Dez Bryant Released

[D82]

See...I didn't and still don't have an issue with the Romo decision. It made sense. You had a young QB who grabbed the reigns and never let go. Maybe the situation and way in which they decided to move on could have been handled better, but I had no problem with saying it was time and letting Dak keep the job he had earned. 

Dez's situation is a little different. We don't have a guy on the roster who you can look at and say is capable of stepping in and being the #1 guy. Hurns has had one good year followed by two years of subpar production. The talent is there, but can he repeat his 2015 season? Then we have Terrance Williams, who has the potential but so far hasn't been able to put it together and fix the issues keeping him from getting to that level. Then we have Beasley and Switzer, the former who is likely on his last legs here in Dallas and the other who is essentially just a slot guy. 

I can understand asking Dez to take a reduced salary for this year and reworking his contract to do so. To cut him though? That's moronic. Yes, his production has declined over the last couple of seasons - but, a lot of that has to do with injury and not the degradation of a healthy player. Dez's energy and fire is contagious and he's matured into one of the leaders on this football team. The "analysts" and TV announcers can try and turn it into a negative all they want, but you want a guy like that on your team. Not to mention when a player draws double and triple coverage when healthy, that says a lot about his ability. 

Looking at the draft this year, I don't see many receivers who are going to be able to step in day one and take over a game like Dez is capable of. Now there's some prospects I like who I think could develop into a star wideout, but the guarantee isn't there. So it doesn't make sense to cut your star wideout and then turnaround and draft a guy at the same position in the first round. Not when your team has other areas of need. You want to improve your passing game? How about we finally get with the times and get an athletic TE in the mold of a Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski? There's a couple prospects at that position who fit the bill. Want to move on from Terrance Williams and his unreliable hands? There are players that should be available in the mid-rounds of this draft that could probably take on the #2 role. Or...how about finally getting our RBs involved through the air? 

[will2ill]

9 hours ago, textaz03 said:

We can watch tape all day. The fact still remains, production pays and lack of it gets you walking papers. Most of us know what’s on the film is what should be graded on, but you can’t ignore the stats too. That’s how the NFL work’s. Dez has had statistically 3 years of sup par performances for the pay thats he’s getting. Couple that with his sideline passion/antics, it’s a recipe for disaster. 

 

We as fans dont see the full story story of what’s goin on behind the scenes. We are trying to build an offense that is Dak friendly. Do we want that type of player in this offense? 

 

The final question looking for the long term is, Is Dez, Dak friendly???? And if so, at what cost?? 

I've been hearing this a lot this off season.....What exactly does "Dak Friendly" mean?  I've never heard this used for any other QB. Ex. "Brady Friendly", "Vick Friendly", "McNabb Friendly", "Romo Friendly". Really? lol

[Dallas94Ware]

51 minutes ago, will2ill said:

I've been hearing this a lot this off season.....What exactly does "Dak Friendly" mean?  I've never heard this used for any other QB. Ex. "Brady Friendly", "Vick Friendly", "McNabb Friendly", "Romo Friendly". Really? lol

Completely valid question and statement.

I think what most mean when saying it, is less 'vertical' - this offense has typically not kept anyone short and gone very vertical. 

And in 2016 when Dak was protected with Free at RT and Collins at LG, it made sense. He could deliver well placed accurate balls up the field consistently.

Enter 2017, and the protection had grown horrible most of the time. In fact, Tyron Smith at times looked like he was just a guy out there. Fredrick was consistenly blown over in pass protection and Martin made far too many mistakes. Collins got better towards the end, but early on especiallh, it was mistake after mistake after mistake. And then you want to run vertical routes, those take time. They require protection. And yet there was no protection. Dak was consistently running for his life.

So going with some shorter combinations in routes would help. More rpo and read option would play into what he does best. However, its silly to think the offense hasnt changed with Dak at the helm because it had. @DaBoys keeps saying how we "protected" Dak at first, so isnt that Dak friendly considering he was a rook? Did we run rpo's and read options with Romo? No, so thats Dak friendly. Did we run out of the shotgun nearly as much with Romo as wd have with Dak in an efort to spread the field for him to more easily see? No, thats kind of Dak friendly too.

I think this gets kind of blown out of proportion. The best way to be ANY QB friendly is to protect them. Upgrade LG, get some Tyron Smith insurance, and kick Fredrick and martin in their butt to remember they are supposed to be all pro players and not turnstiles...and you will have a very Dak friendly offense again.

