Twitter: Super Bowl Teams Who Continually Draft OL In The 1st Round.

[Beast_from_East]

They go OLine because it's safe.

Guard is the safest pick you can make on the OLine.

You won't know the difference if a guard plays decent or amazing. You only notice them when they are really, really bad.

A guard will not turn your 7 win team into an 8 win team.

It was a bad pick for a team in need of weapons.
.

In fairness, I think the pick at 12 was going to be the WR that went to the Panthers.

So, at that point the next best WR was Golden but 12 was too high to draft him, which turned out to be true since he went in the 20s.

 

[LovinItAll]

Lol again it was a joke.

Hopefully in reality we have a new QB in 2028

Sorry, I missed the joke after you wrote the above, which wasn't joking at all. QB contracts are what they are. You or I can think they're too high, but it doesn't matter; they are what they are.

 

[ScotsCowboy]

My feelings on this have changed.

I was irritated when we took Booker at 12. I was pleased to get a guy like that, but really not impressed we took him as high as 12. I had no doubts he’ll be great for us, but a Guard at 12? That’s not a value pick.

…then we took Ezeiruaku at 44 - a guy most were projecting as a 1st rounder; one of the most aggressive and skilful DEs in the draft. Yes, there’s room to improve against the run, but most analysts still had a high opinion of that side of his game.

…then we picked up Revel. Yes, he’s recovering from an injury. However, NFL.com still rated him the 2nd best CB at the Combine, and many were forecasting he’d be a 1st or 2nd round pick - even with that injury.
He was incredible value at 76.

Lastly, in the absence of a trade-down (and I wanted several), Blue was one of the best RBs available to us in the 5th.
Had we taken Sampson in the 3rd, or a skill player of any kind in the first or 2nd, do we get guys like Booker and Ezeiruaku a round later than we took them? Not on your life.

I’m no apologist, and I believe we could have done things differently; could have come away with much better at DT and RB had we traded down.

Reality is that we didn’t, though.

So without a trade down, looking at who we did get per round, I have to say it’s a pretty good draft - 1st round OL regardless…

 

[cowboyed]

I don't know what the angst or disappointment is drafting additional offense linemen considering when there are injuries many gripe over that the blocking effectiveness and or protection quickly falls apart. We always seem to need a bit more depth on the line. It's also who you pick, when you pick and if they are quality linemen. And as already stated in this thread what about free agent acquisition.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

We should've drafted a WR but for some reason, I believe whoever they would've picked would be a bust anyways. That is this FO's luck. The only thing they can actually get close to right most of the time is drafting OL (Guyton is a disaster too). lol

The thing is he may not be a bust.

It just won't matter at all if he is isn't because he's a guard.

You can't tell the difference between a great guard and a decent guard. You only know a guard is bad if he is really, really, really bad.

It was a safe pick. That's why they continue to go OLine in the 1st round so much. It's safe and comfortable and incredibly hard to really scew it up bad.

The problem is a Olineman is not going to take a 7 win team to an 8 win team like actual impact positions could.

 

[KingCorcoran]

Your posts have become a schtick. It’s one thing to have a point, it’s quite another to make a fool of yourself. Some people know the difference…carry on…

He does have a point. That vaunted Eagles O-Line wouldn’t mean much without quality playmakers to take advantage of it. Why get all dressed up when you have no place to go?

The Cowboys probably had the best draft in the division. Three quality players in the first three rounds. No catalyst players to win games with the advantage the team just gained.

 

[stiletto]

In fairness, I think the pick at 12 was going to be the WR that went to the Panthers.

So, at that point the next best WR was Golden but 12 was too high to draft him, which turned out to be true since he went in the 20s.

Well with that logic Golden was still the better pick. Most boards/experts had Booker in the late 20's/ early 30's that I've seen. ESPN had Booker in the 50's. Brugler had Golden 15 and Booker 24.

 

[CowboyStar88]

This team picks linemen because they’re safer picks and less prone to being a bust. To them it’s a better ROI with less scrutiny. They don’t need as much coaching or play design to work. This team just wants to be relevant not win anything.

 

[Xizor]

Sorry, I missed the joke after you wrote the above, which wasn't joking at all. QB contracts are what they are. You or I can think they're too high, but it doesn't matter; they are what they are.

Dude he will be 35. QBs start declining at that age. I would hope we start looking more towards the future then but whatever you do you lol.

