Final Pre-Draft Thoughts

It has been 3 long months since the Cowboys ended their season. 3 months of sitting and waiting for something...anything interesting to happen. We got a few interesting offseason days when Ken Hamlin and Flozell Adams were released but those weren't exactly shocking moves. The timing was surprising but you knew both guys were on the chopping block. Outside of that there has been no player movement for the Cowboys.

That will finally change on Thursday. I should say hopefully on Thursday because you never know how the draft will play out. The Cowboys could easily trade out of the first round if no one they covet falls to them in the first round. I'm sure the outrage will be deafening if Jerry Jones elects to trade out of the first round but I won't be at all shocked if it happens.

Let's assume the Cowboys find someone on their draft board with a first round grade when the clock starts on the 27th pick. What would the perfect world scenario look like? Would it be a safety or a tackle? Dez Bryant? A defensive tackle? It seems like you could pick from about 10-15 players right now and have a good chance of being right on the pick.

I'm not overly concerned about any particular position. I do have some concern that Doug Free is the answer at left tackle but he has shown he can play on the other side of the line. So I have to give him the benefit of the doubt until he proves he can't get the job done. And something tells me the coaches think he is the answer at left tackle. And what about Alan Ball at safety? He actually had better stats than Ken Hamlin in his limited starting time at free safety. I think you can hide an average or slightly below average safety so getting one in the first round isn't a necessity. And don't forget that Michael Hamlin is still a potential future starter as well.

The needs that I can see on the roster include offensive line depth, defensive tackle depth, middle linebacker depth, free safety, cornerback depth, special teams returner, slot receiver, and maybe outside linebacker depending on how last years . Offensive line depth ranks as one of my top priorities as does depth at middle linebacker. You always have to draft secondary players because depth will always be an issue. But the rest of the "need" positions aren't mandatory draft needs.

I'm not going to target specific players in specific rounds, but here is what I am hoping the Cowboys get from the draft this year. A safety, at least one offensive lineman, a cornerback, a slot receiver/returner (hopefully Jordan Shipley), a middle linebacker, and a defensive tackle. I think some positions should be drafted higher than others, but I think you could justify any order as long as all of these needs are met.

The Jerry Jones Video

I'm sure you have all seen it by now. A clearly drunk Jerry Jones is talking with some "fans" at a bar and makes some not so nice comments about Bill Parcells and makes an obviously true statement about Tim Tebow. The language used and the comments made about Bill Parcells are not good, but the last time I checked most people already thought Jerry Jones is an egotistical jerk. What he said about Tim Tebow is true. With Romo the quarterback for at least 5 more years it would be dumb to pick Tebow because he would never get on the field. Is that controversial?

I do think that Jerry Jones should conduct himself better in a public setting but thanks to these "fans" the chances of any of us now getting to have an informal discussion with the owner of our team are gone. Jerry believed he was having an informal chat with some Cowboys fans. And maybe he was. But when this video found its way onto the internet I think these so called "fans" crossed the line.

Maybe I am old fashioned but I don't believe that every conversation, every email, and every text message needs to be analyzed by the public. TMZ loves to follow celebrities around with a video camera and hope they say the wrong thing or make one wrong move. I guess the same rules now apply for sports celebrities. Jerry Jones was actually naive enough to believe that he could have a casual conversation with a few fans.

Am I excusing his drunken comments? No. But I don't think this needs to be played on ESPN endlessly and overanalyzed. As usual with ESPN you can count on this story running for weeks. The only thing missing from the video is Ed Werder asking the questions to the drunken owner.

I just don't think this is that big of a deal. Jerry Jones does need to do a better job representing himself and his team. He sets the example for the entire organization to follow but I would hate to think he can't have an informal conversation with Cowboys fans. Jerry Jones should be ashamed of his behavior and the "fans" who put the video on the internet should never be allowed to claim to be fans of the Dallas Cowboys again.

Miles Austin Is Back in Big D

Just last night I posted a blog about Miles Austin working out in California away from the team. Based on the comments that Tony Romo made to ESPN last weekend it sounded like he knew the absence would be short lived. And sure enough, Miles Austin was back with the team today at Valley Ranch. Good for him and good for the team.

So for all of the bashers of the Cowboys, Miles Austin is no diva. He wouldn't be back with the team without a long term deal if he wasn't a team first kind of guy. I'm guessing there is some sort of gentleman's agreement between Miles and the team for a long term deal. He will get his money at some point. But working with the team so he can continue his success from last season will only help his cause.

I'm glad he is back. Now there are only a few guys left on the list who need to get back to working with the team. After the RFA deadline passes on Thursday afternoon I'm guessing that they will all be back to work with the rest of the players.

Miles Austin, Come Back to Texas!

It appears Miles Austin is using the only negotiating leverage he has to try to secure a big money, long term deal this offseason. Since Miles Austin was tendered by the Cowboys there hasn't been a any public interest in him. And that makes sense considering the other receivers who are also available this offseason. The timing for Miles Austin's breakout season couldn't have been worse for him financially. In a normal year he would have become an unrestricted free agent and would have probably been given the franchise tag by the Cowboys which would have guaranteed him about $10 million next season.

