Dallas Cowboys desperate pass rush options

Well, that escalated quickly. The Dallas Cowboys, who desperately need a pass rush, struck out on another free agent defensive end as Chris Long skips dinner with head coach Jason Garrett to sign with the New England Patriots. So what happens next? There is a possibility of a trade or going into the draft and taking guys like Joey Bosa or Noah Spence.

The free agent market is dried up, but there are some names that could be of some help for the ailing pass-rush. Let’s look at some of the names.

1.)  Jason Jones- He is a 30 year-old pass rusher that is basically the best of the eh. He was decent in Detroit last season and was considered their second-best pass rusher. He had 4.5 sacks in 2015 and was decent against the run. It looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers visited with him and is interested in signing him, but if the Cowboys want to make a move to stop the bleeding, they could do it with Jones.

2.)    Jeremy Mincey- We all know and love Mr. Mincey. While sacking quarterbacks in 2014, he also produced music that was quite entertaining. Unfortunately, Mincey didn’t have much of an on-the-field impact for the Cowboys as he didn’t record a single sack. That could be because Greg Hardy was getting a lot of the snaps, but it is a worrisome sign that Mincey might not be an impact player anymore. Yet, as desperate as the Cowboys are, the team might have to return to the veteran defensive end to help solidify the pass rush and bring leadership to the defense.

3.) Dwight Freeney- OK, this is getting bad. Do we really think Freeney can be a savior for the Dallas’ pass rush? He might not be the solution, but he could be a rotational player and can hold down the fort until Randy Gregory returns from his four-game suspension. It is very unlikely the team will sign him, but he is out there.

Troublemakers:

1.)    Greg Hardy- He may be the most talented of all the defensive ends that were in this free-agent draft class, but he is also the most troubled. After a turbulent season with the Cowboys, Hardy seems to have soured his relationship with a lot of teams. We know Dallas won’t sign him, at least if it was head coach Jason Garret’ call. According to Mike Fisher of CowboysHQ.com and CBS DFW, the Cowboys will not bring back Hardy. Hardy also hasn’t visited or had any interest from other teams as well. According to “The Dallas Morning News”, Hardy is back at Ole Miss finishing his degree. It seems safe to say that Hardy won’t be a Dallas Cowboy.

2.  Aldon Smith- UMM NO.  He’s suspended for at least half the year. No thanks.

Looks like it might be Joey Bosa in the NFL Draft. No bueno.

Elliott to the Cowboys?? Not so Fast!

How can the Dallas Cowboys royally screw over their draft this year? Oh by drafting Ohio State phenom running back Ezekiel Elliott with the No. 4 overall pick.

Recently, ESPN Dallas writer Jean-Jacques Taylor had an article out that detailed why the Cowboys need to take Elliott in the first round. He had some valid arguments that almost swayed me to switch over and take the Buckeye at No.4.

Taylor pointed out that Dallas Quarterback Tony Romo had his best season in 2014, when he was attempting 30 or fewer passes in games. That was thanks to the marvelous season former Cowboys running back Demarco Murray, who rushed for 1,845 yards en route to winning the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award.

With Murray grinding out yards during the game, it allowed Romo to pick where to attack and gave him a lot of breathing room to help carry the team to 12 wins and a playoff victory in 2014. It was truly the best combination the Cowboys have had in recent years and I get why Elliott would be a guy that could help bring back that magic.

My problem is that I think you can still find that kind of running back later in the draft and still use current starting running back Darren McFadden. Did we forget that during this dreadful 2015 campaign, McFadden still ran for 1,200 yards behind an offensive line that declined in play? Add in a young running back in second or third rounds and the team can still churn out that 2014 magic.

If Elliott was a top-5 player in this draft class, I would be happy to bring him in, but he isn’t. There are far better players to choose from. The Cowboys have to stick to their board and take the best player available and at pick No. 4, Elliott isn’t that player. Players like linebacker Myles Jack, defensive back Jalen Ramsey and defensive end Joey Bosa are all better than Elliott.

Fans and media alike used to kill the Cowboys for drafting for need because it led to reaching on players and that is exactly what will happen if they draft Elliott.

Be smart and take the best player on the board at No.4. It’s a safe bet it won’t be the phenom running back from Ohio State.

THE MFFL Dream is Dead

One of the more memorable sports memories for me was when the Dallas Mavericks beat all odds to win the 2011 NBA championship. It had all the drama that sports could offer and as a Mavs fan you were on top of the world. That feeling didn’t last long as the team has fallen off to mediocrity in the last five years.

The front-office tried their best to stay relevant and make the last few years of Dirk Nowitzki’s career worth something, but they have failed at getting the “big-fish” superstars to come to Dallas. Now as the second-half of the 2015-2016 NBA season ramps up, the Mavs find themselves sputtering into mediocrity. Fans aren’t connecting anymore and the excitement level for the team is at an all-time low. Now there is a movement to force the team to tear everything apart and build everything through the draft.

