ESPND: Five Wonders: Can Cowboys go deep in 2014?

[jobberone]

Five Wonders: Can Cowboys go deep in 2014?
February, 4, 2014



By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- Not necessarily by popular demand, but Five Wonders is back and we'll look at a number of issues the Dallas Cowboys face in the offseason.

Jeremy Parnell

On to the Wonders:

• I wonder how different the Cowboys' offense will look in 2014 with the addition of Scott Linehan. He will call the plays, but they will be Jason Garrett's plays in the pass game and Bill Callahan's plays in the run game. If there is a change, I wonder if it will be in the deep passing game. He was unafraid to take shots down the field. That's easy to do when you have a receiver like Calvin Johnson and a quarterback with an arm like Matthew Stafford. The Cowboys did not force the issue down the field with the 51-48 loss to the Denver Broncos as the only real exception. Tony Romo averaged a career low 7.2 yards per attempt in 2013. As an offensive line coach, was Callahan protecting his guys from having to hold the fort a little longer by not calling the deep ball as much? Was Romo protecting himself in some ways because he has taken a beating in recent years with an offensive line that had too many holes? Maybe it's partly both. Linehan will have to boost the confidence in the deep passing game to make a real difference.
• I wonder if the Cowboys look at extending Doug Free's contract. He is set to make $3.5 million in 2014 and the final two years of his deal voids after the season. Free, who had a bounce back season in 2013, will count $6.520 million against the cap and if the Cowboys choose to extend Free, they would gain cap space as well as have one of their tackles in place for 2015 and beyond. The Cowboys will have to make it worth Free's while after they cut his pay in half the last two seasons. He will be under no obligation to get do something “team friendly,” but he is not in a hurry to leave. He just turned 30 last month and is entering his eighth season. His backup, Jermey Parnell, is about to enter the final year of his deal. He was supposed to press Free in training camp last summer, but he never did in part because Free never really allowed it.

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***/files/2013/08/DOUGFREE-620x586.jpg
Doug Free

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4724117/five-wonders-can-cowboys-go-deep-in-2014

 

[xwalker]

• I wonder if the Cowboys look at extending Doug Free's contract. He is set to make $3.5 million in 2014 and the final two years of his deal voids after the season. Free, who had a bounce back season in 2013, will count $6.520 million against the cap and if the Cowboys choose to extend Free, they would gain cap space as well as have one of their tackles in place for 2015 and beyond. The Cowboys will have to make it worth Free's while after they cut his pay in half the last two seasons. He will be under no obligation to get do something “team friendly,” but he is not in a hurry to leave. He just turned 30 last month and is entering his eighth season. His backup, Jermey Parnell, is about to enter the final year of his deal. He was supposed to press Free in training camp last summer, but he never did in part because Free never really allowed it.

That's revisionist history. Parnell was injured and missed all but 1 preseason game. He was visibly limping in that game.

 

[jobberone]

That's revisionist history. Parnell was injured and missed all but 1 preseason game. He was visibly limping in that game.

You're right. It was more Parnell's injury but you have to give Free credit. For a good part of the beginning of the year he was the highest rated tackle in the league.

We've discussed this a lot and both agree Parnell has more physical talent than Free. This is one reason I think they may not be worrying too much about tackle this spring. Parnell and Weems will get a shot this year. I think Parnell could outplay Free but we'll see.

 

[DBOY3141]

The article answered it's own question. Free is about to turn 30, so yes, he will get an extension. That's how JJ does business.

 

[xwalker]

You're right. It was more Parnell's injury but you have to give Free credit. For a good part of the beginning of the year he was the highest rated tackle in the league.

We've discussed this a lot and both agree Parnell has more physical talent than Free. This is one reason I think they may not be worrying too much about tackle this spring. Parnell and Weems will get a shot this year. I think Parnell could outplay Free but we'll see.

Yes, you've probably seen my explanation of how they altered the scheme to compensate for Free's weaknesses.

I would love to see Parnell win the job. It's a difficult decision because an inexperienced player like Parnell will make some mistakes, but I'm convinced that if he was starting, that after a few games he would completely surpass Free in both run and pass blocking. Parnell is already a better run blocker than Free.

Oddly, Weems could be the key to Parnell possibly getting the job. If they were convinced that Weems was ready to be the backup swing OT, then Parnell winning the job would allow them to move on from Free. Without a legit backup, they would have to keep Free. The front office probably figures that if they're paying Free that he might as well be the starter.

 

[Section446]

We won't be going anywhere until there are some major changes to the roster and coaching staff.

 

[Joe Realist]

no, 8-8, new regime in 2015.

 

[jobberone]

Yes, you've probably seen my explanation of how they altered the scheme to compensate for Free's weaknesses.

I would love to see Parnell win the job. It's a difficult decision because an inexperienced player like Parnell will make some mistakes, but I'm convinced that if he was starting, that after a few games he would completely surpass Free in both run and pass blocking. Parnell is already a better run blocker than Free.

