MMQB - Scouting Dallas: The NFL’s Best Offensive Line

Plankton

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http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/09/01/nfl-dallas-cowboys-2016-scouting-report

2. Dallas still has the NFL’s best O-line—by a wide margin. It underachieved last season, and you can’t help but wonder if the departure of line coach Bill Callahan was a factor. (The quarterback carrousel didn’t help either, though this front five also didn’t play great in the games Romo started.) Nevertheless, there’s simply too much talent here to ignore. Left tackle Tyron Smith has the springiest feet of any blocker in the game. Left guard La’el Collins was up and down as a rookie, which is to be expected, but his ups were so up that you figure his floor can’t help but rise. And his ceiling might not even exist. Center Travis Frederick is tremendous on reach-and-seal blocks, where he snaps the ball and crosses over the nose tackle to pin him back inside, away from the running back. This is the most crucial piece to Dallas’s entire outside zone-running game. Zack Martin is a layer or two of mechanical polish away from challenging Marshal Yanda as the king of right guards. And right tackle Doug Free has quietly been very stellar in run-blocking these past two years. If Collins ascends in his second year, each Cowboys lineman will be in the top five at his respective position. This in mind, it makes you wonder why the Cowboys would spend the No. 4 overall draft pick on a running back.
 

Beats_By_Zeke

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"This in mind, it makes you wonder why the Cowboys would spend the No. 4 overall draft pick on a running back."

A rb with elite power and speed than can break for a td on any carry. Which Dallas lacked last season. Duh.
Is he suggesting what we should of used on a RT of the future?
 

bayeslife

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"This in mind, it makes you wonder why the Cowboys would spend the No. 4 overall draft pick on a running back."

A rb with elite power and speed than can break for a td on any carry. Which Dallas lacked last season. Duh.

At this point it's water under the bridge. We are going to get elite play out of our running game for the next 5+ years leaving us wiggle room to attack our holes on defense and probably WR
 

Seven

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Because there weren't any tight ends in the first at #4?
 

dstew60105

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http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/09/01/nfl-dallas-cowboys-2016-scouting-report

2. Dallas still has the NFL’s best O-line—by a wide margin. It underachieved last season, and you can’t help but wonder if the departure of line coach Bill Callahan was a factor. (The quarterback carrousel didn’t help either, though this front five also didn’t play great in the games Romo started.) Nevertheless, there’s simply too much talent here to ignore. Left tackle Tyron Smith has the springiest feet of any blocker in the game. Left guard La’el Collins was up and down as a rookie, which is to be expected, but his ups were so up that you figure his floor can’t help but rise. And his ceiling might not even exist. Center Travis Frederick is tremendous on reach-and-seal blocks, where he snaps the ball and crosses over the nose tackle to pin him back inside, away from the running back. This is the most crucial piece to Dallas’s entire outside zone-running game. Zack Martin is a layer or two of mechanical polish away from challenging Marshal Yanda as the king of right guards. And right tackle Doug Free has quietly been very stellar in run-blocking these past two years. If Collins ascends in his second year, each Cowboys lineman will be in the top five at his respective position. This in mind, it makes you wonder why the Cowboys would spend the No. 4 overall draft pick on a running back.

Zack is already the King of Right Guards.
 

brymatt94

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It's the best run OL in the league, not the best OL.

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And that's before Collins.
 

percyhoward

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This in mind, it makes you wonder why the Cowboys would spend the No. 4 overall draft pick on a running back.
Because they didn't trust Romo to stay healthy, and a guy like Zeke who can catch, block, and run is a backup QB's best friend.
 

gimmesix

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And right tackle Doug Free has quietly been very stellar in run-blocking these past two years. If Collins ascends in his second year, each Cowboys lineman will be in the top five at his respective position.

I'm surprised Doug Free detractors aren't all over this.
 

CouchCoach

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According to PFF, it's the best pass blocking line.
That's their opinion. Our starting QB has gone down now 3 times inside of a year.

How can anyone rate this OL the best at pass blocking with "which way did he go" Free? They even mentioned run blocking, which he is much better at.
 

CouchCoach

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I'm surprised Doug Free detractors aren't all over this.
He is a far superior run blocker to pass protection. He's not athletic or agile enough for pass protection. DE's stay down and make the corner on him too much and he ends up whiffing.
 

ScipioCowboy

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That's their opinion. Our starting QB has gone down now 3 times inside of a year.

How can anyone rate this OL the best at pass blocking with "which way did he go" Free? They even mentioned run blocking, which he is much better at.

Because that's not you measure pass blocking effectiveness. If I have a quarterback who likes to hold on to the football, I'm going to see more injuries. There are other variables at play here.
 

gmoney112

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Without a doubt, we killed those first round OL picks. I expect us to pull a 49ers of a few years ago and run over people.

Collins is a monster in the run game, but even he can improve his discipline in pass protection, he got a little too anxious last year and it lead to Romo's second break.

Going to be fun to watch
 
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