how to cover 'not fast' Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

Let's just say we are close. Do we add the best FA pass rusher? I think we are that close and we need to try and sign JPP and draft Taco if he is sitting there, or try to trade up if he gets past 20. The Villanova DE is also another kid worth looking into. Chris Harris looks like a possible bust to me. Let's not forget a great DE would create more opportunity for players like Irving and Collins. Collins had 5 sacks and was disruptive for a 3rd rounder. While I like Ross, this draft needs to be heavy on defense

 

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

Speaking of overpaid: tyrone Crawford comes to mind.

 

[es4m11]

Speaking of overpaid: tyrone Crawford comes to mind.

Worst contract on the team, by a mile. Never did quite understand the rationale for this move. Dallas thought they were locking Crawford into a "cheap deal" at the time. How they came to that determination is beyond me. I guess they thought Crawford was a going to be an Aaron Donald type player at DT - I never saw anything to suggest that during Crawford's rookie contract.

Strictly speaking from a contractual point of view, I wouldn't be opposed to moving on from Crawford in 2018 when the dead money makes a little more sense. Crawford just isn't productive enough for his pay grade. With lackluster production and annual shoulder issues, I don't see anything to suggest he is currently worth the money he is scheduled to earn.

Just think, with the money Dallas will be paying for Tyrone Crawford and Cedric Thornton in 2017, the Cowboys could theoretically afford a year of JPP or Calais Campbell for that kind of cash.

 

[fordman84]

jenkins had a good year against Dez. Let's see if he can do it again. This year he faced off against Dez in week 1 with a rookie QB that was game managed to only let him go downfield a handful of times. Easy to shut down a WR when he isn't targetted downfield. The second matchup he did better as well, that defense had Dak's number that week.

I'm seeing Dez next year saying "I'm not fast, but you know what I am???" and then muscling the shit out of tiny Janoris for every jumpball as they march right down the field.

I'm hoping Dak and Dez work on a little 10 yard quick-out-jumpball and then use it all over the field and not just in the redzone. Dez would be a best sitting about our own 30 yard line and running just far enough to get the CB to turn his hips and then breaking and going up for the ball. If you miss it goes out of bounds. If you connect, you get a first down and bring the CB up. Safeties can't help.

 

[PDay8810]

I'm hoping Dak and Dez work on a little 10 yard quick-out-jumpball and then use it all over the field and not just in the redzone. Dez would be a best sitting about our own 30 yard line and running just far enough to get the CB to turn his hips and then breaking and going up for the ball. If you miss it goes out of bounds. If you connect, you get a first down and bring the CB up. Safeties can't help.

This could be true.
No question Dak is all about putting the work in. I do question Dez at this point, and can only hope he has the desire to be as good as the top receivers in the game, which will require more effort on his part in the offseason this year.

 

[jarntt]

I have no problem with anything Jenkins said - he's right.

I think it's ProFootballFocus that keeps a separation stat for receivers, and Dez was in the bottom 5 of 65 qualified players. Dez needs good, confident QB play to be successful, because almost every throw will be contested.

Separation has always been the number one issue. It was never there and never will be. But that can be overcome and has. Dez will never be AB but he only has to be a force in the end zone and on slants on 3rd down to serve his purpose. The disappointing thing for Dez in big spots has been the drops. Not "easy catch" drops, but hard to catch, not expected to catch, but just didn't come down with a ball that he could have kind of drops.

 

[jarntt]

jenkins had a good year against Dez. Let's see if he can do it again. This year he faced off against Dez in week 1 with a rookie QB that was game managed to only let him go downfield a handful of times. Easy to shut down a WR when he isn't targetted downfield. The second matchup he did better as well, that defense had Dak's number that week.

I'm seeing Dez next year saying "I'm not fast, but you know what I am???" and then muscling the shit out of tiny Janoris for every jumpball as they march right down the field.

I'm hoping Dak and Dez work on a little 10 yard quick-out-jumpball and then use it all over the field and not just in the redzone. Dez would be a best sitting about our own 30 yard line and running just far enough to get the CB to turn his hips and then breaking and going up for the ball. If you miss it goes out of bounds. If you connect, you get a first down and bring the CB up. Safeties can't help.

or back shoulder throws. How many times did OBJ just stop his route when Carr was with him step for step, but Eli knew he was going to stop and just tossed it to him. No DB in history can stop as quickly as the WR when the WR knows when he will hit the brakes. It's part of why it's the toughest job in the game to not look foolish at every once in a while....

