DFW-Gosselin: It's surprising the Cowboys neglected their two biggest needs

[Rogerthat12]

I don't care about those two guys but they are right. They neglected it in the draft after Frederick and they have neglected it overall. Honestly I don't take too much stock in anything preseason but if that Houston game showed anything it is that or lines are weak when it comes to depth.

Agreed, the Bern/Livings disaster from last offseason made it imperative to address the OL this offseason.

I am happy with Frederick at C but the G position has been problematic and depth is a potential killer if someone is injured.

The DL has been devastated by injury, very little help was provided via the draft and free agency.

Depth is paper thin and hopefully something is in the works to mitigate the concern on the DL.

 

[Zordon]

Goose needs to realize you don't need linemen when you have the secret sauce.

 

[dmq]

I don't get this obsession with value i don't think either Escobar or Williams will be contributers this year

Yeah, Williams is only a starter this year. No chance he contributes.

 

[cowboysooner]

I think we pick up a guy like Amobi Okoye next Monday. Guys you pick up on the waiver wire are not likely to impact much the following Sunday.

 

[Eddie]

Then again, it's not like there's a lot out there that can help us at this point. All that's left are re-treads, has-beens, and unproven puppies.

We have enough of those.

Then again, why shore up weaknesses when you can go TE in the 2nd round every other year???

 

[Idgit]

I think we pick up a guy like Amobi Okoye next Monday. Guys you pick up on the waiver wire are not likely to impact much the following Sunday.

I thought we would look at him at some point this offseason. I can't believe that guy would price himself out of the league, but stranger things have happened.

Honestly, I don't think--other than the obvious injury situation--our team is all that dissatisfied with our DL depth. Our fans really don't like it, because the replacement DLs are no-names, but Bass and Hayden have played well for us, and Hatcher and Spencer aren't far off. Adding another vet there in week 2 wouldn't shock me, but I'd rather see the veteran addition come on the OL, honestly. Don't like our OT depth, and I'm surprised there weren't any young OGs we had an interest in available in the cut-downs.

 

[arglebargle]

I can name two Dline guys from the Bucs Dungy/Kiffin glory defense days. The rest of the players on those lines; not so much....

 

[big dog cowboy]

Then again, why shore up weaknesses when you can go TE in the 2nd round every other year???

 

[JPostSam]

i'm concerned, too, but gosselin and fraley are wrong.

they upgraded at least two spots on the o line with frederick and leary.

they also tried to bring in quality vets -- they even signed one, though he backed out -- to shore up the other guard position.

the move to the 4-3 instantly upgrades the d line. crawford's injury hurts, though.

and now, who is worth signing or trading for? it's too easy to say, "they should do something." as folks say all the time, this isn't madden.

 

[Gameover]

Somebody should tell Goose the 80's and 90's are over ... the nfc east stinks

10 wins might win this division in a landslide

 

[Gameover]

10 wins might win this division in a landslide

im worried about the front on d, but I liked what I saw out of the first teamers during the preseason.

changing to the 4-3 helps.frayley say we don't have personnel for the scheme, we sure as hell didn't have the personnel to continue running the 3-4.

hopefully we're 8-4 before our d front wears down and we all realize their not that talented ala 2003

 

[jobberone]

The OL and DL are better than some think but the depth is either unknown or a concern. I have some optimism for the OL but recognize there are questions and concerns all along the OL. The DL has its own concerns with unknowns and some lack of depth. However, I agree with some that Bass, Hayden and Cohen will step up for us. The starters are good IMO. It'll be better than a little and less than a lot.

 

[chicago JK]

I don't think much of Goose, but his take is pretty easy one to come to.

Heck, I hope Dallas can break through this year but I am very cautious until they prove they are not the same old Dallas team.

The Cowboys should be better at center because Cook and/or Costa are not starting players (maybe not capable backups). Although Frederick is a rookie and I would not expect the level of play we should get from him in year 2 (barring injury). For the guard positions and RT, we are really hoping for a miracle. I am surprised people are saying Leary is an improvement before he plays a full game. I expect, if healthy, he is better than the guys last year but that isn't saying much. To be honest, I just hope they can find one solid starter between Parnell and Leary. That would leave us with only 2 positions to fill next year. I will skip over the depth of the offensive line because it is pretty bleak.

