Travis Frederick at LG?

[DrKennethNoisewater]

He was drafted as a C/G and on draft day the Cowboys said they had not determined which one. More than likely it is center but because he has produced very well at both spots it gives Dallas options.

Feh. He was drafted to play center. If Costa really is as good as I am being told, then move him to the G position.

 

[Doomsday101]

Feh. He was drafted to play center. If Costa really is as good as I am being told, then move him to the G position.

That is not what the Cowboys said on draft day. You can make whatever claims you want I go by what the people in charge said. Again I want the 5 best not leaving holes when we don't have to. You claim Costa is a JAG? well most players in the NFL are JAGS, either you are a star or a jag evidently that does not mean he can't do the job.

 

[Idgit]

That is not what the Cowboys said on draft day. You can make whatever claims you want I go by what the people in charge said. Again I want the 5 best not leaving holes when we don't have to. You claim Costa is a JAG? well most players in the NFL are JAGS, either you are a star or a jag evidently that does not mean he can't do the job.

I don't think he's really talking about Frederick at this point. What he's passively suggesting is that Costa's not a very good player at Center. It doesn't matter. If Frederick upgrades either position, we get better. If Costa clearly out plays him, we'll get better at two positions. If Leary plays great, we could conceivably upgrade all three interior OL positions from last season.

Garrett's already shown that he's not afraid to start young players on the OL.

 

[Doomsday101]

I don't think he's really talking about Frederick at this point. What he's passively suggesting is that Costa's not a very good player at Center. It doesn't matter. If Frederick upgrades either position, we get better. If Costa clearly out plays him, we'll get better at two positions. If Leary plays great, we could conceivably upgrade all three interior OL positions from last season.

Garrett's already shown that he's not afraid to start young players on the OL.

No doubt if Frederick plays very good a center then great we upgrade Center however if we do not play well at Guard then you’re not going to get a lot of production out of your OL. Having weakness on either side of center is not going to benefit this team. I don't see Costa as a pro bowl type center but if he can go out and play well along with Fredrick and Smith you just made an entire side of your line a strong point something you can run behind something that will give us an edge. I’m looking at this as OL as a whole not as individuals.

 

[burmafrd]

The Fantasy some have about Costa reminds me of some others

Q for example. It was amazing how some to this day say he got the shaft. He was never more than mediocre with a couple of good games now and then

Costa was never good ALL OF 2011. Anyone claiming he was anything better than mediocre at best is blind deaf and dumb

 

[Angus]

No doubt if Frederick plays very good a center then great we upgrade Center however if we do not play well at Guard then you’re not going to get a lot of production out of your OL. Having weakness on either side of center is not going to benefit this team. I don't see Costa as a pro bowl type center but if he can go out and play well along with Fredrick and Smith you just made an entire side of your line a strong point something you can run behind something that will give us an edge. I’m looking at this as OL as a whole not as individuals.

In the past Costa has not done a very good job of protecting Romo so he could move up in the pocket. From what I have learned about Frederick, he would be able to withstand the bull rushes that have broken the pocket down. That's the reason I think he should be at center. The "best" five are the ones that can protect Romo so he can do his thing without being constantly harried.

 

[DrKennethNoisewater]

That is not what the Cowboys said on draft day. You can make whatever claims you want I go by what the people in charge said. Again I want the 5 best not leaving holes when we don't have to. You claim Costa is a JAG? well most players in the NFL are JAGS, either you are a star or a jag evidently that does not mean he can't do the job.

The Cowboys say alot of things. By all accounts Frederick has been worked solely at C thus far, so i think it is fair to say they see him as a center.

The bottom line is that you can do better than a Phil Costa type manning center for you. So many fans seem to accept mediocrity at that position now...when we were rolling in the 90s we had two great centers in Step and Donaldson...even Kennard was serviceable. I want a better player than Costa, plain and simple.

 

[Hoov]

I didnt follow the mini camp as close as some of you, but i thought that Frederick played exclusively at center for those workouts. If that is correct i would think that gives some weight to the assumption that they want Frederick to play center.

