DC: Jermey Parnell Was A “Luxury” The Cowboys Must Find A Way To Replace

[Doomsday101]

Cowboys will have to see how these young backup RJ Dills, Ryan Miller, John Wetzel, Tony Hill and Donald Hawkins along with Weems do as they compete for the backup job. Granted no experience with any of these guys they are all pretty raw

 

[JoeyBoy718]

My point is that they had a commodity that other teams probably didn't know much about until he started games in 2014. It seems that the OL coach tried to tell them but Free was Garrett's pet cat.

I like Parnell. I'm uneasy about the depth at OT now. But I still think even if we kept him for $3 million, that's still too much for a backup OT. I know depth is important, but I don't believe Parnell will become much better than what we've seen this year, and I'd rather see us start grooming a replacement for the future.

 

[xwalker]

I like Parnell. I'm uneasy about the depth at OT now. But I still think even if we kept him for $3 million, that's still too much for a backup OT. I know depth is important, but I don't believe Parnell will become much better than what we've seen this year, and I'd rather see us start grooming a replacement for the future.

I'm not talking about 3M as a backup, he would be a starter this season. He was as good as Free last season but will get better with more starts. Free is unlikely to get better and will likely decline. He has had 2 ankle surgeries in a one year span and is now 31.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I'm not talking about 3M as a backup, he would be a starter this season. He was as good as Free last season but will get better with more starts. Free is unlikely to get better and will likely decline. He has had 2 ankle surgeries in a one year span and is now 31.

Yeah. I just think they chose Free over Parnell. I don't believe Parnell has much more room for improvement. He might improve slightly but I don't believe it would be enough to be considerably better than Free, and I think they like Free better. I am concerned since Free missed a lot of time this season. He's had a very healthy career and it's a bit unsettling that he faced his first injury plagued season at 30+ years old. But I guess they weren't concerned. I'd love to have them both but it just wasn't possible.

 

[xwalker]

Yeah. I just think they chose Free over Parnell. I don't believe Parnell has much more room for improvement. He might improve slightly but I don't believe it would be enough to be considerably better than Free, and I think they like Free better. I am concerned since Free missed a lot of time this season. He's had a very healthy career and it's a bit unsettling that he faced his first injury plagued season at 30+ years old. But I guess they weren't concerned. I'd love to have them both but it just wasn't possible.

They seem to be doing a good job of playing the odds like not giving Murray a big contract or over paying oft injured guys like Durant; however, the odds would have favored Parnell over Free.

Two ankle surgeries in one year after he turned 30 is not a good sign for Free. Parnell was good enough in 2014 and is unlikely to get worse.

I've been supportive of Garrett, but I think his weakness might be attachment to players.

He took many years to quit letting Romo audible out of run plays.

He lets Witten play 100% of the snaps even when they are way up on the scoreboard.

He let Murray play as much as he wanted even when winning big. That just limited the development of the backups.

He overruled Callahan when he wanted to start Parnell over Free in 2012.

 

[Alexander]

Yeah. I just think they chose Free over Parnell.

That is really all there is to it, even though that might disappoint Jermey's number one fan.

Since when have the Cowboys not extended or paid who they wanted to when they recognized something they liked? We had two pennies to rub together, but yet they should have extended Parnell and made him a 3M dollar backup, again? And there is zero guarantee Parnell would have taken it.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

They seem to be doing a good job of playing the odds like not giving Murray a big contract or over paying oft injured guys like Durant; however, the odds would have favored Parnell over Free.

Two ankle surgeries in one year after he turned 30 is not a good sign for Free. Parnell was good enough in 2014 and is unlikely to get worse.

I've been supportive of Garrett, but I think his weakness might be attachment to players.

He took many years to quit letting Romo audible out of run plays.

He lets Witten play 100% of the snaps even when they are way up on the scoreboard.

He let Murray play as much as he wanted even when winning big. That just limited the development of the backups.

He overruled Callahan when he wanted to start Parnell over Free in 2012.

I agree with all of that. For example, as great as Murray was last year, there were many times I wanted to see how the others would do since I wanted to see just how good our run blocking was. Now Murray is gone and we really have no idea how the others will do. Is feel more at ease if we gave Randle more carries last year. He looked good in the limited touches he had but we're really taking a gamble if we don't draft a RB. So we essentially put ourselves in a position where we need to draft a RB since we didn't give our backups a fair chance last year. Same goes for Witten and TE. Outside of QB our offense is very young and very good. But we don't know if Escobar will be able to take over completely for Witten or if we'll need to draft a TE since we've never given Escobar a fair chance.

