Best 5 Guard Combos, Smith and Booker don't make the list

[big dog cowboy]

I don’t know what these fans are thinking….

The off season sucks.

 

[Hardline]

Booker is a beast. Glad we got him.

Our two starting guards are last on my list of worries.

 

[big dog cowboy]

That’s a click bait site. Can’t take nothing serious from that place.

 

[JoeKing]

It's just a list with someone's opinion on it. That doesn't mean we don't have a good guard combo.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Then the offensive line would suck…well unless they drafted someone in later rounds which is possible. Booker brought some much needed nastiness and toughness.

It would be a downgrade on the OL for sure, but I also think the gap between Booker and Bass/Hoffman was less than the gap between Warren and Ferg, both as receivers and blockers.

If both Booker and Warren end up with similar career paths I'd probably rather have the TE over the G, especially if they end up being top5/top10 at their positions. The exception being if Booker turns into the Larry Allen type of outlier.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Huge reach? By what standard???

Why would the Cowboys take a TE that early in the draft?

Why not? I think its a fair argument to say that you can regularly get starting caliber TEs later in the draft and you should save your premium picks on premium positinal value, but were talking about a team that spent their top picks the last two seasons on a Guard and Saftey. Its debatable, but those might be the very two positions with less positional value than TE.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

It would be a downgrade on the OL for sure, but I also think the gap between Booker and Bass/Hoffman was less than the gap between Warren and Ferg, both as receivers and blockers.

If both Booker and Warren end up with similar career paths I'd probably rather have the TE over the G, especially if they end up being top5/top10 at their positions. The exception being if Booker turns into the Larry Allen type of outlier.

Oooo I don’t know about that. I think the gap is huge between Booker and Hoffman or Bass was substantial. Like I said above he brought a nasty and toughness I haven’t seen on this line in a long time. It set the tone for a lot of games. And he did it as a rookie. Warren is a great player but I just don’t know in an offense with already Flurnoy, Pickens and Lamb if Warren would have the same impact here as Booker.
At best he would be behind
Pickens, Lamb and Javonte. I don’t like taking guard in the first or tight end….but if it can change my culture I can get behind it. And Booker for sure did.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Why not? I think its a fair argument to say that you can regularly get starting caliber TEs later in the draft and you should save your premium picks on premium positinal value, but were talking about a team that spent their top picks the last two seasons on a Guard and Saftey. Its debatable, but those might be the very two positions with less positional value than TE.

At the time we had just spent a 2nd rounder on Schoon and Ferg pre injury was a top 10 tight end.

Meanwhile at guard Zack Martin retired and Downs even with safety was one of the best players in the draft. It was a no brainer.

Warren didn’t represent that to me.

And I hate to use the “you can get one later in the draft” argument because you can for sure say that about guard as well but it seems every year there’s good tight ends.

If Harold Fannin got better qb play he would’ve crushed it.

Actually he may have been the best rookie tight end last year.

Chargers Gadsen is another.

Mason Taylor another…

 

[thunderpimp91]

At the time we had just spent a 2nd rounder on Schoon and Ferg pre injury was a top 10 tight end.

Meanwhile at guard Zack Martin retired and Downs even with safety was one of the best players in the draft. It was a no brainer.

Warren didn’t represent that to me.

And I hate to use the “you can get one later in the draft” argument because you can for sure say that about guard as well but it seems every year there’s good tight ends.

If Harold Fannin got better qb play he would’ve crushed it.

Actually he may have been the best rookie tight end last year.

Chargers Gadsen is another.

Mason Taylor another…

I mostly agree with you here. I liked Warren in the draft but were also looking at everything in hindsight a year later. I was much higher on a ferg rebound last offseason so I truly don’t remember if I was a true advocate of drafting Warren or not, I’d have to go back to old threads to remember my stance at the time lol.

You can absolutely find TEs in all rounds, I’m just not sure why the other poster is so against taking a TE early but G and S is ok. Those are all three kinda secondary role by nfl standards that you only take in the top half of the first if they’re considered special/elite talents. I’m just not sure where that belief comes from, and it feel more in line with blind homerism than actual logic, but I could be wrong.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Oooo I don’t know about that. I think the gap is huge between Booker and Hoffman or Bass was substantial. Like I said above he brought a nasty and toughness I haven’t seen on this line in a long time. It set the tone for a lot of games. And he did it as a rookie. Warren is a great player but I just don’t know in an offense with already Flurnoy, Pickens and Lamb if Warren would have the same impact here as Booker.
At best he would be behind
Pickens, Lamb and Javonte. I don’t like taking guard in the first or tight end….but if it can change my culture I can get behind it. And Booker for sure did.

Disagree but respect your take TMC!

