News: BTB: Why Doug Free Might Be More Important To Dallas Than You Think

[NewsBot]

Conventional wisdom holds that your left tackle is the most important position along the offensive line. It's certainly the highest paid, and one of the hardest to fill. The mix of size, agility, power and quickness is tough to find. The Dallas Cowboys have found their man in Tyron Smith. The reason left tackles are so important lies in two interconnected ideas. One, it's tougher for quarterbacks to see the rush from their blindside and since most quarterbacks are right-handed, their blindside is to the left. That leads to the second part, defenses put their best pass rusher on that side to take advantage of the blindside. Thus, your left tackle is the man who must defend your quarterback against the blindside sack.

The NFL is an ever-changing game, and one of the changes we're seeing more and more is defenses moving around their best pass rusher in hopes of getting a better matchup. More and more, those elite pass rushers are lining up against right tackles. And they are finding success. That would put a lot of pressure on the Cowboys right tackle, Doug Free.

The evidence is provided in this article from SB Nation.

Quarterbacks used to take most of their snaps under center, dropping back five or seven steps, and then releasing the ball, but the game's gotten a lot faster. A quarterback's progression has changed. They're taking more snaps out of the shotgun formation, giving them time and opportunity to survey the whole field and making blindside protection less of a priority than balanced protection on both sides.
​

With faster reads and faster releases becoming the norm, the need is for pass rushers to beat their man as quickly as possible. If you can get a mismatch at right tackle, you take it.

But even more evidence is provided by data.

Back in 2012, Pro Football Focus looked extensively at how quarterback performance changed under pressure from each side, and they found that quarterbacks generally perform worse when pressure comes from the right side. Intuitively, it would seem that quarterbacks would be better prepared to adjust when pressure isn't coming from their blind side, but the numbers don't support that.

Based on their 2012 data, pressure from the right side resulted in sacks slightly more often than pressure from the left side. Pressure from the right side ended in a sack 17.3 percent of the time, while pressure from the left culminated in sacks 15.5 percent of the time.
​

***snip***


We know that Tyron Smith is the most-talented left tackle in the league (sorry Joe Thomas). But is Doug Free the key to keeping Tony Romo healthy in 2016?

Continue reading...

 

[jobberone]

This should be interesting too but I suspect it'll be crickets.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Having all the talent next to him, particularly Tyron, plus the TE means they can help and slide protection to the right side on every down.

 

[Denim Chicken]

So both tackles are important. Groundbreaking stuff here.

 

[Doomsday101]

I have never felt that Free was a poor player to begin with. He is not a Pro Bowl player as some of his Line mates are but I think when healthy Free is a solid player.

 

[Garrettop]

The problem for Free is age + health. Some years ago he was the only decent lineman. Now The Line is otherwise stacked, and he's older and oft injured.

 

[AbeBeta]

I have never felt that Free was a poor player to begin with. He is not a Pro Bowl player as some of his Line mates are but I think when healthy Free is a solid player.

Free is consistent. The staff knows his shortcomings and can deal with them. What he can't do is predictable. Coaches will take that any day.

He is our worst starting OL but he wouldn't be worst mist teams

 

[CowboyRoy]

Conventional wisdom holds that your left tackle is the most important position along the offensive line. It's certainly the highest paid, and one of the hardest to fill. The mix of size, agility, power and quickness is tough to find. The Dallas Cowboys have found their man in Tyron Smith. The reason left tackles are so important lies in two interconnected ideas. One, it's tougher for quarterbacks to see the rush from their blindside and since most quarterbacks are right-handed, their blindside is to the left. That leads to the second part, defenses put their best pass rusher on that side to take advantage of the blindside. Thus, your left tackle is the man who must defend your quarterback against the blindside sack.

The NFL is an ever-changing game, and one of the changes we're seeing more and more is defenses moving around their best pass rusher in hopes of getting a better matchup. More and more, those elite pass rushers are lining up against right tackles. And they are finding success. That would put a lot of pressure on the Cowboys right tackle, Doug Free.

The evidence is provided in this article from SB Nation.