For the D-line we are hoping guys picked off the street will be able to play in a rotation. I would be ok if we were only counting on one off the street player but we need multiple and a few of these guys to be starters. I think Hatcher on most teams is either a solid starter or great veteran depth guy. I have no idea if any of these others guys can play. My biggest concern is what happens after these guys play a few games. Most of these guys have not been to ask to play a lot of snaps. Sean Lee will help clean up some of the mess because he is such a stud, but our linebackers would be so much more dominant with some big nasties inside capable of causing havoc.

I do like some parts of this team, but I have trouble predicting a long playoff run because at best from our OLine and interior D-line we hope we can maintain the line of scrimmage. I think most of us don't think we would be able to consistently win the line of scrimmage. When I look at some of the predicted best teams, I see us at a severe disadvantage on both lines. Hope to be wrong though.

 

[coult44]

I guess Gosselin doesn't think we could trade or pick up some cut vets we have an eye on.

I think Goss is looking at what JJ has done so far and what he's done in the past. Which is absolutely nothing, other than drafting Frederick. Every pick I'm the draft shoulda able been OL and DL. Then we should have signed a couple more in FA and threw in a safety just because. But according to JJ we are fine in all those spots, getting a tight end was just more important. And trading for a ST player was just n more important. I hope he was right!!!

 

[Rockport]

I don't care what Gosselin or Fraley think, about anything.

Maybe because it goes against your view that our offensive and defensive lines are fine? Sorry, couldn't resist. Look, it's a football fact that you must be strong up the middle to win championships in the NFL. Sure, you can have a "fine" offensive line and go 8-8 or 9-7 or 10-6 and lose in the first or secound round of the playoffs. As a Cowboy fan, I want Superbowls.

 

[jterrell]

ROFL. I wish we could call this the Crying Zone.

Dallas went from needing 5 DL to 4 as starters.
Yes, Ware and Spencer were essentially DL as seen by where they play now.

They have the best pass rusher in football in Ware and a Pro Bowler in Spencer. Undoubtedly the top bookends provided they merely match their OLB play.

I am sure 31 other teams feel sorry for us along the DL.

Along the OL we used our top draft pick on a r1 day 1 starting OC.
We brought back a second year expected starter and a former top 10 pick at LT.
Again, 31 teams are weeping for us.
The Cards who lost Jonathon Cooper for the year really feel sorry for us.

Love how people say things so often that everyone else buys it.

Especially love how the proof of this imminent destruction is the 5th pre-season game where a lot of guys we cut were beaten to death along both lines.

How about we watch this group play the Giants then grade them?

 

[jterrell]

Maybe because it goes against your view that our offensive and defensive lines are fine? Sorry, couldn't resist. Look, it's a football fact that you must be strong up the middle to win championships in the NFL. Sure, you can have a "fine" offensive line and go 8-8 or 9-7 or 10-6 and lose in the first or secound round of the playoffs. As a Cowboy fan, I want Superbowls.

the Cowboys dominated last year's super bowl champs on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
how did that work out for us?

 

[Rockport]

the Cowboys dominated last year's super bowl champs on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
how did that work out for us?

31-29? I don't think there was much dominating going on, at least from the defensive sides, for either team.

 

[jterrell]

Maybe because it goes against your view that our offensive and defensive lines are fine? Sorry, couldn't resist. Look, it's a football fact that you must be strong up the middle to win championships in the NFL. Sure, you can have a "fine" offensive line and go 8-8 or 9-7 or 10-6 and lose in the first or secound round of the playoffs. As a Cowboy fan, I want Superbowls.

The problem with that theory is reality.
The SB champs the past decade have averaged a very mediocre 15th place. PFF numbers.
GB in 2010 was fairly bad. Giants in 2011 were terrible. Balt in 2012 was medicore.
Not a standout group amongst that bunch.

In fact the much maligned Dallas OL outperformed 2 of those SB champ teams.

That's simple fact.

Whether it was Bress or Rodgers to any of their 5 WRs, Manning to Cruz and Nicks, Flacco to Torrey Smith teams that win figure out a way to score with long passing plays. Lots of times on short drops.

Rebuilding an OL takes time and teams that TRULY commit to it like the 49ers or Browns collect a lot of high draft picks during that process.

 

[jterrell]

31-29? I don't think there was much dominating going on, at least from the defensive sides, for either team.

please dont play dumb with me as an argument tactic.
it is a waste of time for both of us.

the ravens ran for about 80 yards, we ran for 225 or so.

romo even passed for more yardage.

we gave up a 108 yard kick off return and found a way to lose.