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Sean Lee gets some headlines.
Outside of the coaching news we reported on earlier in the week, there isn't much movement going on at Valley Ranch at the moment. Well, not a lot of movement fit for public consumption. The team has all but admitted to 2011 not living up to their expectations and have made some moves that indicate they are not oblivious to the problem areas we outside observers have noticed.
Of course, one playoff win in 15 years has jaded some followers to the point that every move is looked at with skepticism, but the franchise has brought that on itself. As much 'talking in from the ledge' I do on the BTB Facebook Fan Page or on the @BloggingTheBoys twitter account (shameless plugs, like and follow please), I understand where it's coming from.
Follow the jump for six Dallas Cowboys headlines from around the web, for your easy consumption.
Houck Retiring After 45 Years Of Coaching: The Mothership | Good read including a full-of-class acceptance of the blame for the offensive line's shortcomings. Also includes an interesting take that Dallas finished better than the Jets and new Dallas O-Line guru Bill Callahan in certain key rushing stats.
Tom Ciskowski stays in Dallas: ESPN Dallas | Ciskowski was interviewed by the Indianapolis Colts for their vacant GM job, but will remain in Dallas as the Colts went in a different direction. Off to finalize those draft boards with you, Tom!
Mel Kiper Regrades Dallas' 2011 Draft: Dallas News | ESPN's draft Guru gives the Cowboys a regrade of a C+, down from a B- at the time of the draft. He penalizes for Tyron Smith playing on the right side even though he was the No. 9 selection, and the DeMarco Murray injury; as well as lack of PT for Bruce Carter, David Arkin and Dwayne Harris. Aaaaaand.... go!
Danny White: If Everyone Played Like Romo, Cowboys Would Be In The Super Bowl: NBC DFW | The man most Romo-detractors compare him to, says that Romo is so far from the problem in Big D that people should be ashamed of themselves for pointing to him as the failure point. OK, interpretation is mine. Read the article to see what Danny really says.
Dallas Cowboys sign Robert Callaway to a three-year extension: MLive.com | Local take on the Cowboys latest addition to the defensive line rotation. Callaway spent the season on the practice squad after being brought in from the Lions fold.
What Went Right, Sean Lee Takes Over: ESPN Dallas | Can you imagine this defense without Chuck Norris? Ewww.
0 recs | 58 comments
I would rather Jon Jones than Chuck Norris.
football mensa - January 12, 2012
Heresy!
Burn him!!
Lord Humungus - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Jon Jones is inhuman...
Dude’s absolutely fierce.
Omar Little - January 12, 2012
I agree with White, to an extent.
I think this team lacks alot of talent in the grunt positions on both sides of the ball and just about all the skill positions on the defensive side of the ball. Effort is not the issue.
Jace M - January 12, 2012
Weak from Mel Kiper
Elsewhere on his site we regularly held 2 of the top 10 spots of their Rookie watch, and we go down?
TheLondonCowboy - January 12, 2012
I stopped paying attention to Kiper a long time ago
I think Mike Mayock is much better than Kiper.
Antonio S - January 12, 2012
yeah that was BS
Tyron has no control over switching positions, Murray’s injury was a broken leg (I fail to see how he could have prevented that), and it was understoood that Arkin and Carter probably wouldn’t get much time this past year….While I understand the grade getting better, to get worse?….
I call BS
I am Ironman!!! - January 12, 2012
Kiper on Darren Woodson
Was not favorable about this pick…..
Guess he was wrong.
Kiper is like weather forecasters. We are interested to know what might happen, and still
listen to them when they are wrong 50% of the time.
oldtimer - January 12, 2012
Aren't you supposed to wait three years to grade a draft?
TheCowboyFan - January 12, 2012
Everyone gets draft grades wrong.
After listening to Mike Mayock talk about Ronnie Brown I thought he needed knee pads every time he mentioned the name. It’s part of college talent, EVERYONE makes mistakes. Mel Kiper’s been doing this for 30 years, which in it of itself doesn’t make him a good talent grader, BUT it does mean that he has better sources than anyone else in the game. The inside dope he gets is unreal, his mock drafts are worth looking at by anyone.
