DMN Blog: Colombo not without blame

[Eskimo]

Not sure I agree with you. You have to take into account the familiarity among the players, what your QB thinks, cap implications, and the plain fact that you should get all the goody out of your older players before recycling them. If you could you'd change a light bulb one second before it expires. So there are two sides to the argument. I think the younger less experienced player has to clearly beat the older guy assuming their efforts are roughly equal.

No, this is a young man's game - if you're letting your age creep up you're probably slowly but surely getting worse over time and we can see that with this OL which probably peaked back in 2007 and has gotten worse since. If two players are near equal you have to go with the younger guy (except QB). The OL cohesion will come with time. Heck, if anything, Bigg seemed to work better with Free than Colombo did.

In terms of the contracts, Colombo's deal is not guaranteed so you'll only lose on the pro-rated portion of the signing bonus. Anyway, he's likely the top backup next year for RT should Free or Adams get injured so there is no reason to push him off the roster unless Brewster is ready to play and we have another promising OT that we want to start seasoning.

 

[Eskimo]

My guess is Free is the heir to the LT position.

Unless we get extraordinarily lucky and find a guy who can play LT in the bottom of the first. Otherwise, Free is likely the guy in 2011.

 

[CF74]

My guess is Free is the heir to the LT position.

Obvious short term solution but potentially a long term disaster. I'd hedge my investment with another prospect to groom...

 

[theogt]

I definitely think Free will compete with Colombo for the starting RT spot. Free played lights out IMO. There's no way we let him ride the bench behind Adams if he can start and do a better job at RT. I think we'll draft a tackle in round 1. In 2011 I think both he and Free will then compete for Flo's spot and the loser get's the RT job.

He certainly can compete and beat him out.

But he won't, because he won't be competing with him. Free is out future left tackle.

 

[gimmesix]

He certainly can compete and beat him out.

But he won't, because he won't be competing with him. Free is out future left tackle.

Anyone who thinks Free will be allowed to compete with either of our tackles for a starting job next season is going to be sorely disappointed.

There's a difference between deserving the opportunity and receiving it. With no indication that Adams or Colombo is going anywhere, there is little chance at this point the Cowboys would try to remove them as starters.

The only way they won't be starters is if Dallas cuts/trades one of them, because they won't accept a backup role. Does anyone realistically believe Dallas is going to do that? The Cowboys don't have the depth to make such a move yet. (Just think how people would react to our depth without Adams or Colombo after how they did this year with them.)

 

[TheSport78]

Anyone who thinks Free will be allowed to compete with either of our tackles for a starting job next season is going to be sorely disappointed.

There's a difference between deserving the opportunity and receiving it. With no indication that Adams or Colombo is going anywhere, there is little chance at this point the Cowboys would try to remove them as starters.

The only way they won't be starters is if Dallas cuts/trades one of them, because they won't accept a backup role. Does anyone realistically believe Dallas is going to do that? The Cowboys don't have the depth to make such a move yet. (Just think how people would react to our depth without Adams or Colombo after how they did this year with them.)

I don't agree with that. Free will get a shot.

 

[gimmesix]

I don't agree with that. Free will get a shot.

Why? What in the history of this coaching staff/Jerry Jones indicates that will happen? When have the Cowboys ever promoted a younger player over an established veteran unless the veteran was clearly done?

Let's just look at how the season ended: Free was playing great, then the established starter indicated he was ready to play. What did the Cowboys do? They demoted Free to put the starter back in place.

There are some staffs/owners that will knock out the incumbent before he shows he's done. This isn't one of them.

For clarity's sake, I don't believe Colombo is close to done, but Adams is. And while I wouldn't mind seeing Free given a chance to beat either out, it's just not something that should be expected based on precedent.

 

[Eskimo]

He certainly can compete and beat him out.

But he won't, because he won't be competing with him. Free is out future left tackle.

But aren't we best off putting our best group of 5 out there?

With the current roster, IMO that is (because I doubt they move Flo to RT at this stage of his career):

LT Adams
LG Kosier
C Gurode
RG Bigg
RT Free

Free is then top backup at LT and Colombo is top backup at RT.

I think that lineup is better than the alternatives of:

Free Kosier Gurode Bigg Colombo

or the repeat of the first half of this year:

Adams Kosier Gurode Bigg Colombo

I hope the situation becomes clearer once FA and the draft are complete. This is the biggest problem area of the team right now but not the only one (Safety, NT depth, ILB pass coverage and production from #2 WR).

 

[theogt]

I agree that is what SHOULD happen, E.

 

[TheSport78]

Why? What in the history of this coaching staff/Jerry Jones indicates that will happen? When have the Cowboys ever promoted a younger player over an established veteran unless the veteran was clearly done?

