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      Much Ado About Nothing 

      by
      Jess Haynie
      Published on 06-14-2013 03:48 PM  Number of Views: 72 

      Call me crazy, but aren’t offensive coordinators supposed to call the plays?

      The recent talk about play-calling duties and Jason Garrett’s job security has been a perfect example of how the media will twist a story to suit an agenda. “Hot seat” stories sell, so when the decision to move the play-calling to Bill Callahan was announced it’s only natural that it would be interpreted as an indictment on Garrett.

      However, I found it odd that the following information didn’t make into most of those articles. Here are the last six years of offensive rankings for the Cowboys:

      2012: 6th in Total Offense, 15th in Scoring
      2011: 11th in Total Offense, 15th in Scoring
      2010: 7th in Total Offense, 7th in Scoring
      2009: 2nd in Total Offense, 14th in Scoring
      2008: 13th in Total Offense, 18th in Scoring
      2007: 3rd in Total Offense, 2nd in Scoring

      So in six years, Garrett’s offense has been ranked in the Top 5 twice, the Top 10 four times, and has never been lower than 13th.       ...
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      The 2008 Draft, Five Years Later 

      by
      Jess Haynie
      Published on 06-01-2013 01:35 PM  Number of Views: 227 

      About a year ago one of our writers was going back and evaluating previous Cowboys draft classes. I thought of this series as I reflected on Felix Jones' recent signing with the Eagles. Jones, like the also-departed Mike Jenkins, was one of two first-round picks from the 2008 draft. It feels like now, five years later, would be a great time to look back at their class and see how Dallas ultimately did with that year’s crop of rookies.

      Before we get into the specific players it’s good to look at the state of the team headed into that draft. Dallas was coming off arguably its best season of the last 15 years. Wade Phillips, in his first year after taking over from Bill Parcells, had led the team to a 13-3 record and a first-round playoff loss to the Giants. The starting lineups were fairly set as 13 players were coming off a Pro Bowl appearance. It was the best of times for guys like Terrell Owens, Marion Barber, Leonard Davis, and Ken Hamlin, all of whom would fall off quickly thereafter.

      Dallas approached the 2008 draft like a team who felt they were just a few pieces away from a championship, looking to diversify their weapons and add depth. Was this the right strategy? Is it ever? Let’s see how the draft unfolded, and we’ll get into the overall success or failure later.


      1. Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas (22nd overall)

      2008 was one of the banner years for running backs entering the NFL. You probably already knew this, but Felix was one of five running backs taken in just the first round alone.       ...
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      Keep on Waiting in the Free World 

      by
      Jess Haynie
      Published on 05-10-2013 10:35 AM  Number of Views: 334 

      Coming out of the draft there is no bigger question mark on the Cowboys’ roster than at right offensive tackle. Just yesterday Doug Free played dumb on the topic of his contract status and future in Dallas while he participated in a team charity event.

      “Really nothing to talk about right now.”

      “A lot going on and stuff, but I’m just happy to be here.”

      “I don’t know anything about it.”

      “You never know what might happen.”

      Thanks, Doug. Obviously there’s more going on that he would acknowledge. Dallas has asked Free to take a pay cut and get his $7 million salary for 2013 down to a more palatable amount. He’s heard the comments about Eric Winston. He’s seen the Cowboys linked as potential suitors for the now-gone Tyson Clabo and Bryant McKinnie.       ...
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      Draft Impact on Existing Roster 

      by
      Jess Haynie
      Published on 05-05-2013 10:09 AM  Number of Views: 350 

      I remember a story from last year’s draft that Mike Jenkins was attending a team event in Dallas, having a good old time, when the Cowboys pulled off the stunning trade to acquire Morris Claiborne. The person telling the story said that Jenkins’ mood immediately soured and he had little to say for the rest of the night. You can understand why. Before that night Jenkins was hoping to either get a long-term deal with Dallas or to at least be a 2012 starter before entering free agency. Instead he was moved to bench, played little, and now is playing a one-year contract in Oakland for just $1.5 million.

      The draft can be a night of highs and lows for the rookies involved, as Geno Smith can no doubt attest to, but it also impacts the veterans whose jobs and roles can change overnight. As we continue to examine the fallout of the 2013 Draft, I thought we could take a look at the five current Cowboys who were most affected by the draft.


      1. Phil Costa, C

      Costa had plenty of reasons to feel good about his position for 2013. Despite his season-long injury problems the Cowboys saw fit to bring him back on a one-year restricted free agent tender. All the draft talk seemed focus on improving the guard spots or replacing Doug Free.       ...
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      2013 Draft Recap; How the New Kids Fit In 

      by
      Jess Haynie
      Published on 04-28-2013 05:13 PM  Number of Views: 399 

      The 53rd draft class in Dallas Cowboys history gave us plenty to talk about. How much of that talk was positive or negative depends on personal opinion, and I saw a whole wide range of those in the aftermath of Thursday night. Today I want to share what I deduced and learned from how the Cowboys handled the 2013 Draft, and also how I see the seven rookies impacting this year's roster.

