Nowadays, could a team realistically have an offensive line like the 1990s Cowboys?

[TTexasTT]

They did not "luck" into drafting E. Williams and L. Allen , who were the 2 most dominate players on the 90's O'Line.
Should be noted that neither was a 1st round draft pick.

Exactly why is was infact somewhat "luck" in getting them.

Though I dont think Allen was there for the first two SBs, he is agruably the most dominate lineman ever. If there would have been any indication that he would have been such a complete monster he wouldve been the first thing taken off the board instead of 50th or however low he was picked up. Afterall Dallas took Shante Carver over Allen in the same draft. So yes, luck has quite a bit to do with it.

 

[TTexasTT]

Carter Bryant Murray if any of them are asking a ton..goodbye and maybe goodbye if a RB like Murray is even asking the rate. Put the stick in your mouth and bite while the arrow is removed. It will heal much better once it is out. Love to trade Dez for the pics. Pay the left tackle Tyron who will someday be the best. Start the build the right way. Oh lay off the college players who are a bargan because they blew out their knee last season.

lol you also say you would always go for it on 4th down.

Anyway, Bryant and Smith are both young and will comand a bunch of money. What makes Smith more valuable than Bryant?
WRs like Bryant are just as hard to find as OL guys like Smith. Why not just trade Smith for some picks and get more lineman... makes about as much sense.

 

[Tabascocat]

lol you also say you would always go for it on 4th down.

Anyway, Bryant and Smith are both young and will comand a bunch of money. What makes Smith more valuable than Bryant?
WRs like Bryant are just as hard to find as OL guys like Smith. Why not just trade Smith for some picks and get more lineman... makes about as much sense.

It would be asinine to trade either. If I had to choose one, it would be Dez, the trenches are more important. Either way, Dez is just as important to this offense even if he isn't producing what is expected. He commands attention which opens up the rest of the offense even if they know how to use it or not.

 

[TTexasTT]

It would be asinine to trade either. If I had to choose one, it would be Dez, the trenches are more important. Either way, Dez is just as important to this offense even if he isn't producing what is expected. He commands attention which opens up the rest of the offense even if they know how to use it or not.

Yeah, I tend to agree but then I think about who would be the hardest to replace and who will play for less money.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Wasnt that great wall buit with castoffs and scrubs?

I dont remember all those guys being high draft picks.

 

[BigD5]

Those 90's offensive lines were never the same from year to year. Another poster already pointed out that all 3 SB teams had a different starting center in the SB.

Gesek, Gogan, Nate Newton, Stepnowski and Tuinei started SB XXVII
Tuinei, Newton, Geisel, Gogan and Erik Williams started SB XXVIII
Derek Kenard, Ray Stone, and Larry Allen came along in 1994
Tuinei, Newton, Kenard, Allen and Williams started SB XXX
Clay Shiver and Ray Donaldson played some in the 1996 season

The one constant amongst all these offensive line changes?

The greatest running back of all time. Emmitt Smith

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I personally don't think so. That was one of the best offensive lines of all time if not the best. So to try and duplicate that? You will fail miserably.

 

[BigMac6]

Those 90's offensive lines were never the same from year to year. Another poster already pointed out that all 3 SB teams had a different starting center in the SB.

Gesek, Gogan, Nate Newton, Stepnowski and Tuinei started SB XXVII
Tuinei, Newton, Geisel, Gogan and Erik Williams started SB XXVIII
Derek Kenard, Ray Stone, and Larry Allen came along in 1994
Tuinei, Newton, Kenard, Allen and Williams started SB XXX
Clay Shiver and Ray Donaldson played some in the 1996 season

The one constant amongst all these offensive line changes?

The greatest running back of all time. Emmitt Smith

In SB XXVII E.Williams started at RT and Gogan wasn't in the starting lineup.
In the back to back SB wins Tuinei, Newton, Gesek and E.Williams have been starters in both games.

 

[TTexasTT]

Those 90's offensive lines were never the same from year to year. Another poster already pointed out that all 3 SB teams had a different starting center in the SB.

Gesek, Gogan, Nate Newton, Stepnowski and Tuinei started SB XXVII
Tuinei, Newton, Geisel, Gogan and Erik Williams started SB XXVIII
Derek Kenard, Ray Stone, and Larry Allen came along in 1994
Tuinei, Newton, Kenard, Allen and Williams started SB XXX
Clay Shiver and Ray Donaldson played some in the 1996 season

The one constant amongst all these offensive line changes?

The greatest running back of all time. Emmitt Smith

lol Smith was great but come on. Helen Keller coulda ran behind that line.

