Dallas Cowboys News

[DC_fan]

Pro Bowl Announcements

Cowboys have had four players, Tyron Smith (OT), Zack Martin (G), Travis Frederick (C) and Dan Bailey (K) named to the 2016 Pro Bowl.

It is Smiths third selection, Martin and Fredericks second, and Baileys first.

Martin becomes the 6th Cowboys player to reach the Pro Bowl in the first two years in the league.

 

[DC_fan]

Dallas Cowboys 2015 "Player of the Year" points vs Buffalo Bills (Wk 16)

Offense
Darren McFadden RB 3
Brice Butler WR 2
Terrance Williams WR 1

Defense
Sean Lee LB DE 3
Barry Church S 2
Brandon Carr CB 1




Leader board for the 2015 season

Offense (Emmitt Smith Trophy)
Darren McFadden RB 25
Jason Witten TE 13
Joseph Randle RB 9
Cole Beasley WR 7
Matt Cassel QB 5
Dez Bryant WR 5
Brandon Weeden QB 4
Tony Romo QB 4
Zack Martin G 4
La'el Collins G 3
Travis Frederick C 2
Brice Butler WR 2
Terrance Williams WR 2
Tyron Smith OT 1
Lance Dunbar RB 1
Doug Free OT 1
Lucky Whitehead WR 1
Robert Turbin RB 1

Defense (Bob Lilly Trophy)
Sean Lee LB 24
DeMarcus Lawrence DE 13
Rolando McClain LB 9
Greg Hardy DE 8
Byron Jones DB 8
Tyrone Crawford DT 7
Anthony Hitchens LB 5
Tyler Patmon CB 4
Barry Church S 5
Damien Wilson LB 2
Corey White CB 2
JJ Wilcox S 1
Brandon Carr CB 2

 

[DC_fan]

Dallas Cowboy "2015 Player of the Year" points for the Wk 17 game against the Washington Redskins

Offense
Terrance Williams WR 3
Darren McFadden RB 2
Brice Butler WR 1

Defense
Rolando McClain LB 3
Deji Olatoye CB 2
DeMarcus Lawrence DE 1

Final Points for 2015

Emmitt Smith Trophy (Offense)
Darren McFadden RB 27 (Winner)
Jason Witten TE 13
Joseph Randle RB 9
Cole Beasley WR 7
Matt Cassel QB 5
Dez Bryant WR 5
Terrance Williams WR 5
Brandon Weeden QB 4
Tony Romo QB 4
Zack Martin G 4
Brice Butler WR 3
La'el Collins (Offensive Rookie of the Year)
Travis Frederick C 2
Tyron Smith T 1
Lance Dunbar RB 1
Doug Free T 1
Lucky Whitehead WR 1
Robert Turbin RB 1


Bob Lilly Trophy (Defense)
Sean Lee LB 24 (Winner)
DeMarcus Lawrence DE 14
Rolando McClain LB 12
Greg Hardy DE 8
Byron Jones DB 8 (Defensive Rookie of the Year)
Tyrone Crawford DT 7
Anthony Hitchens LB 5
Barry Church S 5
Tyler Patmon CB 4
Damien Wilson LB 2
Corey White CB 2
Brandon Carr CB 2
Deji Olatoye CB 2
JJ Wilcox S 1


Roll of Honour

Emmitt Smith Trophy

2015 Darren McFadden RB
2014 DeMarco Murray RB
2013 Tony Romo QB
2012 Tony Romo QB

Bob Lilly Trophy
2014 Rolando McClain LB & Anthony Hitchens LB
2013 Jason Hatcher DT
2012 Anthony Spencer LB


Offensive Rookie of the Year
2015 La'el Collins G
2014 Zack Martin G
2013 Terrance Williams WR
2012 Cole Beasley WR


Defensive Rookie of the Year
2015 Byron Jones DB
2014 Anthony Hitchens LB
2013 DeVonte Holloman LB
2012 Morris Claiborne CB

 

[DC_fan]

Report: Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel have Cowboys atop their preferred destinations

Yahoo Sports reported, citing anonymous sources close to each player, that both Johnny Manziel and Robert Griffin III have Dallas atop their preferred destinations should they become available.

Manziel, the embattled Cleveland Browns quarterback, and Griffin, the Washington Redskins quarterback and former Baylor Bears Heisman winner, both could be released this off-season.

Yahoo! writer Charles Robinson writes another QB would be a better fit.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and see him as a better option for a ground-up rebuild in Dallas (should he become available). Kaepernick has a bigger frame than either Manziel or Griffin. He has elite arm strength. He has had more starting experience and also had success in bigger games. And for a time in his career, he showed significant growth in his game. That's a lot of ammunition for a Kaepernick argument.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...y-manziel-cowboys-atop-preferred-destinations

 

[DC_fan]

Cowboys coaches picked for Senior Bowl

A year after coaching the Pro Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys’ coaching staff will work the Senior Bowl later this month in Mobile, Ala.

Executive vice president Stephen Jones confirmed the news on Wednesday, which had been expected given the Cowboys’ 4-12 season. The Senior Bowl typically chooses staffs from the two worst teams that aren’t undergoing coaching changes.

Organizations have the option of declining, but that rarely happens and coach Jason Garrett expressed interest in coaching the showcase game earlier this week.

