Walden pond For other teams, it was a time of rebirth. It's actually almost singlehandedly turned some teams around in a matter of a few years.
With the 22nd pick of the 2008 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys chose running back Felix Jones out of the University of Arkansas.
With the 23rd pick of the 2008 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers chose running back Rashard Mendenhall from the University of Illinois.
With the 24th pick of the 2008 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans chose running back Chris Johnson from East Carolina State University.
Back then, the debate boiled down to Mendenhall and Jones. The Cowboys ended that debate by taking Jones. Initially, when Mendenhall was lost for his rookie campaign due to injury, the Jones picked looked awesome.
Two years later, we know better. Mendenhall is head over heels better. In two weeks, we'll see first hand as he'll travel to Arlington to play in the Super Bowl.
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One-hundred and forty-five picks after Jones was taken by the Cowboys, they also chose Erik Walden, a defensive end/linebacker in the 2008 draft.
He'd never play a professional down for the Cowboys. He was cut before the season, as it was imperative they instead take Chris Canty and Greg Ellis for their defensive front seven.
Ellis and Canty would play their final season for the Cowboys. Walden would bounce around to the Chiefs and Dolphins. He wound up with the Green Bay Packers. Due to injuries, he's played more and showed something. He was the NFC Defensive Player of the Week with three sacks and 12 tackles against the Bears in early January.
Walden will in Dallas in a few weeks.
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Another familiar face coming in a couple of weeks is Flozell Adams.
I've seen a lot of Steelers games this year, especially lately when Adams has played due to injuries to the O-line.
I haven't seen all of the false starts, blown coverages and linebackers flying past him on run plays. In fact, he's been good. Effective.
I find it hard to believe that he wouldn't play over Leonard Davis and Marc Columbo.
And don't give me the whole financial bullshit behind cutting Adams. Jerry Jones pays a lot of dumb money to dumb players and he appears to have zero problem doing it. Show me how Marc Columbo and Leonard Davis isn't dumber money, and I'll begin to believe you.
