First of all I would like to say I am a lifelong Cowboy fan. This post is not meant to taunt, belittle, gloat or generally be a jerk.I am not going to drag up years old cliche's about why Philly fans suck or why the Eagles are a failed organization, because they aren't and they don't.

I understand the pain you guys must be going through now. We felt it full force last year after 44-6. But just like the Cowboys last year, there are reasons for Eagles fans to keep the faith. You have one of the youngest teams in the NFL filled with some amazing talent.

Desean Jackson and Maclin scare the hell out of me. We are lucky to have a chance to take our shot this year. I am dreading facing those guys once they mature in this game. It is generally believed to be a fact that you never see the true potential realized in a WR until their 3rd year. Well your two budding stars are in their 1st and 2nd. Scary potential if you ask me.

When healthy you have one of the best cornerback duos in the league. Trent Cole is a great player but not a one man wrecking crew. He needs a compliment on the other side of the line to keep offenses honest. Stuart Bradley has promise and you will be getting him back next year.

McNabb, for all the ridicule he takes, is a top 5-10 QB in this league when he has consistent protection. Honestly when has the ball in his hand for more then 3 seconds in the pocket I start to cringe. He is either about to pick you apart or run for 22 yards on 4th and 21.

There are precious few holes in this team. McCoy needs a speed compliment. The offensive line needs to get healthy. Your defensive coordinator needs to grow into the great Jim Johnson's shoes. Andy Reid needs to figure out that the screen game does not equal a running game and its ok to throw a pass under 20 yards in the air. None of these things is more than a year away. I look forward to seeing how some of these changes work out for you guys and here's to a spirited, hard fought series next year.

Finally, I understand the hatred of the Cowboys. I have the same feeling about the Eagles. I respect them, but they have broken my heart too many times. That said, one of my best friends is an Eagles fan. He and I would rather watch games with each other rather than fans of our respective teams. We both bring a lot of knowledge, respect and honesty to the table. I enjoy the perspective he brings on his team, the players and scheme. It adds to the experience of enjoying the game. My wife is an Eagles fan as well. God knows why... Maybe its the pretty shade of green. Just Kidding.

I am not going to give my entire pedigree as a Cowboy fan. Suffice it to say I was born and raised in Dallas. I am a Stars, Rangers (ugh), Mavericks & Longhorns fan. I know not all Cowboy fans carry themselves in a manner that the rest of us can be proud of, but dont lump us all in together. The scathing posts I've read over here and over at BTB from fans of other teams sometime get me pretty pissed until I figure out it aint me they are talking about. Guys over here like 700_level and Bdawk understand that.You're gonna do what you're gonna do, but please, enough with the mean spirited, finger pointing, character assassinating posts. Lets be football fans agreed to disagree but willing to try and understand why.

Keep your head up, most of the puzzle pieces are there. See ya next year.

The stats so far this year say he is. While Ranking 10th in the league in yards with 999 and a lowly 27th in catches (59), he ranks right up there in every other meaningful receiving statistic. Let's review.

Touchdowns

Tied for 2nd

1               Vernon Davis                    SF            11         

2              Miles Austin                       DAL        10          

2              Larry Fitzgerald                  ARI         10          

4              Marques Colston             NO         9             

4              Brandon Marshall            DEN       9             

4              Randy Moss                       NE          9             

4              Visanthe Shiancoe           MIN       9             

4              Reggie Wayne                   IND        9             

9              Dallas Clark                         IND        8             

9              Andre Johnson                  HOU      8             

Per catch average (Players with at least 30 catches)

4th overall

1              DeSean Jackson                PHI         18.9

2              Robert Meachem            NO         18.2

3              Hakeem Nicks                   NYG       18

4              Miles Austin                       DAL        17.2

5              Vincent Jackson                SD           17.1

6              Devery Henderson          NO         17

7              Kenny Britt                         TEN        16.9

8              Pierre Garcon                    IND        16.6

9              Mike Wallace                     PIT          16.6

10           Jerricho Cotchery             NYJ         16.4

20+ yard receptions

Tied for 1st

1              Miles Austin                       DAL        17

1              Marques Colston             NO         17

1              Reggie Wayne                   IND        17

2              Randy Moss                       NE          16

2              Santonio Holmes              PIT          16

2              Andre Johnson                 HOU      16

2              Antonio Gates                   SD           16

3              DeSean Jackson                  PHI         15

3              Sidney Rice                         MIN       15

3              Donald Driver                    GB          14

40+ yard receptions

Tied for 3rd

1              DeSean Jackson               PHI         9

2              Andre Johnson                 HOU      7

3              Miles Austin                       DAL        6

3              Randy Moss                       NE          6

3              Sidney Rice                         MIN       6

4              Steve Smith                        CAR        5

5              Marques Colston             NO         4

5              Donald Driver                    GB          4

5              Vincent Jackson                SD           4

5              Jerricho Cotchery             NYJ         4

Now do these stats prove he is an elite receiver? Maybe. They do show that he is a big play receiver. Considering that he has done this in 9 starts so far this season is even more impressive. Add to this 74.1% of his catches go for 1st downs and you have a budding star. So much is said about the lead time to develop receivers in this league and you really don't know what you have until the 3rd or 4th year. Well this is Austin's 4th year.  I think we know what he is now.

