What Will Happen To Dez Bryant? From the Top Down

By:  Bobby Shores
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With the news  breaking today that Dez Bryant had been arrested for "domestic violence", my first thought was, "Now we will find out if the Cowboys have any leaders in the locker room". First let me say that I think "leadership" is WAY overblown in today's NFL, it seems to all boil down to every good team has "great leadership", while every average-to-bad team "lacks leadership", and the Cowboys are under the microscope more than most. Does anybody else remember how Eli Manning was not a leader, didn't demand accountability, etc. until the playoff run last year when it all switched to how he demands perfection and respect in the huddle, born leader like his brother, etc.

Unconfirmed Pic of NorthPark Mall Security that busted Dez

I wanna start this off with saying that I do not think Bryant is a bad guy, yes there have been a few incidents he has been involved in that made news, but were ultimately very minor in nature. I mean seriously, who cares if the guy is like 40% of America and can't manage his money, or if he is like 45% of American youth and wears his pants to low and talks back to the "rent-a-pigs" at NorthPark mall, or like 90% of America and wants to beat the hell out of Lil' Wayne. Of course this latest incident has the potential to be more serious, I do not want to make you think I am taking a "domestic violence" accusation seriously, I am.

This article is not going to be judging Bryant on what happened, with the lack of details and different stories floating around out there, let's get the truth before we tear Dez apart. Yes, Bryant is a very passionate guy, especially on the field, but nothing I have ever seen or read made me think he was either violent or even capable of violence. I have respect for any guy that can sit there calmly while another man calls his mom a prostitute, no matter what the situation is. While we are waiting on the facts of the case to make their way into our hands, let's begin the speculation on what could happen to him on the football side.

Let's start at the top of the food chain and work our way down. Commissioner Roger Goodell may decide that Bryant has put himself in enough bad situations that it's time to act and discipline him, and he doesn't even need charges to be pressed, an arrest or conviction to use the god-like powers given him as judge, jury and executioner. Since this is his first "real" issue with legal involvement, I do not expect much more than maybe a meeting or phone call from Rog letting Bryant know that he is on his radar.

Moving on down, the next level of discipline can be imposed by Jerry Jones and/or Jason Garrett, we know that Jones is kind of a softy and will probably not due anything more than a good stern talking to, but rest assured this will be brought up again when it comes time to negotiate a new contract. This incident, more than any other, can and will be used by Jones and his son to not only sign Bryant for less than he would have gotten without it, but he will also be able to write in language that protects the Cowboys, their money and their cap space if he screws up again. Above all else, Jones is a businessman and will pounce on any weakness to get what he wants.

Garrett on the other hand has spent his time as head coach building a team full of "good" guys, respected players with no baggage, great work ethics that are disciplined. The fact that he approved bringing in Bryant shows the amount of talent that he has. If this had happened during the season I could see Garrett ripping a page from his coach, Jimmy Johnson, and sitting Bryant for a series; much like Johnson did to Irvin years ago. Since this will likely be forgotten by most of us the day players report to training camp, I believe Garrett should use this as a way to not only punish Bryant, but also fix his biggest deficiency....conditioning. We all know that Bryant was in such bad shape last year that he literally disappeared during the second half of nearly every game, even when he was blowing it up during the first half. So punish him by making him run, and run, and run, and run, and run every single day after practices; it will help Bryant and the team!

What intrigues me more than anything else though, is how the guys in the locker room will react to this. There has been lots of negativity surrounding the Cowboys locker room because it lacks true leaders. The guys that you would expect to be the leaders, Jason Witten and DeMarcus Ware, tend to be "lead by example", and nobody is apparently a real "rah rah" vocal leader type, similar to Ray Lewis and Drew Brees. If the Cowboys have one, this is the time he needs to step up, get on Bryant and hold him accountable as his actions affect the entire team.

Who is this player? Is there one? Maybe it will be a group of veteran players that form a "leadership committee", much like the one that Tom Coughlin created with the Giants back in 2005. Regardless of who it is, somebody needs to take control before this gets out of hand. I still don't think that all of Dez's incidents COMBINED are as bad as the DUI issue that the NFL has......(sorry I will get off my soapbox).

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Deal or No Deal - Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins

By:  Bobby Shores

One of the biggest story lines so far during this OTA season is what is going to happen with former first round draft pick Mike Jenkins, you know the incumbent starting cornerback that was put on the trade block after the Cowboys picked Morris Claiborne #6 overall, and then once no team offered a high enough pick during the draft Jenkins has now become an important part of the future of the Dallas Cowboys, to paraphrase Jones.

