2013 Starting Lineup

[xwalker]

I’m trying to make this simple and just look at a very basic upgrade to the starting lineup for 2013.

Obviously, there will be more draft picks on the roster and possibly more Free Agents, but for now I’m just going with a few basic changes to the starting lineup. I’m including the slot WR and slot CB as well as some co-starters at a couple of positions.

The changes from the 2012 roster are:
All players healthy.
Two draft picks.
One mid-level Free Agent.

Offense
LT – Smith
LG – draft pick Jonathan Cooper
OC – Costa or Kowalski or Bernadeau to start the season (work draft pick Khalad Holmes or Barrett Jones into the lineup as the season progresses)
RG – Move Livings to this side next to Parnell
RT - Parnell
WR – Dez, Austin, Harris (Only 2.36M cap hit in 2013 to cut Austin vs 8.3M to keep)
TE – Witten, Hanna
RB - Murray
FB – Vickers

Could cut Austin and use the 6M in cap space to sign a decent veteran WR.


Defense
OLB – Ware, Spencer (Franchise or sign to a new contract)
ILB – Lee, Carter
DE – Hatcher, Lissemore/Crawford
NT – Ratliff and Mid-level FA like Terrance Knighton (6-3, 330)
CB – Carr, Claiborne, Scandrick
Safety – Sensabaugh, Church (I expect a draft pick here but not a day-1 starter)

Play Ratliff primarily at DT in the 4-man line of the nickel defense.

.

 

[supercowboy8]

Need another safety and RT I do not trust Parnell to be our only RT next year

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

Romo
Murray
Vickers
Smith
Livings
Bernadea
Levitre (FA)
Wagner (R)
Bryant
Austin
Witten

Spencer
Hatcher
Knighton (FA)
Lissemore
Ware
Lee
Carter
Claiborne
Carr
Church
Elam(R)

 

[SkinsandTerps]

It will be a lot different than you guys are expecting.

On both sides of the ball.

 

[cowboy_ron]

It will be a lot different than you guys are expecting.

On both sides of the ball.

It won't be too much thanks to Mara

 

[SkinsandTerps]

It won't be too much thanks to Mara

And you will be surprised.

 

[kmp77]

I’m trying to make this simple and just look at a very basic upgrade to the starting lineup for 2013.

Obviously, there will be more draft picks on the roster and possibly more Free Agents, but for now I’m just going with a few basic changes to the starting lineup. I’m including the slot WR and slot CB as well as some co-starters at a couple of positions.

The changes from the 2012 roster are:
All players healthy.
Two draft picks.
One mid-level Free Agent.

Offense
LT – Smith
LG – draft pick Jonathan Cooper
OC – Costa or Kowalski or Bernadeau to start the season (work draft pick Khalad Holmes or Barrett Jones into the lineup as the season progresses)
RG – Move Livings to this side next to Parnell
RT - Parnell
WR – Dez, Austin, Harris (Only 2.36M cap hit in 2013 to cut Austin vs 8.3M to keep)
TE – Witten, Hanna
RB - Murray
FB – Vickers

Could cut Austin and use the 6M in cap space to sign a decent veteran WR.


Defense
OLB – Ware, Spencer (Franchise or sign to a new contract)
ILB – Lee, Carter
DE – Hatcher, Lissemore/Crawford
NT – Ratliff and Mid-level FA like Terrance Knighton (6-3, 330)
CB – Carr, Claiborne, Scandrick
Safety – Sensabaugh, Church (I expect a draft pick here but not a day-1 starter)

Play Ratliff primarily at DT in the 4-man line of the nickel defense.

.

That looks way too close to our current 8-8 team :/

 

[Muhast]

It will be a lot different than you guys are expecting.

On both sides of the ball.

Care to show us your predictions? (Just curious what you have in mind)

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Barrett Jones would be a day 1 starter

 

[xwalker]

That looks way too close to our current 8-8 team :/

That is somewhat intentional with this version of the starting lineup.

The point being that just a few changes and the return of all injured players makes it a much better roster than 2012.

 

[Zordon]

That is somewhat intentional with this version of the starting lineup.

The point being that just a few changes and the return of all injured players makes it a much better roster than 2012.

livings might have been worse than bernie this year. i doubt jerry gets rid of both after one year but they are both worthless players.

 

[xwalker]

Barrett Jones would be a day 1 starter

I didn't want Rookies or 1st year starters side-by-side on the OLine on day-1.

I would get the rookie Center some snaps as the season progresses. Houston did this very effectively with Rookie Ben Jones at RG.

 

[kmp77]

That is somewhat intentional with this version of the starting lineup.

The point being that just a few changes and the return of all injured players makes it a much better roster than 2012.

