-
-
-
2008-2009 Regular Season: The NFL Trading Deadline /
The Cowboys Fan Sanity Deadline
-
- October 13, 2008 At
1:06 AM EST
- By
Eric M. Scharf
Really, I cannot seem to let go of the importance of the trade
deadline. Just hear me out, Jerry, and, especially you, Mickey “Team
Apologist” Spagnola (as it is not enough for you to finally speak
out against an under-performing player only after he has been
disciplined for an obvious issue or after he has been jettisoned
from the team - your journalistic mettle must be stronger than
this).
How long is the team willing to wait until Miles Austin, Sam Hurd,
and Isaiah Stanback (the converted college quarterback) can start
stealing defensive coverage away from T.O. in the first quarter of
games, rather than for a play here or there in the fourth quarter?
Really, is this such an unfair, non-objective question?
-
- If the
Cowboys are in a rebuilding year, then, let the kiddies play, and let
the special teams players try their hands at full-time positions on
offense and defense.
-
- The last time I checked, however, we are not
rebuilding, we are not in a position to allow untested players to
perform anything more than special teams duties, and our team
leaders (yes, the ones that do not seem to exist, publicly) need to
play 60 minutes of mistake-free football, because we are, in fact,
attempting to replace Terry Glenn (when healthy) with third, fourth,
and fifth string wide receivers (and I include Patrick “All Talk
Untimely Drop” Crayton within this group). If we can safely afford
to go and get a "decoy for the decoy," then, why would we not do so?
This is where most experts might say, "Are you going to give up on
the promising talent of Austin, Hurd, and Stanback just like that"?
My answer, with a straight face, would be no, but I need my team to
be realistic about its players and their true readiness for their
positions.
-
- 1) Place Stanback on IR for that re-occurring shoulder
issue (which, yes, means surgery, again).
-
- 2) Put Austin or Hurd
back on full-time special teams duty (where each excels).
-
- 3)
"Choose" from Ocho Cinco, Roy Williams, and, surprise, Torry Holt,
and make your best, most-reasonable offer by midnight on October
14th, Jerry.
-
- Why Ocho "They Will Never Let Me Leave" Cinco? The
Bengals are now 0-6. Why not (as they will be significantly more
protective of T.J. Houshmandzadeh at this point)? Why Roy Williams?
He is another big-and-capable target to steal coverage away from T.O.
(who, if he had hair, would be tearing it out of his head right
about now, with the lack of space he receives from defenders who
have no need to respect the other side of the field).
-
- Why,
incredibly, Torry Holt? The Rams may, shockingly, be willing to
allow him to move on rather than endure the rest of a miserable
season. Yes, their win over the Redskins has feel-good written all
over it, but it is one win, they have many more games left in which
to struggle, and, in case anyone has been paying full attention,
Holt has a little age on him (like a fine wine, of course). We need
more experience at wide receiver, and less sporadic youth.
At the end of the day, each of these potential trade acquisitions
are very-capable-and-successful prisoners of teams enduring severe
downturns. You, in turn, can always assume and hope that any one of
these fellas’ (Ocho, Roy, and Torry) will be even more productive in
a new situation.
It is so important that everyone remembers how well Terry Glenn used
to stretch the field for us. Objectively, we have, thus far, failed
to replace him with three also-rans (who may have great promise,
according to people who watch them in practice every day of the
week).
-
- Why have I not mentioned Patrick Crayton? He is a sneaky
possession receiver with buttery-soft hands and very little speed.
Rarely has anyone in the NFL been able to successfully convert an
obvious possession receiver into a receiver who can also stretch the
field and steal coverage away from his opposite-side teammate. Wes
Welker is one of those rare wide receivers who has the ability to
both play possession or speed down the sideline.
-
- We do not have
Welker. We have Crayton. Danny Amendola? Sorry, he is on the
practice squad, and, like the three relatively untested amigos
(Austin, Hurd, and Stanback) who actually made it onto the 45-man
roster, Amendola, too, looked fantastic in pre-season, but,
officially, is untested in a real game. This fact may change in the
next season, but, until then, “they are what they are."
|
