Have We Improved? Position by Position Look

[Hostile]

I always have to start at QB. It's simply the most important position on the field.

QB
​

The player I wanted gone more than any other was Brad Johnson. There was of course a 2nd choice, but that hope was way down the list compared to how badly I wanted Johnson gone. Wasn't too keen on Brooks Bollinger either.

While I wanted to get younger, I can't deny that Jon Kitna is a great acquisition. Not only can he give some veteran tips to Romo, he can actually play. We finally drafted a QB and while McGee was not my pet cat in this Draft for QBs I am excited by his potential.

Romo's health is still the key to a great season, but we're in better shape if he gets hurt.

Change from 2008...Improvement.

RB & FB
​

The only changes will be that hopefully no one is called up form the Practice Squad due to injuries. There also could be a changing of the guard at FB or a complete removal of the position from the team. Without a doubt the Offense will be more focused on getting these playmakers the ball.

Change from 2008...Health is the key.

WR
​

I had to say it sooner or later. The Offense will miss TO. It cannot be denied that he is more talented than any of the WRs looking to take the #2 spot. Miles Austin needs to step up. Hurd and Stanback need to contribute on Special Teams and Roy Williams faces an incredible amount of scrutiny after a lackluster arrival.

Change from 2008...Decline in overall talent.

TE
​

John Phillips replaces Shane Hannah and Tony Curtis as the 3rd and blocking TE. The real improvement chance comes with maturation in the Offense by Martellus Bennett. Look for the Cowboys to use his leaping ability in the Red Zone. He might also play some WR. Now couldn't that be fun?

Change from 2008...It all depends on Marty B being in the Offesnive mix.

O-Line
​

Let's be blunt. 2008 was horrendous for the Line. Injuries took their toll. Guys filled in as if they were asleep in meetings. The OL is the key to 2009. They have to keep Tony Romo upright. They have to open holes for the running game. I can't get the image out of my head of Cory Proctor not moving at all on that play against the Cardinals. I hope his music career is better than his football career. Hudson Houck better crack the whip.

Change from 2008...Please let there be.

D-Line
​

The biggest defection is Chris Canty, the abiggest addition is Igor Olshansky. I think that is literally true. I expect improvement at DE because of the arrival of Olshansky who I think is better than Canty and at a much better price.

Tank Johnson is thankfully gone and Junior Siavii apparently has impressed the coaching staff enough that they think he will cement the NT position behind Ratliff.

It's a contract year for Marcus Spears and he remains solid against the run but isn't the spectacular DE Cowboys fans covet.

Change from 2008...Improvement because of Olshansky.

OLB
​

Greg "I Like What I Am Smelling" Ellis is gone. Anthony Spencer better step up. You had to know Ellis was goen when we drafted Brandon Williams and Victor Butler. They both led their respective Conferences in sacks.

With word that Wade Phillips was assuming the full time role of Defensive Coordinator there comes hope that the surge of improvement in the pass rush continues. Look for the Defense to be ultra aggressive, especially at the OLB positions.

Call me a homer, but I think starting Spencer is a much needed change to this Defense.

DeMarcus Ware set his goal for 2009 at 25 sacks. He is the best Defensive player in the NFL, in my opinion.

Change from 2008...Improvement, Ellis will not be missed.

ILB
​

Part of me wishes Zach Thomas had stayed around, even as a backup. It comes from my respect for him as a player. There will be professionalism in the huddle and locker room from Keith Brooking. It will be demanded and it will be given. Such is the kind of player Brooking has always been. This will benefit Bradie James the most who turned out to be a fine pass rusher from the blitz in 2008.

Will we keep 9 LBs? That is the question I keep asking as I try to figure out Jason Williams, Stephen Hodge and Bobby Carpenter all backing up James and Brooking.

Change from 2008...Solid improvement. Brooking is more compatible with Wade Phillips system.

CB
​

Anthony Henry was traded away and Pacman was sent away. The arrival last year of Scandrick and Jenkins is the main reason why. This year we also add Mike Mickens to the mix. He has the potential to be this year's Draft steal. If he stays healthy. Speaking of staying healthy, that's what we need from Terence Newman.

Well, that and some dadgum takeaways. How could we have so many sacks and so few INTs? Mind boggling.

Change from 2008...Hard not to improve. It would take real effort.

S
​

Here's the one I have been dreading. Let the Roy Williams burned in effigy continue. There's no denying Sensabaugh's coverage skills are better than Roy's and are a key to this season. Ken Hamlin was a huge disappointment in 2008 and the injuries to our Safeties were off the charts. DeAngelo Smith and Michael Hamlin bring true ball hawk skills to the Defense. Depth is improved.

Change from 2008...Better coverage means improvement.

Special Teams
​

We have a chance to be the best Special Teams units in the NFL. It all depends on the punt and kickoff coverage. Thank heavens Bruce "Lloyd Christmas" Read is gone and Joe DeCamillis has arrived. The man showed up to coach with a broken back and Tom Landry's bullhorn. Is there any doubt coverage teams will be better?

