CFZ The Good News for Josh Ball

[JBS]

99% of CZ ripped Steele to shreds his rookie year.

You’ve been defending this loser since the moment he was drafted. Yes, compare him to one of the better stories on the entire roster. As if that’s what his career arc is going to look like.

 

[tunahelper]

He’s awful.

Nuff said.

 

[Jumbo075]

Not a single fan has any clue how the Josh Ball story with the Cowboys will turn out. He could flame out, or turn into a good player. None of us knows.

 

[Star Guard_31]

Mods, please edit title of this thread to "The Bad News for Cowboys and Fans".

Signed,
Cowboys fans everywhere

 

[manster4ever]

Nuff said.

...he's ABSOLUTELY awful. Bring on Peters and Peters only at RT

 

[Cmac]

Going in cold without much prep in practice for his first real NFL action had to be a tough task. He had some really bad plays, but if he can use them to learn and motivate himself, he could surprise. Think back to how bad Steele looked his rookie season and then how he looked last year, and on to this year. Ball should get better with actual game experience. We'll be fine alternating him and Peters.

.....this theory didn't work for Chaz Greene.

 

[CapnB]

Steele is OK, and that is all. Better at run blocking; but the better pass rushers pretty much own him

Still will take him every day of the week and TWICE on sunday over Ball

Is that why so many are saying its a huge blow for this Oline? Sorry, but if a guy is "okay, and that is all" its not a huge blow

 

[Beaker42]

The OP’s point on Ball was about the future, not the present. He was comparing the situation to Steele, who was awful his rookie year. I can’t remember a single poster here that thought Steele was anything but trash his 1st year. They’re different players and humans so just because Steele developed doesn’t mean Ball will, but he has an opportunity to show if he can by getting more quality reps.

I have full confidence the coaching staff will implement a plan for the present to replace Steele that limits the impact of his loss. How much that involves Ball remains to be seen.

Hopefully, the remains to be seen apart is “none”, at least this season.

 

[DCreppinBoysfan]

We might be able to actually extend Steele for cheap now. Cowboys have been trying it give him a new contract all season but hi and his agent have smartly been saying no. Now with this situation maybe he gives in for some security

 

[plymkr]

99% of CZ ripped Steele to shreds his rookie year.

I remember that. 2020 when Steele and Knight were our Ts. Steele developed, Knight disappeared. Jury is still out on Ball. This season I hope Peters can flip to the right and play the whole game.

 

[OGCowboy]

Not a single fan has any clue how the Josh Ball story with the Cowboys will turn out. He could flame out, or turn into a good player. None of us knows.

Sir...do you question the high level of NFL talent evaluators on this board?? If so, I’m flabbergasted

 

[xwalker]

I remember that. 2020 when Steele and Knight were our Ts. Steele developed, Knight disappeared. Jury is still out on Ball. This season I hope Peters can flip to the right and play the whole game.

Yes, I posted back then that Steele had upside but that Knight was never going to be a quality starting OT.

Steele would often play 3 quality quarters but one very bad quarter.

Josh Ball is somewhere between Steele and Knight from back then. Ball appears to have the required physical ability but technique has not improved since camp. I think he still play some snaps going forward but they'll have a quick hook to replace him if he struggles.

 

[Chuck 54]

Ball is above average in run blocking. He moves guys. He is sometimes okay in pass pro, but when he is bad, he is awful! He needs lots of work and experience in pass pro. But he’s so much better in run blocking that I tend to hope it’s just technique and experience.

 

[plymkr]

Yes, I posted back then that Steele had upside but that Knight was never going to be a quality starting OT.

Steele would often play 3 quality quarters but one very bad quarter.

Josh Ball is somewhere between Steele and Knight from back then. Ball appears to have the required physical ability but technique has not improved since camp. I think he still play some snaps going forward but they'll have a quick hook to replace him if he struggles.

He played well against the run but struggled against the pass. There seems to some upside there. I agree that if he struggles we got to get someone else in there, especially on passing downs. Losing Steele really hurt. If I could choose between winning the game and losing Steele or losing the game and keeping Steele. I'd keep Steele and take the L. Sucks. But we got some guys that'll work but it still sucks.

