Donald Mitchell

[DallasDiehard]

Mitchell has healed fully from the ankle injury that shelved him last year. With the CB situation still woefully thin (who would have thought the Cowboys would be upset about the idea of losing Mario Edwards?), he's in the hunt for the starting spot opposite from Newman. If he doesn't win that spot, he at least should be the nickel back.
Good luck to a great Mustang.

[StangEsq]

Mitchell is slotted as 2nd team behind Newman on the depth chart.

Pete Hunter is first-team on the other side with the rookies falling in behind him.

[StangEsq]

i bet the cowboys try to trade a pick next year for somebody like Ty Law or Mike McKenzie - two guys who are making contract waves right now.

[GrapevineMustang]

They have room under the salary cap, and if it was up to Jerry, I'm sure he would have offered Rowdy nd a million draft picks for Ty Law. But Parcells runs all personnel decsisions, now, so don't think for a minute that he's allow the financial crippling that Jerry's care-free spending would create.

[PonyTales]

How hard is it for a CB to flip-flop from one side to the other? I'm not saying Mitchell is another Newman, but he's better than Hunter.

Interesting idea about McKenzie. I don't see them opening the checkbook for Law, but McKenzie is one hell of a player, too. I see him as one step behind Champ Bailey, Ty Law, Patrick Surtain, etc., as the elite CBs in this league -- but only a small step behind.

[StangEsq]

How hard is it for a CB to flip-flop from one side to the other? I'm not saying Mitchell is another Newman, but he's better than Hunter.

Interesting idea about McKenzie. I don't see them opening the checkbook for Law, but McKenzie is one hell of a player, too. I see him as one step behind Champ Bailey, Ty Law, Patrick Surtain, etc., as the elite CBs in this league -- but only a small step behind.

I think they would kill to have Ty Law and would like McKenzie... question is the price. With his $8 mil/year contract and bonus i don't know if the teams could take the cap hit from the trade. McKenzie might cost less in a trade and less in the pocketbook. That would take the pressure off of Newman and give the Cowboys the edge at every WR matchup on the field no matter who they play (outside of STL).

CBs can usually switch sides easily... the Cowboys don't appear to see Mitchell as a starter and think Hunter has more potential. Hunter did play well in the last 2 games and is very athletic. I think he was a former BB player in college.

[SMUFan]

I agree, if economics weren't a factor, then Parcells already would have made a deal for Ty Law. Fortunately, Parcells has more of a clue about building a team than his moron boss does (see the first-round money paid to Chad Hutchison, high draft picks spend on sure-thing Hall of Famers Shante Carver, Kavika Pittman, et al....)

And I think StangEsq is right that CBs can flip sides as easily as any position (DEs, LBs, etc.) There are a lot of top CBs (Champ Bailey, Ty Law, Chris McAllister, etc.) who line up across from the opposing team's best WR, no matter where he lines up., and simply taking him out of the game. So not only does a premier CB have to be able to play both sides, but the next CB also has to be able to flip sides.

I hope Mitchell gets a fair shake this year. I always thought he was seriously underappreciated at SMU, and I wish him nothing but the best.