CFZ The position where depth is most needed on a roster ready for a playoff run

[john van brocklin]

Our backup tackles *could* be Tyler Smith at LT, Zach Marting at RT. Backfill the opened G spot with McGovern. That gets our best 5 on the field.

The choice to bring in a veteran probably comes down to how many of our young OTs do they want to keep on the roster.

Looking at that depth, I'd say we should be thinking about an interior lineman, especially if moving either Tyler or Zach is considered a first option for backup T.

We lost two starting linemen. OT and G. We have yet to do anything to replace them. We don't have much depth across the oline. McGovern is it. Some like Farniok too. But that's just 2 guys for 5 positions.

If can see this lack of depth certainly the front office can
?????????

 

[john van brocklin]

Making the argument as to why the OL of a team is more important than the QB simply begins w/the quarterback’s necessity for an above average OL.

Without such an OL, it is literally impossible for any QB, regardless of talent, to gain even moderate success. The reason behind this correlation is simple. On average, a QB needs approximately 4.5 seconds to complete a pass. For deeper passes or more complicated routes, a QB may even need more time before releasing the ball. Hence the reason some Zoners claim Dak holds on to the ball too long.

However, without an efficient OL, the QB will begin to be pressured within as little time as 1.5 seconds. No QB can ever succeed under such conditions. Some don't understand this & therefore just claim, Dak sucks.

Yep, hard for a qb to be successful when he's running for his life.

 

[john van brocklin]

My thoughts are that we need to wait to see what happens in camp with Waletzko and Ball. Waletzko should be back practicing next week, which is fine because you can’t tell too much on OL before the pads come on.

If neither of those guys can do it yet, then you go get a swing tackle. Dallas has the second most cap room in the league.

Seems simple enough.

Waletzko needs a full season to bulk up.
My concern is the quality OL free agents are going to get snapped up soon if we wait too long.

 

[buybuydandavis]

If can see this lack of depth certainly the front office can
?????????

If only that were the way it worked in Cowboy Land.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Waletzko needs a full season to bulk up.
My concern is the quality OL free agents are going to get snapped up soon if we wait too long.

Yeah. He's not ready. Few 5th round olinemen are ready to play. And he's hurt on the verge of August?

More likely he heads to the PS than becomes our swing T this year.

He's a fine candidate to go on IR and redshirt his first year.

 

[john van brocklin]

Yeah. He's not ready. Few 5th round olinemen are ready to play. And he's hurt on the verge of August?

More likely he heads to the PS than becomes our swing T this year.

He's a fine candidate to go on IR and redshirt his first year.

My thoughts exactly!
Redshirt him!
Sign some OL in free agency

 

[john van brocklin]

If only that were the way it worked in Cowboy Land.

Yep, our front office needs some professionals running the show.

 

[RonWashington]

Oddly enough with Tyler B and Farniok at C plus several UDFA I assume will play heavily in pre season center seems to be the deepest position of the three OLine positions. You can see why Smith with his versatility was the Cowboys top pick this year. On paper at least the depth at T and G seems lacking and that’s charitable .

 

[RonWashington]

For the current stable of backups to be adequate Josh Ball & Conner McGovern have to play NFL caliber football and not be over run because at some point they will be playing .

 

[buybuydandavis]

For the current stable of backups to be adequate Josh Ball & Conner McGovern have to play NFL caliber football and not be over run because at some point they will be playing .

With the current roster, yeah.

If we go Martin and Tyler as the first up T replacements, we could get our depth with more interior olinemen. I'm fine with McGovern as the first up G. But we need more bodies at G behind him, and I don't see them. Could get a G ahead of him too.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Making the argument as to why the OL of a team is more important than the QB simply begins w/the quarterback’s necessity for an above average OL.

Without such an OL, it is literally impossible for any QB, regardless of talent, to gain even moderate success. The reason behind this correlation is simple. On average, a QB needs approximately 4.5 seconds to complete a pass. For deeper passes or more complicated routes, a QB may even need more time before releasing the ball. Hence the reason some Zoners claim Dak holds on to the ball too long.

However, without an efficient OL, the QB will begin to be pressured within as little time as 1.5 seconds. No QB can ever succeed under such conditions. Some don't understand this & therefore just claim, Dak sucks.

In general I agree, but Cincinnati went to the Super Bowl last year with a very good QB and a bad OL. Before anyone posts it, yes, it was an outlier, but it obviously can happen.

 

[RonWashington]

When it came time to WINNING the SB both the Bengals and Chiefs the yr before were run over. One could argue Burrow / Chase and Mahomes / Hill had a lot more to do with those teams going to the GAME .

