OL for next year

[UnoDallas]

Should be enough to scare you considering what we have done with high round OL since Flozell. We have at least 2 2nd round OL already out of the league, within 6 years of draft. I wouldn't be surprised if you don't get that number up to at least 5 or 6 if you expand it down to the 4th round. We really don't draft OL worth a flip most times.

well most of the BUSTS were Parcells OL picks

and you should know he can't draft an OL to save his life

Marten is the only bust since HH has been back

 

[Cochese]

This is the Hudson Houck scheme which he has run in multiple locales with great success for the better part of 30 years. The scheme is fine. The problem is that Bigg is not a natural interior OL but he was a good LT that had some problems with speed rushers. JJ just thought he could move him to guard and let his 380 pounds beat on a DT right in front of him - problem solved. The issue is that tackles play in space but interior OL play in a confined space very close to the QB. Whereas a tackle can get beat initially and have a bit of time to get out and re-direct, there isn't much time if you are beat at OG and the player is in a direct line to the QB so you can't just use your long arms to re-direct him past the QB. They are different positions requiring different skills. Bigg is great at guard when he gets the man square in front of him with his arms square in his chest. However, he doesn't handle penetrating type players all that well.

Just move Bigg back to his natural position at tackle but move him to right tackle where he can get a bit of help from Witten and won't face as many speed rushers.

Free will be ready for LT next year. We can even keep Flo around at the start if we aren't sure and then trade him in pre-season.

Hudson Houck isnt the one with the delay draw erection.

 

[Eskimo]

Hudson Houck isnt the one with the delay draw erection.

That's a different issue.

Regardless, this OL doesn't run block well and doesn't pick up blitzes well. You could argue that the second point should be correctable. I think the first flaw is a fatal flaw based on the players being find individually but not forming a cohesive group that can work together in Houck's scheme. The parts just don't fit.

 

[Eskimo]

To me one of the funniest things about our OL is even though they can't run block consistently in regular downs, they are lights out on 3rd and short. I think this is due to the overwhelming interior power of Gurode and Davis - on those quick hitting short yardage plays they just charge ahead at whatever is in the way and clear enough space for the RB to squeak thrown and gain the yard 90% of the time.

 

[RealCowboyfan]

I've been thinking about moving some of the existing players around to create an overall better OL. One of the controversial moves will be moving Davis back to OT but this time to RT where his strength will be more of an advantage in the running game and he can get a bit of help from the TE in pass protection against speed rushers who tend to play RDE anyways.

LT: Free
LG: Kosier
C: Gurode
RG: Holland/Proctor/draft choice/FA
RT: Davis/Brewster competition

I think this OL will have more lateral agility on the interior line which has been giving us trouble on blitz pick ups. It will also give us a good strong right side for run game. It will give us a very athletic left side to get out on some screens and pull across the line and make blocks in space.

I would work really hard to get Free ready. 10 more pounds of muscles, lots of power cleans, lots of work on anchoring in for the bullrush. He has the size, quickness and footwork for the position but played at a smaller school so his learning curve has been longer than expected.

I think this is a more versatile, less error prone OL that can form a more consistent identity.

I know some will criticize Bigg going back to tackle but he wasn't entirely a failure at the spot in Arizone and even made the Pro Bowl a couple of times. He was okay as a pass blocker and struggled some against speed rushers but his numbers weren't really much worse than Flo's are over the last few years. Plus, this time he'll be on the power side and will be lining up beside Witten.

Left Tackle >(NO FLOZELL AND ABSOLUTELY NO DAVIS. ? Why would you want to move Davis from his most successful position at Right Guard? Do you know how Davis played at Left Tackle when he started in the NFL?) Davis basically looks like Flozell when he plays the tackle position.

This really scare me just seeing the idea of destruction. Are you a Cowboy fan? No D/R to the players you would like to see in the line-up and where but I believe Cowboys Offensive Line needs to look like this.

Left Tackle: FA/2nd RD
Left Guard: Flozell Adams (he will be more successful there getting his hand on Defensive linemen.)
Center: Andre Gurode
Right Guard : Leonard Davis
Right Tackle: Marc Columbo

Now with this offensive line Cowboys have better run and pass block. I always thought Flozell should have been move to a guard where he can get his hands on Defensive lineman because he don't have too much footwork but he has power which can keep defensive lineman at bay.

 

[CF74]

Free at LT will get Romo killed in one game.

FAIL!!!

 

[RealCowboyfan]

Free at LT will get Romo killed in one game.

FAIL!!!

GOOD POINT

 

[RainMan]

Free at LT will get Romo killed in one game.

FAIL!!!

I don't disagree with your overall theme (that the OL might need some shakeup), but I'm not sure I agree with the execution. I happened to think Colombo was playing as well as anyone along the line, penalties be damned. I don't pretend to be an expert, so I could certainly be wrong.

But it's clear that our line can't run block late into the season and gets Romo beat up more and more as the season progresses. It's been a trend for a few years.

