Should Crayton Stay or Go?

Patrick Crayton is not happy. And I can't say I totally blame him either. He has been producing good, but not great numbers for several years. He has done everything the team has asked of him and played above his draft status for a long time. But the NFL is a business and Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett have to do what is best for the team. That means Patrick Crayton is going to lose playing time if he stays with the Cowboys.

Crayton has been a valuable asset for a few years now but he is obviously not irreplaceable. And his age (31) is not helping his cause. He wants to be traded. But why would anyone trade for Crayton if they know he is probably going to be cut in the long run anway? I have to believe that the Cowboys would choose Sam Hurd over Patrick Crayton if push came to shove. Hurd is younger and has more long term potential. But it is possible that Crayton and Hurd will be gone.

The Cowboys are suddenly very strong at the wide receiver position. Miles Austin, Roy Williams, and Dez Bryant have the top three spots locked up. Then there is Kevin Ogletree who flashed some impressive playmaking skills last season. So that leaves probably one more spot on the roster for a wide receiver. The Cowboys are unlikely to keep six. So it will probably come down to Hurd or Crayton.

I think I would prefer to keep Sam Hurd for a few reasons. Sam Hurd generally keeps his mouth shut which is going to be important. It is unlikely that Hurd or Crayton is going to get the playing time they desire. There is too much talent at wide receiver to get either of them on the field on a regular basis. While Crayton has proven he can make plays he is starting to hit the down side of his career. A guy with marginal talent like Crayton doesn't have to lose very much of his athleticism before he becomes a non-factor. Hurd hasn't ever made plays consistently but he has improved from year to year and he has shown some flashes that he can get the job done if given the opportunity.

I'll be surprised if Crayton is back next year. I don't think he wants to be in Dallas regardless of his contract or what promises the coaches might make him about playing time. I think Hurd could be convinced that Dallas is still the place for him to be. They can't both stay. In the past you might have been able to argue that the Cowboys need Crayton for punt returns. But it appears Dez Bryant and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah both have punt return skills. And Kevin Ogletree has worked on punt returns with Joe DeCamillis as well.

If the Cowboys could get even a late round pick for Crayton I would be thrilled. But it is much more likely that he will be released sometime before training camp starts in July. I appreciate what he did for the Cowboys but the team is doing the right thing by going with the younger, more talented and cheaper options at wide receiver.

Bryant Had Better Be Used in the Return Game

We've heard this story before. The Cowboys draft a guy in the first round and tell us that part of the reason the player was picked so high is because he brings an extra dimension to the field...returner skills. That was Felix Jones just a few years ago. Dez Bryant is now being touted as the guy who will be a dynamic punt and kick returner for the Cowboys. I'll believe it when I see it.

Remember when we heard all of the same talk about Felix Jones a few years ago? Felix was used on kick returns for a while and actually had a few really good returns but he was quickly phased out of the return game. The coaches and owner always mentioned that they didn't want to risk injury by using him on returns.

Well, a few years later, here we are again. The Cowboys found a dynamic playmaker in the draft who has the ability to not only return kicks but, this time, also return punts. The Cowboys are loaded on offense. I would find it hard to believe that the Cowboys could justify keeping Dez Bryant off the special teams return units. At least as long as Roy Williams is still on the roster. The Cowboys are loaded at wide receiver. And a good return can be the difference between points scored and another drive ending in a punt.

I expect to see Dez Bryant used as the primary punt returner. There is no other player on the roster that comes close to what he can do on punt returns. Terence Newman is up in years and shouldn't be put back there anymore. So the job belongs to Dez. And while we are at it let's make him the #1 kick returner as well. I could see the kick return job eventually becoming Akwasi Owusu-Ansah's, but he will be recovering from shoulder surgery until training camp. He'll be lucky to be ready for the start of the regular season.

I expect to see Dez play the #3 receiver role this season. He'll get playing time at receiver but his value won't be so high that the Cowboys can't afford to risk him on returns. He was drafted as high as he was partly to be a returner. Now the Cowboys have to remember that and use him to their advantage in the return game.

Cowboys 2010 Draft Review

The Cowboys ended up picking 6 players in the draft and addressed all of the perceived pre-draft needs. Drafting players at each position of need is good but a good draft gets players who actually have a chance to get on the field. Some of the players drafted are ready to get on the field this year and some of them are considered projects. I'm going to take a look at the Cowboys draft from several different perspectives.