      First, about the much-analyzed trade, we may need to stop using the old Jimmy Johnson chart for pick value. The trade between Dallas and San Francisco was one of several that didn't compute by the old logic. During the press conference following the first round, Stephen Jones said that the Cowboys came out better in their trade. The old chart said otherwise. It's logical to assume that the old Johnson chart, named after a man who's been out of football for 14 years, has seen some revisions over the last decade.

      Secondly, everyone needs to quickly get over Dallas' decision to pass on Sharrif Floyd. Not only did plenty of teams pass on him as he fell to the 18th pick, but clearly nobody was looking to move up and take him. If Floyd was attractive enough, you'd think someone would have offered Dallas more for the pick than the 49ers did and taken the defensive tackle.       ...
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      First Round Reaction 

      by
      Uri H.
      Published on 04-26-2013 12:53 PM  Number of Views: 405 

      I, like many, was confused, angry and, frankly, speechless after what happened last night in the first round of the draft. So instead of jumping the gun and letting emotions hamper my thoughts, I decided to cool off, regroup, and take a clear-minded look at yesterday's events.

      1. It's clear after what happened that the Cowboys weren't high on Sharrif Floyd. Some state lack of pressure, some say off-the-field issues. What's also cleared is that 22 other teams decided to pass on him also. Not only that four teams decided to pass on him twice. Two late first round teams moved up in the draft and didn't took Floyd went with a different player. Every year we see players fall that make fans look amazed based on all the media attention, draft experts and analyst have said about said player. The actual teams that make the picks are usually the ones that are not surprised.

      2. Jerry Jones said at the press conference that they had 19 players rated with a first-round grade.       ...
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      2013 NFL Mock Draft: Final Edition 

      by
      Zac F.
      Published on 04-24-2013 09:59 PM  Number of Views: 37704 

      From now through the big day on April 25th, our writers will be bringing you their projections for the 2013 NFL Draft. For years, Jess and Uri have competed with each other to see who had the more accurate mock and it's always a tight race. They've often matched, or exceeded, the accuracy of ESPN and NFL Network experts. You're not going to find a better source anywhere!

      Best of all, they both love to debate their picks. If you have any questions or counterpoints for either, please comment below. They will respond quickly!

      NOTE: This mock is based on information as of April 24th, one day before the start of NFL free agency.

      3 Comments

      2013 Draft Mailbag 

      by
      Jess Haynie
      Published on 04-23-2013 02:23 PM  Number of Views: 421 

      We’re just two days from one of the best nights of the year, the first round of the NFL Draft! I put out the requests last week for some draft-related questions and Cowboys Nation responded. Here are the questions, and here are my answers.


      “If [Kenny] Vaccaro is available when we’re up, do you take him? Do we have to take him to help the D, or is the offensive line more important?”
      -- Ceasar Haphazard (CowboysAddicts.com member)

      In my recent Draft Board (link here) article I had Vaccaro listed 11th among players I’d want for the Cowboys. Ahead of him were the top five offensive linemen; Luke Joeckel, Eric Fisher, Lane Johnson, Chance Warnack, and Jonathan Cooper. I also had a few of the pass rushers and two defensive tackles ahead of him. If those ten guys are all gone, then I would absolutely take Vaccaro. He would be an instant starter and mitigate the risk of hoping both Barry Church and Matt Johnson will bounce back from injury and learn the new scheme. Even as a rookie, Vaccaro should be able to match and likely outplay any of the current safeties.

      While I do think the offensive line more important than safety, not just in this circumstance but in general, I ultimately think the draft should be about acquiring as many special players as possible.       ...
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      Building a Cowboys Draft Board 

      by
      Jess Haynie
      Published on 04-19-2013 01:02 PM  Number of Views: 591 

      Putting together a draft board is all about establishing a consistent working formula. I’m sure some other formulas are far more complex than mine, but this is how I approach every player I look at:

      (Current Talent +Future Potential) + Team Need = Draft Value

      It’s really that simple. How good is the guy now, how good could he be down the road, and how much do you need him? Answering those three questions is the foundation for every evaluation you make. As we go through the board I’ve created for the 2013 Dallas Cowboys, remember this at every step. If I have someone like Jonathan Cooper higher than Geno Smith, that “Team Need” part of the equation is a massive determining factor.

      Ready? Good. On we go!


      1. LUKE JOECKEL, OT
      2. ERIC FISHER, OT

      Jockel’s the top-rated talent of any position in the class and plays one of the pinnacle positions of any spot on the team. Fisher is right there with him, and some even think he could have more upside. The Cowboys could absolutely use an upgrade at offensive tackle after Doug Free’s disaster of a season.       ...
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