Jean-Jacques Taylor on the Cowboys, Mavs and more (Cowboys only)
Columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor answered your sports questions on Tuesday, July 10.
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Sorry for the delay, but I got a speeding ticket trying to hurry up and get here from Deion Sanders' house in Prosper where I was interviewing him for a piece to run in Sunday's paper. How's that for a plug? Then it took my computer 10 minutes – no joke – to boot up. Enough of the excuses. Let's roll.
• • •
From e-mail: If the Cowboys don't give Romo a contract extension now, do you think it's a possibility that when they try it during the season, that at that point Romo is going to want to test the free-agent waters?
Paul
Jean-Jacques Taylor: If Romo plays well, then the Cowboys will offer him an extension and the deal will get done. There is no better job in the NFL than to be a successful quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. If he plays well, he will make more money off the field than on it, just like Troy Aikman did. The question is whether he will play good enough to reap all of the financial rewards. I think he will. For the record, if Romo plays well, he'll never have a chance to test the waters because the Cowboys could ultimately put the franchise tag on him.
• • •
From e-mail: Wade Phillips is willing to sacrifice size for speed, athleticism and pass rush. That said, do Carpenter and/or Burnett have a legitimate chance at earning a starting role this year?
Tim
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Nope. I don't see how Bobby Carpenter could beat out Akin Ayodele or how Kevin Burnett could beat out Bradie James. That said, they could play well enough to easily create roles for themselves on the team and I think that's what will happen.
• • •
From e-mail: Is there any possible way the Cowboys would take Derrick McFadden from Arkansas – either with the No. 1 overall pick if we have it or by trading up – in the 2008 draft?
Preston
Jean-Jacques Taylor: The Cowboys would love to have McFadden because he appears to be a great player and he plays at Arkansas where Jerry Jones and his son, Stephen, played football.
• • •
stautner: Much has been made of Phillips' demeanor as opposed to Parcells'. Is the more laid-back style fine for all occasions, or does it just provide a nice atmosphere for players now, but may fall flat when times get tough?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: I've seen this question a thousand times and I've answered it the same way every time. If the Cowboys win 11 games and have success in the playoffs, then Phillips had the right approach. If none of that happens, then he didn't. It's all about winning. Always has been. Always will be.
• • •
Bungarian: When Jerry retires, how will Stephen run the team differently?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: He'll be more conservative. That doesn't mean he won't be aggressive, it just means he won't throw money around the same way his father does to get a deal done.
• • •
David on OK: Recently you wrote about Martin Gramatica, and how it's in the best interest of the Cowboys that he wins the kicking job. Why would the Cowboys or any team use a draft pick on a kicker if he is not expected to be the man right away?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Most scouts will tell you the sixth round is kind of a crapshoot and the signing bonus is about $25,000 or so, which means there's not a lot invested in the player. A lot of times players taken in the sixth round that might have free agent grades, but the player is a guy you don't want to get into a bidding war to acquire so you draft him. I hope all of that made sense.
• • •
AndrewP: More important to a successful Cowboys season: offensive or defensive line?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Defenisive line. If you can't stop the run, you can't win. Technically, you can win without running the ball.
• • •
Hostile: Will Greg Ellis continue to plead for more money or a trade? Or will he learn from the backlash and keep quiet?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Does anyone really care? I really like Ellis, but I'm sick of talking about his contract situation.
• • •
AtlCB: What are the chances of Anthony Spencer winning the starting job as a rookie?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Spencer, I predict, will start by Thanksgiving.
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Sorry for the delay, but I got a speeding ticket trying to hurry up and get here from Deion Sanders' house in Prosper where I was interviewing him for a piece to run in Sunday's paper. How's that for a plug? Then it took my computer 10 minutes – no joke – to boot up. Enough of the excuses. Let's roll.
• • •
From e-mail: If the Cowboys don't give Romo a contract extension now, do you think it's a possibility that when they try it during the season, that at that point Romo is going to want to test the free-agent waters?
Paul
Jean-Jacques Taylor: If Romo plays well, then the Cowboys will offer him an extension and the deal will get done. There is no better job in the NFL than to be a successful quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. If he plays well, he will make more money off the field than on it, just like Troy Aikman did. The question is whether he will play good enough to reap all of the financial rewards. I think he will. For the record, if Romo plays well, he'll never have a chance to test the waters because the Cowboys could ultimately put the franchise tag on him.
• • •
From e-mail: Wade Phillips is willing to sacrifice size for speed, athleticism and pass rush. That said, do Carpenter and/or Burnett have a legitimate chance at earning a starting role this year?
Tim
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Nope. I don't see how Bobby Carpenter could beat out Akin Ayodele or how Kevin Burnett could beat out Bradie James. That said, they could play well enough to easily create roles for themselves on the team and I think that's what will happen.
• • •
From e-mail: Is there any possible way the Cowboys would take Derrick McFadden from Arkansas – either with the No. 1 overall pick if we have it or by trading up – in the 2008 draft?
Preston
Jean-Jacques Taylor: The Cowboys would love to have McFadden because he appears to be a great player and he plays at Arkansas where Jerry Jones and his son, Stephen, played football.
• • •
stautner: Much has been made of Phillips' demeanor as opposed to Parcells'. Is the more laid-back style fine for all occasions, or does it just provide a nice atmosphere for players now, but may fall flat when times get tough?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: I've seen this question a thousand times and I've answered it the same way every time. If the Cowboys win 11 games and have success in the playoffs, then Phillips had the right approach. If none of that happens, then he didn't. It's all about winning. Always has been. Always will be.
• • •
Bungarian: When Jerry retires, how will Stephen run the team differently?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: He'll be more conservative. That doesn't mean he won't be aggressive, it just means he won't throw money around the same way his father does to get a deal done.
• • •
David on OK: Recently you wrote about Martin Gramatica, and how it's in the best interest of the Cowboys that he wins the kicking job. Why would the Cowboys or any team use a draft pick on a kicker if he is not expected to be the man right away?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Most scouts will tell you the sixth round is kind of a crapshoot and the signing bonus is about $25,000 or so, which means there's not a lot invested in the player. A lot of times players taken in the sixth round that might have free agent grades, but the player is a guy you don't want to get into a bidding war to acquire so you draft him. I hope all of that made sense.
• • •
AndrewP: More important to a successful Cowboys season: offensive or defensive line?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Defenisive line. If you can't stop the run, you can't win. Technically, you can win without running the ball.
• • •
Hostile: Will Greg Ellis continue to plead for more money or a trade? Or will he learn from the backlash and keep quiet?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Does anyone really care? I really like Ellis, but I'm sick of talking about his contract situation.
• • •
AtlCB: What are the chances of Anthony Spencer winning the starting job as a rookie?
Jean-Jacques Taylor: Spencer, I predict, will start by Thanksgiving.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:34 PM
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