Tim MacMahon: Well, that depends on which games Romo misses.
There is no doubt that Jon Kitna is an upgrade over Brad Johnson, who just didn't have any juice left in his arm. Kitna threw the ball with great zip during the OTA workout we saw this week. Kitna also has a good rapport with Roy Williams from their days in Detroit.
12:50 [Comment From Sid]
I've heard grumblings that Andre Guroude may have not deserved his pro bowl appearances, does this have anything to do with them trying Holland out at center? I'll bet he can shotgun snap better than Gurode, but most centers could.
12:52 Tim MacMahon: Andre Gurode's job security isn't in question. You could argue that his performance didn't merit another Pro Bowl berth, but he's at least an above-average starting center.
If Holland can play center, that would give the Cowboys more position flexibility with their backup OL, which is a big bonus when you're trimming the 53-man to a 45-man gameday roster. Cory Procter is penciled in as the backup center now.
12:53 [Comment From MIKE]
How badly will Romo have to perform before he gets benched? Or will they just blame the receivers again.
12:53 Tim MacMahon: As Jerry Jones said yesterday, "Romo is our guy." He isn't getting benched unless he's injured.
12:54 [Comment From T_MacDaddy]
Tim -- now that Owens is out, do you think the Cowboys might be swinging too far in the opposite direction as far as dealing with players that have baggage? It seems like we still regret not drafting Randy Moss in 98.
12:57 Tim MacMahon: Ah, the Randy Moss decision. Seems fitting to bring that up now that Greg Ellis is on his way out.
The Cowboys have to weigh the risk-reward for players who have baggage. In the cases of Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson, the reward wasn't worth it. You could argue that in T.O.'s case, it was worth it, but the Cowboys couldn't capitalize before the ticking time bomb went off.
Jerry will probably still take risks on players who have run into trouble elsewhere. He just determined that guys like Matt Jones and Mike Vick couldn't bring enough to this team to justify it, at least not now.
12:57 [Comment From Todd N]
Do you think Martellus Bennett will catch at least 30 passes this yr?
12:59 Tim MacMahon: Yes, I'd expect him to be in the 35-40 range. The Cowboys two-TE package can give defenses a lot of problems, especially since Witten and Bennett are both effective as traditional TEs or working out of the slot.
Marty B has big-play potential, particularly if he gets matched up one-on-one with a linebacker, and his size makes him a major red-zone threat.
12:59 [Comment From David]
How come when we had Canty he was o.k. and now he is with the giants you think we lost a pro bowl player
12:59 Tim MacMahon: When did I say he was a Pro Bowl player?
12:59 [Comment From Kyle]
Do you feel like this team really is primed to take third place in the NFC East like all the "experts" are saying?
1:00 Tim MacMahon: Yep. The Giants and Eagles were better than the Cowboys last season and got better this off-season. The NFL is extremely difficult to predict, in part because injuries play such a big role, but I don't see how you could rationalize picking the Cowboys to win the division.
1:01 [Comment From Jack E]
Does Steven Hodge make this team?
1:02 Tim MacMahon: Yes, Stephen Hodge of TCU fame makes the team and makes an impact on special teams. He could be as productive on punt and kickoff coverage as Keith Davis was last season.
Hodge, who is making the transition from SS to ILB, also has a chance to earn playing time in the sub packages.
1:02 [Comment From DJ]
What are you expectations for Ken Hamlin at the free safety position? Is there any probably of trading him? He was an absolute overpaid non factor last season.
1:04 Tim MacMahon: Ken Hamlin signed a six-year, $39 million deal last year. There is no way he'll be traded.
We probably saw the best of Hamlin in 2007, when he was playing on a prove-it one-year deal. He didn't play well last season, and the musical chairs at strong safety certainly didn't help him. Pairing him with Gerald Sensabaugh, who is good in coverage by strong safety standards, should put Hamlin in position to perform at a level a lot closer to his Pro Bowl campaign than what we saw last season.
1:05 [Comment From Jeff]
What have you seen from Sensabaugh? Anything promising or does he just appear to be another stop-gap at safety?
1:06 Tim MacMahon: I've seen Gerald Sensabaugh once. It was an OTA workout. I can't exactly come to any conclusions from that.
But he's considered an upgrade over what the Cowboys had at SS last season because of his coverage skills. He's also a good special teams player.
Whether he's a one-year stopgap or a long-term fit for the Cowboys depends on a bunch of factors, including the development of rookie Mike Hamlin.
1:07 [Comment From TylerGolding]
What happened to TE Tony Curtis?? Is he not on the roster anymore??
1:07 Tim MacMahon: They opted not to give him a tender offer. I think he's with the Chiefs now.
