Travis Frederick at LG?

[starfrombirth]

I believe that costa is going to win one of the guard spots. You guys can keep dreaming about moving Fred to guard. He has played center every snap since he's been here. The team is going to live and die with him there. Costa on the other hand has played some guard snaps and I believe he is actually better than livings. TSmith...Costa...Fred....Leary...Parnell/Free Is the way I think it will go down, which is a much stronger oline than last year (strength being the operative word here). Fred is waaaay stronger than Costa who is stronger than either Livings (bad knees) or Bernadeua( Injuries) and Leary is stronger than all of then except possibly Fred. Barring injuries I think this will be a decent line.

 

[burmafrd]

I don't get all the Costa hate. People act like a 3rd player maxed out and couldn't improve at all. We saw in the short time he played last year that h improved and the oline suffered without him. He is also suppose to be a very smart player as well. I don't get what all the crying is about. Everyone wanted cooper or warmack they were OG. So what's wrong with teaming these 2 up? If costa and Fred have a good camp why wouldn't you get them on the field. I thought its been talked about that costa is not a good OG. Also Larry Allen and Nate Newton both think Costa is a player who needed time to develop. I bet the guy has a strong TC as does Fred and Leary and those 3 solidify the interior part of the line. That's where I would place my money

maybe if you actually watched the games in which he got totally owned you would get it.
Maybe you should also realize all the Costa fans basically hang their hats on the Baltimore game because there is NOTHING ELSE.
Maybe you should also think about the FACT that that Baltimore D got OWNED during that period of the season. KC ran all over them with NO THREAT of a passing game at all.

 

[Doomsday101]

And Frederick is an outstanding run blocker too. Costa moves better in space but that does us no good if he can't handle the point of attack. And Garrett wants balance in the 55/45 pass range not 50/50. We are built to pass and to think otherwise is foolish.

And how has that been working? having balance can, if a offense can do both and do them well defense does not just tee off. Look I know people love talking about passing win games and I would agree but the top teams the teams who went to the SB also had solid running attacks they were not throwing the ball 40 to 50 times a game, there QB is not getting the crud kicked out of them and taking the big shots because defense can't just tee off on the QB they have to respect the run. OL is not just pass protection it is run blocking not just for the sake of running but actually being productive in it.

 

[Doomsday101]

And how has that been working? having balance can, if a offense can do both and do them well defense does not just tee off. Look I know people love talking about passing win games and I would agree but the top teams the teams who went to the SB also had solid running attacks they were not throwing the ball 40 to 50 times a game, their QB is not getting the crud kicked out of them and taking the big shots because defense can't just tee off on the QB they have to respect the run. OL is not just pass protection it is run blocking not just for the sake of running but actually being productive in it.

 

[blindzebra]

And how has that been working? having balance can, if a offense can do both and do them well defense does not just tee off. Look I know people love talking about passing win games and I would agree but the top teams the teams who went to the SB also had solid running attacks they were not throwing the ball 40 to 50 times a game, there QB is not getting the crud kicked out of them and taking the big shots because defense can't just tee off on the QB they have to respect the run. OL is not just pass protection it is run blocking not just for the sake of running but actually being productive in it.

I am not saying running better is not important. I am saying Frederick is much better in pass protection and is much better as a power run blocker. Garrett is on record saying we will not be exclusively a zone blocking team. Frederick is also extremely smart.

If Costa proves to be one of the best 5 fine, put him at guard. I want the better player at center.

 

[Doomsday101]

I am not saying running better is not important. I am saying Frederick is much better in pass protection and is much better as a power run blocker. Garrett is on record saying we will not be exclusively a zone blocking team. Frederick is also extremely smart.

If Costa proves to be one of the best 5 fine, put him at guard. I want the better player at center.

He did very well at both at Wisconsin, he played Guard and they ran behind him, he played center they ran behind him. He can do the job and if for a season or 2 it would not kill him or the Cowboys to have him at Guard if that is what it takes to put the best 5 out there. I also think having a rookie playing the Guard position would be more effective, I think Frederick would still be the center over the longterm but I think trying to get the most out of this season it could be more benifical to have him at G

 

[conner01]

when you draft the best center in the draft, you play him at center. he was not the best guard, he was the best center.

 

[Tex]

What is up with everyone saying what a great game Costa had in Baltimore? One game. And Ngata was out. If he had played he would of blown Costa back into Romo's face all day long.

Look I love scrappy guys! But his whole career what we have seen over and over is for the NT to get right over his head and just blow him straight back into Romo. This is how the pocket collapses so quickly. Nothing is worse on a pass play then pressure right up the middle as its the shortest distance to the QB. The Cowboys knew this and thats why they drafted Fred. For gawds sakes puhleeez no more Costa at center unless Fred is in a car accident or something. Ya guys b1tch about the bad guard play. Having a much better CENTER helps the guards a LOT. Both the guard positions are actually instantly upgraded by plugging Fred in at center I promise ya and it doesnt matter who the guards are. The guards are going to look better with Fred at center.

