By: Trenton Roberts (Twitter: @TRobertsNFL)

Background:

As the NFL offseason slowly moves along, there is increasingly less to talk about as we wait for the season to roll around. With more time on our hands, writers and journalists are looking for anything to write about. That was where the idea for this series arose from.

In the NFL today, there are many young talents who seem to already be heading towards acquiring a bust in Canton. Reaching the NFL Hall-of-Fame is one of the most prestigious honors any player can hope to achieve in their careers and is what motivate many players to improve and play at the highest level. In this series, we will discuss how some of these players have already left their marks and what they can do to ensure their eventual enshrinement.

Over the next ten weeks, we will make our way through twenty total players in the NFL today under the age of 28 who are well on their ways to the Hall. Twice a week, a new name will be discussed and debated in order to see where they stand and what they can do in their “Quest for Canton”.

Article:

In 2016, the Cowboy’s started a three-year run of a team drafting a running back with a top five pick in the NFL draft, selecting Ohio State star Ezekiel Elliot with the 4^th overall selection of the class. The Jacksonville Jaguars followed suit the next season, taking LSU bruiser Leonard Fournette with the same selection, and In 2018, the Giants finished the trifecta, selecting Penn State superstar Saquon Barkley as the second overall pick. Since then, each back has gone on to have success in their respective careers, with Fournette playing a key role in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2020-21 title run and Barkley dominating when healthy, even leading the league in scrimmage yards as a rookie.

What “Zeke” has done through five seasons, however, dwarfs anything the other two have accomplished, as well as the majority of every other first five years a running back has had in league history. In that time, the young Cowboy’s rusher has already led the league in rushing yards twice and led as well in rushing yards per game in each of his first three seasons. 

Through a players first 50 career games, Elliott finishes third in yards from scrimmage since the merger, with his 6,300 trailing just Edgerrin James (6,506) and LaDanian Tomlinson (6,425). He also made an immediate impact in Dallas, totaling 1,631 rushing yards and 15 rushing scores as a rookie and helping propel the Cowboys to the second-best record in the league (13-3) and pairing with fellow rookie, quarterback Dak Prescott, to dominate the league.

Despite a down year in 2020, in which the team lost Prescott early to injury and never recovered, Elliott’s early years remain some of the greatest in history. He ranks in the top 15 in NFL history in both rushing yards and touchdowns through a players first five seasons, with all 14 ahead of him either currently or soon-to-be enshrined in the Hall. Zeke should return back to prior form with a healthy Prescott keeping defenses honest once more in 2021 and continue his run as one of the best backs of this generation.

As it stands, Zeke is already well on his way to Canton, and should join the ranks of the greats soon enough should he continue his amazing career start!

Tune in early next week as we hit the quarter-way mark of the series and break down another legendary running back of this generation: Carolina Panthers superstar Christian McCaffrey.

The post Ezekiel Elliot has proven to be a historical talent at the RB position appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

The Dallas Cowboys are in a pretty good situation right now with franchise QB Dak Prescott returning as well as a huge influx in the draft of defensive talent.  They look to be primed for a playoff run more than likely if Dak can revert to form.  However, one of their moves in the last few years has been questionable, which was paying Ezekiel Elliott so much so quickly.  

In this article, I will be going over a few reasons as to why paying Zeke such a large amount in his extension could be a poor decision, as well as why that is the case.

Previous Large RB Extensions

One of the most notable experiences we have witnessed recently of a RB getting a large extension then dropping off significantly is Todd Gurley.  Gurley went from one of the top backs in the league at the time, arguably the top back, to off the Rams within a few seasons.  At the time they paid the richest running back contract ever seen, which was four years $60 million and $45 million of which being guaranteed.  He now remains unsigned this offseason after his one year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, only three years after the giant extension.

