DMN Blog: Thinking about the offensive line

[WoodysGirl]

Thinking about the offensive line

9:45 AM Fri, Jun 06, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Calvin Watkins E-mail News tips

The Cowboys' offensive line is one of their strongest parts. As far as commitment, the team has locked up Flo Adams (2013), Leonard Davis (2013) and Andre Gurode (2012) long-term.

Now, Adams might not reach the end of his deal due to his age (33) and durability. However, Jerry Jones is committed to him.

Kyle Kosier will wear the star until 2010. Which brings us to right tackle Marc Colombo, who is in the last year of his deal.

Colombo, who should be happy today with his Celtics ahead, 1-0, on the Lakers in the NBA Finals, has to address his future.

Colombo needs to play well this season. Being close friends with Tony Romo will not be enough.

The Cowboys have some young offensive linemen ready to plug in for the future should Colombo have a average season. Doug Free, James Marten and maybe even Pat McQuistan (he's Adams' backup) are the young linemen.

The Cowboys were impressed with Free's work in training camp last season. Marten struggled. But this is a new season. Colombo is playing for a contract and the young linemen are competing.

 

[Stash]

I'm still surprised that the Cowboys made little effort to upgrade the LG spot.

Kosier is a good player, but I would consider him the line's "weakest link".

 

[Clove]

Thinking about the offensive line

9:45 AM Fri, Jun 06, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Calvin Watkins E-mail News tips

The Cowboys' offensive line is one of their strongest parts. As far as commitment, the team has locked up Flo Adams (2013), Leonard Davis (2013) and Andre Gurode (2012) long-term.

Now, Adams might not reach the end of his deal due to his age (33) and durability. However, Jerry Jones is committed to him.

Kyle Kosier will wear the star until 2010. Which brings us to right tackle Marc Colombo, who is in the last year of his deal.

Colombo, who should be happy today with his Celtics ahead, 1-0, on the Lakers in the NBA Finals, has to address his future.

Colombo needs to play well this season. Being close friends with Tony Romo will not be enough.

The Cowboys have some young offensive linemen ready to plug in for the future should Colombo have a average season. Doug Free, James Marten and maybe even Pat McQuistan (he's Adams' backup) are the young linemen.

The Cowboys were impressed with Free's work in training camp last season. Marten struggled. But this is a new season. Colombo is playing for a contract and the young linemen are competing.

I like Colombo alot, he has the perfect attitude and talent for the job, now all we need is for someone to push Kosier. But I guess we need a little finess on the line as well, so I'm slowly warming up to Kosier.

 

[cowboyjoe]

Hey, Woody's Girl, good post;

First, lets look at next year for salary cap, and this year. As you know we have about 8 million in cap money now. We need to sign Canty, and Hamlin for sure, and our draft picks. That should do it, if Hamlin agrees on a deal friendly first couple of years.

Next year, as you know we have 8 million extra for deal with Leonard Davis. Then each year the salary cap goes up about 7-9 million each year. Then, we most likely have a guy like last year with contract incentive with tony curtis that netted us 3 million to the salary cap. So adding the 3 together,
8 Million for Davis
+ 7 for salary cap going up
3 million for contract incentive that a player cant reach
That should give us 18 million plus next year again.

Now, who do we need to sign next year, maybe Columbo, Ware for sure, Tank Johnson for sure, cant think of anyone else big right now, I think we can get that all done next year.

So, not sure if we would have enough to sign a veteran free agent or not, but we should be set up pretty good for signing our veteran players.

As far as the offensive line,
Yes, we have flozell locked up, I think he can play at least 2 more years after this, but from what i have read, Doug Free is real good in pass protection, and slowly growing into the offensive left tackle position.

At left guard as you know, we have Kosier, who to me too, is our week link on the offensive line. He is good at pulling, but thats about it. I have heard that the Cowboys are trying James Marten at left offensive guard. He is a beast when he is on track, and he is a nasty player too. Martens comments on the david smoak show was he likes to punish players in the running game, and Marten was too light last year at 280. Now he is back up to 310, and I hear little things he is looking good at LOG.

At center we have Gurode, whom is good. Only thing he has to concentrate on is when it gets hot and late in the game, he tends to sweat and the ball gets slick. So, when he snaps it in shotgun formation, sometimes tends to get high. Hopefully they can work on that. I dont remember the centers name , but way back in early 90's, after stepnoski wasnt there, this guy would play and Troy Aikman said the ball would get slick alot. Maybe the Cowboys can ask Troy or the center what they did to fix the slick ball problem. I am not fond of Proctor at backup center, he wasnt doing the job there when Gurode got hurt some. So, we need a good backup OG and Center to me.

At right offensive guard we have Leonard Davis, no problem there, and we have him locked up for a good while. At right offensive tackle is Columbo, and i agree this is the year Columbo is playing for a new contract or a new team. I think as i mentioned above we might have enough money to sign Columbo if need be, Ware and tank Johnson for sure. AT backup right offensive tackle they have McQuistan they have him backing up ROT, and I heard he is looking good, so they may let Columbo go, but I do like Columbo, he is nasty and mean.

So, to me, we do need to at least draft one more offensive guard and backup OT maybe, if columbo is let go, and whatever they do with Kosier next year.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I don't know if it was ever posted -- I didn't see it -- but on one of those Scout.com reports (I think from the first week of OTAs) they said Marten was at LG and McQ was at RT.

I remember earlier reports said Marten was second team at RT and that surprised some people.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

I'm still surprised that the Cowboys made little effort to upgrade the LG spot.

Kosier is a good player, but I would consider him the line's "weakest link".

I believe Marten was moved to LG, where he played the majority of his collegiate career. He could provide competition for Kozier and maybe eventually replace him.

 

[cowboyjoe]

Thats what I was hearing too guys, that Marten might push Kosier.

I forgot to add about the offensive line, I still think one of the big problems is that Flozell doesnt stand up and be a leader on the offensive line. I think that might change now with Hudson our offensive line coach here, I heard he and Flozell didnt get along too well, because Hudson would push flozell.

I also remember seeing the Cowboys show with Nate Newton and the Rocket Ishmael, Nate said what he saw (remember now Sparano was out that bye weekend in Miami so Sparano wasnt watching the offensive linemen see that they were doing their regular workouts), Nate said that what he saw about hte offensive linemen during the giants cowboys playoff game, especialy in 3rd and 4th quarter that the offensive linenmen didnt do their cardivascular work an hour each day on the staircase thing.

Now, to me, thats on the offensive linemen wanting to do that, its like woodysgirl talked about committment, where and when are the offensive linemen finally going to step up in late december and january in playoffs and step up, get nasty and mean and show this is what you want, to win and be champions. Talk is cheap, if your going to do the talk, youve got to walk the walk. Time for guys like Flozell to step up be a leader on the offensive line and take things into his hands, and give that committment back to Jerry Jones and us fans.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Well you can't steak at every position you gotta have some ground beef mixed in... I believe the younger players will be ready to step in if that's the direction they need to go in.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

lol--I just read a thread that believes our ol stinks.