Dallas Cowboys Column

By: Scott Arendt

8/27/09

The preseason affair is halfway over. Teams should have a good idea of their 53 man roster by now, with only a few spots still up for grabs. They should also start to have some perspective of how their team is improving on their shortcomings and which new shortcomings are starting to show up. With that in mind, let's look at how this year's version of the Dallas Cowboys looks like through training camp and the first two preseason games.

WHAT LOOKS GOOD

1. Tony Romo
 Romo is quietly looking as refined and controlled as fans have ever seen him. Yes, it is preseason. But he has shown a new focus on protecting the ball and accepting that checking the ball down to secondary receivers is a good thing. Just take a look at the second drive against Oakland and the entire first half against Tennessee. He looked sharp, spreading the ball around and showing great decision making. This is a great preseason for #9, so let's hope he keeps it up.

2. Felix Jones
 He is what he was last season: explosive. He is the most exciting player in Dallas. It just seems that every game he delivers something special. Jason Garrett has to find a way to get this cat the ball.

3. Martellus Bennett
 Bennett has looked very good. While Jason Witten is the preferred target of Romo, Bennett will give defensive coordinators fits this season. Who do you cover him with? A safety is too small, a linebacker too slow. The expectations for him coming into the season were fairly lofty, and Bennett has done nothing to dispel those expectations.

4. D-line
 Igor Olshansky has been solid and Jay Ratliff has been dominant. The run defense was stellar against Tennessee, who boasts a very good offensive line. Keep in mind that the defensive calls have been very basic, hoping to keep some ambiguity for the regular season opponents to deal with. Most of the preseason battles are one-on-one, not scheme vs. scheme. The d-line has won more than their fair share here.

5. Sam Hurd
 San Antonio native Hurd has possibly the best camp of all the receivers while in his home town. The fact that he has carried over his practice success into the games is a good sign. He has proven that he deserves a spot in the offense.

WHAT NEEDS WORK

1. The running game
The running game has looked passable, but nothing more. I am not sure where the problem exists, to be honest. After watching the games several times, it seems that the majority of the blockers will be successful while one missed block will ruin the play. If Dallas really wants to take advantage of their stable of runners, the o-line must pick up the pace. On a counter note, we have not seen the starters in the third and fourth quarters, where their size and physicality will wear opponents down.

2. The safeties
Gerald Sensabaugh is an upgrade over Roy Williams in coverage, but he has not been an impact player as of yet. Then again, perhaps anyone expecting that were sadly overestimating his abilities. An impact player does not sign a one year contract, he gets locked up long term. Ken Hamlin still looks like last season's version instead of the Pro Bowler the year before. The backups are either young or fringe players.

3. Backup offensive linemen
While they played much better against Tennessee than Oakland, the depth there is worrisome. They just do not have any quality backups along the line. Perhaps Doug Free can develop further, and he has for certain been better than his line mates on the second line. I would say that this area should be the focus of the draft next spring.

4. Backup linebackers
While the starters are all very solid, if not good, the depth is very young. Rookie Brandon Williams is now out with a bum knee, and fellow fourth rounder Victor Butler is very raw. The bright spot here seems to be Steve Octavian. He has flashed in training camp and both preseason games. Third round rookie Jason Williams has started to come along here lately, and that is encouraging. However, if Dallas suffers injury with the four starters, times will be difficult.

5. Special teams
 New coach, new focus, same result. Perhaps I am overly optimistic, but I was thinking that the difference would be immediately apparent. And I was wrong. The teams are still not even average. Hopefully this is merely because the starters on the coverage units are not set and they are trying different combinations of young players to give them a shot at the team. But after the first two games, they look poor. Dallas must get this straightened out.

 

8/1/09

Everyone get ready and get excited. It is finally here, the real beginning of the 2009 football season. This summer our 'Boys will be in San Antonio for training camp.  While the locale will not offer the perfect weather of the previous years' camps in California, all workouts will be indoors and out of the sticky hot weather in southern Texas. This year, there are just as many question marks as excited items for the 2009 Dallas Cowboys. But then again, some of the question marks are exciting as well. Today, we will go over some of the position battles that will be going on in ole San Antonio.

