Some cowboys news, nothing earth shattering, but thought id share it; Offensive line

[Bob Sacamano]

Yupp. We need to replenish our O-line. Still wish we would have taken a flyer on Duke Robinson in the 5th. The upside outweighs his problems by a mile. Let's hope Brewster shows alot playing guard or RT.

why? he sucks

 

[LarryCanadian]

I don't mind keeping Columbo and Flo out of the 2nd practice at two-a-days, but I have to agree that they should continue to train hard for strength, agility, and endurance during that time, but just in a more controlled/safe environment. Flo should spend every rep not practicing working on memorizing snap counts, hehe, and doing focus drills. I like Flo though and think he has been whipping boy in Dallas for years. He NEVER should have played for about 4-5 games last year with that arm/shoulder of his. He couldn't push at all. How bad must our backups be, if we put a left tackle with zero use of his left arm in game after game?!!!

Yes, prevent them from being rolled up on, and twisting and wrestling guys at the line, but keep those guys working. Our 2 tackles have VERY questionable backups behind them, and we need those guy strong all year. So, yes, avoid injury but get those guys top notch fit!

I think this IS a great chance for Free and Brewster (and McQuistan) to prove what they got. For Free and McQuistan, I think this is last year to show they have an upside.

On the inside, I like Holland and felt he played significantly better than Proctor. If he can snap and has the brains for centre then bye, bye Proctor who just wasn't strong enough at point of attack and got driven back or turned too often, opening up gaps that were exploited.

LarryCanadian

 

[AbeBeta]

so the guy who couldn't learn the o-line system here well enough to overtake Proctor until late in the season, is going to pick up a new position - aruguably the most difficult mental position on the line -- and he's going to do so well enough to displace Proctor?

Come on. At best Holland is going to be the #3 center.

 

[gimmesix]

My prediction for the o-linemen that make the team.

Flozell Adams
Kyle Kosier
Andre Gurode
Leonard Davis
Marc Colombo
Doug Free
Montrae Holland
Robert Brewster
Greg Isdaner

This is exactly my prediction. I think Isdaner is going to surprise.

Backup center is the hardest part to figure out, but I think either Holland will learn to do it well enough to be the backup or that Isdaner will.

Free also has college experience at center, but it would surprise me to see him work there.

 

[burmafrd]

Just how good is Free? for all the talk about supposedly so many like him he did not play a snap when the Hotel was unable to raise his arm up and had that infected hand. They did not even TRY him. They were still carrying McQ on the game day roster as the swing tackle.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

why? he sucks

Ummm...What? He had some character concerns and for a 5th round value it's worth it to give it a shot.

 

[Idgit]

What, exactly, has anyone seen from our OL backups to be so down on them? Is it just b/c they haven't cracked the starting lineup? Because--with the exception of maybe last year at LT--I'm not sure there have been many situations yet where I'd expect someone to dislodge a starter.

I've been harsher on the OL than most, but my problem has been with the starters and their run blocking on obvious running downs.

And, maybe I'm borrowing trouble, but I'm not comfortable enough with what I've heard about Kosier's foot to assume he's a lock to be on the opening-day roster. Imagine how thin the line would look without him in there? Yuck.

I do have hopes for Isdaner being a find, fwiw.

 

[Stash]

What, exactly, has anyone seen from our OL backups to be so down on them? Is it just b/c they haven't cracked the starting lineup? Because--with the exception of maybe last year at LT--I'm not sure there have been many situations yet where I'd expect someone to dislodge a starter.

If you're talking about Free, the answer would be nothing, absolutely nothing, good or bad. But it says something to me that, despite Adams' injuries, Free wasn't even active on several gamedays.

As for McQuistan, he seems to be going down the James Marten path. First failing at tackle, being moved to guard, and failing there (given how bad he looked at LG last season).

As for Procter, how much free time do ya have?

 

[KingintheNorth]

What, exactly, has anyone seen from our OL backups to be so down on them? ....

For me, the fact that after injuries to Kosier and Holland, and after Proctor played so horribly, the coaching staff was afraid to play Free. I know they finally played McQuistan but he was equally horrible. Throw in that Flozell was playing with one arm and the staff still didn't trust Free, and now you see where the conception comes from.

