Dallas
Cowboys' 2006
Schedule
Pre-Season
1. Aug. 10-14 @Seattle
2. Aug. 21@ New Orleans
3. Aug. 24-28 vs. SF
4. Aug. 31-Sept. 2 vs. MIN
Regular Season
1. Sept. 10 - @ Jacksonville
2. Sept. 17 - vs. Washington
3. Bye
4. Oct. 1 - @ Tennessee
5. Oct. 8 - @ Philadelphia
6. Oct. 15 - vs. Houston
7. Oct. 23 - vs. NY Giants
8. Oct. 29 - @ Carolina
9. Nov. 5 - @ Washington
10. Nov. 12 - @ Arizona
11. Nov. 19 - vs. Indianapolis
12. Nov. 23 - vs. Tampa Bay
13. Dec. 3 - @ NY Giants
14. Dec. 10 - vs. N.O. Saints
15. Dec. 16 - @ Atlanta
16. Dec. 25 - vs. Philadelphia
17. Dec. 31 -vs. Detroit
Cowboys' 2006
Schedule
Pre-Season
1. Aug. 10-14 @Seattle
2. Aug. 21@ New Orleans
3. Aug. 24-28 vs. SF
4. Aug. 31-Sept. 2 vs. MIN
Regular Season
1. Sept. 10 - @ Jacksonville
2. Sept. 17 - vs. Washington
3. Bye
4. Oct. 1 - @ Tennessee
5. Oct. 8 - @ Philadelphia
6. Oct. 15 - vs. Houston
7. Oct. 23 - vs. NY Giants
8. Oct. 29 - @ Carolina
9. Nov. 5 - @ Washington
10. Nov. 12 - @ Arizona
11. Nov. 19 - vs. Indianapolis
12. Nov. 23 - vs. Tampa Bay
13. Dec. 3 - @ NY Giants
14. Dec. 10 - vs. N.O. Saints
15. Dec. 16 - @ Atlanta
16. Dec. 25 - vs. Philadelphia
17. Dec. 31 -vs. Detroit
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Cowboys' First Day Draft Grades
The Cowboys were active on the first day of the 2007 NFL Draft
making three trades. The first trade was us trading our 1st round
pick for the Browns 2nd round pick and their 1st next year. This
was an amazing trade. There is an excellent chance the Cowboys
will have a Top 10 pick next season as a result of that trade.
Shortly afterwards, we traded back up with the Eagles to #26 to
select DE Anthony Spencer. I'll get to my grade of this pick later.
This move cost us our 3rd and 5th round picks. This is evidently
the guy we were targeting at #22, so both trades make sense. We
got the guy we wanted and we turned a 3rd and 5th round pick into
a 1st next season.
Our final trade involved the Browns again. We traded our original
2nd round pick to the Browns for an early 3rd and and early 4th
round pick. We also swapped picks in the 6th round with moved
us up about 20 slots in the round. We selected OT James Marten
with our 3rd round pick.
The Grades
Trade #1 W/Browns - A
We might be looking at a Top 10 pick next year and we only moved
back 15 spots. I don't see how you could criticize this move.
There was nobody on the board that we absolutely had to have,
and we got the guy we wanted most at #26 after the subsequent
trade up.
Trade #2 W/Eagles - B-
I disagree with this move, because I didn't see that big of a
difference between Anthony Spencer and the rushers we could
have gotten at #36. Nevertheless, this is the guy the team
seemingly would have taken at #22, so its hard to fault them for
going up and getting the guy they wanted.
Trade #3 W/Browns - B
This one is hard to grade because I don't know what players in the
late 2nd round they were looking at. They might have missed out
on a guy by trading back, but this could have been a situation
where they would have ended up taking James Marten in the 2nd if
they couldn't trade back. The early 4th round pick is a big bonus
though. It is the third pick in the round with the most value in my
opinion. I love the 4th round because there always seems to be
good guys left over from the first day that you can get.