So over the first 5 games we were 2-3 with this team....so you want to just try again with the same players? So 6-10, 8-8, 8-8 the last 3 seasons.....just try again with the same formula???

def. Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

 

[Woods]

I’m trying to make this simple and just look at a very basic upgrade to the starting lineup for 2013.

Obviously, there will be more draft picks on the roster and possibly more Free Agents, but for now I’m just going with a few basic changes to the starting lineup. I’m including the slot WR and slot CB as well as some co-starters at a couple of positions.

The changes from the 2012 roster are:
All players healthy.
Two draft picks.
One mid-level Free Agent.

Offense
LT – Smith
LG – draft pick Jonathan Cooper
OC – Costa or Kowalski or Bernadeau to start the season (work draft pick Khalad Holmes or Barrett Jones into the lineup as the season progresses)
RG – Move Livings to this side next to Parnell
RT - Parnell
WR – Dez, Austin, Harris (Only 2.36M cap hit in 2013 to cut Austin vs 8.3M to keep)
TE – Witten, Hanna
RB - Murray
FB – Vickers

Could cut Austin and use the 6M in cap space to sign a decent veteran WR.


Defense
OLB – Ware, Spencer (Franchise or sign to a new contract)
ILB – Lee, Carter
DE – Hatcher, Lissemore/Crawford
NT – Ratliff and Mid-level FA like Terrance Knighton (6-3, 330)
CB – Carr, Claiborne, Scandrick
Safety – Sensabaugh, Church (I expect a draft pick here but not a day-1 starter)

Play Ratliff primarily at DT in the 4-man line of the nickel defense.

.

Nice analysis, but I think we have to get 1 OL via FA.

I don't think we can get both Cooper and an OC in the Draft PLUS we still need to get depth/starter material behind Parnell via the Draft I presume.

Let's say we get 1 OG in FA. Then move Berny to OC. Use a 2nd rounder on another OG/RT. A guy who has the versatility to play both positions but can provide competition for Parnell Day 1.

I agree that we need to also get 1 DL via FA. And I like Rat's role as you described. It has to be more limited snaps.

I think we'll have to use a 4th rounder on a RB as well.

 

[DBOY3141]

I’m trying to make this simple and just look at a very basic upgrade to the starting lineup for 2013.

Obviously, there will be more draft picks on the roster and possibly more Free Agents, but for now I’m just going with a few basic changes to the starting lineup. I’m including the slot WR and slot CB as well as some co-starters at a couple of positions.

The changes from the 2012 roster are:
All players healthy.
Two draft picks.
One mid-level Free Agent.

Offense
LT – Smith
LG – draft pick Jonathan Cooper
OC – Costa or Kowalski or Bernadeau to start the season (work draft pick Khalad Holmes or Barrett Jones into the lineup as the season progresses)
RG – Move Livings to this side next to Parnell
RT - Parnell
WR – Dez, Austin, Harris (Only 2.36M cap hit in 2013 to cut Austin vs 8.3M to keep)
TE – Witten, Hanna
RB - Murray
FB – Vickers

Could cut Austin and use the 6M in cap space to sign a decent veteran WR.


Defense
OLB – Ware, Spencer (Franchise or sign to a new contract)
ILB – Lee, Carter
DE – Hatcher, Lissemore/Crawford
NT – Ratliff and Mid-level FA like Terrance Knighton (6-3, 330)
CB – Carr, Claiborne, Scandrick
Safety – Sensabaugh, Church (I expect a draft pick here but not a day-1 starter)

Play Ratliff primarily at DT in the 4-man line of the nickel defense.

.

I would cut Austin in a minute. Too injured and you can't count on him. Folks will say he has good numbers, but let's not forget 2012 was also the worst rushing numbers in Cowboys history. Stats are for losers. Austin is not a dependable player and needs to move on.

OL has to be addressed first. Cooper is a stud and day 1 starter. Parnell has more upside than Free, but I would look for a cheap RT in FA just in case.

I think Ratliff is back, but we need two more DL.

Safety is always a concern, but again it will not be addressed. Sensy, Church, Johnson will be the top 3 next year, even though Johnson did nothing this year.

Too early to tell what changes will be made. How long till FA starts??

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

So pretty much the same thing again. You know we they are going to have key injuries, you know that some players are going to under perform, we know Redball's offense will still be high stats with low results and we now know there is a very very VERY good chance Romo will get them close only to throw it away in the end. A couple of draft picks a FA signing won't change much.

