**Official** 2009 Dallas Cowboys Thread (1 Viewer)

[Routilla]

Got this from BTB and it is by far my favorite draft for the Cowboys.Here's my latest, seven rounds deep. I'm going on two assumptions. First, Dallas stays put. I'm mused that the team would trade up or out and try to limit their picks this year, but trying to project 5th and 6th-round trades will turn your brain to paste. Second, I'm assuming Miles Austin remains a Cowboy. This is a straight forward, take your eleven picks and pick, draft.Round 2: Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan;Round 3: Dorell Scott, NT, Clemson. The Cowboys have spoken to Scott in recent days. He's rising and would fill a hole at backup nose tackle.Round 4-A: Joel Bell, OT, Furman. Tom Ciskowski takes another crack at breaking the Cowboys long-running hitless streak on the offensive line. Eastern Michigan T/G T.J. Lang is another option in this spot, though both may go just ahead of the 101st.Round 4-B: Jasper Brinkley, ILB, South CarolinaRound 5-A: Julius Williams, OLB, Connecticut. This year's Erik Walden, a mid-round pass-rushing prospect. Williams is making the shift from 4-3 DE to 3-4 OLB. He was very productive his junior and senior seasons, with 14.5 total sacks. Williams was not invited to the combine but put up some eye-catching numbers at UConn's pro day, most notably a 4.58 40 time at 255 lbs. Round 5-B: Jaimie Thomas, OG, MarylandRound 5-Supp: Greg Toler, CB, St. Paul's (MN)Round 6-A: Edwin Williams, C, Maryland. Another shot at finding OL talent. I see Dallas dipping into the OL talent pool a few times in the middle rounds. Tennessee State's C Cecil Newton could also figure in this area.Round 6-Supp: Curtis Painter, QB, PurdueRound 7-A: Brannan Southerland, FB, GeorgiaRound 7-B: Dudley Guice, WR, Northwestern State (LA). Small-school prospect with the size and speed to fit the Cowboys' receiver profile.

I missed this post, nice job. I think I'd rather have another DT instead of Painter but overall this would be just fine.

 

[Bankerguy]

After signing Gerald Sensabaugh, we're now $10,881,277 under the cap. Sensabaugh signed for one year, $1.75 million. He got a $1 million signing bonus, a $650,000 base salary and a $100,000 workout bonus.

Orlando Scandrick is now the last player in our Top 51. His base salary is $385,000, which means that if we sign someone with a cap number higher than Scandrick's $431,250, our cap room would be reduced by $385,000 less than the new player's cap number (Scandrick's base salary would drop off our cap). After Scandrick, the next 10 guys all have a base salary of $460,000, so signing more players would have even less of an impact on our cap (the new player's cap number, minus $460,000). It also means we could sign as many "minimum salary benefit" guys -- such as Matt Stewart -- as we want, without affecting our cap at all.

 

[Andy Herron]

After signing Gerald Sensabaugh, we're now $10,881,277 under the cap. Sensabaugh signed for one year, $1.75 million. He got a $1 million signing bonus, a $650,000 base salary and a $100,000 workout bonus.Orlando Scandrick is now the last player in our Top 51. His base salary is $385,000, which means that if we sign someone with a cap number higher than Scandrick's $431,250, our cap room would be reduced by $385,000 less than the new player's cap number (Scandrick's base salary would drop off our cap). After Scandrick, the next 10 guys all have a base salary of $460,000, so signing more players would have even less of an impact on our cap (the new player's cap number, minus $460,000). It also means we could sign as many "minimum salary benefit" guys -- such as Matt Stewart -- as we want, without affecting our cap at all.

Good point.In other news, Houston tackle Sebastian Vollmer visited with Jerry Jones last night and is at Valley Ranch today talking with the powers that be.He's made 10 visits and has plans to visit the Eagles and Jets on Friday. Some notable teams Vollmer has visited are Oakland, Miami, Baltimore and Detroit. Vollmer wasn't invited to the combine but at his pro day he ran a 5.1 40 and had a broad jump of 9-3. Vollmer also had a 36 1/2 vertical. He didn't start playing football until he was 14-years old. Vollmer, from Germany, can play both tackle spots. The Cowboys are also interested in Georgia wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi.He's visited Valley Ranch yesterday and is expected to stay through today. Massaquoi is 6-2, 210 pounds and is being projected as a second round pick.The Bears are also interested in him. Consistency is a big question for Massaquoi. At the combine he ran a 4.62 40-yard dash. But at his pro day he was clocked at 4.47.

 

[Routilla]

After signing Gerald Sensabaugh, we're now $10,881,277 under the cap. Sensabaugh signed for one year, $1.75 million. He got a $1 million signing bonus, a $650,000 base salary and a $100,000 workout bonus.

Orlando Scandrick is now the last player in our Top 51. His base salary is $385,000, which means that if we sign someone with a cap number higher than Scandrick's $431,250, our cap room would be reduced by $385,000 less than the new player's cap number (Scandrick's base salary would drop off our cap). After Scandrick, the next 10 guys all have a base salary of $460,000, so signing more players would have even less of an impact on our cap (the new player's cap number, minus $460,000). It also means we could sign as many "minimum salary benefit" guys -- such as Matt Stewart -- as we want, without affecting our cap at all.

Good point.In other news, Houston tackle Sebastian Vollmer visited with Jerry Jones last night and is at Valley Ranch today talking with the powers that be.

He's made 10 visits and has plans to visit the Eagles and Jets on Friday. Some notable teams Vollmer has visited are Oakland, Miami, Baltimore and Detroit.

Vollmer wasn't invited to the combine but at his pro day he ran a 5.1 40 and had a broad jump of 9-3. Vollmer also had a 36 1/2 vertical. He didn't start playing football until he was 14-years old.

Vollmer, from Germany, can play both tackle spots.

The Cowboys are also interested in Georgia wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi.

He's visited Valley Ranch yesterday and is expected to stay through today. Massaquoi is 6-2, 210 pounds and is being projected as a second round pick.

The Bears are also interested in him. Consistency is a big question for Massaquoi.

At the combine he ran a 4.62 40-yard dash. But at his pro day he was clocked at 4.47.

Please tell me we are not going to burn a 2nd rounder on a WR when we have so many other positions of need.

 

[Routilla]

After signing Gerald Sensabaugh, we're now $10,881,277 under the cap. Sensabaugh signed for one year, $1.75 million. He got a $1 million signing bonus, a $650,000 base salary and a $100,000 workout bonus.Orlando Scandrick is now the last player in our Top 51. His base salary is $385,000, which means that if we sign someone with a cap number higher than Scandrick's $431,250, our cap room would be reduced by $385,000 less than the new player's cap number (Scandrick's base salary would drop off our cap). After Scandrick, the next 10 guys all have a base salary of $460,000, so signing more players would have even less of an impact on our cap (the new player's cap number, minus $460,000). It also means we could sign as many "minimum salary benefit" guys -- such as Matt Stewart -- as we want, without affecting our cap at all.

Good info BG. Thanks.

 

[Texasmouth]

After signing Gerald Sensabaugh, we're now $10,881,277 under the cap. Sensabaugh signed for one year, $1.75 million. He got a $1 million signing bonus, a $650,000 base salary and a $100,000 workout bonus.

