The Wulf Den: Aftermath

[Juke99]

Thanks for a great, well thought out, post.

 

[LeonDixson]

Good analysis, Wulf.

I agree that keeping only 2 QB's is the way to go. There are always JAGs hanging around during the season that are at least equal to McGee that you could turn to in a pinch. The only problem is that we wouldn't be developing someone for the future. However, unless the Cowboys think McGee is that guy, you might as well cut ties with him now and look for a new one to start developing next year.

 

[Mattsdad]

Fantastic post as usual! Thanks Wulf.

 

[SDogo]

Good stuff, really enjoyed it!

 

[perrykemp]

This is great stuff. Posts like this make me feel inadequate about my own contributions.

 

[trueblue1687]

Nice stuff. I'm interested to see what Hakim can do (if anything). Speed is always a brow raiser, but putting it all together is a different story. That said, he comes from pretty good stock and is an interesting name to follow. I agree that he won't challenge for any real field time, but I'm curious what the knock on him is coming out. Small school or questionable hands/routes?

 

[casmith07]

Excellent work Wulfman.

I'm with you on L.P. Ladouceur. Honestly, if I'm the Cowboys, I'd just extend the guy for life and let him play until he retires or his arms fall off and he can't do it anymore. He's perfect on all snaps for his career.

 

[justbob]

I appreciate that. My writing had to take a back burner to some other RL stuff, but I'm glad to be able to get it going again.

But we are so glad you are back ---as always great stuff

 

[Everson24]

That was a great read! Thanks Wulfman. We all appreciate threads like this. I can't wait for training camp to come and see some of these roster battles taking place.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Great job!!!

 

[jrumann59]

Excellent work Wulfman.

I'm with you on L.P. Ladouceur. Honestly, if I'm the Cowboys, I'd just extend the guy for life and let him play until he retires or his arms fall off and he can't do it anymore. He's perfect on all snaps for his career.

Yeah remember when Jerry thought he was smarter than the average bear one year and ended up paying more for Hellestrae in the long run instead of just re-signing him to an extension.

 

[Wulfman]

So you don't think Costa even makes the roster at center after starting there last year?

Honestly, I think he has a decent chance IF Kowalski and Nagy don't pick it up significantly. But when I compared the two, Kowalski graded out higher than Costa did when I looked at the game film last year on those occasions when Kowalski played. With a year under his belt in the weight room, I expect him to be even better. The same goes for Nagy, who has position versatility as well.

As for Costa, I know they liked the improvement he showed as the season went on last year, but that doesn't mean they won't look to upgrade. Not too many people thought he was going to start over Gurode last year either, but it happened. And as much as the Cowboys claim it was about Costa emerging as a player, I maintain it was more about Gurode's unwillingness to re-negotiate his contract coming off of knee surgery.

Of course, this is all predicated on Leary showing enough to make the squad AND Arkin showing that he has developed the strength to be a legitimate guard in the NFL. If Leary doesn't prove to be what they think he is, or Arkin gets thrown around like a ragdoll again, I think one of them will be out and Costa will be on the roster as an extra G/C regardless of whether or not he starts.

 

[Wulfman]

all the comments about costa from the staff this offseason have been positive. i think he comes back either as a starter or backup.

i also believe that hamilton will take albright's spot depending on how physically ready he is.

for some reason i think one of the receiver positions will be a shocker. either the kid from smu or the kid from the ufl or someone else will shock us. i have serious doubts radway can come back from that gruesome injury.

I addressed my thoughts about Costa, above.

The Hamilton/Albright/Butler question is a good one, and I expect an interesting battle. One thing to remember, though, is the position people played. Butler lined up behind Spencer on the strong side most of the time, while Albright was behind Ware on the weak side. But their size would indicate that Albright (6-5, 257) would be a better fit on the strong side where he can take on the run at the point of attack, and what I've heard from the coaching staff suggests he has the flexibility to play either outside position and perhaps even on the inside as well. Butler, on the other hand, is smaller (6-2, 246), and his best asset is rushing the passer. If Hamilton (6-2, 248) comes in and shows enough disruption as a pass rusher, the most likely person for him to replace would be the guy whose job he's doing. Of course, Hamilton has to show it to even make the roster, so until he does, I'm not giving him anyone's spot.