- Pre-Draft Needs
Most writers and draft experts were in agreement on the needs of the Cowboys going into the draft. They needed help at safety, offensive line, inside linebacker, cornerback, punt and kick returner, and defensive tackle. They hit every one of those needs. That doesn't mean all of the players drafted can get on the field this season to provide immediate help at their respective positions, but the Cowboys at least added options to the roster at each position of need. Based on pre-draft needs the 2010 draft was a clear success.

- Quality of Picks
What I am looking at hear is the bang for the buck that the Cowboys got for each of their picks. It is easy to have a successful draft when you have multiple first and second round picks but the Cowboys entered the draft without many high picks.

Dez Bryant was projected as a top 10 talent and most expected him to be the first receiver off the board in the first half of round 1. The Cowboys got a steal getting him at pick #24. And besides just playing receiver, Dez can also return punts and kicks so the Cowboys addressed multiple needs with their first round pick.

Sean Lee was considered the top inside linebacker on many of the experts draft boards. Playing through his ACL surgery recovery during his senior year dropped his stock a little but the Cowboys stole a first round talent if the knee is back to full strength. Like Kevin Ogletree last year, Lee's talent level was much higher than his perceived value due to injury concerns.

Another player dropped to the Cowboys in round 4, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (AOA), because he is currently recovering from shoulder surgery. He will be ready for training camp but brings free safety and returner skills to the table. Again, if he regains his pre-injury form, the Cowboys have a potential starter down the road. His returns at the college level were ridiculous but he was playing at the division II level so you have to consider that when you watch his highlights.

Sam Young was picked to provide tackle depth in the 6th round. He is a potential replacement for Marc Colombo in a few years. Starting at Notre Dame for four years shows you that this guy has a chance to be a player at the NFL level.

Jamar Wall was a steal in the 6th round. He was second team all Big 12 in 2008 and has played against top receivers during his entire college career. He is a big hitter who can provide depth at cornerback and will be great on special teams.

And finally, potentially the biggest find in the draft, is Sean Lissemore. He is a phenomenal athlete for his size and will provide immediate help at defensive tackle. He athleticism is similar to what Jay Ratliff brings at defensive tackle and should allow Ratliff to get more rest this season so he is fresh in the 4th quarter of games.

- Immediate Impact
When you have visions of a Super Bowl run like the Cowboys do this season, you are looking for players who can get on the field now not two or three years down the road. Dez Bryant will get time at receiver, punt returner and kick returner. He could even take over for Roy Williams during the year if Roy can't get it going this season. Sean Lee is going to take over Bobby Carpenter's nickel linebacker spot immediately and will be able to step in for Keith Brooking to start if necessary. Sean Lissemore will see plenty of playing time providing depth at defensive tackle. Jamar Wall should help on special teams if he can make the final roster. Sam Young is probably viewed by the staff as a long term project at right tackle but he could provide depth if Colombo is injured again this season.

- Long Range Impact
What excites me about this draft is the number of players the Cowboys drafted who look like long term players. Dez Bryant could start and play receiver for the Cowboys for 10-12 years. Sean Lee is going to take over for Keith Brooking in the near future and could also be a fixture in the defense for the long term. Sam Young has the build to be a mauling lineman in the league for a long time. And Sean Lissemore might end up being the next Jay Ratliff in the middle of the defense. I think the Cowboys found 2 definite future starters and 2-3 potential starters in their six picks. I like this draft class much better than the 2009 draft. Last year most players picked projected as special teamers but this year you can see that several of the players drafted have the talent to be long term starters. Having picks in the first two rounds makes a big difference in that regard.

- Overall
The only knock on the draft has to be the fact that the Cowboys didn't find immediate help at safety and offensive tackle. The Cowboys must believe that Doug Free is the answer at left tackle or I think they would have made tackle more of a priority. There are still some players available in free agency at both tackle and safety so the Cowboys can still find some immediate help if they feel it is necessary. Overall, I view the draft as a success. Picking at the end of the first round with just six overall picks I'm not sure how the Cowboys could have come away from the draft with much more than they did. The Cowboys were unable to find good value for any of their players on the trade block so they had to maximize their draft value using just their picks. I think Jerry Jones and the rest of the staff should be congratulated on their work in the 2010 draft.

Akwasi Owusu-Ansah

That's going to be a tough name to spell for the next few years. It appears that this guy can play cornerback or safety and he has the ability to return punts and kickoffs. He might be a bit of a project at safety but that is pretty much what you are going to get at this point in the draft. It is hard to project guys from small schools at the NFL level, but Orlando Scandrick was unheralded and worked out just fine.

The video shows me a guy who looks like a decent safety prospect. He doesn't look terribly quick but he seems to be able to find the ball. I can't complain about this one. There is the safety everyone has been looking for. Now the Cowboys need to get some help on the offensive line.