Does anyone else get the feeling.....

[50cent]

BP is going to stay put at OT for next, by moving Flo to Rt and putting Columbo at LT when he gets back to full strength? He did mention telling Columbo not to get his mind set on upcomong games but further down the road. It wouldn't be a bad idea, but it still scares me.

 

[Cowboy Junkie]

I think BP is going to stay with the tackles he has ,but I think Columbo will be a back up at both tackle positions , unless he clearly beats out Flo or Rob...

 

[50cent]

I think BP is going to stay with the tackles he has ,but I think Columbo will be a back up at both tackle positions , unless he clearly beats out Flo or Rob...

I get just the opposite. Columbo is a former 1st rounder that got set back. Bp brings him in and puts him at LT. Thats fishy to me. Why put this guy at LT, when you know full well Flo will be back and our weakness is at RT. Something doesnt smell right by this decision. And on top of this, if Columbo is going to be the swing guy, why hasn't BP started practicing this guy at both spots?

 

[Derinyar]

I think Colmbo is a guy you take a shot on, because hes cheap and has huge upside. If he gets healthy and can stay there we just upgraded the line without using a high draft pick or huge FA money.

 

[baj1dallas]

I don't think Columbo will beat out Flo. Flo is pretty good he just needs motivation.

 

[50cent]

I think Colmbo is a guy you take a shot on, because hes cheap and has huge upside. If he gets healthy and can stay there we just upgraded the line without using a high draft pick or huge FA money.

I totally get why we signed him. I just don't know why we are putting him exclusively at LT. If Flo comes back at full capacity, isn't Columbo now a waste at just LT? He could be a much needed improvement at RT. If he(Columbo) is back to full strength at LT, wouldn't it be redundant to have both at LT. Why not move one to RT and improve that position as well. BP did say he would always put his best 5 OLmen on the field.

 

[50cent]

I don't think Columbo will beat out Flo. Flo is pretty good he just needs motivation.

This is exactly what I'm getting at. If Columbo can't beat out Flo at LT, but he is back to playing ability, then why wouldn't we put Columbo at RT. Right now! Thus speeding up his learning curve at this position. I frankly think Flo is getting too big to play LT, but think he would dominate on the right side.

 

[Cowboy Junkie]

I totally get why we signed him. I just don't know why we are putting him exclusively at LT. If Flo comes back at full capacity, isn't Columbo now a waste at just LT? He could be a much needed improvement at RT. If he(Columbo) is back to full strength at LT, wouldn't it be redundant to have both at LT. Why not move one to RT and improve that position as well. BP did say he would always put his best 5 OLmen on the field.

I like Columbo and have since his college days ,but I think I remember that he started in the NFL at LT and then he did alright but they were going to move him to RT cause they thought he would be better off there.
Then he was hurt again so it did not happen....

 

[50cent]

I like Columbo and have since his college days ,but I think I remember that he started in the NFL at LT and then he did alright but they were going to move him to RT cause they thought he would be better off there.
Then he was hurt again so it did not happen....

Follow me here. I agree with everything you have said, but... BP comes out and says, he has noticed something about Tucker that reminded him that he is better suited for LT. This means next year in TC you have FLO and Tucker at LT if TT makes it back to camp. You then have Pettiti being forced into action at RT and struggling, so what do you do? You sign Columbo, a former 1st rounder that was being mentioned to playing RT and stick him in the LT mix. Strange? Not only do you stick him at LT, but you tell him to think further down the road when trying to get prepared to play. Does this mean next? I don't know but it sure doesn't look like BP is rushing him into playing this year.

 

[Cowboy Junkie]

Follow me here. I agree with everything you have said, but... BP comes out and says, he has noticed something about Tucker that reminded him that he is better suited for LT. This means next year in TC you have FLO and Tucker at LT if TT makes it back to camp. You then have Pettiti being forced into action at RT and struggling, so what do you do? You sign Columbo, a former 1st rounder that was being mentioned to playing RT and stick him in the LT mix. Strange? Not only do you stick him at LT, but you tell him to think further down the road when trying to get prepared to play. Does this mean next? I don't know but it sure doesn't look like BP is rushing him into playing this year.

I am not in total disagreement with you ,but when BP said that about Tucker I felt he was just trying to give him a confidence boost...
BP keeps all his thinking close to home so I guess it is hard to read into it...
I know one thing with Flo and Columbo healthy next year we will be a whole lot better off.

 

[AbeBeta]

anyone depending on Columbo for anything next year needs their head examined.

if he gives us something that's great -- but you don't let his signing dictate what you do in the off-season.

he'll be lucky to be on the roster next year -- if he does make the roster that would be about the most positive outcome anyone could reasonably hope for.

