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Roster Rundown
Josh Ellis
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
(Editor's Note: Throughout the offseason, DallasCowboys.com staff writers will take a closer look at the roster, analyzing each player's impact last year and how he fits into the team's 2011 plans. Today's featured player is guard Leonard Davis.)
Name: Leonard Davis
Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6-6/355
Experience: 10 seasons
College: Texas
Key stat: In 2010, the Cowboys ran 29 times behind right guard, gaining only 2.03 yards per carry, the second-worst average in the league. The previous season they averaged 3.32 yards when running by Davis, and in 2008, runs behind the right guard went for an average of 5.86 yards.
Contract Status: Signed through 2013.
2010 Impact: In the early part of the year, Davis, like his fellow offensive linemen, seemed to lack the normal physicality, which made the running game extremely difficult. Among the front five, he seemed to benefit the most from Jason Garrett's rededication to the running game in the second half, and the interim coach's decision to hold practices in full pads. As a pass blocker Davis had increasing trouble, particularly in space, and he was even pulled from a Week 5 game against Tennessee when Titans defensive tackle Jason Jones was giving him trouble.
Where He Fits: There are no guarantees that Davis will be brought back in 2011, as the former No. 2 overall pick of Arizona in 2001 has the largest contract on the offensive line, but may be the most rapidly declining. He'll be 33 when the season starts, and isn't likely to regain the agility he had as a younger man. However, Davis is still very strong, and it may be possible for the Cowboys to play to his strengths while masking some of his athletic deficiencies. That was the plan last year and it didn't work extremely well, however there is some hope that he may be better prepared for the start of the season by a more physical training camp like Garrett is promising.
Writers' Analysis:
Josh Ellis: Depending on who you ask, the Cowboys might be better off re-signing free agent left guard Kyle Kosier and letting go of Davis and his huge salary. The accounting will have to be in line for that scenario to play out, but it does seem the quicker Kosier is better suited to age well than Davis, who even lost some of his ability to win at the line of scrimmage last year. The decision to hang onto Davis or not may come down to whether the Cowboys view backup Montrae Holland as a starting caliber player or if they feel there are better alternatives in the free agent market. It could probably go either way.
Rob Phillips: Jerry Jones mentioned four or five unnamed veterans (under contract) with uncertain futures on the team. Davis could be one. His production has dipped the last two years and he seems to have trouble with smaller, quicker defensive linemen, as we saw in the Titans game. The Cowboys are trying, gradually, to get younger across the line with first-round pick Tyron Smith and rookie guards David Arkin and Bill Nagy. But with Kosier a free agent, it probably makes sense to keep Davis. Plus, releasing him would cost the Cowboys nearly $8 million under a salary cap.
Josh Ellis
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
(Editor's Note: Throughout the offseason, DallasCowboys.com staff writers will take a closer look at the roster, analyzing each player's impact last year and how he fits into the team's 2011 plans. Today's featured player is guard Leonard Davis.)
Name: Leonard Davis
Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6-6/355
Experience: 10 seasons
College: Texas
Key stat: In 2010, the Cowboys ran 29 times behind right guard, gaining only 2.03 yards per carry, the second-worst average in the league. The previous season they averaged 3.32 yards when running by Davis, and in 2008, runs behind the right guard went for an average of 5.86 yards.
Contract Status: Signed through 2013.
2010 Impact: In the early part of the year, Davis, like his fellow offensive linemen, seemed to lack the normal physicality, which made the running game extremely difficult. Among the front five, he seemed to benefit the most from Jason Garrett's rededication to the running game in the second half, and the interim coach's decision to hold practices in full pads. As a pass blocker Davis had increasing trouble, particularly in space, and he was even pulled from a Week 5 game against Tennessee when Titans defensive tackle Jason Jones was giving him trouble.
Where He Fits: There are no guarantees that Davis will be brought back in 2011, as the former No. 2 overall pick of Arizona in 2001 has the largest contract on the offensive line, but may be the most rapidly declining. He'll be 33 when the season starts, and isn't likely to regain the agility he had as a younger man. However, Davis is still very strong, and it may be possible for the Cowboys to play to his strengths while masking some of his athletic deficiencies. That was the plan last year and it didn't work extremely well, however there is some hope that he may be better prepared for the start of the season by a more physical training camp like Garrett is promising.
Writers' Analysis:
Josh Ellis: Depending on who you ask, the Cowboys might be better off re-signing free agent left guard Kyle Kosier and letting go of Davis and his huge salary. The accounting will have to be in line for that scenario to play out, but it does seem the quicker Kosier is better suited to age well than Davis, who even lost some of his ability to win at the line of scrimmage last year. The decision to hang onto Davis or not may come down to whether the Cowboys view backup Montrae Holland as a starting caliber player or if they feel there are better alternatives in the free agent market. It could probably go either way.
Rob Phillips: Jerry Jones mentioned four or five unnamed veterans (under contract) with uncertain futures on the team. Davis could be one. His production has dipped the last two years and he seems to have trouble with smaller, quicker defensive linemen, as we saw in the Titans game. The Cowboys are trying, gradually, to get younger across the line with first-round pick Tyron Smith and rookie guards David Arkin and Bill Nagy. But with Kosier a free agent, it probably makes sense to keep Davis. Plus, releasing him would cost the Cowboys nearly $8 million under a salary cap.