Orlando Scandrick is now the last player in our Top 51. His base salary is $385,000, which means that if we sign someone with a cap number higher than Scandrick's $431,250, our cap room would be reduced by $385,000 less than the new player's cap number (Scandrick's base salary would drop off our cap). After Scandrick, the next 10 guys all have a base salary of $460,000, so signing more players would have even less of an impact on our cap (the new player's cap number, minus $460,000). It also means we could sign as many "minimum salary benefit" guys -- such as Matt Stewart -- as we want, without affecting our cap at all.

Good point.In other news, Houston tackle Sebastian Vollmer visited with Jerry Jones last night and is at Valley Ranch today talking with the powers that be.

He's made 10 visits and has plans to visit the Eagles and Jets on Friday. Some notable teams Vollmer has visited are Oakland, Miami, Baltimore and Detroit.

Vollmer wasn't invited to the combine but at his pro day he ran a 5.1 40 and had a broad jump of 9-3. Vollmer also had a 36 1/2 vertical. He didn't start playing football until he was 14-years old.

Vollmer, from Germany, can play both tackle spots.

The Cowboys are also interested in Georgia wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi.

He's visited Valley Ranch yesterday and is expected to stay through today. Massaquoi is 6-2, 210 pounds and is being projected as a second round pick.

The Bears are also interested in him. Consistency is a big question for Massaquoi.

At the combine he ran a 4.62 40-yard dash. But at his pro day he was clocked at 4.47.

Please tell me we are not going to burn a 2nd rounder on a WR when we have so many other positions of need.

I agree....Seems like safety is a much higher need. Man.....

ROY, Crayton, Austin, Hurd, Stanbeck, and Witten of course.

I think we are more than set at WR. We still have some talented practice squad guys too. I like the guys we have, give them a friggin chance before we waste a pick on another young WR that has to learn the system

 

[Routilla]

After signing Gerald Sensabaugh, we're now $10,881,277 under the cap. Sensabaugh signed for one year, $1.75 million. He got a $1 million signing bonus, a $650,000 base salary and a $100,000 workout bonus.

Orlando Scandrick is now the last player in our Top 51. His base salary is $385,000, which means that if we sign someone with a cap number higher than Scandrick's $431,250, our cap room would be reduced by $385,000 less than the new player's cap number (Scandrick's base salary would drop off our cap). After Scandrick, the next 10 guys all have a base salary of $460,000, so signing more players would have even less of an impact on our cap (the new player's cap number, minus $460,000). It also means we could sign as many "minimum salary benefit" guys -- such as Matt Stewart -- as we want, without affecting our cap at all.

Good point.In other news, Houston tackle Sebastian Vollmer visited with Jerry Jones last night and is at Valley Ranch today talking with the powers that be.

He's made 10 visits and has plans to visit the Eagles and Jets on Friday. Some notable teams Vollmer has visited are Oakland, Miami, Baltimore and Detroit.

Vollmer wasn't invited to the combine but at his pro day he ran a 5.1 40 and had a broad jump of 9-3. Vollmer also had a 36 1/2 vertical. He didn't start playing football until he was 14-years old.

Vollmer, from Germany, can play both tackle spots.

The Cowboys are also interested in Georgia wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi.

He's visited Valley Ranch yesterday and is expected to stay through today. Massaquoi is 6-2, 210 pounds and is being projected as a second round pick.

The Bears are also interested in him. Consistency is a big question for Massaquoi.

At the combine he ran a 4.62 40-yard dash. But at his pro day he was clocked at 4.47.

Please tell me we are not going to burn a 2nd rounder on a WR when we have so many other positions of need.

I agree....Seems like safety is a much higher need. Man.....

ROY, Crayton, Austin, Hurd, Stanbeck, and Witten of course.

I think we are more than set at WR. We still have some talented practice squad guys too. I like the guys we have, give them a friggin chance before we waste a pick on another young WR that has to learn the system

Exactly. Beef up both lines and start dominating the line of scrimmage.

 

[Andy Herron]

Getting closer to crunch time.

Some of the top players in this year’s NFL Draft are visiting the Cowboys over the next two days (today and tomorrow), some of which have a good chance of being drafted around the Cowboys’ first selection – the 51st overall pick.

NFL rules allow teams to only bring 30 players for a pre-draft visit to the facility. However, the Cowboys are not expected to bring that many players this year.

The big names on the list include Northern Illinois pass rusher Larry English, San Jose State defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert, Clemson safety Michael Hamlin and Texas Tech safety Darcel McBath.

Also planning to visit the Cowboys over the next two days are Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee, Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman, Southern Cal wide receiver Patrick Turner, North Carolina State tight end Anthony Hill and Iowa cornerback Bradley Fletcher.

Over the past few years, many of the players selected by the Cowboys have visited the club prior to the draft, including their last three first-round picks, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Spencer and Felix Jones.

-- Nick Eatman

What usually happens during these visits? Are the candidates interviewed? Do they evaluate any physical abilities during the visit? Do they meet other players? I am assuming they are given the "grand tour".

This article pretty well sums it up: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...de.3b83844.htmlAmong the players visiting Valley Ranch this week were:

LB Lawrence Sidbury Richmond

TE Anthony Hill NC State

S Mike Hamlin Clemson

QB Stephen McGee Texas A&M

S Darcel McBath Texas Tech

S Louis Delmas Western Michigan

QB Tom Brandstater Fresno State

WR Patrick Turner Southern Cal

CB Bradley Fletcher Iowa

CB Jairus Byrd Oregon

LB Jason Williams Western Illinois

LB Jasper Brinkley South Carolina

DE Jarron Gilbert San Jose State

WR Mohamed Massaquoi Georgia

LB Marcus Freeman Ohio State

LB Larry English Northern Illinois

WR Brian Robiskie Ohio State

OL Sebastian Vollmer Houston

CB DeAngelo Smith Cincinnati

OL SirVincent Rogers Houston

WR Brandon Tate North Carolina

ETA: As far as the thoughts expressed about the Cowboys bringing in these potential 2nd round WRs for visits, I think they are just covering all of their bases here. In addition, some or all of these guys may had been scheduled to be brought in due to uncertainties with Miles Austin and the possibility of losing him (or even Sam Hurd, in case somebody may have made a last minute offer). I think they were just trying to be prepared. Can't fault them for that. Anything can happen on draft day, as we all know. Being allowed up to 30 visitors gives them every opportunity to be prepared for anything. I don't think it gives any real indication. As things stand, they'll still go defense with that first pick. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Mustang Man]

Can anyone help me that lives in the Dallas area? I am going to the Carolina game on Mondaynight 9-28. I am looking for tickets and a stadium tour. Anyone have tickets or info on who I can call for a stadium tour and the best most reliable place to get tickets. Thanks for any help!!!!

 

[Ridgelake]

Some of these 2nd round WRs might slip to the early 3rd. I'm glad the team is doing its due diligence on these guys. I just hope they dont take them at 51 though.

 

[Routilla]

Some of these 2nd round WRs might slip to the early 3rd. I'm glad the team is doing its due diligence on these guys. I just hope they dont take them at 51 though.