“If we have the opportunity we’re going to take full advantage of it,” Garrett said at his season-ending news conference on Monday.

“You’re there for a week with the players so you see them in a pro football environment. We would meet in practice like we would here so you get a chance to see them up close and spend the days with them both in the meetings and on the practice field and obviously see how they respond to our system of football and how we want to coach.

“And then you get a chance to coach them in the ballgame. So it’s really the best up-close and personal look that you get of these players through the whole draft process.”

Senior Bowl practices begin on Jan. 26 with the game taking place on Jan. 30. The game features the nation’s top senior college football players, and the Cowboys will be heavily involved in the evaluation process this year with the fourth overall pick in April’s draft and high selections in the subsequent rounds.

This marks the first time in 50 years that the organization will be coaching in the Senior Bowl. The last time was in 1965 with Tom Landry.

Among players from Texas schools who have already accepted invitations are TCU wide receivers Josh Doctson and Kolby Listenbee; Baylor offensive tackle Spencer Drango, defensive end Shawn Oakman, wide receiver Jay Lee and long snapper Jimmy Landes; and Texas Tech offensive tackle Le’Raven Clark.

The Cowboys will be evaluating quarterbacks heavily this off-season as well.

Among the quarterbacks who have accepted invites are Kevin Hogan (Stanford), Dak Prescott (Mississippi State), Jacoby Brissett (North Carolina State), Jeff Driskel (Louisiana Tech), Cody Kessler (USC) and Carson Wentz (North Dakota State).

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports...orner-blog/article53433550.html#storylink=cpy

 

[DC_fan]

Cowboys have four players named second-team All-Pro

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys didn’t have a player selected to the first-team Associated Press All-Pro team, but they did have four players voted to the second team. It's the first time since 2005 the Cowboys have not had a first-team All-Pro pick.

Left tackle Tyron Smith, guard Zack Martin, center Travis Frederick and kicker Dan Bailey were picked for the second team.

Smith had been a first-team pick in 2013 and ’14, and Martin was a first-teamer last year.

All four were picked to play in the Pro Bowl last month.

Smith has missed one game in his career after the Cowboys took him in the first round in 2011. Since Frederick has arrived, the Cowboys have had a 1,000-yard rusher in each of his three seasons. Martin solidified the offensive line after his arrival in 2014.

Bailey, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, missed two kicks all season -- a 48-yarder in windy conditions at Tampa Bay and a 50-yarder at Buffalo in cold conditions -- and did not miss a point-after attempt.

Cleveland’s Joe Thomas and Cincinnati’s Andrew Whitworth were the first-team picks at tackle, while Baltimore’s Marshal Yanda and Pittsburgh’s David DeCastro were the first-team guards. New England’s Stephen Gostkowski was the first-team kicker.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas-cowb...s-with-four-players-named-second-team-all-pro

 

[DC_fan]

Report: Cowboys DBs coach Jerome Henderson to join Dolphins coaching staff

Jerome Henderson will no longer be coaching the Dallas Cowboys defensive backs.

According to FOXSports.com, Henderson will be joining the Miami Dolphins' staff.

Henderson, who spent four seasons with the Cowboys, was coaching in the final year of his contract. He interviewed for the Cleveland Browns' head-coaching job on Friday.

Henderson was hired as the Cowboys' secondary coach in January 2012. He previously worked as the secondary coach in Cleveland for three years. He also spent time with the New York Jets after an eight-year playing career.

The Cowboys ranked fifth in passing defense in 2015, holding opponents to 227 yards per game. But Dallas finished second-to-last in interceptions with eight, and only five of those were recorded by defensive backs.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...jerome-henderson-join-dolphins-coaching-staff

 

[DC_fan]

Future Cowboys? The top 20 potential NFL free agents and whether they'd fit in Dallas

The Cowboys' 2015 season is over. The process of forming their 2016 team will begin soon. Like every year, there is plenty of talent that could be available in the free agent market. Here's a look at the top 20 non-Cowboys potential free agents and whether they would fit in Dallas.

Quarterbacks
Kirk Cousins, Age: 27, Team: Washington Redskins, 2015 cap hit: $778,172
The Cowboys don't have the need and won't have the opportunity to look at Cousins. He just led the Redskins to the playoffs. Washington is going to give him a huge payday.

Sam Bradford, Age: 28, Team: Philadelphia Eagles, 2015 cap hit: $12,985,000
Bradford won't get the same amount of money he made in his first contract, but what he does get will still likely be too much the Cowboys are willing to pay for a backup quarterback.

Running Backs
Matt Forte, Age: 30, Team: Chicago Bears, 2015 cap hit: $9,200,000
Forte is one of the league's most complete backs but has hit 30 years old, the magic number for most running backs that marks the start of their decline. If he realizes he needs to be paired with another option at his age, he and McFadden could give the Cowboys a strong stable of running backs. Dallas may look to somebody younger, however.

Chris Ivory, Age: 27, Team: New York Jets, 2015 cap hit: $2,750,000
Ivory is one of seven running backs to have eclipsed 1,000 yards this season. More of a downhill runner, he'd be a nice complement to Darren McFadden. The question will be whether the price is right.

