Mark Long Beach

Does anyone have any video of the Dallas draft room? I loathe Jerry Jones.

I'm old. I watched that one live. Loved it and that show!

There's not much quality difference between the top 4 or 5 teams. You need to be good enough to get in the mix and then lucky enough to have some things go your way. Health is the biggest factor IMO and we lost Von Miller, Daquan Johnson (a great year for us) and our secondary was devastated. We were playing Jaquan Johnson the Terrible (if it's not his name it should be), Not-On-Our-Team Dean Marlow, and Practice Squad Cam Lewis. Their offense controlled the game while ours couldn't step up that game. Sure our team has some flaws. Our OL was shockingly bad with Saffold and Brown getting regularly beat like a red-headed stepchild. Our WRs and DEs under-performed. Our backup safeties weren't as good as expected. (Jaquan Johnson the Terrible I'm especially looking at you) We are good enough. Our record shows that we're good enough. Let's fix our weaknesses (OL please!) as best we can and kick their asses next year.

If we haven't heard yet, it doesn't look too promising.

My preference is that he's our 4th (or 5th) tackle. After a high draft rookie.

We clearly want a fast "inside" receiver that can get open and stress the defense. We keep searching for it from both RBs like Cook, McKissic and Hines as well as from small receivers like McKenzie, Crowder and now Harty. Hopefully they found it this time. Some of his highlights sure look good. I'll take that from a rotational player. I WANT that from a rotational player.

Me Too! Amazing

An IMPROVEMENT! Just might be able to squeeze a little bit more.

She was absolutely amazing in that movie. She deservedly won the Academy award for it. IIRC she was the first supporting winner from a comedy.

Bills 24 - NJJ 6

Twitter Fight! Clean up the cafeteria and detention after school.

I only know the the Le Batard show from ESPN here in Los Angeles. I HATED that show. I hated the voices. Nothing was funny, but they seemed to be trying endlessly, nothing interesting. For the most part the interviews sucked. I have no idea what it was before ESPN, but it was an abomination once it got there. It's the only sports radio show that has ever generated vitriol in me.

Sure. But I want us to be able to run the ball when we need to. Most of last year we couldn't. This year, It's looks like we might be able to, but it's definitely not been proven.

Shrug. We cut players who can play well on other teams. Good. I want to do that every year. Let the coaches pick and choose amongst NFL caliber players. Not between "hell no" and "well he's a body" type player.

yeah, but RT to LT right after having his contract redone (twice?) was overkill. He wanted out and he wanted money. Most of the time those are bad people to gamble on.

The fantastic part of all of this is that it's coherent. The defensive scheme matches the draft investments which matches the Free agent acquisitions which more or less matches the offensive scheme. That level of coordination is astonishingly rare and one of several reasons I love Bean as a GM. (Being fundamentally honorable is another) McD/Frazier's Defensive scheme wants to play a mildly aggressive but fundamentally disciplined zone defensive backfield. To avoid the zone being picked apart eventually, the goal is to have sufficient pressure from the front line to prevent the QB from getting enough time. We haven't been that successful at getting our DLine to work that way. Our worst defensive year was when we had to blitz at a way higher % just to get any pressure. But over those years we have spent draft picks and $$ at DLine more than any other spot because that's what they feel is the most important aspect of the overall scheme and it hasn't fully worked yet. Fingers crossed that the additions of Von Miller, Daquan & Settle along with the growth of the young DE finally makes this fully work. So we have a defense to fear, not one that's just better than everyone else statistically. The amount of free agents and money we've poured into the DLine is insane. 2022: (only 5 FA contracts over $2m and 4 were to DL) Von Miller DE $120m 6yr Daquan Jones DT $14m 2yr Tim Settle DT $9m 2yr Jordan Phillips DT $5 1yr 2021: Only Obada, Sanders was only notable FA 2020: 3 out of top 4 FA contracts to DL Addison DE $30.5m 3yr V Butler DT $15m 2yr Q Jefferson DT $13.5m 2yr Once we hit on Josh Allen, what's been our weakest part of the team? RB & OL We "solve" our OL by Keeping two capstones in C & LT and fill the rest by hurling lots of FA veterans along with an odd draft pick or two to see what sticks. Every year. We have an okay RB in Singletary, but he's not a game changer, so he keeps looking for more of a game changer. I'm okay with that. Especially since this is the last year of Singletary. We got 3 returning WR and a FA in Crowder. I'm not worried that he gambled on a low WR pick in the 5th round (Shakir) rather than a 5th round RB. I only care that it hits, and it looks like Shakir is a hit.

Yes, but we have a REALLY small sample size for numbers of drafts. Lots of randomness happens in drafts, so plans get punched in the mouth. Got to be able to roll with what happens. I feel VERY confident that McBean can. While it is technically true that we haven't DRAFTED a wide receiver in the last five years with a high pick, we did TRADE a first round pick for an exceptional (and proven) WR in Steffon Diggs. That's certainly investing a high draft pick. Besides, we still have to draft somewhat for need. Not every hole can be filled by a free agent, sometimes you end up with OJ Howard. ah, you said it so much better than I did. Agree completely.

For practice squad players there is a fixed payment schedule for players less than 4 years of service or so. something like 16k/week. For older vets it ranges from about 16-19k a week. But that 19ish thousand IS a maximum.

He's old and has a family. He doesn't need to leave his comfortable life. He can just retire if he doesn't go back to TN.

That's what it looked like in real time to me. His route running is smooth and his body positioning excellent. He regularly was getting college wide open, not NFL wide open. It seemed that every throw to him, he had a well of space around him. All through great route running, not super speed. Now, that's against the backups, I'm curious how well he can hold up against the starters, but color me impressed.

I have a hard time believing this since his previous contract was guaranteed. So wouldn't we be paying him again?

yep. For most things in life. But super specialists you want an uberdork. Computer programmers for example. God, keep them away from normal people.

Super short interview. Can't get into too much depth in 11 total minutes. But it was implicitly discussed when they talk about coaching to the physical nature of each player. Don't coach them all the same, coach techniques to cater to the strengths (and weaknesses) of each individual. I also think that the philosophy being espoused is mostly for younger/not established players since as he says, you don't move a veteran around as much. "...don't ask a fast player to be slow and don't ask a slow player to be fast." I love it!

Having been in the world of high-tech startup companies out here in CA for a long time... This guy sounds EXACTLY like an superbrain tech guy. Extremely knowledgeable about the technical aspects of what he does, but misses large chunks of what's going on around him people-wise. It really feels like he has been over-promoted to head coach. He may have the "big picture" view of running an offense, but he doesn't have the big picture view of running a team and being the face of the organization. As head coach, the job is so much more than X's and O's. I don't think he can pull it off like Belicheck because he just talks to damn much and will talk himself into trouble. Just watch his videos.

Funny stuff from Gabe. Gabe (while smiling): "Dors[ey] has a huge personallity and gets fired up quick, so he's going to have to be in the box. We can't have him on the field. If he hears this he needs to know that he'll definitely be in the box all year. (inaudible question) [while laughing] ...No, no. We'll decide. We'll make sure he's up there for sure"