This is not that much of an uncommon occurrence either, here are a few more to prove the point:

• Le’Veon Bell ”“ four years $52.5 million ”“ outcome was off the New York Jets within 3 years of extension
• Devonta Freeman ”“ five years $41.3 million ”“ outcome was off the Atlanta Falcons before end of contract
• David Johnson ”“ three years $39 million ”“ outcome was traded from Arizona Cardinals within two seasons
• Jerick McKinnon ”“ four years $30 million ”“ outcome was multiple underperforming seasons with injuries hampering some of them
• Leonard Fournette ”“ four years $27.2 million ”“ outcome was cut from the team in 2020 and signed elsewhere
• Christian McCaffrey ”“ four years $64.1 million ”“ outcome has been injury riddled seasons with minimal production due to such, unknown future as of now

Not all extensions have been bad, Alvin Kamara performed extremely well in his 2020 campaign after his relatively large extension.  Dalvin Cook has also been exceptionally talented within his own right after his five year extension.  However these previous extensions have been majorly led with negative connotations so far.

There Are A lot of RBs Out There

One of the reasons I believe this contract extension was much too early, rather than lucrative, was because of the amount of running backs on the market is extraordinary, and they keep coming in with every draft.  Paying Zeke for four years, or any running back for that matter, can lead to some major issues if they flop.  Last year Zeke did decent, but had a lot of issues as well with Dak not playing most of the season.

If this trend continues, the Cowboys will be locked into his guaranteed money, and likely will not have the ability to bring in a true replacement due to this constraint.  Having two running backs on relatively middle of the road contracts at once rather than one on a massive one has seemingly worked a few times now.  Tampa Bay had quite a few running backs in the rotation, Ronald Jones, Leonard Fournette, Ke’shawn Vaughn, and LeSean McCoy being the primary four.  Clearly having one running back is not necessarily the winning formula every time.

Now is this to say Zeke did not deserve to get paid?  No.  It is more the duration and extreme guaranteed values for four years that end up coming back around to be an issue.

The post Why the Cowboys are wrong to pay Zeke so much money appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Reese Nasser

It is impossible to talk about the Dallas Cowboys in the 21st century without discussing their success at the linebacker position. The Cowboys run at linebacker has been historic. Players such as Demarcus Ware and Sean Lee both set a foundation and a standard for how the linebacker position should be played in Dallas. This is still being felt today. The Cowboys have assembled a group full of all-out athletes that can each lead a defense in their own ways. Let’s take a look at how the 2021 Dallas Cowboys linebacker core could be historic. 

Who is playing the position 

As the 2020 season ended, longtime Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee announced his retirement. The 11-year veteran was the centerpiece for the defensive unit for some time but his retirement was expected. The Cowboys have been making moves for multiple seasons in preparation of his retirement.

In 2016, Dallas selected Jalyon Smith with the 34th overall pick. Smith has proven to be one of the most skilled players at his position in the NFL. Two years later, in the 2018 draft, the Cowboys then used a first round pick on yet another linebacker: Leighton Vander Esch. The duo of Smith and Vander Esch has been maybe the best in the NFL since the two have begun playing together. The biggest issue with the two of them has been health. They have both missed time due to injury. 

The Cowboys decided to go all in at the position in this year’s draft. With the 12th pick, Dallas drafted star-linebacker Micah Parsons from Penn State.

After getting arguably the best defensive player in the draft with Parsons, the Cowboys still weren’t done. With the 115th pick, they grabbed Jabril Cox linebacker out of LSU. The selection of two linebackers within the first four rounds caught many people off guard but it fits the narrative of the Cowboys.

How these players will be utilized 

The potential for this unit is unmatched. It is expected that Parsons will start alongside Smith and both Vander Esch and Cox will be rotated in and have packages centered around them. Now imagine being the offense that has to prepare for that. Regardless of which duo of linebackers it is on the field, it will be an issue and difficult to prepare for, especially when you consider that each one plays a little differently. 

This group will also occasionally include newly signed safety Keanu Neal. During his time with the Atlanta Falcons, Neal spent a lot of his time coming down from the safety spot and playing alongside the linebackers in the box. It wouldn’t be shocking if the Cowboys utilize him the same way. Espn even has him slated as a weakside linebacker on the Cowboys depth chart.

A rotation of these five players could cause matchup nightmares for offensive play callers. The athleticism of Parsons, Cox, and Neal will allow for them to keep up with even the most athletic route runners in the NFL. This group has all the intangibles to go down as one of the best ever. 

Does anyone leave?