Doug Martin, Age: 26, Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2015 cap hit: $2,159,668
Martin finished second in the NFL, rushing for 1,402 yards. He missed out on the rushing title by 84 yards. Like Ivory, he'd provide a more physical element to the Cowboys' backfield but after this season would Martin want to go somewhere where he'd split carries with Darren McFadden for a year? If he does pick the Cowboys, it would likely be Martin's backfield for 2017 and beyond.

Lamar Miller, Age: 24, Team: Miami Dolphins, 2015 cap hit: $1,663,500
Miller has stated he wants to go to a scheme that best utilizes his abilities. It's possible Miller looks at the Cowboys' offensive line and thinks he can fit in Dallas. He'd probably be more willing to split carries with McFadden than the previous two. One of the youngest running backs on this list (he'll be 25 by the 2016 season) he could be the Cowboys' back of the future with McFadden's contract running out after the 2016 season.
Wide receivers
Alshon Jeffrey, Age: 25, Team: Chicago Bears, 2015 cap hit: $1,447,036
Jeffrey would be a force alongside Dez Bryant, but the Cowboys likely aren't going to spend the money necessary to draw Jeffrey to Dallas.

Offensive tackles
Cordy Glenn, Age: 26, Team: Buffalo Bills, 2015 cap hit: $1,548,012
Glenn helped the Bills to the NFL's best rushing offense and is a guy some consider a franchise left tackle. The Cowboys don't have the need the position to spend the money required to sign Glenn should he hit the open market.

Russell Okung, Age; 28, Team: Seattle Seahawks, 2015 cap hit: $7,280,000
Theoretically, the Cowboys could sign Okung and move him to right tackle to take the place of Doug Free. But like Glenn, the Cowboys' need for an offensive tackle isn't big enough in order for them jump in the sweepstakes and offer the type of contract it will take to lure Okung to Dallas.

Defensive ends
Muhammad Wilkerson, Age: 26, Team: New York Jets, 2015 cap hit: $6,969,000
A fractured tibia in the final game of the season might hurt Wilkerson's market, but not much. He's had double digit sacks in two of the past three years and would be an ideal addition to a Cowboys' team that has struggled to get the quarterback the past two years. The question is whether the Jets will let him hit the market as he is a candidate for their franchise tag.

Jason Pierre-Paul, Age: 27, Team: New York Giants, 2015 cap hit: $7,350,000
Pierre-Paul's mangled right hand from a July 4 fireworks incident has hurt his ability to wrap up running backs and he had just one sack in eight games this season. Pierre-Paul told New York reporters he'll get another surgery this offseason. The Cowboys are desperate for a pass rusher and know Pierre-Paul better than most having played against him twice a year. He might be the low-cost, high-risk, high-reward move for Dallas this offseason like Hardy was last season. Pierre-Paul's stock is higher than Hardy's was, though.

Defensive tackles
Malik Jackson, Age: 25, Team: Denver Broncos, 2015 cap hit: $1,595,403
In a contract year, Jackson broke out for a career-high 45 tackles. He also had five sacks and batted seven passes down at the line of scrimmage, leading NFL defensive lineman. Jackson plays in a 3-4 defense in Denver and is best-suited to stay in a similar scheme, making it unlikely he and the Cowboys have mutual interest.

Linebackers
Von Miller, Age: 26, Team: Denver Broncos, 2015 cap hit: $9,754,000
The Cowboys could have an advantage in luring the DeSoto native back home, but even with a hometown discount Dallas would likely have to offer Miller, one of the best pass rushers in the game, a monster contract to sign him and move him to defensive end in their 4-3 defense. Chances are the Cowboys won't get the opportunity. If Denver doesn't re-sign him to a long-term deal, they can use the franchise tag on him to keep him around for another year.

Bruce Irvin, Age: 25, Team: Seattle Seahawks, 2015 cap hit: $2,985,542
Irvin could be a versatile upgrade for the Cowboys should the team not re-sign Rolando McClain. He could also help the Cowboys get to the quarterback as he has averaged six sacks over the past two seasons.

Danny Trevathan, Age: 25, Team: Denver Broncos, 2015 cap hit: $1,568,018
Trevathan leads the Broncos in tackles and is an above average coverage linebacker. He's due for a big pay day this offseason. If the Cowboys lose McClain they might take a look, but Trevathan will get plenty of suitors.

Cornerbacks
Josh Norman, Age: 28, Team: Carolina Panthers, 2015 cap hit: $1,591,750
Norman established himself as one of if not the best corner in the game this season. If the Cowboys let Morris Claiborne go in free agency and release Brandon Carr, they could have the need and the means to make a splashy signing at cornerback in free agency. No one would be splashier than Norman, but it's unlikely Carolina ever lets him hit the market.

Prince Amukamara, Age: 26, Team: New York Giants, 2015 cap hit: $6,898,000
Amukamara would be a nice consolation prize for the Cowboys should Norman stay in Carolina. He has seven interceptions in his career and is one year removed from a three interception season. His 10 pass deflections this season are more than any other Cowboys player accumulated.

Janoris Jenkins, Age: 27, Team: St. Louis Rams, 2015 cap hit: $1,587,829
Jenkins has steadily improved since coming into the league four years ago and might be even more of a playmaker than Amukamara. Jenkins had three interceptions and 15 pass deflections this year.

