Dallas needs to build 1 great line

[KB1122]

While I'm in favor of building the line, it means we should trade Romo and maybe Ware and Witten. By the time a line is built, Romo will be past it.

[theogt]

Originally Posted by Rack Bauer

Draft picks aren't expensive anymore.

Opportunity cost, I mean.

[blackbull]

Fix oline first.

[Zman5]

Originally Posted by Gameover

Romo will still come up shorter than Bushwick(Bill)

Romo doesn't have the stomach for the big game fight.

Romo is a less talented version of Peyton Manning

Romo would have thrown 5 picks against the 9er's or Packers defense.

Romo doesn't have skill, poise, to compete at this level.

I don't care what kind of line you bring in, these facts will never change.

I hate to tell you but Romo beat that defense with a cracked rib and a punctured lung.

[big dog cowboy]

Originally Posted by Zman5

I hate to tell you but Romo beat that defense with a cracked rib and a punctured lung.

[Galian Beast]

There is this myth that it takes a long time to put together an offensive line. It isn't true.

What you need to do is make consistent efforts and investments in offensive line play. It's the engine of your offense.

We have three guys on our offensive line who probably couldn't start on any teams in the nfl... That isn't a good start.

In 2005 we wanted to move to the 3-4. What did we do? We drafted 4 players in the first four rounds to fit the 3-4.

Ware, Spears, Burnett, and Canty. In free agency we signed Jason Ferguson. Even though Burnett did not become a starter, that is 5 moves dedicated towards 7 positions in one off season.

The next year we drafted two more within the first three rounds.

We have Tyron Smith. We should draft at least two offensive linemen early, and sign at least one or two offensive linemen in free agency. Simple as that.

The problem now is that we have a new defensive system to implement, and to do so we need a pass rushing defensive end, a dominant defensive tackle, a pair of wide range safeties, and a sam linebacker.

I would suggest that we can make due with much of what we already have.

We can re-sign Ernie Sims to be the sam linebacker, and that should be serviceable with Lee and Carter. We can use Ratliff for one more year, and use a rotation of guys like Crawford and Lissemore. The real issue comes at safety and defensive end. It would have been nice to have kept Adrian Hamilton. So the biggest worry is going to be budget.

That's why it becomes important to rework Ratliff and Austin. And look into our ability to save money on a guy like Free.

[respectdatstar]

I really think we should take either Warmack or Cooper in the first and then either Barrett Jones, DJ Fluker or the best OT available in the 2nd. I wholeheartedly believe that our D is good enough to get by with what we have. We throw everything we have this off-season into fixing the O. Then, come back next year and throw everything at the D.

[IrishAnto]

Originally Posted by Gameover

Romo will still come up shorter than Bushwick(Bill)

Romo doesn't have the stomach for the big game fight.

Romo is a less talented version of Peyton Manning

Romo would have thrown 5 picks against the 9er's or Packers defense.

Romo doesn't have skill, poise, to compete at this level.

I don't care what kind of line you bring in, these facts will never change.

Let’s just cancel next year then.

[Sarge]

OL first please.

[SWG9]

Originally Posted by sonnyboy

No. There is no magic formula outside of drafting well.

Part of the formula is just using quality draft picks on linemen. Smith is the only OL that we've drafted in the first round since the 80's.

[Galian Beast]

Originally Posted by SWG9

Part of the formula is just using quality draft picks on linemen. Smith is the only OL that we've drafted in the first round since the 80's.

That's what happens when you have some luck in late rounds, you begin to not put a premium on positions.

The reverse can also happen, if you get bitten once or twice, you can try to avoid it in the future.

Jerry is in love with the sexy pick, and there is nothing sexy about offensive line picks.

I'd love to draft 3 linemen in the first four rounds, and then another 2 next year. It's time to show Romo a true commitment.

With an oline and a running game, romo could play til he is 42. Add a defense and we will rack up championships.

[Shinywalrus]

Originally Posted by Eddie

OL and DL are never bad ways to go.

JJ's been enamored with building the D from the back forwards (see all his failed attempts at CB's).

Build from the trenches.

Not rocket science.

This is just historical revisionism. Our front 7 was thought to be a strength, with perhaps one weak link at 5T, when we drafted Claiborne. In the years prior, we have been dutiful about spending picks on both lines.

This has been debunked so many times it hardly bears mentioning. The problem isn't that we don't spend resources on linemen, it's that their record of panning out hasn't been as good as you'd like to see, in general.

[Galian Beast]

Originally Posted by Shinywalrus

This is just historical revisionism. Our front 7 was thought to be a strength, with perhaps one weak link at 5T, when we drafted Claiborne. In the years prior, we have been dutiful about spending picks on both lines.

This has been debunked so many times it hardly bears mentioning. The problem isn't that we don't spend resources on linemen, it's that their record of panning out hasn't been as good as you'd like to see, in general.

That's not quite true.

We never had elite defensive ends. The only time that we were really considered to have a good front 7 was that year in 2007, 2008 and in 2010. And even that was a bit of a misgiving. When people equated the pass rush of a couple players and our overall ability to stop the run. We still struggled in coverage, and still had a huge problem getting a consistent pass rush.

[TheDoctor]

Offensive and Defensive lineman don't sell merchandise.

[respectdatstar]

Originally Posted by TheDoctor

Offensive and Defensive lineman don't sell merchandise.

Winning games gets you to the play-offs. As much as people love to hate Jerry, I bet he would prefer not to sell a penny worth of merchandise for a year if it meant we were hoisting the Lombardi in that same year.