1. Right CB
This will come down to Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick. Both second year players, Jenkins and Scandrick offer speed and aggressiveness. While it can be argued that Scandrick (fifth round) had a better rookie season than first rounder Jenkins, both showcased their potential last season. Jenkins's reputation was tarnished a bit by a very public display of poor tackling against the Giants and Derrick Ward, where he kindly let the RB pass without even offering him a high five. Without that odd lack of effort and courage, he really did have a nice rookie season. Scandrick, however, manned the difficult nickle spot and covered the slot receiver quite well. He showed that he is not afraid to throw his body around, either. While this seems to be an open competition to start next to Terrance Newman, I will go with Mike Jenkins as the starter with Scandrick continuing his slot duty.

2. Right OG
 Kyle Kosier was lost for most the season at this position, and the entire o-line seemed to feel his absence. Once considered the weak link on the line, his loss showed how valuable he really is. The team traded for Montrae Holland, who fits their beefy preferences. It took him a while to get comfortable (or in shape) in the offense, but played well in two starts late in the season before going down with an injury of his own. Holland offers beef in the run game and can anchor in pass pro. I believe that if Kosier is healthy, it is his job to lose. On a side note, Holland has been practicing at center to increase his value.

3. Nickel LB
 This is the time for Bobby Carpenter to earn his paycheck. He has sat mostly idly by the last three seasons while earning a first round paycheck. He is fast and athletic enough to cover tight ends and running backs, but has been labeled as a "finesse" player. Ouch. Enter third round rookie Jason Williams. He is an athletic marvel. The only question is how quickly he can assimilate into the defense. A dark horse in this battle is rookie Stephen Hodge. He played a hybrid safety role at TCU and showed some skill during the off season. However, he had his knee scoped in June, which might derail his chances. My guess here is that Carpenter mans the spot in the early season while Williams will have a shot later if Carpenter struggles.

4. #2 WR
 This battle is a little tricky. While Miles Austin has more potential than incumbent Patrick Crayton, he has been injured most of the summer and lost valuable time. Crayton is steady and consistent but does not offer a deep threat. Austin is bigger and faster but less polished. This might be a moot point, however, as there will be several packages that take advantage of both players skill sets.

While there will be some heated computation over several roster and backup spots, these four battles will be the focus of training camp.

6/27/09

With this being a fairly boring time in the NFL (save for the occasional arrest of a knucklehead), now is the time for day dreaming. This Dallas Cowboys team has talent, for certain. They also have many questions that need to be answered. So, lets go over the best case and the worst case scenarios.

BEST CASE

Alright, under this day dream everything goes correctly. This is pure optimism, with a dash of luck thrown in for good measure. Firstly, and what I consider of utmost importance, the offensive line played like it did two seasons ago. Flozell Adams goes injury free and gets back to earning his high salary. He also limits his false starts. Left guard Kyle Kosier returns from his foot injury and offers a stabling spot next to Adams. Center Andre Gurode and right guard Leonard Davis continue to be very solid, and at times dominating. Offensive right tackle Marc Colombo also continues his feisty play that seems to spark the entire team.

Next of importance is Roy Williams. While I disagree with much of criticism that has been heaped on Williams, he is under pressure to produce. He stays healthy and gets somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 catches for 1200 yards and double digits end zone dances. Miles Austin stays healthy (insert joke here) and stretches the field. 40-50rec with 600-700 yards will work. The touchdowns don't matter to me as much as the threat of getting deep. Next, Martellus Bennett, the big tight end, offers a great receiving option and a red-zone target with 6-8 TDs. Thirdly,and I believe that this will happen if the above comes close to happening, Tony Romo cuts down on turnovers while still being aggressive. His December slides the last few years were not entirely his fault, but he surely contributed. This season's last few games are tough, but if he can figure out a way to win more than the team loses, they will see January. On the defensive side, Ken Hamlin

plays better. Simple, he was not good last season despite the large contract he signed. Secondly, Gerald Sensabaugh more than replaces Roy Williams. He has to be better at coverage, right? Next, the young corners develop even further and the team plays more press man coverage. This will give an already dangerous pass rush more time to get to the QB. This will also create more turnovers. Bobby Carpenter shows that he can replace Kevin Burnett in the nickel, showing his worth. And lastly, the special teams are better. Coverage and returns both are near the top of the league. If all this happens, Dallas has the talent to win the division and go deep in the playoffs. If this daydream come true, their record is 12-4.


