I usually take a wait and see attitude, but I can't help but think the Dallas Cowboys will be a better team in 2012.
Ryan was a first-year coordinator in Dallas with a complex scheme and no offseason to teach it. The secondary let receivers run wild, but both starting corners have been replaced by physical guys who fit Ryan's system and are just better than the guys whose positions they took. Elam was average at best, and while Church will be a first-year starter, he's bigger, younger, more athletic and is demonstrating himself to be a better cover guy. Sean Lee is the relentless leader of the defense. He's in his third year in the League and second under Ryan, and he's really coming into his own. Carter and Conner are definitely upgrades in speed and talent, if not only because James/Brooking were O-L-D. Across the DL, we have young guys pushing the vets out. One or both of Speares and Coleman are probably gone, replaced in the rotation by Hatcher, Lissemore and Tyrone Crawford, all of whom have pocket-pushing ability at the DL position that the Dallas D has sorely lacked.
On the offensive side of the ball, Dez has dropped some weight, improved his route-running and learned the full playbook. Miles' hammy is worrisome, but I'll wait to freak out when he starts missing games in the regular season. I choose to believe Garrett when he says Costa's MRI revealed no issues and I'm ready to give Costa the benefit of the doubt; he has almost an entire season of starting experience under his belt as well as the benefit of an entire offseason in a pro weight program and a full training camp. Bernadeau is a physical veteran replacing a hodgepodge of rookies who played at one guard spot last year. Livings' status is up in the air, but I'm betting he'll be back before October, and I think he has to be an upgrade over Kyle Kosier, who was contistently out-muscled at the point of attack as he began sliding along the down-side of his career. The swap of tackle positions instantly upgrades things, IMHO, as it puts our best tackle on Tony's blind side and returns Free to the right side, where he flourished in 2010. We know Murray is a stud. He's been through a full TC now, and I think you're going to see the total-package talent for which he was known in college on full display. With his minutes limited, Jones will be healthy and primed to explode. I believe that Vickers mayy turn out to be a much bigger acquisition than anyone has ever imagined, and Tony and Jason are Tony and Jason.
I don't see how anyone can discuss team changes and improvements without mentioning Callahan and Henderson. In my mind, these two guys may prove to be bigger additions than any player.
So, yeah, I think the 2012 Cowboys are definitely improved, almost across the board, and good enough to compete for the NFCE crown.
My $0.02.