This is one of the position battles i look forward to hearing more about when training camp starts.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Calvin Watkins ‏@calvinwatkins 6m
“@DCGordo: @calvinwatkins TFred moves to G if he doesn't win C job, correct?” No. He stays at C

“@DCGordo: @calvinwatkins Not good…. For TFred, the team or the fans.” He needs to start but if he doesn't its not the end of the world

 

[Idgit]

The Fantasy some have about Costa reminds me of some others

Q for example. It was amazing how some to this day say he got the shaft. He was never more than mediocre with a couple of good games now and then

Costa was never good ALL OF 2011. Anyone claiming he was anything better than mediocre at best is blind deaf and dumb

I don't see any sort of connection between Phil Costa and Quincy Carter. Lol. And I'm not sure anyone thinks Costa was good ALL of 2011. He did win the C job outright that year, though. And it was a good and bold move for Garrett to pull the trigger on Gurode. And, like any second year player, he *did* improve with playing time throughout that year, including addressing the technique problem he had with his pass sets. And he *did* play well in 2012 when he was able to be on the field. Including hobbling through a nasty injury.

The dislike our fans have for a walk-on college free agent who scrapped his way onto the roster never ceases to astound me. By any reasonable measure, the guy dramatically outperformed expectations and earned his extension. Instead, he's pilloried because the same fans who insist we need to develop players from our bench, when it comes down to it, don't have the stomach to develop players from our bench.

Now, C is a very important position on offense. If Frederick is a huge upgrade there, that's great news for the Dallas Cowboys. I'll love it. But I'm still behind the idea of finding quality college players, letting them knock aging vets off the roster. Playing them early when they show enough in camp. Paying actual attention to how they develop over time. And then replacing them at the drop of a hat if we're lucky enough to find somebody better. Not complaining about any of it all the while.

For me, I'll save my contempt for the lazy players who don't come to work despite their ability. Or for the guys like TO who work their butts off but don't have a high regard for the team. Or for the guys like PacMan Jones who's just a bad person that doesn't deserve to wear the uniform. I'm not going to waste it on college FAs who come in and work their butts off to get better and who do nothing by try to help the team.

 

[Doomsday101]

The Cowboys say alot of things. By all accounts Frederick has been worked solely at C thus far, so i think it is fair to say they see him as a center.

The bottom line is that you can do better than a Phil Costa type manning center for you. So many fans seem to accept mediocrity at that position now...when we were rolling in the 90s we had two great centers in Step and Donaldson...even Kennard was serviceable. I want a better player than Costa, plain and simple.

It is a matter of taking the less of 2 evils, if I can get good play from Costa which he did show and also upgrade the Guard spot then the OL becomes better. You claim I'm accepting mediocrity? That is not the case I take you accept it when you are not willing to put the 5 best on the OL. You focuse on 1 postion but an OL is made of 5 guys if your not willing to put the 5 best then who is it that is accepting mediocrity? Having Fredrick playing good and center and getting beat at guard did not help you OL one bit. I hope Frederick does play center if we are getting good play out of Guard but my main odjective is getting the best 5 on the field

 

[Doomsday101]

In the past Costa has not done a very good job of protecting Romo so he could move up in the pocket. From what I have learned about Frederick, he would be able to withstand the bull rushes that have broken the pocket down. That's the reason I think he should be at center. The "best" five are the ones that can protect Romo so he can do his thing without being constantly harried.

I'm only interested in what Costa does now, in limited play he did a good job problem was he did not play more than a handful of games. Hell I would have loved to have him play the entire season at Center it likely would have been better than what we got last season. 2011 season I agree he played poorly however like any player I accpet that there is a development process so while I though his play was poor does not mean he can't develop into a better player. I'm sorry I'm not the typical fans who once a player is in the dog house never gets out, I will always take a wait and see on the development of a player. Heck if some had their way at the start of last year Dez would have been booted to the curb now you don't hear those voices any longer.

 

[reddyuta]

we drafted him to be our center for years to come ,you guys are too obsessed with a hack like Costa.

 

[Idgit]

we drafted him to be our center for years to come ,you guys are too obsessed with a hack like Costa.

This is the contempt I was talking about, above. I don't understand this sort of animosity towards a player. I do think Frederick's expected to be the long term solution at C.