NIGHTMARE

On the flip-side, there is a bunch that can go wrong with this team. The offensive line regresses and no young talent steps in to contribute. Flozell starts a declining trend and there is a revolving door at RG. Colombo's knees finally break down and Romo gets chased around the field and that talented backfield trio of Barber, Jones and Choice have nowhere to run. Roy Williams proves to be a career under performer and Witten cannot handle to entire weight of the passing game. Miles Austin does not live up to his potential while getting hurt after getting back from being hurt. Therefore, the offense cannot stretch the field and Bennett cannot find any room to operate. On the defensive side, Anthony Spencer proves he is no replacement for Greg Ellis and cannot offer DeMarcus Ware any relief. Ken Hamlin plays like he did last season and Sensabaugh gets caught with more unregistered guns. The rookies in the secondary are not ready and get torched. Bradie James gets injured and Bobby Carpenter has to fill in. (ouch.) The rookie OLB's are green and cannot rush the passer in any capacity. Terrance Newman continues getting banged up. And lastly, the special teams are unspecial, despite the attention Jerry Jones has paid to the unit. If these things happen, or something similar, then the team flames out and their is a new coach in town by Febuary. Record: 7-9.

It is only June and there is some time to ponder these things. Pretty much what I am saying is that this talented team could be good, but might be mediocre.
 

5/28/09

The post-draft spring practices have commenced for the Dallas Cowboys, and with it, a new theme has started as well. The team is focused on today, not the past, not the future. This is in direct conflict with what most of the team felt last season, when everyone expected a deep playoff run.  They seemed ready to skip the regular season and go right to the Super Bowl. Perhaps lost in all the hype of coming off a 13-3 season was the hard work and desire that goes into building a team in the spring and summer. Or, perhaps the team was just not focused on the small things that make a big difference. Either way, the Cowboys do not seem to repeating those sentiments this year. And why would they, really? It did not serve them well last season, or at least after September. So, they are sticking their noses to the grindstone. The change seems apparent. I am already hearing talk of the coaches being more task oriented and tougher on small assignments. The players

are saying the right things. And, perhaps most importantly, the front office is giving the team a clear message: not one job is safe. Of course everyone knows about the big name defections. TO, Pacman, Tank Johnson, Chris Canty, Zach Thomas, Keith Davis, Kevin Burnett, Anthony Henry, Roy Williams are all gone. Youth is being served at Valley Ranch. A few years ago under Bill Parcells, the team would churn the bottom of the roster. This would make the bottom players work their tails off to ensure their spot and paycheck. With Wade Phillips, he seemed inclined to keep his roster stagnant, showing loyalty and patience with the bottom third of the roster. This seemed to create a too relaxed atmosphere where the players felt that once training camp ended and they had made the team, they were safe for the rest of the year. Now it seems that once again the front office is making competition the main priority. Just look at the draft and the small amount of free

agency they took part in.  The draft was focused on linebacker and defensive backs. This was done to push the players that are entering their third and fourth years. Again, the message was delivered. If you do not contribute and show that the juice is worth the squeeze, they we will replace you with someone younger and cheaper. I believe that this was a need for Dallas. Every starter seemed set in stone this time last year. Not so this May. So Cowboy fans, get ready for a training camp filled with heated competition and fights for roster spots. That is the way it should be, in my opinion. Hopefully, this will create a tough minded team that can survive the tough course of an NFL season.

