Stephen Jones and Company worked vigorously in the past 2 weeks to restructure contracts and sign some role players to get underneath this year’s cap. One move many didn’t expect was the release of Safety Gerald Sensabaugh and the Franchise Tagging of one Anthony Spencer. In my humble opinion, it was a very smart idea to tag Spencer. At Purdue, in a 4-3 Scheme might I add, Spencer was a force on defense. In the 3-4 Scheme it’s often preached that “there is no such thing as too many linebackers.” In a 4-3 Scheme it is said “there is no such thing as too many pass rushers.” Finding a decent amount of skilled pass rushers in The NFL can prove to be vital to the success of winning championships; just ask The New York Giants.

Sensabaugh was cut because although he was a leader in the locker room to many of the defensive backs, his play didn’t warrant his staying power. Bryan Broaddus has claimed many a time that “The Safety position has held this team hostage for years.” I echo those sentiments exactly, The Dallas Cowboys have plugged too many different types of players in that position over the years and as many know it’s been difficult to replace Darren Woodson. This year offers some resolve in a position that recently hasn’t shown very much depth. Most recently there has been an influx of rangy defensive backs coming out of college, and in this year’s Draft; The Dallas Cowboys would be wise to take a chance on one of these young  Safeties. This team needs a Free Safety, not a Strong Safety but a rangy, ball-fly type of Safety that has speed necessary to cover the likes of a Victor Cruz or DeSean Jackson.

Sept 5, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive back Barry Church (42) knocks the ball away from New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (88) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

After pondering my most recent Mock Draft and adding the news that is now known I have to exercise my right to change my opinion on how this year’s draft will go. After the Free Agency period it could very well change again, but at this point I believe some things have shuffled around as far as where this team may be looking to select talent. The objective of this year’s draft is going to be to find as many quality players that can have a significant impact on this year’s playoff chances. After giving my due diligence to research and many hours of video watching, I have put together a new Mock Draft. Without further ado here is the 2^nd installment of my many Mock Drafts to come:

18. Chance Warmack OG Alabama- The way things are trending,  Jonathan Cooper is probably gone at this point. Warmack is a natural Guard; He plays with power and is considered by many the best Guard available. He is also a mauler which bodes well for this offense. Tony Romo needs a Guard, a tackle can be grabbed later but the most important position on this offensive line needing rectification is the Guard position. Warmack excites with his intelligence of the position and ability to shut down defenders from sniffing his quarterback.

47. Jonathan Cyprien S Florida International- Although listed as a Strong Safety he has the intangibles and range to play at the Free position. Cyprien always seems to be around the ball and he never lets up on receivers. He can also play down in the slot and has good ball skills to grab the ball at its highest point. He intrigues many with physicality and fits his position well. For The Cowboys, along with a hopeful recovery from Church; Cyprien would go a long way into making the secondary a feared unit in this “passing league”.

80. Sylvester Williams DT North Carolina- His strength is his ability to create pressure for interior linemen. Williams is disruptive and has great pass rush moves. He often uses many different variations of the swim move to confuse the offensive line into believing they have him covered. Williams also has a strong burst that often leads to his ability to bust plays in the backfield. He is best fitted in my opinion to fill the 3 technique this team could use. He will need coaching to help keep him from disappearing at times but the kid has a motor.

111. Alvin Bailey OG Arkansas- May have to trade up to select this prospect but with the flux of tackles many envision being selected all is possible. Bailey has that massive size many salivate for and he was arguably the biggest reason for any offensive success Arkansas was able to generate. Bailey is fantastic at blocking on the move and could really be a force for DeMarco Murray at the 2^nd level. He will need coaching on perfecting his footwork and also will need refining his re-direction skills, however if there in the 4^th, Bailey is a no-brainer pick.

144. Le’Veon Bell HB Michigan State- This prospect is a potential slider in my opinion, with the other needs of many teams in the NFL; as well as the long list of free agents set to hit the market. He is very hard to bring down. He has the ability to be the workhorse back that can stay grounded; even after he has initial contact. DeMarco Murray is the man in Dallas, but Bell could help in case Murray was to be missing a couple of games. He has acceleration that often puts defenders off balance.

175. David Bass DE Missouri Western State- Great first step quickness and natural burst. Bass is often described as a positive influence on and off the field.  He plays very fundamentally sound football with good vertical and lateral movements. This Defensive End has a knack to find the ball carrier and make the tackle. Bass also has a competitive drive which motivates his enormous motor.  He needs refinement to his pass rush moves and hand technique, but could be a contributor in many different areas.

Only one player from my previous mock made the cut to the 2^nd one. This time of year often makes people fickle and ready to pull the trigger at any moment. The Safety position has become a bigger influence on many including myself since Monday. This current Mock offers the most impact players in key positions; However with Free Agency on the horizon, anything is possible and nothing is safe from change.

December 2, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis (42) runs for a short gain during the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

1. It appears running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis has been on a tear for the last three games. Do you see him going for another 100+ rushing yards this Sunday? And what was the reason(s) for his slow start?

JM: I do assuming your stud nose-tackle, Jay Ratliff is out due to his strained groin. The Cowboys have been gashed in the running game this year, and the Bengals are on a roll due in large part to their renewed dedication to establishing the run game. Earlier in the year, they were breaking in three new starting offensive lineman, including rookie guard Kevin Zeitler and rookie undrafted center Trevor Robinson. Slowly they have developed into one of the NFL’s better offensive lines, and only seem to be getting better every week.