Dak has to have time to throw and some steady week to week running game has to have top third of the league line play . I don’t see Burrow Mahomes Chase or Hill in Oxnard Ca.

 

[Streifenkarl]

In the modern cap era of the NFL, depth is often is the hidden key to success in the long haul of an NFL season. And because of the cap, depth is a lot harder to accomplish than it was in the 90s when the Cowboys had depth in droves.

These days, if your team has signed some key expensive pieces that take a lot of cap space- like QB, LT, pass rusher, corner, etc, one of the biggest challenges is being able to have enough depth when (not if) the injuries happen during a season.

IMO, there are a couple of key position areas where depth is critical to make a serious run in the playoffs. But none is more critical than this one:

• Swing Tackle- having an O-Lineman who is versatile enough to plug in for a few games at either tackle position is critical for the success of a team’s offense. Remember Chaz Green and the Atlanta game in 2017? Probably cost us a playoff spot that year. Having a competent OLineman who can play multiple positions competently for short runs is critical for a playoff run.

So where are we today in our depth in our OL? According to the “Our Lads” site, here is the current depth chart for our line:

• LT- starter- Tyron Smith. Backups are Matt Waletzko (hurt right now) and Avante Collins
• LG- starter- Tyler Smith. Backup is Connor McGovern
• C- starter is Tyler Biadaz. Backup is Matt Farniok.
• RG- starter is Zack Martin. Backups are Braden Jones and Issac Alarcon
• RT- starter is Terrance Steele. Backups are Josh Ball and Aaron Simon

That’s 13 guys at OL and obviously we can’t keep them all.

My big question is- who will fill the very important depth role of Swing Tackle? Tyler Smith has been mentioned as the guy most likely to step in for Tyron Smith when he goes down. But are we sure that’s the best option? Maybe. But if Tyler S is playing well at LG, would it be better to have a veteran backup who could step in?

Bottom line for me- I hope when SJ says they are “keeping their powder dry” for some additional moves, they will consider finding a versatile veteran who can step into a depth role. I want to get rid of the bad memories of counting on a Chaz Green type again.

Either that on we are going to be hoping Josh Ball or Matt Waletzko (who’s hurt) are going to have to make a very speedy developmental move.

Thoughts?

Man, I really like your analytical kind of threads, they are a nice contrast to all the homerism/hate going on.

But isn't training camp there to give us these answers? I say let's wait for the coaches to make that decision and then we can analyze that decision. This early in camp all we know is who's healthy and who's not.

 

[noshame]

I think we preformed way below our talent level last year, we had guys late off the ball, off balance, playing too talI , planted feet. I want to see improvement in the basics in preseason otherwise coaching has to be corrected before evaluating players. This is sll lack of discipline

 

[fivetwos]

Steele wasn't good at LT, but at least has played there in a game before.

If Tyron goes down, I dont see how you replace him with either of the rookies or Ball.

They have said they don't want to move several positions for one, so then go get a vet.

Then again the kids need to play in order to develop. I guess it comes down to what they see in camp, if that can be seen.

The one thing I for sure would not do is move Tyler off of LG. Leave him there and let him learn it.

Tyler at LT, McGovern at LG next to Biadasz is a nightmare waiting to happen and they are playing with fire with the QBs health.

 

[RonWashington]

I think we preformed way below our talent level last year, we had guys late off the ball, off balance, playing too talI , planted feet. I want to see improvement in the basics in preseason otherwise coaching has to be corrected before evaluating players. This is sll lack of discipline

Well Joe Philbin is an MM “ guy “ while a Mark Columbo I believe was sent packing when the GB coaches starting admiring Jeans art collection . I agree the line play last 2 yrs sub par at best .

 

[CouchCoach]

Can't fix everything at once and this team let the LG and RT go with a LT that hasn't played a full season in 5 years. Thet's a lot to replace when the other OL already on the team haven't shown a lot.

But they also lost their #1WR and starting DE so that needed to be addressed.

This wasn't just a team with holes, they put those holes there. Lost OL, DE and WR, picked OL, DE and WR.

They really don't know if they have the right RT, a Swing Tackle, without pulling from another spot on the OL, is a luxury.

I really think optimism about this OL at this point is manufactured because it wasn't very good last season and it might actually be worse, at least in the beginning.

Zack Martin is not the standard, he is far beyond that, most OL take time and before FA, didn't even see the field their first season. It will not be fair but Tyler Smith will be compared to Martin and he is 1st ballot HOFer.