Grantland: The Cowboys have built the leagues best OL, but at what cost?

[CCBoy]

So let me get this straight; we finally have Rooks, Knights and Bishops that can kill and protect the King and that's a bad thing in ANY respect? Uhmmm, yeah ok *** clown.

Glad you left the Queen out of it...

 

[Primetime42]

http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sports/...an-do-to-avoid-2013-s-draft-day-confusion.ece



It's clear that the 'new coaches', aka Marinelli and Kiffen, never wanted Floyd. Tom and Garrett, who were chatting it up, obviously expected Floyd. The comical thing is that Floyd was a 3-4 guy and the defensive coaches were hired in January, so the fact that there was a disconnect between our defensive coaches and our gurus in front-office and Garrett is utterly comical.

The reality is, Frederik was not a Garret move.

Whether or not passing on drafting Floyd was a "Garrett move" has zero impact on Travis Frederick's selection.

 

[iceberg]

i've read a thousand stupid articles on the internet.

guess i'll add 1 more.

you don't win w/o a good line. superficial ******** needs to just shut up.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I have no problems with the Cowboys building their OL. I just think ...
1.) It's a little too late and
2.) and doubt they'll use the OL to pound the rock.

If the team had that philosophy from the beginning, i.e., when Tony Romo became the starter, we might have gone to a Super Bowl by now.
We've essentially wasted him in Dallas, as far as Super Bowl appearances are concerned.

Its never to late to get your line ready. Sure it would've been nicer if Romo had it earlier in his career but its never too late. Its actually perfect now that Romo has back problems. But Romo has had some decent lines. Actually he's had some good to above average ones as well.

 

[Szczepanik]

Many coaches get fired as they attempt to build the trenches. You can build the trenches for a team, and if you don't any relative success within those, your head coach gets fired. Alot of coaches get fired because they lack playmakers as they build trenches.

Singletary built the trenches for the 49ers quite well. He was not the best coach, but he definitely gave Harbaugh a very good foundation to work with.

 

[iceberg]

Many coaches get fired as they attempt to build the trenches. You can build the trenches for a team, and if you don't any relative success within those, your head coach gets fired. Alot of coaches get fired because they lack playmakers as they build trenches.

Singletary built the trenches for the 49ers quite well. He was not the best coach, but he definitely gave Harbaugh a very good foundation to work with.

trenches takes time.

it also makes and brakes the rest of the team.

i'm one damn happy camper to see us FINALLY put the focus back on the trenches.

 

[AKATheRake]

It was my understanding that even though Frederick was targeted (I believe they wanted him in the second) that by the time their pick came at #30 he was the last player available on their board who they had a first round grade on.

That is how it went down.

Outright targeted.

 

[Szczepanik]

trenches takes time.

it also makes and brakes the rest of the team.

i'm one damn happy camper to see us FINALLY put the focus back on the trenches.

Me too. I feel we are building our team the exact opposite that Seattle. and SF have though.

They went trenches and defense first, then playmakers second. We clearly went the opposite route.

 

[iceberg]

Me too. I feel we are building our team the exact opposite that Seattle. and SF have though.

They went trenches and defense first, then playmakers second. We clearly went the opposite route.

there's no 1 way to build a winning team. i'd *never* try to win the way another person was doing it.

trust who you have, or don't.

 

[bayeslife]

I think the Cowboys have built a very good O-line, but the Eagles have the best in the league no contest.

 

[tyke1doe]

Its never to late to get your line ready. Sure it would've been nicer if Romo had it earlier in his career but its never too late. Its actually perfect now that Romo has back problems. But Romo has had some decent lines. Actually he's had some good to above average ones as well.

When I mean too late, I'm referring to ...
1. The emphasis to draft top offensive linemen early
2. Giving the offensive line time to gel together and
3. Establishing the brand of football (smash mouth) that has proven to serve teams well in the playoffs.

And I have to factor Romo's age into the equation.

Having a bad back in football is serious. You couple that with Romo's age, and I don't know how long he'll have to benefit from this "new" emphasis on the offensive line.

Just my take.

 

[adbutcher]

So having a great OL is a negative to the team? I thought I have heard everything but this takes the cake.

Just a little better D we would have won the east last year. This year our D will be improved, coupled with Romo and the skills we will win the east and barring injuries have a surprising playoff run.

Historically teams that build up front starting with the big uglies will have a good team with good longevity. The problem is building teams this way does not alleviate fan hysterics and mediot pot shots who based on expectations of quick and easy flashes to fix a football team.

 

[dfense]

Not sure that's true that they stick with their board. Wasn't Sharrif Floyd still available when the Cowboys were set to pick at #18 in 2013? He was their highest rated player (#5 on their board I think?), and instead they moved down and ended up with Frederick.

And if 2014 Johnny Manziel was on the board when the Cowboys drafted at #16, and he was their highest rated player at the time. Instead they drafted Martin.

And Floyd has been just ripping it up in Viking land right?

 

[cowboyblue22]

so now u get ripped for building a good offensive line. okay

 

[khiladi]

Whether or not passing on drafting Floyd was a "Garrett move" has zero impact on Travis Frederick's selection.

It does when your talking about Garrett's and Tom for that matter being clue-less as to what is going on, when your trying to establish Garrett is changing the culture and influencing Garrett in positive direction. What's even more befuddling about going after Floyd is him being a 3-4 and this team deciding to go 4-3 in January, 4 months prior to the draft. What type of disconnect are we talking here?

What's even further comical is Jerry telling us that Garrett is going to be even more hands off in the offense and walking the side of the defense, when things like this happen..

 

[Aggie87]

And Floyd has been just ripping it up in Viking land right?

You're missing the point, too. It was never whether Floyd was a good player or draft pick. It was where he was on the Cowboys board.

 

[dfense]

You're missing the point, too. It was never whether Floyd was a good player or draft pick. It was where he was on the Cowboys board.

I understand. But he, like Manzel, didn't fit their plan. You could have a player rated high that you don't like for whatever reason.

From what I heard Floyd was more of a plugger than gap penatrator. Not a good fit. Marinelli gave a thumbs down.

 

[tyke1doe]

so now u get ripped for building a good offensive line. okay

I haven't read the entire thread and every post. Is someone actually ripping the Cowboys for building a good offensive line?

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

When I mean too late, I'm referring to ...
1. The emphasis to draft top offensive linemen early
2. Giving the offensive line time to gel together and
3. Establishing the brand of football (smash mouth) that has proven to serve teams well in the playoffs.

And I have to factor Romo's age into the equation.

Having a bad back in football is serious. You couple that with Romo's age, and I don't know how long he'll have to benefit from this "new" emphasis on the offensive line.

Just my take.

I understand what you're saying. I would've liked it done earlier as well but I don't think you can ever address this late. Because worst case scenario....when we are grooming our next QB after Romo his line will be in their mid 20's and have years together. Had we address it earlier in Romo's career the line would be fading and be in their late 20's to early 30's. Just taking a different approach to it.