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

[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.

Also, we took a guard namef John richards before Williams. Luck.

 

[Risen Star]

Exactly. Emmitt, the OL, Troy, Michael, Norv's system, they all were like the perfect storm for an offense.
I always hate the argument of Barry Sanders, "well, if he had that line". People seem to forget, Detroit had what 2 or 3 multi year pro bowl lineman.

Outstanding post. You're right. Barry was running behind a few pro bowlers there. It's not like he had a bad line.

To me, they all were great. They all complimented one another and maximized their potential because of it. Take any one away and the others suffer for it.

 

[zrinkill]

Aikman played 12 seasons appearing in 85.9% of the games during his career.

Aikman missed 27 regular season games in his 12 year career.

Romo has missed 10 games since taking over on the 6th game of 2006. (8.75 years)

 

[big dog cowboy]

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

The difference couldn't be measured by light years. It would be almost impossible to do.

 

[joseephuss]

Aikman missed 27 regular season games in his 12 year career.

Romo has missed 10 games since taking over on the 6th game of 2006. (8.75 years)

That is still more than 10 years for Aikman if you are only counting games played instead of only 10 years as you stated.

And it wouldn't be 8.75 years for Romo, it would be 7.75.

 

[john van brocklin]

Also, we took a guard namef John richards before Williams. Luck.

I disagree with the Luck comments.
The NFL teams pay millions on talant scouts and evaluators.
If it was just up to luck, I doubt that would waste their money.
The draft is not an exact science to be sure, and good fortune helps,
but good teams create their own good luck for the most part.

 

[AbeBeta]

I disagree with the Luck comments.
The NFL teams pay millions on talant scouts and evaluators.
If it was just up to luck, I doubt that would waste their money.
The draft is not an exact science to be sure, and good fortune helps,
but good teams create their own good luck for the most part.

Such great scouting. We draft worthless players over HOF guys. Luck. Nothing else

 

[Manwiththeplan]

We lucked into much of that line

Yea, Mark Tuniei was a converted D-lineman. Nate Newton was drafted by Washington, but we got him from the USFL. Mark Stepnoski was a 2nd round pick, the other guard spot was always a revolving group of players, John Gesek, Kevin Gogan. We didn't get Larry Allen till after we won 2 super bowls and he played multiple positions before settling in at guard. And finally Erik Williams, who was a third round pick.

So we in theory "could" get a line like those 90s teams, since we already have more invested. We just need a few guys to develop into all pros.

 

[Redball Express]

So, all the talk of late about the 1990s Cowboys offensive line has got me thinking:


COULD an NFL team realistically assemble a superb offensive line, these days, as outstanding as that 1990s Cowboys' offensive line?


It seems doable but very difficult for the following reasons:

• You'd need excellent drafting and talent scouting. And even then, these days, perhaps one or two of your offensive linemen starters would have to be top-notch free agents signed or traded from another team, possibly costing you a lot of money and draft picks.
• In this salary cap era, you'd have to keep all of your linemen under a reasonably modest salary apiece, or else they could ruin your salary cap situation (you still want a good QB, and good WRs, and good pass rushers, and good cornerbacks, and good safeties, don't you?) And your offensive linemen would probably KNOW they could make more money elsewhere.
  
• Other teams might be able to offer much more money for your excellent offensive linemen than you could. Perhaps only the argument that "By staying together as a group as an offensive line, we could win more Super Bowls together than we could individually elsewhere" would have to be the winning argument.
• You might have to divert more of your drafting attention in the first and second rounds of the Draft towards assembling this offensive line - valuable draft picks that could have been spent on other positions.

So, what do you think? Doable or not doable in today's salary cap era?

That OL was built before the Salary Cap was installed.

Once the Salary Cap and FA was created..we had the players already in place and could afford it.

Once FA began..keeping the players under a salary cap PLUS having to let players leave the team as we couldn't keep them under the Cap..

Is the only way we were able to keep the OL intact back then..

..the NFL wasn't paying those positions well..

..so we were not forced to pay high salaries until later on for the OL..

..that's why they were able to Stay together..lucky for us.

 

[visionary]

draft decastro (rd 1) last year and warford (rd 2) this year and we could have that OL right now

of course, we would not have world beaters like Mo claiborne and Escobar (our umpteenth rd 2 TE)

this is not about the salary cap as much as it is about scouting/GMing 101 and having oyur priorities straight and knowing how to build a team

 

[Risen Star]

Yea, Mark Tuniei was a converted D-lineman. Nate Newton was drafted by Washington, but we got him from the USFL. Mark Stepnoski was a 2nd round pick, the other guard spot was always a revolving group of players, John Gesek, Kevin Gogan. We didn't get Larry Allen till after we won 2 super bowls and he played multiple positions before settling in at guard. And finally Erik Williams, who was a third round pick.

So we in theory "could" get a line like those 90s teams, since we already have more invested. We just need a few guys to develop into all pros.

I believe LA was always a G. He moved out to T briefly later in his career.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I believe LA was always a G. He moved out to T briefly later in his career.

In 94', as a rookie, he started for Tuniei a few times, before ultimately taking over for Erik Williams when he had his car accident. He spent the next 3 seasons at RG, before starting at LT in 1998. From 99' and onward, he played LG.