Garrett's 3 year plan

[rcaldw]

Jeff Sullivan article:

Sullivan: Garrett’s 3-Year Plan Among Random Thoughts
Posted 10 hours ago

• This didn't happen overnight. It's being portrayed that way, like the Cowboys have been just plugging along, status quo these last three years, and wow, how did this happen? Talk of the NFL at 5-1. When Jason Garrett was named head coach following his 5-3 interim stint in 2010, he devised a plan for how the oldest team in the league could become one of the youngest, and how they could also compete while that transition took place.

• Garrett estimated the plan would take three years, which is exactly the timetable that has played out. And while there were many layers to the plan, first and foremost was the transformation of the offensive line. When that 2010 season ended, the unit consisted of center Andre Gurode, tackles Marc Colombo and Doug Free and guards Kyle Kosier and Leonard Davis. All but Free were at least 31 years old.

• Thing is, the line wasn't all that bad in 2010, Gurode was named to the Pro Bowl, the running game averaged 4.2 yards (15th in the NFL) and they allowed just 31 sacks (11th in the league). And the offense overall scored the seventh-most points in the NFL, while the defense allowed 436, which was second to last in the league.

• Yet, Garrett was adamant in what needed to be done. For this team to succeed long-term, for this team to compete with the league's elite, they needed another Great Wall of Dallas. Jerry and Stephen Jones agreed, which was significant considering that since buying the team in 1989, the Cowboys hadn't taken an offensive lineman in the first round.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-JeffSullivan/Sullivan-Garrett’s-3-Year-Plan-Among-Random-Thoughts/61898e0e-303b-462e-ac3f-167c8484358c

 

[Hoov]

Nice Read. The author also could have added Leary in the discussion. So glad they grabbed him as UDFA.

So, Garrett the mastermind behind this all along.

 

[rcaldw]

Nice Read. The author also could have added Leary in the discussion. So glad they grabbed him as UDFA.

So, Garrett the mastermind behind this all along.

Imagine that.

 

[Hoov]

Imagine that.

Now how long until this thread blows up - 20 pager perhaps

 

[Cowboyz88]

Nice Read. The author also could have added Leary in the discussion. So glad they grabbed him as UDFA.

So, Garrett the mastermind behind this all along.

Nope. Can't be. It's all lies.

He's an idiot who apparently can't tie his own shoes, much less have a "plan."

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Nice Read. The author also could have added Leary in the discussion. So glad they grabbed him as UDFA.

So, Garrett the mastermind behind this all along.

I think they wanted to get younger and better on the online. However I don't know if he had as much to do with us taking three online men in the first as the author indicates. Tyron yes. The other two.... Hard to give him credit of going into the draft with the idea of taking those two in the first.

I am not sure who they really wanted in the first during the Frederick draft. Not sure if it was a D linemen, safety or O linemen. Water the case I think Fred was a fall back option and not the main target going in or even the top 2-3 targets but that is speculation on my part.

What is not speculation on my part is that Martin was not their target going in. We don't know of if Donal, Barr or Shazier was the top target but we do know that Martin was not and we do know they picking Shazier as they had him or his agent on the phone when Pittsburgh picked him before they could. After that happened Jerry wanted Manziel but thankfully was talked into taking Martin.

So all though he probably was the driving force to get younger, to get some older vets with large contracts off the team, to revamp the other line... Not sure he should get a great deal of credit for us going on line in the first round for all three picks.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

I think the success of this team now in regards to,coaching is getting the right people around Jason & letting them coach.

It's taken some of the load off him which was desperately needed & the guys they have can coach up these guys.

 

[rcaldw]

I think they wanted to get younger and better on the online. However I don't know if he had as much to do with us taking three online men in the first as the author indicates. Tyron yes. The other two.... Hard to give him credit of going into the draft with the idea of taking those two in the first.

I am not sure who they really wanted in the first during the Frederick draft. Not sure if it was a D linemen, safety or O linemen. Water the case I think Fred was a fall back option and not the main target going in or even the top 2-3 targets but that is speculation on my part.

What is not speculation on my part is that Martin was not their target going in. We don't know of if Donal, Barr or Shazier was the top target but we do know that Martin was not and we do know they picking Shazier as they had him or his agent on the phone when Pittsburgh picked him before they could. After that happened Jerry wanted Manziel but thankfully was talked into taking Martin.

So all though he probably was the driving force to get younger, to get some older vets with large contracts off the team, to revamp the other line... Not sure he should get a great deal of credit for us going on line in the first round for all three picks.

