Norm talks Cowboy's WR concerns - 6/30/08

[dbair1967]

With this team... if TO is out they will stack the box and our PASS BLOCKING LINE will not be successful at RUN BLOCKING. It wasnt success with TO in the lineup last year at RUN BLOCKING. There is no magic potion... until we run block effectively it doesnt matter too much who is running behind them.

you are blindly speculating...Adams, Davis and Gurode are all extremely physical and can overpower opponents. They clearly have the traits to be very good run blockers..only Kosier would be considered a "finesse" type blocker, better at pass blocking than run blocking, and he may or may not be the starting LG this yr...Hudson Houck is a tremendous OL coach and has almost always improved a team's running game wherever he has been.

Also, when we hired Jason Garrett last yr he only changed the passing game. He left Sparano's running system in place. With the addition of Houck, I think its a safe bet that we see a different style and possibly a very altered run game in general.

David

 

[Stash]

Is a 6th rounder worth something or not? You say you would rather not gamble on a UDFA like Romo again. You then say that a 6th rounder is not worth much, but worth gambling with. Just seems contradictory.

If you're willing to guarantee me the 6th rounder will turn out like Romo? Sure.

But the fact is that Romo is a once in a lifetime exception, not the rule.

Dallas needed to draft O-line in 2004 when they chose both Rogers and Peterman. They picked poorly, but at that time they already had a young, talented, early round WR on the roster in Antonio Bryant. Counting on him was a bad choice, but he is what you say you are looking for.

Bryant is another example of the Cowboys acquiring a receiver with 'issues'. Bryant was a first round talent with an attitude problem. That's why he was available to Dallas.

They also had Terry Glenn who did not have a degenerative knee condition at the time and Keyshawn Johnson. They picked up Crayton in the 7th round and Terrence Copper. Seems to me that they did do exactly what you were talking about. They tried to address the WR position and unfortunately only Crayton worked out of those choices from that year.

Glenn's knee condition had been known about for two years. And the ages of both Glenn and Owens weren't secret either. How'd they 'get' Copper? I'm talking about a draft investment, not strictly late rounders and free agents.

I didn't like the Fasano pick in 2006. In that draft there were 5 receivers drafted after Fasano in the 3rd round that Dallas could have picked. Travis Wilson, Derek Hagan, Brandon Williams, Maurice Stoval and Willie Reid were all taken in the 3rd round. I don't see any of them solving Dallas wide receiver issues. Dallas would have been better off picking up someone at another position rather than drafting Fasano, but WR was not a good pick in that second round spot. It would have taken a trade and maybe they did try to trade up, but had no takers. You just never know.

While we're playing revisionist history, the Cowboys also could have gotten Greg Jennings in round 2 had they stayed put. (probably forgot about the trade huh?)

Or how about Santonio Holmes instead of Carpenter in Round 1?

That looks smarter after the fact too.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Pure speculation at this point.


Owens missing time - we know what happens then.

Yeah we know that Hurd and Austin get more playing time. Thats about it. Most WR 'get it' in their third seasons.

We shall see.

And no you don't know what will happen with that nor will you know what Glenn will do this season.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

you are blindly speculating...Adams, Davis and Gurode are all extremely physical and can overpower opponents. They clearly have the traits to be very good run blockers..only Kosier would be considered a "finesse" type blocker, better at pass blocking than run blocking, and he may or may not be the starting LG this yr...Hudson Houck is a tremendous OL coach and has almost always improved a team's running game wherever he has been.

Also, when we hired Jason Garrett last yr he only changed the passing game. He left Sparano's running system in place. With the addition of Houck, I think its a safe bet that we see a different style and possibly a very altered run game in general.

David

Sparano is not very good at teaching run techniques to linemen. We were inconsistent across the line in that department.

 

[Doomsday101]

With this team... if TO is out they will stack the box and our PASS BLOCKING LINE will not be successful at RUN BLOCKING. It wasnt success with TO in the lineup last year at RUN BLOCKING. There is no magic potion... until we run block effectively it doesnt matter too much who is running behind them.

I think if Jones had better vision we may have seen the run blocking was not as bad as some claim. Barber seemed to manage behind the same line and was able to cut back in open lanes. A good RB can make a line look better. Heck we all agree the 90's O-line was one of the best yet when Emmitt was out of the lineup no other RB could do much. As much as a RB needs a line, a line needs a RB who knows how to adjust to what is happening in front of him

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I believe the improved special teams play, on Kickoff and punt returns, as well as an improved running game, over all, will both help us out in the WR area enough to hide any deficenies we might have there.