Dallas Cowboys Draft Reviews: Manuel Johnson and Kevin Ogletree

mb3.....i agree. i'd just as soon stay away from any of them and maybe that is presisely what jerry is going to do. but then again as i stated, and we all know, what do we really know about what jerry is going to do? i just thought i'd throw a little speculation in there about the matt jones thing. i think that the HR system that jerry has put in place with calvin hill, at least in jerry's eyes is a very valuable tool and will work well with these problem atheletes. if they come cheap, and can be rehabbed, then why not. ? i don't agree with ALL of that, but i can see his point. plaxico could be that kind of fit too?  i really think jerry's focus now is to get this new house opened, and get these cheap, but talented group of rookies engaged, and get 2009 up and runnin. the projects will probably come after we are in camp and see some needs that can be had cheap? i'm not totally against the reclamation projects, because they do have some merit, but i'm ready to see what we DO have for talent already on this young team and let them play. i'm mixed on these issues to say it best? not sure what is the true direction to go. but if the cowboys do go that way again, i think they are one of the best equipped teams to do so. and jerry does too. good points mb3

First, to nonglowingstar. You're obviously don't know a whole lot about football. We have one draft where we don't take any big names and you're ready to say that we're sacrificing several seasons. The reason that we aren't paying out any big contracts is because we're pretty close to the salary cap with having to carry T.O.'s and Roy Williams (safety's) contracts even though they aren't on the team. We cut them, we'll hopefully be better off for it, but we still have to pay that penalty. You guys are putting way too much stock into first-round draft picks. Look at the guys we got. Watch a little film, and you'll see that there's talent there. They might not be guys that can come in and play right away, but they're looking like guys that can contribute sometime down the road with a little refinement, which a few years in Dallas can do. Your reaction is a knee-jerk reaction and you really should do a little research and be patient. I think there are going to be some guys in this class that will be excellent football players.

Secondly, to TOHater: First off, it's 'Woe is me!'  And since when are the Dallas Cowboys a collection of misfits? We have last year's sack leader, the best tight end in the league and a downright scary backfield. That's a pretty broad statement. I think we're maybe two or three solid players away from being a damn solid team, and that's depending on what you think of the offensive line. And how are we the joke of the NFL right now? If you don't want to be a Dallas fan anymore, you're doing us all a huge favor as you obviously don't know a whole lot about football.

Dave: If you're going to go after a troublemaker, why not get a good troublemaker and try to sign Plaxico Burress? He'd be pissed at the Giants and would love to burn them once or twice. I'd argue against signing either, but if you're going to sign someone who has shaky judgement, then you might as well get someone good out of it.

jerry does'nt need jimmy back. he's a man that has to do it his way. some times it's wrong. i don't always like it either, but i respect jerry jones. that the difference between you and me, kd. you seem to have no respect for past success. i do. and i am a fan. with maybe a false hope, but that is the definition of a real fan......and i still love micheal irvin

Irvin IS a CRACKHEAD - My Apologies

davedallasfan-  The definition of insanity is to continue doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  Jerry won't get Jimmy back.  The same players are not coming back, yet we're depending on the 90's?  Even Al Davis has been to a SuperBowl since we won our last playoff game. What a slap in the face.

it's obvilious we have the wrong KD here.........beat it punk

hey tohater, we'll see ya then, and DON"T come back  ya hear?

Michael Irvin was a CRACKHEAD

it's like this......al davis will continue to look for what made him successful in the 60's-70's  , jerry will continue to look for what made him successful in the 90's. they will always remember the glory days and dream of getting back there. thats what makes them tick. and you never know as they say history repeats itself. thats why we study it.

Whoa is me!!! We are the joke of the NFL at this moment in its history.  We used to be feared. My relatives call me just to mock and laugh.  America's Team resides somewhere else cause thereis noway this collection of misfits will be considered anything close to representing anything good about America.  I think I'm going to start rooting for the Texans.  Cowboys have become a joke!

and irvin was one of those guys you just loved. he's like that son that's always in trouble. jimmy johnson overlooked alot of things if a guy worked his ass off in practice and performed in games. jerry loved micheal irvin, and once said he was the greatest thing he inherited from the tom landry teams. it's also little known that landry was contemplating cutting , or trading irvin if he did'nt start producing at a greater level. he was'nt a landry kind of guy. he fit and MADE the jerry/jimmy image what it is today. he was the image of the cowboys of the 90's like it or not. it was the way of the times.