Safeties
Eric Weddle, Age: 31, Team: San Diego Chargers, 2015 cap hit: $10,100,000
The three-time Pro Bolwer would be an upgrade for the Cowboys secondary, but Dallas has three safeties still under contract. Byron Jones will likely stay there next season while Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox both have a year remaining on their contracts. Still, if Weddle wants to come to Dallas, the Cowboys wouldn't have to take on much dead money should they decide to release Church or Wilcox.

Eric Berry, Age: 27, Team: Kansas City Chiefs, 2015 cap hit: $8,357,700
Berry came back this season after beating cancer and turned in a Pro Bowl-caliber year. If the Cowboys were to pair him and Byron Jones together they'd have one of the most versatile safety tandems in the league.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...-potential-nfl-free-agents-whether-fit-dallas

Some real talent there. If I could have my choice of players i would be looking at RB Lamar Miller, LB Bruce Irvin and S Eric Berry.

 

[DC_fan]

Maybe Dan Bailey's magic has rubbed off on Jordan Spieth, or vice versa

IRVING, Texas -- After Dan Bailey made a 54-yard field goal to beat the Washington Redskins, golfer Jordan Spieth said he needed to buy the jersey of the Dallas Cowboys' kicker.


When Spieth, the Masters and U.S. Open champion, served as the Cowboys’ honorary captain before the Dec. 19 meeting against the New York Jets, he was wearing a navy No. 5 jersey and walked to midfield next to Bailey.

“It’s always good to have the support of anybody really,” Bailey said, “but whenever that somebody that’s at the top of their craft, that’s pretty cool.”

Spieth, a Dallas native, is good friends with quarterback Tony Romo. He was in the quarterback’s suite at AT&T Stadium for the season-opening win against the New York Giants. They have played numerous rounds of golf together as well.

Maybe he has a No. 9 jersey somewhere, but he wore Bailey’s proudly.

On Sunday Spieth, won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, Hawaii, by eight shots. It was Spieth’s seventh win on the PGA Tour and he joined Tiger Woods as the only players to record that many wins by age 22 since complete records began in 1970.

“That was the first time I ever met him,” Bailey said. “I know he’s buddies with Tony. He’s a nice guy. I mean you can tell why he’s at the top of his game.”

They were not able to set up a round of golf in the offseason, however.

“I’m going to have to give my golf game a little more attention before that,” Bailey said.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas-cowb...has-rubbed-off-on-jordan-spieth-or-vice-versa

 

[DC_fan]

Mock draft roundup: Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell early favorite for Cowboys

As expected for this time of year, there's hardly a consensus on what the Dallas Cowboys should do with the fourth overall pick.

Some feel they must get Tony Romo's heir apparent, others suggest they grab the best player available. The Cowboys could certainly use a young QB to develop over the next few years behind Romo. But if they're looking for a player to make an immediate impact next season, a play-making defender is probably the better choice.

Cowboys' top three immediate needs: defensive back, linebacker, running back.

To give you and idea of what some of the experts are thinking Dallas should do at No. 4, here's a way-too-early mock draft roundup.

NFLDraftScout.com's Dane Brugler:
Pick: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss.
Comment: "The Cowboys will consider a quarterback here and need help on defense, but the window is closing with Tony Romo at quarterback and Dallas needs to surround him with more talent. Treadwell, who is similar to Dez Bryant with the way he attacks the football, would be an ideal fit opposite Dez."

CBSSports.com's Rob Rang:
Pick: Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA.
Comment: "The Cowboys face a critical decision with their first-round pick in 2016. This club is clearly more talented than the others selecting in the top five and therefore a gambler like owner Jerry Jones might be tempted to add an immediate impact defender like Jack rather than select a quarterback to groom behind the 35-year old (and increasingly injury-prone) Tony Romo."
SBNation.com's Dan Kadar:
Pick: Jalen Ramsey, CB/S, Florida State.
Comment: "The Cowboys could use a player like Ramsey at either safety or cornerback, and he'd make an impact straight away. If they like him at corner, it would allow Byron Jones to be a full-time safety. If the preference is to put Ramsey at safety - which I view as his better NFL position - Jones can stay at cornerback."

SI.com's Chris Burke:
Pick: Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA.
Comment: "The 2015 season was miserable for the Cowboys, but picking within the top five is a decent consolation prize for a team that can be in playoff contention again soon. ... Assuming Jack's health checks out, he might provide the most bang for the buck. The UCLA star is a rangy and athletic option at linebacker."

WalterFootball.com's Walter Cherepinsky:
Pick: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss.
Comment: "I've had Myles Jack slotted to the Cowboys in my past few updates, but I think Laquon Treadwell is also a possibility. We've seen now that the Cowboys will struggle to do anything offensively if Dez Bryant is out of the lineup. And even when Bryant is playing, he could use a dynamic No. 2 receiver across the field to take some attention away from him."

BleacherReport.com's Matt Miller:
Pick: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis.
Comment: "The Dallas Cowboys may not be in this position again for a while, which makes the decision to draft a young quarterback even easier for Jerry and Stephen Jones in the team's draft room. ... The Cowboys, when healthy, have a roster good enough to make a playoff run. This is more like drafting Tim Duncan after an older David Robinson goes down with an injury than anything else. Smart teams use the advantages given to them, and the Cowboys can draft a clear quarterback of the future here and not be rushed into playing him. It's really a no-brainer."