 

[xwalker]

I agree with all of that. For example, as great as Murray was last year, there were many times I wanted to see how the others would do since I wanted to see just how good our run blocking was. Now Murray is gone and we really have no idea how the others will do. Is feel more at ease if we gave Randle more carries last year. He looked good in the limited touches he had but we're really taking a gamble if we don't draft a RB. So we essentially put ourselves in a position where we need to draft a RB since we didn't give our backups a fair chance last year. Same goes for Witten and TE. Outside of QB our offense is very young and very good. But we don't know if Escobar will be able to take over completely for Witten or if we'll need to draft a TE since we've never given Escobar a fair chance.

I might be nitpicking, but Witten/Murray would never come off the field if given the choice. Romo would rarely call a run if given the choice.

They seem to do better in this area on defense; although I'm worried about Marinelli's attachment to Hayden.

 

[Kaiser]

I'm not talking about 3M as a backup, he would be a starter this season. He was as good as Free last season but will get better with more starts. Free is unlikely to get better and will likely decline. He has had 2 ankle surgeries in a one year span and is now 31.

Agree with every word of that, but if they like Weems and think he is ready, spending 9MM over two years for Free is a better route than spending 23MM over three years for Parnell.

The best route by far would have been to extend him before the season like you said.

 

[Bluestang]

This thread is unbelievable.

I have a hard time believing that Callahan and Pollack were told to shut up and color about a certain player starting over another.

These excuses just need to die, like the Parnell vs Free thread comparisons.

 

[silver]

We can always slide Martin outside if needed and plug in a vet at guard like Bernardau. Not ideal, but it wont kill you.

 

[Nightman]

We can always slide Martin outside if needed and plug in a vet at guard like Bernardau. Not ideal, but it wont kill you.

Exactly.

And with the line being so talented Left to Right, a weak spot at RT for a few games should be an easy work around.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Because to have a backup come in and play at the same level as a starter is not an easy task to replace, especially on the offensive line. He was a very good backup, and given Free's injury history, we need to be protected at RT

Isn't that why we drafted martin? Parnell hype lol

 

[thisiscowboyscountry]

Long and Collins are available they may even be upgrades at the swing tackle for less money.

 

[thisiscowboyscountry]

They seem to be doing a good job of playing the odds like not giving Murray a big contract or over paying oft injured guys like Durant; however, the odds would have favored Parnell over Free.

Two ankle surgeries in one year after he turned 30 is not a good sign for Free. Parnell was good enough in 2014 and is unlikely to get worse.

I've been supportive of Garrett, but I think his weakness might be attachment to players.

He took many years to quit letting Romo audible out of run plays.

He lets Witten play 100% of the snaps even when they are way up on the scoreboard.

He let Murray play as much as he wanted even when winning big. That just limited the development of the backups.

He overruled Callahan when he wanted to start Parnell over Free in 2012.

Free came at half the cost, a much better value than parnell

 

[Denim Chicken]

Is Weems still on the roster? Not that he's the answer, just wondering.

 

[slick325]

The swing tackle is super important. Parnell did a very good job stepping in when necessary. Whether he was the long term answer at RT is a debate for others and we shall see how he pans out in Jacksonville as a full time starter.

Weems is coming off an injury and the other tackles are a mystery as well. Hoping they can find someone that falls in the draft in the mid-rounds who should've been drafted earlier. That player hopefully will be good enough to step in if necessary without having the lights be too bright. If not, then hope Weems and the bunch are good enough. Or possibly keep an eye on a late vet cut in Training Camp.

Not a big fan of kicking Martin out to RT due to OL continuity unless they get a starting caliber G somewhere in the draft.

 

[NextGenBoys]

In a pinch, Zach can always kick out to RT and Berny come in at RG. That's why it does not make sense to spend big on a backup. Draft and develop one in the later rounds.

I think it's foolish to switch Martin around, when he is so good at RG. Let him perfect his craft at RG, don't mess with him and have him play tackle too. You let the backups be the ones to play multiple positions. You let your starters hone in on their craft and perfect their positions nuances.

 

[xwalker]

Free came at half the cost, a much better value than parnell

Look back in the thread. My contention is that they could have extended Parnell cheaply a year ago.

 

[xwalker]

Is Weems still on the roster? Not that he's the answer, just wondering.

Yes. He was on IR.