So now he has to try to get a long term deal worked out with the team or he will make about $3.168 million next season. That is not chump change...at least not to a regular guy like me. But when you are talking about a player with possibly only one or two chances to secure a big money deal in his career you definitely understand why Miles is looking for a long term commitment. What if he gets hurt this season? The scary part of being an NFL player is that you are always one play away from a career ending injury. So you have to strike while the iron is hot in terms of a contract.

And all of the people running around talking about Miles Austin becoming a diva receiver clearly have no idea what they are talking about. Everyone who truly follows the Cowboys either as a fan or in the media knows that Miles Austin is no diva. He loves football and he is a team player. Staying away from the voluntary offseason workouts isn't a sign that one big season has gone to his head. He is still the same guy. He just has to make sure that he gets the money he deserves. Unfortunately for him the Cowboys hold nearly all the cards in the negotiations. So he is exercising the only leverage he has.

While I understand his reasoning, I also am anxious to see Miles and all of the rest of the RFA's back with the team participating in the offseason workouts. Tony Romo talked to ESPN over the weekend and seemed to hint that Miles would be back with the team sooner than later.

I'm hoping that once the RFA deadline hits on Thursday then Miles will come back to work out with the team. At that point he has the choice to play for the Cowboys or not play football at all next season. He can stay away until the June minicamps if he chooses, but I don't think that will happen. I think he is making a statement right now to Jerry Jones and the Cowboys that he wants a long term commitment. I think everyone already realizes how important he is to the hopes of the team next season. We all saw how the offense transformed after he established himself as the top receiver.

I think Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, Miles Austin and his agent all need to sit down and have a chat. The Cowboys have a history of paying to keep their own players. It needs to be made clear that Miles will get paid as soon as he gets off to a good start this season. In the meantime he can sign his injury waiver and his RFA tender offer that will guarantee him more money this year than he has received in his entire career up to this point.

At this point I think we all want to see Miles back with his teammates. Jerry Jones will play Miles what he is worth and probably even a little more as long as Miles is patient. I'm feeling confident that he won't get any bites in the RFA market in the next three days so now he just needs to get to Valley Ranch and get to work. Workouts in California are good, but he needs to get back to Texas with his teammates.

Thoughts on Recent News

The fallout from the Flozell Adams release is big news even though it has been completely overshadowed by the Donovan McNabb trade. I'm still not happy about the timing of the release, but I do understand the theory behind the move. It is better these days to release a guy one year too early than one year too late. I have to believe the coaches saw something in Flozell that led them to believe that his best days are behind him.

The McNabb trade was shocking. It wasn't so much that McNabb got traded...that move was talked about for weeks leading up to the trade. It is the fact that he was traded to the Redskins that made the trade surprising. I was hoping he would end up with the Raiders so we wouldn't have to see him anymore. I've never thought McNabb was a player to be feared, but he is going to be an upgrade for the Redskins which makes the NFC East even tougher.

Roy Williams made some comments last week and owned up to the fact that he was terrible last season. He noted that he was among the league leaders in dropped passes and seems to realize that he better play at a much higher level or his stay in Dallas is going to be over soon. I hope it isn't just lip service. I still think he is a talented receiver but I think he has lost his mojo. He needs to find it or the trade for him will go down as one of the worst in NFL history.

Miles Austin is working out on his own with a personal trainer in Dallas instead of attending the voluntary workouts with the rest of the team. I can't say I blame him considering that he has millions of dollars at stake. I really hope the team and Austin can find a way to get him to Valley Ranch to work out with his teammates. He is just a one season wonder at this point and he needs to be working with Romo and the rest of the receivers to improve his game.

Apparently Keith Brooking has made some of the Philadelphia Eagles mad by claiming that the Eagles' offense was predictable late in the season. I wish that Brooking would realize that there is nothing to gain by talking about those games at this point. Last season is over and it is time to focus on the upcoming season. I like Brookings intensity, but sometimes it is better to say nothing.

The Cowboys have about a week to go before all of the restricted free agents will officially be back with the team next season. So far there hasn't been much interest in the RFA's but I'll breathe a little easier when I know Miles has no choice but to return to Dallas next season. Marcus Spears has signed his tender offer and several of the other players have done the same. I'll be glad when we are sure that Sensabaugh and Austin will be back next season.

The Cowboys passed on an opportunity to pick up Neil Rackers. I guess they feel good about David Beuhler working with Chris Boniol to improve his field goal kicking. I hope adding a coach can improve the field goal accuracy. Just about anything will be better than the second half of last season.

It is going to be sad to see Texas Stadium implode this weekend. I have a lot of great memories of games I watched in the stadium. Nearly the entire history of the team has taken place there. I know it was becoming a dump, but I'm still sad to see it go.

