If you’ve been following my 2018 draft series then you should start to notice a common theme, Defense! The only way for the Cowboys to improve and finally be serious contenders for a super bowl is to bolster this mediocre defense. No more band-aids, quick fixes, or one-year rentals! The Cowboys need to make an all-out commitment to getting better on the defensive side of the ball and they need to do so this off-season.
I agree with Cowboys nation that somethings have to change on the offensive side of the ball. I disagree that the Cowboys should address that issue in the draft. Taking a late round (after 3rd round) wide receiver or speed running back isn’t addressing a need on offense. That is adding a potential playmaker (toy) to the offensive side of the ball. The Cowboys wouldn’t need to add anything is they changed their offensive philosophy and updated it to the 2010s.
The Cowboys have the offensive talent to be a top 5 offense. Dak is a very good quarterback that is only getting better. Zeke is already a top 5 running back and Dez can still be a dominant #1 receiver if the Cowboys utilize a lot of the successful things that other teams are doing. The Eagles went to more RPOs (run-pass options) in 2017 after seeing Wentz struggle from the pocket his rookie year. They did upgrade the receiver corps, but when Nelson Agholor was your best receiver there was nowhere to go but up in that regard. The Eagles also made a commitment to running the ball more setting up play action and giving Wentz more high low reads to get the ball out his hand quickly. Wentz is an amazing athlete so he has the ability to extend plays, thus giving his wide receivers more time to get open downfield. I mention the Eagles because they just won the Superbowl and they’re in the Cowboys division, so what better team to target than the one you’ll have to see twice a year. No, I don’t want the Cowboys to copy the same offensive scheme as the Eagles, but I do want them to get more creative and space the defense out more. Doing so would open up the field for Dez Bryant, one of the best receivers at attacking the ball in the league. Tweaking the scheme would help the Cowboys be more effective on the offensive side of the ball.
Which leads me to the third player in my Draft series, Roquan Smith! I started the series with Derwin James because I feel like he would be the best player to add to this defense. The Cowboys really need a playmaker, regardless of the level (DL, LB, DB), and James is that. My second player in this series is Vita Vea. Vea fills a need along the defensive front and will probably be available when the Cowboys pick at #19. Vea could also be a play if the Cowboys decide to trade down to add more picks.
Roquan Smith is the perfect player for the Cowboys but he may be gone when the Cowboys pick at #19, so If they want him they will have to trade up to get him. He would be worth it! He has the on-field production, he had a good showing at the combine, and he would allow them to move on from Sean Lee.
Roquan Smith played wide receiver in high school. Imagine that for a minute, the guy you see flying around for the Georgia Bulldogs tackling everything moving was a wide receiver in high school. That speaks to how athletic Smith truly is or how terrible he was as a wide receiver. Either way, I’m glad he made the change and I would love to see him in silver and blue this season.
Tale of the Tape !!!!
Roquan Smith measured in a 6’1 and 236 lbs. He is slightly undersized for a traditional inside linebacker. In today's league teams want linebackers that can cover like safeties and Smith is just that. He may be able to put on a few pounds but I wouldn’t ask him to. Smith ran a 4.51 second 40-yard dash. I’m not huge on the 40 times because it measures straight line speed and it’s rare to see a linebacker running in a straight line during a football game. If he is then that’s probably because the running back or receiver has broken a big play. In this case Smith’s 40-yard dash times solidifies the notion that he will bring sideline to sideline speed and great athleticism the linebacker position.
How he Fits for the Cowboys!!!
I’m just going to come out and say it, the Cowboys have to start trimming the fat on this team. They have too many aging veterans making money and not enough young talent on this team. Last offseason we saw the Cowboys let JJ Wilcox, Barry Church, and Morris Claiborne walk in free agency. It wasn’t the ideal move but it had to be made. Wilcox and Claiborne were still young but lack the production necessary to get new deals. Church was pushing 30 years of age and the Cowboys felt they could upgrade at the position.
They still have decisions to make on guys like Tyrone Crawford, Orlando Scandrick, and Sean Lee! Crawford and Scandrick won’t be as hard to let go as Lee, but the Cowboys have to move on. Lee can’t continue to be the best player on this defense because he is fragile. He is also one of the top five highest paid linebackers in the league. Bringing in Smith would reduce the salary number at the linebacker position and give them a quality player on a rookie deal for the next 4 years. I also don’t see why he can’t give you all the same things Lee has and some. Many of you will say I’m crazy, and I may be, but how much longer are the Cowboys going to play this song and dance with Sean Lee? Will he play 16 games this season? Will Lee play and finish all the games? What if he gets another concussion? Draft Smith, play him with Sean Lee this season, then move forward with the two Smith’s (Jaylon and Roquan).
Also consider that Anthony Hitchens has left via free agency and the Cowboys are going to need somebody to fill that role. Hitchens was an underrated player on this defense. He was instinctive, fill holes in the run game, played great in space, and at times covered up for the mistakes made by other players. I would love to keep Hitchens but the Cowboys couldn’t afford him so they need to find his replacement.
Roquan Smith will give the Cowboys a three-down linebacker. He has the ability to cover both in man and in zone, stop the run, and get to the quarterback. Smith is a game changer and that is something the Cowboys desperately need!
Comments
Post a Comment