Our Dallas Cowboys must make hard choices
Todd Archer: Cowboys must make hard choices
INDIANAPOLIS – Things are about to get interesting for the Cowboys.
Free agency will begin March 3, and the Cowboys will have about $15 million to spend. Not as much as last year, but still a good amount to find some quality players. Free agency is followed by the draft, and if the Cowboys can repeat the success they had in selecting players in 2005, this team will be good for a lot of years to come.
But here’s the rub: the free-agent market is not as strong as it has been in years past, and the draft is not particularly strong at the Cowboys’ position of need: safety, wide receiver and offensive line.
The Cowboys must make choices: do they fill their holes in free agency or the draft?
Let’s start with the offensive line. Most e-mailers want to see the Cowboys make a run at LeCharles Bentley, the New Orleans center. OK, he will cost you a decent dime, which the Cowboys will have. But than that means they will have signed large deals with their left tackle Flozell Adams, left guard Larry Allen and right guard Marco Rivera.
It’s not a bad way of thinking, but how have those other deals turned out? At some point, don’t the Cowboys have to draft an offensive lineman in the first round? They haven’t done that since 1981. Since Bill Parcells has been coach, Al Johnson has been their best offensive line pick, and the coach doesn’t seem to have much faith in Johnson.
Andre Gurode did not live up to expectations as a second-round pick and will be a free agent. Jacob Rogers, who incredibly might be back, didn’t play an offensive snap and was a second-rounder. Stephen Peterman, a third-round pick, barely played last season after missing his rookie year with a knee injury. Rob Petitti, a sixth-rounder in ’05, is the biggest success story, but is he a building block?
Now on the free agency. Jason Fabini, 31, the former Jet, has become the hot name. He’s old. He’s hurt. But he’s played for Parcells. To me, he’s an older Petitti who will be more costly.
At wide receiver, the Cowboys have thirtysomethings in Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn. At some point, the team must find their successors. For the first time in years, the draft looks weak at the position. Florida’s Chad Jackson would be a terrific pick, but he won’t last until No. 18, and Parcells has mentioned a personal aversion to drafting receivers in the first round.
The free-agent crop doesn’t appear strong either. Antwaan Randle El could be the best talent available, but he has never put up big numbers. New England’s David Givens has ability and toughness, but will he take over for either Johnson or Glenn in ’06? No.
How about kicker? There will be some players available. Adam Vinatieri is at the top of the list, but will the Cowboys fork over $3 mil per year? Maybe they will. Mike Vanderjagt? He didn’t kick off for a dome team, so that won’t work. Green Bay’s Ryan Longwell might be the best fit (price, ability). The draft? Forget it. Do you think Parcells will go with a rookie kicker after what happened last year?
A year ago at this time in free agency, the Cowboys zeroed in on Jason Ferguson, Rivera, Mike Wahle, Anthony Henry and Ken Lucas. They signed Ferguson, Rivera and Henry. For the draft, they knew they liked DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears in the first round. This off-season there's a little more uncertainty.
INDIANAPOLIS – Things are about to get interesting for the Cowboys.
Free agency will begin March 3, and the Cowboys will have about $15 million to spend. Not as much as last year, but still a good amount to find some quality players. Free agency is followed by the draft, and if the Cowboys can repeat the success they had in selecting players in 2005, this team will be good for a lot of years to come.
But here’s the rub: the free-agent market is not as strong as it has been in years past, and the draft is not particularly strong at the Cowboys’ position of need: safety, wide receiver and offensive line.
The Cowboys must make choices: do they fill their holes in free agency or the draft?
Let’s start with the offensive line. Most e-mailers want to see the Cowboys make a run at LeCharles Bentley, the New Orleans center. OK, he will cost you a decent dime, which the Cowboys will have. But than that means they will have signed large deals with their left tackle Flozell Adams, left guard Larry Allen and right guard Marco Rivera.
It’s not a bad way of thinking, but how have those other deals turned out? At some point, don’t the Cowboys have to draft an offensive lineman in the first round? They haven’t done that since 1981. Since Bill Parcells has been coach, Al Johnson has been their best offensive line pick, and the coach doesn’t seem to have much faith in Johnson.
Andre Gurode did not live up to expectations as a second-round pick and will be a free agent. Jacob Rogers, who incredibly might be back, didn’t play an offensive snap and was a second-rounder. Stephen Peterman, a third-round pick, barely played last season after missing his rookie year with a knee injury. Rob Petitti, a sixth-rounder in ’05, is the biggest success story, but is he a building block?
Now on the free agency. Jason Fabini, 31, the former Jet, has become the hot name. He’s old. He’s hurt. But he’s played for Parcells. To me, he’s an older Petitti who will be more costly.
At wide receiver, the Cowboys have thirtysomethings in Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn. At some point, the team must find their successors. For the first time in years, the draft looks weak at the position. Florida’s Chad Jackson would be a terrific pick, but he won’t last until No. 18, and Parcells has mentioned a personal aversion to drafting receivers in the first round.
The free-agent crop doesn’t appear strong either. Antwaan Randle El could be the best talent available, but he has never put up big numbers. New England’s David Givens has ability and toughness, but will he take over for either Johnson or Glenn in ’06? No.
How about kicker? There will be some players available. Adam Vinatieri is at the top of the list, but will the Cowboys fork over $3 mil per year? Maybe they will. Mike Vanderjagt? He didn’t kick off for a dome team, so that won’t work. Green Bay’s Ryan Longwell might be the best fit (price, ability). The draft? Forget it. Do you think Parcells will go with a rookie kicker after what happened last year?
A year ago at this time in free agency, the Cowboys zeroed in on Jason Ferguson, Rivera, Mike Wahle, Anthony Henry and Ken Lucas. They signed Ferguson, Rivera and Henry. For the draft, they knew they liked DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears in the first round. This off-season there's a little more uncertainty.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:19 PM
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