 

[es4m11]

Separation has always been the number one issue. It was never there and never will be. But that can be overcome and has. Dez will never be AB but he only has to be a force in the end zone and on slants on 3rd down to serve his purpose. The disappointing thing for Dez in big spots has been the drops. Not "easy catch" drops, but hard to catch, not expected to catch, but just didn't come down with a ball that he could have kind of drops.

Dez doesn't need to be "AB" and get tons of separation, but it would be great if the guy could just learn to run a full route tree. If a defense had to respect the full playbook from Dez, he would have a S over the top all game, and could really open things up for this offense. Not to downplay what Dez already does, just saying he could do more. After spending his entire career in the same offense, is it too much to ask to learn to effectively run all the routes a WR is asked to run?

I'm a big fan of Dez, but he has lost a little of his shine as far as I am concerned. With a great QB who can read defenses and put the ball wherever he wants to -- like Romo -- throwing him the ball, the sky is the limit for Dez. But with less accomplished QB play Dez disappears for very long stretches of time, and when a guy is getting $17m a year, his play shouldn't be so reliant on others, he should be a force unto himself - JMHO.

 

[jarntt]

Dez doesn't need to be "AB" and get tons of separation, but it would be great if the guy could just learn to run a full route tree. If a defense had to respect the full playbook from Dez, he would have a S over the top all game, and could really open things up for this offense. Not to downplay what Dez already does, just saying he could do more. After spending his entire career in the same offense, is it too much to ask to learn to effectively run all the routes a WR is asked to run?

I'm a big fan of Dez, but he has lost a little of his shine as far as I am concerned. With a great QB who can read defenses and put the ball wherever he wants to -- like Romo -- throwing him the ball, the sky is the limit for Dez. But with less accomplished QB play Dez disappears for very long stretches of time, and when a guy is getting $17m a year, his play shouldn't be so reliant on others, he should be a force unto himself - JMHO.

I agree he has lost a little of his shine. He's not going to get a safety over the top all the time because it's not necessary or at least wasn't last year like Jenkins said. He is seldom more than a step from the CB and we are a run first team that requires safety help just to contain our running game. He was exactly lighting fast when he came here and he seems a little slower to me now. When a WR that isn't shifty and isn't fast loses a step you need to change things up or he isn't going to get open. How about put him in motion once a year? Or sk him to run more timing routes and see if he is able to. The issue isn't really the routes to me. We all know he is not a great route runner, but he is better no than HE WAS in the past and he gets less separation now or at least did last year. He's more of a threat when things are tight and he uses his strength. He's also been hurt a lot. Maybe he is healthy next year and is able to get a little separation.

Either way he needs to step up if he wants to be viewed as a top WR. Luckily he did that in the playoff game. Maybe that was him getting healthy.

 

[es4m11]

I agree he has lost a little of his shine. He's not going to get a safety over the top all the time because it's not necessary or at least wasn't last year like Jenkins said. He is seldom more than a step from the CB and we are a run first team that requires safety help just to contain our running game. He was exactly lighting fast when he came here and he seems a little slower to me now. When a WR that isn't shifty and isn't fast loses a step you need to change things up or he isn't going to get open. How about put him in motion once a year? Or sk him to run more timing routes and see if he is able to. The issue isn't really the routes to me. We all know he is not a great route runner, but he is better no than HE WAS in the past and he gets less separation now or at least did last year. He's more of a threat when things are tight and he uses his strength. He's also been hurt a lot. Maybe he is healthy next year and is able to get a little separation.

Either way he needs to step up if he wants to be viewed as a top WR. Luckily he did that in the playoff game. Maybe that was him getting healthy.

Dez definitely has lost a step, although he never was a burner by any stretch. His first few years in the league, I remember a pretty explosive player - some of his punt returns would put a smile on my face. He is still a top notch athlete, but just a lesser version of what he was. That guy used to produce some jaw dropping plays - not that he can't anymore, it's just been a while since I have seen them.

Will say this, the playoff game against Green Bay, for my money, is the best game Dez has played as a pro. He was excellent.

Here's hoping that Dez gets back to the grind this off season and reminds us what we have been missing the past couple years. He has had several distractions the past couple off-seasons between contract negotiations and injuries.

 

[PDay8810]

Dez doesn't need to be "AB" and get tons of separation, but it would be great if the guy could just learn to run a full route tree. If a defense had to respect the full playbook from Dez, he would have a S over the top all game, and could really open things up for this offense. Not to downplay what Dez already does, just saying he could do more. After spending his entire career in the same offense, is it too much to ask to learn to effectively run all the routes a WR is asked to run?

So true...100% agree