Nervous about our offensive line after hearing Big Nate's comments

[kskboys]

In reviewing the past drafts, I only see 1 DT over 6-4 in the span between Jason Hatcher in 2006 and Ridgeway in 2022.

• The majority of DTs going back to 2006 were under 6-4, including these players:
  • Odighi 6-2
  • Gallimore 6-2
  • Hill 6-3
  • Maliek Collins 6-2

Looking back over the past decade, I'm not seeing much in terms of under-powered OLinemen.

Power Players
Tyler Smith (The most powerful player in the 2022 draft, in my opinion).
Zack Martin
Frederick
Tyron

Connor Williams was drafted in the 2nd because he projected to be an option at OT.
- Obviously at OG he was under-powered, but I don't think they would have drafted him in the 2nd strictly as a Guard.

Connor McGovern was considered a power run blocking OC with questions about his pass blocking.

Biadasz did have questions about power; however, he was 6-4, 314 which is not small.
- He was good in space and understanding the scheme which projected him as a decent zone blocking OC.

Yes, it appears you get caught up in the details and don't notice the big pick.

OL: Question: Did you notice those you named were all 1st rounders? We take guys w/ movement skills after the first rounds. They almost all flame out due to lack of power.

DL's:

Malik: Underpowered pass rusher
Hill: Complete project, w/ his ability to anchor at the NFL level a major question mark.

Osa n Galley were both taken lateley, where our DT drafting seems to have taken an upturn due to MM.

 

[kskboys]

We needed more road graders on the O line and we got too many finesses players.
We needed some short trashcans full of dirt for the DT position and went for 'quick twitch'
and so we are where we are.

That is an accurate synopsis of our problems at DT.

 

[glimmerman]

You have every reason to be nervous about this OL. They took a 1st rounder with a lot of potential upside over more battle tested ones. Every DC is going to spend time on that film of him with 3 penalties and trying to recreate that same situation.

If he falters, I look for the Center to have more issues getting the shotgun to the same point consistently.

It is not often that a team loses two starters on the OL in the same off season and not being players in FA will exacerbate that. If Steele also struggles, that pocket is going to be a mess.

Yeah apparently Ball didn’t do the work we hoped. But Steele is. I think McGovern is what he is going to be.

 

[ondaedg]

We needed more road graders on the O line and we got too many finesses players.
We needed some short trashcans full of dirt for the DT position and went for 'quick twitch'
and so we are where we are.

The coaches drafted guys who fit their schemes. Zone blocking and trapping for OL and quick DTs for Rod’s DL. Hurts your ability to be physical on both side of the ball.

 

[Sydla]

Not bringing in a quality swing OT in FA, especially after letting Collins go and making our swing tackle the starting RT, may bite us in the ***, big time.

 

[Starforever]

Never understood why Nate felt the need to be a mule.

All of the mole rats were taken.

 

[CyberB0b]

Larry Allen.

 

[quickccc]

• One player can completely remake an OLine.
  • In 1992 Jimmy made Erik Williams the RT and moved Nate to OG.
    • They had a middle of the pack OL in 1991. That move resulted in them being the best OL in the league in 1992.
  • Tyler Smith could be that player.
    • He was (in my opinion) the most powerful player in the 2022 NFL draft.
  • In 2021, Connor Williams often blocked on the 2nd level in the run game with Biadasz more often blocking a DT.
    • In 2022, they can scheme to make Biadasz the 2nd level blocker and let Tyler Smith take on the DTs.

• Swing Tackle is indeed a concern.
  • They have the option to move Steele to LT if Tyron is out and then find somebody to play RT.
    • Steele started 6 games at LT in 2021 and was ok. He is better at RT than LT, but ok at LT.
  • If nobody steps up in camp, they can find a veteran Swing Tackle capable of playing RT.
    • Either after the cut to 53 when some veteran OTs are cap cuts but still have ability or by trading a late round pick.
  • Worst case, they can move Zack Martin to RT and play McGovern at RG.

My wonder is what kind of quality (left overs) are you likely to be getting at that late stage the closer it gets to reg season?

Not only NFL team will be scratching and scrambling for vet depth help as well, but i think your best bet for the best quality vet help should
be at start of FA period (ala Cam Irvin)

 

[DandyDon52]

That’s a fair question. But I don’t think that would work.

IMO, a better approach would have been to recognize that Tyron is close to the end in 2020 and instead of drafting a WR in round one, they take a LT. I know Lamb is a fine player, but WRs are much easier to find than a LT. This FO has waited until it’s literally biting us in the backside to move on this. And frankly, I don’t think Tyler Smith will be a LT. I could be wrong, and hope I am. I just think this team needs lots of additional help on OL and DL before it can be a serious contender.

The problem this FO can never seem to move on from is having emotional attachments to players that are starting to decline or worse, are already there.

good point, but most here loved the lamb pick, but your right if a good LT was there, that should have been the pick.

And I dont think it is emotional lol, the jones boys are just dumb, and refuse to see reality.
To them tyron is still tyron as he was back in 2012.

 

[Bullflop]

It's no secret to the discerning eye that our FO hasn't done enough to overcome this team's OL deficiencies. If steps aren't appropriately forthcoming to fortify the offense's backup OT deficiencies, the future of the Cowboys' offense look bleak. The endless days of the FO merely being reactive to ongoing problems do this struggling team no helpful favors. Being proactive, rather than reactive, is a must-happen requirement.