Oddly, Weems could be the key to Parnell possibly getting the job. If they were convinced that Weems was ready to be the backup swing OT, then Parnell winning the job would allow them to move on from Free. Without a legit backup, they would have to keep Free. The front office probably figures that if they're paying Free that he might as well be the starter.

I never agreed with you about them having to cover up for Free. I don't see that as happening. Now I do think they used Jumbo packages to get some push over the strong side and I agree Free is not a great run blocker as far as straight power blocking. And I do think Parnell can surpass Free. However, I'm a little more cautious about him as there were times when he didn't seem to understand what was going on. He just doesn't move at times and people run right past him. I don't know why this occurs I just see it. So there could be something to that or it just may be he needs more time to develop. We'll probably get to see the outcome of that battle in TC.

What's good about the situation is there may be alternatives at tackle and Free could even move to G if Mack falters again. I'm not too worried about the OL. I hope they can acquire a C/G to replace Costa.

 

[jobberone]

no, 8-8, new regime in 2015.

Thanks for sharing such illuminating content.

 

[Alexander]

The article answered it's own question. Free is about to turn 30, so yes, he will get an extension. That's how JJ does business.

Also has one good year. Doug Free--you get a contract!

 

[Alexander]

Parnell and Weems. The Crawford and Bass of the OL.

 

[Bullflop]

Lots of things will have to fall into place to cause the Cowboys to go deep into the playoffs in 2014. The injuries will have to cease and desist and the coaching staff will be obliged to take a big step forward in their success. We'll surely require some impressive success in terms of our early defensive draft picks as well. Good fortune will definitely have to smile upon the 2014 team for it to turn its fortunes around in terms of real playoff success. This scenario especially holds true for us on the defensive side of the ball. It'll require a somewhat miraculous turnaround.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Deep in the tank?

 

[Idgit]

• Last year was the year of the hamstring injury for the Cowboys. Austin, Justin Durant,Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Morris Claiborne, Gavin Escobar, Dwayne Harris, Danny McCray,Ernie Sims, J.J. Wilcox and Williams were among those troubled by varying hamstring injuries last year. Jason Garrett said the Cowboys continually looked at the reasons why. They studied how much they stretched, what they ate, what they drank. The Cowboys had players wearing GPS-like monitors in practice to gain different measurements. I wonder if the Cowboys practiced too long as the year went on. Garrett liked to say you don't want to leave it all on the practice field during the week, but could they have been in a position where they practiced so much in the week they were gassed for the game?

Thought this tidbit on the hamstring monitoring was interesting. It didn't seem to help much, but it's interesting to hear how seriously the team apparently took the issue, resorting to muscle monitors.

 

[Joe Realist]

Thanks for sharing such illuminating content.

Sure. It's funny. Year after year, it's the same talk and yet, year after year, it's the same result. blah.

 

[Eddie]

The article answered it's own question. Free is about to turn 30, so yes, he will get an extension. That's how JJ does business.

Yes, he's getting a HUGE extension ... something like 9 years for $150 mil. Because we ALL know that OLmen enter their prime in their 30's. So Jerry Jones figures that he'll be in his prime until 39.

 

[xwalker]

I never agreed with you about them having to cover up for Free. I don't see that as happening. Now I do think they used Jumbo packages to get some push over the strong side and I agree Free is not a great run blocker as far as straight power blocking. And I do think Parnell can surpass Free. However, I'm a little more cautious about him as there were times when he didn't seem to understand what was going on. He just doesn't move at times and people run right past him. I don't know why this occurs I just see it. So there could be something to that or it just may be he needs more time to develop. We'll probably get to see the outcome of that battle in TC.

What's good about the situation is there may be alternatives at tackle and Free could even move to G if Mack falters again. I'm not too worried about the OL. I hope they can acquire a C/G to replace Costa.

The good thing about replacing Costa is that Bern can play Center. Bern's best game in 2012 was one of the two where he played Center.

 

[jobberone]

The good thing about replacing Costa is that Bern can play Center. Bern's best game in 2012 was one of the two where he played Center.

That's one solution. You could let Parnell and Free fight it out and then let one or both of them play some RG with Mack doing some C. I certainly let Mack play some C in TC and preseason unless they get a C or C/G.

 

[jobberone]

Sure. It's funny. Year after year, it's the same talk and yet, year after year, it's the same result. blah.

Well, if there are polyannas all over the place why rain on their parade with doom and gloom? At least throw us a bone as to why YOU think we'll have problems. I'll start it for you. I think the D could be in trouble again. Too many holes and questions for all of them to go our way IMO. Hope I'm wrong and I could easily be wrong but there is legitimate concern on that side of the ball. So I don't think 8-8 is an absurd prediction.

 

[xwalker]

That's one solution. You could let Parnell and Free fight it out and then let one or both of them play some RG with Mack doing some C. I certainly let Mack play some C in TC and preseason unless they get a C or C/G.

Weems has practiced at Guard but I don't know to what extent.