Matt McBriar returns as the most dangerous Punter in the NFC. His loss last year hurt even though his replacement had the biggest hit of the season. That's a sad commentary on 2008.

Nick Folk has established himself as one of the best FG Kickers in the the NFL. Remember when we Drafted him and people were saying he wasn't accurate enough to unseat Gramatica? I often wonder how that crow tasted. If there has been a complaint about him it has been kickoffs were not deep enough.

Problem solved. Welcome to two Kickers and the immortal world of David Buehler. I doubt he can even get close to his predictions for touchbacks but I honestly don't care as long as he gives us some. The longer the field for the opposing Offense the better the benefit for our Defense. That is all I care about.

The rookies from the Draft were selected in part to change the attitude on Special Teams. No wedge on kickoff returns means a focus on speed.

Change from 2008...Oh hell yeah. Improvement.

 

[casmith07]

Change from 2008...Oh hell yeah. Improvement.

Overall, I concur.

 

[Luther]

ILB
​

Part of me wishes Zach Thomas had stayed around, even as a backup. It comes from my respect for him as a player. There will be professionalism in the huddle and locker room from Keith Brooking. It will be demanded and it will be given. Such is the kind of player Brooking has always been. This will benefit Bradie James the most who turned out to be a fine pass rusher from the blitz in 2008.

Will we keep 9 LBs? That is the question I keep asking as I try to figure out Jason Williams, Stephen Hodge and Bobby Carpenter all backing up James and Brooking.

Change from 2008...Solid improvement. Brooking is more compatible with Wade Phillips system.

We lost Kevin Burnett. He might be missed. Hope not.

 

[jterrell]

I believe we are a better team then we were for the bulk of 2008 merely because right now everyone is healthy.

I tend to fall somewhere in between Hos' take and that of the mediots.

I expect the talent overall is slightly less than last year.
But that talent never really hit the field as a whole because RW11 got here late, we had 3 safeties on IR half the season or more, we had OL health issues, Felix played just enough to tease us then was gone, Choice didn't touch the ball til late in the season and by then Barber was seriously injured. Oh, and of course Romo was hurt.

SOoooo, easy enough to see, imho, we could have less talent on paper but more on the field this year.

Last season's offense was about 4 players alone: Romo, Witten, T.O., Barber.

Well 3 of those 4 were injured and T.O.'s response was that he should get all the touches in their stead.

This year we know we have 3 RBs, we know Marty B can be a threat in the passing game and we know RW11 will be fine with 2/3 the targets T.O as given.

I think that is positive for the offense as a whole.

Defense:

We will miss Greg Ellis. We missed him last year when he was sat down. Is Wade really just that ignorant of talent? I don't think so. I think he finally had enough of Greg's whining and when Wade starts benching a pass rusher... wow.

I do think Brandon Williams and Victor Butler are better than people realize. Same reason I loved Terrell Suggs coming out as well. Pass rushing translates to the NFL as well as anything. Pass protection schemes are sound int he NFL but it still often comes down to man on man blocking and that is a big advantage to guys who know how to get to the QB with skill and technique. The draftees both do. But I do not think they make us forget Ellis year 1. I do think one of them is starting by year 3. Spencer has been less than stellar to me thus far but he'll have his chance.

While I do believe the pass rush takes a minor hit, I suspect the coverage gets worlds better. I LOVE our CB group. It is sound and it is young. Youth is huge at CB because there is such a short lifespan for a CB in in the NFL. Jenkins and Scandrick can play and I'd bet dollars to donuts so can Mickens. Campo may be a poodle-head and one of the worst head coaches the NFL ever saw but he can recognize and develop DBs. He got that much from Jimmy if nothing else. --yes I know we had awful drafts with CAmpo in charge but I blame that on Lacewell/Jerry. That was the worst drafting brain trust combo in league-history... ok, well maybe after Snyder/Cerrato.

But again I think the youth on defense pays off. I suspect the youth is for once underrated and I suspect the new emphasis at Safety on covering means less big plays allowed and more big plays made.

So again I think we'll be at worst a wash on defense.

And Special Teams we'll clearly be better.
That won't even be close.

So while I may not match Hos' nearly every position improvement I can't help but conclude that the overall groups that take the field will be better. And that is how you win games.

 

[jterrell]

We lost Kevin Burnett. He might be missed. Hope not.

He'll be missed a bit but we should be used to that since he plays 10-12 games a year.

 

[Alexander]

We lost Kevin Burnett. He might be missed. Hope not.

If losing our nickel LBer is the worst thing that happened to us, we've led a pretty good life.

 

[Hostile]

If losing our nickel LBer is the worst thing that happened to us, we've led a pretty good life.

You don't care about winning. You should give up golf and Jessica too.

 

[Alexander]

You don't care about winning. You should give up golf and Jessica too.