If they do I will be extremely disappointed. It's just not a position of need compared to both lines, ILB and the secondary.

 

[Andy Herron]

Can anyone help me that lives in the Dallas area? I am going to the Carolina game on Mondaynight 9-28. I am looking for tickets and a stadium tour. Anyone have tickets or info on who I can call for a stadium tour and the best most reliable place to get tickets. Thanks for any help!!!!

As far as the stadium goes, you can tune into the Science Channel on Monday night.The season’s first episode of Build It Bigger with host Danny Forster will feature the $1.1 billion stadium. The show, airing at 9 p.m. (CDT) Monday, will go inside the stadium to give viewers a look at the design and structure of the 80,000-seat stadium, the retractable roof, the largest operable glass doors in the world (at each end of the stadium) and of course the 180-foot long HD video screens hanging from the quarter-mile steel arches supporting the massive structure.Interviews with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and HKS Sports & Entertainment Group principal Mark Williams will also highlight the show, as well as explanations of how all the different material was put together to form the nearly 3 million square foot structure.Beyond that, I don't know that anything has been announced as of yet in regards to actual tours. I would just follow up on that thru the Cowboys website for both tour and ticket info. With all that the new stadium will offer, the Cowboys Hall of Fame and other attractions, I would imagine that a good portion of it will be open during some sort of regular hours, not just gamedays.

 

[Tyrion]

Unlike last year, I just don't have a player or position that I want them to take. It probably has alot to do with where they are drafting but I hope they just take best player available.

 

[Routilla]

Can anyone help me that lives in the Dallas area? I am going to the Carolina game on Mondaynight 9-28. I am looking for tickets and a stadium tour. Anyone have tickets or info on who I can call for a stadium tour and the best most reliable place to get tickets. Thanks for any help!!!!

As far as the stadium goes, you can tune into the Science Channel on Monday night.The season’s first episode of Build It Bigger with host Danny Forster will feature the $1.1 billion stadium. The show, airing at 9 p.m. (CDT) Monday, will go inside the stadium to give viewers a look at the design and structure of the 80,000-seat stadium, the retractable roof, the largest operable glass doors in the world (at each end of the stadium) and of course the 180-foot long HD video screens hanging from the quarter-mile steel arches supporting the massive structure.Interviews with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and HKS Sports & Entertainment Group principal Mark Williams will also highlight the show, as well as explanations of how all the different material was put together to form the nearly 3 million square foot structure.Beyond that, I don't know that anything has been announced as of yet in regards to actual tours. I would just follow up on that thru the Cowboys website for both tour and ticket info. With all that the new stadium will offer, the Cowboys Hall of Fame and other attractions, I would imagine that a good portion of it will be open during some sort of regular hours, not just gamedays.

Thanks Andy, looking forward to seeing this.

 

[fissure man]

Some of these 2nd round WRs might slip to the early 3rd. I'm glad the team is doing its due diligence on these guys. I just hope they dont take them at 51 though.

If they do I will be extremely disappointed. It's just not a position of need compared to both lines, ILB and the secondary.

The older I get, the more I think that teams should just stay completely away from drafting WR's. They almost always take 3 years to get on the field, and the bust rate has to be really high.I'm all for bringing in FA wr's and using the draft strictly defense early.

 

[Routilla]

Some of these 2nd round WRs might slip to the early 3rd. I'm glad the team is doing its due diligence on these guys. I just hope they dont take them at 51 though.

If they do I will be extremely disappointed. It's just not a position of need compared to both lines, ILB and the secondary.

The older I get, the more I think that teams should just stay completely away from drafting WR's. They almost always take 3 years to get on the field, and the bust rate has to be really high.I'm all for bringing in FA wr's and using the draft strictly defense early.

I agree 100%. WRs are really a dime a dozen in most cases. I would love to see 2 OL and 2 DT as a minimum for those positional needs.

 

[Andy Herron]

Look for one of or both Miles Austin and Sam Hurd to sign their $1.54 million offers, possibly on Monday. The wild card is Austin, who is in the process of negotiating a multiyear contract extension with the Cowboys.

Austin could wait until the two sides come to an agreement on an extension or he could sign the tender and continue negotiating the extension.

But according to a source, the Cowboys do plan to sign Austin to a multiyear deal. (This would be the bug that I suspected Jerry put in Austin's ear prior to his visit with the Jets)

The team has the right to reduce each player’s initial qualifying offer of $1.54 million if they don’t sign by the Friday deadline.

http://www.star-telegram.com/cowboys/nfl/story/1322756.html

 

[SPM]

Some of these 2nd round WRs might slip to the early 3rd. I'm glad the team is doing its due diligence on these guys. I just hope they dont take them at 51 though.

If they do I will be extremely disappointed. It's just not a position of need compared to both lines, ILB and the secondary.

The older I get, the more I think that teams should just stay completely away from drafting WR's. They almost always take 3 years to get on the field, and the bust rate has to be really high.I'm all for bringing in FA wr's and using the draft strictly defense early.

The only receiver I want them to draft this year is Quan Cosby and he should be around in the later rounds.

 

[Andy Herron]

Hall of Fame scribe Rick "Goose" Gosselin, who never takes a day off from draft prep, is done with his second mock draft. He's projecting Oregon S Patrick Chung as the Cowboys' pick at No. 51.

Works for me.

 

[Ariakis]

I'm OK with it I guess depending how the draft flows .... our own mocks of the 2nd round usually show better PBA available. Since he didn't show his 2nd round mock we can't see what the other options are.

 

[Routilla]

Hall of Fame scribe Rick "Goose" Gosselin, who never takes a day off from draft prep, is done with his second mock draft. He's projecting Oregon S Patrick Chung as the Cowboys' pick at No. 51.Works for me.

I guess the real question is what would be the opportunity cost of selecting Chung at #51. What DL or OL prospects would we be foregoing? Similarly, as far as S is concerned, what other options might be available later in the draft compared to relevant OL, DL and ILB prospects? My problem with the draft is simply not knowing where a guy should be picked. It is a friggin' crapshoot!!!If Chung is the pick at #51, I would like to see what OL, DL, and ILB prospects we would end up with later in the draft. There's just no way to predict that though and no way to accurately rank the prospects.

 

[Routilla]

Getting closer to crunch time.

Some of the top players in this year’s NFL Draft are visiting the Cowboys over the next two days (today and tomorrow), some of which have a good chance of being drafted around the Cowboys’ first selection – the 51st overall pick.

NFL rules allow teams to only bring 30 players for a pre-draft visit to the facility. However, the Cowboys are not expected to bring that many players this year.

The big names on the list include Northern Illinois pass rusher Larry English, San Jose State defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert, Clemson safety Michael Hamlin and Texas Tech safety Darcel McBath.

Also planning to visit the Cowboys over the next two days are Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee, Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman, Southern Cal wide receiver Patrick Turner, North Carolina State tight end Anthony Hill and Iowa cornerback Bradley Fletcher.

Over the past few years, many of the players selected by the Cowboys have visited the club prior to the draft, including their last three first-round picks, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Spencer and Felix Jones.

