PFT: Cowboys have Looney, Williams, McGovern as options at center

[Hawkeye0202]

That's a lot of options .........not sure we need to spend a 1st round pick on another one, at least not this year. Let's use 2020 to see if one of these guys is the answer.

Cowboys have Looney, Williams, McGovern as options at center
Posted by Charean Williams on April 22, 2020, 3:07 PM EDT

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...ooney-williams-mcgovern-as-options-at-center/

The Cowboys drafted Travis Frederick in the first round of the 2013 draft. They were criticized by many for using the 31st overall choice for a center.

Frederick proved the Cowboys right with five Pro Bowls and an All-Pro.

 

[darthseinfeld]

That's a lot of options .........not sure we need to spend a 1st round pick on another one, at least not this year. Let's use 2020 to see if one of these guys is the answer.

Cowboys have Looney, Williams, McGovern as options at center
Posted by Charean Williams on April 22, 2020, 3:07 PM EDT

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...ooney-williams-mcgovern-as-options-at-center/

The Cowboys drafted Travis Frederick in the first round of the 2013 draft. They were criticized by many for using the 31st overall choice for a center.

Frederick proved the Cowboys right with five Pro Bowls and an All-Pro.

But is McGovern an OC or OG in their eyes? How well do they evaluate him at OC?

 

[J12B]

I'll break my TV if Dallas goes OL round 1

 

[Stash]

That's a lot of options .........not sure we need to spend a 1st round pick on another one, at least not this year. Let's use 2020 to see if one of these guys is the answer.

Cowboys have Looney, Williams, McGovern as options at center
Posted by Charean Williams on April 22, 2020, 3:07 PM EDT

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...ooney-williams-mcgovern-as-options-at-center/

The Cowboys drafted Travis Frederick in the first round of the 2013 draft. They were criticized by many for using the 31st overall choice for a center.

Frederick proved the Cowboys right with five Pro Bowls and an All-Pro.

A nice way of telling Peter King to shut up!

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I'll break my TV if Dallas goes OL round 1

I would too. I can live with it with a trade down but that trade down better be for multiple picks.

 

[Bullflop]

I respect the fact that Looney, Williams and McGovern are considered as options at center. Yet, I wouldn't mind if Cesar Ruiz is targeted as our next center to be. He'd be an excellent choice if the Cowboys decide to move down in the 1st round. That position is a crucial element for our OL. Looney, McGovern and Williams would still be excellent candidates to offer backup support or more in the near future. Our OL is a building block for success.

 

[Stash]

I'll break my TV if Dallas goes OL round 1

I would too but I think our TV's are safe!

 

[Stash]

I respect the fact that Looney, Williams and McGovern are considered as options at center. Yet, I wouldn't mind if Cesar Ruiz is targeted as our next center to be. He'd be an excellent choice if the Cowboys decide to move down in the 1st round. That position is a crucial element for our OL. Looney, McGovern and Williams would still be excellent candidates to offer backup support or more in the near future. Our OL is a building block for success.

I'd hate it.

Where have these huge investments on the offensive line gotten this team? Nowhere near a championship, that's for sure. Fact is that the returns made by the offensive line and running back positions have never equaled the investments.

Other teams somehow make due, because they have good coaching. We should too.

 

[Idgit]

BPA, baby. Much more important to hit on the pick. You don’t know when you’re going to need a player at any position. That first pick needs to be able to take a reasonable number of snaps on day one, but that’s basically the only requirement.

 

[unionjack8]

With the holes on this team Ruiz would be a wasted pick imo
Good player, yes, need, no. It's a luxury pick we cannot afford to make

 

[Creeper]

There are multiple options for the OL. The weak links are C and LG. But imagine drafting a beast to play LG, and making Williams the swing tackle. Then McGovern can try to win the Center job. I l ike Netane Muti recognizing he is raw and needs to work on his technique. But no one I have seen in years has the punch Muti has. He stuns DTs with his punch. Its something to watch. He reminds me of Larry Allen the way he knocks guys back with his hands. The problem is his feet are not as good as his hands so he needs to work on that. He is a multitude of holding calls waiting to happen because he is sloppy with his technique. If he isn't your man, then how about Damien Lewis. When I watch films of LSU, Lewis stands out to me on that OL. He is a bull, and has some meanness. He is probably more ready to play in the NFL than Muti, even though Muti is projected to go higher in the draft.

Of they can draft one of the OTs and move Collins inside. I don't think they will but imagine Becton at RT and Collins at LG. Smith, Collins, Looney or McGovern, Martin, Becton? Center doesn't look like as much of a problem does it?

btw, for the record, I am not criticizing Connor Williams. If they draft a Center and Williams continues to play LG I won't be upset about it. He gets the job done - but not much more, especially when he is not on the move. He is much better blocking in space, maybe the best on the Cowboys OL. But he has to face some of the biggest strongest DTs in the league who play for NFC East teams. Sometimes I think he is overmatched by power.

 

[Bullflop]

I'd hate it.

Where have these huge investments on the offensive line gotten this team? Nowhere near a championship, that's for sure. Fact is that the returns made by the offensive line and running back positions have never equaled the investments.

Other teams somehow make due, because they have good coaching. We should too.

I wouldn't expect everyone to be thrilled at the aspect of a center being our pick, although there's cause to respect the fact that Ruiz would be the most likely replacement for the loss of Travis Frederick. I think McGovern is capable of replacing either Tyron Smith or Collins in a pinch. Same can be said for Williams, although, possibly to a lesser degree. The Dallas OL is the key to offensive success for Dallas, no question there. Dallas is open to moving down in the draft and Ruiz would be one of the targets in that scenario, like it or not. The lesser DE under Chaisson would be another.