The Picks
1. DE Anthony Spencer 6'3 261 4.70 Purdue - B+
I wasn't sure how big of a priority the pass rush would be for this
team. This pick answers that question. He was a great pick in my
opinion. If we were going to draft a 3-4 OLB in the 1st, this was the
guy we should have gone after. I like him more than Jarvis Moss
who was taken at #17.
2. OT 6'8 309 5.09 Boston College James Marten - C
I'm not sure about this pick. The value is pretty good and the need
is there, but Marten isn't the type of guy I saw us taking. Marten is
a prototypical right tackle. He isn't as athletic as his forty time
would indicate, but he is a really good run blocker that plays with
an attitude. I figured we would go more towards a developmental
guy with more prototypical left tackle athleticism. This guy could
play left tackle, but he would never be a guy that you could leave
on an island all game because he isn't quick enough to shut down
great speed rushers. This was a safe pick though and he does
add insurance at a position that has both starters only signed
through next season. This might also indicate that Pat McQuistan
is being groomed to play left tackle. I know the team is high on
McQuistan, but I wasn't certain if they viewed him more as a right
tackle or a left tackle.
Overall - A-
The trade that gives us a #1 in 2008 gives us this grade. The
Spencer pick was good, and the Marten pick was solid. The only
thing we could have done better was maybe taking a better player
with the 3rd round pick, but I'm not ready to say we didn't take the
right player because we might have. Its just with NT Tank Tyler,
CB Marcus McCauley, and WR Jason Hill all available I think we
could have done better than picking Marten.
Discuss at the Cowboys-Fan Blog
The Cowboys were active on the first day of the 2007 NFL Draft
making three trades. The first trade was us trading our 1st round
pick for the Browns 2nd round pick and their 1st next year. This
was an amazing trade. There is an excellent chance the Cowboys
will have a Top 10 pick next season as a result of that trade.
Shortly afterwards, we traded back up with the Eagles to #26 to
select DE Anthony Spencer. I'll get to my grade of this pick later.
This move cost us our 3rd and 5th round picks. This is evidently
the guy we were targeting at #22, so both trades make sense. We
got the guy we wanted and we turned a 3rd and 5th round pick into
a 1st next season.
Our final trade involved the Browns again. We traded our original
2nd round pick to the Browns for an early 3rd and and early 4th
round pick. We also swapped picks in the 6th round with moved
us up about 20 slots in the round. We selected OT James Marten
with our 3rd round pick.
The Grades
Trade #1 W/Browns - A
We might be looking at a Top 10 pick next year and we only moved
back 15 spots. I don't see how you could criticize this move.
There was nobody on the board that we absolutely had to have,
and we got the guy we wanted most at #26 after the subsequent
trade up.
Trade #2 W/Eagles - B-
I disagree with this move, because I didn't see that big of a
difference between Anthony Spencer and the rushers we could
have gotten at #36. Nevertheless, this is the guy the team
seemingly would have taken at #22, so its hard to fault them for
going up and getting the guy they wanted.
Trade #3 W/Browns - B
This one is hard to grade because I don't know what players in the
late 2nd round they were looking at. They might have missed out
on a guy by trading back, but this could have been a situation
where they would have ended up taking James Marten in the 2nd if
they couldn't trade back. The early 4th round pick is a big bonus
though. It is the third pick in the round with the most value in my
opinion. I love the 4th round because there always seems to be
good guys left over from the first day that you can get.
The Picks
1. DE Anthony Spencer 6'3 261 4.70 Purdue - B+
I wasn't sure how big of a priority the pass rush would be for this
team. This pick answers that question. He was a great pick in my
opinion. If we were going to draft a 3-4 OLB in the 1st, this was the
guy we should have gone after. I like him more than Jarvis Moss
who was taken at #17.
2. OT 6'8 309 5.09 Boston College James Marten - C
I'm not sure about this pick. The value is pretty good and the need
is there, but Marten isn't the type of guy I saw us taking. Marten is
a prototypical right tackle. He isn't as athletic as his forty time
would indicate, but he is a really good run blocker that plays with
an attitude. I figured we would go more towards a developmental
guy with more prototypical left tackle athleticism. This guy could
play left tackle, but he would never be a guy that you could leave
on an island all game because he isn't quick enough to shut down
great speed rushers. This was a safe pick though and he does
add insurance at a position that has both starters only signed
through next season. This might also indicate that Pat McQuistan
is being groomed to play left tackle. I know the team is high on
McQuistan, but I wasn't certain if they viewed him more as a right
tackle or a left tackle.