-- Nick Eatman

What usually happens during these visits? Are the candidates interviewed? Do they evaluate any physical abilities during the visit? Do they meet other players? I am assuming they are given the "grand tour".

This article pretty well sums it up: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...de.3b83844.htmlAmong the players visiting Valley Ranch this week were:

LB Lawrence Sidbury Richmond

TE Anthony Hill NC State

S Mike Hamlin Clemson

QB Stephen McGee Texas A&M

S Darcel McBath Texas Tech

S Louis Delmas Western Michigan

QB Tom Brandstater Fresno State

WR Patrick Turner Southern Cal

CB Bradley Fletcher Iowa

CB Jairus Byrd Oregon

LB Jason Williams Western Illinois

LB Jasper Brinkley South Carolina

DE Jarron Gilbert San Jose State

WR Mohamed Massaquoi Georgia

LB Marcus Freeman Ohio State

LB Larry English Northern Illinois

WR Brian Robiskie Ohio State

OL Sebastian Vollmer Houston

CB DeAngelo Smith Cincinnati

OL SirVincent Rogers Houston

WR Brandon Tate North Carolina

ETA: As far as the thoughts expressed about the Cowboys bringing in these potential 2nd round WRs for visits, I think they are just covering all of their bases here. In addition, some or all of these guys may had been scheduled to be brought in due to uncertainties with Miles Austin and the possibility of losing him (or even Sam Hurd, in case somebody may have made a last minute offer). I think they were just trying to be prepared. Can't fault them for that. Anything can happen on draft day, as we all know. Being allowed up to 30 visitors gives them every opportunity to be prepared for anything. I don't think it gives any real indication. As things stand, they'll still go defense with that first pick. I wouldn't worry about it.

No DTs in that group. Hopefully they are playing those cards close to the vest.

 

[Andy Herron]

Hall of Fame scribe Rick "Goose" Gosselin, who never takes a day off from draft prep, is done with his second mock draft. He's projecting Oregon S Patrick Chung as the Cowboys' pick at No. 51.Works for me.

I guess the real question is what would be the opportunity cost of selecting Chung at #51. What DL or OL prospects would we be foregoing? Similarly, as far as S is concerned, what other options might be available later in the draft compared to relevant OL, DL and ILB prospects? My problem with the draft is simply not knowing where a guy should be picked. It is a friggin' crapshoot!!!If Chung is the pick at #51, I would like to see what OL, DL, and ILB prospects we would end up with later in the draft. There's just no way to predict that though and no way to accurately rank the prospects.

First of all, let me clarify something. Gosselin posts three mock drafts every year using different criteria. The first mock is based on his draft board of the top 32 players (posted 4/10), the second focuses more on team need (posted 4/17) and the third is how he see's the draft playing out. The third one will be posted late Friday or early Saturday.***As of now, talk has picked up substancially around here (in Dallas) with the draft now fast approaching. S, LB and WR are the most prevalent positions mentioned, with S being expressed as a priority. I'm also hearing Ohio State WR Brian Robiskie's name being brought up more and more, which leads me to believe they are seriously considering taking a WR early. While many (here in this thread) have balked at this talk, let's consider something. Of RW, Austin, Crayton, Hurd, and Stanback, only three of them can seriously be expected to be here longterm in RW, Crayton and Austin (assuming he gets extended). This would suggest a position of need, and there is good value to be had in the second and third round with only four, maybe five WRs with first round grades in this draft. That being said, I could see the Cowboys possibly looking at swinging a trade that would bring them two second round picks. I'm really beginning to think this is becoming a strong possibility. A safety and WR in the second round in either order. If Robiskie goes earlier than presumed, all bets are off.

 

[Muddy Rubicon]

Getting closer to crunch time.

Some of the top players in this year’s NFL Draft are visiting the Cowboys over the next two days (today and tomorrow), some of which have a good chance of being drafted around the Cowboys’ first selection – the 51st overall pick.

NFL rules allow teams to only bring 30 players for a pre-draft visit to the facility. However, the Cowboys are not expected to bring that many players this year.

The big names on the list include Northern Illinois pass rusher Larry English, San Jose State defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert, Clemson safety Michael Hamlin and Texas Tech safety Darcel McBath.

Also planning to visit the Cowboys over the next two days are Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee, Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman, Southern Cal wide receiver Patrick Turner, North Carolina State tight end Anthony Hill and Iowa cornerback Bradley Fletcher.

Over the past few years, many of the players selected by the Cowboys have visited the club prior to the draft, including their last three first-round picks, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Spencer and Felix Jones.

-- Nick Eatman

What usually happens during these visits? Are the candidates interviewed? Do they evaluate any physical abilities during the visit? Do they meet other players? I am assuming they are given the "grand tour".

This article pretty well sums it up: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...de.3b83844.htmlAmong the players visiting Valley Ranch this week were:

LB Lawrence Sidbury Richmond

TE Anthony Hill NC State

S Mike Hamlin Clemson

QB Stephen McGee Texas A&M

S Darcel McBath Texas Tech

S Louis Delmas Western Michigan

QB Tom Brandstater Fresno State

WR Patrick Turner Southern Cal

CB Bradley Fletcher Iowa

CB Jairus Byrd Oregon

LB Jason Williams Western Illinois

LB Jasper Brinkley South Carolina

DE Jarron Gilbert San Jose State

WR Mohamed Massaquoi Georgia

LB Marcus Freeman Ohio State

LB Larry English Northern Illinois

WR Brian Robiskie Ohio State

OL Sebastian Vollmer Houston

CB DeAngelo Smith Cincinnati

OL SirVincent Rogers Houston

WR Brandon Tate North Carolina

ETA: As far as the thoughts expressed about the Cowboys bringing in these potential 2nd round WRs for visits, I think they are just covering all of their bases here. In addition, some or all of these guys may had been scheduled to be brought in due to uncertainties with Miles Austin and the possibility of losing him (or even Sam Hurd, in case somebody may have made a last minute offer). I think they were just trying to be prepared. Can't fault them for that. Anything can happen on draft day, as we all know. Being allowed up to 30 visitors gives them every opportunity to be prepared for anything. I don't think it gives any real indication. As things stand, they'll still go defense with that first pick. I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks Andy. I kind of suspected that the visits entailed what the article detailed. Nice to have it confirmed.

 

[Ridgelake]

***As of now, talk has picked up substancially around here (in Dallas) with the draft now fast approaching. S, LB and WR are the most prevalent positions mentioned, with S being expressed as a priority. I'm also hearing Ohio State WR Brian Robiskie's name being brought up more and more, which leads me to believe they are seriously considering taking a WR early. While many (here in this thread) have balked at this talk, let's consider something. Of RW, Austin, Crayton, Hurd, and Stanback, only three of them can seriously be expected to be here longterm in RW, Crayton and Austin (assuming he gets extended). This would suggest a position of need, and there is good value to be had in the second and third round with only four, maybe five WRs with first round grades in this draft. That being said, I could see the Cowboys possibly looking at swinging a trade that would bring them two second round picks. I'm really beginning to think this is becoming a strong possibility. A safety and WR in the second round in either order. If Robiskie goes earlier than presumed, all bets are off.