I used to be totally against this movement, always preaching that the NBA draft is overrated and this team can be successful if it can just try to land some superstars through free-agency. I am sad to say I was wrong and I fully endorse tanking this team.

It is hard for the Mavericks to really tank anytime soon, especially since Dirk is on the team. Yet, they need to start embracing that mindset now because it seems that is the only way this team is going to get better. Owner Mark Cuban was on the G-Bag Nation on 105.3 The Fan earlier this week and it doesn’t seem like they are going to change their philosophy anytime soon. In fact, Cuban talked about having better player development as a way to ensure a more solid roster.

While I am glad he is fixing some of the issues, he fails to see how the rest of the NBA really is building their teams, which is through the draft. While there are examples of teams that don’t get it right when doing it through the draft, i.e. Cleveland and Philadelphia, there are other teams like the Warriors and the Spurs that dominate the NBA because of their attention to the draft.

Remember guys like Dominique Jones, Rodrigue Beaubois and 2015 second-round pick Satnam Singh? Yeah, that is just the tip of the iceberg of how bad the Mavericks are at drafting and this goes back years and years.

So here’s what needs to happen in the next few years. The first move I am advocating is a shakeup in the front office. Keep Donnie Nelson as President of Basketball Operations, but they need to bring in another guy to be the General Manager and be in charge of scouting and the draft. Next, they need to start trading away as many pieces and acquiring younger talent. Make Dirk’s years as comfortable as possible, but at the same time get pieces together to trade for draft picks. The point is to cushion the blow as much as possible, because once Dirk retires; this team is heading straight for the lottery. Tanking is one part of the equation; they still need to acquire talent on a consistent basis.

It is time to get ready for a life without Dirk. It going to suck, but if done right, the light at end of the tunnel can be the glare of multiple Larry O’Brien trophies.

Quaterback>Everything

Despair, destruction and depression were words you could describe about the Dallas Cowboys for the six years after former Super Bowl MVP quarterback Troy Aikman retired. None of his replacements could even come close to being competent. It was by sheer luck that his true heir was even found, as Tony Romo went from undrafted free agent and backup, to franchise player. Fast-forward to 2016 and Tony is getting old. Coming off multiple surgeries to his back and collarbone and missing most of the 2015 season, things are bleak for number 9. While he still has some stuff left in the tank to make some magic happen, you would be a fool if you didn’t find his replacement now.

Going into this draft, many fans and pundits believe it is time to make use of the fourth overall pick in the draft and select one of the stud quarterbacks.  Then there is a complete other faction that wants to take advantage of having a high pick to either bolster the defense or add a weapon to the offense, so that Romo can win now.  

Let’s make peace and try to map out a plan that can make both factions happy.  

It is absolutely necessary to have a quarterback ready to go in the wings. Aside from needing an eventual heir, this team needs a capable backup quarterback. Last season, the front-office gambled on it and it blew up in their face. The team went through three quarterbacks and all three were just terrible. You knew the team was still talented because they were able to stay in every game, but the ineffective play at quarterback led to disastrous results. In just one season, Dallas dropped from second to 26^th on third down conversions. The offense lost their identity and soon the season went with it.  A capable backup is needed for this offense to survive.

You could go and sign a veteran backup like Robert Griffin or even Johnny Manziel, but those aren’t long-term solutions and you have to be also ready for the day Romo eventually calls it quits. The team is already very young at all the crucial positions on this team. In fact, the team had the fifth-youngest team in the NFC at 25.92, according to analysis done by the NFL during opening week of the 2015 season. So imagine a team hitting their prime, with a young quarterback who has taken the time to mature and he is ready to hit the ground running. The post-Romo window looks very appealing.

Yet, those Romosexuals, like me, are wondering about the win-now window with Tony. Yes, we would not get an impact player with the fourth overall pick, but you can get very good players that can help contribute this season. Remember, the Cowboys still pick at the top of the draft for at least the first four rounds. Add in those talented rookies to your draft haul, mix in some bargain veterans through free-agency and the Cowboys can be back in the title-conversation by the time the season kicks off in September.

See? Everybody wins. You can still go win-now with Romo and still get the quarterback of the future.

If the team decides to not go with a top quarterback this year, that is fine too, but they better hope they win now. It’s going to be dark days ahead once Romo decides to hang up his cleats.

The Cowboys season over? Not a chance

It was hard to be a Dallas Cowboys fan after losing to the New Orleans Saints in overtime last Sunday. Already without quarterback Tony Romo, receiver Dez Bryant and countless other starters, the Cowboys fell to 2-2 with a dangerous game coming up with the defending Super Bowl-champion New England Patriots. But is it time to wave the flag on the season and just expect the Cowboys quit?