So why is Jenkins staying away from the Cowboys "voluntary" off-season activities? Well for starters they key word is "voluntary", which according to dictionary.com means:

•  "done, made, brought about, undertaken, etc., of one's own accord or by free choice

In layman's terms that means he is not required to show up. Jenkins's agent Drew Rosenhaus has already informed Jones that he will be there for the mandatory sessions, probably because players can get fined up to $10,000 each day which for a player making "only" about $1 million this year could add up quickly. Which brings me to my next point....

Jenkins is unahppy with his contract and feels slighted that he is still playing on his rookie deal signed when he was drafted in 2008 and that the Cowboys have taken care of Orlando Scandrick by signing him to a 5-year $27 million extension with $10 million guaranteed, and he was taken 4 rounds later (calculator out....yep he was taken in the 5th round) in that same draft. He is also upset because ANOTHER 2007 5th round draft pick, Brandon Carr, just signed a 5-year $50.1 million contract with $25.5 million guaranteed, the richest contract signed by any free agent defensive back in 2012. And what does Jenkins have that NEITHER of these two corners the Cowboys have richly rewarded this past year have? A Pro Bowl to their name, that's right, Mike Jenkins was named to the Pro Bowl back in 2010.

Mo Claiborne(24) & Brandon Carr(39)

Even though Jones says that Jenkins is going to be a part of the Cowboys future, and is saying that nothing a team can offer will be worth what he is worth to the team, the reality of NFL Economics says that this will be the last year Jenkins is a member of the Cowboys, barring an injury and a highly unlikely 2013 franchise tag. Teams can't afford to devote that much money to one position.

While there are plenty of teams out there that could greatly improve with the addition of Jenkins, and a couple of those teams (Lions and Colts) supposedly making offers for him, the fact is he is more valuable to America's Team than most anything they would give for him. Think about it this way, Jenkins played almost the 2011 season injured, from a busted shoulder (that required major surgery), to lingering knee, hamstring and neck injuries and won't be ready to resume practicing until training camp at the earliest. So any team that trades for him will be taking a risk that he won't be ready to go, will play as well as he has at times when healthy and can pick up a new defense on an accelerated schedule. 

So what is that worth, in terms of a draft pick? Probably a 5th round pick that maybe goes up to a 4th round pick depending on playing time. Well guess what happens if the Cowboys let him walk next off-season? They most likely get a 3rd round compensatory pick.

Besides the compensatory pick, what is Jenkins value to the Cowboys? Remember last year, when the Cowboys secondary was regularly torched by opponents due to injury and ineffectiveness? I believe it was the Jets game when Terence Newman was out, Jenkins was out, Scandrick rolled an ankle and the 2 corners were Alan Ball and Bryan McCann with Barry Church coming in on the Nickel package. You forgot about that, didn't you? In my opinion, having 4 corners capable of starting is a luxury, it's a luxury the Cowboys can afford and should take advantage of this year, especially if you can find a way to get them all on the field at once (remember my article a while back about the declining value of NFL Safety's....read it now).

So taking all this into account the starting point for me to even consider trading Jenkins is a 2nd and 5th round pick. Even then I wouldn't talk about it unless another cornerback (my money is on Mario Butler) steps up during training camp while other teams suffer crippling injuries and/or realize that their hopes for a playoff run are unreachable without another starting corner.

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Arkansas Draft Prospect: Jake Bequette-Future Cowboy?

By:  Bobby Shores

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This is the first part of a multi-part series on Arkansas Draft Prospects, coming soon Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Greg Childs, Jerry Franklin, Broderick Green and Grant Cook

Anybody who is a regular reader (thanks mom, dad and kids) knows that I am a huge Arkansas fan, and because of that I have a very good bead on the players and if they will be good in the NFL. To that effect I want to address a few of them that are going in the draft, and partially because I think that a few of them would fit the Cowboys very well.

2012 NFL Draft Hopeful #91 Jake Bequette

Jake Bequette-DE/OLB - This is one of the two players that I believe could be very useful for the Cowboys as not only a need, but also for his work ethic and leadership that he would bring to the locker room.