Good stuff, Andy

 

[Bankerguy]

Hall of Fame scribe Rick "Goose" Gosselin, who never takes a day off from draft prep, is done with his second mock draft. He's projecting Oregon S Patrick Chung as the Cowboys' pick at No. 51.

Works for me.

I guess the real question is what would be the opportunity cost of selecting Chung at #51. What DL or OL prospects would we be foregoing? Similarly, as far as S is concerned, what other options might be available later in the draft compared to relevant OL, DL and ILB prospects? My problem with the draft is simply not knowing where a guy should be picked. It is a friggin' crapshoot!!!If Chung is the pick at #51, I would like to see what OL, DL, and ILB prospects we would end up with later in the draft. There's just no way to predict that though and no way to accurately rank the prospects.

First of all, let me clarify something. Gosselin posts three mock drafts every year using different criteria. The first mock is based on his draft board of the top 32 players (posted 4/10), the second focuses more on team need (posted 4/17) and the third is how he see's the draft playing out. The third one will be posted late Friday or early Saturday.***As of now, talk has picked up substancially around here (in Dallas) with the draft now fast approaching. S, LB and WR are the most prevalent positions mentioned, with S being expressed as a priority. I'm also hearing Ohio State WR Brian Robiskie's name being brought up more and more, which leads me to believe they are seriously considering taking a WR early. While many (here in this thread) have balked at this talk, let's consider something. Of RW, Austin, Crayton, Hurd, and Stanback, only three of them can seriously be expected to be here longterm in RW, Crayton and Austin (assuming he gets extended). This would suggest a position of need, and there is good value to be had in the second and third round with only four, maybe five WRs with first round grades in this draft. That being said, I could see the Cowboys possibly looking at swinging a trade that would bring them two second round picks. I'm really beginning to think this is becoming a strong possibility. A safety and WR in the second round in either order. If Robiskie goes earlier than presumed, all bets are off.

I would be one of those "balkers". For my moeny, the value at WR will still be same in the 3rd and 4th rounds as would be to take someone in the second (Unless a big name slides-this highly doubtful). I'm not saying that WR is NOT a need, it is. However, I'll stand by the fact that the probable true value for our 2nd and 3rd picks will be at the S, OG/OT, LB positons.

 

[Routilla]

Hall of Fame scribe Rick "Goose" Gosselin, who never takes a day off from draft prep, is done with his second mock draft. He's projecting Oregon S Patrick Chung as the Cowboys' pick at No. 51.Works for me.

I guess the real question is what would be the opportunity cost of selecting Chung at #51. What DL or OL prospects would we be foregoing? Similarly, as far as S is concerned, what other options might be available later in the draft compared to relevant OL, DL and ILB prospects? My problem with the draft is simply not knowing where a guy should be picked. It is a friggin' crapshoot!!!If Chung is the pick at #51, I would like to see what OL, DL, and ILB prospects we would end up with later in the draft. There's just no way to predict that though and no way to accurately rank the prospects.

First of all, let me clarify something. Gosselin posts three mock drafts every year using different criteria. The first mock is based on his draft board of the top 32 players (posted 4/10), the second focuses more on team need (posted 4/17) and the third is how he see's the draft playing out. The third one will be posted late Friday or early Saturday.***As of now, talk has picked up substancially around here (in Dallas) with the draft now fast approaching. S, LB and WR are the most prevalent positions mentioned, with S being expressed as a priority. I'm also hearing Ohio State WR Brian Robiskie's name being brought up more and more, which leads me to believe they are seriously considering taking a WR early. While many (here in this thread) have balked at this talk, let's consider something. Of RW, Austin, Crayton, Hurd, and Stanback, only three of them can seriously be expected to be here longterm in RW, Crayton and Austin (assuming he gets extended). This would suggest a position of need, and there is good value to be had in the second and third round with only four, maybe five WRs with first round grades in this draft. That being said, I could see the Cowboys possibly looking at swinging a trade that would bring them two second round picks. I'm really beginning to think this is becoming a strong possibility. A safety and WR in the second round in either order. If Robiskie goes earlier than presumed, all bets are off.

Thanks for the post Andy. I don't see how Gosselin does not think both lines are positions of need. We were 21st in rushing offense and 12th against the rush in 2008. We were not competitive enough at the point of attack on either side of the ball.

 

[Andy Herron]

In reply to the last few posts (couldn't figure out which one to pick), Here's a couple of pieces I found posted shortly after I posted here this morning.

Just a note here Bankerguy, it's Robiskie in particular that sights are being set on, not just any WR. Here goes:

What about wide receiver?

9:46 AM Mon, Apr 20, 2009

Tim MacMahon

It appears fairly likely that Anquan Boldin will land in the NFC East, and the Cowboys aren't even in the conversation, as Around the Horn star Tim Cowlishaw discussed in his column.

But it's a good bet that the Cowboys draft a wide receiver this weekend, which is why we'll focus on the position in the final five installments of the draft preview series on this here blog. They might even use their first pick (No. 51 overall) on a receiver.

If Ohio State's Brian Robiskie is still available, he'd be tough to pass up. The 6-3, 209-pound Robiskie, who visited Valley Ranch last week, is a big receiver who certainly fits the "football player" mold the Cowboys want. Robiskie, whose dad is Atlanta's receivers coach, shouldn't struggle to adjust to the NFL.

And, as ESPN.com's Matt Mosley pointed out, there's always a chance the Cowboys could bundle some picks together to move up to No. 35 or so if a receiver with a first-round grade slips. They considered making that kind of deal to get James Hardy last year, but Jerry Jones couldn't get anybody in the Cowboys' War Room to tell him that it was a good idea.

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives...e-receiver.html

And here's the Matt Mosley post that Tim references:

On the Clock: Dallas Cowboys

April 20, 2009 9:30 AM

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Team needs: Wide receiver, safety, outside linebacker, offensive tackle.

Dream scenario: In Jerry Jones' dream scenario, he might be able to slide up from No. 51 to No. 35 and land a top-flight wide receiver such as North Carolina's Hakeem Nicks or Rutgers' Kenny Britt. I have a suspicion, though, that Ohio State's Brian Robiskie might still be there at No. 51. The only reason to go to No. 35 is if you simply fall in love with a player. The Cowboys have the ammunition to get it done, but it's more likely they move down a couple of slots. The name I keep hearing at No. 51 is Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas. Though I haven't seen a lot of film on the player, the Cowboys think he could immediately challenge Gerald Sensabaugh for the starting spot opposite Ken Hamlin.

Plan B: It wouldn't shock me one bit to see the Cowboys take an offensive lineman in the second round. There's a misconception that the Cowboys will feel pressured to take a safety or wide receiver with that No. 51 spot. I don't feel like Jones feels that pressure. For instance, the Cowboys could take a guard if someone starts slipping. I also think the team could use another pass rusher. DeMarcus Ware is a phenomenal talent, but right now he's lining up opposite a player (former first-round pick Anthony Spencer) whose career hasn't really taken off yet. Look for Jones to go after a receiver in the third round. It looks like you'll be able to get some pretty good value in the third on one of those receivers. That's what I'd do, but up to this point, Jones has not sought my opinion.

