Mandatory Monday (Tanier): O-Line Rankings

[JD_KaPow]

1. Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys bashers can scoff if they like, but the team has a tremendous line. It all starts with Tyron Smith, one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL right now. Smith allowed just three sacks last year and is the best run-blocking left tackle in the league. Right tackle Doug Free is a solid run blocker who rarely makes mistakes in pass protection and has not missed a start in four years.

Smith is outstanding and Free is good, but the prospects are what bring this line to the next level. Travis Frederick had a fine rookie campaign and will start at center for the rest of the decade. Rookie Zack Martin moves over from collegiate tackle to give the Cowboys a massive, athletic, nearly game-ready guard to fill the line's biggest hole from last year. Martin is already counterproductively clobbering Cowboys defenders in minicamp, but gains on the offensive line always come at the expense of the defense in Dallas for some reason (see Frederick's early selection at the expense of a much-needed defender in the 2013 draft). That's a problem for a later series of articles.

As for the Cowboys bashers, bear with me … if Jason Garrett is a ninny and Tony Romo is a chokity-choke and Dez Bryant is a headcase and the running backs are all Lance Dunbar types that Jerry Jones fell in love with while eating caviar and barbecue in front of the 230-inch television on a Saturday afternoon, then how do the Cowboys average nearly 28 points per game? Somebody besides Jason Witten is doing something right. Five somebodies, to be precise.

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[boysfanindc]

Now we just need to impose or will on teams with this line, wearing their butts out by the 3rd qtr.

Then can anyone say play action!

 

[ShiningStar]

I want to get back to I believe was 2007 when our Oline was imposing its will on defensive lines. I want this unit to not just have swagger but know they can push anyone around. Once that mentaility is instilled, this offense will be better where it needs be and stats wont matter.

 

[erod]

It is Garrett's signature stamp on the team thus far.

 

[jrumann59]

I consider Free adequate. He is not the best run blocking RT and he is not the worst same with his pass blocking. He is an average tackle and there is nothing wrong with that but he is not stout at the point of attack but he does get into defenders way. I consider him a bigger weakeness than our guards even before drafting Martin.

 

[perrykemp]

Now we just need to impose or will on teams with this line, wearing their butts out by the 3rd qtr.

If the intention is to wear opposing defenses out by the 3rd quarter with OL physicality, why bring in Scott Linehan who has OC'd the most one of the most prolific pass heavy offenses in NFL history with the Lions recently?

 

[boysfanindc]

Per Linehan that was a result of what he had available to him in Detroit -

But Linehan says that was a product of utilizing the offensive strengths on the roster. The Lions threw often because they have arguably the league’s top wide receiver in Calvin Johnson. They also didn’t have a Pro Bowl caliber back taking hand-offs from Matthew Stafford until Reggie Bush arrived via free agency.

“We threw it a lot in Detroit, but a lot of our passing game was designed to be a lot of what we didn’t feel we had in the running game,” Linehan said. “We started to build it last year. We started to get some credibility in our running game.”

-

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Not sure about #1 just yet. Martin still has to play an NFL snap, we need to see how much Smith and Frederick have improved, we need to see which Doug Free we'll be getting, and there's a battle between Leary and Bernadeau. But the potential to become #1 this season is definitely there.

 

[DFWJC]

I don't even know if Dallas has the best oline in the NFC East, let alone in the NFL.
Philly's line is outstanding.

But if Freddy improves and Martin is what they hope he is, this line is a huge strength. It's been a several years since we could say that!

 

[erod]

Free was very good when he had Waters next to him. Perhaps Martin will provide the same.

 

[noshame]

Our OL was a top 7 last year and will be a top three this year. If we use the running game and Romo gets the ball out to his primary once in a while we could be #1.

 

[gimmesix]

Not sure about #1 just yet. Martin still has to play an NFL snap, we need to see how much Smith and Frederick have improved, we need to see which Doug Free we'll be getting, and there's a battle between Leary and Bernadeau. But the potential to become #1 this season is definitely there.

I agree ... mostly. I don't think Smith needs to improve, but there's definitely room for it with the rest. We potentially have a very solid starting five IF Frederick takes another step forward; Leary makes progress or Bernadeau shows enough to beat him out; Martin is all that right out of the gate; and Free doesn't revert.

If all that happens, Dallas could have the top line in the league. What makes me feel good, though, is even if it all doesn't happen, Dallas still has a much better shot at putting the best line its had on the field since 2007.

 

[burmafrd]

Still a few ifs:

Free is the big one.

Leary is the small one.

 

[DFWJC]

Our OL was a top 7 last year and will be a top three this year. If we use the running game and Romo gets the ball out to his primary once in a while we could be #1.

Romo was targeted even more than Calvin Johnson. Your relentless hate gets old.

 

[Alexander]

High praise. Now only if the HC and OC can actually trust the line to do more than pass block that would be really nice.

 

[theSHOW]

1. Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys bashers can scoff if they like, but the team has a tremendous line. It all starts with Tyron Smith, one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL right now. Smith allowed just three sacks last year and is the best run-blocking left tackle in the league. Right tackle Doug Free is a solid run blocker who rarely makes mistakes in pass protection and has not missed a start in four years.

Smith is outstanding and Free is good, but the prospects are what bring this line to the next level. Travis Frederick had a fine rookie campaign and will start at center for the rest of the decade. Rookie Zack Martin moves over from collegiate tackle to give the Cowboys a massive, athletic, nearly game-ready guard to fill the line's biggest hole from last year. Martin is already counterproductively clobbering Cowboys defenders in minicamp, but gains on the offensive line always come at the expense of the defense in Dallas for some reason (see Frederick's early selection at the expense of a much-needed defender in the 2013 draft). That's a problem for a later series of articles.

As for the Cowboys bashers, bear with me … if Jason Garrett is a ninny and Tony Romo is a chokity-choke and Dez Bryant is a headcase and the running backs are all Lance Dunbar types that Jerry Jones fell in love with while eating caviar and barbecue in front of the 230-inch television on a Saturday afternoon, then how do the Cowboys average nearly 28 points per game? Somebody besides Jason Witten is doing something right. Five somebodies, to be precise.

Read more...

If the line plays tight and the headcase gets his head together and Romo stays healthy........the Boys will be scoring points. I also love caviar and DeMarco Murray as a feature back.

 

[TrailBlazer]

It is Garrett's signature stamp on the team thus far.

Gotta credit that to the GM, don'tcha think?

It's Garrett's job to utilize it to its max potential. If this is all he brings to the table then there are better candidates for the job and he can take a job in the personnel dept.

 

[TrailBlazer]

Dallas wasnt confident running on 3rd and 2 last year. That should hopefully change.

 

[WillieBeamen]

We have a top 5 oline imo, however i still want free replaced next yr in the draft. He is too inconsistent for me

 

[erod]

We have a top 5 oline imo, however i still want free replaced next yr in the draft. He is too inconsistent for me

Free played above average next to Waters. He was REALLY good during that stretch. If Martin can provide that, Free is far more than adequate.

Next to a dufus at guard, Free gets lost.