 

[xwalker]

He played well against the run but struggled against the pass. There seems to some upside there. I agree that if he struggles we got to get someone else in there, especially on passing downs. Losing Steele really hurt. If I could choose between winning the game and losing Steele or losing the game and keeping Steele. I'd keep Steele and take the L. Sucks. But we got some guys that'll work but it still sucks.

If Ball knows the pass rusher is going outside or inside he can block him. That seems obvious but that statement would not really have been true with Doug Free. Free had good reactions in terms positioning but struggled physically with strong pass rushers like Michael Bennett.

My point is that physically Ball is at least as good as Free. If Ball can develop the instincts then he has a chance.

 

[DuncanIso]

It’s ridiculous that Dallas doesn’t require the use of braces for their starting OL.

all of them are one play away from an ACL/PCL.

 

[Captain-Crash]

not sure about football strength, but in basketball, I had lower body, and leg strength and I was hard to move out of the post. Maybe he doesn't have good lower body strength.

 

[quickccc]

The injury to Terrence Steele may not be good news in the near term for the Cowboys, but there is an upside for Josh Ball.

Real game reps are the fastest way for a player to learn and develop. The Cowboys aren’t going to put the entire burden of replacing Steele on Ball. With Tyron Smith returning, who played right tackle during the 2011 season, and future HOF tackle Jason Peters available, the Cowboys will protect Ball from being overexposed.

But the injury to Steele means that Ball will also be the primary Right Tackle in training camp next year and is likely to begin the 2023 season as the starter.
This trial by fire may pay long term dividends for the team if Ball is able to improve his game. If not, there is Matt Waletzko.

In addition to developing 2020 rookie Terrence Steele into a starting NFL tackle, the Cowboys have drafted three more offensive tackles in the drafts of 2021 and 2022. It’s not like the Cowboys didn’t anticipate the need. Now it’s just about development and implementation. Steele and Smith have both been starters this season. Time for the development of Ball and Waletzko.

The injury to Terrence Steele may not be good news in the near term for the Cowboys, but there is an upside for Josh Ball. Real game reps are the fastest way for a player to learn and develop. The Cowboys aren’t going to put the entire burden of replacing Steele on Ball. With Tyron Smith returning, who played right tackle during the 2011 season, and future HOF tackle Jason Peters available, the Cowboys will protect Ball from being overexposed.

But the injury to Steele means that Ball will also be the primary Right Tackle in training camp next year and is likely to begin the 2023 season as the starter. This trial by fire may pay long term dividends for the team if Ball is able to improve his game. If not, there is Matt Waletzko.

In addition to developing 2020 rookie Terrence Steele into a starting NFL tackle, the Cowboys have drafted three more offensive tackles in the drafts of 2021 and 2022. It’s not like the Cowboys didn’t anticipate the need. Now it’s just about development and implementation. Steele and Smith have both been starters this season. Time for the development of Ball and Waletzko.

- Gameday play vs starting competition is the best way to develop, but if you do have better options, i don't see why the neccessity to exposing your franchise QB to damaging injury that
you simply do not have to. Best Man up, and that's backup vet Jason Peters.
Can you imagine if this was the upcoming playoffs vs Niners, ..and Josh Ball is forced to go up against Nick Bosa ? ... Yiiiiikes !

- And Steele is gonna likely be doing the conditioning cords throughout camp. And probably either see very little preseason play,.. if any.
They may well could choose to go the Tyron Smith route with him just practicing when he resumes to the pads.

- Steele is gonna likely be recovered to be the starting RT regular season game one in 2023.. camp summer time is gonna be a recovery time.
That’s so far away that I’m not even fretting over that.

- It's just very important to have a Plan B option available (ala Jason Peters) ..in the event Ball and Waletzko don't look like they are not cutting it training camp/preseason.

 

[quickccc]

It’s ridiculous that Dallas doesn’t require the use of braces for their starting OL.

all of them are one play away from an ACL/PCL.

Are the knee braces optional among players ?
If that's the case, they run their own risk of injury. It's their call.

And i can only guess work that the braces are so bulky and cumbersome that they just don't feel comfortable with them.
They must feel it restricts and limits them so that they risk the gamble without them. Just my guess.

 

[Bagman]

IDK what's up with Ball. He's pretty strong and gives good effort on run plays. But for whatever reason, his technique really sucks when pass blocking. He doesn't punch, he kinda reaches and gets off balance way too easily. I think with an entire offseason devoted to technique work, he can be serviceable as a swing guy