Good news, bad news for Cowboys' depth issues at offensive tackle

[blueblood70]

I would move Tyler Smith to tackle if needed. They have good interior depth.

Absolutely only in a major and I'm talking about major injury rash where we had no other options you do not make 2 moves on the offensive line that's hard to overcome than making simply one move.. You can't expose the center like that right now it's good that he has Martin and Smith on both sides of them you can't have that many ducks in a row of young guys unprotected there will be a crack in that so yes that would be the major emergency insurance as we know we can move Tyler Smith out to tackle but you don't wanna do that if you don't have to.

 

[shabazz]

I assume this is specific to DT - where the Cowboys are basically league average.

Disagree.....I choose to remember that Arizona game last season and that wasn't an anomaly. I'd say below average at that position

They have done nothing MEANINGFUL in the draft or free agency to address the DT situation.....unless Justin Rogers fits that description

 

[John813]

Here's what's weird.

Haven't seen the PFF grades yet for the Raiders game, but many of us were already aware that... Josh Ball... topped the list of O-linemen grades in the Rams game... but not just that... topped the list of all offensive players... and not just that... topped the list of O-linemen by several points.

And this guy writes this entire article, apparently completely oblivious, not to just that point, but to the point that... who was getting the second-string LT snaps with Edoga out? Yep. That same guy.

We all thought that was going to be Richards. Nope. They like Richards better at OG apparently after all, or at least, they decided they needed to give Ball a serious look there.

If I'm not mistaken, they'll be able to keep both Edoga and Ball, if they're willing (and Ball and his agent are willing) to expose Ball just long enough to put Edoga on the 53-man and move him to the IR.

Ball is subject to waivers. Not until he gets 4 years experience would be exempt from the waiver process.
If claimed, off he goes.

 

[gtb1943]

I agree with your statements and it's nice when someone recognizes that a player doesn't have to be a superstar to be a good player & valuable to the organization. That said, they failed for years to draft\acquire the true nose, run stuffing players for the interior that were so obviously needed.

above league average does not win SBs

 

[gtb1943]

Ball is subject to waivers. Not until he gets 4 years experience would be exempt from the waiver process.
If claimed, off he goes.

Ball has flashed before but when it came down to it he failed. Again and again.

 

[McKDaddy]

above league average does not win SBs

 

[CCBoy]

Healthy is the criteria for slot retention depth status as there are a bunch of attractive players that are both cheap and talented.

The picture for the entire year rests on the current starters and how they carry the team in fact at production. That is both in the run and in passing. As much will be affected by the nature of the shifting element as is influenced by the very nature of the kicking games now.

This is the current starters and this team already rests here and will reflect the current starters:

LT Tyler Guyton - by game six all gloves are off this player.
LG Tyler Smith - one more season and he will enter the plane along with Larry Allen and he and Martin make the best pair of guards in the NFL.
C Cooper Beebe - His feet are planted and his observations are fully team building intertwined in the now.
RG Zack Martin - He is still a Pro Bowler and still owns his job.
RT Terence Steele - He has shown back up and fully healthy

By the games of SF, KC, and the 2 against the Eagles and we all shall know what is needed about this group of Cowboys!!

 

[big dog cowboy]

Nate Thomas better get ready

We can hope he is.

Please give us your thoughts.

 

[Swanny]

I don't see the issue at the depth. It's fine. They are depth players. Every NFL team has depth issues when starters get hurt.

 

[Rockport]

Disagree.....I choose to remember that Arizona game last season and that wasn't an anomaly. I'd say below average at that position

They have done nothing MEANINGFUL in the draft or free agency to address the DT situation.....unless Justin Rogers fits that description

They signed Jordan Phillips, Huggins and Densel Daxon showed up against the Raiders.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Disagree.....I choose to remember that Arizona game last season and that wasn't an anomaly. I'd say below average at that position

They have done nothing MEANINGFUL in the draft or free agency to address the DT situation.....unless Justin Rogers fits that description

Hes right though. The issue with the DT position is that its very difficult to go from mediocre to good because there is such a shortage of humans who can be large enough to play the position and still be quick enough to get to the QB. I would have loved to have seen the Cowboys go after a guy like DJ Reader in free agency, but then you also have to pay $10+M per year for a guy who is only going to play around 500 snaps a year and given his age/weight/injury history is a risk of his body breaking down anytime now.