My favorite attribute that he brings to the table is versatility. At Arkansas he played at every position on the defensive line and I think he could do the same for the Cowboys AND also play a little linebacker in certain looks. Since Rob Ryan likes to move his players all over the field, dropping lineman back as safeties and putting corners on the line with their hand on the ground (ok maybe not quite this extreme but you get the point) he would be able to move all over. While he is slightly undersized (6'4 265) for the 3-4, I think he will put on 20+ pounds in the NFL. At the Senior Bowl he even switched from end to outside linebacker and improved greatly throughout the week, while it was definitely not natural for him, by the last day he was hanging with and blowing up some running backs. With his struggles against the run in a 3-point stance, I believe that he would play the run well standing up where its harder for an offensive tackle to get his hands on him.

He is best against the pass, and while he does not have great speed to get around the corner he plays with endless energy and hustle. Is always aware enough to try and disrupt the play by getting his arms up when the pass comes out or trying to get a hand on a running back, basically anything to throw the offense off if he can't get to the quarterback. The guy never quits, and a lot of the plays he made in college were because of effort, and effort alone. He is adequate against the run, but sometimes lets himself get pushed around by offensive tackles and after some time in an NFL weight room I think the size and strength that'd be added would make him very effective against the run.

Bequette also has some of the best intangibles in the draft in my opinion. His motor never slows down and he is in high gear all the time. He comes from a football player and is a 3rd generation Razorback (his grandfather, father and uncle all played) who takes football very seriously. He was a leader on the team and practices every practice like its a game and that will make the entire team better.

Some of the negatives on him is that he is just not a natural athlete, he has to work-and work hard-for everything he has gotten. He is not great in any one area and as I said before, his intangibles are what makes him a great football player. As kind of a "tweener" there is no guarantee that he will be able to handle the extra weight or be able to carve out a niche that I have laid out for him. He will most likely never be a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro player, or wow people with any one attribute.

2012 NFL Draft Hopeful #91 Jake Bequette

The Cowboys have an Arkansas connection, but Jerry Jones seems to stay away from Arkansas players. He has only drafted one (Felix Jones) and has signed very few in his 20+ years of being the owner/GM/CEO/Head Coach of America's Team, but as the Razorbacks become more relevant they are putting more players in the NFL and it could be detrimental to the Cowboys to not draft some of their players. Heck, I think it was 2009 that he drafted two players out of the University of Cincinnati secondary and neither one made it the entire year (may want to fact check me on this one, but I know I am close).

Bequette may never be a starter, or even an every down player in the NFL, but I think he will carve out a niche on defense and make enough plays on special teams to be able to contribute from day one. He will add much needed versatility and depth at numerous positions on the front seven. His attitude, work ethic, motor, relentless drive to make a play, etc. will, in my opinion, make him a 10-15 year player and a fan favorite. The Cowboys need people on defense who put out 100% effort on every play, and their weakest positions on defense were the defensive line and outside linebacker backups; both spots that he will upgrade and play. With the lack of depth in this draft for 3-4 defensive ends, I think taking him in the 4th round would be a good call.

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Changes the Cowboys Need to Make NOW (Part 1)!

By:  Bobby Shores

(This is the first in a two part series, the second part will be released Friday Morning)

Normally I save the "Changes Needed" articles until after the season, but with this Cowboys team there are some OBVIOUS changes that need to be made....and made NOW!! These changes rank from the small () to the major (hire an OC).

1) Replace Dave Campo as Secondary Coach - I know Campo has been around for a long time in this league, and that he is a favorite of Jerry Jones and Cowboys fans, but after the performance of our secondary this year, especially in big moments.....it's time for a change. Rob Ryan inherited Campo this year and I am sure he was told to give him a chance, well he did and it hasn't worked, Campo has failed to get the most out of a talented group of corners.

Currently the Cowboys pass defense rank in the bottom 10 in not only completion percentage, but also in passing yards allowed, yards per completion, etc. While a lot of people want to blame the secondary problems on the lack of a pass rush, which I admit the pass rush has come up short in some big moments, the Cowboys defense ranks in the Top 10 in sacks, so they are getting to the quarterback. And remember these stats that reflect the performance of the secondary are with a defense that has TWO 1st round cornerbacks (Terence Newman & Mike Jenkins), a nickel corner and a safety that just received extensions in the $25 million dollar range (Orlando Scandrick & Gerald Sensabaugh). Unacceptable.

In my opinion the biggest problem with the secondary has been technique. It seems that the corners especially are always 4-7 yards away from the wide receivers when the catch is made, and I believe this is due to the corners playing off when they should be pressing, turning the wrong way, playing outside position when they should be playing inside position, all technique issues.

