Who can we least afford to lose?

[big dog cowboy]

According to Ireland after the draft, the Cowboy brass wasn't concerned about the NT position at all. That is why we didn't draft one.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Which player do you zoners think the Cowboys can least afford to lose to injury? Romo is the obvious answer so I'm removing him from eligibility.

In my mind it's between Flo, Newman, Ferguson, or Ware. I think I'd have to pick Newman. The fact that we have more depth at O-line (plus that there's a very real possibility that it can happpen) makes me shy away from Flo. Ferguson doesn't seem to be quite as vital in this defense as he was in Parcell's 3-4, and although I love Ware, we do have Ellis and Spencer.

If Newman was hurt though we'd have some issues. Henry is ok but he's no #1 corner and I just don't think Glenn has the juice left to be a full time starter. I don't even want to think about who we'd turn to after that.

duh, Romo?
:starspin :starspin :starspin :starspin :starspin

 

[LatinMind]

love him or hate him. i say dallas cant afford to lose TO. without him, dallas will be facing them same 8 and 9 man fronts.

 

[Idgit]

Newman or Ferguson IMO.

This is the right answer.
Any chance that if Roy went down we'd go with Hamlin/Watkins?

 

[Chuck 54]

Clearly, the player we can least afford to lose is Romo. Brad Johnson ? I don't think so.

Although I hate to admit it, I also think it would kill us to lose T.O.

We'd survive losing any defensive player....Hopefully Ware isn't our only pass rusher, and Newman wouldn't suddenly make us a losing team. You can scheme and cover for guys on defense and survive, giving yourself a chance to win.

but if you lose Romo or T.O. with no real depth behind them, or if we lose Witten before Fasano is healthy, we'd be dead, imo.

 

[dogunwo]

See sig for answer

 

[AbeBeta]

According to Ireland after the draft, the Cowboy brass wasn't concerned about the NT position at all. That is why we didn't draft one.

Heard that about FS in the past too...

"we liked what we have so..."

 

[theogt]

Heard that about FS in the past too...

"we liked what we have so..."

This was an after the fact quote. It's one thing to not draft a position and then say we didn't want to draft that position, and another to say we're not going to pick up a player in FA and then pick up the player in FA.

 

[AbeBeta]

This was an after the fact quote. It's one thing to not draft a position and then say we didn't want to draft that position, and another to say we're not going to pick up a player in FA and then pick up the player in FA.

so you aren't at all concerned about NT.

me, I'd like Stanley, but I'm not a fan of those "measurables" guys.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Just to see eduncan blow a fuse

Henry and A. Glenn

 

[theogt]

so you aren't at all concerned about NT.

me, I'd like Stanley, but I'm not a fan of those "measurables" guys.

I'm not concerned. I think Ratliff and Stanley could fill the position fine, particularly in a 1-gap scheme. It's no longer as difficult a position to play such that it's a pain in the arse finding someone to fill the role. And Stanley was rated a 1st day pick until his injury. We'll see, but I think he can come around.

 

[AbeBeta]

I'm not concerned. I think Ratliff and Stanley could fill the position fine, particularly in a 1-gap scheme. It's no longer as difficult a position to play where it was a pain in the arse finding someone to fill the role. And Stanley was rated a 1st day pick until his injury. We'll see, but I think he can come around.

Stanley was rated as a 1st day pick.

But also he was a guy who we didn't try to sign to the PS after we cut him. Did we get him back? Sure. But that has to be a huge concern. Didn't make the 53 man -- fine -- lots of good players didn't do that -- but didn't make the 53 man AND wasn't asked to join the PS. That's odd.

 

[theogt]

Stanley was rated as a 1st day pick.

But also he was a guy who we didn't try to sign to the PS after we cut him. Did we get him back? Sure. But that has to be a huge concern. Didn't make the 53 man -- fine -- lots of good players didn't do that -- but didn't make the 53 man AND wasn't asked to join the PS. That's odd.