I’m not trying to sing Kiper’s praises and rake Mayock over the coals. The draft is pretty unpredictable, there’s lots of variables and lots of things that can go right and wrong. You need to listen to everyone big draft name.
Omar Little - January 12, 2012
Does anyone really care whta Kiper thinks?
pfloyd1 - January 12, 2012
What not whta
pfloyd1 - January 12, 2012
It's not that Kiper's dumb
He plays to a dumb audience. He has to appease his idiot audience, while riling up a large enough part of that idiot audience to get readers. It’s the way ESPN works. Besides grading a draft a year after it happens is stupid. Lets say Tron is the man at LT, Murray comes back healthy, and Carter starts next year and is awesome…if Akrin or Nagy are even good back ups and Harris is an okay s/t player and contributes as a 4th WR. That means they knocked this draft out of the park. Is that really that unlikely?
Besides grading a draft right after the first season is, in it of itself, dumb. Guys get injured, guys need time to get acclimated to the league and learn the playbook, some guys need to develop as players, and some guys end up getting stuck behind vets. Wait three years before you’re attempting to put anything close to a real grade on the draft, and probably five years before the jury comes back with a verdict. It seems the piece Kiper wrote should have been titled “Teams that got the most from their rookies,” which, is a good article. Something I’d be interested in reading. I’d like to know which first rounders I liked and didn’t like did well, and which ones did not so well. That’s a different, yet related, conversation to who had the best draft.
Omar Little - January 12, 2012
extremely well stated Omar
KD Drummond - January 12, 2012
What'd be cool is
A grade the weekend after the draft, a year after, three years after, then five years after.
Omar Little - January 12, 2012
Isn't that what he is doing?
Seanrude - January 14, 2012
Yeah Kiper is terrible
Just absolutely awful. I mean, besides being an annoying talking head and everything—the guy just has no skill whatsoever as a “draft nit.” I mean—like NONE. Agree Mayock is far, far better.
Cowboys Dominance - January 13, 2012
Everyone on this blog wishes they had Kiper's gig.
football mensa - January 13, 2012
Hum, if I had a TV gig would I have to buy a TV to watch myself?
I don’t currently own a TV. I never plugged it in or watched it, so I got rid of it.
Rena - January 13, 2012
If u were banking what Kipe ris banking then it wouldn't matter if you had a tv.
football mensa - January 13, 2012
We need a different nickname for Lee. The Chuck Norris stuff has been played out for like 3 years now. It’s pretty lame.
BigDumbFace - January 12, 2012 via iPhone app
till Carter is starting and we get Bruce Lee i think we are stuck with Chuck
yehti - January 12, 2012 via mobile
So September...
Omar Little - January 12, 2012
When Carter gets healthy our two ILBs will be known as RUSH HOUR 4: Carter & Lee Take on The NFL
Rohpuri - January 12, 2012
It's too early to grade the 4-7 picks,
Tron – A “If he becomes a dominate LT + his youth, he’ll be the best pick in the draft”
Carter C “Dallas knew he wouldn’t contribute much his first year”
Murray B “Because of his limited play”
DIRE WOLF - January 12, 2012
exactly.
Carter seemed good in his limited play and ST. He seems extremely fast
yehti - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Bruce Carter is gonna be a beast
I predict he will make huge strides this offseason.
Antonio S - January 12, 2012
itd be huge if your right.
2 playmaking ILB. would go a long ways to fixing this D
yehti - January 12, 2012 via mobile
He's wasn't at full speed either, the knee operation slowed him some.
He’ll be 100% and have an off season under his belt next year. He was graded a 1st round talent, but fell because of the knee.
DIRE WOLF - January 12, 2012
Limited time playing
He still got blocked a punt (A freaking special teams nightmare in college) and in the process allowed us to prevent the first home shutout in over a decade.
ProBowlFactory - January 12, 2012
Another nice one KD
Tyrone Jenkins - January 12, 2012
Who is behind Sean Lee?
The front of the jersey looks like Felix with a #28, but when you look at the shoulder number it looks like a 9…. Im confused
pballinboxer - January 12, 2012
It's Elam.
The 9 you see is a 6.