Quarterbacks used to take most of their snaps under center, dropping back five or seven steps, and then releasing the ball, but the game's gotten a lot faster. A quarterback's progression has changed. They're taking more snaps out of the shotgun formation, giving them time and opportunity to survey the whole field and making blindside protection less of a priority than balanced protection on both sides.
​

With faster reads and faster releases becoming the norm, the need is for pass rushers to beat their man as quickly as possible. If you can get a mismatch at right tackle, you take it.

But even more evidence is provided by data.

Back in 2012, Pro Football Focus looked extensively at how quarterback performance changed under pressure from each side, and they found that quarterbacks generally perform worse when pressure comes from the right side. Intuitively, it would seem that quarterbacks would be better prepared to adjust when pressure isn't coming from their blind side, but the numbers don't support that.

Based on their 2012 data, pressure from the right side resulted in sacks slightly more often than pressure from the left side. Pressure from the right side ended in a sack 17.3 percent of the time, while pressure from the left culminated in sacks 15.5 percent of the time.
​

***snip***


We know that Tyron Smith is the most-talented left tackle in the league (sorry Joe Thomas). But is Doug Free the key to keeping Tony Romo healthy in 2016?

Continue reading...

You cant pay 5 pro bowlers so Im fine with Free being the weak link. And from what we know about Free he is the emotional and veteran leader of the line. So at least he plays that role.

 

[Seven]

I have never felt that Free was a poor player to begin with. He is not a Pro Bowl player as some of his Line mates are but I think when healthy Free is a solid player.

He's never been as bad as some have mentioned, that's fer sure.

 

[FaSho]

He's never been as bad as some have mentioned, that's fer sure.

People are just so quick to assume an upgrade is needed, probably because of his age. Getting someone younger and better would be nice, but we could do much worse than Free.

 

[Idgit]

People are just so quick to assume an upgrade is needed, probably because of his age. Getting someone younger and better would be nice, but we could do much worse than Free.

It's not just his age. Free's been a whipping boy since forever. He wasn't a high pick, and at one point underperformed on a high contract. Some people can't separate those things very well, or get an entrenched idea and are reluctant to reevaluate it.

 

[TheRomoSexual]

If Free's the weak link of your line, then you're doing something right.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Injuries are also a big part of why so many want him replaced. He is not getting younger and his ankle/foot injury history is always going to be a concern. I know he had surgery on it but it's not going to ever be as good as it was. His ability to play in the NFL is based on his ability to move. He's not a strong Tackle and at RT, you have to be able to either out muscle guys or out technique them with quickness and agility. He's always going to be a problem and with no reliable sub, it's always going to be a concern for the Offense because on his best day, he gets worked by good pass rushers. Combine this with Romo's health issues and Free is a concern that needs to be addressed. It doesn't have to be an all pro but it does have to be somebody who can do the job without constant concern of injury.

 

[bodi]

I never thought he was worth that big contract - but he is still pretty good

 

[DeaconMoss]

Hopefully his replacement is already on the squad in green

 

[Nexx]

I have never felt that Free was a poor player to begin with. He is not a Pro Bowl player as some of his Line mates are but I think when healthy Free is a solid player.

he's been a poor player some seasons and a serviceable players during some.

 

[AsthmaField]

If Free's the weak link of your line, then you're doing something right.

I can buy that. He is a really solid player who became a whipping boy for fans.

He is the worst on the Dallas line these days but that is only because everyone else is so damn good... not because Free isn't any good or because he's old.

 

[AsthmaField]

he's been a poor player some seasons and a serviceable players during some.

I don't think Free has ever been a poor player, although he did have one pretty tough year.

I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong... it is just a difference of opinion.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Free is consistent. The staff knows his shortcomings and can deal with them. What he can't do is predictable. Coaches will take that any day.

He is our worst starting OL but he wouldn't be worst mist teams

Free is the new Koiser

 

[Seven]

People are just so quick to assume an upgrade is needed, probably because of his age. Getting someone younger and better would be nice, but we could do much worse than Free.

..................And the learning curve at that position is huge.