With CeeDee Lamb falling on the Cowboys lap (and wearing # 88), I can’t help but think about when Dez Bryant fell in the draft. Where would you rank Dez in Dallas’ first round picks since 2000? And as an academic perspective, how does Lamb fare?– TAYLOR / SCHENECTADY, NY
Rob: Well, we’re talking about the head of the franchise team in making the contacts and a possible choice of Ring of Honor one day. So Dez is definitely up there with the best first-round picks of this century. DeMarcus Ware, Zack Martin, Zeke Elliott, Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Terence Newman and Leighton Vander Esch are among this group. The lamb too? It is certainly the wait. Time will tell us. But I think he will play well right away without the pressure of having to go on the offensive.
David: I think I would put D-Ware, Tyron Smith and Zack Martin in front of Dez – but that’s it. Ware will become a Professional Football Hall of Fame, while Smith and Martin are likely to do the same. However, it is a noble enterprise. I’m not sure CeeDee is as rare an athlete as Dez. At the NFL Combine, they basically ran the same 40-yard dash, and Dez weighed nearly 30 pounds heavier. Still, I think Lamb was the best overall receiver in this category. I expect he can play at a level comparable to Dez.
No one seems to be giving Kai Forbath a chance at winning the kicker job. Why?– VINCENT VINCI / LAURENCE HARBOR, NJ
Rob: Because Greg Zuerlein, who played for the new special teams coordinator John Fassel in LA / St. Louis, accepted a deal in March that would include more than $ 2 million in guaranteed money. This is an important commitment at kicker. But at the end of the day, it’s all about kicking. Year after year, the Cowboys play as many games decided by a touchdown or less. They need to find consistency in this position, and yes, Forbath has been perfect in the last three games of last season. Let’s just see how it goes on the ground.
David: I think it’s a great point, Vincent. Rob is correct that the Cowboys have committed a lot of money to Zuerlein, and he obviously has an existing relationship with John Fassel. But the kicker is arguably the most result-oriented position in football. Either the ball passes through the studs or it does not. If Forbath is obviously better during training camp, no one will care about the money.
