IRVING, Texas -- With the Dallas Cowboys chat returning to its normal day (Wednesday), the leftovers are back on schedule.
As usual, we start with a leftover question: chocolate chip cookies or brownies? I might have to go with brownies after a 12-second blast in the microwave.
In this leftover post regarding the Cowboys we focus on a few topics:
Drafting Tre Mason
My Carnac the Magnificent abilities
The most improved player on the roster
Away we go ...
Kelly McMurrian (Nampa): What the chances of Dallas drafting Tre Mason? BIG TIME TALENT and EXPLOSIVE!
Todd Archer: Word came out Friday that he has a wrist injury but that’s not too troubling to me. Surgery would clear it up. But I just don’t see the Cowboys drafting a running back. Maybe late and by then Mason will be long gone. DeMarco Murray is their guy. They like the combination they have at backup in Lance Dunbar and Joseph Randle. They could use another runner with some experience and special teams' capabilities, but I think they find that guy as a college free agent or a low-cost free agent. If Murray gets hurt -- or any of their runners gets hurt -- then I think they just go find a runner somewhere.
Mike (Pennsylvania): Do you really believe you have a clue about anything? You talk like you have a crystal ball Archer. WHY?
Todd Archer: Well, thanks for reading Mike. I think I have a clue about some things, but I don’t know everything that’s going on with this club, obviously. But this is kind of why they pay us: to inform fans of what’s going on, have a thought on why the team will or won’t do something, have a thought on what they will or won’t do. Will I be wrong? Sure I will. We all will be wrong. Heck, I’ve had them making the playoffs the last couple of years.
Bruce (Dallas): Is Tyrone Crawford a better player than George Selvie?
Todd Archer: Let me get out my crystal ball here and answer this one. (Sorry, couldn’t resist). He better be a better player. Now, Selvie has been much better than I thought. I thought people were getting carried away with his performance in the Hall of Fame Game last summer against the Dolphins and referenced Junior Glymph’s preseason performance from a few years ago. I was wrong. (See, Mike? Sorry, couldn’t resist that either.) Selvie had seven sacks last year and played better than anybody could have imagined, even the Cowboys, who were hoping he would be able to get them through some practices when he signed in camp, not finish second on the team in sacks. I do believe Selvie is best served to be a backup, but I could be wrong again. The Cowboys view Crawford as a difference maker. He was a third-round pick. Those guys need to develop into starters. Now will that happen this year? That’s hard to predict (that dang crystal ball is fuzzy) because he’s coming off the Achilles injury. He has the size. He moves well enough. He can play with power. He’ll fight. He has a solid upside and the Cowboys want him to be a starter as soon as possible.
Roger (Syracuse, NY): Todd, What player do you think will be the most-improved Cowboy in 2014-15 season? I say Cowboy because I'm referencing both coaches and players. I know I know, coaches coach and players play, but still. Thoughts?
Todd Archer: Good question here, Roger. I’ll go with Gavin Escobar as most improved, but I’m basing that on the belief he will play a lot more in 2014 than last season not because his blocking will be that much better. I think the Cowboys will use him and play to his strengths more. In other words, he’ll attack the seams and be a red-zone threat on occasion. Lance Dunbar could get in that mix too. I thought he’d be a 40-catch guy last year but injuries really hurt him. Scott Linehan really used his backs in the passing game last year in Detroit, so that needs to be watched here. On defense I have a hard time coming up with somebody, but I know the Cowboys hope the answer is Morris Claiborne. We’ve talked about his play a ton here lately to the point where I’m wondering if he ever made a play. He really wasn’t awful when he played but when you’re the sixth pick in the draft, you expect more than just adequate performances. I think J.J.Wilcox has a chance too. He was coming on in camp last summer before his mother passed away. And he was playing decently early in the regular season before a knee injury sidetracked him. With some experience last year and more time to learn the game in a full offseason, I think Wilcox can improve a lot.
Alex (Afghanistan soldier): Chances Cowboys taking a speedy guy like Dri Archer to help with returns and play slot?
Todd Archer: First off, Alex, thanks for your service. I said in the chat that a team would never go wrong with selecting the best Archer available in a draft. Dri is the best one available. But I don’t know if he fits with the Cowboys. He can do all of the things you say, but that would duplicate to a degree what the Cowboys have in Lance Dunbar, Cole Beasley and Dwayne Harris. Harris has shown to be one of the best returners in the game in the last year and a half. He is dangerous whenever he touches the ball. Beasley has the trust of Tony Romo. Dunbar had a breakout game vs. Oakland before he got hurt. Archer will thrive in the league, in my opinion, but I just think the Cowboys have needs at other spots.