Redball Express
All Aboard!!!
- Messages
- 16,253
- Reaction score
- 12,758
If we are going to improve an area..we need to do exactly like we did last year..
..focus the majority of your FA's and draft picks in those areas.
Last year, the major shift to the 3-4 defense dictated our drafting Ware, Spears, Canti, Burnett and FA signings with Henry, Ferguson and other defensive players such as Glenn.
Significant immediate improvement resulted and more improvement may occur with time.
I think the same now has to be done with the offense.
I've sort of felt that while we had QB's like Quincy and others, the team wasn't going to invest in much offensive help until a TE, RB and QB of quality could be found. Those have been found.
But unfortunately, the defense sprung it's collapse in 2004 and necessitated to all-out repair job to it in 2005.
So now the offense rebuilding must be completed...or for some, begun, with urgency.
I think while many want to say that if Adams hadn't gone down and Jones hadn't come up lame for half a season again..we'd have been better..
..I'm not convinced it's the real lynch-pin factors needing correcting and if corrected, will put us over the top.
I think we need an overhaul on the offense beginning with using all our top draft picks to shoreup the need positions..RT, G,center and WR..but not necessarily in that order. I think our top 1 or 2 FA acquisitions should also be focused in those areas, as well.
This offense in no way can stand pat.
We need an impact offensive draft this year much as we had for the defense last year.
We need new, young, talent and we also need another vet or 2 to step in right away to stabilize the uncertainty at the tackles and center positions.
If this is done, I'd see us making significant gains offensively.
Pettiti and Tucker are fine backups and will be strong as long as not needed to start.
But we are going to probably lose Guerode in FA and Johnson is not going to play at a high enough level for us to have a good OL and LA and Rivera need youth behind them to help them last a season with anything left in their tank for December.
If we use our high picks in the draft to take a RT, C and G to backup, learn and by mid-season, split time to keep vets fresh, we'll see improvement offensively. Same as we did with the defense last year.
By mid-season, vets were playing less and new bodies learned and played well. Vets got fewer snaps and were less injury-prone and worn down.
Replacement/backups must be found for both LA and Rivera with his back problems. Don't and we pay the price.
Don't improve the C position, and the running game and the passing game are going to suffer. Unfortunately, Dallas hasn't been willing to invest highly in the OL by draft or by FA until last year with Rivera's signing.
That's going to have to change somemore if we are going to rebuild the OL and ultimately the offense.
And make no mistake, this offense still has a lot of rebuilding or reworking before it will compete for a championship. While most of the starters can be utilized, I think it's time to invest the rest of any remaining cap money into the offense and it's short and long-term needs and jump start it like last year with the defense.
I think that the defense has most of the pieces in place. They need more, but I think the second year in the 3-4 and with one or 2 backup FA pickups found to add depth or be situational players and with the retaining of current vets such as Glover and Ellis, they will be fine. Burnett needs to get over his horrible rookie debut and step up, too.
But that's foreseeable.
But the offense needs strengthing and deepening immediately and while the Cowboys try to remain quiet or vague about their needs as FA period begins, I think we will see a big shift to offense in the coming months to make changes.
And I'm expecting some shakeups and surprises in this down the road. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dallas go after TO and let a guy like Glenn or Key go as a result. or another top WR.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Dallas release LA and save his cap at this point in his career and instead target a 1st rouund player in the draft or top FA G to replace him at less money or go after other needs in FA and the draft.
And that might not be the end of it. It could prove interesting this off-season seeing how the Jints and 'Skins have leapfrogged us now after 2005 and just how Jerry and BP view next year and whether the gap can be closed without another aggressive off-season like last.
We'll see.
Parcellswaterboy
..focus the majority of your FA's and draft picks in those areas.
Last year, the major shift to the 3-4 defense dictated our drafting Ware, Spears, Canti, Burnett and FA signings with Henry, Ferguson and other defensive players such as Glenn.
Significant immediate improvement resulted and more improvement may occur with time.
I think the same now has to be done with the offense.
I've sort of felt that while we had QB's like Quincy and others, the team wasn't going to invest in much offensive help until a TE, RB and QB of quality could be found. Those have been found.
But unfortunately, the defense sprung it's collapse in 2004 and necessitated to all-out repair job to it in 2005.
So now the offense rebuilding must be completed...or for some, begun, with urgency.
I think while many want to say that if Adams hadn't gone down and Jones hadn't come up lame for half a season again..we'd have been better..
..I'm not convinced it's the real lynch-pin factors needing correcting and if corrected, will put us over the top.
I think we need an overhaul on the offense beginning with using all our top draft picks to shoreup the need positions..RT, G,center and WR..but not necessarily in that order. I think our top 1 or 2 FA acquisitions should also be focused in those areas, as well.
This offense in no way can stand pat.
We need an impact offensive draft this year much as we had for the defense last year.
We need new, young, talent and we also need another vet or 2 to step in right away to stabilize the uncertainty at the tackles and center positions.
If this is done, I'd see us making significant gains offensively.
Pettiti and Tucker are fine backups and will be strong as long as not needed to start.
But we are going to probably lose Guerode in FA and Johnson is not going to play at a high enough level for us to have a good OL and LA and Rivera need youth behind them to help them last a season with anything left in their tank for December.
If we use our high picks in the draft to take a RT, C and G to backup, learn and by mid-season, split time to keep vets fresh, we'll see improvement offensively. Same as we did with the defense last year.
By mid-season, vets were playing less and new bodies learned and played well. Vets got fewer snaps and were less injury-prone and worn down.
Replacement/backups must be found for both LA and Rivera with his back problems. Don't and we pay the price.
Don't improve the C position, and the running game and the passing game are going to suffer. Unfortunately, Dallas hasn't been willing to invest highly in the OL by draft or by FA until last year with Rivera's signing.
That's going to have to change somemore if we are going to rebuild the OL and ultimately the offense.
And make no mistake, this offense still has a lot of rebuilding or reworking before it will compete for a championship. While most of the starters can be utilized, I think it's time to invest the rest of any remaining cap money into the offense and it's short and long-term needs and jump start it like last year with the defense.
I think that the defense has most of the pieces in place. They need more, but I think the second year in the 3-4 and with one or 2 backup FA pickups found to add depth or be situational players and with the retaining of current vets such as Glover and Ellis, they will be fine. Burnett needs to get over his horrible rookie debut and step up, too.
But that's foreseeable.
But the offense needs strengthing and deepening immediately and while the Cowboys try to remain quiet or vague about their needs as FA period begins, I think we will see a big shift to offense in the coming months to make changes.
And I'm expecting some shakeups and surprises in this down the road. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dallas go after TO and let a guy like Glenn or Key go as a result. or another top WR.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Dallas release LA and save his cap at this point in his career and instead target a 1st rouund player in the draft or top FA G to replace him at less money or go after other needs in FA and the draft.
And that might not be the end of it. It could prove interesting this off-season seeing how the Jints and 'Skins have leapfrogged us now after 2005 and just how Jerry and BP view next year and whether the gap can be closed without another aggressive off-season like last.
We'll see.
Parcellswaterboy