Since it is known that Campo is a "Jerry Guy" it may not be that easy for Ryan to replace him, but at the least he should be made a position coach only and Ryan should be allowed to bring in his own secondary coach, one with which he is familiar with and can teach the techniques necessary to execute his defense. So what would they do with Campo? Well he seems to have gotten the most out of 2 undrafted safeties in Barry Church and Danny McCray, and done well enough with Sensabaugh that they gave him the long-term contract he had been seeking for a few years, so maybe Jones could keep him on as safeties coach.

2) Hire a new Special Teams Coordinator (STC) - Joe DeCamillis is known in the NFL as one of the top Special Teams Coordinators, and when the Cowboys brought him in from Jacksonville prior to the 2009 season I thought that the special teams woes would be solved. They started off pretty good in his first couple of years, but now in his 3rd year, things are falling apart, the Cowboys special teams currently rank 23rd in Kick Return average, 27th in Punt Return average,  and rank 19th in Punt Return yards allowed.

While we have one of the best punters in the league in Mat McBriar and a rookie kicker in Dan Bailey who has been exceptional this year, their protection leaves some to be lacking. McBriar has had 2 punts blocked in the past 2 years which both led to losses. Then this past week against the Giants, Dan Bailey's game tying field goal was blocked after our field goal team failed to make the necessary adjustments.

What do you guys think of the changes? While I know that these are not exhaustive lists, I think they are a good starting point. Let me know what else, or what else we should do differently in the comments.

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What Changes Do The Cowboys Need? OC, Discipline, & Accountability

By:  Bobby Shores

Image Courtesy of DallasNews.com

Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett has a long history with the Dallas Cowboys. From his dad being a longtime scout for the team, to his 8 years as a backup (2nd & 3rd stringer) to Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, to his 2007 hiring that has led to his current role, it has been an interesting ride with America's Team. Prior to his coaching exploits, Garrett had achieved "folk hero" status in Dallas as Aikman's backup when he led the team to a 1994 Thanksgiving Day come from behind win over a young Brett Favre led Green Bay Packers by throwing for 311 yards and 2 touchdowns. He then bounced around the league holding a clipboard for a few years before being hired (prior to the head coach being hired) by Jerry Jones as the Cowboys offensive coordinator, with all of 2 years coaching experience....coaching quarterbacks for the Dolphins.

Fast forward....Wade Phillips was fired as head coach of the Cowboys in 2010 after a 1-7 start; Jason Garrett was named "interim" head coach and finished the season 5-3, which was good enough to make him the 8th head coach in the history of the Dallas Cowboys. It was widely believed that the quick turnaround orchestrated by Garrett was due to the immediate organizational and tempo changes. So how come those changes are not carrying over into his first full season?

Let's Fix The Cowboys Offense First...Simpler Than You May Think

The Cowboys offense has been....well....erratic since Garrett took over, finishing 2nd, 18th, 14th, 7th, and this year they are currently ranked 13th in what I perceive to be the most important straight up offensive category, points scored. To put that in perspective, teams like the 'Niners, Jets, and Ravens are all averaging more points per game, and those teams are routinely ridiculed as being the most "offensively challenged" in the NFL.

So why was Garrett's best year statistically his first year, has he just gotten worse, or was there something else involved? In my opinion it was because Garrett did not handle all the playcalling duties during the 2007 season. That year, current Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano was the Cowboys offensive line coach/assistant head coach/running game coordinator who was heavily involved with the in-game direction of the offense. As soon as Sparano left for Miami following the 2007 season and Garrett has had sole responsibility of the the offense, they have struggled, particularly in scoring....

Editors Note: Take a look at the "Scoreability" statistics from my friends at Cold Hard Football Facts (CHFF), it is basically how well a team turns yards into points and is a great way to tell how efficient an offense is, or how inefficient an offense is as the Cowboys found out in 2009, having the second most yards in the NFL does not matter if you can't turn those yards into points....

I believe he needs playcalling help, particularly he seems to lack creativity in the red zone and other big moments. He reminds me of that really smart kid in high school, the one who is really book smart but has no common sense, he always knew what the book said to do but when things got hectic or out of control and he needed to improvise or "think outside the box" he froze. Which is precisely what happened to Garrett on Sunday against the Cardinals. I don't need to go over the details unless you have been living under a rock.