 

[RealCowboyfan]

I don't disagree with your overall theme (that the OL might need some shakeup), but I'm not sure I agree with the execution. I happened to think Colombo was playing as well as anyone along the line, penalties be damned. I don't pretend to be an expert, so I could certainly be wrong.

But it's clear that our line can't run block late into the season and gets Romo beat up more and more as the season progresses. It's been a trend for a few years.

Exactly and that's why Flozell should move to Left Guard for he can get his hands on Defensive linemen. And Cowboys should sign somebody at Left Tackle or draft someone. Because eventually Montrae Holland going to take over.

 

[Eskimo]

Free at LT will get Romo killed in one game.

FAIL!!!

Free already played a whole half of a game at LT and Romo didn't get touched.

He has also played the last 3 games at RT and Romo has been fine. Teams can move DEs over to Free's side if they want to get a better matchup and frequently do so. We do this with Ware. You can see his confidence and performance improving each week especially in pass protection.

I doubt you will find a FA LT better than Free. If there is one, I wouldn't mind if Jerry wanted to spend some of his coin there since there is no salary cap.

 

[Eskimo]

I don't disagree with your overall theme (that the OL might need some shakeup), but I'm not sure I agree with the execution. I happened to think Colombo was playing as well as anyone along the line, penalties be damned. I don't pretend to be an expert, so I could certainly be wrong.

But it's clear that our line can't run block late into the season and gets Romo beat up more and more as the season progresses. It's been a trend for a few years.

I think Columbo was okay in run blocking but I think Romo was feeling alot of heat fairly consistently from Columbo's man. I'm not that enamoured of his play this year.

 

[Eskimo]

Exactly and that's why Flozell should move to Left Guard for he can get his hands on Defensive linemen. And Cowboys should sign somebody at Left Tackle or draft someone. Because eventually Montrae Holland going to take over.

Flo doesn't have the quick lateral agility required to play interior OL anymore. he will need to play tackle or retire. BTW, that was the same premise people laid out for Bigg and yet he is beat continuously by smaller and quicker players. Bigg just doesn't have the type of quickness and low pad level that you need to play guard and Flo doesn't have it either.

 

[craig71]

I think they may have to stick with Flozell one more year.Unless a great talent drops in the draft I don't see a rookie starting at LT.Free agent tackles aren't cheap acquisitions by any means of the imagination.

I would think Columbo will have injury concerns coming back.Brewster will get a look as well as Free at the right side.

I think you leave Davis at RG.

Gurode is good enough at center.

Kosier is at LG but I would think that a guard with more bulk would improve the interior of the line.Kosier is a good pass blocker but isn't really a dominant straight ahead power guy.Another power guy in the interior wouldn't hurt the running game at all in my estimation.

Adams at LT for another year unless something just happens to fall in our laps.I don't think Free has the build to hold the point of attack on the left side.I think Brewster is a right side project,but I could be wrong.I don't know what will happen in the draft but I would have a hard time thinking that a rookie would grade out higher than Flo.

Craig

 

[Dallaslullaby]

for me despite what roy did vs new york we will always rue that trade as it cost us oher. We need an oher in this upcoming draft

 

[TheSport78]

I would love to see Marcus McNeil in a Cowboys jersey next year.

 

[RealCowboyfan]

I would love to see Marcus McNeil in a Cowboys jersey next year.

So would I.

 

[CowboyMike]

http://i75.***BLOCKED***/albums/i288/The_Game21/thread-fail-stamp.gif

 

[CF74]

Free already played a whole half of a game at LT and Romo didn't get touched.

He has also played the last 3 games at RT and Romo has been fine. Teams can move DEs over to Free's side if they want to get a better matchup and frequently do so. We do this with Ware. You can see his confidence and performance improving each week especially in pass protection.

I doubt you will find a FA LT better than Free. If there is one, I wouldn't mind if Jerry wanted to spend some of his coin there since there is no salary cap.

Romo got sacked twice tonight from pressure on Free's side, imagine his blind side...

 

[craig71]

Flo doesn't have the quick lateral agility required to play interior OL anymore. he will need to play tackle or retire. BTW, that was the same premise people laid out for Bigg and yet he is beat continuously by smaller and quicker players. Bigg just doesn't have the type of quickness and low pad level that you need to play guard and Flo doesn't have it either.

You do realize that it takes a more athletic ability to play tackle than it does to play guard.There is a reason that tackles are sought after and guards are just a dime a dozen.Flo's problem is that he plays so stiff,he's played that way every since he had that leg injury.Father time is also catching up to Flo,he's just getting to a little long in the tooth.Lateral agility is at a premium when it comes to tackles because they play in space and have to slide out in their protection sometimes.Playing guard is totally different,everything is condensed and in front of you and there is not much need for lateral mobility.

Craig

 

[Chocolate Lab]

You're right about one thing, this OL and/or this scheme isn't getting it done.

You mentioned the short yardage power plays working... Hate to say it again, but Dan Reeves was noting during the Oakland game that we were far more successful with our power plays, but for some reason we kept running zone blocking plays. The long Felix run was a basic power play, but he said we then went like two series without running another man-on-man power play.

Why the HELL are we running so many zone blocking plays with these huge behemoths?