Goodbye Flozell Adams and Ken Hamlin

There has been speculation for months about the future of Ken Hamlin and Flozell Adams with the Dallas Cowboys. That all ended this morning. The Cowboys have officially released both players. While I am not at all shocked by the move I am scratching my head at the timing.

The Cowboys are going younger at left tackle with Doug Free and/or possibly an early draft pick. The Cowboys have seen enough of Ken Hamlin to realize that they can get a suitable replacement if his primary duty will be lining up 20 yards off the ball and keeping everyone in front of him while never making a play on the ball. I see the logic in both moves. I really do.

But why release both guys before the draft when it wasn't necessary? I think the Cowboys have put themselves at a disadvantage on several fronts. Teams now now without a doubt that the Cowboys will be targeting offensive tackles and free safeties early in the draft. The flexibility that we all thought the Cowboys had entering the draft is not what it was before the day began.

And what about the contract negotiations with Gerald Sensabaugh? You know his agent was thrilled at the news of Ken Hamlin's release. The Cowboys can't afford to let Sensabaugh go anywhere now. The RFA tender they placed on him will probably bring him back next year, but the Cowboys would be wise to get him under contract. They can't afford to go into the season with new starters at both safety positions.

We all saw what Doug Free did in his time filling in for Marc Columbo. He was excellent. But we haven't seen much from him on the left side. And the small sample we got in the Minnesota game didn't exactly make any of us feel warm and fuzzy. Now getting thrown into the situation unexpectedly like Free did in Minnesota was no easy task, but I would have expected a little more. Clearly the coaches and management of the Cowboys feel like Free can do the job either permanently or until a high draft pick is ready to take over.

Flozell is clearly on the decline as a player. His tripping penalties came last season due to his loss of mobility and quickness. He was holding and tripping to make up for the fact that he was getting beaten off the ball by his man. But I really thought the Cowboys would try to milk one more season out of Flozell unless they found a young stud in the draft.

I don't mind cutting either guy. I really don't. There is nothing wrong with getting rid of an overpaid, aging veteran like Flozell Adams. And the fact that the salary cap is gone temporarily opened the window for the perfect moment to unload the ridiculous Ken Hamlin contract. I just do not understand the timing.

I'll bet Doug Free and Alan Ball are going to have a new attitude when they show up to work on Monday. Both guys have a golden opportunity to get on the field regardless of what happens in the draft. Let's hope the moves to unload veterans this offseason pay off like they did last season.

How About Jordan Shipley?

I have to admit that I am an unabashed Longhorn hater. I live in the Austin, Texas area so I get the constant barrage of Longhorn propaganda. I'm not originally from the Austin area so I have always hated the way the Austin area puts the Longhorns on a pedestal. So for me to even consider a player from the Longhorns as a potential Cowboy is saying something. Roy Williams hasn't helped change my view of the Longhorns either.

But if you have ever watched Jordan Shipley play you can see that this guy has the makings of a very good professional receiver. He runs excellent routes, he has good speed and quickness, very good hands, and he has the ability to return punts and kicks. He isn't a big guy (6'0" and 190 lbs.), but he always seemed to play bigger than his measureables would indicate. His 4.4-4.5 40 speed doesn't knock your socks off, but what really matters is how a guy plays in live game action.

Jordan Shipley has been a playmaker for the last few years at Texas. Over the last two seasons Shipley compiled 205 receptions for 2545 yards and 24 touchdowns. And throw in 3 punts returns and a kick return for touchdowns over that span.

Those are pretty gaudy numbers but we do have to keep in mind how a team like Texas plays inferior opponents early in the season and pads their stats while running up the score. However, Shipley made plays against all levels of opposition. In the national title game this year he put up 10 receptions for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns against Alabama with a freshman quarterback running the offense.

I don't think Shipley is a guy who is going to be a gamebreaker but I do think he fits the mold of the slot receiver the Cowboys offense seems to lack. Patrick Crayton does a decent job but he lacks any semblance of speed. Shipley plays fast and I have never seen him get caught from behind. And the guy also has experience as a holder for field goals so Tony Romo could give up that role next season.

I'd like to see the Cowboys draft Shipley and give him a year or two to develop behind Crayton. At some point the Cowboys are going to have to find a suitable long term replacement for Patrick Crayton. Roy Williams, Miles Austin, and Kevin Ogletree look like they will be fixtures on the roster for the foreseeable future so that leaves a couple of spots up for grabs. Sam Hurd has had a long time to work his way into the offense and while he makes a play here or there he has never made plays consistently.

Shipley is projecting to be picked anywhere from the middle of the 2nd round all the way to the beginning of the 5th round. I think he would be a steal for the Cowboys in the 3rd or 4th round. The Cowboys may pass on Shipley but I really hope they finally make a move to find a slot receiver with the ability to return kicks. I've been hoping for a guy like Shipley to be picked by the Cowboys for the last few years. Maybe this is finally the year.

I know everyone looks like a future all-pro on their Youtube highlight reel, but there are some great catches and ankle breaking moves on this video that will get your attention.