It hurts to remember this once proud franchise as it once was.  Since Jimmy left Jerry has tinkered and tankled with every thing he can trying to find the right solution.  I'm sad and believe that this team has seen its best days as evidenced by this  latest debacle called the draft.  The only  owner that has done as despicable a job as our clown is the one in DC that emulates him by trying to purchase a World Championship.  A SuperBowl can't be bought and you would think Jerry and the nut from DC would have learned that by now.

kd, the one thing about the cowboys that is different than most of the nfl is our man Calvin Hill. jerry knows one thing that any fortune 500 business knows, you got to have a great human resource department. when you run a business with people you are going to have problems with those people. people DO have problems. to run a good business, you need good people. good people don't just happen, they are developed. Hill has been a god send for jerry. he has allowed jerry to take some chances that alot of teams would not. some worked, some did'nt. jerry will still take those chances. matt jones has talent. matt jones has problems. jerry will weigh it out, and then go. i see matt jones as a possibility. he's big and a good target. he's from arkansas, and that seems to be a factor. he's a former qb, which seems to intrigue jerry about the talent issue? i could see this happening even if it is un-popular. hey this is jerry jones, when has he ever worried about doing what's popular? he's a maverick, and will take that risk. and i agree. good arguement kd..........

Jerry is trying to save money by drafting players he knows he won't be required to pay big contracts.  Paying Demarcus and opening the new stadium is overly costly which is why he is sacrifising this and several seasons.  Its all about the money.  It always is.

Yeah this post certainly helps me see that there are way more negatives than positives, only IF Garrett makes the necessary changes to our offense.

I'm just not sure Roy E. can do what T.O. did in the endzone with those 1 or 2 yard tries, but agree that Matt Jones can't be brought in simply for those circumstances.

And Iron Man is right, I can't believe I never realized what was going on with Vick -- Atlanta washed their hands of him and said they were dissappointed and that was that -- Cowboys still take flack for IRVIN'S drug issues.

Now can y'all help me here? Did Irvin have a cocaine problem or did he just use it to get ladies? I've heard that story a couple of times but wasn't 100% sure...

In other news Cowboys are signing a lot of UDFA WRs, it seems. Well, at least three but that seems a lot.

BTW if you're looking for "a good route runner and good hands" that is the exact opposite of Matt Jones.  Jones is Fast and Tall... nothing else.

Porter only played 7 games and was never a legitimate part of their offense.  At 6"3 and with a wingspan almost 4 inches longer than Jones', How is Roy E. not a redzone threat?

I agree with KD that perhaps the Cowboys should look for another reciever but I dont think that it should be Matt Jones. Jones is probably looking at a 4 game suspension at least for flunking ramdom drug test he took in march.

KD, I have actually been entertaining the Idea of Matt Jones the last few weeks because of the cheap price. Also, our Receiving corps.

Roy William
Miles Austin
Sam Hurd
I. Stanbach

Can anyone tell me what these receivers have in common ? They are all coming off of injuries... NOT SAFE AT ALL!

how ever after reading everything that everyone said and thinking for about 20 minutes... I DO NOT WANT MATT JONES.

Here is why. You talked about how T.O. was always in the media and how Matt Jones was barely in the Media and all that.. you have to remember that T.O. was in Dallas and Matt Jones was in Jacksonville. No one cares about what is happening in Jacksonville. Everyone cares about what is happening in Dallas. And if nothing is happening, ESPN makes something up. You obviously know that being  Dallas fan. It's sad, but true.

Also, let me just throw this out there. How many times does Atlanta get tied to Michael Vick in this whole Dog fighting ordeal? RARELY!!!