 

[Alexander]

BP is going to stay put at OT for next, by moving Flo to Rt and putting Columbo at LT when he gets back to full strength? He did mention telling Columbo not to get his mind set on upcomong games but further down the road. It wouldn't be a bad idea, but it still scares me.

"Further down the road" means compete for a job.

Not sit on your backside after getting cut by Chicago as a first round bust and get the left tackle job handed to you.

 

[Alexander]

anyone depending on Columbo for anything next year needs their head examined.

Thank you.

if he gives us something that's great -- but you don't let his signing dictate what you do in the off-season.

he'll be lucky to be on the roster next year -- if he does make the roster that would be about the most positive outcome anyone could reasonably hope for.

And I am sure the braintrust thinks the same.

They are hardly sitting there raising their eyebrows and saying "we got Columbo".

 

[sago1]

Tried to get info re Colombo back when he was with the Bears but all I could come up with was that he started first 5 or 6 games at RT and then he got hurt. Was major knee injury including nerve damage. Missed rest of that season and all of the next season. Near end of last year, he played in 1 or 2 games but wasn't that good. Bears cut him in preseason this year--don't know how much as due to his play and how much was salary cut. Remember as first round pick (19th??) in 2002, he would gotten pretty good contract. Colombo in news article just after we signed him said he ssigned 2 year deal & Parcells told him essentially Cowboys aren't looking at him as providing much help this season but more down the road. Parcells probably saw film of Colombo when he was rookie and saw enough talent to take a gamble. We only paying Colombo about $250,000 this year. If Colombo turns out to be nothing more then solid backup we ahead.

 

[lspain1]

After the woes we have seen on the OL this year, does anyone think that better depth is not necessary? The Cowboys are working hard and turning over every rock to see if they can do that. Ultimately, any FA signings and selections made in the draft will tell us how the front office views the real state of things. Right now, I applaud any actions which will make us better next year on the OL, because I see it as the weakness that may well keep us out of the SB this year.

 

[50cent]

"Further down the road" means compete for a job.

Not sit on your backside after getting cut by Chicago as a first round bust and get the left tackle job handed to you.

Okay, so who would he be competing with at LT, if BP is taking about further down the road? The answer would be Flo and TT. Why would BP waste his time having 3 guys compete for the LT spot if your 6 year starter is back from injury?

 

[Yeagermeister]

I think the bigger question is how will Flozell recover from the knee injury. He seems to be lazy so I wonder if he comes back in shape or not. Hopefully BP keeps a boot in his butt and he comes back better than ever.

 

[50cent]

After the woes we have seen on the OL this year, does anyone think that better depth is not necessary? The Cowboys are working hard and turning over every rock to see if they can do that. Ultimately, any FA signings and selections made in the draft will tell us how the front office views the real state of things. Right now, I applaud any actions which will make us better next year on the OL, because I see it as the weakness that may well keep us out of the SB this year.

This is exactly why this whole situation doesn't sit well with me. Why would we sign a guy to a 2 year contract, just to get 1 year out of him. We have OL woes this year. Shouldn't we try to get something out of this guy right now and if he isn't up to full speed, why the hell would we waste money on him just to practice for 2 years. I mean come on, if the higher ups saw enough out of him to give him a 2 year deal with the problems we have this year, put the guy in NOW! Not next year, next week, or next month. we are struggling now.

 

[StateCollegeCowboy]

Okay, so who would he be competing with at LT, if BP is taking about further down the road? The answer would be Flo and TT. Why would BP waste his time having 3 guys compete for the LT spot if your 6 year starter is back from injury?

You are making this way more complicated than it needs to be. Columbo is practicing at LT "this year" because we don't have anybody than can step in at LT if Tucker goes down. Bill has said that Pettiti "will not move to LT if an injury occurs there". If Pettiti goes down, Tucker can move over to RT in a pinch, but if Tucker goes down, then Columbo is who will step in which is why he is practicing there.

Now what we do this season does not mean that is what we will do during the offseason or training camp. Columbo may very well be moved over to RT, it just won't happen this season because of our O-line situation.

 

[Eskimo]

Columbo has to be viewed as a project. He is here to do his rehab and work on his technique this year and will get a full tryout next year in TC. I think he likely represents a move to "churn the bottom of the roster" and have a look at a guy with some potential.

I really suspect that if a good LT prospect drops to us in the draft we have to seriously consider taking one in the first round. Flo is getting old, is coming off a knee injury and never had the best work ethic. He also only has two years left on his contract. I also always thought he would be a better fit at RT given his size and strength and lackadaisical feet. By getting a LT we secure our future at the position and can move Flo to RT and make Tucker/Colombo/Pettiti backups.

I would really have no qualms with spending every draft pick on OL and LB.