1:07 [Comment From max]
How big an impact will Bennett have this year? How's it working out with Romo and Roy Williams, do you think Roy / Austin will be able fill the void with TOs release?
1:09 Tim MacMahon: We've heard nothing but good things about Romo and Williams working together this off-season. We'll see.
As far as replacing T.O.'s production, that won't fall entirely on the receivers. The running game will be relied on more and needs to be more productive. Martellus Bennett should also get more balls with T.O. out of the picture.
1:09 [Comment From Mike]
If Stanback is released, does Crayton have the potential to operate a wildcat formation?
1:10 Tim MacMahon: Crayton certainly is confident that he could do it. He played some QB in college and has a rocket for a right arm. He's not extremely elusive, though he would be a candidate for the Wildcat role.
1:10 [Comment From jay]
is wade phillips being more demanding in practice???
1:12 Tim MacMahon: He barked a bit Tuesday when players started a drill before he wanted, but it's not like he's turned into a raving lunatic. Phillips has made it clear that he doesn't plan to change his personality, but he does want more accountability on the team.
1:12 [Comment From mdunne]
What is your thought on having a kick-off specialist? i realize he can help with the field position game, but to give up an active roster spot seems a difficult trade-off. What do you think? Thx
1:13 Tim MacMahon: When you're talking about 30 or so yards per game in field position, it makes sense. If David Buehler is able to play other special teams roles, that lessens the blow of using a spot on the 45-man gameday roster for him.
1:13 [Comment From mk]
why does this blog always feel the need to call him "coachable WR Roy Williams?" I feel like I rarely see him mentioned without the word coachable in front.
1:14 Tim MacMahon: Because he feels the need to mention that he's a coachable wide receiver every time he talks to the media.
1:14 [Comment From jg]
Do we have any chance of picking up Boldin?
1:14 Tim MacMahon: No.
1:14 [Comment From Mike]
Will Tony Romo be the quarterback to get the Cowboys their elusive playoff victory?
1:15 Tim MacMahon: You better hope so, because he'll be the quarterback here for at least the next three or four seasons.
Romo's December and January struggles are certainly reasons for concerns. But the Manning brothers were both considered chokers early in their careers. That talk seems to have stopped since they won Super Bowls.
1:15 [Comment From Travis Droupy]
What will the QB depth chart look like and will the Aggie Rookie see the field at all on special teams or receiver
1:16 Tim MacMahon: Stephen McGee is the developmental QB, and that's it. He won't see the field this season unless Tony Romo and Jon Kitna get hurt. McGee's role will be to learn as much as possible from the veterans and to run the scout-team offense.
1:17 [Comment From Todd N]
Do you think Marcus Spears will finally step as a force in the defensive line. This is a make or break yr for him this season.
1:18 Tim MacMahon: I think Marcus Spears will continue to be a decent run-stopper who comes off the field on passing downs. He's a solid player. He's not going to morph into a Pro Bowler.
1:18 [Comment From mdunne]
I know the two tight end formation is for running, but given the talent of Whitten and Bennett, might the Boys use a two tight end set in passing downs?
1:19 Tim MacMahon: The two-TE set isn't necessarily for running, especially when you have threats like Witten and Bennett who can work out of the slot. Not sure we'll see that formation much in third-and-long situations, but I think the Cowboys will be able to create major mismatches and throw the ball effectively (occasionally explosively) on first and second downs with their two-TE packages.
1:19 [Comment From Lawrence]
Does it appear to you that Jay Ratliff has bulked more over the off season. Can his frame carry 320lbs? If not I'm concerned about our NT position since we didn't draft anyone to spell "Rat" this year.
1:22 Tim MacMahon: Jay Ratliff has no desire to bulk up. He made the Pro Bowl as a 300-pounder. His quickness and motor are his best assets, and adding weight would likely hurt him in those departments.
The coaching staff likes Junior Siavii, a 6-5, 320-pound former second-round pick who hasn't played a regular-season down in a couple of years. He's the favorite to play the 10-15 snaps per game when Ratliff rests.
Hey, it's not like Tank Johnson gave the Cowboys much last season ...
1:22 [Comment From Taylor]
Why do teams come out and say they will " either trade or release someone"? Why not just say they are trying to trade....and then release the player if that doesn't happen. It sure doesn't make Greg Ellis look like he is in high demand.
1:22 Tim MacMahon: It's not like the Cowboys sent out a press release. Word gets out in other ways when these sorts of things happen.
1:23 [Comment From Khoa Le]
I noticed on the latest video of Roy and Demarcus that Roy's wearing the #4 from his days at Texas. Is that the number he will wear this season?
1:24 Tim MacMahon: No, the NFL won't let WRs wear a single-digit number. He might wear it during practices on a regular basis. Deion Sanders used to wear No. 2 (his college number) in practice.