 

[burmafrd]

I don't see any sort of connection between Phil Costa and Quincy Carter. Lol. And I'm not sure anyone thinks Costa was good ALL of 2011. He did win the C job outright that year, though. And it was a good and bold move for Garrett to pull the trigger on Gurode. And, like any second year player, he *did* improve with playing time throughout that year, including addressing the technique problem he had with his pass sets. And he *did* play well in 2012 when he was able to be on the field. Including hobbling through a nasty injury.

The dislike our fans have for a walk-on college free agent who scrapped his way onto the roster never ceases to astound me. By any reasonable measure, the guy dramatically outperformed expectations and earned his extension. Instead, he's pilloried because the same fans who insist we need to develop players from our bench, when it comes down to it, don't have the stomach to develop players from our bench.

Now, C is a very important position on offense. If Frederick is a huge upgrade there, that's great news for the Dallas Cowboys. I'll love it. But I'm still behind the idea of finding quality college players, letting them knock aging vets off the roster. Playing them early when they show enough in camp. Paying actual attention to how they develop over time. And then replacing them at the drop of a hat if we're lucky enough to find somebody better. Not complaining about any of it all the while.

For me, I'll save my contempt for the lazy players who don't come to work despite their ability. Or for the guys like TO who work their butts off but don't have a high regard for the team. Or for the guys like PacMan Jones who's just a bad person that doesn't deserve to wear the uniform. I'm not going to waste it on college FAs who come in and work their butts off to get better and who do nothing by try to help the team.

WON THE JOB?

BS. Jerruh wanted to cut the price and Gurode said no- if he had said yes he would have been the starter. You must have a short memory- Costa SUCKED the whole year; he just sucked LESS the last part.

And anyone who thought he was ready to start in the NFL should have been FIRED. CLEARLY HE WAS NOT.

 

[burmafrd]

This is the contempt I was talking about, above. I don't understand this sort of animosity towards a player. I do think Frederick's expected to be the long term solution at C.

CONTEMPT for his play. Don't know why you cannot see the difference. I don't know anyone that does not think Costa is a RKG and works as hard as he can. He is just a JAG and all your dreams will not change that.

 

[Doomsday101]

we drafted him to be our center for years to come ,you guys are too obsessed with a hack like Costa.

Not obsessed with anyone, I want the 5 best. If anything the obsession appears to be with you guys who act like it should be anyone but Costa.
My argument would be even if you put Frederick at center if we do not play better at guard then him playing center is not going to make any differance for the overall OL. Now if guys like Leary and Livings or someone else can step in and get the job done then great. I don't get caught up in others fans personal issues with players I want the best guys out there not my pet cat or who is in my dog house.

 

[burmafrd]

Not obsessed with anyone, I want the 5 best. If anything the obsession appears to be with you guys who act like it should be anyone but Costa.
My argument would be even if you put Frederick at center if we do not play better at guard then him playing center is not going to make any differance for the overall OL. Now if guys like Leary and Livings or someone else can step in and get the job done then great. I don't get caught up in others fans personal issues with players I want the best guys out there not my pet cat or who is in my dog house.

fact is that we have one possible real good player to Pro Bowl player in Smith. A possible in the Beard. After that? not much

 

[Doomsday101]

fact is that we have one possible real good player to Pro Bowl player in Smith. A possible in the Beard. After that? not much

Sorry but I don't think every guy has to be a star, most teams have so called JAGS that are starters on their team key is to put the best 5 on the field. Costa is not great who said he was? but he did play well last year in limited action. No doubt in 2011 he played poorly but this is not 2011 and players do develop. If Dallas can do something to build an entire left side of the line then we have a strength we can rely on. Now again if someone can step up be it a Leary or someone else at guard then great keep Frederick at center. My only issue it getting the top 5 out to form a unit

 

[Idgit]

CONTEMPT for his play. Don't know why you cannot see the difference. I don't know anyone that does not think Costa is a RKG and works as hard as he can. He is just a JAG and all your dreams will not change that.

It's not contempt for his play. This thread hasn't been all that bad, actually, because a lot of the usual suspects aren't participating in it, but calling the guy a 'hack' is exactly what I'm talking about.

I don't have dreams about Costa. I've only pointed out your obvious and numerous mistakes in evaluating his play. And in how roster turnover should be managed, in general. I've never made the case that the guy is anything other than he is, otherwise, a capable NFL starter who's had to develop his game from being a rookie walk-on free agent once he finally got some snaps in the NFL.