 

[blindzebra]

He did very well at both at Wisconsin, he played Guard and they ran behind him, he played center they ran behind him. He can do the job and if for a season or 2 it would not kill him or the Cowboys to have him at Guard if that is what it takes to put the best 5 out there. I also think having a rookie playing the Guard position would be more effective, I think Frederick would still be the center over the longterm but I think trying to get the most out of this season it could be more benifical to have him at G

It isn't about the best 5, it is about the best combination.

We need to have our best OL at center and left tackle. The difference between the drop off from Frederick to Costa at center is greater than the drop off from Livings to Frederick at guard.

 

[Doomsday101]

It isn't about the best 5, it is about the best combination.

We need to have our best OL at center and left tackle. The difference between the drop off from Frederick to Costa at center is greater than the drop off from Livings to Frederick at guard.

I hope Frederick does play center but in the end having a major weakness at Guard will make the play at center moot. Sorry I just disagree. People put Costa in the dog house and will refuse to let him out you guys made up your mind on him nothing more to talk about.

 

[jterrell]

when you draft the best center in the draft, you play him at center. he was not the best guard, he was the best center.

He was the best guard where we drafted him. Same as best center.

Argument has no real meat to it.

 

[jterrell]

It isn't about the best 5, it is about the best combination.

We need to have our best OL at center and left tackle. The difference between the drop off from Frederick to Costa at center is greater than the drop off from Livings to Frederick at guard.

IF that is true that'd be fine. But it is hardly proven as true. And even if we accept that....

Livings is one guard and we still have an RG spot to fill.
Livings and Bern are currently hurt, Costa is currently not.
Frederick may play both OC/OG this season depending upon health for others and getting the best 5 on the field is what matters.
Putting a quality player at each position is far more important than any notion of playing the best LT and OC.

Teams wont just rush 2 guys and a sack is a sack.

 

[blindzebra]

IF that is true that'd be fine. But it is hardly proven as true. And even if we accept that....

Livings is one guard and we still have an RG spot to fill.
Livings and Bern are currently hurt, Costa is currently not.
Frederick may play both OC/OG this season depending upon health for others and getting the best 5 on the field is what matters.
Putting a quality player at each position is far more important than any notion of playing the best LT and OC.

Teams wont just rush 2 guys and a sack is a sack.

So what if Parnell, Free, Smith and Weems grade out better than Livings, Bernadeau, Arkin and Leary? You gonna play with 4 tackles?

Our issues on the OL start at center...we get no push in the running game and no pocket in the passing game. We must have the best player at center.

 

[Idgit]

So what if Parnell, Free, Smith and Weems grade out better than Livings, Bernadeau, Arkin and Leary? You gonna play with 4 tackles?

Our issues on the OL start at center...we get no push in the running game and no pocket in the passing game. We must have the best player at center.

If the 4 OTs outplay the OGs at their respective positions, why wouldn't you? But, obviously, that's not going to happen, anyway.

 

[iceberg]

He was the best guard where we drafted him. Same as best center.

Argument has no real meat to it.

apparently him being listed as starting Center on the official depth chart doesn't end these types of conversations either.

 

[jterrell]

So what if Parnell, Free, Smith and Weems grade out better than Livings, Bernadeau, Arkin and Leary? You gonna play with 4 tackles?

Our issues on the OL start at center...we get no push in the running game and no pocket in the passing game. We must have the best player at center.

Yes, I would.
Best 5. Which is what they've done in NE and other places that handle injuries to their OL and year to year turnover very well.

 

[Idgit]

apparently him being listed as starting Center on the official depth chart doesn't end these types of conversations either.

Lol. That's a pretty good indicator.

Either way, it's going to be fun watching how the interior OL rotation sorts itself out in camp this season. Whatever else we may think, the team sure seems remarkably ok with the players we've got on the roster right now.

 

[iceberg]

Lol. That's a pretty good indicator.

Either way, it's going to be fun watching how the interior OL rotation sorts itself out in camp this season. Whatever else we may think, the team sure seems remarkably ok with the players we've got on the roster right now.

well the issue is he was rated like the 8th best guard (give or take) but 1st at Center on most boards. we needed a center, we took the best on the board for the entire draft. not the best available guard after we had a run on guards that made the salmon runs look tame in comparison. i just am glad we have someone who can anchor the line for hopefully a decade or more to come and if he needs to do spot duty at G, great.

but if he had to play OG this year, something went horribly wrong. again.

 

[Idgit]

well the issue is he was rated like the 8th best guard (give or take) but 1st at Center on most boards. we needed a center, we took the best on the board for the entire draft. not the best available guard after we had a run on guards that made the salmon runs look tame in comparison. i just am glad we have someone who can anchor the line for hopefully a decade or more to come and if he needs to do spot duty at G, great.

but if he had to play OG this year, something went horribly wrong. again.

I'd say that's mostly right. I don't think we went into that draft with OC a priority. I think we'd actually have preferred one of the top OGs be there, in which case we'd be starting Costa at C again.

Either way, though, the team's obviously pencilling him in at Center at this point. That's only likely to change if someone gets hurt or a starter plays really poorly at OG without Leary stepping up.

 

[Doomsday101]

apparently him being listed as starting Center on the official depth chart doesn't end these types of conversations either.

Depth Chart (Unofficial)

http://www.dallascowboys.com/team/depth-chart.html