1:24 [Comment From Playmaker]
I think Marion Barber was misused last yr. He isn't a 20-25 carry back. He is a closer. I needs to carry the ball 12-15 this yr what do you think?
1:25 Tim MacMahon: I think Barber will be used pretty close to the role that you envision for him ... if Felix Jones stays healthy. Tashard Choice proved that the Cowboys can rely on him, so there's no need to use Barber as a workhorse.
1:25 [Comment From Guest]
seems like jerry is getting rid of the vets? is Flozell safe?
1:26 Tim MacMahon: Flozell Adams' job is secure for two reasons: 1) He's entering the second year of a six-year, $43 million deal, so cutting him would be a cap killer; 2) they don't have anybody ready to replace him.
1:27 [Comment From Manny]
What is Kosier's status? Is Holland an upgrade over Kosier?
1:28 Tim MacMahon: Kyle Kosier recently had a pin removed from his foot and is expected to be 100 percent by training camp.
We haven't seen enough from Montrae Holland to determine whether he'd be an upgrade. It's Kosier's job unless Holland beats him out.
1:28 [Comment From Insider]
Think you guys can employ Marty B to do his usual stupid insider blogs about dinosaurs AND someone else who actually blogs about theCowboys like Kevin Burnett did?
1:29 Tim MacMahon: Working on something with a starter who has an interest in football-intensive blogging.
1:29 [Comment From Oscillating Cowboys Fan]
How much do you believe that the passing and running game will be 50/50? *Need to know who the better pick is for Fantasy...*
1:30 Tim MacMahon: I think it'll be pretty close to 50/50.
Barber is your best bet as far as fantasy goes when it comes to the Cowboys RBs. He'll get the red zone touches.
1:30 [Comment From Bradley B]
Why isn't the more experienced Crayton considered and/or talked about as the #2 WR over Austin?
1:31 Tim MacMahon: He is. Crayton got the first-team reps during Tuesday's OTA workouts.
But Austin's ceiling is much higher. If it's close, I think the Cowboys will go with the guy who has more potential.
1:31 [Comment From Guest]
Romo's problem last season was more about the inability of the biggest offensive line in football to protect him. He seemed on the run on almost every down. What is the team doing to change that situation?
1:32 Tim MacMahon: Getting Kyle Kosier healthy would certainly help. They also hope that Flozell Adams doesn't have to play through a painful infected finger again. And this is year two for these guys under OL coach Hudson Houck, so the getting-to-know-you kinks should be gone.
1:32 [Comment From johnb]
4th and Long was over when the draft started right? So giving Dallas drafted a few DB's is that any indication on what style player won?
1:33 Tim MacMahon: I'll go out on a limb and say that the reality show didn't influence the Cowboys' draft one bit.
1:33 [Comment From John III]
Would like to know how Felix Jones is coming along.
1:34 Tim MacMahon: He's running and cutting fine. Expect him to be an explosive difference-maker again.
1:34 [Comment From James ONeill]
II think its a great think about cutting cancer out of an organization. Being a life long Cowboy fan Im glad they are seeing that big names like TO, TANK, AND PACMAN doesnt pay off... My question is if Michael Vick comes knocking....is it a possibility for him to be there?
1:35 Tim MacMahon: Nope. Jerry made that clear, by his muddy-mouthed standards, yesterday.
1:35 [Comment From ed]
Who's the 80th player for training camp? Tell me Tim
1:36 Tim MacMahon: DT Jonas Seawright. I have the 4th and Long winner penciled in as the 79th man.
1:36 [Comment From Felix]
What is it about the Wildcat that could benefit Felix Jones?
1:37 Tim MacMahon: It would put him in situations where he can get in the open field. And he's comfortable in the scheme. He made a bunch of big plays in Arkansas' Wildhog formation with Darren McFadden taking the snaps.
1:37 [Comment From jg]
Tim what was your impression of the new video board?
1:38 Tim MacMahon: Awesome. If had $40 million to blow and a much bigger living room, I'd definitely purchase one. It's everything you'd expect out of a 60-yard HDTV.
1:39 [Comment From Scott C]
I have yet to see any evidence that Garrett knows how to formulate a running game. What have you seen to indicate that he's learned not to be so pass happy?
1:39 Tim MacMahon: Sometimes you just have to have a little faith. We've heard that it'll happen. We haven't seen anything except a rookie minicamp and one OTA workout. Oh, and T.O. arriving in Buffalo.
1:40 [Comment From Cboys fan in Steeler cntr]
How does Romo bounce back from that debacle last year in Philly? He's getting more of season attention than ever and even mocked in the new M&M video!