Overall - A-
The trade that gives us a #1 in 2008 gives us this grade. The
Spencer pick was good, and the Marten pick was solid. The only
thing we could have done better was maybe taking a better player
with the 3rd round pick, but I'm not ready to say we didn't take the
right player because we might have. Its just with NT Tank Tyler,
CB Marcus McCauley, and WR Jason Hill all available I think we
could have done better than picking Marten.
Discuss at the Cowboys-Fan Blog
Cowboys' Second Day Draft Grades
I thought the Cowboys did a fair job on the second day of the 2007
NFL Draft. Its too early to accurately say, but it appears they
drafted several guys who can come in and contribute.
4a. - QB Isaiah Stanback 6'2 216 4.51 Washington - C+
I really don't have a problem with this pick. Stanback is an amazing
athlete who has some real upside on offense. He might never be a
true WR, but he could be one of those guys that can play a variety
of positions on offense as well as special teams. A traditional
receiver wasn't going to see the field with the depth we have at WR,
but a guy like Stanback will get a chance to make an impact as
early as next season.
4b. - OT Doug Free 6'6 324 5.24 N. Illinois - A
I love this pick. I really wished we could have just gotten this guy in
the 4th and went in a different direction in the 3rd round. This guy
is a great athlete who has the ability to be a true left tackle in the
pros. He can also provide depth at guard.
6a. - K Nick Folk 6'1 225 5.00 Arizona - B-
This is another pick that surprised me, but it makes sense. I think
Martin Gramatica is serviceable, but with his prior history you
should always be looking for an upgrade. This guy has an
amazingly strong leg on both kick-offs and field goals. He wasn't all
that accurate in college, but he lit it up at both the Combine and
Senior Bowl easily outperforming the once consensus best kicker
Mason Crosby. This guy might not beat out Gramatica as our
kicker this year, but he might carve his niche as the kick-off guy
until he develops as a place kicker.
6b. - FB Deon Anderson 5'11 243 4.73 Connecticut - B
I'm not crazy about giving up one of our 7th round picks to move up
and get this guy, but if this is the guy we wanted then that is okay.
Fullback wasn't considered a need, but it makes sense. I think our
offense will use a fullback quite a bit like it did last season. Fasano
will get his packages, but this will be a mostly two back offense.
Oliver Hoyte looked amazing early last year, but he got nicked up
and he didn't seem nearly as excited about his switch to fullback
once he realized how much of a pounding you take at that spot. I
could tell the organization wasn't that high on him going into the
off-season.
Anderson is a good all-around fullback. He is good short yardage
runner, a decent receiver, and a pretty powerful blocker. He is also
an amazing special teams player. This selection tells me we will
keep two fullbacks on the roster. We now have more depth at
fullback than we do at tight end, so that tells me we will be using a
fullback next season.
7a. CB Courtney Brown 6'1 205 4.32 Cal-Poly - A
I had us taking this guy a little bit earlier. He is raw, but he has
great size and he plays to his forty time. He is also not just a
workout warrior because he was pretty productive in college.
7b. CB Alan Ball 6'1 176 4.50 Illinois - B
I don't know much about this guy, but I like the idea of adding more
young cornerbacks. He has good size and he will be a guy who is
trying to beat out Jacques Reeves, Nate Jones, Quincy Butler, and
Brown for a roster spot.
2nd Day Grade - B
Overall Draft Grade - B+
Some of these picks were surprises, but they make sense if you
think about it. The one position we really neglected is nose tackle,
but most of the guys we were possibly targeting in the later rounds
didn't even get drafted so we can still add depth there.