BigDumbFace - January 12, 2012 via iPhone app
but
it looks like an 8 on the front of the jersey? do you see this or is it just me?
pballinboxer - January 12, 2012
actually nvm... haha
pballinboxer - January 12, 2012
LOL. The 6 looks like an 8 when his body moves and turns.
fs65 - January 12, 2012
Danny White is exactly right, I've been saying that all along
If every player on the team played with the heart of Romo, this team would win the SB each year.
Terry - January 12, 2012
Plus, if every player was as talented at their position as Romo is at QB.
DIRE WOLF - January 12, 2012
truth
yehti - January 12, 2012 via mobile
He's just plain right!
pfloyd1 - January 12, 2012
Why is there a question about Romo? Since the first few games he's been phenomenal!
pfloyd1 - January 12, 2012
Many say that he has only 3-4 good years left. If we can protect him,
he could have a few more than that. He was, what, 27 before he became the full time starter. He’ll be 32 next season. With a dominant OL, why can’t he play well until he’s 37-38 years old. That would basically be a solid 10 year career.
Draft DeCastro and protect the franchise!
pfloyd1 - January 12, 2012
"he doesn’t throw an interception in the red zone the whole year."
that’s a nifty little stat i hadn’t noticed before.
johnnypocket - January 12, 2012
Hey, we got a break with Ciskowski.
I wonder if JJ dangled a carrot?
pfloyd1 - January 12, 2012
I think the Colts wanted that guy from Philly all along
Antonio S - January 12, 2012
At least it doesn't screw up our player evaluation capabilities for 2-3 years.
pfloyd1 - January 12, 2012
Do you think this Robert Callaway signing has anything to do with
Ratliff moving to end as reported earlier this week. Are we lookin at it as Brent starting with Callaway rotating in?
Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) - January 12, 2012
Trying to find out info on Calloway. He's 6'5" 312. He was DT on Lions in 4-3 D.
He sounds kind of tall for a NT, but I don’t know if they’ll try him there or at DE. Rat though is listed at 6’4" 285.
pfloyd1 - January 12, 2012
I think inking him for the three years means they really like what they saw out of him
I’m leaning that direction. I’d worry over the fact he was never brought up, but Dallas handles their young players in strange ways so- can’t read too much into anything.
KD Drummond - January 12, 2012
I hope so
cant think of any reason we would ink a third string NT for three years even at min. He has to be #2 behind Brent. If things dont work out we move Rat back no harm no foul. Damned cheap way to improve the pass rush
sexililkitti - January 12, 2012
So tired of draft "guru" Kiper AND Mcshay
these guys are getting old and stale. I’m sure speculation is listed in their job description.
Cowboy Curtis - January 12, 2012
The way I look at it
If they were any good at what they do, they’d be working for a team. That said, due to having sources on various teams, their mock drafts are worth looking at, just not their actual player evaluations.
MilesAhead - January 12, 2012 via Android app
Danny White speaks the truth.
Rohpuri - January 12, 2012
"The team has all but admitted to 2011 not living up to their expectations..."
And with The O-line and secondary coaches the only staff changes ( Haley and Sparano both go elsewhere; so no OC for 2012?) as of right now the prudent thing to do would be to LOWER the 2011 expectations for 2012. " Keep movin’ people , nothing to see here, nothing going on, move along, nothin happening here"
stubabe - January 12, 2012
And It Is Official!
95% of DC fan bloggers on ESPN are morons!!!!
mho - January 12, 2012 via iPhone app
KD,
Do you have Carter’s game grades or did he not play enough snaps?
mho - January 12, 2012 via iPhone app
defensively only 41 snaps- that’s not even 3rd string CB for 1 game.
-1.7 overall, -1.6 run stop, -0.5 pass rush, +0.4 pass cov., +0.0 penalties…
however, his grade for his first ever game, Week 9 had the following in those respective categories
-1.1, -1.0, -0.2, +0.1, +0.0
Special Teams he graded out as a +2.5 in five games “played”
KD Drummond - January 12, 2012
Thanks KD!
I don’t think he will be Sean Lee, but I hope with a full offseason he breaks out next year!!
mho - January 13, 2012 via iPhone app
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