Rotoworld.com's Josh Norris:
Pick: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss.
Comment: "Treadwell and Dez Bryant on the same team? Why?.... Why not. Terrance Williams' contract is up and he is an average talent at best. Jason Witten is very close to transitioning from Dad Running to Dad Power Walking. Treadwell is an ultra-physical receiver both before and after the catch."

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...ss-wr-laquon-treadwell-early-favorite-cowboys

I would be very surprised if the Cowboys drafted a WR with the 4th pick. For mine their is just too many other problem areas to be looked at first.

But I will place a disclaimer on that by saying its still 5 months to the draft and anything could happen in that time.

 

[DC_fan]

Report: Cowboys DBs coach Jerome Henderson to join Dolphins coaching staff

Jerome Henderson will no longer be coaching the Dallas Cowboys defensive backs.

According to FOXSports.com, Henderson will be joining the Miami Dolphins' staff.

Henderson, who spent four seasons with the Cowboys, was coaching in the final year of his contract. He interviewed for the Cleveland Browns' head-coaching job on Friday.

Henderson was hired as the Cowboys' secondary coach in January 2012. He previously worked as the secondary coach in Cleveland for three years. He also spent time with the New York Jets after an eight-year playing career.

The Cowboys ranked fifth in passing defense in 2015, holding opponents to 227 yards per game. But Dallas finished second-to-last in interceptions with eight, and only five of those were recorded by defensive backs.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...jerome-henderson-join-dolphins-coaching-staff

reports proved to be incorrect

 

[DC_fan]

Approximate Value: Ranking The 2015 Dallas Cowboys Roster From Top To Bottom

Over the years, we've frequently used a metric called Approximate Value, a metric courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com, here on Blogging The Boys. If you're a regular reader, you're probably familiar with the metric, if not, or if you're new to our little corner of the interwebs, consider this post your introduction.

Approximate Value (AV) and the closely related Career Approximate Value (CAV) is something we've repeatedly used over the last six years, particularly during draft coverage. And as we get into the swing of all things draft related over the coming weeks and months, we'll probably use the once again. So in order to get everybody on the same page, we'll use this post as a detailed introduction to AV.

"Approximate Value" was developed by Doug Drinen at Pro-Football-Reference.com and is designed to assign a specific value to any player at any position for any given year. The algorithm behind AV weights position specific metrics (i.e. yards or points scored/allowed) with an indicator for durability (total games played and seasons as their team's primary starter) and quality (Pro Bowl and All Pro nominations) and then normalizes all this at a team level.

There is a difference between seasonal AV stats and the Career AV stats at pro-football-reference.com. While AV shows the Approximate Value for a single season, Career AV computes a weighted sum of the seasonal AV scores: 100% of the player's best season, plus 95% of his 2nd-best season, plus 90% of his 3rd-best season, plus 85% of his 4th-best season, and so on.

There are many ways to use the AV or CarAV metric, and today we'll use it to take a high-level view of the 2015 Cowboys roster. But before diving into the numbers, some more explanation from PFR:

"Essentially, AV is a substitute for --- and a significant improvement upon, in my opinion --- metrics like 'number of seasons as a starter' or 'number of times making the Pro Bowl' or the like. You should think of it as being essentially like those two metrics, but with interpolation in between."

And like every stat, AV has its limitations.

"AV is not meant to be a be-all end-all metric. Football stat lines just do not come close to capturing all the contributions of a player the way they do in baseball and basketball. If one player is a 16 and another is a 14, we can't be very confident that the 16AV player actually had a better season than the 14AV player. But I am pretty confident that the collection of all players with 16AV played better, as an entire group, than the collection of all players with 14AV."

This is an important aspect to keep in mind: The AV numbers are relative. Players on good teams will score higher than players on bad teams, some positions (e.g. QB) will score higher than others (e.g. safeties), position groups (e.g. offensive linemen) will score roughly the same even if there are differences in actual performance.

The AV number starts at 0 and has gone as high as 26 only once in the Super Bowl era: In 2006 Ladanian Tomlinson reached that mark when he set the NFL record for rushing TDs (28) and also topped the league with 1,815 rushing yards.

Topping this year's list is J.J. Watt with 21 points, followed by Aaron Donald and Cam Newton (both 20), and Andrew Whitworth and Russell Wilson (both 19). AV points are fluid from one year to the next, but a rough scale for this year would look something like this:

AV Description No. of players 2015
19-21 MVP- or Player Of The Year level performance 5
12-18 All-Pro/Pro Bowl level performance 52
6-11 Starter quality 421
3-5 Backup player or limited playing time 439
1-2 Role player 665
0 Scrub 800+
Note that there are only 478 players in the league with an AV of 6 points or more, an indication of starter quality. That's an average of only about 15 players per NFL team, and that's an important take-away here: No team in the league has starter quality at every position, especially not in the salary cap era. Keep that in mind as we review the Cowboys roster below, sorted in descending order from 10 points to zero.

The Starters

Eight to 10 points - The Cowboys All Pros

1. Tyron Smith (10points)
2. Travis Frederick (8)
3. Zack Martin (8)

The AV metric is heavily weighted toward rate- or counting stats like passing yards or rushing yards, so it's no surprise that not many Cowboys graded out in double digits this year. Smith, Frederick, and Martin top the list of Cowboys largely due to their post-season honors.