Scouts Inc. take: "Although Dallas does not have a first-round pick, do not be surprised if it is active in trying to move up into the first round. Two of the strengths of this team going into last season were expected to be the secondary and receiver positions. After trading cornerback Anthony Henry and waving wide receiver Terrell Owens those positions now have holes to fill.

"If Dallas sits tight and does not move up, WR and CB will still be on Dallas' mind, but safety will still potentially be a play as there could be a lot of value at No. 51. Two players to keep an eye on would be Patrick Chung from Oregon or William Moore from Missouri." -- Jeremy Green, Scouts Inc.

Who has final say? That would be Jerry Jones, although scouting director Tom Ciscowski does a really nice job and will have plenty of input.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfceast/0-9-112...as-Cowboys.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, I have a great deal of trust in Matt Mosley from his days here in Dallas with the Dallas Morning News and followed him for years.

I know he has good contacts. Regarding Robiskie, there is some comfort knowing that at least a portion of any WR question marks can be dismissed.

First of all, he's talented and well-schooled for the position. He knows how to run proper routes and I've been told that he is so cerebral about the game that he's capable of drawing up offensive plays and schemes himself. This is not any ordinary WR that you simply want to scan over. He's one that you want to visit and spend time with, which the Cowboys did.

Getting back to Tim McMahon's first line regarding Anquan Boldin. Boldin was also a second round pick.

Just sayin'.

ETA: Oh, and Sam Hurd signed his tender today.

 

[Routilla]

In reply to the last few posts (couldn't figure out which one to pick), Here's a couple of pieces I found posted shortly after I posted here this morning.

Just a note here Bankerguy, it's Robiskie in particular that sights are being set on, not just any WR. Here goes:

What about wide receiver?

9:46 AM Mon, Apr 20, 2009

Tim MacMahon

It appears fairly likely that Anquan Boldin will land in the NFC East, and the Cowboys aren't even in the conversation, as Around the Horn star Tim Cowlishaw discussed in his column.

But it's a good bet that the Cowboys draft a wide receiver this weekend, which is why we'll focus on the position in the final five installments of the draft preview series on this here blog. They might even use their first pick (No. 51 overall) on a receiver.

If Ohio State's Brian Robiskie is still available, he'd be tough to pass up. The 6-3, 209-pound Robiskie, who visited Valley Ranch last week, is a big receiver who certainly fits the "football player" mold the Cowboys want. Robiskie, whose dad is Atlanta's receivers coach, shouldn't struggle to adjust to the NFL.

And, as ESPN.com's Matt Mosley pointed out, there's always a chance the Cowboys could bundle some picks together to move up to No. 35 or so if a receiver with a first-round grade slips. They considered making that kind of deal to get James Hardy last year, but Jerry Jones couldn't get anybody in the Cowboys' War Room to tell him that it was a good idea.

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives...e-receiver.html

And here's the Matt Mosley post that Tim references:

On the Clock: Dallas Cowboys

April 20, 2009 9:30 AM

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Team needs: Wide receiver, safety, outside linebacker, offensive tackle.

Dream scenario: In Jerry Jones' dream scenario, he might be able to slide up from No. 51 to No. 35 and land a top-flight wide receiver such as North Carolina's Hakeem Nicks or Rutgers' Kenny Britt. I have a suspicion, though, that Ohio State's Brian Robiskie might still be there at No. 51. The only reason to go to No. 35 is if you simply fall in love with a player. The Cowboys have the ammunition to get it done, but it's more likely they move down a couple of slots. The name I keep hearing at No. 51 is Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas. Though I haven't seen a lot of film on the player, the Cowboys think he could immediately challenge Gerald Sensabaugh for the starting spot opposite Ken Hamlin.

Plan B: It wouldn't shock me one bit to see the Cowboys take an offensive lineman in the second round. There's a misconception that the Cowboys will feel pressured to take a safety or wide receiver with that No. 51 spot. I don't feel like Jones feels that pressure. For instance, the Cowboys could take a guard if someone starts slipping. I also think the team could use another pass rusher. DeMarcus Ware is a phenomenal talent, but right now he's lining up opposite a player (former first-round pick Anthony Spencer) whose career hasn't really taken off yet. Look for Jones to go after a receiver in the third round. It looks like you'll be able to get some pretty good value in the third on one of those receivers. That's what I'd do, but up to this point, Jones has not sought my opinion.

Scouts Inc. take: "Although Dallas does not have a first-round pick, do not be surprised if it is active in trying to move up into the first round. Two of the strengths of this team going into last season were expected to be the secondary and receiver positions. After trading cornerback Anthony Henry and waving wide receiver Terrell Owens those positions now have holes to fill.

"If Dallas sits tight and does not move up, WR and CB will still be on Dallas' mind, but safety will still potentially be a play as there could be a lot of value at No. 51. Two players to keep an eye on would be Patrick Chung from Oregon or William Moore from Missouri." -- Jeremy Green, Scouts Inc.

Who has final say? That would be Jerry Jones, although scouting director Tom Ciscowski does a really nice job and will have plenty of input.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfceast/0-9-112...as-Cowboys.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, I have a great deal of trust in Matt Mosley from his days here in Dallas with the Dallas Morning News and followed him for years.

I know he has good contacts. Regarding Robiskie, there is some comfort knowing that at least a portion of any WR question marks can be dismissed.

First of all, he's talented and well-schooled for the position. He knows how to run proper routes and I've been told that he is so cerebral about the game that he's capable of drawing up offensive plays and schemes himself. This is not any ordinary WR that you simply want to scan over. He's one that you want to visit and spend time with, which the Cowboys did.

Getting back to Tim McMahon's first line regarding Anquan Boldin. Boldin was also a second round pick.

Just sayin'.

ETA: Oh, and Sam Hurd signed his tender today.

Really good info Andy. I'm surprised no one else has replied to this yet. I understand that value is what we are trying to obtain in the draft. I say OL or DL early but clearly if a guy they felt highly about was within reach then they go for him. Would Robiskie be a potential starter this year? I assumed any WR would be at the back of the pack right away. Some of the other positions may have a higher probability for playing time right away. I can't help but get excited for the weekend. I know I've been touting both lines of scrimmage for the draft but honestly, anyone who can come in and push the other guys and possibly contribute this year is a guy you want on your team. Let's hope for some contributors.

 

[Routilla]

If we did draft a WR how many would we keep for the season anyways? Roy, Crayton, Austin, Hurd, Stanback and ? I'm guessing we keep 6, anyone know for sure?

 

[Andy Herron]

If we did draft a WR how many would we keep for the season anyways? Roy, Crayton, Austin, Hurd, Stanback and ? I'm guessing we keep 6, anyone know for sure?

There's no real set standard, but I would imagine it would be 6. They may not all be "active" on gamedays though.

 

[Routilla]

If we did draft a WR how many would we keep for the season anyways? Roy, Crayton, Austin, Hurd, Stanback and ? I'm guessing we keep 6, anyone know for sure?

There's no real set standard, but I would imagine it would be 6. They may not all be "active" on gamedays though.

Perhaps we should analyze the roster by positions and the # of players per position that they would keep. That's probably too much work this close to the draft but it might be an indicator of which positions we are likely to draft more of.