Hopefully, things might be attended to, well before the supply of capable OT backups are totally exhausted. The tendency of this team's leaders to allow waiting until their problems are impossible to correct must come to an end. It's time for Stephen Jones to wake up and take hold of the reins, before it's simply too late for success to be dutifully accomplished. His blindless has been an ongoing problem.

 

[atlantacowboy]

You have every reason to be nervous about this OL. They took a 1st rounder with a lot of potential upside over more battle tested ones. Every DC is going to spend time on that film of him with 3 penalties and trying to recreate that same situation.

If he falters, I look for the Center to have more issues getting the shotgun to the same point consistently.

It is not often that a team loses two starters on the OL in the same off season and not being players in FA will exacerbate that. If Steele also struggles, that pocket is going to be a mess.

He was the 7th OT off the board. So, 6 other teams with needs at OT chose another guy. He played small ball in college and had a hard time with penalties even at that level. If he makes the jump, it likely won't be this year. It was a need/reach pick made b/c the Jones are completely incapable of managing a roster.

 

[kskboys]

• I agree that it would have been good to have taken a few more late round OTs over the past decade.
  • However, most years when they didn't draft one in the top 3 rounds, they drafted one later.
  • Looking back at the past decade, it's primarily 2016 and 2017 when it's surprising they didn't draft an OT in any round.
  • Free & Leary had departed after 2016 and Parnell had departed after 2014.

• Biadasz 2021 4th round.
  • He showed good power and a bit a nasty demeanor in college.
  • His weaknesses were more about limited length and limited athleticism.

• Josh Ball 4th round 2021
  • He was a mauler in college. That included Florida State where he was a better college LT in 2017 than Steele was at RT in 2020.

• Waletzko 5th round 2022.
  • Not a road grader per se, but he has good size at 6-7, 315 already.
  • He was a very aggressive player in college. He showed a bit of a nasty demeanor at the Senior Bowl 1-on-1 drills.
• Side Note:
  • Waldo was surprisingly similar to Tyler Smith in terms of style/demeanor and in terms of weaknesses.
    • It's not surprising that the same group that drafted Tyler also drafted Waldo.
    • He often pancaked defenders (Albeit he was at North Dakota State and didn't face top tier competition).
    • He did take a couple of defenders to the ground at the Senior Bowl.
  • He has terrific athletic measurables.
  • His issue was almost identical to Tyler's issues.
    • Terrible technique. Hands outside the pads, etc..

We are just recently doing better, giving me hope that we might be "getting it". Osa and Golston are pretty much polar opposites of what we used to look for.

 

[kskboys]

It's no secret to the discerning eye that our FO hasn't done enough to overcome this team's OL deficiencies. If steps aren't appropriately forthcoming to fortify the offense's backup OT deficiencies, the future of the Cowboys' offense look bleak. The endless days of the FO merely being reactive to ongoing problems do this struggling team no helpful favors. Being proactive, rather than reactive, is a must-happen requirement.

Hopefully, things might be attended to, well before the supply of capable OT backups are totally exhausted. The tendency of this team's leaders to allow waiting until their problems are impossible to correct must come to an end. It's time for Stephen Jones to wake up and take hold of the reins, before it's simply too late for success to be dutifully accomplished. His blindless has been an ongoing problem.

Very well stated, and spot on. There's always some player that we just must have, passing up the players that would truly make us better to take him.

We can't stop the run, but we just had to take Lamb. Just had to take Escobar. Just had to take Kelvin. Just had to take Gregory. Just had to take Chaz Green.

It's not taking any one player that's the problem, it's taking these guys that we just have to have over and over and over. Lamb is a fine player, glad we got him, but if we can't stop the run, Lamb doesn't matter.

 

[kskboys]

He was the 7th OT off the board. So, 6 other teams with needs at OT chose another guy. He played small ball in college and had a hard time with penalties even at that level. If he makes the jump, it likely won't be this year. It was a need/reach pick made b/c the Jones are completely incapable of managing a roster.

At least Tyrel is huge and strong. I highly doubt if he'll ever make a LT, but he should make a dominant OG.

 

[kskboys]

good point, but most here loved the lamb pick, but your right if a good LT was there, that should have been the pick.

And I dont think it is emotional lol, the jones boys are just dumb, and refuse to see reality.
To them tyron is still tyron as he was back in 2012.

It's not about any individual player we've taken, it's about passing up players that would've improved us instrumentally.

 

[DeaconMoss]

It's not about any individual player we've taken, it's about passing up players that would've improved us instrumentally.

Rounds 1-4 are players that are supposed to make your team and contribute. Dallas usually goes 1 for 4. .250 at finding someone who can make the team and play at a NFL level. Too many wasted picks on if this guy wasn't hurt he would be a first rounder. If this guy wasn't a dope head he would have been x. If his guy didnt have a DV charge he would......
Jaylon. LVE. Gregory. Joseph. Ball.
I would never draft guys like that. ever.

 

[Swagger]

I guess it's about the right time to start bringing up excuses for incompetence at the QB position.

 

[Daillest88]

So Tyron already having back issues in mini camp? Is that what he ment?

 

[zrinkill]

In the last couple of years Nate has talked good about o-line players that ended up being released ..... So I now take what he says with a grain of salt.

 

[visionary]

I do not want to hear this as an excuse for Dak’s performance during the year. This guy has had at least 3 rd 1 level picks in front of him in every year he has been starting