And no, im not saying it in the manner of, "All Qbs play good with protection" - watch the film below. Dak literally was being beaten up, chased, hit, knocked down or cleared out of the pocket on an extremely dangerous high percentage of his pass plays. Its astounding he wasnt severely injured.

And if you want some good film on what Im talking about and how the biggest difference for dak between year 1 and year 2 was good protection vs terrible protection, here ya go:

 

[resilient part 2]

12 hours ago, textaz03 said:

We can watch tape all day. The fact still remains, production pays and lack of it gets you walking papers. Most of us know what’s on the film is what should be graded on, but you can’t ignore the stats too. That’s how the NFL work’s. Dez has had statistically 3 years of sup par performances for the pay thats he’s getting. Couple that with his sideline passion/antics, it’s a recipe for disaster. 

 

We as fans dont see the full story story of what’s goin on behind the scenes. We are trying to build an offense that is Dak friendly. Do we want that type of player in this offense? 

 

The final question looking for the long term is, Is Dez, Dak friendly???? And if so, at what cost?? 

You are the first person who has mentioned this. As I have stated already, do we know really what might be going on behind the scenes?

I don't know football from a personal standpoint, but I do know basketball and coaches in that sport fear "looker-room cancers" more than even losing games. 

I am not saying this IS the case, but it may be.

Either way, maybe one step back = 2 steps forward. 

Edited April 12, 2018 by resilient part 2

[Dallas94Ware]

2 hours ago, Desperado82 said:

See...I didn't and still don't have an issue with the Romo decision. It made sense. You had a young QB who grabbed the reigns and never let go. Maybe the situation and way in which they decided to move on could have been handled better, but I had no problem with saying it was time and letting Dak keep the job he had earned. 

Dez's situation is a little different. We don't have a guy on the roster who you can look at and say is capable of stepping in and being the #1 guy. Hurns has had one good year followed by two years of subpar production. The talent is there, but can he repeat his 2015 season? Then we have Terrance Williams, who has the potential but so far hasn't been able to put it together and fix the issues keeping him from getting to that level. Then we have Beasley and Switzer, the former who is likely on his last legs here in Dallas and the other who is essentially just a slot guy. 

I can understand asking Dez to take a reduced salary for this year and reworking his contract to do so. To cut him though? That's moronic. Yes, his production has declined over the last couple of seasons - but, a lot of that has to do with injury and not the degradation of a healthy player. Dez's energy and fire is contagious and he's matured into one of the leaders on this football team. The "analysts" and TV announcers can try and turn it into a negative all they want, but you want a guy like that on your team. Not to mention when a player draws double and triple coverage when healthy, that says a lot about his ability. 

Looking at the draft this year, I don't see many receivers who are going to be able to step in day one and take over a game like Dez is capable of. Now there's some prospects I like who I think could develop into a star wideout, but the guarantee isn't there. So it doesn't make sense to cut your star wideout and then turnaround and draft a guy at the same position in the first round. Not when your team has other areas of need. You want to improve your passing game? How about we finally get with the times and get an athletic TE in the mold of a Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski? There's a couple prospects at that position who fit the bill. Want to move on from Terrance Williams and his unreliable hands? There are players that should be available in the mid-rounds of this draft that could probably take on the #2 role. Or...how about finally getting our RBs involved through the air? 

Very valid and educated points. And while Romo, to me, will always be one of the most underrated stars of this era due to some tough luck and bad teams and a rebuilding era he had to grind through. But I was not upset with how he was "handled" - lets be fair here, he was having a lot of injury trouble, and here comes a guy wihlth 1/8th the salary and almost half his age playing lights out showing signs of being the next in line.

It then became only right to let the kid play out the year and see what he has, and what he can do for the team.

Now, I do think it would have been better had we convinced Tony to stick around somehow...as QB coach, a staff assistant, a high paid but salary reduced backup, something, to help insure against a struggling Dak and aid in his growth within the system. But that was also ultimately Tonys decision for safety and future to move how he felt was best for his future.

But Dallas as a franchise didnt do anything wrong. They did as any good business would do and let the youngster play out the year. He earned it. Did Romo earn the right to be given a chance as well after all his sacrifices? Sure. But thats not the way business, football business especially, works. Thats the sad side of the sport.