Seven Points - The Wiley Veterans

1. Sean Lee
2. Darren McFadden
3. Nick Hayden

If not for the fact that the universe is cruel and unjust, Sean Lee would have made the Pro Bowl and would be ranked higher here. Regardless, Lee may have had the best season of his career, unfortunately that season was with one of the lesser defenses in the league. Darren McFadden did have a career year with 1,089 rushing yards, but didn't help the Cowboys get more than four wins.

Hayden is a bit of a surprise here, but the AV metric seems to like what the Cowboys defensive tackles did overall, and it awards Hayden for getting 15 starts

Seven Points - The Future Franchise Cornerstones

1. Tyrone Crawford
2. DeMarcus Lawrence

Here's what the AV metric sees: both Crawford and Lawrence made their share of plays, even if Lawrence's plays were more spectacular, and both played 16 games, with Crawford getting 16 starts and Lawrence 13. That's more than any other members of the defensive line not named Nick Hayden.

And that has to count for something.

Six Points - The Veteran Starters

1. Barry Church
2. Brandon Carr
3. Doug Free
4. Greg Hardy
5. J.J. Wilcox
6. Rolando McClain

If your first thought is, "why are these players ranked so high?", don't worry, they're not. 6 points in AV terms is still starter quality, but barely. These are players that notched the prerequisite number of starts, but didn't show up much on the stat sheet with sacks or interceptions. Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain did fill up the stat sheet, but came up a little short with 12 and 11 starts respectively.

AV is not as precise a metric as other metrics (e.g. PFF grades) and doesn't differentiate much between players in the same position group. The AV for for a player is determined in part by the overall play of his position group, and when a single player doesn't do anything to stand out from his position group, he'll likely get the the same AV as the total position group. AV says that that the defensive backs are an average starting group, and since neither Church, Carr, or Wilcox did much to stand out from the group, they all get the same AV - and their number of starts rate them as starters.

Backups: The Borderline Starters

Five Points - The Senator

1. Jason Witten

Witten didn't have a particularly outstanding year on the stat sheet, and AV doesn't account for the blocking work of a tight end. But calling him a borderline starter isn't doing him any justice, so he gets his own Senator category.

Five Points - The Young Guns

1. Terrance Williams
2. Anthony Hitchens
3. Dan Bailey

There really isn't much of a difference between Williams and Hitchens and the six-point players, except that their number of starts (13 and 9 respectively) are a bit lower than you'd want for a starter.

Bailey may look like a mistake here, he made the Pro Bowl and is an All Pro after all, but that's just how AV handles kickers. Worry not: Bailey has the second-highest AV of all kickers in the league.

Four points - The Backups

1. Morris Claiborne
2. La'el Collins
3. Byron Jones

These are players who either missed significant time with injury (Claiborne) or were late getting starting roles (Collins & Jones).

Three Points - Situational Players

1. Cole Beasley
2. Kyle Wilber
3. Dez Bryant

Beasley and Wilber only saw action in limited, and specialized roles, Beasley as the slot guy and Wilber as the strongside linebacker. Bryant's lack of stats and lack of playing time (just 9 starts) put him in this category for 2015, though that's not where he belongs when healthy, obviously.

Two Points - The Marginal Contributors:

1. Tony Romo
2. Kellen Moore
3. Brandon Weeden
4. Joseph Randle
5. Lance Dunbar
6. Jeff Heath
7. Jack Crawford
8. Chris Jones

These are all players who received limited playing time for different reasons (plus the punter). Notice how Romo 4 starts), Weeden (3 starts) and Moore (2 starts) are all ranked above Matt Cassel (7 starts), who we find in the next group:

One Point - The Role Players:

1. Matt Cassel
2. Mackenzy Bernadeau
3. Charles Brown
4. Andrew Gachkar
5. Randy Gregory
6. James Hanna
7. David Irving
8. L.P. Ladouceur
9. Ronald Leary
10. Danny McCray
11. Terrance Mitchell
12. Ayodeji Olatoye
13. Tyler Patmon
14. Devin Street
15. Robert Turbin
16. Corey White
17. Lucky Whitehead
18. Damien Wilson

This is a bit of a tricky group. In principle, these are players who saw limited playing time, but for different reasons. Some of them are special teams aces, some were limited by injuries, some simply didn't put up a lot of production, some of them simply are career backups.

The question here is all about trajectories. Which of these players are pointing up and which are pointing down (some have already been released).

Zero Points - The Scrubs:

This list contains all players who were active on the game-day roster at least once in 2015 (and are not on IR) but did not record any significant stats or playing time.

1. Gavin Escobar (236 snaps)
2. Tyler Clutts (133)
3. Casey Walker (57)
4. Terrell McClain (45)
5. Davon Coleman (44)
6. Ken Bishop (35)
7. Ryan Russell (33)
8. Christine Michael (25)
9. Geoff Swaim (24)
10. Vince Mayle (4)
11. Keith Smith (1)
12. Mark Nzeocha (- -)
13. Rod Smith (- -)
14. Josh Thomas (- -)

Before anybody starts hyperventilating about who the AV metric is calling a scrub, keep in mind that this is a measure of the performance in 2015, and most of these players did not accumulate any significant playing time as you can see by the snap count (offense or defense) behind each name.