 

4/27/09

The draft has come and gone, and Dallas was unusually quiet this April. Without the trademark dealings of owner/GM Jerry Jones, this draft was quite different than years past. The focus on this draft is obviously aimed to help the unspecial special teams and provide competition throughout the entire roster. It seemed to me that the draft board never fell correctly for Dallas. They had their eye on five or six prospects for the 51st overall pick, but not a single player they wanted fell to them. So, Jones traded out of the first day entirely. With 12 picks on the second day,

I assumed they would trade up and down, getting a player they targeted and get more picks for next season. They did not really happen, however, as Dallas only traded up once. They ended up selecting 12 players, almost all of them with a special teams background. Here are the selections and my thoughts on each and who I would have drafted if I was the GM. (My pick had to be selected
after the selection the team used.)

Round 3, #69 overall.
 Jason Williams, LB Western Illinois. Very athletic, will replace Kevin Burnett in the short term and hopefully Keith Brooking in a season or two.
MY PICK:  Brandon Tate, WR North Carolina (NE RD 3 #83)

Round 3 #75
 Robert Brewster, OL Ball St. Large man with good pass blocking skills. This is not a future LT, but could be either a guard or RT. Will push Kyle Kosier.
MY PICK: Duke Robinson, OG Oklahoma (Carolina, RD 5 #163)

Round 4 #101
 Stephen McGee, QB Texas AM. Very athletic and moved up draft boards in the off season. Is the #3 QB right now, has the ability to start eventually.
MY PICK: Same.

Round 4 #110
 Victor Butler, DE Oregon St. Athletic pass rusher who led the Pac 10 in sacks. Future OLB and special teams player.
MY PICK: DJ Moore, CB Vanderbilt (Chicago RD 4 #119)

Round 4 #120
 Brandon Williams, DE Texas Tech. Another future OLB in 3-4 scheme. Very good fist step, led Big 12 in sacks. Athletic, but needs strength.
MY PICK: Same

Round 5 #143
 DeAngelo Smith, DB Cincinnati. Good cover man offers safety help as well. Will start out at safety and special teams.
MY PICK: James Casey, TE Rice (Houston, RD 5 #162)

Round 5 #166
 Michael Hamlin, S Clemson. Experienced four year starter in big conference. Offers great run support but needs help in coverage.
MY PICK: Coye Francies, CB San Jose St (Cleveland, RD 6 #191)

Round 5 #172
 David Buehler, PK USC. Great athlete with a powerful leg. Will be kickoff specialist and coverage guy. Yes, he can do that.
MY PICK: Stryker Solak, OLB/DE Missouri (Oakland, RD 6 #199)

Round 6 #197
 Stephen Hodge, S TCU. Very powerful run stuffer. Could be special teams star.
MY PICK: same

Round 6 #208
 John Phillips, TE Virginia. Solid, third TE. Good in-line blocker with good hands and great character.
MY PICK: Demetrius Byrd, WR LSU (San Diego, RD 7 #222)

Round 7 #227
 Mike Mickens, CB Cincinnati. Good cover man with lots of experience. Torn meniscus in knee drove him down draft boards after entering season in top few rounds.
MY PICK: same

Round 7 #229
 Manuel Johnson, WR Oklahoma. Good speed and elusiveness. Possible punt returner and slot receiver.
MY PICK: Darryl Richard, DE Georgia Tech (New England, RD 7 #234)


All in all, it was a boring draft for Dallas, but it could solidify the special teams and depth for a few years. There will be some competition at many spots, and some veterans will find themselves off the team. If that was the goal of the draft, then Dallas has succeeded. If they wanted to come in and make themselves better this season, then it was not a good draft.
 

4/9/09

With the draft quickly approaching, the draft plans for Dallas are still unclear.  While they will have to wait until the 51st selection to make their first pick, there should be some quality players still on the board. Just like every year, where first round talent slips and slides their way into the second frame, this year seems to have a lot of second-tier talent available.  I can foresee many teams in the top half of the first round trying to trade down and get more value based selections, and avoid the complicated contract negotiations that accompany the higher selections.  With the confusion of a potential uncapped year forcing some agents and GMs to get creative with the upcoming contract talks, I can see why this is not a bad year to be without a first rounder.

