Cowboys Insider: Offensive line should be stronger, deeper in 2007
05/25/2007
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
Julius Jones versus Marion Barber.
For months, the debate over which running back should get the bulk of the carries next season has been a hot topic among Cowboys fans. So much so that it’s overshadowed something that could give the offense a superior running game no matter which back starts -- the development of a powerful, deep line.
Without much fanfare, offensive line coach Tony Sparano has worked tirelessly to ensure that Jones and Barber run behind a cohesive unit that boasts depth at every position.
The key, as always, will be whether left tackle Flozell Adams dominates or is simply adequate.
Sparano suggested at minicamp it could be the former for Adams in 2007. “He’s had a good winter and a good offseason,” Sparano said.
Adams missed the final 10 games in the 2005 season after tearing ligaments in his right knee in a game against the New York Giants. After a slow start last season, he was good enough to gain a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl roster as an injury replacement for the New Orleans Saints’ Jammal Brown.
“(Adams) progressively got better and better and better (last season), and that’s what you would expect from a guy coming back from this kind of injury,” Sparano said.
Adams was on the Pro Bowl team in 2003 and 2004. Despite those accolades, he’s been tagged an underachiever, a label that causes Sparano to frown.
“The pressure has always been on Flo for whatever the reason,” Sparano said. “I understand he’s the left tackle (a much-scrutinized position), but this guy is a pretty good player. When you look at left tackles in this league, you have to say this guy is in the top 25, top 15 percent.”
Sparano is also high on Leonard Davis, the former Arizona Cardinals left tackle who will play right guard for the Cowboys after receiving a team-record $16 million signing bonus in March.
Like Adams, Davis has a reputation as an underachiever. But Sparano sees no reason to buy into it.
“Football is important to Leonard and he knows what a great opportunity this is for him,” Sparano said. “I enjoy coaching him. He’s a heck of a guy.”
Sparano says Davis, a former Texas standout, has been one of the team’s hardest workers in the weight room. On the field, he’s been a beast.
“He’s got a pretty good edge to him when he plays,” Sparano said. "I love his demeanor.”
The rest of the starting line will include dependable Kyle Kosier at left guard, Pro Bowler Andre Gurode at center and fiercely competitive Marc Colombo at right tackle.
But it’s the unit’s increased depth that has Sparano sleeping easier these days. With guard/center Cory Procter and tackle/guard Pat McQuisten showing steady improvement, Sparano’s fears about the line collapsing like it did in 2005 when Adams went down have been somewhat eased.
“(The lack of depth) has been a little bit of a problem,” Sparano said. “If one guy got hurt, the dropoff was tremendous. Right now, I think we have some good young prospects.”
Procter is especially valuable because he’s also learned how to play center. Sparano said he and Bill Parcells decided midway through last season that Procter needed to work some “with the ball between his legs.”
“That’s going to be an important part for us,” Sparano said of Procter’s versatility. “A year ago, our backup center was Al Johnson, a one-dimensional guy that could only play center. So if something happened to a guard, Andre had to move over there. You had to make two moves to answer one problem, and you made yourself weaker doing that.”
Procter, whom the Cowboys signed off of the Detroit Lions’ practice squad in 2005, played center for the scout team the final two months of last season and has continued to hone his skills at the spot in the offseason.
“He’s really worked a lot with the quarterbacks and done a good job,” Sparano said.
The Cowboys could also receive help depth-wise from draft picks James Marten and Doug Free, although Sparano said “right now, we are just trying to let them get their legs underneath them.”
But even if Marten and Free come along slowly, the Cowboys should have enough quality beef up front this season to allow either Jones or Barber to shine.
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
Julius Jones versus Marion Barber.
For months, the debate over which running back should get the bulk of the carries next season has been a hot topic among Cowboys fans. So much so that it’s overshadowed something that could give the offense a superior running game no matter which back starts -- the development of a powerful, deep line.
Without much fanfare, offensive line coach Tony Sparano has worked tirelessly to ensure that Jones and Barber run behind a cohesive unit that boasts depth at every position.
The key, as always, will be whether left tackle Flozell Adams dominates or is simply adequate.
Sparano suggested at minicamp it could be the former for Adams in 2007. “He’s had a good winter and a good offseason,” Sparano said.
Adams missed the final 10 games in the 2005 season after tearing ligaments in his right knee in a game against the New York Giants. After a slow start last season, he was good enough to gain a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl roster as an injury replacement for the New Orleans Saints’ Jammal Brown.
“(Adams) progressively got better and better and better (last season), and that’s what you would expect from a guy coming back from this kind of injury,” Sparano said.
Adams was on the Pro Bowl team in 2003 and 2004. Despite those accolades, he’s been tagged an underachiever, a label that causes Sparano to frown.
“The pressure has always been on Flo for whatever the reason,” Sparano said. “I understand he’s the left tackle (a much-scrutinized position), but this guy is a pretty good player. When you look at left tackles in this league, you have to say this guy is in the top 25, top 15 percent.”
Sparano is also high on Leonard Davis, the former Arizona Cardinals left tackle who will play right guard for the Cowboys after receiving a team-record $16 million signing bonus in March.
Like Adams, Davis has a reputation as an underachiever. But Sparano sees no reason to buy into it.
“Football is important to Leonard and he knows what a great opportunity this is for him,” Sparano said. “I enjoy coaching him. He’s a heck of a guy.”
Sparano says Davis, a former Texas standout, has been one of the team’s hardest workers in the weight room. On the field, he’s been a beast.
“He’s got a pretty good edge to him when he plays,” Sparano said. "I love his demeanor.”
The rest of the starting line will include dependable Kyle Kosier at left guard, Pro Bowler Andre Gurode at center and fiercely competitive Marc Colombo at right tackle.
But it’s the unit’s increased depth that has Sparano sleeping easier these days. With guard/center Cory Procter and tackle/guard Pat McQuisten showing steady improvement, Sparano’s fears about the line collapsing like it did in 2005 when Adams went down have been somewhat eased.
“(The lack of depth) has been a little bit of a problem,” Sparano said. “If one guy got hurt, the dropoff was tremendous. Right now, I think we have some good young prospects.”
Procter is especially valuable because he’s also learned how to play center. Sparano said he and Bill Parcells decided midway through last season that Procter needed to work some “with the ball between his legs.”
“That’s going to be an important part for us,” Sparano said of Procter’s versatility. “A year ago, our backup center was Al Johnson, a one-dimensional guy that could only play center. So if something happened to a guard, Andre had to move over there. You had to make two moves to answer one problem, and you made yourself weaker doing that.”
Procter, whom the Cowboys signed off of the Detroit Lions’ practice squad in 2005, played center for the scout team the final two months of last season and has continued to hone his skills at the spot in the offseason.
“He’s really worked a lot with the quarterbacks and done a good job,” Sparano said.
The Cowboys could also receive help depth-wise from draft picks James Marten and Doug Free, although Sparano said “right now, we are just trying to let them get their legs underneath them.”
But even if Marten and Free come along slowly, the Cowboys should have enough quality beef up front this season to allow either Jones or Barber to shine.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:51 AM
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