Let's just look at how the season ended: Free was playing great, then the established starter indicated he was ready to play. What did the Cowboys do? They demoted Free to put the starter back in place.

There are some staffs/owners that will knock out the incumbent before he shows he's done. This isn't one of them.

All I'm saying is, you can't say there isn't a snowball's chance in you know what that Free will be the opening day starter at RT. We have no idea what the organization is thinking right now. Maybe they take the Miles Austin situation as motivation to make the move, but to say there isn't a chance Free will be the starter isn't right.

EDIT: Say what you want but the Cowboys made an "age move" with Terrell Owens. Sure, there were probably other reasons why he was released, but Jerry was quoted as saying they wanted to get younger at receiver and give the younger players an opportunity to play. There's your example right there.

 

[gimmesix]

All I'm saying is, you can't say there isn't a snowball's chance in you know what that Free will be the opening day starter at RT.

I can. Believe what you want, but prepare to be disappointed since there is no indication the Cowboys were unhappy with Colombo's play.

In fact, they praised him as the leader of the line before reinserting him in the offense in the playoffs.

I think Free has a better chance of replacing Adams at left tackle based on Flo's age and some obvious drop in his play, but unless Adams is cut/traded/hurt, he will be the starter.

 

[TheSport78]

I can. Believe what you want, but prepare to be disappointed since there is no indication the Cowboys were unhappy with Colombo's play.

In fact, they praised him as the leader of the line before reinserting him in the offense in the playoffs.

I think Free has a better chance of replacing Adams at left tackle based on Flo's age and some obvious drop in his play, but unless Adams is cut/traded/hurt, he will be the starter.

Nice job totally disregarding my T.O. example.

 

[gimmesix]

Nice job totally disregarding my T.O. example.

I don't think it's the same, so I saw no reason to respond to it specifically.

A better example might be Anthony Henry-Mike Jenkins, but I don't think it's quite the same either. The Cowboys already had been contemplating what to do with Henry (such as a move to free safety), but there's no indication they are unhappy with their starting linemen.

 

[CF74]

Nice job totally disregarding my T.O. example.

The TO example is like reaching for a kicker in the 1st round. They ran his ***** *** out of town, saying it was due to age was just being diplomatic. Nothing says go **** yourself like paying a guy $10 Mill because your bound to and then turning around and cutting his ***....

 

[TheSport78]

I don't think it's the same, so I saw no reason to respond to it specifically.

A better example might be Anthony Henry-Mike Jenkins, but I don't think it's quite the same either. The Cowboys already had been contemplating what to do with Henry (such as a move to free safety), but there's no indication they are unhappy with their starting linemen.

You're missing my point. My point is Jerry told Owens right after the Philly disaster that his spot was safe and that he was a big part of the new stadium plans. What happens two months later? Owens is released. You never know what Jerry is going to do so to say Free has no chance to start isn't right.

 

[TheSport78]

The TO example is like reaching for a kicker in the 1st round. They ran his ***** *** out of town, saying it was due to age was just being diplomatic. Nothing says go **** yourself like paying a guy $10 Mill because your bound to and then turning around and cutting his ***....

Read above.

 

[dcfanatic]

I emailed Fraley to get the number on Witten.

12 false starts in last 48 games.

I love Jason Witten, but for a TE who's not even flinching early because he's trying to get an early jump on speed rushers this is unacceptable.

Surely he makes up for it by being a great TE, but still he's got to stop.

 

[gimmesix]

You're missing my point. My point is Jerry told Owens right after the Philly disaster that his spot was safe and that he was a big part of the new stadium plans. What happens two months later? Owens is released. You never know what Jerry is going to do so to say Free has no chance to start isn't right.

I can't use that one example to dismiss years of precedent, especially considering the circumstances surrounding Owens' dismissal.

How about I put it this way: Don't expect change on the starting offensive line or you'll be severely disappointed. If it happens, then you'll be pleasantly surprised. One's better than the other.

 

[TheSport78]

I can't use that one example to dismiss years of precedent, especially considering the circumstances surrounding Owens' dismissal.

How about I put it this way: Don't expect change on the starting offensive line or you'll be severely disappointed. If it happens, then you'll be pleasantly surprised. One's better than the other.

Lol I'm cool with that.

 

[CF74]

You're missing my point. My point is Jerry told Owens right after the Philly disaster that his spot was safe and that he was a big part of the new stadium plans. What happens two months later? Owens is released. You never know what Jerry is going to do so to say Free has no chance to start isn't right.

Read above.

Now that part is true. Jerry might surprise us and pull rank and fix the O-line woes by starting Free at RT where he belongs, trading up in the 1st and snagging a really good LT, then following up with the best guard and center available to groom for the not so distant future...

Championship!!!