Could Free move to guard if starting OT is drafted?

[Nightman]

Then you have to draft a tackle.

Free could still be the swing or maybe Weems. Next year Free is off the books. He improved last year, but got a lot of help and has to rely on technique too much.

 

[RS12]

 

[ConstantReboot]

The primary reason for Free's improvement was a slight change in the OL blocking scheme.

They had Bernadeau keep a closer than normal spacing to Free in Pass Pro. This prevented the outside pass rusher from beating Free to the inside and allowed Free to over-set to the outside which is a huge advantage. They had Fred favor blocking right to compensate for Bern compensating for Free. They were only able to do this because Leary was able to handle himself with minimal help. Basically, if you saw Leary get beat in Pass Pro, there's a good chance that Free is actually to blame.

They also designed run plays to work around Free's lack of ability to power run block. Their goal in runs to the right was to get Free's man to commit to the outside allowing Free to wall him off while they ran inside between Free and Bern or between Bern and Fred. As the season progressed Bern became very good at executing what I refer to as the pinball block. He would fire out into Free's man to help get him to the outside of Free and then bounce back to block a defender coming from the inside. It made Bern look like a pinball. The timing had to be just right to make this play successful and Bern did an excellent job of executing it. It allowed Free to be a wall-off blocker which is about all he can do in the run game.

The issue for the Cowboys going into the draft is that they have a legit backup OT in Parnell but nothing at OG unless they think OT Weems is an option there. They did sign OG Chris DeGeare, but he has not played since 2010.

Ummmm so when Leary got beat in pass protection it was Free's fault? I was almost with you there until I read that part. If Leary got beat thats his fault.

As for run blocking, I really could care less. The reason for that is we hardly run anyways. Were a passing team. If we spend a 1st rounder on an OT that can run block and put Free in as guard that would be all the worst t thing we could do.

The oline is not the problem this year. Its become one of our brights spots in 2013. If Dallas wants to tinker with taking an OT that can run block in the 1st and put Free in as guard thats their choice. There are more urgent needs that needs to be taken cared of first before OT. We need to take care of our Dline first. Thus I don't get this obsession with Dallas wanting to draft an OT with their first and move Free to guard.

 

[xwalker]

Ummmm so when Leary got beat in pass protection it was Free's fault? I was almost with you there until I read that part. If Leary got beat thats his fault.

As for run blocking, I really could care less. The reason for that is we hardly run anyways. Were a passing team. If we spend a 1st rounder on an OT that can run block and put Free in as guard that would be all the worst t thing we could do.

The oline is not the problem this year. Its become one of our brights spots in 2013. If Dallas wants to tinker with taking an OT that can run block in the 1st and put Free in as guard thats their choice. There are more urgent needs that needs to be taken cared of first before OT. We need to take care of our Dline first. Thus I don't get this obsession with Dallas wanting to draft an OT with their first and move Free to guard.

The Leary/Free part was intended to be funny but it's also a reference to PFF rankings. People were praising Free last season because he got high grades from PFF some weeks, but it did c. ome at the expense of making the other guys jobs more difficult.

I agree that OT is not a huge need considering they have a legit backup in Parnell and another developmental guy that they liked enough to carry on the 53 man roster all season in Weems; whereas, they don't really have any backup interior OLinemen. I like Moses but I would probably take 1 or 2 guys in the 3rd/4th/5th that project to OG. Guys like Billy Turner, Dozier and Thomas would all have high upsides at OG but could play RT if needed.

The unknown is if they might be planning to have Weems practice primarily at OG. He has the build to play either OG o OT at 6-5, 320.

 

[Woods]

The Leary/Free part was intended to be funny but it's also a reference to PFF rankings. People were praising Free last season because he got high grades from PFF some weeks, but it did c. ome at the expense of making the other guys jobs more difficult.

I agree that OT is not a huge need considering they have a legit backup in Parnell and another developmental guy that they liked enough to carry on the 53 man roster all season in Weems; whereas, they don't really have any backup interior OLinemen. I like Moses but I would probably take 1 or 2 guys in the 3rd/4th/5th that project to OG. Guys like Billy Turner, Dozier and Thomas would all have high upsides at OG but could play RT if needed.

The unknown is if they might be planning to have Weems practice primarily at OG. He has the build to play either OG o OT at 6-5, 320.

I'm wondering if that's one of the reasons they cut their PS guys, Costa, etc who were at OG earlier in this off-season? I figure they will draft 1-2 OL in any case, but along with Weems having the position flex to play OG sort of makes sense.

 

[sbark]

Taking an OT in the 1st round, while never the sexy pick, is just about the safest thing a team can do.

dunno bout that....I still think back to the cant miss OT G.Bay took after the Cowboys took Aikman.......and there was serious discussion that the Boys should've take the OT---history would've been changed

 

[xwalker]

dunno bout that....I still think back to the cant miss OT G.Bay took after the Cowboys took Aikman.......and there was serious discussion that the Boys should've take the OT---history would've been changed

Tony Mandrich?

He probably would have been great if he could have stayed on the same roids that he was taking in college.

 

[perrykemp]

dunno bout that....I still think back to the cant miss OT G.Bay took after the Cowboys took Aikman.......and there was serious discussion that the Boys should've take the OT---history would've been changed

There are exceptions to every rule.

Tony Mandarich, the Green Bay offensive tackle you mention, was not only the highest rated tackle in that draft, he was the highest rated PLAYER in combine history up that point according to BLESTO which was a popular scouting service back then.

Turns out Mandarich was a steroid monster of the first order and once he couldn't take the steroids anymore he was nothing.

In fact, the Packers are probably not a good example of getting good value in the 1st round for offensive tackles -- last year their 2010 1st round RT (Brian Bulaga) and their 2011 1st round LT (Derek Sherrod) started a grand total of ZERO games due to injuries.

In 2012 they started only 7 combined games.

However, players at any position can get hurt.

 

[xwalker]

I'm wondering if that's one of the reasons they cut their PS guys, Costa, etc who were at OG earlier in this off-season? I figure they will draft 1-2 OL in any case, but along with Weems having the position flex to play OG sort of makes sense.

I've been surprised that they didn't sign any low level free agent OGs.

 

[burmafrd]

There are exceptions to every rule.

Tony Mandarich, the Green Bay offensive tackle you mention, was not only the highest rated tackle in that draft, he was the highest rated PLAYER in combine history up that point according to BLESTO which was a popular scouting service back then.

Turns out Mandarich was a steroid monster of the first order and once he couldn't take the steroids anymore he was nothing.

In fact, the Packers are probably not a good example of getting good value in the 1st round for offensive tackles -- last year their 2010 1st round RT (Brian Bulaga) and their 2011 1st round LT (Derek Sherrod) started a grand total of ZERO games due to injuries.

In 2012 they started only 7 combined games.

However, players at any position can get hurt.

probably about the only prospect that was hyped more than Ryan Leaf. What is not commonly known by most fans was that he came back and played guard pretty decently for a few years. So he was not a total bust. Except for the team that drafted him.