Star_medium

In total, that's 177 AV points for the Cowboys, which ranks them in the bottom five of the league. That's what happens when you finish 31st in points scored and 29th in scoring differential.

Keep in mind that injuries/suspensions played a role in these numbers and in the overall state of the team, so while it would be easy to say the 177 AV points mean the Cowboys simply didn't have enough good players, it's probably more accurate to say that the Cowboys simply didn't have enough healthy players, especially at some of the critical roster spots.

Of course, this is just one more way of looking at the roster. But it does provide an alternative angle from which to evaluate the 2015 performance.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016...2015-dallas-cowboys-roster-from-top-to-bottom

 

[DC_fan]

NFL Network's Mike Mayock thinks Dallas should draft Wentz or Goff at No. 4 to 'protect the future of the franchise'

During NFL Network's coverage of the NFL combine, Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock discussed the struggles of the Dallas Cowboys offense, and the options they would have at the No. 4 spot in the first round...

Eisen: Everybody thought that when Romo went down this offensive line would at least be able to carry the day, but the ball carrier was a different person this year. How much do you think DeMarco Murray's departure led to what we saw in Dallas?

Mayock: I think it's more about the quarterback...NFL defenses are aware that Romo is out. What they're saying is, "We know how good your offensive line is - regardless of who the tailback is - and we're going to force whoever that backup quarterback is to beat us.
I look at Dallas at No. 4, and I think they have to be evaluating Carson Wentz and (Jared) Goff if you have a 36-year-old quarterback who hasn't finished a season in three years. You're not going to be drafting No. 4 again in foreseeable future. If you like one of those guys, and have the opportunity to draft him, I think you take him...

...I've got Tony Romo for another year or two, and I'd love to develop a young guy. If I could get a Carson Wentz at No. 4, and give that kid a year or two, to me, that's how you protect the future of the franchise.

Note: During the combine, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett revealed the team would not have a formal meeting with North Dakota State quarterback Carson Went.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...s-draft-wentz-goff-4-protect-future-franchise

 

[DC_fan]

Quarterback Paxton Lynch set to meet with the Cowboys on Friday night

INDIANAPOLIS -- Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch had a formal visit scheduled with the Cowboys Friday night.

Lynch is considered one of the top three quarterbacks at this year's NFL Scouting Combine, making him a possibility for the Cowboys' No. 4 overall pick.

"Whatever I need to do to help that team, I will do," Lynch said Friday while standing at a podium inside Lucas Oil Stadium. "If it's coming in and sitting behind a guy, I'm still going to compete and push him. That's how teams get better in my opinion."

Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday on NFL Network that the Cowboys planned to sit down with five or six quarterback prospects while in Indianapolis.

North Dakota State's Carson Wentz will not be in that group. Garrett said it wasn't necessary after spending a week with Wentz at the Senior Bowl.

Wentz and Cal's Jared Goff are the two quarterbacks most experts project to be selected in the top five.

Does it motivate Lynch that those two are getting more attention than him?

"Yeah, I'm the type of guy who always finds something," he explained. "There's always something there to put a chip on your shoulder and drive yourself to work even harder. That's how it's been for me since I came out of high school. I mean I didn't have any offers. I got to Memphis and people said, 'Why are you going to Memphis? They'll never win ball games.'
"So we were the underdog there and look what happened. So I've been used to this, and I'm going to approach it like I always have. I'm just going to keep my head down, worry about myself and go to work."

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...ck-paxton-lynch-set-meet-cowboys-friday-night

 

[DC_fan]

Restricted Free Agents
The following players have received offers from the Cowboys

Jeff Heath` S One-year qualifying offer of $1.671 million
Ronald Leary OG One-year qualifying offer of $2.553 million

 

[DC_fan]

What will Cedric Thornton bring to the Cowboys?

IRVING, Texas -- To date, Cedric Thornton is the Dallas Cowboys’ biggest free-agent signing with a four-year, $17 million deal.

So what will he bring to the Cowboys?

We went to ESPN's Philadelphia Eagles reporter, Phil Sheridan, for answers.

Todd Archer: The plan is for the Cowboys to play him at defensive tackle. Is that a good fit?
Phil Sheridan: That’s hard to answer. When Thornton was a rookie, the Eagles played in a 4-3 scheme. But he didn’t play all that much that year. He was a depth guy (although he did begin his one-sack-a-year run as a rookie).

Thornton emerged as a starter in 2013, when Chip Kelly and coordinator Bill Davis brought a 3-4 defense to town. As a 3-4 end, Thornton was effective at two-gapping, tying up blockers and still getting his share of tackles in the run game. He moves pretty well for a big guy and was good at pursuing backs from behind.

So here’s my theory, if you’re ready for it: Moving back to tackle in a 4-3, freed from his two-gap responsibilities, Thornton could very well have a breakout year. I’m not talking about 12 sacks here. But Thornton isn’t the shy rookie who went undrafted out of Southern Arkansas in 2011. He is a solid pro with a range of experience.

Archer: He has four career sacks – and two against the Cowboys – so is it safe to assume he is a run-stopper?

Sheridan: Primarily, yes. Thornton is 6-foot-6 and right around 300 pounds. He is not a fat guy who clogs up a gap and tackles anyone who runs within two feet of him. He’s strong and able to move. Like I said, he should find some extra space to work with now that he’s not just tying up two blockers as a 3-4 end. Thornton can hold his ground, but he’s also able to pursue runners who get past the first level.