When you see him on the news or you see him on espn it is always about Mike Vick and how HE messed up and what he did and how it's all his fault.

IF HE WAS A DALLAS COWBOY, espn would be talking about how it is the organizations fault that this happened, and what could the organization have done differently, and how the Dallas Cowboys and ?Jerry Jones let this happen under there noses. It is such bull shit. and hate for the Dallas Cowboys... or should i say envy for the Dallas Cowboys is getting really old.

but KD it will never go away. and for this reason, we have to let people like Matt Jones land in different cities other than Dallas.

It is unfair, because i think he deserves a second chance and i do believe his best years are ahead of him. But it can't be in Dallas because of the scrutiny.

I didn't analyze the comment, rather your thinking it was at all called for. That being said perhaps now you can understand what exactly it was I meant?

My problem is I just can't see Garrett allowing this offense to be a trench-won clock-controlling run-focused offense... So I'm worried.

That's what we SHOULD be and what I HOPE we'll be but I'm VERY unsure of Garrett.

And to answer why we would take a risk at wide receiver when we haven't seen what we have... Well... We haven't seen what we have, that's why.

But should we allow our incredible backfield to do all of the grunt work, as should be done, we'll be fine. My main concern is Garrett is going to do as he did from '07-'08.... Not change a damn thing.

The Cowboys have made two things clear coming into this season; we will be gearing towards a more run heavy offense and we are looking to revamp a struggling image. I don't see how Matt Jones fits either category.
Wade Philips pointed out earlier this offseason that he wanted to find more carries for Choice. Three running backs getting touches along with the wildcat offense will reduce the amount of passes for a game. Why would we take a risk at wide receiver when we haven't even seen what we have. This group of receivers could be fine for what we are trying to do next year. Not to mention, none of them have a rap sheet.
As MBIII just pointed out we have plenty of options in the red zone. Go ahead and double Witten; good luck with Choice and Jones in the flats and oh yeah Roy Williams is 6'3" 211.
By the way, you just analyzed why a clearly sarcastic comment was ludacris. How does that salary cap thing work again?

That was the argument I was looking for...

All incredibly valid points.

Though I will say Matt Jones could replace what we lost in T.O. with that 'Big Target' But yeah Marty B could definitely hang that role. Good points!

I'd still like a good route runner and good hands to back up our guys, but I can agree that the risk may not be quite worth the reward. I do feel bad for the guy, though, that he gets busted for coke then fails for alcohol and now, a guy who was looking at big money in his contract year is hoping for the veteran minimum.

Maybe he should look elsewhere, though, because the way you make it sound we'll be alright without him.

It is interesting, however, that our team went from celebrities to blue-collar guys -- hope we can make it work, hate how drastically Jerry moves from one extreme to the next..

There are plenty of other red zone threats apart from Jason Witten. Does Martellus Bennett ring a bell? How about Marion Barber? Felix Jones? We have plenty of red zone threats. I'm not worried about that at all. If we got Matt Jones, I think we'd only use him as a red zone threat and I don't think getting him for that specific role would be worth the headache he'd bring. Adding Matt Jones to the roster wouldn't be as cut and dry as you think. I think Jerry Jones is looking to have a strong, unified team and Matt Jones could mess that up. Losing him to drugs wouldn't be like losing a receiver to injury at all. When someone gets hurt, reporters don't bombard all the other players with questions about the injury like they'd do with drugs. And in Dallas, it'd be a big deal. You'd hear about it on ESPN for weeks, which would only irritate the players and make them angry with Jerry. I would not entertain the idea only because it could mess up the team's chemistry that Jerry has tried to create.

When it comes from someone making a suggestion that's ludacris, satirical, and that doesn't apply to the rules of the salary cap, yes.

We could use a solid 3rd or 4th receiver, we do not need a... speedy 3rd or 4th quarterback. I'm listening to all of your arguments, and proposing alternative reasons to why Matt Jones might be a good addition to the team.

You no longer pose new arguments, maintain your position for one reason or another, then decide to propose a sarcastic idea in an attempt to prove that what I'm lobbying for is 'stupid'

Why can't you say it's 'stupid' for a specific reason.