Our DT group really isnt that bad in comparison to the rest of the league. I'd love to see another 1T type brought in to really push and spell Mazi, but I'd assume that Phillips could be that guy as well as he wont be a full time 3T. Osa is probably the most underrated DT in football right now. You'd like to see him get home more often than he does, but the guys win rates are off the charts good. Hes probably a top 15 interior player in the league right now.

The Cowboys issues in the run game the last couple years have been a combination of roster construction issues and a scheme that prioritizes creating negative plays. I think the main issues stem from the edge players and lack of LBs.

 

[shabazz]

They signed Jordan Phillips, Huggins and Densel Daxon showed up against the Raiders.

I said MEANINGFUL.....

 

[Rockport]

above league average does not win SBs

LOL, that’s funny.

 

[gtb1943]

you will find those that win SBs are strong up the middle on D
we have yet to prove that

 

[gtb1943]

LOL, that’s funny.

The Jethro minions are very amusing

 

[gtb1943]

Hes right though. The issue with the DT position is that its very difficult to go from mediocre to good because there is such a shortage of humans who can be large enough to play the position and still be quick enough to get to the QB. I would have loved to have seen the Cowboys go after a guy like DJ Reader in free agency, but then you also have to pay $10+M per year for a guy who is only going to play around 500 snaps a year and given his age/weight/injury history is a risk of his body breaking down anytime now.

Our DT group really isnt that bad in comparison to the rest of the league. I'd love to see another 1T type brought in to really push and spell Mazi, but I'd assume that Phillips could be that guy as well as he wont be a full time 3T. Osa is probably the most underrated DT in football right now. You'd like to see him get home more often than he does, but the guys win rates are off the charts good. Hes probably a top 15 interior player in the league right now.

The Cowboys issues in the run game the last couple years have been a combination of roster construction issues and a scheme that prioritizes creating negative plays. I think the main issues stem from the edge players and lack of LBs.

we have been weak at DT. for some years. Until that is fixed we are not going to challenge for a championship

 

[McMicah]

Here's what's weird.

Haven't seen the PFF grades yet for the Raiders game, but many of us were already aware that... Josh Ball... topped the list of O-linemen grades in the Rams game... but not just that... topped the list of all offensive players... and not just that... topped the list of O-linemen by several points.

And this guy writes this entire article, apparently completely oblivious, not to just that point, but to the point that... who was getting the second-string LT snaps with Edoga out? Yep. That same guy.

We all thought that was going to be Richards. Nope. They like Richards better at OG apparently after all, or at least, they decided they needed to give Ball a serious look there.

If I'm not mistaken, they'll be able to keep both Edoga and Ball, if they're willing (and Ball and his agent are willing) to expose Ball just long enough to put Edoga on the 53-man and move him to the IR.

I TOLD YALL. I started a thread 2 weeks called ‘Keep an eye on Josh Ball’ and I got dragged by everybody

Josh is a horrible tackle but he is a beast guard.

Also Asim is just fine as a backup OT. Completely disagree with that article on him. Waterski isn’t it though

 

[thunderpimp91]

we have been weak at DT. for some years. Until that is fixed we are not going to challenge for a championship

What abilities do you think have been missing from the DT group?

 

[thunderpimp91]

I TOLD YALL. I started a thread 2 weeks called ‘Keep an eye on Josh Ball’ and I got dragged by everybody

Josh is a horrible tackle but he is a beast guard.

Also Asim is just fine as a backup OT. Completely disagree with that article on him. Waterski isn’t it though

No you're absolutely right. Ball has had good showings at G going back to last preseason. If he doesnt make the final roster I think it probably has more to do with his contract situation than anything. Gotta believe if the competition is close theyll keep the guys with multiple years of control.

 

[_sturt_]

I TOLD YALL. I started a thread 2 weeks called ‘Keep an eye on Josh Ball’ and I got dragged by everybody

Josh is a horrible tackle but he is a beast guard.

Also Asim is just fine as a backup OT. Completely disagree with that article on him. Waterski isn’t it though

You've... like the rest of us... seen almost none of Ball at tackle for two years.

He briefly played RT in the 1Q of last preseason's Raiders game, then went out with his injury.

He got the LT snaps after Guyton in this Raiders game.

That's it.

Players, especially younger ones, often are capable of getting better. We're about to find out if Ball did.

(Me, I can't help but wonder why, if Richards was viewed as an acceptable back-up LT, instead you're making him the back-up at LG... wouldn't it make more sense to just move Ball from the right to the left? That hints to me that some coaches have some opinions that fans and media haven't really caught on to.)