboys and know full and well the black cloud of Jerry lingers. But, if the Eagles can erase their black cloud of futility with a back up QB, don’t see why this team can’t overcome Jerry. With reasonable health, I say 11-5 and no worse than conference championship appearance. If we get Earl, SB appearance. I think this team can be special. Pray for my health and sanity if the Cowboys let us down again.
And I think Wilson had a chance before the injury. Bottom line, the Cowboys may have the best situation in the NFL right now. High young talent level, cap space, and a fantastic scouting dept. As much credit as Stephen and McClay deserve, Jerry deserves a share too. He didn't have to get out of the way, in the end, it was his call to give up some control
I'm with you. I think this team is better than 2016 and no distractions of 17.
10-6, 9-7. Hope I am wrong. Not sold on Dak or Garrett.
I really hope Dak is our franchise QB, i dont want to start over, except for a new coach. Garrett is my biggest worry.
If he's no worse than 2017, hes a franchise QB. If he's 2016 Dak he's elite. I think he's somewhere in the middle of those seasons.
It's normal for defenses to be ahead of offense and what I'm reading is Dak is working directly on his weaknesses.