So what do they do? Hire Garrett's former mentor Norv Turner, not only is he an exceptional quarterbacks coach who I believe can get Tony Romo over the hump he has been stuck on for years, his offenses are always near the top of the league. Yes, I know that Turner is currently employed as the head coach of the San Diego Chargers, but unless they go on an incredible run while Tim Tebow succumbs to satan's temptations, he will be fired and most likely have to go down to being an offensive coordinator for a couple of years.

This marriage works out well for both sides, Turner gets to come back home where he had his greatest success as the offensive coordinator of the 90's Cowboys dynasty (and where Jerry Jones nearly hired him over Phillips), where he coached Garrett, and since they already run Turner's offense here there would be little transition. Garrett will be able to focus more on being a head coach (organizational & discipline issues) and less about having to be the head coach AND offensive coordinator. We know that the Cowboys already have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball which would be very attractive to Turner.

One other benefit that having Turner on the staff gives the Jerry Jones is if Garrett does not work out then he will have 2 guys in Rob Ryan and Norv Turner that would seemingly be able to make the jump to the #1 spot.

Other Cowboys Problems That Need Fixing

One of the biggest knocks on the Cowboys during the Phillips era was discipline and accountability. During his 3 full years the Cowboys ranked 28th, 32nd, and 29th in penalties, with many of them coming in key situations that directly resulted in lost games. From the Alex Barron holding penalty that cost the Cowboys a win in the first game against the Redskins last year, to the repeated game changing celebration penalties by Roy Williams, Sam Hurd, and Marc Columbo. Now that Garrett has taken full control of this team, and has a reputation of a disciplinarian guy who demands perfection, you would expect the penalties to have decreased quite a bit, right? Guess again, 13 weeks into the season the Cowboys rank 26th, not much of an improvement....

#1 Cowboys fan & her car  Sabrina Elie

Again these penalties are killing drives, taking points off the board, and extending opponents drives and putting points on the board for them. Garrett seems to be a very intelligent, organized, Type-A personality kind of guy that demands a lot from his employees, I just think that it is getting lost with him trying to run the entire offense. If he hires Norv Turner he can still be involved in the game planning, strategy, playcalling, and execution of the offense, but will now have some help from an experienced OC with proven success and the same system.

When it comes to accountability, Garrett needs to have some for himself, it was so obvious that even Helen Keller knew he botched the clock management at the end of the Cardinals game, but instead of admitting that he screwed up he just continues to play the "it was not the wrong decision it just didn't work" card. No leader can demand accountability from his employees without being accountable for himself.


Hiring Turner is a win-win for not only Garrett and the Cowboys, but for all the frustrated fans that see the errors and predictability of this team before it happens, he just needs some help so that he can focus on the big picture. Garrett needs to put his ego to the side and do what is best for the organization

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Who are These New Look Cowboys (Offense)?

By:  Bobby Shores

The 2011 Dallas Cowboys are a team full of unexpected new contributors, you have high profile draft picks, low profile draft picks, guys that were found on the free agent scrap heap, and one guy that was found on a reality TV show.  And this is just talking about the offensive side of the ball, these contributors are a reason why the wildly inconsistent Cowboys seem to be becoming consistent at the right time to make a late season run into the playoffs.

DeMarco Murray/Montrae Holland/Tony Fiammetta/Running Game - These three guys are the main driving force behind the recent success of the Cowboys and their offense. While most people are giving nearly all the credit to the emergence of rookie running back DeMarco Murray and the highest 3-game rushing total in Cowboys History, if you look closer Murray's rise to success coincides with Holland and Fiammetta becoming fixtures in the starting lineup. 

The recent success of Tony Romo is also directly related to the emergence of the running game as teams now have to account for ground attack instead of playing the pass nearly 100% of  the time. I think we can all agree that Romo is at his best when he does not have to carry the entire offense on his shoulders, when that happens he tries to do too much and that is when he make mistakes.

Montrae Holland - Holland was acquired by the Cowboys in a 2008 trade with the Denver Broncos and has struggled to keep his weight in check, causing him to bounce from reliable multi-position backup, to starter, to backup, to released, to finally being brought back after his back healed up and he lost weight (both are directly related). Before Holland was brought back the Cowboys were working with a very young and small offensive line (3 rookies, yes I know that Center Phil Costa is not a rookie but he might as well be) that I predicted would be a problem early this season, but Holland arrived and instantly made Doug Free and Phil Costa better. 

