The year was 1990, the Cowboys had some of the building blocks coming into place that would later lead to a dynasty in the ’90s. The 1990 team still had some work to do with the receivers, and the depth there. Michael Irvin was the #1 WR, and Kelvin Martin #2, with Dixon and McKinnon in the support roles.
Fast forward to 2008, and we face a similar scenario if the season were to start today. Terrell Owens #1 and Patrick Crayton #2. I really don’t see Glenn staying around, and if he were its just a risk especially down the stretch if he goes down. So I’m going with Owens and Crayton right now. Comparing them to the 1990 team is just about right on. Owens is the Irvin type playmaker, and Crayton is the receiver in the same vein as Kelvin Martin. We then have Sam Hurd and Miles Austin in the support roles. Good players, but still average. its even debateable whether Crayton is a good receiver too. I doubt Austin even makes the team next year. Seriously, he had a bad training camp, he had a sub par preseason, his production on special teams was just a little better than Tyson Thompson, and that’s not saying much.
Do you really want to go into the season with Owens and Crayton? Again, this will be a mirror image of the 1990 team. How did the Cowboys avoid this for the 1991 season, and how do the Cowboys avoid this scenario in 2008?
In 1991, the Cowboys drafted Alvin Harper from Tennessee. Harper was an immediate impact and was a major force in the Cowboys run into the playoffs his rookie year and the years right after. This year, its time, the Cowboys need to add an impact player at WR. The draft is tricky business, but I’m very confident Jason Garrett will have his say early in this draft. We know the draftroom is Phillips and Jones, but rest assured, this draft will have Garrett’s influence somewhere early on. I’m guessing Phillips gets his pick at #22 in a DB and Garrett gets his pick at #28, or visa versa. Garrett is NOT thinking “draft another RB” with a first rounder. Strategy and brains say receiver, receiver, receiver.
Most people have visions of an allstar backfield with Barber and some other first round running back. I’m not inline with this thought process. DB is a guarenteed draft pick, and WR is the other. Keep your eyes on the receivers I suggest in my previous post: Sweed, Kelly, and Hardy for potential first rounders. The Cowboys could add to this by drafting Eddie Royal in another round. He can do special teams, and would be a solid change up slot guy with some speed.
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