The Lamb/pickens being on the roster is a good point and leads to the question of if there were enough balls to go around for everyone to be impactful. Personally I think so given Fergs strong catch/yards numbers despite underwhelming performances, but is that the healthiest way to build a team? Maybe not but I can’t help but think about the nightmares DCs would have trying to defend 2 legit #1 WRs and Warren who’s basically a #2 type wr playing TE.

Regardless I’d rather have the conversations about two good options the cowboys could have had instead of the Taco vs Watt type discussions lol. Just keep hitting on early picks regardless of position and you’ll be a pretty good team.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I mostly agree with you here. I liked Warren in the draft but were also looking at everything in hindsight a year later. I was much higher on a ferg rebound last offseason so I truly don’t remember if I was a true advocate of drafting Warren or not, I’d have to go back to old threads to remember my stance at the time lol.

You can absolutely find TEs in all rounds, I’m just not sure why the other poster is so against taking a TE early but G and S is ok. Those are all three kinda secondary role by nfl standards that you only take in the top half of the first if they’re considered special/elite talents. I’m just not sure where that belief comes from, and it feel more in line with blind homerism than actual logic, but I could be wrong.

Yeah we can’t do the “taking toght end early” argument but be ok with safety and guard lol. Especially guard.

And for the record at the time I would’ve taken tight end. Especially Warren. I didn’t think Loveland would go before him. But I also didn’t know Booker would be as good as he was so I came around to the pick.

I also think it hurt us where we keep drafting. Our holes are never available where we should draft until this year thankfully with Downs.

 

[Acceptablename]

I wanted Tyler Warren in the worst way. But no, Jethro chose Booker. It was a huge reach. Now the duo of Smith and Booker are not regarded as an elite guard duo. Who would have known that these two first rounders are really not elite v

Booker will make all pro

 

[ElGatoGrande]

You are basing this on this joker's opinion?


Matt Verderame is a national NFL staff writer for Sports Illustrated, writing features, columns and more. Before joining Sports Illustrated in March 2023, Verderame wrote for FanSided and SB Nation. He’s a proud husband to Stephanie and father of two girls, Maisy and Genevieve. In his spare time, Verderame is an avid collector of vintage baseball cards.

Would love to see how these guys improve once they have decent tackles beside them.

 

[fivetwos]

The only complaint about Booker can be about taking a guard that high.

Taking a TE there wouldn’t have changed the point.

I wasn’t upset about more of a building from inside out type of approach. Need has to meet availability, which has to also align with opportunity.

Interior OL is generally a safe first round pick, and they are very conservative overall. As we know, blowing those is catastrophic to this organization.

 

[Jarntt]

I wanted Tyler Warren in the worst way. But no, Jethro chose Booker. It was a huge reach. Now the duo of Smith and Booker are not regarded as an elite guard duo. Who would have known that these two first rounders are really not elite v

What a silly overreaction thread. First off it's one writers article. Second, how much time has he spent watching every snap from every OG. Third and most importantly Booker has only played one season and in that season missed time due to an injury. Plus he does look like he is going to be a real good one. Tap the breaks on the drama...

 

[kskboys]

I wanted Tyler Warren in the worst way. But no, Jethro chose Booker. It was a huge reach. Now the duo of Smith and Booker are not regarded as an elite guard duo. Who would have known that these two first rounders are really not elite v

Settle down. Booker was a rook. And he was a beast, BTW.

 

[kskboys]

He may not be on the left much longer. Broaddus is now claiming that they seem to have Shelton as the one competing with Guyton at LT.

Of course, obviously. Shelton and Guyton are the only OL's on the roster w/ OLT traits.

 

[kskboys]

I still think Nate Thomas should be a guard. He doesn't pass protect well enough at tackle and he's a powerful dude.

100%. He was very bad at OLT last season.

People love him because of his tenacious demeanor. As do I. However, you still have to have the feet to play OLT, and he doesn't.

 

[CWR]

I wanted Tyler Warren in the worst way. But no, Jethro chose Booker. It was a huge reach. Now the duo of Smith and Booker are not regarded as an elite guard duo. Who would have known that these two first rounders are really not elite v

You created this whole thread to cry, without taking into consideration this guy's opinion is just his opinion. Nice.

 

[big dog cowboy]

You can absolutely find TEs in all rounds, I’m just not sure why the other poster is so against taking a TE early

Not the way to build a team. Not a premium position. Spending a 1st to replace The President and help continue a strong OL was important. Taking one of the top defensive players in the draft when you have the worst D in the league is smart.

The Cowboys offense has cooked the last few years. Adding a TE in the 1st doesn't move the needle and help us win games. Strong line play does. Improving the D does.