Not only is he winning the battles in his "area" (Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett also seems to have changed the blocking scheme from 1-on-1 power blocking to more zone blocking) he is also getting out in space and getting in defenders way at the second level. His play has been so impressive that on his first game back Jerry Jones declared that Holland should get the game ball and not DeMarco Murray (who had just rushed for a franchise record 253 yards), and I tend to agree.

DeMarco Murray - the 3rd round draft pick out of Oklahoma, has been the driving force behind the resurgence of the running game. While you have to give a lot of credit to the offensive line and Tony Fiammetta, Murray has started running hard and not going down on first contact ensuring that he gets every yard possible out of every run. In my opinion, much of his success in the last few games has come with a fundamental change in his game, early in the season I saw him receive the hand-off and duck his head through first contact, but now he is keeping his head up allowing him to make that first guy miss when he steps in the hole allowing him to get to the second level.

Tony Fiammetta - Another guy that the Cowboys found on the scrap heap after he was picked from the Panthers, his playing time is also directly related to the emergence of the running game. Fiammetta is better on the edges than than taking linebackers head on in the gaps, and is a throwback fullback of sorts because he seems to be very athletic instead of bulky, with that you would expect him to be a threat out of the backfield, but he is happy clearing the holes for the threats.

Laurent Robinson - Falcons, Rams, Chargers, Cowboys(twice) all before age 26....doesn't sound like the resume of the best wide receiver on the 6th best passing team in the NFL does it? Well Laurent Robinson is currently the wide receiver playing the best for the Cowboys right now, in fact his play has made Miles Austin somewhat....expendable. In fact, I cannot believe that some wannabe sports writer/scout ever once considered that this passing attack needed Randy Moss....what an idiot!! 

Robinson was a journeyman free agent who was always considered talented, but injury prone. He has become a fixture in the Cowboys offense this season accumulating a solid 27 catches for 441 yards and 4 touchdowns. But Robinson's biggest impact has not been his stats, it has been the smaller things he is doing right, like knowing the plays, where to line up and what route to run while doing it at full speed and not loafing (I am talking to you Dez Bryant and Kevin Ogletree). His route running is also precise and crisp; running the routes the same way every time which gives quarterback Tony Romo the comfort of knowing that he can throw to a spot and his receiver will be there. 

It looks like Robinson has become the wide receiver version of Jason Witten for Romo, and in just 7 games this season has become a more reliable and dependable option than Miles Austin, if it weren't for the contract (Economics of the NFL) Robinson would continue to be the #2, even when Austin returns. 

Tyron Smith - Coming out of USC as the 9th overall pick in the draft, Smith was fairly inexperienced after only starting for 1 year, and not even the best tackle on his team (see Matt Kalil). I was very hard on him and did not expect him to make as great an impact as he has. But through a little more than half of the 2011 season Smith has been the best tackle, if not the best lineman on the Cowboys team. 

While he needs some work on leveraging his man off the snap when run blocking, which will come when he puts on some more weight and adds strength, he has been more than adequate in that area. His best attribute is his pass blocking, his first kick at the snap of the ball and his quick feet allow him to be in the right position to direct even the best pass rushers where he wants them to go. His one pass protection fault is when a rusher uses the same move over and over (speed rush to the outside) he starts sitting in his stance expecting it, and then the rusher can use a spin move to the inside or a bull rush and catch him off balance and out of position leading to a negative play. 

With a full season under his belt, including a full off-season in an NFL Weight Room and training camp, I fully expect him to make the transition to left tackle sooner than later, which will move Doug Free back to right tackle, forming arguably the best tackle tandem in the NFL. These problems will work themselves out as Smith gets experience, but until then, the Cowboys and their fans have to be very happy with their 1st round selection.

With these unexpected stars emerging on the Cowboys offense, we can expect big things for the rest of the season, and even further. Check back next week for the "New Look Defense".

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What should the Cowboys do with the #9 Overall Pick in the 2011 Draft?

The Cowboys were an enigma this year, going into the season they were expecting/expected to be the first team in the Super Bowl era to play the big game in their home stadium.....hilarity ensued as they started off 1-7, got Wade Phillips fired as Head Coach, lost their starting QB to injury, and then played competitively at the end of the season to still finish an embarrassing 6-10.  A 6-10 record typically means a team has a whole lot of work to do, but I believe they are closer than most think.  Most mock drafts have the Cowboys taking a CB, OT, or DE with their first pick, and numerous other positions with their 2nd round pick (everything from S, to ILB, OG, DE, and everything else).  Obviously what they do depends on what happens with the 8 picks before them and I will attempt to play out the most likely scenarios here.