Archer: What will the Eagles miss most about him?

Sheridan: The Eagles basically decided that he wouldn’t fit in Jim Schwartz’s 4-3 scheme. If Thornton was still under contract and had a chance to prove otherwise, he might have impressed Schwartz with his versatility. But Thornton hit free agency just as the Eagles were switching schemes, so they decided to use their salary cap space elsewhere.

Thornton’s teammates will miss him more. He was well respected in the locker room as a guy who made the team and became a starter after not being drafted. Thornton never lost that humility and determination to work hard. He’s a solid guy, and you can never have too many of them.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4750215/what-will-cedric-thornton-bring-to-cowboys

 

[DC_fan]

With Lawrence, Gergory suspensions, Cowboys have no choice but to draft Bosa

Besides making you weepy for DeMarcus Ware, who made headlines for the right reasons, the Cowboys’ reported loss of a second defensive end to a failed drug test should make Jerry Jones:

1. Take defensive end Joey Bosa with the fourth pick.
2. Sign Greg Hardy after all.
3. Draft Noah Spence and go for the trifecta.

Wednesday’s news that DeMarcus Lawrence will reportedly miss four games after testing positive for a banned substance raises all sorts of possibilities, few of them good.

Given the options at this point, I’m inclined to think Jerry has no choice but to draft Bosa, because options 2 and 3 aren’t exactly appealing.

Bosa might have been their choice all along, anyway, but at least they had options. The Rams
and Eagles provided them by making blockbuster deals for the first and second picks, respectively. Both teams are going all in on quarterbacks Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. That meant Laremy Tunsil, the Ole Miss tackle considered the best talent in the draft, apparently drops to San Diego.

And that would leave the Cowboys with their choice of Bosa; Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey, the defensive back and maybe best athlete in the draft; and possibly Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Pretty much from Day 1, I’ve said the Cowboys should take the best player and not overreact to need. They could certainly use a defensive end like Bosa, I argued, but the question was whether he’d be worthy of the fourth pick.

Now I’m not so sure that argument holds water anymore. The Cowboys will reportedly be missing Lawrence and Randy Gregory for four games this fall. Maybe more. If these guys have had this much trouble staying clean already, who’s to say they don’t test positive again and sit out a year?

Bosa may not be Von Miller, but he’d be a credible replacement at defensive end and an upgrade over what they had with Lawrence, Gregory or Hardy.

Maybe he could even just play football and we wouldn’t find out about all the skeletons in his closet. What a concept.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...ry-suspensions-cowboys-choice-draft-joey-bosa

The Gregory and Lawrence suspensions have created all sorts of problems with the Cowboys draft. While as the story suggests they may well have been always going to take Bosa. The situation know means it is an almost certainty. I am not happy with either player.

 

[DC_fan]

If I was the Cowboys these are the players I would be looking at

1st Round
Possibilities - Carson Wentz QB, Jared Goff QB, Paxton Lynch QB, Joey Bosa DE, Vernon Hargreaves CB & Jalen Ramsey CB

I don’t expect that either Wentz or Goff will be available come the Cowboys pick. Depending on what the Chargers do Ramsey may not be either. With the suspension of Gregory and the possible suspension of Lawrence then I expect Bosa to be selected. But Hargreaves could be a surprise.

2nd & 3rd Rounds
Possibilities – Derrick Henry RB, CJ Prosise RB, Mackensie Alexander CB, Eli Apple CB, Su’a Cravens SS, Sean Davis DB, William Jackson CB, Paxton Lynch QB (if available), Connor Cook QB & Dak Prescott QB

Not sure the Cowboys will take a runningback in the second, but the third round maybe different. This is where Prosise (whom I like a lot) is a possibility. Lynch (if available) could be considered in the second. A quarterback with his size and mobility is an intriguing prospect. The cornerback spot still needs to be looked at and this is where either Apple or Jackson have to be seriously considered.

4th & 5th Rounds
Possibilities – Vadal Alexander OL, Shilique Calhoun DE, Shawn Oakman DE, DeAndre Elliott CB, De’Vondre Campbell LB & Nick Kwiatkoski LB

Getting to the rounds where selections depend on what positions the Cowboys have selected players in and who is still on the board. Linebacker most likely has not been looked at yet to it could happen here. You can never have enough cornerbacks or defensive ends.

6th & 7th Rounds
Possibilities – Josh Woodrum QB, Kenyan Drake RB/WR, Tyler Ervin RB/WR/KR, Paul Perkins RB, Adam Gotsis DT & Willie Beavers OL

Time for the left overs. Players who fill multiple positions and play special teams. I like both Drake and Ervin so I hope they are drafted by the Cowboys

 

[Hazardous]

DC Fan - who is your predicted pick for the Cowboys in round 1? A running back?

 

[DC_fan]

DC Fan - who is your predicted pick for the Cowboys in round 1? A running back?

I would be surprised if it were to be a RB. For mine I see the choices being QB, DE or CB. I don't expect the top two QB to be available come our pick at #4 so that may knock out that position. I like Ramsey, but he might be also gone before we get to select. Bosa seems an obvious choice given the teams problems at DE.

I think the team will select the best available. Going on what the experts believe the three teams in front of them need then I believe that will be Bosa.