The annual NFL Combine is an event that teams across the league look forward to. It is a golden opportunity for teams to gauge the talent available in the upcoming draft class and judge the capabilities and skillsets of players.
It is not surprising to see head coaches, and defensive and offensive coordinators in attendance at the Combine. It is really important for them. However, one team has decided to rely solely upon the takeaways of their scouts. The Dallas Cowboys‘ head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer are sitting the Combine out.
It is a shocking move, considering the fact that America’s team never relies upon off-season or mid-season trades but the NFL Draft alone to fulfill its roster requirements. With this being the case, the Combine ought to be the most important event marked on the team’s calendar. The head coach offered reassurance by stating that he would participate through video calls and meetings but then again, it does not compare to being physically present at the location.
Mike McCarthy is of the opinion that “the workload capacity and time efficiency made more sense for them to remain at The Star.” But what could be more important than being out there to scout the future talent available, the players in this draft class have the potential to be the missing piece that could lead this team to the Super Bowl.
Mike McCarthy is skipping the NFL Combine for the second consecutive year
The question remains: what could be so important that requires his immediate attention? McCarthy said on Friday:
Zim and I will have a full week together here and cover a lot of ground with things we're working on...at the same time, we can still participate in the Combine process and have direct contact through video calls and meetings, while having our coaches on the ground there as well.
The head coach has immense trust in his staff, which is a good thing, but he will sacrifice the opportunity to interact with the players on a personal level.
While scouts can judge the on-field talent, a player has and determine their skillset, they cannot understand the small details regarding their personality that go a long way. When the odds are against the team, the personality and attitude of the player matters more than his skillset. Unsurprisingly, this move has fans concerned.
Head coaches of other teams such as the Los Angeles Rams , Sean McVay, are going to be in attendance for the NFL Combine. Just a note, McVay has won a Super Bowl in recent history. His reasoning for doing so is as stated above, it allows him an opportunity to personally interact with players and gives him an insight into their personality.
While McCarthy and Zimmer’s decision to trust the team’s scouts is commendable, it does not make up for the fact that they should have been present in person at the Combine.
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