You may be right about WHERE they got the Olinemen in each draft. But the concept and commitment was certainly his. Jeff Sullivan pretty credible source I would say.

 

[rcaldw]

I think the success of this team now in regards to,coaching is getting the right people around Jason & letting them coach.

It's taken some of the load off him which was desperately needed & the guys they have can coach up these guys.

It never matters who says it, the messages always stay the same

 

[BAT]

Serendipity is a plan? Who would have thought. Loving it in any case.

 

[Idgit]

I think they wanted to get younger and better on the online. However I don't know if he had as much to do with us taking three online men in the first as the author indicates. Tyron yes. The other two.... Hard to give him credit of going into the draft with the idea of taking those two in the first.

I am not sure who they really wanted in the first during the Frederick draft. Not sure if it was a D linemen, safety or O linemen. Water the case I think Fred was a fall back option and not the main target going in or even the top 2-3 targets but that is speculation on my part.

What is not speculation on my part is that Martin was not their target going in. We don't know of if Donal, Barr or Shazier was the top target but we do know that Martin was not and we do know they picking Shazier as they had him or his agent on the phone when Pittsburgh picked him before they could. After that happened Jerry wanted Manziel but thankfully was talked into taking Martin.

So all though he probably was the driving force to get younger, to get some older vets with large contracts off the team, to revamp the other line... Not sure he should get a great deal of credit for us going on line in the first round for all three picks.

In the Frederick draft, anyway, we had the famous Last of the Five Mohicans business from Jerry. That was the year of the Romo extension, and I think it's a pretty safe bet that the target was an interior OL. The fact that it happened to be an OC was the only surprise, since the other four were obviously OGs.

 

[ConstantReboot]

I think Garrett did have a plan. But I just don't believe that building the oline to RUN the ball was part of that plan all along.

In all honesty, I give Jerry more credit in building this oline. I think when we got Frederick Garrett was upset we traded down rather than selecting Dline instead. Many within his circle criticized Jerry for it. Now he's looking like a genius.

But I believe the main reason why we started building this oline was that Jerry wanted to protect his main asset - Tony Romo. He just signed a 100 million dollar contract and wanted to make sure we have an oline that is there to protect him.

Of course this is my opinion and nothing more. But given Garrett's tendency to pass the ball and abandon the run, and Jerry giving Romo a big, fat contract, it would make lots of sense to build an oline that can protect Romo.. It just so happens Linehan came in here and realized that our main strength was running the ball rather than passing. Thus we started running and voila - magic happened!

 

[BoysFan4ever]

It never matters who says it, the messages always stay the same

I'm not sure what you mean by that but he's not my favorite coach ever but I have zero problem saying he's doing a fine job right now. They all are. I think they finally have the right staff in place.

 

[Hoov]

I think they wanted to get younger and better on the online. However I don't know if he had as much to do with us taking three online men in the first as the author indicates. Tyron yes. The other two.... Hard to give him credit of going into the draft with the idea of taking those two in the first.

I am not sure who they really wanted in the first during the Frederick draft. Not sure if it was a D linemen, safety or O linemen. Water the case I think Fred was a fall back option and not the main target going in or even the top 2-3 targets but that is speculation on my part.

What is not speculation on my part is that Martin was not their target going in. We don't know of if Donal, Barr or Shazier was the top target but we do know that Martin was not and we do know they picking Shazier as they had him or his agent on the phone when Pittsburgh picked him before they could. After that happened Jerry wanted Manziel but thankfully was talked into taking Martin.

So all though he probably was the driving force to get younger, to get some older vets with large contracts off the team, to revamp the other line... Not sure he should get a great deal of credit for us going on line in the first round for all three picks.

Yes, i think you are correct in that they would be looking to draft a top defensive player in the past 2 years - and most definitely last year. I think 2 years ago they were looking for an Olineman but I would speculate that if things fell the way they hoped they would have waited until the 2nd round for that O Lineman.

When the guy they wanted was not available though, they did choose to use the first pick both times on an O lineman.

And especially telling is that they took Martin this year when there was so much talk of how the defense was the worst ever. I would agree if 1 of the 2 or 3 defensive guys they wanted were there they would not have taken Martin. I dont doubt that at all. But give credit that they took the sure thing and safe pick at a position of relative need but not glaring need, instead of taking a defensive player who would not have been BPA at the time.

But to show how bad they wanted to get a Dlineman they gave up the 3rd to get Lawrence. So they clearly wanted a defensive player all along as you suggested. But Im glad they took Martin as he was the BPA at a position that was a good idea to upgrade.