1:41 Tim MacMahon: Well, Romo has plenty of experience bouncing back from crushing, season-ending defeats.
He bounced back from the Seattle Slip by setting franchise records for passing yards and TDs in a season.
He bounced back from the Simpson Family Bye Week Fiesta drama -- and ensuing playoff loss to the Giants -- with a 3-0 start the next season.
I don't think rap videos rank too high on Romo's list of concerns right now.
1:42 [Comment From Brian]
Is it NFC Championship or bust for Wade?
1:42 Tim MacMahon: Tough to say. Thought that was the case last season. .... Surprise, he's still here.
1:42 [Comment From Rob]
When will Ware be signed?
1:42 Tim MacMahon: Just a guess: Early in training camp.
1:42 [Comment From Bill]
If the Cowboys falter this year, what are the chances that Bill Cower is the coach next year?
1:43 Tim MacMahon: Not sure Bill Cowher would want to work for Jerry Jones. Mike Shanahan is the favorite at this point if Wade Phillips gets fired.
1:44 [Comment From Bryce (DFW)]
You said you think romo will be the qb for the next 3-4 seasons, if they finish like last year or worse, why should he still be the qb? Jerry doesnt have any credibility when it comes to judging talent at the qb position, and I must have missed it when romo has done anything to deserve to go unchallenged. Stats dont make a qb great, and neither does following the likes of Carter or Hutchinson. When will Jerry "get it" and a draft a qb high in the first round since over the last few seasons those high picks have been the most successful (Roethlisberger, Rivers, The Manning brothers, Ryan, Flacco, etc)
1:45 Tim MacMahon: The Cowboys have made a commitment to Romo. They're going to ride with him for at least a few more years.
I understand why Romo gets criticized so much -- and I've contributed to it -- but he's made two Pro Bowls in three years as a starter. If the Cowboys cut him tomorrow, about 25 teams will be bidding for him.
1:45 [Comment From Colton]
Has Witten completely recovered from his injuries last season?
1:45 Tim MacMahon: Yes.
1:45 [Comment From Bradley B]
Will the Cowboys use Felix on kick off returns? Should they risk it?
1:48 Tim MacMahon: That'll be an interesting decision. My unsolicited advice: Put him back there. You want to get him the ball in the open field as much as possible, and that's an easy way to do it. He's a gamebreaker as a kickoff returner, and that's part of the reason the Cowboys drafted him.
Jones isn't a brittle guy, either, despite his injury problems last year. He didn't miss games at Arkansas, and the SEC is as rough and tough as you can get in college football.
1:48 [Comment From SKIG]
Speaking of going out on a limb, I predict that in three years Romo will be out and McGee will be in.
1:48 Tim MacMahon: If I were a betting man, I'd ask that you e-mail me an offer for a wager.
1:48 [Comment From SKIG]
How serious are the Cowboys about the WildCat? I hope not very.....
1:49 Tim MacMahon: Jerry is serious about it. Haven't had the chance to discuss the idea with Jason Garrett yet.
1:49 [Comment From Bill]
Jerry has taken a lot of flak for trading down in the second round but was still able to take 5 players Gil Brandt ranked in the top 100 draft prospects. Did Jerry's late round success last year make him over confident he can find impact players in the late rounds or was this just a deep draft?
1:50 Tim MacMahon: It's not like the Cowboys planned to trade down in the second round. Once the Seahawks traded up to snatch Oregon C Max Unger at No. 49, there wasn't a player available the Cowboys thought was a good value pick.
1:50 [Comment From Joe]
Use your Nostradamus-like prediction skills and give me the final numbers for Miles Austin if he can stay healthy?
1:51 Tim MacMahon: 45 catches, 700 yards, 6 TDs
1:51 [Comment From Bill]
Is there a possibility Greg Ellis takes a pay cut to stay with the Cowboys?
1:51 Tim MacMahon: That does not appear to be an option at this point, but stranger things have happened when Greg Ellis and Jerry Jones sat down together.
1:51 [Comment From cogom]
CBs? Other than Newman, Scandrick and Jenkins, who looks promicing? I heard ball was working his butt off.
1:53 Tim MacMahon: The Cowboys think they got a seventh-round steal in Mike Mickens, who was projected as a second- or third-rounder before his knee problems.
Ball looked good during Tuesday's workout. He has good size (6-1) and aggressiveness. But he's kind of a safety/CB tweener.
1:53 [Comment From Ed]
Tim off the top of your head what will our record be next season? I'm going with 11-5
1:53 Tim MacMahon: 9-7
1:54 Tim MacMahon: All right, time to wrap it up. Thanks for all the questions. Sorry we couldn't get to them all. We'll make the Friday chat a weekly thing for the foreseeable future.
