RONNIE ROBERTSSAN ANGELO, TX
Before last year's injury-riddled season to our two most impactful offensive players, Dez had clearly displayed how he was, literally, head and shoulders above defenders on jump balls and back shoulder fades with his outstanding jumping ability. With his type of injury, do you think he'll have time this year to display that dominance again or do we just cross our fingers and hope for the best?
Bryan: In talking to Dez about the injury, he feels like that he will be just as good as he was before. He said he feels healthy and is pain free, which were two areas he wasn't last season. I am going to take his word on both accounts and see what the upcoming season brings.
David:Perhaps the biggest thing that gives me confidence in Dez is the fact that Kevin Durant suffered the same injury two years ago. The fracture limited Durant to just 27 games during the 2014-15 NBA season – and nobody jumps more than basketball players. Given time to rest and recover, though, Durant played in 72 regular season games and almost got the Oklahoma Thunder to the NBA Finals this summer. If he can manage that a year after the injury, I think Dez should be fine.
STEPHEN BROUSSARDDALLAS, TX
With Byron Jones moving to safety, is there a current NFL safety's skill set you would liken to the skill set of Jones?
Bryan: The one guy that comes to mind is Devin McCourty in New England. Guy that can cover, good reactions and willing tackler. I believe that Jones has better overall ball skills but when I watch Jones play I think of McCourty.
David:Y'all will probably give me grief because this isn't an exact comparison, but I can seem some similarity to Tyrann Mathieu in Arizona. Now, obviously the physical similarities aren't there – Mathieu is just 5'9, 190 pounds compared to Byron's 6'0, 200-pound frame. Having said that, they both have the versatility to shift between cornerback and safety. They're both solid in coverage and not afraid to get physical, and they both have good ball skills. I hesitate to draw comparisons, because Mathieu has accomplished far more to this point in his career. But that blend of versatility and athleticism is what makes Byron so intriguing.