 

[Doomsday101]

IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones wanted everybody to know Jason Garrett had the right to add Scott Linehan, demote Bill Callahan and Monte Kiffin, and promote Rod Marinelli.


In speaking with ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Jones said, "you just have to let your head coach have that latitude."
I don't view Linehan as a compromise candidate between owner and general manager Jerry Jones and Garrett. I view Linehan as a win for Garrett. A big win. If he wasn't going to call the plays, then his guy was going to call the plays.
When I asked Garrett the other day if he worried about Callahan being upset at losing the ability to call plays and being denied the chance to speak with other teams, he did not launch into a soliloquy about Callahan's chops as an offensive line coach.
"You make a lot of different decisions for the team and you do it always in the best interest of the team," Garrett said. "You're trying to put guys in roles where they will thrive and be best for the team and this is no different than that. Bill is a pro. Bill's been doing this a long time. He understands transition and change and all those things. He along with the rest of the staff will embrace this and hopefully as a team we'll be better."

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4723966/its-about-time-garrett-had-a-say-needs-more

 

[rcaldw]

Yes, i think you are correct in that they would be looking to draft a top defensive player in the past 2 years - and most definitely last year. I think 2 years ago they were looking for an Olineman but I would speculate that if things fell the way they hoped they would have waited until the 2nd round for that O Lineman.

When the guy they wanted was not available though, they did choose to use the first pick both times on an O lineman.

And especially telling is that they took Martin this year when there was so much talk of how the defense was the worst ever. I would agree if 1 of the 2 or 3 defensive guys they wanted were there they would not have taken Martin. I dont doubt that at all. But give credit that they took the sure thing and safe pick at a position of relative need but not glaring need, instead of taking a defensive player who would not have been BPA at the time.

But to show how bad they wanted to get a Dlineman they gave up the 3rd to get Lawrence. So they clearly wanted a defensive player all along as you suggested. But Im glad they took Martin as he was the BPA at a position that was a good idea to upgrade.

My point exactly Hoov. Regardless if Martin was #1 on their list or not, Garrett's plan was take offensive linemen high and get that line built. That is what they did. They are wanting to get younger across the board and build an entire team, not just the OL. But OL was a PRIORITY.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I've said it all along.

Like the organizational structure that the JG regime has brought to Valley Ranch.

Could not be more pleased. Especially since I thought we were an offseason away.

 

[rcaldw]

I think Garrett did have a plan. But I just don't believe that building the oline to RUN the ball was part of that plan all along.

In all honesty, I give Jerry more credit in building this oline. I think when we got Frederick Garrett was upset we traded down rather than selecting Dline instead. Many within his circle criticized Jerry for it. Now he's looking like a genius.

But I believe the main reason why we started building this oline was that Jerry wanted to protect his main asset - Tony Romo. He just signed a 100 million dollar contract and wanted to make sure we have an oline that is there to protect him.

Of course this is my opinion and nothing more. But given Garrett's tendency to pass the ball and abandon the run, and Jerry giving Romo a big, fat contract, it would make lots of sense to build an oline that can protect Romo.. It just so happens Linehan came in here and realized that our main strength was running the ball rather than passing. Thus we started running and voila - magic happened!

This is created out of thin air.... you have a guy who covers the Cowboys telling you what happened... why would you choose your own scenario?

 

[Hoov]

I've said it all along.

Like the organizational structure that the JG regime has brought to Valley Ranch.

Could not be more pleased. Especially since I thought we were an offseason away.

I too thought we were an offseason away from competing the way we are now

 

[erod]

I think Garrett did have a plan. But I just don't believe that building the oline to RUN the ball was part of that plan all along.

In all honesty, I give Jerry more credit in building this oline. I think when we got Frederick Garrett was upset we traded down rather than selecting Dline instead. Many within his circle criticized Jerry for it. Now he's looking like a genius.

But I believe the main reason why we started building this oline was that Jerry wanted to protect his main asset - Tony Romo. He just signed a 100 million dollar contract and wanted to make sure we have an oline that is there to protect him.

Of course this is my opinion and nothing more. But given Garrett's tendency to pass the ball and abandon the run, and Jerry giving Romo a big, fat contract, it would make lots of sense to build an oline that can protect Romo.. It just so happens Linehan came in here and realized that our main strength was running the ball rather than passing. Thus we started running and voila - magic happened!

You're wrong.

Garrett has said they had to run with gimmicks, smoke, and mirrors in years past. He said this is the first time they could run as the base offense, and he's right.