PoetTree
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Our depth is not all that bad....
Word is that Free is performing well. But you show me one team in all the league that could lose its starting left tackle and not take a huge drop-off. Free would be a step down from Flo. But that goes without saying. I've heard nothing about Free, though, that indicates he'd be Rob Pettiti out there.
At guard, I think Holland is a very fine option as a backup. We lose a little in pass protection from either Davis or Kosier with Holland, but he's a real solid run blocker at the point of attack and we'd hardly be crippled with Holland in relief. We were dominating the Steelers in the trenches last season before Holland got hurt, and couldn't hang when Procter came into the game.
Which brings me to center, a position I actually think Procter could be a solid backup at. His problem is at guard, where you gotta have power to anchor against all-world DTs. Procter will never have that kind of strength. But the Dallas lines of the early 90's were anchored in the middle by 252lbs. pro-bowler Mark Stepnoski, who was sandwiched between behemoths on either side.
A center doesn't have to be overpowering physically. It's about awareness and angles and technique and quickness. Not saying power is not an asset. Gurode and Ray Donaldson of Cowboys lore are testament to that. But it's not as essential for success as at guard, where the center often double-teams with the guard and/or blocks a linebacker.
Oh, and who coached the undersized Mark Stepnoski to all those pro-bowls in the 90s? Hudson Houck, our current o-line coach.
Cory Procter is 6'4", 308lbs., is praised by the coaching staff for his intelligence and understanding of the game, the line-calls, technique and quickness. He was voted by the team as the best offensive lineman in the late-season win against the Giants last year, filling in at guard where he doesn't belong. But at center? That may be the one position where we could plug in a Cory Proctor and still succeed.
Free at tackle, Holland at guard, Procter at center.
As with any team, of course there's gonna be a drop-off if we've gotta roll with a backup. But I don't actually think our depth is nearly as atrocious as the media portends. Tackle would worry me the most, as Free is more of an unknown & its such an important position. But Flo and Columbo have both been pretty durable in a Cowboys uniform. Adams had that ACL tear and the shoulder problem last season. But he's hardly been injury-prone throughout his career.
Anyway, I actually feel pretty good about our backups.
And I hope we never see a one of them on the field.
Peace,
Poet
Word is that Free is performing well. But you show me one team in all the league that could lose its starting left tackle and not take a huge drop-off. Free would be a step down from Flo. But that goes without saying. I've heard nothing about Free, though, that indicates he'd be Rob Pettiti out there.
At guard, I think Holland is a very fine option as a backup. We lose a little in pass protection from either Davis or Kosier with Holland, but he's a real solid run blocker at the point of attack and we'd hardly be crippled with Holland in relief. We were dominating the Steelers in the trenches last season before Holland got hurt, and couldn't hang when Procter came into the game.
Which brings me to center, a position I actually think Procter could be a solid backup at. His problem is at guard, where you gotta have power to anchor against all-world DTs. Procter will never have that kind of strength. But the Dallas lines of the early 90's were anchored in the middle by 252lbs. pro-bowler Mark Stepnoski, who was sandwiched between behemoths on either side.
A center doesn't have to be overpowering physically. It's about awareness and angles and technique and quickness. Not saying power is not an asset. Gurode and Ray Donaldson of Cowboys lore are testament to that. But it's not as essential for success as at guard, where the center often double-teams with the guard and/or blocks a linebacker.
Oh, and who coached the undersized Mark Stepnoski to all those pro-bowls in the 90s? Hudson Houck, our current o-line coach.
Cory Procter is 6'4", 308lbs., is praised by the coaching staff for his intelligence and understanding of the game, the line-calls, technique and quickness. He was voted by the team as the best offensive lineman in the late-season win against the Giants last year, filling in at guard where he doesn't belong. But at center? That may be the one position where we could plug in a Cory Proctor and still succeed.
Free at tackle, Holland at guard, Procter at center.
As with any team, of course there's gonna be a drop-off if we've gotta roll with a backup. But I don't actually think our depth is nearly as atrocious as the media portends. Tackle would worry me the most, as Free is more of an unknown & its such an important position. But Flo and Columbo have both been pretty durable in a Cowboys uniform. Adams had that ACL tear and the shoulder problem last season. But he's hardly been injury-prone throughout his career.
Anyway, I actually feel pretty good about our backups.
And I hope we never see a one of them on the field.
Peace,
Poet