Now for the real question. What is Austin worth? He is signed to a 1 year restricted free agent deal worth $1.545 million. We already have a big ticket receiver in Roy Williams. Can the Cowboys afford to pay Austin #1 receiver money? Ones usually bank between 10 & 12 mil a year. I don't see the Cowboys being able to pay that kind of money. Would Austin take a good ole boy discount? Would the Cowboys consider franchising him and trading him for picks? Does Roy Williams have any trade value? Would the Cowboys even consider taking the cap hit that would come with Roy not being on the team next year?

These are all tough questions, but the bottom line is this is a good problem to have.  With all the doom and gloom lately I thought it might be nice to focus on our own little gem at receiver.

Let’s take a look at the possible position battles based on the rookies added and see where we stand. There may be some errors here as dallascowboys.com still had some players listed on the roster who are long gone like Tank Johnson, Zach Thomas and Killa Davis. Just let me know if I missed some and I will get them fixed.

I offered a few of my thoughts on the batlles, but the real reason for the post is to start up some conversation. So fire away.

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When your legacy is on the line at the beginning of your NFL career, the last thing you need to be worried about is starting. Or for that matter, making a significant contribution. Lets go back the presalary cap days when it was the exception rather then the rule that a rookie quarterback would be expected to start. Now it seems to be the rule.

 

Rookies need to understand that accepting a cap similar to the NBA actually works in their favor. If they are not as pressured to come in before they are ready, they can take the time to learn the system and develop physically in order to compete on this level. It is when guys like Brady and Romo have the chance sit back and learn is when you start to see talent developed properly.

 

Perhaps some of those first round busts would not have been by taking the pressure off and easing them into the system. In todays would of fantastic rookie salaries, no team can afford to live by the Landry 3-year rule. Ask some 1st round bust if they would rather have the salary they got when drafted or take less and have the ability to sign an even richer contract sooner.

 

Lets take a success like Demarcus Ware as the other side of the coin. Under a rookie cap scenario he would still be a millionaire for being drafted 11th overall, but he would have had the opportunity to sign a new deal last year that would have dwarfed the deal he signed as a rookie. He would have resigned last year for Dwight Freeney money.

Bottom line is it’s a win win situation for everyone by limiting rookie salaries.

I dont know if anyone else saw that the league is trying to suspend former Cowboy Ryan Fowler. This is disturbing news that has come directly from the testamony from a former Plano drug dealer who committed suicide thiis past weekend

Fowler is the second former Cowboy to be implicated after Matt Lehr's name was brought up. I have heard that he dropped six or seven current NFL players names during his testamony both to law enforcement and directly to the NFL.

Thankfully this has been isolated to former 2nd and 3rd string Cowboys. My fear is that is a big name current Cowboy implicated. We have enough of a circus going on here without this type of cheating issue casting doubt on our current squad.

It has been suggested in the past that if I did not want to read negative doom and gloom speculation, then perhaps I should read fairy tales instead of blogs. Well I gave it a shot and if I read another story about Tony Romo dating Cinderella, I think i am going to puke.

Lets take a look at some of the ideas I developed in Never Never Land...

TO will come to the Cowboys and be a model Citizen....

Tank Johnson will come to the Cowboys and be a model citizen...

Wade Phillips will come to the Cowboys and improve the team...

Parcells will restock this team and leave a winner when he leaves...

Jerry will not totally blow this draft...

Marion Barber will be a stud running back in this league...

The sky is not and will not be falling.

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So after the first weekend of rookie minicamps, what do we know?

So far it seems that the Cowboys scouts have pulled gems out of the rubble. First we get news that Mendenhall is robbed at gunpoint after pulling a hammie in his rookie camp and Fred Davis is not smart enough to set his own alarm clock or order a wake up call.

These type of setbacks are not usually an indication of a picks worth on the grand scheme of things, BUT...

How many rookies coming in to the leauge can you name that have had early adversity have gone on to star in this league? Not to sound Terryesque and claim the sky is falling for these youngsters after the first NFL weekend for them, but I have to say that I am pleased that from the player positions we drafted, the other guy we didnt draft has had issues. Its not like we would have moved up for Fred Davis, but Mendenhall was within  our  grasp. The more time passes and the more spin I hear has me glad we went with Felix.

I think Mendenhall is this years Blair Thomas. I just cant see him turning out to be all that considering all the mitigating factors in his career. One good game against USC does not a hall of fame career make.