It seems to be a popular opinion among the members of my weekly-radio show, Best for Business. When we went in for the Cowboys post-game show, I was shocked to hear former Cowboys running back Tashard Choice say the season was over. Agreeing with him was my co-host Walt and later accompanied by our other co-host Tovash on Twitter. I was shocked at what I was hearing from normally level-headed football analysts.

I respectfully disagree with all of them and I am here to show that the season is far from over. They will attack me and say I am a “Cowboys homer”, but that is far from the case. I am simply being a realist and doing my due diligence on what is coming up and what players are returning to this team very shortly.

One of the major reasons of optimism is the fact that the defense gets back two of their best players in Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain.  One of the more shocking things to come out of Choice’s mouth during our post-game show was that Hardy was not an elite-pass rusher in the NFL. He tried to tell me five other players who were better but I just shook my head. There is a major reason why the Cowboys are risking signing a player with as much baggage as he has to a one-year deal; that is because he is a game-changer. In 32 games, Hardy recorded 27 sacks, forced four fumbles and had 121 tackles. Pro-Football focus ranked him the second-best 4-3 defensive end in 2013. He is a beast on the field because he can lineup all over the defensive line to create mismatch problems. How can this guy not be a game-changer?

Let’s talk about Rolando McClain, the very nonchalant linebacker from Alabama. This was another player that is returning that Tashard Choice had his doubts about. Again the question is why? Last season he was one of the more important members of the Cowboys’ defense that lacked star-power. In 2014, McClain had a +17.2 rating for the Cowboys, according to Bloggingtheboys.com and Pro-Football Focus. McClain also recorded 81 tackles, a sack, forced a fumbles and two picks. Numbers don’t convince you? Consider the fact that when McClain was not on the field, opposing running backs looked like Moses going through the Red Sea. He is a game-changer at the middle linebacker position and paired next to a healthy Sean Lee will do wonders for this defense.

Still think this team is doomed? According to Executive Vice President of the Cowboys, Stephen Jones, rookie defensive end Randy Gregory should be back by the time they face the New York Giants after the bye week. Gregory already has shown you what a spark-plug he is for this defensive line, especially getting three quarterback hurries in the opener. Rumors are circulating that Dez Bryant might even return for that game, but that is still yet to be seen.

So for the final-five games until Romo returns, you will have your defense at almost full-strength and an offense that is not making mistakes and scoring when they need too. How can this be a doomsday scenario? How can you say that the team should quit now?

Things might get bad and the season might be over soon. Yet, with all that is returning, there is more than an optimistic chance the Cowboys can still weather the storm until Romo gets back.

To say it is over without even looking at the reinforcements and the schedule down the stretch is just a lazy and emotional way of analysis. I think we are all better than that.

More on this topic and others every Thursday on Best for Business radio show. Live on deepellumonair.com from 8-11 pm CST! Follow me on @easportsdfw

Cowboys must weather the storm minus Romo;The stakes are too high

The season is on the brink and it has only been two weeks. WTF? Already without top receiver Dez Bryant, the Dallas Cowboys lost their star quarterback Tony Romo to a collarbone injury in the win against the Philadelphia Eagles. That is not the best way to start a Super Bowl or bust season for America’s Team.

The good news is that Romo will only be out for about eight weeks, but that is still a lot of games without your quarterback and number one receiving option. Now the offense is in the hands of Brandon Weeden. Did that make you reach for the noose next to your bed? Calm down and let me try to relax you a bit.

Yes, the Cowboys are about to go on a daunting stretch with Weeden trying to lead the offense. That is seven games that include both of last year’s Super Bowl participants, two division rivals and three teams that can hurt you if you don’t bring your A game.

Yes, the Cowboys are 6-9 without Romo since 2006 when he became the full-time starter.

Yes, Weeden has a terrible record as a starter and boasts a career quarterback rating of 73.4. Why the optimism? This 2015 Cowboys team is very good.

All the Cowboys need from Weeden is to get three wins at minimum while Romo is out with his injury. That would at least give the Cowboys a record of 5-4 going into the Miami Dolphin game on November 22^nd.

That is pretty doable, especially since the defense is playing lights-out, led by linebacker Sean Lee who is playing on another world right now. Lee had 14 tackles, two tackles for a loss and an interception. Right now, they are the third-ranked defense in total yards and number-one in rushing yards allowed. Just wait until Greg Hardy, Randy Gregory and Rolando McClain return in a few weeks, it could get scary good.

Also, the offensive line makes the job for Weeden much easier as he finally can get some great protection. It also helps the running game stay as dominant as it was last season.