All good reasons to be optimist

 

[JeffInDC]

If Jerry is actually serious about making changes (maybe he finally has been embarrassed enough), I would love to see a 2013 Opening Day Lineup something like this:

Offense:

WR - Dez
LT - Smith
LG - Warmack/Cooper/Barrett Jones
C - Barrett Jones/Bernadeau/Costa/FA
RG - Livings/Bernadeau/Free
RT - Parnell/FA/Free
TE - Witten/Hanna/Rookie
WR - Miles/FA Speedster (Harris in the SLOT)
QB - Romo
FB - Vickers
RB - Murray


Defense:

LE - Rat
NT - FA/Brandon Williams
RE - Hatch
SOLB - Spencer
SILB - Lee
WILB - Carter
WOLB - Ware
CB - Carr
CB - Claiborne
SS - Church
FS - Phillip Thomas

Rookies are in italics

 

[xwalker]

Nice analysis, but I think we have to get 1 OL via FA.

I don't think we can get both Cooper and an OC in the Draft PLUS we still need to get depth/starter material behind Parnell via the Draft I presume.

Let's say we get 1 OG in FA. Then move Berny to OC. Use a 2nd rounder on another OG/RT. A guy who has the versatility to play both positions but can provide competition for Parnell Day 1.

I agree that we need to also get 1 DL via FA. And I like Rat's role as you described. It has to be more limited snaps.

I think we'll have to use a 4th rounder on a RB as well.

Thanks for the input.

Yes, the next step up from this basic lineup would be to look at a Free Agent OG and/or Safety. I like the idea of getting one of the Jets OGs. They should both be experts in Callahan's system. This would be a safer approach since Free Agency is before the draft.

I think that finding a future starter at Center in the draft should be a priority; although, I don't want to force the pick over a better player. It seems that OG and RT normally available in FA or later in the draft; whereas, Center is almost never available in FA and is very limited in the draft.

Jonathan Cooper started 1 game at Center in college. If he can play Center or Guard in the NFL, then I can't foresee a better pick at #18; although there is a chance that he gets picked earlier.

The best OG/OT in the draft is Dallas Thomas, IMO. He could go anywhere from mid-1st to mid-2nd.

I expect a RB to be drafted around the 3rd or 4th round. I didn't show it in this projection because I was trying to focus on the starting lineup.

.

 

[jterrell]

ok, i'll play.

The changes from the 2012 roster are:
All players healthy.
Two draft picks.
One mid-level Free Agent.

Offense
QB - Romo
LT – Smith
LG – Livings
OC – Costa
RG – Leary
RT - Lane Johnson R2 rookie
WR – Dez, Johnny Knox (Texas kid and mid-level FA signing; replaces Austin at low yr 1 price tag), Harris ---Austin cut
TE – Witten, Hanna (Hanna de facto 4th WR)
RB - Murray
FB – Vickers


Defense
OLB – Ware, Spencer
ILB – Lee, Carter
DE – Hatcher, Crawford
NT – Ratliff, Lissemore
CB – Carr, Claiborne, Scandrick
Safety – Eric Reid r1 rookie, Church/Sensy

Key depth:
Harris at WR/returner
Parnell as Swing OT,
Cook as back up C and emergency OT.
Bern as swing interior Back up OL.
Orton
Matt Johnson as nickel back.
Ernie Sims resigned as 3rd ILB while Connor released to save the cap hit. Sims is ~2m cheaper

Will project to have a r4-6 RB as back up for Murray.

To me that is a sure-fire playoff team ON PAPER.
Then again give me sean lee and bruce carter for 16 and this 2012 team is as well imho.

 

[cowboy_ron]

ok, i'll play.

The changes from the 2012 roster are:
All players healthy.
Two draft picks.
One mid-level Free Agent.

Offense
QB - Romo
LT – Smith
LG – Livings
OC – Costa
RG – Leary
RT - Lane Johnson R2 rookie
WR – Dez, Johnny Knox (Texas kid and mid-level FA signing; replaces Austin at low yr 1 price tag), Harris ---Austin cut
TE – Witten, Hanna (Hanna de facto 4th WR)
RB - Murray
FB – Vickers


Defense
OLB – Ware, Spencer
ILB – Lee, Carter
DE – Hatcher, Crawford
NT – Ratliff, Lissemore
CB – Carr, Claiborne, Scandrick
Safety – Eric Reid r1 rookie, Church/Sensy

Key depth:
Harris at WR/returner
Parnell as Swing OT,
Cook as back up C and emergency OT.
Bern as swing interior Back up OL.
Orton
Matt Johnson as nickel back.
Ernie Sims resigned as 3rd ILB while Connor released to save the cap hit. Sims is ~2m cheaper

Will project to have a r4-6 RB as back up for Murray.

To me that is a sure-fire playoff team ON PAPER.
Then again give me sean lee and bruce carter for 16 and this 2012 team is as well imho.

Johnny Knox was broke in half last year..doubt he ever plays again


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15-yQO01Uwc