Adam should have plenty of support should he actually be reinstated. It seems that he will have 2 Hall of Famers backing him up in Jim Brown and Michael Irvin. He will also have a future Hall of Famer in Deon Sanders as well.

I like how guys are coming out of the woodwork now to support this kid. Besides he will have Calvin Hill as well. If he cant make it here, he wont make it anywhere. Even if the Cowboys players arent going to babysit him, he will be one babysat dude with all these guys around him.

I am feeling a little better about this as time goes on.

5. I think it's probably wrong to say Marion Barber III is insane. I'm sure he's of sound mind this morning. But to honestly think the Cowboys should give him a contract worth $8 million a year ... I mean, it defies belief. Barber's been in the league three years. He's carried the ball 138, 135 and 204 times as a pro (after he averaged 192 carries a year in three college seasons at Minnesota); so there's no indication whatsoever that he can be a 22-carry-a-game guy, and certainly no indication that Dallas intends to use him that way. The Cowboys will take a runner in the first two rounds Saturday and make him 1b to Barber's 1a in the backfield. When I saw the Cowboys' offer -- five years, $30 million -- the other day, I cringed, because no one has any idea whether this bull of a running back can take the heat of a full load.

 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/04/20/mmqb/4.html

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In keeping with my nickname on this site, I located this little nugget. Were you waiting to spring this on us when the mock was complete? Rafael Vela over at theboysblog.com says you were picking at 22 in an nbcsports mock draft. I here tell you picked Jonathan Stewart at 22. I love the pick by the way. Raf just got done making our selection at 28 and took Limas Sweed.

You can read his explination here. I would have rather had Cason in this scenario. I dont place as much weight on the accidental CB ranking photo as Raf does. I have heard multiple times that Dallas has a first round grade on Cason. So thats what my pick would have been.

I will stand corrected if in fact I missed the post on this.

Ok so its not a wild rumor I am throwing out there, but a statement of fact that Bryant Gumbel laid on us when he stated the Barbarian was the heart and soul of the Green Bay offense during the NFl networks airing of the Dallas Green Bay game.

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Nick Eatman has a great article up at dallascowyboys.com about Terrance and his views on Adam Jones, his next contract and his career in general. Newman to me is the protypical NFL player and is the polar opposite to Adam Jones.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cf...

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Jeff Fisher has gone back and forth on Adam Jones. First he says that Adam would be better off with another team. Then he says that he is a top 3 corner and returner. Just suppose the Cowboys are in fact the only team interested in acquiring Mr. Jones and that the Titans do not bend in their request for compensation. Also figure that Jerry stands his ground on not upping the offer.

What do the Titans do?

According to the collective bargaining agreement, the Titans can only suspend Adam four games without pay for conduct detrimental to the team. Then they can ask him not to return, but must pay him from there on out ala MeShawn with the Bucs and TO with the Iggles. They cannot sit him for the season. Would they really want pay him to stay home? Or pay him to put young working girls through college?

I would think at that point they would just release him. This is better for the Cowboys because we can then sign him to a minimum deal, but the Titans get nothing when they could have had a 6th round pick.

What are your thoughts?  

Burger King goes off the deep end in this week's Monday Morning Quarterback. He asserts that the Cowboys will not only trade for McFadden in this draft but that we will also trade next years first for Chad Johnson. Whatever they are passing around at CNN these days I hope to get my hands on soon.

Link

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Does anyone have a good idea how these work? It is my understanding that they are awarded based on; the players you lose to free agency and where they were drafted minus the players you aquire in free agency. By that logic, would we receive a 2nd round compensitory pick for losing JuJo to Seattle?                                                                              

I had posted a response in a ridiculous diary about trading MBIII (that was mercifully deleted) that basically stated; youtube highlight videos do not a hall of famer make. Anybody can dub a Disturbed tune over some grainy ESPN Thursday night college football snippets and call it the next coming, but the reality of those runs is there is usually more bad then good.

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After reading John Boy's diary the thought occurred to me. What was different about the pro bowl versus the Cowboy's regular season offensively?

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There is a breaking news headline on cnnsi that Jom Zorn has been hired as the Washington coach. There is no article to link to yet. Here is the wikipedia page on his Zornness.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Zorn                                                                                    

It seems there may be a little feelings happening at Valley Ranch.

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Le'Batard just said Dallas has hired Dom Capers. Interesting. Does he have inside info or is he just a moron and biting JJT's column?

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FOX Sports first reported the week of Parcells' hiring that Ireland would be his primary target, but there was a question about whether he could get him out before the draft. However, to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' credit, he granted permission for the interview despite having Ireland locked up contractually through the draft.

It's expected that Parcells will offer Ireland the job and equally as expected that Ireland accepts.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7...

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Calvin Watkins reports...

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