I'm not calling you stupid for thinking it's a bad idea, just discussing why it might not be a bad idea.

I missed the part where any and every idea here was not open for discussion and debate.

The only one here that really sounds stupid is you, since you seem to be closed to the idea of discussing further whether it is or isn't a good idea, thus being closed minded.

Now, isn't that stupid?

I hear Mike Vick is working for $10 an hour lets go get him. Does it sound as stupid when it comes from someone else?

Jerry Porter was their #1, was he not?

The Cowboys make the statement (we aren't dealing with any headaches anymore) every few years, then inevitably go right back to doing just that, why not do it when it won't cost you?

Who are we going to use as a redzone threat? All defenses have to do is double Jason Witten, none of our receivers have the size to be a real legit threat, like Matt Jones does.

Matt Jones, a bigger distraction than T.O.? Lol, the media hated the guy AND he had a loud mouth, so he was always in the news and always calling guys out.

Matt Jones would likely only distract the fans, since the only distractions would be his own legal distractions. Losing your number 3 or 4 receiver to drugs, especially in Dallas, in no more distracting then losing them to injury, they're gone -- you play on.

T.O., on the other hand, was calling out players, coaches, quarterbacks, and (my favorite) the media. He made the papers less because of his plays, and more because of his mouth and CERTAINLY made the papers for more negative reasons than did Matt Jones with the Jaguars.

T.O. would and will always be loud, he proved he would not change (I don't know necessarily he needed to, though) who is to say Matt Jones can't and WON'T change? Who is to say he HASN'T changed... Hell you can fail an alcohol test for using too much hand sanitizer...

Say his stats don't mean a lot? You mean to tell me that a guy who can put up those numbers in the NFL, no matter what team or what circumstances, doesn't at least earn a 4th spot on a roster? Maybe the right to compete for a 3rd?

You guys are 100% against the idea... With all this being said you wouldn't at least ENTERTAIN the idea?

Jones had absolutely no competition for receptions on the Jaguars.  On a team with no receivers somebody will inevitably catch some balls.  His stats mean very little. 

You don't buy it because we made a statement by dumping TO, pacman and tank that we aren't dealing with headaches anymore. It would make no sense to pick up a bigger distraction than TO with much less talent.

Crayton would be getting paid ridiculously more than would be Matt Jones.

In only 12 games Jones had 761 yards receiving... Crayton had 550 in 16 games. Is Crayton unproven?

65 catches last season, and not with Tony Romo or pass happy Garrett.

Crayton had 50 receptions two years ago... His best season, 16 games.

Alright so maybe he's not unproven... Unless Patrick Crayton is.

Oh and Crayton costs over $3 million a year.

Jones would get the veteran minimum.

Anyways, why would we cut T.O. if we were going to pick up Matt Jones...? Now this is obviously all cause for debate, the T.O. thing, and my position here is on the fence, but Matt Jones is no T.O., he's just trouble. He would not destroy on field or locker room chemistry. (For the record I liked T.O., ALOT... Just unsure if cutting him was a good or bad decision)

Matt Jones is 6'6 and weighs 240 pounds, he'd be a great target for Romo, and cost us nothing. If he gets in trouble off the field again he's NO BIG LOSS. Back to plan A, we gave it a shot we're now where we were before, when we said we weren't going to do ANYTHING. So we're no worse!

Say he stops getting caught (cause he's obviously pretty addicted): We're far better off. Our number 3, possibly number 4 receiver has the capability of putting up even better numbers than our number 2 for next to nothing dollar wise.

Matt Jones isn't unproven but he IS cheap. Drug addictions can't be easily shaken, but it's better than just being dumb like Pacman, and Matt Jones doesn't want anyone dead. Some of you were calling for Percey Harvin, even though he was DUMB enough to fail a DRUG test he KNEW about. A drug that can easily be argued to have NO or very WEAK addictive qualities.