I hope like heck Free is a legit player. I am so sick of wasted draft picks.. Jacob Rogers, Stephen Peterman, James Marten.. I'm really hoping that Free and Robert Brewster are serviceable.

 

[Four]

Colombo is one of my favorite players. I'm just saying that an extra practice in the A/C is not going to effect these guys during the season. Justin Tuck, Merriman, Osi....those are the problems there knees are going to feel in the season.

as someone with chronic knee problems, every bit of rest helps immensely.

even walking up a bunch of stairs would make me limp for a day or two after, never mind blocking in an NFL level practice.

 

[Idgit]

If you're talking about Free, the answer would be nothing, absolutely nothing, good or bad. But it says something to me that, despite Adams' injuries, Free wasn't even active on several gamedays.

As for McQuistan, he seems to be going down the James Marten path. First failing at tackle, being moved to guard, and failing there (given how bad he looked at LG last season).

As for Procter, how much free time do ya have?

Yeah. We know what we've got in Procter, I took that as a given. We need better.

I thought McQuistan played fine at guard when he got in (was it v. the Eagles?) So much so that I wondered what had taken the coaches so long to make that switch after Holland had gone down.

I don't know what to think about Free, b/c reportedly the team is high on him, but apparently not high enough to put him in in place of an injured Flozell. Flo sure had a spell last season when he looked too injured to play. I shudder to think what the team really thought of Free that they didn't play him. Maybe they were concerned about the specific defenses we were going up against; I don't recall exactly, but Flo was getting better (physically) towards the end of the year when we were going up against the BAL, NYG, PIT, PHI defenses, wasn't he? It was at about the 3/4 mark where he was struggling with the arm + the hand infection, wasn't it?

 

[LarryCanadian]

Good point AbeBeta about the playbook. I did think of that, but take the coaches comments/excuses about that with a grain of salt. I really think Holland was NOT in shape, as he is known to be a bit of a fatty. On top of that, I think the team wanted to see what they had in Proctor figuring Proctor had been here for a good while and SHOULD be ready, which turned out to be a very marginal backup. Sorry, but Proctor looked to struggle big time to me when at Guard. For Proctor it isn't the brains, or even technique, I think it is the pure size/weight/stength factor. He'd be a great CFL Oline I bet, hehe. Not enough "bottom heavy" for an oline.

Holland has about 10 times as much time to pick up the playbook now. Much of the offense is the same. The plays are the same if you play center or guard. But I do agree, learning a new position is never easy, and the smarts/brains required apparently is pretty big. I don't think playing the position is as dramatically different as switching from guard to tackle, from what I've heard, but I've never played football.

LarryCanadian

 

[big dog cowboy]

Free and Brewster are locks? YIKES.

You just can't cut guys because you don't like them. Someone has to take their spots.

 

[UnoDallas]

Training camp position previews: Offensive line
8:00 AM Fri, Jul 17, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
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The fifth in a 10-part series.

Roster locks: Flozell Adams, Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis, Marc Colombo, Robert Brewster, Doug Free

Safe bets: Montrae Holland, Pat McQuistan

On the bubble: Cory Procter, Ryan Gibbons

Long shots: Travis Bright, Greg Isdaner, Michael Turkovich

what Gibbons on the bubble ?

he can not make it on 4 teams ? here hes travels

Buccaneers | Gibbons signed to practice squad
Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:57:18 -0700
Buccaneers | R. Gibbons released
Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:23:19 -0800
Bears | R. Gibbons signed to practice squad
Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:24:45 -0800
Buccaneers | Gibbons signed to practice squad
Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:47:58 -0800
Jaguars | Team signs Gibbons
Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:33:34 -0800
Jaguars | Team waives Gibbons
Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:26:58 -0700
Cowboys | Team signs Gibbons
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:31:35 -0700
Cowboys | Team announces roster cuts
Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:41:21 -0700
Cowboys | Gibbons re-signed to practice squad
Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:00:24 -0700

hes off my team I much rather have the three long shot make the team than the the guys on the bubble

heres my guys making the team

Flozell Adams
Kyle Kosier
Andre Gurode
Leonard Davis
Marc Colombo
Doug Free
Montrae Holland
Robert Brewster
Travis Bright

PS Islander & Turkovich