2. What did you think of Guard Nate Livings while he was with the Bengals, and now that he is on the Cowboys’ O-line?

JM: With the Bengals, he was a bit of an enigma. He had flashes of greatness at times, followed by moments that made you wonder how he was a starting NFL lineman. He seems to have found himself in Dallas, as he is the 15th-rated offensive guard according to Pro football Focus, though he has allowed six sacks this year. I don’t know if that’s in part due to Tony Romo holding the ball too long to look for the big play, or he’s still a major liability at guard. Either way, I see defensive tackle Geno Atkins having a big day against whoever lines up at that spot.

3. How well has Terence Newman transitioned onto the Bengal’s defense since moving over from Dallas last season?

JM: He got off to a rough start this year, but as the season wore on and he learned the system better, his play has significantly improved. A lot of that also has to do with the front seven playing better and getting more pressure on opposing QBs and not leaving Newman on an island. It will be interesting to see how he plays this week, as the Cowboy’s receiver corp of Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, as well as tight end Jason Witten, he’ll be tested against his former team. I don’t see him holding up against Bryant and/or Miles if the Bengals can’t get pressure on Romo.

4. With Mohamed Sanu out for the year, who will replace his recent offensive production?

JM: Rookie receiver Marvin Jones was actually ahead of Sanu on the depth chart foressentially all of the preseason and the regular season until he injured his knee on a kickoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game he was set to get his first career start in. Once he went down, Sanu was thrown into the lineup and played very well. With Sanu out last week, Jones got his first career start, accounting for two receptions on three targets for just 20 yards. The coaching staff believes in him and thinks he’s ready to breakout any week now. Hopefully it’s this week.

5. What is your prediction for Sunday’s match-up?

JM: This game will be close throughout. Neither side will lay down with their playoff lives on the line. This essentially is a playoff game, as it will be hard for the loser to bounce back with a difficult remaining schedule and make the postseason. I think the Bengals defensive line is too much for the Cowboys’ offensive line to handle, and keep Romo contained.
On offense, The Bengals will look to attack the Cowboy’s weak front seven and allow Green-Ellis to have another big day while also controlling the clock and keeping Romo off the field as they win a hard-fought 20-17 game.

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincy is a young team led by second-year quarterback –and TCU graduate– Andy Dalton. The Bengals currently sit at 7-5 and are in a fight with Pittsburgh and Indianapolis in the AFC for the two wild card spots up for grabs. Besides Dalton –who is having a very productive season, 24 TD’s, 13 int’s, 91.3 qbr–the Bengals possess one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the NFL only in his second year as well, wide receiver A.J Green.

Dec 2, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) runs after making a third quarter catch while defended by San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Donald Butler (56) at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Green is a nightmare matchup for any defense because of his tremendously long, slim frame at 6″4 and 207 pounds. He is sixth in the NFL in receiving yards at 1,107, but tied for first for receiving touchdowns with 10. He has had at least 85 yards receiving in his last five games and has three touchdowns in that span. Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr will be hard-pressed to keep Green under control for 60 minutes. Carr has been solid this year, but receivers like Brandon Marshall and Roddy White have given him issues in the secondary; that could pose a problem for the Cowboys. Expect safeties Gerald Sensabaugh and Danny McCray to shadow Green and not hesitate to double-team him in coverage. The Georgia receiver gets off the line extremely quick, so Carr will have to decide if jamming him at the line of scrimmage will keep him from burning the Cowboys secondary on deep routes like posts, slant-and-go’s and corners. Carr is a strong dude in his own right, so he will be up to the challenge.

The Bengals are an above average offensive team, ranking 10th in ppg (25.2), but they have put up at least 30 points in half of their home games. Cincy averages 356.8 yds/g so that indicates that their offense is not filled with as many weapons as Dallas’ is, but can still be dangerous against the right opponent. After a top five start in total defense throughout the first part of the season, the Cowboys have dropped to 11th in the NFL in that category. Losing linebacker Sean Lee has attributed to the fall, as Cowboy opponents have torched them through the air and on the ground in the last few games. Dallas has also allowed at least 30 points to their opponents in two straight games for the first time since weeks four and six (bye week on week 5) against the Bears and Ravens.

Dec 24, 2011; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman (41) prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Defensively, the Bengals are top ten, ranking eighth in total defense. They allow only 331 yds/g and only 221 of those through the air. Third-year defensive tackle Geno Atkins has 9.5 sacks on the season, third most by a defensive tackle or end behind John Abraham of the Falcons who has 10 and defensive stud J.J Watt of the Texans who has 15.5.

In the secondary, the Bengals have two familiar faces to Cowboy fans, cornerbacks Terence Newman and Adam “Pacman” Jones. Both players donned the silver and blue recently. The much-maligned Newman was released by Dallas after the 2011 season and signed with the Bengals, while Jones signed in 2010. Pacman has been the Bengals most consistent corner and dynamic punt returner. Jones has been able to blanket receivers with his quickness and instinct to make it very hard for receivers to get open, he could give receiver Dez Bryant problems if he gets into his head early in the game.  Newman has been his typical inconsistent self, but has had flashes of his pro-bowl caliber that he showed while in Dallas. Overall, the Bengals defense has been effective at home and the cold weather will make it a challenge for the Cowboys to establish consistency early, which has been an issue all year for Dallas.

The first of four games to determine if the Cowboys have what it takes to be a playoff team begins this weekend in Cincinnati. It won’t be easy.

Then again, nothing has been easy for the Dallas Cowboys this season.