Free has lost it

[jnday]

I know Free is playing back on the right side, but that move is not going to hide his play. It may expose him even more. Free started having trouble last year with power rushers due to poor hand work and strength. The right side will expose him to some very good pass rushers that play with power. I don't know what happened to the guy last year, but I was hoping it was just a lack of off season training. The reports from training camp don't sound good and the his game play stunk.
How much will it cost to cut this guy next off season? He is not a guard, so a move would only expose him more. He took Jerry's money, and he hasn't been the same. Parnell looked like a different player this evening. Bigger, stronger and his blocking is much better. What do you think about Free and Parnell? Could Parnell be the future?

 

[Ken]

I think Parnell has a good future.

Good size, athletic, and is now starting to plkay well.

I liked him last year and good to see he is improving.

Free is a head scratcher. Guess he got his payday and stopped playing...

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

SMH. Free never practices well.......

He shows up for games though. Let the guy work back into his position. He's a beast of a RT. I'll say that even if he did have a bad game. The Cowboys and Raiders is a friendly game. Who knows what they were doing in terms of sharing plays on their opposing sides, just to see what they player had in terms of situational skills.

It's not a lot of time to evaluate. Most of it is done in practice. With that said, scouts and coaches alike say that Free doesn't practice well.

He's a pro bowl RT though, imo.

 

[Gameover]

He took Jerry's money, and he hasn't been the same. ?

Sounds familiar...

 

[Boys122]

I don't think Free ever had "It"

He's just not that good. If I were the team I'd look for his replacement "before" his contract is up.

 

[SportsGuru80]

Doug Free will be fine at RT, be glad it's preseason.

 

[RS12]

I'm not sold on him at all. Has alot to prove.

 

[Bungarian]

what?

 

[85Cowboy85]

The difference between left tackle and right tackle is like the difference between Demarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. There is a reason left tackles get taken in the top 5 while a tackle who projects only on the right is lucky to go in the second round.

 

[Big Blue Joe]

The difference between left tackle and right tackle is like the difference between Demarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. There is a reason left tackles get taken in the top 5 while a tackle who projects only on the right is lucky to go in the second round.

Not in the NFCE. Free is going from facing Orakpo, Cole, and JPP to taking on Kerrigan, Babin, and Tuck.

 

[jnday]

The difference between left tackle and right tackle is like the difference between Demarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. There is a reason left tackles get taken in the top 5 while a tackle who projects only on the right is lucky to go in the second round.

That is very true. That is one reason that Free shouldn't get paid like a LOT. I don't know why his play has dropped off, but it took a nosedive last year and it seems to be the same this year. Dallas has one quality lineman, Tyron.

 

[Ultimategamer5567]

I wonder if he has any trade value. Any.

 

[BigDinAZ]

It's not just Free that worries me, it's the entire o-line

 

[Bluestang]

Is this based on the play when he didn't block Lamar Houston on the naked boot?

Go back and re-watch the game, Doug Free had that one bad play and that was it.

If you want to point fingers for the offense's struggles look at Arkin and Dockery, moreso Dockery.

 

[Cowboy_Shawn]

SMH. Free never practices well.......

He shows up for games though. Let the guy work back into his position. He's a beast of a RT. I'll say that even if he did have a bad game. The Cowboys and Raiders is a friendly game. Who knows what they were doing in terms of sharing plays on their opposing sides, just to see what they player had in terms of situational skills.

It's not a lot of time to evaluate. Most of it is done in practice. With that said, scouts and coaches alike say that Free doesn't practice well.

He's a pro bowl RT though, imo.

Uh, this was a game and he did not look impressive. Poor practice habits lead to poor game habits and we saw that tonight.

Stop making excuses for the guy.

I'm hoping he does turn it around because lord knows we don't need another crack in the OL foundation. But I can't see how anyone who watched him last year and tonight could mention Free and Pro Bowl in the same sentence.

 

[theogt]

Is this based on the play when he didn't block Lamar Houston on the naked boot?

Go back and re-watch the game, Doug Free had that one bad play and that was it.

If you want to point fingers for the offense's struggles look at Arkin and Dockery, moreso Dockery.

Right, it's just the one play. He looked fine every other play. But when you're only in for three series and you whiff and kill a drive, it's enough to be negative on the guy.

 

[gimmesix]

I know Free is playing back on the right side, but that move is not going to hide his play. It may expose him even more. Free started having trouble last year with power rushers due to poor hand work and strength. The right side will expose him to some very good pass rushers that play with power. I don't know what happened to the guy last year, but I was hoping it was just a lack of off season training. The reports from training camp don't sound good and the his game play stunk.
How much will it cost to cut this guy next off season? He is not a guard, so a move would only expose him more. He took Jerry's money, and he hasn't been the same. Parnell looked like a different player this evening. Bigger, stronger and his blocking is much better. What do you think about Free and Parnell? Could Parnell be the future?

Free said relearning the footwork for the right side isn't easy. You train and train yourself to do things one way and suddenly, you're having to do it all differently.

Perhaps we should just give the man a little time to readjust.

 

[85Cowboy85]

That is very true. That is one reason that Free shouldn't get paid like a LOT. I don't know why his play has dropped off, but it took a nosedive last year and it seems to be the same this year. Dallas has one quality lineman, Tyron.

It's true that he got a long term deal. However he didn't receive elite left tackle money like many have claimed.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4680782/doug-free-contract-a-great-deal-for-dallas

This is an article at the time from Tim MacMahon of all people. He received 32 million with 17 million guaranteed. For comparison Jason Peters received a 60 million dollar deal from Philadelphia the previous year.

I think that his streak where he gave up two sacks in a season was probably somewhat of a mirage. We focus on stats and figures as fans because we lack the ability to evaluate. But i think the team and even the Doug Free camp knew he was not an elite left tackle even then based on the tape. That's why we didn't end up breaking the bank on Free and Doug accepted what appeared at the time to be a very team friendly deal.

Even if he simply becomes a good right tackle who can fill in at left in a pinch for the money he's being paid we're doing alright. The question is can he return to previous form. And you are right that it is a legitimate question but i think there is some reason for optimism.

 

[Bluestang]

Right, it's just the one play. He looked fine every other play. But when you're only in for three series and you whiff and kill a drive, it's enough to be negative on the guy.

Dockery was flat out awful. He couldn't block any linebacker on the second level and he was worse than Arkin. Dockery couldn't even make a simple seal block and that should tell you how bad it was. I hope he gets cut tomorrow, he's just garbage. What even happened to Loper?

Arkin's problem was that he cannot get any push in the run game. Whether it's a strength issue or technique problem because he just learned the position is the unknown. I hope he gets reps at LG so the I can see what he does and I can see if it's a strength or position issue. The only mistake he made in the passing game was that he missed the chip block on Kelly on the screen pass. That's just from him learning the position and recognizing his assignment on the play. A very correctable mistake.

 

[85Cowboy85]

Not in the NFCE. Free is going from facing Orakpo, Cole, and JPP to taking on Kerrigan, Babin, and Tuck.

Even if the skill level of players on the right side was the same it's different because the QB can see your guy coming and get rid of the football. Also don't forget that TEs usually line up on the strong side. Even if the TE doesn't stay in to block the pass rusher can't run through him and has to account for that in the route that he takes to the quarterback.

There is a reason why defensive coordinators don't usually place their best pass rushers an the right side even when right tackles are usually much lesser pass protectors.