 

[Picksix]

Wasnt that great wall buit with castoffs and scrubs?

I dont remember all those guys being high draft picks.

Yep. Stepnoski and Williams were 3rd round picks. Newton, Gogan, Tuinei were all low round picks. Geisel was a castoff from another team. They were just well coached, grew together over time, and had great skill position players around them.

 

[Picksix]

lol Smith was great but come on. Helen Keller coulda ran behind that line.

I think they complemented and helped each other well. It was just a great team overall, no one part necessarily better or more essential than the other.

 

[mitchell2254]

Yes and no. The Great Wall would be fined to death and kicked out of the league in this sissified version of the NFL.

 

[Lodeus]

For a couple years maybe.

 

[BigD5]

lol Smith was great but come on. Helen Keller coulda ran behind that line.

Could she? How good was that line before emmitt came along? How did Gogan, Gesek and Step do when they left Dallas?

Look the line was good but I hate when people say oh anybody could've ran behind that line like emmitt is chopped liver. Fact is without Emmitt there isn't a "Football Life" being made about that offensive line. And let's give novacek and Daryl Johnston a little credit as well while we are at it

 

[BigD5]

In SB XXVII E.Williams started at RT and Gogan wasn't in the starting lineup.
In the back to back SB wins Tuinei, Newton, Gesek and E.Williams have been starters in both games.

That's correct. My mistake. My point remains though that the line for those teams was not the same 5 guys dominating week in and week out. At times we plugged different players in and never missed a beat cause we had the GOAT running the ball with his legendary vision.

Funny part to me is that SB XXVIII drive vs buffalo where they act like the line just crushed the Bills. That drive was all Emmitt. Look it up and watch. Shoot the TD run at the end of the drive Emmitt is hit in the back field almost as soon as he gets the ball

 

[Red Dragon]

Those 90's offensive lines were never the same from year to year. Another poster already pointed out that all 3 SB teams had a different starting center in the SB.

Gesek, Gogan, Nate Newton, Stepnowski and Tuinei started SB XXVII
Tuinei, Newton, Geisel, Gogan and Erik Williams started SB XXVIII
Derek Kenard, Ray Stone, and Larry Allen came along in 1994
Tuinei, Newton, Kenard, Allen and Williams started SB XXX
Clay Shiver and Ray Donaldson played some in the 1996 season

The one constant amongst all these offensive line changes?

The greatest running back of all time. Emmitt Smith

But they had to block for Aikman too.........

 

[Dodger12]

lol Smith was great but come on. Helen Keller coulda ran behind that line.

The Cowboys thought the same thing in 1993 and started 0 and 2 because of it. It was a line of cast-offs and for some reason, they just worked well together. I think some of it was a mentality and coaching philosophy where we stayed committed to the run throughout the game and the goal was to wear out the D. And Emmitt's longevity and success over a long haul with a variety of different linemen blows that theory out of the water. From 1998 to 2000, Emmitt had 1332, 1397 and 1203 yards, respectively, and was selected to the Pro-Bowl in 98 and 99. Those great offensive lines were long gone at that point.

And the last point is that people act like the lines were so great that Aikman was never touched. He retired and had a shortened career because of his concussions. I loved the lines back then, but more so because of their mentality and offensive coaching philosophy that stayed committed to the run, as opposed to some great collection of talent across the lines when, in reality, most were cast-offs.

 

[Risen Star]

Sure. How many of the Great Wall were drafted in the first two rounds? NONE.

That's my answer.

Much harder to retain the line than it would be to assemble.

 

[Frosty]

I am hoping to see the Cowboys join my style of thought on maintaining a roster.
1. Live for the draft, don't trade up to any major degree.
2. Trade down and gain picks for the following year (usually giving a 3rd round and gaining next years 2nd)
3. Acquire free agents already in the NFL sparingly.
4. Get these contracts to end before the player declines.
5. Limit the restructures to emergencies not yearly patterns
6. Shorten the contract lengths and be ready to let go and acquire others at better value.

Think your list is spot on. It's the way successful teams are managing their rosters. However, you, I and the rest of the world knows Jerry Jones does things his way or should I say the Al Davis way when it comes to managing rosters. Man it would be nice to have a Ozzie Newsome type GM here in Dallas.

 

[AbeBeta]

They did not "luck" into drafting E. Williams and L. Allen , who were the 2 most dominate players on the 90's O'Line.
Should be noted that neither was a 1st round draft pick.

When you have a higet draft gtrade on Shante Carver than Larry Allen you have to be very lucky