Getting In The Flo First
Nick Eatman - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - Let's not dilly-dally around here with NFL free agency set to begin at 11:01 p.m. (CST) Thursday.
Here is the very best of news coming out of The Ranch this afternoon:
Apparently neither the Cowboys or Flozell Adams and his rep Jordan Woy have drawn a line in the sand negotiating a very delicate and likely complex contract extension with the granules dropping even more rapidly out of the sand timer. Neither side gets to turn the tube of connected glass bulbs over another time.
The time is now.
And to me, there is nothing the Cowboys can do in free agency over the coming months that is more important than getting their four-time Pro Bowl left tackle signed to what amounts to an extension if that should take place by tonight's deadline or what will be considered a new contract if that isn't accomplished until after the 11:01 p.m. start of free agency.
You guys might become distracted with all this other stuff, rumors of Randy Moss coming here, rumors of Javon Walker coming here, rumors of teams possibly being prepared to fork over first- and third-round draft choices for restricted free agent Marion Barber. You guys might start drooling over a Bernard Berrian or a Ty Law or a Michael Turner or Asante Samuel - you know, some of that pie-in-the-sky stuff.
Fine, just as long as the Cowboys don't. They seem to understand priorities, and none of the aforementioned players are priorities at this point. Not even necessities.
But keeping the Flo on the offensive line is, believe me, and there were sure sounds of encouragement bouncing off The Ranch walls here Thursday afternoon when the Cowboys were preparing to have a face-to-face meeting with Adams and Woy. That should be free-agency music to your ears.
Oh, some of you seem to get preoccupied with Adams' penchant for a false start at least once a game. And I'm guessing, and you can put me in this category, too, you'd wish Flo would be much more aggressive run blocking, like throw around his 6-7, 340-pounds to maul people the way Larry Allen once did.
OK, OK, but look, when it comes to protecting Tony Romo's blindside, who would you rather have over there on the left end of the line? Pat McQuistan, who has yet to play a full NFL game and who, at least to me, struggled mightily in training camp when under an extended microscope? Doug Free, no more than a fourth-round draft choice this past season with all of zero NFL starts under his belt? Have you even looked at that mess in free agency? Please, Adams would be the top dog.
And come on, as much as the Cowboys profess they might, do you really want to move Leonard Davis, a Pro Bowl guard, over to left tackle where at least the Arizona Cardinals thought he struggled and why they were willing to let him float into free agency last year, and then have to replace his production at right guard? Chance weakening two positions, and I'm about sure of at least one for sure?
Romo ended up getting sacked 24 times in 2007, and seven of those occurred in back-to-back games against Detroit and Philadelphia. That comes to 1.5 sacks a game. Now, was Adams flawless? Of course not. No left tackle is, not having to face the talented speed-rushers these NFL defenses put over to their side. But tell you what, Adams was pretty darn good over there, and the Cowboys didn't have to help him out a whole lot by keeping a tight end in to that side.
Look at some of the top pass rushers Adams faced during the regular season: Osi Umenyiora (three times), Jason Taylor, Aaron Schobel, Trent Cole (twice), Andre Carter (twice), that New England defense, that Green Bay defense, that Carolina defense, and guess what? Only one guy lining up on Flo's side in those 12 games was able to put Romo on the ground with the ball. That was Philadelphia's Trent Cole the second time around.
Other than that, goose eggs.
Now you want to gamble with that kind of success? When your offensive bread and butter is Romo throwing the ball to Terrell Owens or Jason Witten? I'd think not.
The Cowboys realize that, and frankly, I don't think Adams really wants to go anywhere else at this stage of his career, that is, as long as the Cowboys are in the
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - Let's not dilly-dally around here with NFL free agency set to begin at 11:01 p.m. (CST) Thursday.
Here is the very best of news coming out of The Ranch this afternoon:
Apparently neither the Cowboys or Flozell Adams and his rep Jordan Woy have drawn a line in the sand negotiating a very delicate and likely complex contract extension with the granules dropping even more rapidly out of the sand timer. Neither side gets to turn the tube of connected glass bulbs over another time.
The time is now.
And to me, there is nothing the Cowboys can do in free agency over the coming months that is more important than getting their four-time Pro Bowl left tackle signed to what amounts to an extension if that should take place by tonight's deadline or what will be considered a new contract if that isn't accomplished until after the 11:01 p.m. start of free agency.
You guys might become distracted with all this other stuff, rumors of Randy Moss coming here, rumors of Javon Walker coming here, rumors of teams possibly being prepared to fork over first- and third-round draft choices for restricted free agent Marion Barber. You guys might start drooling over a Bernard Berrian or a Ty Law or a Michael Turner or Asante Samuel - you know, some of that pie-in-the-sky stuff.
Fine, just as long as the Cowboys don't. They seem to understand priorities, and none of the aforementioned players are priorities at this point. Not even necessities.
But keeping the Flo on the offensive line is, believe me, and there were sure sounds of encouragement bouncing off The Ranch walls here Thursday afternoon when the Cowboys were preparing to have a face-to-face meeting with Adams and Woy. That should be free-agency music to your ears.
Oh, some of you seem to get preoccupied with Adams' penchant for a false start at least once a game. And I'm guessing, and you can put me in this category, too, you'd wish Flo would be much more aggressive run blocking, like throw around his 6-7, 340-pounds to maul people the way Larry Allen once did.
OK, OK, but look, when it comes to protecting Tony Romo's blindside, who would you rather have over there on the left end of the line? Pat McQuistan, who has yet to play a full NFL game and who, at least to me, struggled mightily in training camp when under an extended microscope? Doug Free, no more than a fourth-round draft choice this past season with all of zero NFL starts under his belt? Have you even looked at that mess in free agency? Please, Adams would be the top dog.
And come on, as much as the Cowboys profess they might, do you really want to move Leonard Davis, a Pro Bowl guard, over to left tackle where at least the Arizona Cardinals thought he struggled and why they were willing to let him float into free agency last year, and then have to replace his production at right guard? Chance weakening two positions, and I'm about sure of at least one for sure?
Romo ended up getting sacked 24 times in 2007, and seven of those occurred in back-to-back games against Detroit and Philadelphia. That comes to 1.5 sacks a game. Now, was Adams flawless? Of course not. No left tackle is, not having to face the talented speed-rushers these NFL defenses put over to their side. But tell you what, Adams was pretty darn good over there, and the Cowboys didn't have to help him out a whole lot by keeping a tight end in to that side.
Look at some of the top pass rushers Adams faced during the regular season: Osi Umenyiora (three times), Jason Taylor, Aaron Schobel, Trent Cole (twice), Andre Carter (twice), that New England defense, that Green Bay defense, that Carolina defense, and guess what? Only one guy lining up on Flo's side in those 12 games was able to put Romo on the ground with the ball. That was Philadelphia's Trent Cole the second time around.
Other than that, goose eggs.
Now you want to gamble with that kind of success? When your offensive bread and butter is Romo throwing the ball to Terrell Owens or Jason Witten? I'd think not.
The Cowboys realize that, and frankly, I don't think Adams really wants to go anywhere else at this stage of his career, that is, as long as the Cowboys are in the
posted by The Gryphon at 6:58 PM
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