All Weeden has to do is manage the team and become the ultimate bus-driver quarterback. The coaches will help by focusing on the running game and simplifying the offense. For Weeden, it is just about not making mistakes in the game.

“There is pressure on everyone in this organization," Weeden said. “So I am not going to put any added pressure on myself. I know what is at stake. I know we have a good team. So hopefully we can all rally and keep this going in the right direction."

Weeden knows his role and what it takes to get through the storm without Romo and Dez.

"We have a lot of weapons, a lot of good weapons," Weeden said. "So my job is to make it easy on those guys, let them do their jobs, get them those one-on-one matchups, and let them do what they do best."

To hedge their bet on Weeden, the Cowboys made a trade Tuesday to bring in veteran back-up quarterback Matt Cassel. They also promoted practice-squad quarterback Kellen Moore for some added depth. These moves ensure the Cowboys aren’t worried and will try to win it all this year. The stakes are too high.

The battle plan is simple. Win three to four games, keep running the football, play sound defense, play smart and don’t turn the ball over.

If Weeden and the Cowboys do that, the team will be ready for a great stretch-run when Romo and Dez make their return.

They have too. The stakes are too high this year.

Go to the freaking GAME! +Rangers and Cowboys thoughts

So you know the great debate about why aren’t people going to the Texas Rangers games? Yeah, I am on team go to the freaking game! Before Tuesday, I was trying to defend those who would choose to watch the game at a bar or at home. Some of the excuses would be with the heat, cost of tickets, food, drinks, and even parking. Thanks to Tovash Hatcher, my esteemed co-host on the Best for Business show, shown exclusively on Thursday nights on deepellumonair.com, I am now having a huge change of heart.

On Tuesday, Tovash treated me and our other co-host Walt for a game at the ballpark against the Houston Astros. He showed me that you can still enjoy the game and not spend a fortune to go to the game. First off, there are so many seats at very affordable options for everyone, ranging from as low as $8 to $65. The next complaint was the food and drinks and the high prices at the concession stands. Screw going there people, YOU can bring your own food. Only two ballparks in the country allow the fans to bring their own food and drinks into the stadium, Progressive Field and Globe Life Park. Bring a backpack and put in anything you’d like to eat or drink. As long as it is in a plastic bag or container, the attendant will allow it. On our outing to the ballpark, I brought in a foot-long sub with five water bottles. That was a game-changer for me. Parking was also very cheap to find, with $15 cash lots literally next to the ballpark.

The only issue for me is still the heat. If it is a day game and the temperatures are nearing in the 90s, people will suffer in the ballpark. If you aren’t a hardcore fan, why put yourself through that? I am still a proponent of building a roof over Glove Life and that should happen quickly. Other than that, go to the freaking games! They are fun, relaxing and the team is GOOD.

Rangers 1^st place!

How about those American League West-leading Texas Rangers! On Tuesday, the Rangers beat the Astros to take first-place in the division for the first time since April. It was also just a couple of months ago that they were nine games back out of the lead. I will be the first to admit I was wrong about this team. General Manager Jon Daniels fixed the bullpen and added an ace to the rotation which has paid-off dividends. With Manager Jeff Banister just hitting all the right buttons with the lineup card, the Rangers seem to be a threat to a lot of teams in the AL. Can they win the World Series? Maybe not, but they are going to be a real fun to watch in the playoffs. Let’s just hope they can get in with a division title and not play in the dreaded wild-card sudden death game. Those are too nerve-wracking.

Cowboys win, but also loose.

So it was brilliant to see Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo lead a game-winning drive yet again, but should they have been that position in the first place? It was so nauseating to watch multiple receivers, including Dez Bryant drop such easy passes. The sloppy play and lack of execution is a trait of a team that is young and raw, not of a contender. It also didn’t help seeing three very important players go down with injuries.

The Dez Bryant injury is the one that is making all the headlines, but I honestly think we will be fine in the short-term. I believe Dez will be back by the time the Cowboys host the Seahawks on November 1^st. Until then the Cowboys have to whether the storm and win three out of the next five games. Standing at 4-2 for the stretch run is a very good position to be in. The more concerning injury for me is the high-ankle sprain that rookie defensive end Randy Gregory has. He is playing lights-out and it sucks to have him to sit out for a month. With no Greg Hardy for the next three games, it is going to be tough to generate a pass rush. This will be essentially the same starting defensive line the team had last season. It will be up to the offense to help carry the load once more, but it won’t be as easy as it was in 2014. You had two guys named Bryant and Murray helping a lot in that scenario.

It is time to see how elite Tony Romo can be.

Remember to watch and listen to Best for Business on deepellumonair.com Thursday nights 8-11 p.m. CST. I am also on the deepellumonair.com Dallas Cowboys post-game show with former Cowboys Tashard Choice and Cory Procter. Same website, 15 minutes after every game, you will love it!!!