BOBBY MAYER
PARK RIDGE, NJ
Sterling Moore came in and contributed right away last season. Will he be a significant part of the defense this season?
Bryan: From the scouting perspective, Moore is an interesting option from the simple thought that he did show the ability to play in the slot as a corner but he also lined up at safety and carried the tight end in some packages for Rob Ryan. With all that is going on with the safety position on this squad, I could see this new staff moving him inside and let him work with Church, Johnson and McCray. I still believe they will address the position through the draft and quite possibly with a down the line free agent. Again position flexibility will allow him the opportunity to be a part of this 53 in 2013.
Rowan: I think he'll serve as a utility guy and fourth corner. Moore's greatest strength might be his versatility. He could have been an emergency safety, and he did play both outside and inside when cornerbacks got hurt. He'll battle for playing time in the preseason, and if his play in 2012 is any indication, he should be on the field quite a bit this year. Keep in mind, he just turned 23 and has only been in the league a couple years, despite bouncing from active rosters to practice squads and back to a new active roster. He should still be progressing as a professional cornerback, and at such a young age, he already knows the consequences of what could happen if he doesn't perform adequately.
TIM RAY
DUNKIRK, IN
Do you feel that the franchise tag on Spencer was given with the thoughts that someone will sign him away and give the Cowboys a 1st round draft pick? Or will the Cowboys sign him long-term?
Bryan:I believe it was smart to do what this front office did for this one reason, it gave them options. The worst case for the Cowboys is that Spencer is the starter at left defensive end for them. If that is the worst case, then they did the right thing. If and I say "If" they do decide to trade him, I don't believe they would get a first but could it bring a second or third? That's where they would have to make a call. My gut tells me that if something does get done, it will be during training camp but if it doesn't, then they will [embedded_ad] allow him to play the tag out and most likely move on.
Rowan: The franchise tag allowed the Cowboys to get a little extra time to decide what they want to do with Spencer, while ensuring they'll at least get something for him, whether it's a year of playing time, multiple years of playing time, or draft pick compensation. I don't think they did it thinking another team would sign him to a multi-year deal, but they may have done it thinking they could test the waters and see what trade offers were out there. But it's just as possible they want to see him play for another year and get what they can out of him while he's still in his prime and in his first year in the new 4-3 scheme.