 

[Routilla]

Another cool link with info on the new stadium.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...ch.45c263a.html

 

[Bankerguy]

If we did draft a WR how many would we keep for the season anyways? Roy, Crayton, Austin, Hurd, Stanback and ? I'm guessing we keep 6, anyone know for sure?

There's no real set standard, but I would imagine it would be 6. They may not all be "active" on gamedays though.

Perhaps we should analyze the roster by positions and the # of players per position that they would keep. That's probably too much work this close to the draft but it might be an indicator of which positions we are likely to draft more of.

Agreed.If they were to keep 6 WR's, 2 of them need to be solid contributors on ST's.

 

[switz]

Rumor has it that Barber is going to be traded for a 2nd and 5th on Saturday. Jones feels Choice can play the same role at a much cheaper price, and without a first round pick, the Boys are looking for ammo to move up in the draft.

This is supposedly contingent on the trade partner also moving one of it's players. I wasn't told which team is the supposed trading partner, so the next part is speculation on my part: is it Miami? Trading Brown away to bring in Barber?

Don't shoot the messenger, just repeating what I've heard.

 

[Routilla]

Rumor has it that Barber is going to be traded for a 2nd and 5th on Saturday. Jones feels Choice can play the same role at a much cheaper price, and without a first round pick, the Boys are looking for ammo to move up in the draft.This is supposedly contingent on the trade partner also moving one of it's players. I wasn't told which team is the supposed trading partner, so the next part is speculation on my part: is it Miami? Trading Brown away to bring in Barber?Don't shoot the messenger, just repeating what I've heard.

That would be quite a bold move considering MBIII and Felix were hurt last year. They would need another RB in the draft for depth puposes. This would be a pretty big twist that's for sure. What about N.O.?

 

[Tyrion]

Rumor has it that Barber is going to be traded for a 2nd and 5th on Saturday. Jones feels Choice can play the same role at a much cheaper price, and without a first round pick, the Boys are looking for ammo to move up in the draft.This is supposedly contingent on the trade partner also moving one of it's players. I wasn't told which team is the supposed trading partner, so the next part is speculation on my part: is it Miami? Trading Brown away to bring in Barber?Don't shoot the messenger, just repeating what I've heard.

That would be quite a bold move considering MBIII and Felix were hurt last year. They would need another RB in the draft for depth puposes. This would be a pretty big twist that's for sure. What about N.O.?

Switz, you Barber hater, get out of here with that kind of talk. We all know that you love Felix, and it is killing you to see him in a 3 back rotation, but Dallas can't/won't trade Barber for cap reasons if nothing else.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Rumor has it that Barber is going to be traded for a 2nd and 5th on Saturday. Jones feels Choice can play the same role at a much cheaper price, and without a first round pick, the Boys are looking for ammo to move up in the draft.This is supposedly contingent on the trade partner also moving one of it's players. I wasn't told which team is the supposed trading partner, so the next part is speculation on my part: is it Miami? Trading Brown away to bring in Barber?Don't shoot the messenger, just repeating what I've heard.

 

[switz]

Rumor has it that Barber is going to be traded for a 2nd and 5th on Saturday. Jones feels Choice can play the same role at a much cheaper price, and without a first round pick, the Boys are looking for ammo to move up in the draft.

This is supposedly contingent on the trade partner also moving one of it's players. I wasn't told which team is the supposed trading partner, so the next part is speculation on my part: is it Miami? Trading Brown away to bring in Barber?

Don't shoot the messenger, just repeating what I've heard.

That would be quite a bold move considering MBIII and Felix were hurt last year. They would need another RB in the draft for depth puposes. This would be a pretty big twist that's for sure. What about N.O.?

Switz, you Barber hater, get out of here with that kind of talk. We all know that you love Felix, and it is killing you to see him in a 3 back rotation, but Dallas can't/won't trade Barber for cap reasons if nothing else.

Whatever...Guess this writer too hates Barber.

FWT article on same subject.

 

[Ridgelake]

Rumor has it that Barber is going to be traded for a 2nd and 5th on Saturday. Jones feels Choice can play the same role at a much cheaper price, and without a first round pick, the Boys are looking for ammo to move up in the draft.This is supposedly contingent on the trade partner also moving one of it's players. I wasn't told which team is the supposed trading partner, so the next part is speculation on my part: is it Miami? Trading Brown away to bring in Barber?Don't shoot the messenger, just repeating what I've heard.

Its fine to speculate about trading Barber. Choice and Felix look like the goods. Another back can likely be found for cheap.But lets think through what happens if we trade Barber. First, I recently read that we have about $10.5 million of cap space currently. We still need to sign all of our draft picks. We still might want to extend Ware. I don't think Austin's tender amount is included in that total as he hasnt officially signed it. Further, its being discussed that he will sign a multi-year deal. So with that $10.5 mil, we need to fill out our roster.Trading Barber will cause a $10 mil cap hit. Trading Barber would use up essentially ALL of our remaining cap space. We'd have to make other cap saving cuts and/or restructure other guys in order to sign our draft picks and sign Austin. Forget about extending Ware.We went through this whole discussion earlier this offseason when some fools suggested swapping Barber for Bolden. I really wish people who throw out ideas like trading Barber would do their homework. If they did, they'd realize its not feasible from a cap standpoint.

 

[Jackal King]

Rumor has it that Barber is going to be traded for a 2nd and 5th on Saturday. Jones feels Choice can play the same role at a much cheaper price, and without a first round pick, the Boys are looking for ammo to move up in the draft.

This is supposedly contingent on the trade partner also moving one of it's players. I wasn't told which team is the supposed trading partner, so the next part is speculation on my part: is it Miami? Trading Brown away to bring in Barber?

Don't shoot the messenger, just repeating what I've heard.

That would be quite a bold move considering MBIII and Felix were hurt last year. They would need another RB in the draft for depth puposes. This would be a pretty big twist that's for sure. What about N.O.?

Switz, you Barber hater, get out of here with that kind of talk. We all know that you love Felix, and it is killing you to see him in a 3 back rotation, but Dallas can't/won't trade Barber for cap reasons if nothing else.

Whatever...Guess this writer too hates Barber.

FWT article on same subject.

I'm not seeing anything in the story that implies Barber would be the trade bait.To me...it looks like Choice is being viewed as a more likely candidate.

There is certainly nothing wrong with listening if you can parlay a former fourth-round pick (Tashard Choice) into possibly a third- or even a second-rounder.

 

[Bankerguy]

As Ridge said, anyone talking about Barber being traded is not well informed. I'm more OK with the idea of trading Choice, but I struggling figuring out how to get proper value for him. I think an early second is about right. Even still...it's a gamble.

I'd sit tight this year.

 

[switz]

Rumor has it that Barber is going to be traded for a 2nd and 5th on Saturday. Jones feels Choice can play the same role at a much cheaper price, and without a first round pick, the Boys are looking for ammo to move up in the draft.

This is supposedly contingent on the trade partner also moving one of it's players. I wasn't told which team is the supposed trading partner, so the next part is speculation on my part: is it Miami? Trading Brown away to bring in Barber?

Don't shoot the messenger, just repeating what I've heard.