Maybe. But I am stopping short at wearing my cap appropriately.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

If losing our nickel LBer is the worst thing that happened to us, we've led a pretty good life.

:laugh2: Romo disguised as Alexander.

 

[JBS]

You don't care about winning. You should give up golf and Jessica too.

If the guy played any amount of golf or dated Jessica or even someone that mirrored Jessica, we would never see him on the board...:laugh1:

 

[Hostile]

Maybe. But I am stopping short at wearing my cap appropriately.

Well, you always were a little backwards, so why not a cap.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I believe we are a better team then we were for the bulk of 2008 merely because right now everyone is healthy.

I tend to fall somewhere in between Hos' take and that of the mediots.

I expect the talent overall is slightly less than last year.

-snip-

Good post, JT.

I pretty much agree: Slightly less individual talent, slightly better team.

People hate to hear it, but it will probably come down to injuries and how the schedule breaks.

 

[ArmyCowboy]

Good post, JT.

I pretty much agree: Slightly less individual talent, slightly better team.

People hate to hear it, but it will probably come down to injuries and how the schedule breaks.

I think more than 50% of the teams in the league are in the same boat.

 

[RS12]

Call me a homer, but I think starting Spencer is a much needed change to this Defense.

Hos you are definitely a homer, but one who lives in reality. Hard to argue with much of it.

 

[Nav22]

Shane Hannah

Rodney Hannah.

Otherwise, nice post. I sure as hell hope you're right about OLB.

Isn't it funny how the David Buehler pick was once completely abhorred by many?

Not many 5th round picks will make the weekly impact that Buehler will (hopefully) make for us. And not to be one of "those people", but I loved the pick from the start.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Good assessment Hos. You're basically calling it "improvement" across the board on defense and I agree, because the Cowboys didn't lose players they wanted to keep, they lost players they wanted to replace. And they replaced them with better players who fit the system.

I think special teams will improve, but not because of the draft class or the coach (although the coach is clearly an improvement), but because more starters and veternas are suppose to be involved in the special teams. This will also help churm the bottom of the roster, because if guys like Felix Jones and Terrence Newman are returning kicloffs and punts respetively, then guys like Miles Austin and Stanback will have to stick based on their play at WR and not just what they do on specials.

WR and OL terrify me due to lack of depth and their prone to injury. And if those units fail again, it won'ty matter how good the QBs and RBs are because there's nver a cure for the "one-dimensional" blues in football.

 

[flashback]

I appreciate the effort, Hostile, and I enjoy posts like this. The GM's job is improve the team with every transaction, and at this most optimistic time of year, it is easy to give Jerry Jones high marks for the efforts of the off-season, before any of these guys hit the field.

But I look at the one area where the Cowboys absolutly needed improvement (OL) and the one area that has undergone the most dramatic transformation (WR) and I don't necessarily like what I see.

This offensive line should be one of the best in the league. Adams, Gurode and Davis all went to the Pro-Bowl, and all are known for their run-blocking. We have one of the best OL coaches (Houck) to ever blow a whistle. And yet we were 21st in the league in rushing yards (though we were tied for 10th in ypc). We added Robert Brewster, primarily a pass blocker from Ball St. I really believe that improving the running game has got to be Jason Garrett's top priority. I'm less worried about whether Romo is in the pocket or not, or who is the #2 or #3 receiver than I am about how many 3rd and 6+ situations he faces because our backs are trying to break tackles in the backfield on 1st and 2nd down.

At WR, Roy Williams is a talented guy and I think he'll be OK. 80 some-odd catches and 9 or 10 TDs is about all we can expect, and I can live with that. But there is a bunch of guys who haven't really proven anything in the NFL after him, and at least 2 of these guys are going to have to have the best season they've ever had for the Cowboys to contend for the division this year.

And the guy who needs to make all this work? Jason Garrett. The 3rd year OC needs to get the running game going, balance the passing attack using his talented HBs and TEs to make up for the production he can't expect from the WRs. And he's basically on his own. I think we all know the HC has very little expertise with or interest in the offensive side of the ball. None of his position coaches have any coordinator experience (to the best of my knowledge).

So, while I have faith that the defense and special teams have improved, and I like our QB and RBs and TEs, we have major, major question marks on offense. Its possible that Adams and Kosier and Gurode and Davis and Columbo will absolutely kick *** and Miles Austin will have 70 catches for 1100 yards ... but its not real likely, is it?

 

[RS12]

This offensive line should be one of the best in the league.

You are talking about the same O Line that hasnt been able to pick the blitz for the better part of a decade, and a disinterested, over the hill Flozell Adams?

 

[bigE79]

If losing our nickel LBer is the worst thing that happened to us, we've led a pretty good life.

This has got to be one of the funniest posts i have read on here in a long time. ...BRAVO

 

[batman36]

WR's coach Ray Sherman has offensive coordinator experience.