Draft a Tackle and move Free to guard.

[jterrell]

It wouldn't be crazy at all.

Throw numbers at the team's most glaring weakness and turn it into a real strength.

It isn't the most glaring weakness at all.
Not even close.

DB is... by miles.

On the interior OL we have lots of young guys who played tons of minutes last year. The position was bolstered last draft and via free agency. At DB we were putrid and will lose our highest paid starter. We lose 2 of 4 starters in fact.

At OG/OC we have competition galore. At DB we have zero depth and holes to fill with starters and no one with any real starting experience behind them.

 

[Idgit]

Which is why these discussions are just dumb.

Free isn't doing anything but playing RT next year.
If we draft an OT the draftee would play OG a year or so, then we cut Free.

We aren't looking OT unless value is just awesome.

Again, dumb discussion. OGs have much better overall draft value (i.e. can be had lower and cheaper) and availability while also filling a need. We spent a lot of money saying Free was a fit at OT. He was our top FA last year. We won't give up on him after one weak season at LT.

At 14 Dallas will almost certainly consider OG, CB, DE/OLB or a trade down unless a top prospect falls into their laps. This high in the draft they will very likely stay put and take the highest rated guy at one of those walk in start positions.

In round 2 they'll take highest rated overall athlete in all likelihood(please dont let him be injured).
That has been the modis operand the past few seasons and we have the same draft team.

Houck indicated otherwise in his departing comments. He said you play your best 5 linemen and indicated that Free *could* play at OG. I'm not saying it's an idea I like, but adding another quality OT and moving Free inside isn't out of the question. Though cutting Free outright under any circumstance probably is.

 

[Risen Star]

It isn't the most glaring weakness at all.
Not even close.

DB is... by miles.

On the interior OL we have lots of young guys who played tons of minutes last year. The position was bolstered last draft and via free agency. At DB we were putrid and will lose our highest paid starter. We lose 2 of 4 starters in fact.

At OG/OC we have competition galore. At DB we have zero depth and holes to fill with starters and no one with any real starting experience behind them.

We'll agree to disagree. DB is last on my list of worries on this team. We get dominated in the trenches and we won't win anything until that changes.

The "competition" you speak of along the line is between a group of unheralded prospects who all may be out of the league in 3 seasons. Not a one is the kind of player you would hedge any bet on. It's a group of Alan Balls.

I also disagree with your premise that this is a dumb thread. It's not dumb. It's about getting value along the OL and playing your best 5 on gameday. Contracts are irrelevant at that point because, as has already been pointed out, we're already on the hook with Free. We save no money playing him at RT vs. G. It's a complete non issue for next season.

 

[jterrell]

Houck indicated otherwise in his departing comments. He said you play your best 5 linemen and indicated that Free *could* play at OG. I'm not saying it's an idea I like, but adding another quality OT and moving Free inside isn't out of the question. Though cutting Free outright under any circumstance probably is.

Houck wasn't indicating they'd play Free inside, he was saying you take the best 5 and play them. It certainly didn't indicate we'd draft a better OT than Free. It was mostly speaking to moving Free to RT.

The team felt Free was a top flight OT. He may prove to be an average starting RT or even a bust of one but they won't conclude that before the season starts and certainly won't give away his job.

Dallas has drafted one 1st round OL in about forever. The chance of them doing so in back to back years is heinously low. But the chance of them saying we got to take a RT and move a guy making 8 mil into Guard is so remote it isn't worth discussing.

It truly shocks me that there are intelligent Boys fans thinking it even merits discussion.

As we get closer to the draft we'll see where the value lies but my guess is Dallas would do quite well to go CB or Pass Rusher at 14 and then OG/OC in r2. In R2 if you have to grab a future OT so be it. But that wouldn't move Free for now. All that said I am not against adding the top OG in the draft if they feel that player is better than any CB or pass rusher available.

 

[jterrell]

We'll agree to disagree. DB is last on my list of worries on this team. We get dominated in the trenches and we won't win anything until that changes.

The "competition" you speak of along the line is between a group of unheralded prospects who all may be out of the league in 3 seasons. Not a one is the kind of player you would hedge any bet on. It's a group of Alan Balls.

I also disagree with your premise that this is a dumb thread. It's not dumb. It's about getting value along the OL and playing your best 5 on gameday. Contracts are irrelevant at that point because, as has already been pointed out, we're already on the hook with Free. We save no money playing him at RT vs. G. It's a complete non issue for next season.

I have no problem disagreeing. You have every right to be totally wrong. LOL.

Look at any metric you want and where we performed worst was in coverages. We were average or better in sacks and QB pressures, in playing the run, in doing anything but covering guys. We were well above average on offense. We scored lots of points and ran the ball well quite well especially with Murray healthy.

Did you actually watch the games?
We gave up a 90 yard TD on a 5 yard pattern. That isn't about the trenches.

Terence Newman played 10 yards off everyone and couldn't tackle or run with guys. He was hurdled twice in one game for first downs on very short passes.

Scandrick was toast all year having to move outside and inside. He had his first bad season. Jenkins was hurt and no sooner than he'd come off the field they'd throw a deep pass on us. The front 7 stayed the same but coverage changes and voila, major pass completion.

At the end of the day though it doesn't matter what you (or I) think. The team will have lots of free roster spots at DB and very few in the trenches. The major changes are going to come at DB. Along the combined OL/DL we'll likely get one new started added.

 

[Future]

I think he'd make a much better RT than a Guard.

 

[burmafrd]

It isn't the most glaring weakness at all.
Not even close.

DB is... by miles.

On the interior OL we have lots of young guys who played tons of minutes last year. The position was bolstered last draft and via free agency. At DB we were putrid and will lose our highest paid starter. We lose 2 of 4 starters in fact.

At OG/OC we have competition galore. At DB we have zero depth and holes to fill with starters and no one with any real starting experience behind them.

yeah and those young guys stank it up and romo got killed

 

[burmafrd]

I have no problem disagreeing. You have every right to be totally wrong. LOL.

Look at any metric you want and where we performed worst was in coverages. We were average or better in sacks and QB pressures, in playing the run, in doing anything but covering guys. We were well above average on offense. We scored lots of points and ran the ball well quite well especially with Murray healthy.

Did you actually watch the games?
We gave up a 90 yard TD on a 5 yard pattern. That isn't about the trenches.

Terence Newman played 10 yards off everyone and couldn't tackle or run with guys. He was hurdled twice in one game for first downs on very short passes.

Scandrick was toast all year having to move outside and inside. He had his first bad season. Jenkins was hurt and no sooner than he'd come off the field they'd throw a deep pass on us. The front 7 stayed the same but coverage changes and voila, major pass completion.

At the end of the day though it doesn't matter what you (or I) think. The team will have lots of free roster spots at DB and very few in the trenches. The major changes are going to come at DB. Along the combined OL/DL we'll likely get one new started added.

yeah I watched the games and watched Romo get almost sent to the morgue

 

[CATCH17]

Doug Free is just not a guard. He is a finesse offensive tackle.

I'd put him at Center before I would guard and there isn't any chance i'd move him to center.

 

[CATCH17]

Houck indicated otherwise in his departing comments. He said you play your best 5 linemen and indicated that Free *could* play at OG. I'm not saying it's an idea I like, but adding another quality OT and moving Free inside isn't out of the question. Though cutting Free outright under any circumstance probably is.

I barely feel good about Free taking on 260 -275 lb guys. No way would I want him going against the bulls in the middle.

He would be in Romo's lap constantly.