Matt Jones is addicted to a VERY addictive drug, and it's sad -- but there are people out there who have beat the addiction, hasn't Irvin? (Or did he just use drugs to get women I'm not sure... sorry, small tangent)

The point is if I say I'll sell you a '68 Camaro but it might not run without a little work, AND I'll let you keep your Honda Civics, why not buy it, when you're Jerry.

Im with Colorblind, Matt Jones doesnt make sence at all. Heck Crayton is better than Matt Jones. (damn did I just give a compliment to loud-mouth Crayton??)

We just made a point in cutting anyone who sneezed funny. How does picking up an overrated coke head make sense. What message does that send to the fans. If you are hated by the media and you are overly passionate about winning we don't want you but if you can't stay out of jail we'll give you a shot.

How does an unproven commodity like Matt Jones fill the void?  Seems to me we've got plenty of those already.

Isn't Matt Jones still out there? He'd fill the void, don't need anything spectacular. Jerry pisses me off. One year he'll take anyone, the next -- only choir boys. Matt Jones won't ruin team chemistry and if he screws up off the field we cut him. He can be a real good bargain, or a real cheap bust. What gives?

I wouldn't be surprised by Manny making the team, but I don't see him contributing anything more than on special teams.  He does run very good routes and catch the ball though.  I'd not be surprised to see him take Hurd's roster spot this year.... but his likely destination..... Practice squad.

Rudy Carpenter is only going to make the practice squad at best tripple. If anything he is just going to be an extra arm in training camp.

I've watched plenty of film on the guy, Burn. I just don't know if he has the physical tools to cut it. He's not tremeandously tall, he's not tremeandously fast and I think he benefitted from playing in a conference that was weak defensively. I just don't see how he's going to be any kind of "perfect fit" for us. He's got plenty to prove, and if he proves himself, I'll be glad to eat my words.

Logan: We lost Canty, but we got two more Hoos! I just hope they stick around.

Sooo we signed undrafted free agent Rudy Carpenter.  I work right next to Arizona State University and have watched some of their games.  Rudy is a Bitch.  His teammates didnt like him and neither did the fans.  When the Defense was on the field nobody stood around him.  The only thing he did good was take punishment.  He took hits and seemed to be tough but I dont think he was a good QB.  Everybody here in AZ is breaking my balls about how Carpenter is a Cowboy.  This guy is a joke.

WAHOO WA!  Ogletree will make the team and be a solid player.  He is a gamer!  GO WAHOOS!!!  GO COWBOYS

Yes he was Number 9, and he was one of the last cuts. I thought he had showed potential back then. Not a number one, but an example of someone who could fit in here.

Manuel Johnson is going to be a perfect fit for the Cowboys.  This is a classic example of a respected Scout making the call at the close of draft day.  Had Johnson not been injured last year, he would have likely not landed in Dallas' hands in the first place.  Let's put it this way, if he's not Dallas Cowboys caliber it will be very obvious in training camp, if he is your going to have to revamp your black and white evaluation techniques of NFL talent, watch some film on this guy before you write an article like this.

Wasn't Jerheme Urban with the Cowboys' training camp during '04 or '05 and we let him go for some odd reason?? I guess he wasnt as seasoned back then as he is now. Jerry thinks the WR corps will get the job done this year. I hope Jason Garrett changes his mind.

Last year's hard knocks will re-air on NFL network. 1st episode is this thursday at 9pm ET I think.

I don't know. I was thinking of a low level trade for some teams "surplus" if you will. Maybe some vet will be replaced by a younger player for cap reasons and they might take a low round pick. Roy Williams is our deep threat but we need a player that can run good routes as a compliment. Miles or Cray don't quite fit the bill in my estimation

Maybe we could pluck Jerheme Urban from the Cards just as an example

Yep. He burned a few people deep. But you do have to remember that was against Big XII defenses, and Big XII defenses are waaaaaaaaaay different than NFL defenses.

Who's out there? We could use some help, but I don't see us making a move for Anquan Boldin or anybody like that unless Roy Williams gets hurt.

Quick question.... ever watch Manny play for the Spooners?

I would not be surprised to see a trade for a WR, or a glance at the waiver wires, unless sometime surprises