[SweetFancyMoses]

3 hours ago, will2ill said:

I've been hearing this a lot this off season.....What exactly does "Dak Friendly" mean?  I've never heard this used for any other QB. Ex. "Brady Friendly", "Vick Friendly", "McNabb Friendly", "Romo Friendly". Really? lol

Dak Friendly means 3 WR that all run routes less than 5 yds.  Might as well run 3 TE's with 2 RB's.   Wing T

[Dallas94Ware]

2 minutes ago, SweetFancyMoses said:

Dak Friendly means 3 WR that all run routes less than 5 yds.  Might as well run 3 TE's with 2 RB's.   Wing T

Whaaaat? lol

Did you watch Daks rookie year?

He was one of the tops in the league of passes 20 yards or more. He was superb at long throws for big gains, both to Butler and to Dez, and even to Williams. Watch the film i linked abovd, theres at least 10 long ball throws in that film that majority of QBs wouldnt have been able to make - on the move, or difficult reads, or placed with perfect anticipation. 

Where the hell does this notion come from that he cant go deep? Hell do you remember the Pittsburgh game? 10 freakin completions for over 20 yards...lol

To go deep you have to have time to get your guys up the field. He didnt have that this year. He was being knocked around before the routes were nearing their break or separation points.

Where does this notion come from? Because its certainly not from watching the games.

[WizardHawk]

LOL. I get sarcasm can be hard to see from time to time, but come on.... 

[SweetFancyMoses]

2 hours ago, Dallas94Ware said:

Completely valid question and statement.

I think what most mean when saying it, is less 'vertical' - this offense has typically not kept anyone short and gone very vertical. 

And in 2016 when Dak was protected with Free at RT and Collins at LG, it made sense. He could deliver well placed accurate balls up the field consistently.

Enter 2017, and the protection had grown horrible most of the time. In fact, Tyron Smith at times looked like he was just a guy out there. Fredrick was consistenly blown over in pass protection and Martin made far too many mistakes. Collins got better towards the end, but early on especiallh, it was mistake after mistake after mistake. And then you want to run vertical routes, those take time. They require protection. And yet there was no protection. Dak was consistently running for his life.

So going with some shorter combinations in routes would help. More rpo and read option would play into what he does best. However, its silly to think the offense hasnt changed with Dak at the helm because it had. @DaBoys keeps saying how we "protected" Dak at first, so isnt that Dak friendly considering he was a rook? Did we run rpo's and read options with Romo? No, so thats Dak friendly. Did we run out of the shotgun nearly as much with Romo as wd have with Dak in an efort to spread the field for him to more easily see? No, thats kind of Dak friendly too.

I think this gets kind of blown out of proportion. The best way to be ANY QB friendly is to protect them. Upgrade LG, get some Tyron Smith insurance, and kick Fredrick and martin in their butt to remember they are supposed to be all pro players and not turnstiles...and you will have a very Dak friendly offense again.

And no, im not saying it in the manner of, "All Qbs play good with protection" - watch the film below. Dak literally was being beaten up, chased, hit, knocked down or cleared out of the pocket on an extremely dangerous high percentage of his pass plays. Its astounding he wasnt severely injured.

And if you want some good film on what Im talking about and how the biggest difference for dak between year 1 and year 2 was good protection vs terrible protection, here ya go:

 

Good video.   I hope we take McGlinchey and move Collins back to LG.

[SweetFancyMoses]

36 minutes ago, Dallas94Ware said:

Whaaaat? lol

Did you watch Daks rookie year?

He was one of the tops in the league of passes 20 yards or more. He was superb at long throws for big gains, both to Butler and to Dez, and even to Williams. Watch the film i linked abovd, theres at least 10 long ball throws in that film that majority of QBs wouldnt have been able to make - on the move, or difficult reads, or placed with perfect anticipation. 

Where the hell does this notion come from that he cant go deep? Hell do you remember the Pittsburgh game? 10 freakin completions for over 20 yards...lol

To go deep you have to have time to get your guys up the field. He didnt have that this year. He was being knocked around before the routes were nearing their break or separation points.

Where does this notion come from? Because its certainly not from watching the games.

I was being a little overdramatic, but his deep ball accuracy is suspect.

[Dallas94Ware]

20 minutes ago, SweetFancyMoses said:

I was being a little overdramatic, but his deep ball accuracy is suspect.

Again...what you hopefully watched, that I linked... takes a very close look, an accurate and educated look, at how accurate his deep ball can be. 

What are you basing your assessment on? When he was being hit, chased, and knocked down from word hike? Or from actual film study of what hes done when he isnt being smacked around? I know the answer, so its a rhetorical question.