 

[cowboyed]

This team picks linemen because they’re safer picks and less prone to being a bust. To them it’s a better ROI with less scrutiny. They don’t need as much coaching or play design to work. This team just wants to be relevant not win anything.

Dude, that's really not their motivation to draft lineman. It's not glamorous but the game usually is consistently won with dominance in the trenches. We are now not razor thin on the offensive line for a change and that will hopefully carry us through the regular season, perhaps even the post-season.

 

[LovinItAll]

Dude he will be 35. QBs start declining at that age. I would hope we start looking more towards the future then but whatever you do you lol.

I don't think I said anything about him playing after his current contract, but barring another catastrophic injury - and he's had two already - 35 is not 'aging out' of the QB position in 2025, much less 2029. Yes, we'll need to start looking to the future at every position eventually. When that will be with Dak is hard for anyone to say. He could have two miserable years in a row during his current contract and the future is then now, or we could somehow go to 2 NFCCGs or SBs in the last 2 years of his contract, which would get him yet another contract.

The idea of predicting the future is folly. For goodness' sake, Flacco is still starting. What is he, 40? Brady, Rodgers (I know, he's in freefall, but there are MANY posters here who think we should have gone after Rodgers post-35), Stafford is 37, Brees was 42 when he stepped away, Cousins is 36 and doing exactly the same thing that he's always done. Rules changes and players taking care of their bodies has increased their shelf life. If Dak can win, I don't care how old he is. Dak led us to 12 win seasons 3 years in a row before he got hurt this last time. Talk about post-season success all you like, but you have to get to the post-season first. 12 win years are very good in the NFL, 13+ wins are outstanding, and not many teams get 13 in any given year.

 

[Johannes44]

The Cowboys continue to do things differently from the winning franchises in the NFL.

This why fans like myself hate seeing my team draft OL every year in the 1st round.

It means nothing without weapons.

Not to mention someone with enough skill to operate a competent offense.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

AND a 1st round QB.

well you know, guards are key to superbowl success. look at all the teams who had success with the best guards in the NFL
(sarcasm fully intended).

in the meantime, your eagles drafted 5 defensive players with their first 5 picks.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I don't form opinions based on a twitter post. Those are usually ramblings of unsatisfied people who have no other form of expression. However if enough data and research is behind the post, I will pay attention. In this case, it would be interesting to know, all those teams that did not spend a draft pick on O line in the first round, how many of those players did they get in free agency that had first round draft grade. If I have that information then I can evaluate this claim better.

well, there was some research behind it. the number of OL men drafted in the first round was posted.

you don't spend a premium pick on a guard....that's not the reason you make the superbowl.. quickly name the guards in last year's CCG teams...without googling it.

 

[thunderpimp91]

I don't think I said anything about him playing after his current contract, but barring another catastrophic injury - and he's had two already - 35 is not 'aging out' of the QB position in 2025, much less 2029. Yes, we'll need to start looking to the future at every position eventually. When that will be with Dak is hard for anyone to say. He could have two miserable years in a row during his current contract and the future is then now, or we could somehow go to 2 NFCCGs or SBs in the last 2 years of his contract, which would get him yet another contract.

The idea of predicting the future is folly. For goodness' sake, Flacco is still starting. What is he, 40? Brady, Rodgers (I know, he's in freefall, but there are MANY posters here who think we should have gone after Rodgers post-35), Stafford is 37, Brees was 42 when he stepped away, Cousins is 36 and doing exactly the same thing that he's always done. Rules changes and players taking care of their bodies has increased their shelf life. If Dak can win, I don't care how old he is. Dak led us to 12 win seasons 3 years in a row before he got hurt this last time. Talk about post-season success all you like, but you have to get to the post-season first. 12 win years are very good in the NFL, 13+ wins are outstanding, and not many teams get 13 in any given year.

I think you are looking more at examples of exceptions than anything with QB ages. Yes some of the truly great players can last to 40sih, but very few are doing so. Joe Flacco is technically still playing, but he probably shouldnt be. He had a magical 5 game run with Cleveland, but has been mostly a backup level player at best the last several year. Kirk Cousins is clearly showed signs of regression last year and is unlikely to enter the season as a starter. Russell Wilson is still getting chances with bad teams at 36 years old, but it doesnt mean that he is still a quality QB. Roethlisberger played til nearly 40, but clearly not the same player after that 2018 season. Similar situation with Rivers, Matt Ryan, Eli, etc. who all hung around longer than they should have.