 

[Stash]

I wouldn't expect everyone to be thrilled at the aspect of a center being our pick, although there's cause to respect the fact that Ruiz would be the most likely replacement for the loss of Travis Frederick. I think McGovern is capable of replacing either Tyron Smith or Collins in a pinch. Same can be said for Williams, although, possibly to a lesser degree. The Dallas OL is the key to offensive success for Dallas, no question there.

Teams somehow manage without having to invest a 1st or 2nd round pick at every position.

This team needs to figure that out as well.

1. Tyron Smith - 1st round pick
2. Connor Williams - 2nd round pick
3. Connor McGovern - 3rd round pick
4. Zack Martin - 1st round pick
5. La'El Collins - 1st round pick (we all know that story)

Thankfully, the new staff somehow managed to win without 1st rounders across the board and I expect them to do that again. When you have coaches, you don't have to have 1st round picks everywhere and try to 'out talent' everyone you play.

 

[Kwyn]

That's a lot of options .........not sure we need to spend a 1st round pick on another one, at least not this year. Let's use 2020 to see if one of these guys is the answer.

Cowboys have Looney, Williams, McGovern as options at center
Posted by Charean Williams on April 22, 2020, 3:07 PM EDT

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...ooney-williams-mcgovern-as-options-at-center/

The Cowboys drafted Travis Frederick in the first round of the 2013 draft. They were criticized by many for using the 31st overall choice for a center.

Frederick proved the Cowboys right with five Pro Bowls and an All-Pro.

Reading the tea leaves it sounds like he has enough to work with at Center that we won’t need to spend a high draft pick on the position

Sounds good to me. More for the defensive side of the ball, especially since I have sneaky suspicion that one of the top 3 receivers will get to us while CJ and K’Lavon don’t and we end up with a WR in the first round.

 

[Bluefin]

But is McGovern an OC or OG in their eyes? How well do they evaluate him at OC?

It's going to be very difficult to evaluate things with team facilities closed and players having to find ways to workout at home.

I believe McG can play guard and center, but it's impossible to get an idea until the team is back together on the practice field again under the eyes of the new coaching staff.

Connor Williams is returning from a late season ACL, would the coaches even want him to try learning a new position on top of rehabbing?

Joe Looney is a solid reserve, but sacks allowed went from 34 in 2017 with Travis Frederick to 56 in 2018 with Jumbo Joe and then down to 23 in 2019 with the return of the beard.

The '18 Jumbo Joe season also saw a career low 6 rushing TDs from Ezekiel Elliott (15 gms). Zeke had 7 rushing TDs in only 10 games in 2017 d/t suspension. He had 15 rushing TDs as a rookie (15 gms) and 12 rushing TDs last year (16 gms).

It wasn't all Looney's fault, of course, but he's not meant to be a full-time starter.

 

[Stash]

With the holes on this team Ruiz would be a wasted pick imo
Good player, yes, need, no. It's a luxury pick we cannot afford to make

And we won't.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

I'll break my TV if Dallas goes OL round 1

LLLOOOLLL

 

[darthseinfeld]

It's going to be very difficult to evaluate things with team facilities closed and players having to find ways to workout at home.

I believe McG can play guard and center, but it's impossible to get an idea until the team is back together on the practice field again under the eyes of the new coaching staff.

Connor Williams is returning from a late season ACL, would the coaches even want him to try learning a new position on top of rehabbing?

Joe Looney is a solid reserve, but sacks allowed went from 34 in 2017 with Travis Frederick to 56 in 2018 with Jumbo Joe and then down to 23 in 2019 with the return of the beard.

The '18 Jumbo Joe season also saw a career low 6 rushing TDs from Ezekiel Elliott (15 gms). Zeke had 7 rushing TDs in only 10 games in 2017 d/t suspension. He had 15 rushing TDs as a rookie (15 gms) and 12 rushing TDs last year (16 gms).

It wasn't all Looney's fault, of course, but he's not meant to be a full-time starter.

He has amount tape doing both at PSU. Big question is what Dallas thinks of his tape at OC

Personally Id like to see McGovern win the job. That gives the most talent across the OL. However Im not dismissive of Kings belief they might trade down and take Ruiz either.

 

[Chuck 54]

Looney showed he is a backup only, not a starter. If we don’t look for a starting center, it better be because McGovern is ready for the job. Looney proved he wasn’t. The team wasn’t destroyed like having Green at LT, but he wasn’t strong enough up the middle, was weak and slow on calls, and many have already forgotten his blown shotgun snaps.

 

[Bullflop]

Teams somehow manage without having to invest a 1st or 2nd round pick at every position.

This team needs to figure that out as well.

1. Tyron Smith - 1st round pick
2. Connor Williams - 2nd round pick
3. Connor McGovern - 3rd round pick
4. Zack Martin - 1st round pick
5. La'El Collins - 1st round pick (we all know that story)

Thankfully, the new staff somehow managed to win without 1st rounders across the board and I expect them to do that again. When you have coaches, you don't have to have 1st round picks everywhere and try to 'out talent' everyone you play.

Nobody likes the fact that Travis Frederick was subjected to the disease that destroyed his career but a suitable replacement should be made. Whether Williams, Looney, or McGovern are actually qualified is truthfully in question, yet all of them could prove vital to a team with the running game being their offensive staple. I'm not saying it's a sacred responsibility to draft Ruiz but it's a possibility, nonetheless. There's a fair chance that we'd be inclined to drop down in round one. The upside would be gaining an extra pick (or two) -- not such a bad thing, actually and a fair opportunity to improve.