Veteran player with the most to prove to you?

[RoyTheHammer]

Anyhow, to answer the OP I'm going to nominate Austin. I understood the 2010 season with Kitna's weak arm unable to get the ball downfield. I also understood 2011 with those hamstring injuries that acted up after he dominated the 49ers game and pulled us to victory. I want to see the Miles that routinely took over games in 2009 and showed signs of doing it again in 2011 before the hammies acted up. Last year it really looked like he was hampered all year and didn't have that top gear that he used to have. The last time I saw it was when he was torching Seattle in 2011 before his hamstring got tight on that 40 yard snag down the sideline. If that Miles comes back this year with the current version of Dez we could break some records.

Miles is the new Felix this year i guess.. good grief.

 

[Idgit]

I'd like to see Tyron be a truly dominant LT in his 3rd year. It was tough to gauge his progress last because it was sometime difficult to know whether he was underperforming, or Livings was not meshing well. Some of the blame can also be placed on the Center (snap counts, etc). Overall I hope we can settle the starting 5 on the OL fairly quickly. Lack of cohesiveness was as much of a problem as lack of talent on the OL last year.

I'd add Ratliff to the list also, in that I hope he proves me right. I believe that he can be a monster at the 3 tech if he can stay healthy. Too bad he's only got a few years left.

Yep. I picked Ratliff, because he looked really disruptive to me in limited work last year. I think he was finally back from the elbow surgeries and playing more like his old self for a stretch there, and then the niggling injuries his. I worry that he's at an age and state of wear-and-tear where that's just what happens, but, if he's healthy, I think he's back to being a dominating force in the interior of the line. I don't know what people are seeing who said he didn't show when he was in last year. I was surprised how disruptive he was.

Lissemore's the one who didn't show much given his opportunity, frankly, but expectations are lower for him, so he didn't make my list.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Dez Bryant has still not had a full season where he's put it all together. So for me, Dez needs to prove he can do it for 16 games this season and into the postseason, and to be a consistent force in both halves of every one of those games.

 

[Supercowboy1986]

I say Alex Albright. Everyone seems to like him, but I have yet to see what they see.

 

[unionjack8]

That's false. When healthy he was very disruptive last year. He does have to prove he can stay healthy though.

Not IMO. Compared to 3 years go he isn't the same player, even accounting for his injuries.

 

[Idgit]

Not IMO. Compared to 3 years go he isn't the same player, even accounting for his injuries.

I thought he really did last year. And he hadn't been playing at that level for a while prior. I was really excited to see him, and really disappointed that he couldn't get on the field.

The team seems to feel the same way:

“Jay Ratliff is an outstanding football player,” Garrett said.

“He’s been a Pro Bowl player for us. He plays with a great demeanor for us, great desire and passion for the game…. The biggest thing with Jay is just to get him healthy, first and foremost, and get him back to playing the way he’s capable of playing. The real positive thing is, in the games he played, he really played like Jay Ratliff plays. … We’ve just got to get him healthy and going again.”

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/02/23/garrett-ratliff-will-absolutely-remain-with-cowboys/

I'm much more concerned about his durability than I am his ability to contribute--especially in this new defense--when he's on the field.

 

[SHAMSzy]

Murray, Lee, Carter, Austin and Ratliff must prove they can stay healthy.
Ware must prove he is still a top 10 player in the NFL after a few injuries and getting a bit older.
Claiborne must prove he really is as great of a prospect as everyone claimed him to be.
Free must prove he isn't the worst RT in the league.

This is my wishlist. If these 8 players stay healthy / play up to my hopes we have a legit SB shot.

 

[Lonestar94]

If Doug Free is still the starter than it should be him.

 

[FiveRings]

I'd actually vote him as the guy who takes much more crap than he deserves. He can't control when he's going to be injured, but since his breakout year, he's has 3 1000 yard seasons out of 4, and the other year he was hurt for half the games so didn't have a chance to get to 1000 yds.

If that's your opinion then fine, but to me with the money we're paying him he needs to be a guy that defensive coordinators are afraid of to turn a 15 yard slant into a 65 yard touchdown.

In his defense, a little bit of that might be misuse because he certainly can be an explosive player but in our Romo to Witten intermediate route offense he's a little handcuffed.

Here's to hoping that changes with Romo holding the reigns:beer2:

 

[jason54858]

I like the posters mentioning Ratliff. That's a name I didn't consider before. Barry Church deserves his name mentioned. Just for the fact the secondary has been such a weak part of this team for so long.

 

[fortdick]

Easy,

Doug Free.

I am a believer in Free and think he will return to form this year.

I think the coaches feel the same.

But he is going to have to show it.