Peyton Mannimg couldnt throw a.deep ball either when he was being hit before Wayne and Harrison could finish their route. Marino looked awful throwing down field when he was running for his life. You cant throw the ball when you are om your rearend. Period.

This notion he cant go deep or has accuracy issues going deep is based on nothing factual. Again, look at the tape. Watch what ive linked. What is problematic with Dak becomes painfully obvious. He didnt just have poor protection, he often had NO PROTECTION. Yes every passer throws better with good protection. But often times Dak had one step backward before having a guy in his face. He literally had zero protection. Our elite OL? Yeah, they create space. But they couldnt protect Dak for anything. They were overmatched, out maneuvered, and illprepared for the most primitive of rush schemes. 

Just watch the tape and tell me again his accuracy is suspect. Any qb can miss a few off the target. But Dak missed more than a few usually because he was.being hit as he was throwing. Nearly impossible situation to play im that youre judging him on, while neglecting to look back on how elite he played, going deep included, when his protectiom gave his receivers time to run and gave Dak time to finish his drop. Because the pressure often came from inside (eyes on you, Fredrick) poor Dak couldnt even step up to buy time or step up to drive through the throw as.proper deep throw mechanics often require.

So again, what are you basing your assessment on? Cant be from anything transpiring on the football field.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2018 by Dallas94Ware

[DaBoys]

Does anybody recall the Cam Newton Steve Smith deal? Steve wasn't really done yet, but I think he was frustrated at the point he was in career wise vs. Where Cam was in his career(develiping) I don't want to say that they fought each other or anything but Steve being the vocal passionate veteran leader he was,  didn't mesh well with a new young leader who was just getting his feet wet.

 

I'm not saying Dak and Dez are fighting, but I doubt they like each other very much. They aren't kicking it after practice. As far as I know Dez doesn't drink. We definitely know that Dak does and Zeke does.  I just don't think Dez fits in with the new kids. Just like Steve in Carolina.

After being cut by Carolina, Steve Smith had over 1,000 yards the very next year including a 7 catch 2 TD 139 yard performance against his old team.

 

Steve was a little older than Dez is. Maybe Dak and Dez don't see eye to eye, but I assure if we cut him, he will show everyone what he can do with a real QB.

Edited April 12, 2018 by DaBoys

[Dallas94Ware]

@DaBoys .. One of Steve Smiths best years in the second half of his career came with Cam Newton throwing him the deep ball.

[Rtnldave]

27 minutes ago, DaBoys said:

Does anybody recall the Cam Newton Steve Smith deal? Steve wasn't really done yet, but I think he was frustrated at the point he was in career wise vs. Where Cam was in his career(develiping) I don't want to say that they fought each other or anything but Steve being the vocal passionate veteran leader he was,  didn't mesh well with a new young leader who was just getting his feet wet.

 

I'm not saying Dak and Dez are fighting, but I doubt they like each other very much. They aren't kicking it after practice. As far as I know Dez doesn't drink. We definitely know that Dak does and Zeke does.  I just don't think Dez fits in with the new kids. Just like Steve in Carolina.

After being cut by Carolina, Steve Smith had over 1,000 yards the very next year including a 7 catch 2 TD 139 yard performance against his old team.

 

Steve was a little older than Dez is. Maybe Dak and Dez don't see eye to eye, but I assure if we cut him, he will show everyone what he can do with a real QB.

Well, that is one of the points I made earlier. Chemistry. If it just isn't there, there really isn't much you can do about it. Remember L Robinson? A WR we signed in FA I believe. Romo hit this kid with long balls for TD's all that season.

 http://www.nfl.com/player/laurentrobinson/2495721/careerstats

He came from Jax and was a skunk there. He came to us and shined with Romo. Went to the Rams and Falcons and became a skunk again.

CHEMISTRY!!!! They had it! Why in the hell we let him go was beyond me. Just another botched off season move JJ.

Point is, if the chemistry does not exist between Dak and Dez, there is nothing you can do about it. Period!

[DaBoys]

24 minutes ago, Dallas94Ware said:

@DaBoys .. One of Steve Smiths best years in the second half of his career came with Cam Newton throwing him the deep ball.

And Dez had his best playoff game with Dak not Romo.  

That doesn't mean a single thing in regard to the point I was making. 

 

They don't get along. If you want to counter my point you'll have to prove that Cam and Smith were homies. Good luck.

 

Edited April 12, 2018 by DaBoys