Ok, Spags. I understand your concern. But to expect him to be ready to play a 2-gap last season after his pectoral surgery right before the draft is kinda silly, IMO. We had a better immediate option in Ratliff and Parcells wanted to keep his 6th WR and 2 kickers.

 

[dargonking999]

Elam

 

[carphalen5150]

Just for the sake of putting another name out there I will say Marc Columbo. Remember the days of Torrin Tucker and Rob Pettiti? Columbo has been a stabilizing force on the line since he cracked the line up and should be even more effective with Davis lined up next to him.

 

[AbeBeta]

Ok, Spags. I understand your concern. But to expect him to be ready to play a 2-gap last season after his pectoral surgery right before the draft is kinda silly, IMO. We had a better immediate option in Ratliff and Parcells wanted to keep his 6th WR and 2 kickers.

But I'm not talking the opening day roster -- I'm talking the freaking practice squad -- expanded to 8 players and he can't land on there?

Stanley couldn't beat out these guys? For a PS spot? That's some great quality right there.

TE Jerome Collins, QB Matt Baker, WR Skyler Green, OL D"Anthony Batiste, TE Tony Curtis, RB Keylon Kincade, DE Stephen Bowen and DB Quincy Butle

 

[ZeroClub]

Just for the sake of putting another name out there I will say Marc Columbo. Remember the days of Torrin Tucker and Rob Pettiti? Columbo has been a stabilizing force on the line since he cracked the line up and should be even more effective with Davis lined up next to him.

I hope Columbo isn't lost, of course, but it would be interesting to see how the Cowboys would reshuffle the OL to replace Columbo.

I'd guess that one plan would be for Davis to slide over to RT and have Kosier and McQuistan as starting guards (not sure which side they'd play McQuistan).

Again, I think Gurode would be the biggest loss to the OL because his replacement would be a very inexperienced center (assuming that a free agent wasn't signed).

 

[AbeBeta]

I hope Columbo isn't lost, of course, but it would be interesting to see how the Cowboys would reshuffle the OL to replace Columbo.

I'd guess that one plan would be for Davis to slide over to RT and have Kosier and McQuistan as starting guards (not sure which side they'd play McQuistan).

Again, I think Gurode would be the biggest loss to the OL because his replacement would be a very inexperienced center (assuming that a free agent wasn't signed).

I expect that either McQ, Free, or Marten would be the RT. Davis can be a dominating RG -- when teams start to shuffle, they end up screwing multiple positions. We've got 3 young tackles (yes, I know McQ lined up at RG but the staff said that didn't mean he was going to stay there) -- no reason to move a G out there.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Definitely someone on the OLine. Losing either Flo or Gurode would throw things completely out of wack. Supposedly we have better depth but it's all unproven depth. So while we could be OK there, the possibility also reamins that none of the young OLineman are quite ready to step in and start for more than spot-duty.

We have proven depth at most other positions.

 

[theogt]

But I'm not talking the opening day roster -- I'm talking the freaking practice squad -- expanded to 8 players and he can't land on there?

Stanley couldn't beat out these guys? For a PS spot? That's some great quality right there.

TE Jerome Collins, QB Matt Baker, WR Skyler Green, OL D"Anthony Batiste, TE Tony Curtis, RB Keylon Kincade, DE Stephen Bowen and DB Quincy Butle

We were running a 2 TE set with only 2 TEs on the roster. We only had 2 QBs on the roster. Bowen is pretty good. Parcells is obsessed with having extra RBs. And Green was drafted a couple rounds higher than him. So it makes sense that all those guys would have PS spots ahead of Stanley.

As for Butler and Batiste, I guess Parcells just thought they were better than him. Given his weakness at the time (strength) was the single biggest factor to playing NT, I think that's a reasonable assumption.

That doesn't change anything about the discussions we've just had, though.