Can Kyle Kosier get the job done at left guard
August 11, 2006
Can Kyle Kosier get the job done at left guard
11:30 p.m. PCT, Thursday, LOS ANGELES -- Before we dissect some comments from Bill Parcells and Jerry Jones regarding left guard Kyle Kosier, here's a quick note on Bob Morris' Paradise Cove Beach Cafe in Malibu: Good food, great atmosphere, lousy service.
OK, back to Kosier, who will be remembered in Cowboys' lore as the man who replaced the great Larry Allen.
I talked to Kyle only once in the past two weeks and, from what I can tell, he seems like a pretty decent guy. What remains to be seen is whether he's a decent offensive lineman.
Bill Parcells and Jerry Jones sounded Thursday like they're not so sure he is.
Asked if he was happy with Kosier, Jones said: "I think that's too narrow for me to answer. I've got to look at the whole picture there. I don't feel any different than I felt when we came to camp or the way I felt this spring. We've got to see some things (from the offensive line) and we've got some work to do."
Not exactly a ringing endorsement. Parcells' reply to a similar question was equally tepid.
Asked if he was pleased with Kosier and Jason Fabini, another offensive lineman acquired via free agency in the offseason, Parcells said: "Yeah, in some ways."
Such as?
"Well, um, I guess both of them know the system pretty well," Parcells said. "We're getting a good look at both of them. We'll just see how it goes. I want to see what my options are.
"I'm just trying to get them ready to play."
After 11 practices, it's clear the offensive line remains the club's weak link, partly because Kosier has been serviceable at best during training camp.
"I think that (the play of the offensive line) is our biggest challenge overall," Jones said. "We have a lot of ifs there."
One of the biggest "ifs" is Kosier. The Cowboys gave him a five-year, $15 million contract that included a $5 million signing bonus after they decided Allen wasn't worth the $2 million roster bonus and $3.5 million salary he was due before they released the future Hall of Famer in March.
Some Cowboys insiders believe Jones paid way too much for Kosier, who is playing for his third different team in the last three years.
"I've got big shoes to fill," Kosier said. "Larry is one of the best guards to ever play the game.
"But I'm up for the task. Hopefully, I can fill his shoes to the best of my ability."
Good luck. Larry Allen way on the wrong side of 30 is still better than Kyle Kosier at age 28.
Judging from their comments today, Parcells and Jones are beginning to feel the same way.
Can Kyle Kosier get the job done at left guard
11:30 p.m. PCT, Thursday, LOS ANGELES -- Before we dissect some comments from Bill Parcells and Jerry Jones regarding left guard Kyle Kosier, here's a quick note on Bob Morris' Paradise Cove Beach Cafe in Malibu: Good food, great atmosphere, lousy service.
OK, back to Kosier, who will be remembered in Cowboys' lore as the man who replaced the great Larry Allen.
I talked to Kyle only once in the past two weeks and, from what I can tell, he seems like a pretty decent guy. What remains to be seen is whether he's a decent offensive lineman.
Bill Parcells and Jerry Jones sounded Thursday like they're not so sure he is.
Asked if he was happy with Kosier, Jones said: "I think that's too narrow for me to answer. I've got to look at the whole picture there. I don't feel any different than I felt when we came to camp or the way I felt this spring. We've got to see some things (from the offensive line) and we've got some work to do."
Not exactly a ringing endorsement. Parcells' reply to a similar question was equally tepid.
Asked if he was pleased with Kosier and Jason Fabini, another offensive lineman acquired via free agency in the offseason, Parcells said: "Yeah, in some ways."
Such as?
"Well, um, I guess both of them know the system pretty well," Parcells said. "We're getting a good look at both of them. We'll just see how it goes. I want to see what my options are.
"I'm just trying to get them ready to play."
After 11 practices, it's clear the offensive line remains the club's weak link, partly because Kosier has been serviceable at best during training camp.
"I think that (the play of the offensive line) is our biggest challenge overall," Jones said. "We have a lot of ifs there."
One of the biggest "ifs" is Kosier. The Cowboys gave him a five-year, $15 million contract that included a $5 million signing bonus after they decided Allen wasn't worth the $2 million roster bonus and $3.5 million salary he was due before they released the future Hall of Famer in March.
Some Cowboys insiders believe Jones paid way too much for Kosier, who is playing for his third different team in the last three years.
"I've got big shoes to fill," Kosier said. "Larry is one of the best guards to ever play the game.
"But I'm up for the task. Hopefully, I can fill his shoes to the best of my ability."
Good luck. Larry Allen way on the wrong side of 30 is still better than Kyle Kosier at age 28.
Judging from their comments today, Parcells and Jones are beginning to feel the same way.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:01 PM
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