Projected 2014 starters: Dallas Cowboys

[ABQCOWBOY]

Like I said, you could have a MONSTER side, but then what happens to the other side? I would rather have stability throughout the entire line, then one really good side, and an avg to below avg side.

You let Leary or Bern fight for the RG position, like you would any other time. Why is that a bad situation? Bern actually rates out better then does Leary. What's the down side here?

 

[Rockport]

Smith can play RT. Do you think that it would be wise to move him to RT because he is versatile enough to play that position?

We're not talking about Smith. We're talking about Martin being drafted at #16 which you are disappointed in. And I'll take the coaches word on this over a CZ poster.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

We're not talking about Smith. We're talking about Martin being drafted at #16 which you are disappointed in. And I'll take the coaches word on this over a CZ poster.

No. We are talking about the logic being employed.

You are free to take the Coaches word over mine or anybodies. I trust you realize the reverse is also true.

I would, however, point out that taking Martin at 16 is not what disappoints me. Not giving him the opportunity at LG, where I believe he could do the most good, is what disappoints me.

 

[xwalker]

No offense but you are assuming you know more about Leary than you do by quite a long shot.

He started all 16 games last year.
If they felt he was in need of replacement they'd have replaced him....

Leary was not healthy all season. However, that aside, I agree that it doesn't mean that he is a RG his whole career but if he is the better option at LG, which he probably is, why not play him there and allow Leary and Berny to fight it out at RG? That doesn't make much sense to me.

Leary played all 16 games. Leary was better than Bernadeau. They replaced Bern not Leary when Waters was playing.

Leary was really good in the 2nd half of the season. Leary was reported to have graded out better then Fred in at least 1 game. That is team grades, not PFF BS.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Leary played all 16 games. Leary was better than Bernadeau. They replaced Bern not Leary when Waters was playing.

Leary was really good in the 2nd half of the season. Leary was reported to have graded out better then Fred in at least 1 game. That is team grades, not PFF BS.

Leary was not healthy the entire season. He may have started every game but it's clear to anybody who watched last year the he struggled with power players because his injuries prevent him from gaining enough strength to be able to handle more powerful players. He is limited by his injuries and while I understand that Waters was signed to replace Bern, that was because Bern was injured and Leary was healthier.

You know as well as I do Walker that this is the truth. To say that he was not injured is not being honest. Leary has pretty much played injured since the day he got here.

However, regardless of who is injured and who is not, do you deny that Martin would be better then either player and would you agree that he is much better suited to LG rather then RG?

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

No. We are talking about the logic being employed.

You are free to take the Coaches word over mine or anybodies. I trust you realize the reverse is also true.

I would, however, point out that taking Martin at 16 is not what disappoints me. Not giving him the opportunity at LG, where I believe he could do the most good, is what disappoints me.

That ship has not yet sailed. Minicamp awaits!

I like the idea of Martin matching up against the 3 techniques of opposing 4-3 teams too.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Leary played all 16 games. Leary was better than Bernadeau. They replaced Bern not Leary when Waters was playing.

Leary was really good in the 2nd half of the season. Leary was reported to have graded out better then Fred in at least 1 game. That is team grades, not PFF BS.

I don't agree that at the end of the year Leary played better. Bernadeau was playing inspired. The RG needs to combo on the NT and peel to the LB filling the hole and he was a champ at it. Leary missed a lot of blocks and was very slow getting to LB at the second level to cut off pursuit on strongside plays. When the call was weakside they didn't ask Leary to do a whole lot of fancy stuff. Basically control your man.

And Leary liked to give up pressure on stunts to his side. Romo was skittish from any pressure coming from that side. It showed in the Washington game especially.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

That ship has not yet sailed. Minicamp awaits!

I like the idea of Martin matching up against the 3 techniques of opposing 4-3 teams too.

I hope you are right Fuzzy. I love the idea of Smith, Martin and Fred on the left side with Copeland leading the way, Murray taking it up inside or Romo with the play action and throwing to Dez or Witt for the easy 6.

That would be my idea of Paradise. LOL........

 

[CT Dal Fan]

The real question, albeit a year from now, is who the guards will be when Zack Martin moves to right tackle for free agent-to-be Doug Free. I think that's why Dallas tried to trade back into the third round for Trai Turner.

 

[Idgit]

I thought Mack played better than Leary, overall. At the same time, I think he's the more obvious player to move to the bench since he'll be our primary backup at all three interior OL positions. He also makes it possible for us to go thin on OL for the gameday roster. If you sub Martin for Leary and Mack or Frederick (knock on wood) go down, you're either moving two positions on your OL mid-game, or you're scrambling your position group to add another player who can play C to the active roster.