One of the common knocks on Dak even early in his career is that he would be unlikely to age gracefully given his play style and body structure. To his credit I think Dak has improved as a passer more than most thought he would to help prolong that, but hes clearly reached injury prone status at this point with just one full season under his belt since 2020. He seems like a guy that will end up playing into his late 30s, but I think there is a really good chance that is due to a lack of QBs to fill all 32 teams rather than Dak playing at a high level.

The Cowboys need to be careful about his contact structure starting next offseason so they can remain open minded on dumping him and not be forced into a nother extension in order to gain some cap relief in 2027. IMO the Cowboys really should view their time with Dak as a two year window to be seriously competitive, which is why its frustrating to see them not be more aggressive in recent offseasons.

 

[shabazz]

The Cowboys continue to do things differently from the winning franchises in the NFL.

This why fans like myself hate seeing my team draft OL every year in the 1st round.

It means nothing without weapons.

I'm in the camp that you build from the inside out. Taking a guard at 12 however is a bit rich.

The biggest problem as I see it is not drafting too many olineman as much as it's the refusal to BUY real starters in free agency.

Draft the highest paid positions early in the draft and buy the lower paid positions in FA........the refusal to buy Henry for 8 mil a year is the best example I can put forth

 

[Rajveer]

well, there was some research behind it. the number of OL men drafted in the first round was posted.

you don't spend a premium pick on a guard....that's not the reason you make the superbowl.. quickly name the guards in last year's CCG teams...without googling it.

You do not win without the trenches either. The eagles had both an amazing O line and D line last year. Without that O line Saquon would not have had the record breaking year that he did. We would not have to take a Guard in the first round if we are active in FA. Since we suck at FA we have to invest in the lines through the draft. We have spent premium picks on Zeke and CeeDee, how many superbowls have they won? This is a team sport and you start with the trenches as all premium picks on offence need a decent O line to operate.

 

[thunderpimp91]

well, there was some research behind it. the number of OL men drafted in the first round was posted.

you don't spend a premium pick on a guard....that's not the reason you make the superbowl.. quickly name the guards in last year's CCG teams...without googling it.

I think that info is a little misleading though....KC traded for and gave a top contract to Joe Thuney a few years back. They also just invested $23M to Trey Smith. Also used a 2nd round pick on Creed Humphrey. They clearly value the interior OL positions. Granted Smith was a 6th round pick and evidence that you can find quality linemen deeper in the draft KC is still throwing pretty significant resources at the position.

Philly used the #37 overall pick on Landon Dickerson and another 2nd round pick on Jurgens. Cycling through that RG spot may come back to bite them this year, but they also continue to invest in former busted 1st round picks.

I don't think you'll get a huge amount of disagreement that #12 is high for a guard unless they're Larry Allen level but given the average talent in the first round of this draft I'm not sure its quite the reach many think it is. I'd much rather them hit on a guard than reach and miss on more valuable position but its a player they don't like as much.

 

[thunderpimp91]

I'm in the camp that you build from the inside out. Taking a guard at 12 however is a bit rich.

The biggest problem as I see it is not drafting too many olineman as much as it's the refusal to BUY real starters in free agency.

Draft the highest paid positions early in the draft and buy the lower paid positions in FA........the refusal to buy Henry for 8 mil a year is the best example I can put forth

Completely agree....you have to invest resources into the OL, the Cowboys just reject the one method that forces them to spend significant money. I would have loved for the Cowboys to go and invest in FA in an IOL like Drew Dalman to put next to Beebe and Smith, but hell will have to freeze over for the Cowboys to go after a tier 1 FA. Instead its no rules when it comes to the draft, and honestly the most important thing is simply that they hit on quality players when going with this method. They simply don't have the luxury of missing on another 1st round pick.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

I'm in the camp that you build from the inside out. Taking a guard at 12 however is a bit rich.

The biggest problem as I see it is not drafting too many olineman as much as it's the refusal to BUY real starters in free agency.

Draft the highest paid positions early in the draft and buy the lower paid positions in FA........the refusal to buy Henry for 8 mil a year is the best example I can put forth

I would be okay with the inside out approach, except we never do the outside part of it.