Mailbag: How Did The Interior Line Affect Free’s Play Outside?

[WoodysGirl]

ALDO PIPPO
VANCOUVER, BC
Doug Free[URL="http://www.dallascowboys.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif"] [/URL] had a rough year last year. Is there any merit to the notion that the poor interior line play had a ripple effect? With an expected stronger interior, should we expect a better year from Doug Free?

Bryan: You should expect a better year from Free if he improves his technique. If he doesn’t punch and allows his hands to work outside the framework of the rusher’s body and he doesn’t get separation, he will struggle like he has the last two seasons. When Free has a chance, he gets his hands inside on the rusher and this allows him to sit down. When he misses with his hands and he gets too high, he has no shot. There are strength issues with him at times and this is because of his hands. With him it has never been about his feet but watch when he misses with his punch, it’s not good.

Rowan: That’s what the team expects. Otherwise, a player like Tyson Clabo would have already been on the team. The Cowboys’ executives brought in Travis Frederick[URL="http://www.dallascowboys.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif"] [/URL] hoping he could solidify the base of the line and make everyone else around him better. Still, Free has to win more on his 1-on-1’s. If he plays at the level he did early on last year, strong center play may not do much. The difference entering this year is he’ll have to earn the spot with Jermey Parnell[URL="http://www.dallascowboys.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif"] [/URL] pushing him. The Cowboys liked what they saw out of Free as he rotated with Parnell last year.

JIMMY SMITH
HARTFORD, CT
Drafting Terrence Williams makes it seem like the Cowboys aren't really sold on Cole Beasley[URL="http://www.dallascowboys.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif"] [/URL] or Dwayne Harris[URL="http://www.dallascowboys.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif"] [/URL] to secure the third receiver spot. Why the lack of confidence? Dwayne Harris really seemed to play well whenever he was given the opportunity.

Read the answer: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/a...-Outside/6aab28f2-faa7-41f1-abc0-d6ebccd2aea1

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I'm not totally opposed to Free and Parnell battling it out for the RT job. I agree with the article that 1) Parnell on his heels will push Free to play better, and 2) The poor play in the interior had a ripple effect. I also love the move of getting Frederick to play center, which the article says "solidifies the base of the Oline." I also think Livings had a much better year than people give him credit. But... all that being said... the RG play has to improve considerably. Otherwise, it will have a ripple effect yet again on RT. We really need to hope someone currently on the roster steps up, OR go get someone like Moore.

 

[conner01]

the 12 will also help the tackles a whole lot. makes it hard to beat a tackle around the edge with a te lined up there. even if he just goes out it forces the defender inside more. and it makes chipping easy
free is about money mostly. his played was bad and we would cut him if we could afford the cap hit next year, but we really need that money for other guys so the ideal situation is he takes a pay cut and competes with parnell and hopefully weems developes into a good enough player to be the swing guy next year

 

[xwalker]

Free's issues were not due to the OG next to him. Getting bullrushed straight back to the QB has nothing to do with the OG.

If he improves it is due to technique changes. It has been reported that Free resisted technique changes proposed by Callahan until he started rotating with Parnell.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Free's issues were not due to the OG next to him. Getting bullrushed straight back to the QB has nothing to do with the OG.

If he improves it is due to technique changes. It has been reported that Free resisted technique changes proposed by Callahan until he started rotating with Parnell.

I must admit I have not been overly impressed with Woicik's tenure so far. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because he has only had one offseason to work with the players but I see the same injuries and a whole slew of weak players.

Cook, Bernadeau, Lissemore, Arkin, and Free are all lineman off the top of my head that have been getting blown off the ball. Free and Lissemore are two guys that have seemed to regress from a physical strength standpoint.

 

[ThreeandOut]

Free's issues were not due to the OG next to him. Getting bullrushed straight back to the QB has nothing to do with the OG.

If he improves it is due to technique changes. It has been reported that Free resisted technique changes proposed by Callahan until he started rotating with Parnell.

I wonder if Free just isn't a good fit for Callahan's style of play. He seemed to do much better under Houck.

 

[5Stars]

I must admit I have not been overly impressed with Woicik's tenure so far. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because he has only had one offseason to work with the players but I see the same injuries and a whole slew of weak players.

Cook, Bernadeau, Lissemore, Arkin, and Free are all lineman off the top of my head that have been getting blown off the ball. Free and Lissemore are two guys that have seemed to regress from a physical strength standpoint.

If Romo has to go do "Payton Manning hours", I hope at least all of the other team could at least do some Eli hours? That should be fair.

It would be cool to actually have their work schedule.

:laugh2:

 

[Tabascocat]

I wonder if Free just isn't a good fit for Callahan's style of play. He seemed to do much better under Houck.

That's what I am thinking too. He went from decent/serviceable to outright bad when Callahan came in. I'm sure it didn't help the middle of the line was just as bad, Fred should help some. Adding Moore would be even better

 

[Zordon]

I must admit I have not been overly impressed with Woicik's tenure so far. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because he has only had one offseason to work with the players but I see the same injuries and a whole slew of weak players.

Cook, Bernadeau, Lissemore, Arkin, and Free are all lineman off the top of my head that have been getting blown off the ball. Free and Lissemore are two guys that have seemed to regress from a physical strength standpoint.

cosign 100%.