 

[jobberone]

I'm not certain Martin is better right now than either Leary or Mack. I think its likely he is better than at least one. My point being that this should be a competition between all the guys.

 

[xwalker]

Leary was not healthy the entire season. He may have started every game but it's clear to anybody who watched last year the he struggled with power players because his injuries prevent him from gaining enough strength to be able to handle more powerful players. He is limited by his injuries and while I understand that Waters was signed to replace Bern, that was because Bern was injured and Leary was healthier.

You know as well as I do Walker that this is the truth. To say that he was not injured is not being honest. Leary has pretty much played injured since the day he got here.

However, regardless of who is injured and who is not, do you deny that Martin would be better then either player and would you agree that he is much better suited to LG rather then RG?

What was the injury?

 

[xwalker]

I don't agree that at the end of the year Leary played better. Bernadeau was playing inspired. The RG needs to combo on the NT and peel to the LB filling the hole and he was a champ at it. Leary missed a lot of blocks and was very slow getting to LB at the second level to cut off pursuit on strongside plays. When the call was weakside they didn't ask Leary to do a whole lot of fancy stuff. Basically control your man.

And Leary liked to give up pressure on stunts to his side. Romo was skittish from any pressure coming from that side. It showed in the Washington game especially.

Which Washington game? Leary was terrific in the 2nd Washington game. I've reviewed that one on the All-22.

Bern was doing quite well by the end of the season. I've mentioned the move that he perfected in the run game which I think is the same thing you're referencing. He would quickly slam into Free's man, which would allow Free to get in position to Wall-Off block the outside guy and then Bern would quickly bounce back to get the inside defender. They had several good runs on this play. I've referred to it as the pinball block because he looked like a pinball bouncing back and forth.

They had Fred give much more help to the right which allowed Bern to give more help to Free. Leary was often on an island similar to an OT. They really asked a lot within the scheme of Leary as a first time player.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Which Washington game? Leary was terrific in the 2nd Washington game. I've reviewed that one on the All-22.

Bern was doing quite well by the end of the season. I've mentioned the move that he perfected in the run game which I think is the same thing you're referencing. He would quickly slam into Free's man, which would allow Free to get in position to Wall-Off block the outside guy and then Bern would quickly bounce back to get the inside defender. They had several good runs on this play. I've referred to it as the pinball block because he looked like a pinball bouncing back and forth.

They had Fred give much more help to the right which allowed Bern to give more help to Free. Leary was often on an island similar to an OT. They really asked a lot within the scheme of Leary as a first time player.

I didn't see it that way. I saw a reluctance to ask Leary to do the combination zone techniques because when he was asked to do them, he looked sluggish and ineffective.

 

[xwalker]

I didn't see it that way. I saw a reluctance to ask Leary to do the combination zone techniques because when he was asked to do them, he looked sluggish and ineffective.

Generally, they had to do it on the right because Free can't make that block on his own; whereas, Tyron can make that block without help.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

They didn't run through the weakside A gap very much at all. Most inside runs went to the strongside. They ran that stretch left and off tckle a lot but they ran behind Fred and Mack and not Leary.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Generally, they had to do it on the right because Free can't make that block on his own; whereas, Tyron can make that block without help.

With a nose tackle they comboed with Bernie and not Leary is what I meant. Leary just looks sluggish to me.

 

[xwalker]

With a nose tackle they comboed with Bernie and not Leary is what I meant. Leary just looks sluggish to me.

I just pulled up the All-22 and review the 1st half of the final game. Leary was very good, IMO. I don't see any sluggishness. I remember him getting beaten by quickness early in the season, but in the 2nd half he was rock solid, IMO.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I just pulled up the All-22 and review the 1st half of the final game. Leary was very good, IMO. I don't see any sluggishness. I remember him getting beaten by quickness early in the season, but in the 2nd half he was rock solid, IMO.

I am talking about when he is supposed to come off the ball and try and cut off the mike from pursuit. Fred can single block the NT or Smith down especially when they are not at the point of attack which allows the guards to pursue targets on the second level. Leary is very poor.

Leary against quickness is always worrisome.

I don't know why he is playing LG frankly. Seems more sensible to have him on the power side and not dealing with one on ones on under tackles. He can dominate when asked to drive straight ahead. On the goal line when you need guys to get low and a yard of push, he performs like a champ. He is just limited.

I am going to watch the Detroit and KC games to see how he does against top interior line play.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

I'm not certain Martin is better right now than either Leary or Mack. I think its likely he is better than at least one. My point being that this should be a competition between all the guys.

Zach Martin may be the best OLiineman Dallas has on the Field.