One of the two most common pick that mock drafters have the Cowboys taking at #9 is Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara, and I must admit if he is available I think they should STRONGLY consider taking him.  I believe this draft is not very deep on CB's that can make an impact early, so if they are going to take one they need to do it early.  Prince is the near consensus #2 DB in the draft and the Cowboys have a desperate need at CB after they ranked 26th in the league against the pass in 2010.  Terence Newman is likely to be cut before the season due to age, injury, salary, and diminishing skills; and Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick are the other options and they struggled last year due to an inconsistent pass rush, horrible safety play, and "over thinking" instead of using their natural instincts (I expect them to bounce back this year).   The other CB that could be considered would be Colorado's Jimmy Smith who many believe is more talented than Prince (including myself), but his off-field concerns (numerous failed drug tests, 2 arrests, and his #1 off-field concern is a perceived lack of passion/desire to maximize his talents with hard work) will most likely keep him off the Cowboys draft board after they took a chance on someone with supposed "character concerns" last year in Dez Bryant (who apparently forgot to take the class at Oklahoma State where they teach you that you have to pay for what you buy or the one that teaches you that it is not smart to spend 150% of your yearly salary on diamonds).

The next most popular pick for the Cowboys at #9 is OT Tyron Smith of the other USC (Southern California that is).  For the Cowboys, taking any offensive lineman at #9 is a mistake (I know, it's weird saying that as bad as their O-line was), they should not need a LT because I think Doug Free can be "the guy" for them for the next 7-10 years, and I just do not see Smith or any other OL prospect being solid enough to go that high this year (possibly Pouncey, but you can move back and get him).  And if I think Free is the the anchor of the line, then Smith or any tackle they select would be relegated to the right hand side, and I do not think that selecting a RT (really its the LT backup) at #9 is a good philosophy especially in this draft where there is a lot of value to be had at the end of the 1st round.  What keeps Tyron Smith from being a "sure fire" elite prospect in my eyes is he appears to lack the passion and work ethic (gained over 20 bad pounds between end of season and combine) that I want out of a top 10 pick, and is still a little to raw for me (in the NBA they draft on potential especially in the top 15 picks, me, I don't draft on potential until 3rd round).  My other concern with Tyron Smith is that at USC he played right tackle, and even at the collegiate level your best offensive lineman plays left tackle, so why didn't Smith play left tackle?  If the Cowboys are dead set on reaching for an offensive lineman at #9 they should go for Pouncey or Gabe Carimi.

The last position I have been hearing recently for the Cowboys at #9 is Defensive End, in particular, Wisconsin's J.J. Watt.  DE (5-technique) in the Cowboys 3-4 is just not an impact player and I have made my opinion perfectly clear that they just need a big body that can occupy blockers and play the run, and there is not a 3-4 DE in the NFL that I can think of that I would take at #9 in the draft, it is just not an impact position!  So regardless of how bad Dallas needs a 3-4 DE, it is just not a position that is worthy of using a high (and rarely even a low) 1st round pick.

So after all of that, I bet you are wondering, "Then what the heck does the ReclinerQB think the Dallas Cowboys should do with their 1st round draft pick?".  They should trade out of that spot, no matter what, and don't tell me that they cannot find a trading partner because they can.  Now they might not be able to get the "value" that the trade chart says they should, or that people think they should get, but with the guaranteed money that they have to dole out for the contract that the #9 spot requires....there will probably not be a worthy player there that fits their needs.  So even if they can only swap 1st round picks with another team and pick up a 3rd or 4th rounder, than do it.  There will be a player you want and need further down in the 1st round like any number of offensive tackles and CB (Jimmy Smith would be a steal in the 20's).  Then they will be set up perfectly to take one of the higher rated offensive guards with their second round pick.

It's a win-win situation, and to pull this off perfectly and get Dallas back in the Super Bowl hunt, Jerry just needs to bring me in there and let me run (or at least help) this thing for him (I will even let him take credit), if he does that then I promise the Dallas Cowboys will be back in the Super Bowl hunt this year (if he lets me hang around and help out).

Doug Free is "Free" to leave the Cowboys

Ok, I know I need some work in the headline department, but with the deadline passing for teams to use the "Franchise tag" on players I was very surprised to see that the Cowboys did not tag Doug Free.