 To make matters more interesting, the NY Jets are apparently interested in restricted free agent Miles Austin, who carries a second round tender on him.  If the Jets offer Austin to a high contract, taking the second rounder will be a nice consolation, although I would like to see Austin reach his vast potential with a star on his helmet.  The team thinks highly of him, and considered his potential when releasing TO. I truly would not be surprised to see Dallas match an offer, but taking the draft pick would offer some temptation as well.  With two second round receivers doing so well last season in Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson, perhaps Dallas will see turning an undrafted free agent in Miles Austin into a second rounder as good business.

 After the initial free agents were signed, Big D has covered most of the bases, but there is still depth to address. Plus, with an aging offensive line and questionable depth at many positions, Dallas can really just sit back and take the best player available, outside of running back and tight end. There is no concern for the very good depth they have at those positions. I could see them taking a look at anywhere on the defensive side of the ball, where they are not deep. Waiting for the later frames of the draft to take some o-line help seems the way to go, considering the problem they have had finding quality lineman in the second and third rounds the last several years.
 

3/5/09

With the combine and the start of free agency coming so close together, it makes for a busy time in the NFL.  In regards to the Cowboys, there is, as always, some news.  Lets start with free agency.  Dallas has lost a few players, namely Chris Canty to the rival NY Giants.  They were not willing to pay him the $8 million a year that he got from New York, but wanted to keep him.  Paying their own players big bucks over the past few years has finally exhausted flexible salary cap room, and resigning DeMarcus Ware was their first offseason priority.  Canty will be missed, but he is not worth what he got paid, in my opinion.  He is a solid run stuffer and decent pass rusher, but not elite in any area.  He will likely be replaced by either Jason Hatcher or Stephen Bowen with an outsider from the draft restoring the ranks for rotation.  They also lost offensive swingman Joe Berger to Miami, making him the zillionith DC player to migrate to South Beach.  No real loss there.  

Dallas also traded Anthony Henry straight up for Jon Kitna.  While this might seem like Detroit flossing Dallas, it was not.  They saw Henry as an expendable player entering the final year of his contract and they seriously needed a quality #2 QB.  This makes room for either Mike Jenkins or Orlando Scandrick to start opposite Terrance Newman.  Getting a CB in the draft or a low level free agent is now a priority, although not an expensive one, of course.  They also signed Keith Brooking and Matt Stewart, both former Falcons under Wade Phillips, to shore up the linebacking corps that has been depleted this offseason.  Brooking is a good fit and a great character guy who will start next to Bradie James. While he is a short term fix, he will fill the position well and be able to groom his replacement that Dallas will draft.

The combine was not as exciting for Dallas fans as it was last season, when the team had two first round picks.  Now, without a first rounder, they were looking at some of the second level guys they might have a shot at drafting.  Names to consider are Louis Delmas, Rashad Johnson, and Patrick Chung at safety. Also, they were looking at a QB to draft late and groom.  They talked to Rudy Carpenter of Arizona State and Tom Brandstater of Fresno St. We will have to see what transpires from here until the draft, but they should be looking at a DT (Ron Brace, perhaps), safety, or offensive tackle (Phil Loadholt) with their second or third rounder.  This team is pretty much filled, with only a few positions of small need.  Therefore, Dallas can hopefully draft the best player available, which is always a nice position to be in.

1/29/09

That might be Phil Loadholt (Oklahoma), Herman Johnson (LSU), Xavier Fulton (Illinois), Trevor Canfield (Cincy), Alex Boone (Ohio St), or Johnathan Luigs (Arkansas). Any of these prospects would offer huge upside and possibly unseat one of the current starters.  In the third rounder they received from Cleveland, I would go after a safety, with Roy Williams possibly playing his last season in Dallas.  I would prefer more of a centerfield type so that Ken Hamlin can play closer to the line. Some names to remember here would be Nic Harris (Oklahoma) or Courtney Green (Rutgers). For the rest of the second day, my focus would still be on the offensive line, middle linebackers, and a backup QB.  There are sure to be some talented signal callers available on the second day.  Selections like that would go a long way to shore up some weaknesses in what everyone thought was a very talented team entering this season.