So what will happen after this season ends? Leighton Vander Esch is entering the final year of his contract and will be expecting a big payday. With the Cowboys drafting Micah Parsons and Jabril Cox, Vander Esch will more than likely be the odd man out. Why pay him when you already have Smith locked in until 2025 and have both Parsons and Cox on rookie contracts? The additions of these young players will allow for a more seamless exit for Vander Esch. 

This Cowboys defense as a whole could shock the NFL and be one of the best all around groups in the league. With players like Randall Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence holding it down on the defensive line and this linebacker group being the center pieces in the middle, this unit is solid. Don’t be shocked if this defense does big things this season. 

The post Why the Cowboys LB core has scary potential appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Why should you believe the Dallas Cowboys are actually going to have a better defense in the 2021-2022 season? I am going to give you three reasons–

Building the Defense through the draft

With a new season, comes new hopes and dreams for this franchise. The Dallas Cowboys have been on the chase for a super bowl ring for over twenty years and it seems to be an endless search for past glory. It is so cliché, yet so true, defenses win championships. The Boys seem to always fall short of having a good defense just about every year. That very well could change as this last draft has looked a lot like the 2005 draft. The Only other time the Dallas Cowboys have selected over 7 picks and came out with only 2 offensive players. That year they selected Demarcus Ware in the first round. They also acquired guys like””Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff, and Marcus Spears. Needless to say, after this year’s draft, the Cowboys have positioned themselves to get a lot better. Parsons was arguably the best defensive player in the draft and will immediately help the team. Kelvin Joseph and Jabril Cox are going to end up starters on the team as well. Jerry Jones literally drafted nine defensive players out of eleven picks. The team is bound to hit on a couple of them. Along with the three said players, the Boys drafted two defensive lineman that could fill the middle of the line nicely. The biggest issue for the Cowboys last season was stopping the run and defense in general, this draft helps fix that tremendously.

Bringing in the right personnel

Not only did the Cowboys have a defensive minded draft board, but before the draft, they have been actively trying to make it better. Jerry Jones brought in Dan Quinn to help fix the defensive woes. Quinn comes in as the defensive coordinator and possibly the answer to all the problems on defense. This is the same coach that was the defensive coordinator for the legion of boom in Seattle. He brings a fresh mindset and will have an actual offseason to get these guys prepared for the change in the system. He also has done everything in his power to get the guys he wants on that defense. That includes the free-agent signings like Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal who both played for him in Atlanta. Also, with the drafted players like the skyscraper cornerbacks he wanted. Dan Quinn said he will be bringing more of a 3-4 look, but really it will primarily be a nickel set. He will have four players rushing the quarterback and two “mid” linebackers, along with five defensive backs as the base package. With a full offseason, this package could help the players that he is bringing in, strive to become the best players that they can be. It also allows the veteran players to play in a versatile system that can maximize their abilities to make plays. Things like having Demarcus Lawrence stand instead of coming out of a three-point stance. Having Jaylon Smith blitz the quarterback more often instead of being a liability in coverage. Allowing Leighton to play weak side and drop in coverage on passing downs. With Dan Quinn’s defensive scheme and mindset, this team could look a lot better in just one year if he brings that LOB swagger with him.

It Can’t get any worse”¦ right?

Surely the defense could not get any worse from the atrocious season they had last year. Even though the Dallas Cowboys only gave up the 21st most passing yards last season, the stats do not show the truth in that aspect. Teams passed all over the Cowboys all season long at the beginning of games. After they gained a lead, they would run all over Dallas. The Cowboys gave up the 2^nd most rushing yards in the league last season (2541 yards) and it was a franchise record. Not exactly a record you want to break. Offenses seem to have had their way against the historically bad Dallas defense. So, what is Jerry’s response? An overwhelming number of defensive players through the draft and free agency, along with a great defensive coordinator. It is also possible and likely that the Boys will be bringing in more veterans to maximize this rosters potential. The veterans that have returned from last year will be playing with some boulders on their shoulders. They all should want to come out this coming season and prove to everyone that the problem was the system they were in and not them. The Jones’ have said in recent interviews that they realize there was a major problem on the defensive side of the ball. All boxes have been checked off to deem that statement to be true. The Cowboys entire organization has done everything they can to get help on defense and I do not think they are done just yet.

The post Will the Dallas Cowboys defense be better this year? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.