According to the latest reports, Radway, while not 100%, was participating in the drills this weekend at full speed, including running routes, cuts, etc. I think he still has a long way to go in terms of trusting that leg to be able to do the things he did last year that impressed so many, so there is definitely a window of opportunity for someone to step up there. I'm also not sold on Holmes for all that we hear about how good of a player he might be, and how he's developing chemistry with Romo in workouts. Again, time will tell. I think the shocker that makes the roster at the receiver position that you're looking for may be named Kevin Ogletree, to be honest.

I'll duck now...

 

[Wulfman]

Good analysis, Wulf.

I agree that keeping only 2 QB's is the way to go. There are always JAGs hanging around during the season that are at least equal to McGee that you could turn to in a pinch. The only problem is that we wouldn't be developing someone for the future. However, unless the Cowboys think McGee is that guy, you might as well cut ties with him now and look for a new one to start developing next year.

I thought about that, Leon, and it's why I put the developmental QB on the practice squad. I think it's less of an issue to have the developmental guy on the 53-man roster this year simply because the back-up is younger than we've had around here. If Romo were done in a couple of years--something I don't think will be the case, mind you--Orton would still only be the same age that Romo is now. That would give them time at that point to draft a guy and develop him to be the future. This was not the case when Kitna was the back-up, so I think the need for a younger back-up was much higher.

 

[Wulfman]

Nice stuff. I'm interested to see what Hakim can do (if anything). Speed is always a brow raiser, but putting it all together is a different story. That said, he comes from pretty good stock and is an interesting name to follow. I agree that he won't challenge for any real field time, but I'm curious what the knock on him is coming out. Small school or questionable hands/routes?

Biggest knock I've heard is a lack of a "normal" football background. He didn't play at all in high school. He started out at Palomar College before going on to Tarleton State. Then, when he wasn't eligible for the draft last year, he decided not to go back to school and jumped to the Las Vegas Locomotives of the UFL instead.

If he hadn't done so, I think he'd still be on the Cowboys radar, as they actually expressed interest in drafting him last year before finding out that he wasn't eligible. But the real kicker was one of those calls that Garrett gets from his connections around the league. This time it was the Head Coach of the Las Vegas team, Jim Fassel, formerly of the New York Giants at the time when Garrett was winding down his playing career. Fassel essentially told Garrett that he's rough, but you can't teach speed.

I think if he shows any football instincts at all as a receiver to go with that speed, he has a good chance of making the team. Until he does, though, I'm not putting him any higher than the practice squad.

 

[DBOY3141]

In regards to Costa and the center position, I think the draft told us the answer.

Jerry stated that if they had stayed at 14 they were looking at Bobby Wagner at 45. Don't know if that would have been the pick, but why didn't he say Konz?? I think they have full faith in Costa, Killer or Nagy to be the center in that order. I think the OL breakdown will be:

Smith, Parnell
Livings, Leary
Costa, Killer
Bearndeau, Nagy, Arkin
Free, Parnell

 

[The30YardSlant]

As Hostile would say, that was almost as good as sex.

 

[trickblue]

Wulferific... as usual...

Those battles at LB and S are going to be interesting to watch...

 

[burmafrd]

In regards to Costa and the center position, I think the draft told us the answer.

Jerry stated that if they had stayed at 14 they were looking at Bobby Wagner at 45. Don't know if that would have been the pick, but why didn't he say Konz?? I think they have full faith in Costa, Killer or Nagy to be the center in that order. I think the OL breakdown will be:

Smith, Parnell
Livings, Leary
Costa, Killer
Bearndeau, Nagy, Arkin
Free, Parnell

much more likely they saw no one that would be a significant upgrade so they are stuck with what they have.

 

[Wulfman]

In regards to Costa and the center position, I think the draft told us the answer.

Jerry stated that if they had stayed at 14 they were looking at Bobby Wagner at 45. Don't know if that would have been the pick, but why didn't he say Konz?? I think they have full faith in Costa, Killer or Nagy to be the center in that order. I think the OL breakdown will be:

Smith, Parnell
Livings, Leary
Costa, Killer
Bearndeau, Nagy, Arkin
Free, Parnell

I think you're correct that they're comfortable with someone on their current roster being able to handle the job. For all of their talk about Costa's improvement last year, however, I still think they're hoping that either Kowalski or Nagy will beat him out.

Also, I don't see any way they keep seven interior linemen unless they believe one of them can also back up at RT. To my knowledge, only Arkin can be viewed that way since he played OT at Missouri State. So if they think he can do that, your list is likely. If he can't, or if one of the undrafted OTs shows more at the position, and I believe they only keep six interior linemen.