Rookie Free Agent Wish List
We need to fill out our training camp roster with some players. We
need to bring in quarterback to battle Baker and Berlin for the 3rd
spot. We need a running back with some ability that can step up
from the practice squad if someone gets hurt. We need a few
bodies along the interior offensive line especially at center. We
also need defensive lineman as we only have five guys who are
sure things to contribute next season. The lack of depth at nose
tackle is especially apparent, but if you keep Ratliff at NT then you
only have three viable DEs. We also need some inside linebackers
because we don't have anyone behind James, Ayodele, and
Carpenter. We migh talso consider a pass rusher or two.
I thought the Cowboys did a fair job on the second day of the 2007
NFL Draft. Its too early to accurately say, but it appears they
drafted several guys who can come in and contribute.
4a. - QB Isaiah Stanback 6'2 216 4.51 Washington - C+
I really don't have a problem with this pick. Stanback is an amazing
athlete who has some real upside on offense. He might never be a
true WR, but he could be one of those guys that can play a variety
of positions on offense as well as special teams. A traditional
receiver wasn't going to see the field with the depth we have at WR,
but a guy like Stanback will get a chance to make an impact as
early as next season.
4b. - OT Doug Free 6'6 324 5.24 N. Illinois - A
I love this pick. I really wished we could have just gotten this guy in
the 4th and went in a different direction in the 3rd round. This guy
is a great athlete who has the ability to be a true left tackle in the
pros. He can also provide depth at guard.
6a. - K Nick Folk 6'1 225 5.00 Arizona - B-
This is another pick that surprised me, but it makes sense. I think
Martin Gramatica is serviceable, but with his prior history you
should always be looking for an upgrade. This guy has an
amazingly strong leg on both kick-offs and field goals. He wasn't all
that accurate in college, but he lit it up at both the Combine and
Senior Bowl easily outperforming the once consensus best kicker
Mason Crosby. This guy might not beat out Gramatica as our
kicker this year, but he might carve his niche as the kick-off guy
until he develops as a place kicker.
6b. - FB Deon Anderson 5'11 243 4.73 Connecticut - B
I'm not crazy about giving up one of our 7th round picks to move up
and get this guy, but if this is the guy we wanted then that is okay.
Fullback wasn't considered a need, but it makes sense. I think our
offense will use a fullback quite a bit like it did last season. Fasano
will get his packages, but this will be a mostly two back offense.
Oliver Hoyte looked amazing early last year, but he got nicked up
and he didn't seem nearly as excited about his switch to fullback
once he realized how much of a pounding you take at that spot. I
could tell the organization wasn't that high on him going into the
off-season.
Anderson is a good all-around fullback. He is good short yardage
runner, a decent receiver, and a pretty powerful blocker. He is also
an amazing special teams player. This selection tells me we will
keep two fullbacks on the roster. We now have more depth at
fullback than we do at tight end, so that tells me we will be using a
fullback next season.
7a. CB Courtney Brown 6'1 205 4.32 Cal-Poly - A
I had us taking this guy a little bit earlier. He is raw, but he has
great size and he plays to his forty time. He is also not just a
workout warrior because he was pretty productive in college.
7b. CB Alan Ball 6'1 176 4.50 Illinois - B
I don't know much about this guy, but I like the idea of adding more
young cornerbacks. He has good size and he will be a guy who is
trying to beat out Jacques Reeves, Nate Jones, Quincy Butler, and
Brown for a roster spot.
2nd Day Grade - B
Overall Draft Grade - B+
Some of these picks were surprises, but they make sense if you
think about it. The one position we really neglected is nose tackle,
but most of the guys we were possibly targeting in the later rounds
didn't even get drafted so we can still add depth there.
Rookie Free Agent Wish List
We need to fill out our training camp roster with some players. We
need to bring in quarterback to battle Baker and Berlin for the 3rd
spot. We need a running back with some ability that can step up
from the practice squad if someone gets hurt. We need a few
bodies along the interior offensive line especially at center. We
also need defensive lineman as we only have five guys who are
sure things to contribute next season. The lack of depth at nose
tackle is especially apparent, but if you keep Ratliff at NT then you
only have three viable DEs. We also need some inside linebackers
because we don't have anyone behind James, Ayodele, and
Carpenter. We migh talso consider a pass rusher or two.