That would be quite a bold move considering MBIII and Felix were hurt last year. They would need another RB in the draft for depth puposes. This would be a pretty big twist that's for sure. What about N.O.?

Switz, you Barber hater, get out of here with that kind of talk. We all know that you love Felix, and it is killing you to see him in a 3 back rotation, but Dallas can't/won't trade Barber for cap reasons if nothing else.

Whatever...Guess this writer too hates Barber.

FWT article on same subject.

I'm not seeing anything in the story that implies Barber would be the trade bait.To me...it looks like Choice is being viewed as a more likely candidate.

There is certainly nothing wrong with listening if you can parlay a former fourth-round pick (Tashard Choice) into possibly a third- or even a second-rounder.

The article doesn't imply ANY of the RBs is the specific bait. The writer just indicates the only offer he'd listen to was one for Choice. My point in linking the article was that it was partially corroborative that there is a rumor going around about the Cowboys trading one of their RBs. I didn't suggest that they should trade Barber, just reported that I heard a deal was already supposedly setup for a Barber trade.And I agree with others that have already posted the issues with the salary cap.

I also think Choice and Jones, while flashing more potential than Barber, are still unproven at the NFL level. So it would be risky to trade Barber.

 

[Texasmouth]

The Cowboys aren't trading Barber one year into a new contract......ridiculous.

Just like last year when he was going to Miami so the Cowboys could get McFadden. Whatever.

And how did Jones and Choice prove they were better than Barber. I didnt see that. Jones is a nice change of pace back and he has the big homerun threat but he is not better than Barber. Choice is pretty good too but still, not better than Barber.

 

[simmonjm]

The Cowboys aren't trading Barber one year into a new contract......ridiculous. Just like last year when he was going to Miami so the Cowboys could get McFadden. Whatever. And how did Jones and Choice prove they were better than Barber. I didnt see that. Jones is a nice change of pace back and he has the big homerun threat but he is not better than Barber. Choice is pretty good too but still, not better than Barber.

I dunno the way Barber ended the season with fumblitis was a cause for concern for me.

 

[T Bell]

The Cowboys aren't trading Barber one year into a new contract......ridiculous. Just like last year when he was going to Miami so the Cowboys could get McFadden. Whatever. And how did Jones and Choice prove they were better than Barber. I didnt see that. Jones is a nice change of pace back and he has the big homerun threat but he is not better than Barber. Choice is pretty good too but still, not better than Barber.

I dunno the way Barber ended the season with fumblitis was a cause for concern for me.

Barber, like most RB's, does not have great trade value anyway. The idea that a team would part with multiple picks for a soon-to-be 26-year old RB who has never had more than 225 carries is silly. He's a good RB, but he's not a franchise caliber player who would command big value like that.

 

[Andy Herron]

Guess this writer too hates Barber.

FWT article on same subject.

There is absolutely no substance to this article. While I wouldn't be so much inclined to file this into the "what do I write about today?" category, I will give Clarence Hill props for a thought provoking piece. But it ends there. I've had my ear to the wall down here, so to speak, and haven't heard of any kind of such rumor at all, and it's not being reported as a rumor. I'm not saying I catch everything in regards to rumors and discussions, but I do have a pretty good pipeline down here. What was it? Over a week ago I mentioned the rumor regarding Brian Robiskie, and now he's nearly the talk of the town? I'll be the first to tell you, I don't know everything-far from it- but I dig pretty hard down here and bring whatever I can dig up.From the headline- Cowboys could parlay running-back depth into draft-day deal

To the belly of it all, "...they could possibly field calls for trade offers on draft day."

Sure, you bet they could possibly field such calls. Any number of teams could field any number of such calls pertaining to a position or particular player. It's draft day. Wheeling and dealing day. No holds barred. It's scratch-n-sniff all weekend long. It's essential that the rules are understood... there are none.

You also have to understand the reality of it from a cap standpoint, which Ridgelake pointed out so eloquently. While Hill accomplished his task at hand in creating a "buzz," it's still a little outside the box of any real possiblity. It certainly doesn't sway me any. Not gonna happen.

 

[Andy Herron]

The Cowboys will send a scouting contingent to Houston tomorrow for a private workout with Rice TE James Casey, ESPN.com's Matt Mosley reports.

Casey, a 24-year-old Azle product, might be the most versatile player in the draft. He was a high school quarterback who spent four seasons pitching in the White Sox's system before going to Rice, where he played several positions but was primarily used as a tight end/H-back/slot receiver last season.

Casey (6-4, 246) has experience running Rice's variation of the Wildcat and could also contribute immediately on special teams. NFL Draft Scout compares him to a combination of New England WR Wes Welker and Indianapolis TE Dallas Clark.

If the Cowboys want Casey, they'll probably have to grab him with one of their first two picks. He isn't expected to last past the third round.

In other news, Tony Romo turned 29 today. Not that I'm caught up in birthdays, but it lends some perspective.

 

[fissure man]

The Cowboys will send a scouting contingent to Houston tomorrow for a private workout with Rice TE James Casey, ESPN.com's Matt Mosley reports.

Casey, a 24-year-old Azle product, might be the most versatile player in the draft. He was a high school quarterback who spent four seasons pitching in the White Sox's system before going to Rice, where he played several positions but was primarily used as a tight end/H-back/slot receiver last season.

Casey (6-4, 246) has experience running Rice's variation of the Wildcat and could also contribute immediately on special teams. NFL Draft Scout compares him to a combination of New England WR Wes Welker and Indianapolis TE Dallas Clark.

If the Cowboys want Casey, they'll probably have to grab him with one of their first two picks. He isn't expected to last past the third round.

In other news, Tony Romo turned 29 today. Not that I'm caught up in birthdays, but it lends some perspective.

That's good news to me.Im of the opinion that quarterbacks aren't at their best until at least thirty. There is a small window of about 4-6 years where they still have most of their athletic ability, and know almost everything they need. Must suck for them when they get into their upper thirties, when they have lost a lot of athletic ability, yet know everything there is to know about playing the position, but no longer have the skill set left to take advantage of it.

/rambling

 

[Bankerguy]

Interesting info on our draft trading history over the last five years.

We have mastered the trade down but also aren't affraid to move up from time to time to get our guy.

I fully expect some action on Saturday.

Team Traded Up Traded Down Total Trades

Dallas 6 12 18

Green Bay 5 12 17

Philadelphia 7 7 14

Jacksonville 7 6 13

Cleveland 9 3 12

Detroit 9 3 12

Minnesota 6 5 11

Baltimore 6 5 11

New England 3 8 11

San Fran. 4 5 9

New Orleans 4 5 9

N.Y. Jets 5 4 9

Oakland 6 1 7

St. Louis 5 2 7

Indianapolis 3 3 6

Miami 3 3 6

Atlanta 4 2 6

Washington 2 4 6

Tampa Bay 1 5 6

Carolina 3 2 5

Pittsburgh 3 2 5

Seattle 3 2 5

Houston 1 4 5

Tennessee 1 4 5

Denver 3 1 4

N.Y. Giants 3 1 4

San Diego 2 2 4

Kansas City 1 3 4

Buffalo 3 0 3

Chicago 0 3 3

Arizona 1 0 1

Cincinnati 0 1 1