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2014-2015 Offseason: Pre-Selection Catch
Up And Other Considerations
- April 30,
2014
At 10:20 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- It is almost that time again for all
NFL football fans . . . when their favorite teams try to target the
potential future with best-laid plans.
The annual NFL draft is the first of three critical offseason
opportunities for teams to restock their rosters with players good,
better, and best at their football craft. The other two routes to a
refreshed roster involve maintaining or re-signing those high
performers from the previous season . . . and removing obvious
disappointments who may want to stay but whose previous results give
no good reason.
Staffed To Draft
From the moment a season ends to the moment a draft begins, a
coaching staff shifts from the WIN NOW hot seat to future
forecasters – reviewing key scouting reports, tuning in on tons of
tape, seeing who could fill a depth hole at the Senior Bowl,
critiquing at the combine, planning roster moves, and
adjusting systems towards potential wins and to prevent disasters.
After another GREAT 8-8, Jerry Jones encouraged more staff changes
by Jason Garrett. Fans can trust he had a choice: embrace the
challenge or grin and bear it . . . while Jerry forcefully took a
crack at it. Jerry wants Garrett to succeed as
badly as he wants to win at least one Super Bowl without “He Who
Must Not Be Named” (Jimmy Johnson, sadly).
From all reports, Jason really did have full reign to carefully pick
his latest coaching escorts. The key coaching changes are discussed
here . . . at least the ones expected to have the greatest impact on
the Dallas Cowboys so dear.
While Bill Callahan is still listed as the Offensive Coordinator /
Offensive Line Coach, he was angrily hoping his release Jerry would
eventually broach. That is what happened the second Scott Linehan was
brought in as the Passing Game Coordinator . . . for a different
approach. Callahan – however – remains the (appreciated) man that
can when it comes to offensive lines . . . so, causing a stink with
the boss man ain’t
worth the fines.
Scott Linehan had been making a (bad) habit out of torching the
Cowboys’ defenseless unit the past few years. When Stafford
connected with Megatron – most of the time – any chance of winning
the game was gone. Through in some razzle-dazzle Reggie Bush, and
Linehan’s offensive machine could kick some serious tush.
Linehan – for Dallas – is now expected to be the same aggressive
offensive man. He can dispense Romo to Dez for touchdowns stacked
like Pez. He can feel free with D&D: running DeMarco hard through
the lanes and pushing Dunbar fast on the swings for big gains. He
can continue giving opponents bad dreams by aiming for Witten down
the seams.
Speaking of tight ends, new coach Mike Pope used to work for some
pretty big-footed New York folk who know a thing or two about
successfully going for broke. Between Witten, Escobar, and
Hanna, he should be able to develop just the right two-tight-end
blends to help Linehan’s offense become top banana.
Monte Kiffin probably thought he had gone bananas last year after
seeing his defense get repeatedly diced like fruit cocktail . . . as
feverish scheme adjustments were made to no avail. In all (ok, some)
fairness, he was expecting (no, hoping) for DeMarcus Ware, Anthony
Spencer, and Jay Ratliff to anchor his defensive line. Three of
his best players appeared – instead – to be facing physical adversity or skills
in decline.
Out of respect for his past accomplishments (and to keep loyal buddy
Rod Marinelli from joining Lovie in Tampa Bay), Kiffin
has been kept on as Assistant Head Coach . . . and far away from the
Arkansas-flavored Kool-Aid refreshments.
Marinelli is now the Defensive Coordinator with a mission to prove
Kiffin’s concepts still work . . . as long as you have reasonably
talented players who can stay strong when injuries begin to lurk.
While the stats do not show it, Rod truly is a defensive line god .
. . coaching up and making serviceable players out of a
collection of street selections so odd.
The added and elevated coaching brain trust should greatly enhance the Cowboys’ pre-draft thrust.
Cap Strap
The Tortured Cowboys Fan still has vivid memories of when ONLY to
the Cowboys did the phrase “Dead Money” seem to pertain . . . and
for so many within the organization and fans alike has it continued
to cause such tremendous pain.
Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders, and DeMarcus Ware are but a few
high-profile names whose bodies and performances – right or wrong –
no longer appeared to match their salary cap allowances. These
cherished athletes were-and-are clearly far from the last, either, but these
(sometimes necessary) salary purges must continue to
give the Cowboys’ salary cap an occasional breather.
Jason Hatcher – the QB Snatcher – has signed on with the Washington
Redskins . . . as the seemingly mutual interest in keeping him in
Cowboy Country dissolved into Dallas’ unwillingness to be big budget bold with
someone so incredibly old.
While some contracts can be adjusted so the Cowboys’ cap is not
busted, there will be others who soon may also become former Cowboy
brothers.
While the Cowboys’ pre-draft and free agent plans are in the hands
of Jerry, Jason, and the coaching staff . . . the Cowboys’ cap strap will
have its constrictive finger prints all over the final versions – which
could be trimmed or completely cut in half.
Will They Or Won’t They?
NEED versus WANT versus REACH . . . are the three labels often
applied to a given team’s draft. There will sometimes be a need,
there will always be a want, but a reach is something no
right-minded drafting deity ever
wants to encourage or teach.
If fans can (continue to) try a little harder to choke back reaches
on real peaches like Shante Carver and Quincy Carter, their collective draft day sanity will go much farther.
Fans may not want to remember the 6' 7" erstwhile successor to the
unforgettable Jay Novacek, but – what the heck. "His name was Robert
Paulson," err, David LaFleur - rhymes with . . . oh, right, that
was Steve Pelluer. And if you are going to recall such unfortunate
fool's gold, then, you dig up maddening memories of the man who
would master the offensive hold: Phil "Holding - Number 75 –
Offense" Pozderac . . . who never could quite wrap his head around
Tom Rafferty's line call lyrics. The list goes on . . . and – from
this subject – we will move on.
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- The Cowboys' needs are heavily
slanted to one side and have never been greater. The defense needs
linemen, linebackers, and safeties to fill a gaping talent crater.
The offense – to be fair – needs two o-line touch ups and another
true receiver. Terence Williams is no slouch, but he may not (yet)
be that critical Dez Bryant reliever.
Who will “America’s Team” draft who can really ply their craft? Will
the players they sign as free agents be good enough to win
any beauty pageants? Will their arrival be the first merciful step towards a
healthy player revival?
We shall see. We always do.
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