Doug Free was drafted in the 4th round (122nd overall) in the 2007 draft out of Northern Illinois.  He barely played at all (partially due to a back injury) until 2009, in that year he came in at right tackle and played the last 7 games of the regular season for Marc Colombo after he broke his leg.  While offensive line play largely goes unnoticed, everyone noticed when the Cowboys lined up against the Vikings in that playoff game.  Colombo was back off the injured list from his broken leg and even though he hadn't played in weeks, and Doug Free was doing an exceptional job at RT, the Cowboys still started Colombo over him.  In that game Colombo was apparently not fully recovered because I believe he gave up no less than 3 sacks and 4-5 QB hurries against the Viking's 2nd best defensive end (Ray Edwards).  Somebody with more time than me can check those stats.  Doug Free does not get a free pass for that game though because Flozell Adams went out early with a calf injury and Free replaced him at left tackle and he struggled with Jared Allen.  I cut him some slack since he had been playing on the opposite side with different techniques for the majority of the season and it is difficult to come in and play the opposite side against one of the premier pass rushers in the league. After the season the Cowboys had seen enough of Doug Free and how good he could be to release Flozell Adams and move Free to the 2nd most important position on the field, Left Tackle, protecting the franchise QB's blind side.

While the 2010 season was a huge disappointment for the Cowboys and especially the offensive line, the one bright spot was Doug Free.  He was the anchor and most reliable part of the Cowboys offensive line, and he was doing it at the most important position.  If you look at the rest of their offensive line it goes something like this:
Left Guard-Kyle Kosier - 2nd best lineman last year, 32 years old, very good pulling guard, contract expired, has trouble staying healthy, if they cannot get Logan Mankins (must be new CBA first) and don't draft instant help then they should sign him to a 1-year "prove you can stay healthy" deal.
Center-Andre Gurode - 32 years old, earned a Pro Bowl berth based on reputation, has declined rapidly the past 2 seasons.  I believe he is still a good center and that his decline is largely based on having to help Kosier's replacements at LG and constantly having to help Leonard Davis on the other side of him because Davis is constantly getting beat.
Right Guard-Leonard Davis - 32 years old, looks to be overweight the last 2 seasons and not worth the big money that he is due anymore.  Whether its weight or just getting old, Davis's problem is he gets beat off the line consistently.  Against the 4-3 defenses the 3-technique is past him and in the backfield before he even gets out of his stance.  The only thing he does good anymore is head on blocking when the guy is right in front of him.
Right Tackle-Marc Colombo - 32 years old, to slow getting off the line, it looks like all the injuries he has had in his career are finally catching up to him.  I don't see much use for Colombo anymore on the Cowboys, he is to slow to play tackle and I do not think he is strong or big enough to play guard.  They need to cut their losses.

Back to the original reason I started this post, why not place the franchise tag on Doug Free?  He plays the second most important position on the offense, is young at only 27 years old, just coming into his prime.  When I compare him to the other top notch young LT's in this league I only see Cleveland's Joe Thomas as being definitely better.  I see him being on the same level as Miami's Jake Long (maybe a little better) and he is definitely better than the Raven's Michael Oher.  The only reason he is not a bigger name is because he was drafter in the 4th round and they are all 1st round picks.  Many of you may be thinking "they did not franchise him because of the $$$ it would take".  Well the franchise tag for O-linemen this year is about $10 million which is a good number for a franchise left tackle, and just because they franchise him does not mean they have to pay him all that.  It just means that if he leaves the Cowboys get 2 first round draft picks and they have the right to work out a long term contract with him.  Now it looks like they are going to let him hit the open market where he will be the #1 free agent offensive lineman and there are plenty of teams that will pay a lot of money to have a true franchise left tackle protecting the face of their franchise.  Of course Jerry Jones will probably beat any deal out there, but why risk it, why would you let someone have the opportunity to run the price up?  Franchise left tackle's don't walk through the door every day....

What will probably happen is the Cowboys will tender him with the highest tender, meaning he can negotiate with other teams and the Cowboys have the right to match any offer he receives.  If they do not match the offer then they will receive a 1st & 3rd round draft pick as compensation, while that seems like a lot, look at the Cowboys history of drafting and developing offensive lineman....its bad.  The last homegrown offensive lineman that was any good was Larry Allen, next is Andre Gurode and it took a long time for him to develop and he has only had 1 or 2 real good years.  Cowboys fans better hope that Doug Free is not allowed to go 'Free"....yea it was a bad pun