Defensive Clarity v3.0 - Depth Chart Updates

Time to update the Dallas Cowboys Defensive Depth Chart! After weeks of staying alert for the tiniest bit of information in order to gain insight as to the Cowboys off season game plan, on Monday, March 4th 2013, the Dallas Cowboys offered some clarity in a big way in regards to personnel choices while transitioning to the 4-3. By using the franchise tag for the second year in a row on the same player, the Dallas has declared that OLB/DE Anthony Spencer is a big part of their plans, and should be book ending with Ware for 2013 if not further into the future.

Click Image to Enlarge Cowboys Defensive Depth Chart 2013 v3.0

Tagging Spencer instantly transforms the focus of any prospective draft pick to the interior of the line. If a superior talent at defensive end drops, of course the Cowboys can and should still make a move, but with similar talent levels, any close choice will be for a defensive tackle, preferably someone that can replace Josh Brent in the rotation, and eventually replace Ratliff. As those of you who have been following the information here at Cowboys Nation are aware, there is a some depth in the talent pool available for this years draft, "especially at interior D-line". Conversely, this could possibly take someone like DE Margus Hunt off the Cowboys board in the second round. This also makes a statement about how the brain trust views Crawford as well as Spencer. The team was not ready to replace Spencer at this time. Now Crawford should be given time to grow into the defensive end role he is slotted for. Dallas needs to give it's talent time to develop, and keeping Spencer now allows this to occur. Keep a close eye on Igbinosun, at 6'4", 288 lbs and just 22 years old, he has superior measurables for a 4-3 DE.

Continuing the smorgasbord of decision making, the second defining move the Cowboys made was to part ways with Safety Gerald Sensabaugh, who after four years, it was determined no longer fit the Cowboys plans at the position. One could argue that continuing mediocrity should not be a fit for any position, however I am pleased that this particular bridge has been burnt, pun intended. Nothing against Sensabaugh, who worked hard and made some plays over the years, but when your safety play is this bad year after year, you have to try something new. Trotting Sensabaugh out there in another stop gap performance in 2013, while we wait for cloning to become legal so we can exploit those Darren Woodson cells we have on ice, has proven not to be a recipe for success and is Einsteinian in it's madness.  Good by, good luck Gerald. We wish you the best.

Dallas has now made it official to the league what the press has been prognosticating, the Cowboys are targeting safety this off season. This is not the best position to be in come draft time, allowing other teams to be aware of your focus. Trade ups to snatch a critical player another team covets are draft lore nightmares for the teams that experience them. There is an off chance the boys are targeting a free agent at safety, but not a large one due to the current cap situation. The good news is 2013 is supplying several safeties that seem to fit what the cowboys need, enhancing the opportunity to obtain a good one that should be an upgrade on Sensabaugh. This moves also speaks volumes as to how the team views both Church, coming back from his achilles injury, and Johnson, the second year rookie who had so many hamstring problems. Pellerin adds depth and the team may view Moore as an options at Free Safety as well. One interesting thought, could Jerry Jones be making some cap room with the Sensabaugh cut to make a run at Rhonde Barber as a one year starter and mentor?

Spencer could still be traded, but the front office states that is not the intention. Not having to target a defensive end in the draft works out pretty well for the Cowboys in most of the mocks I have reviewed. Talent at safety, offensive line and defensive line is available when the Cowboys pick in most scenarios.

It should be noted that having the acumen to (again) create enough cap room to tag Spencer, is another example of the dumb luck Cowboys fans unknowingly have enjoyed, that Jerry Jones actually has a son with mad skills. Oh, could it have been so much worse. With tongue firmly in cheek, my sincere thanks goes out to the mail man who had the route in Little Rock Arkansas in 1964. To quote the late/great Jackie Gleason "There is no way you came from my loins."

On Twitter: Steven Van Over