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Cloudy Summer
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - In a normal offseason, something completely opposite from what we're experiencing right now, we'd all have a much better grasp on what was about to take place in training camp at the end of next month.
Putting it that way, since June is upon us and camp typically starts in the last week of July, it sounds rather close. Yet, we all know it's much further away, if it even occurs at all.
But the point is that even though we don't know exactly when training camp will be, we have a pretty decent idea what will happen, or at least what we'll be looking for when the team does finally get together.
Obviously, the big issue right now is personnel, since neither rookie nor veteran free agency has begun. When it does, there's a good chance the Cowboys will probably sign anywhere from 12-20 new faces, most of which will be undrafted rookies, but there could be a handful or so veterans.
With that much turnover still to go, and it's already June, that's reason No. 1 why there is so much uncertainty surrounding this team. The Cowboys should take comfort knowing it's probably about the same for the majority of the teams around the league.
But in this offseason of doubt, I've put together my own list of every position on this team, ranking them in order of uncertainty.
Again, it's my list - my opinions and my perceptions of certain players on this roster, at least for the time being.
I went with 12 positions, including special teams as one big unit, and because of that, it's probably higher on the list than expected. Remember, this isn't ranking the positions from best to worst, but rather the level of doubt that surrounds the group heading into training camp, which again, is obviously its own level of uncertainty as well.
12. Tight End - Sure, there will be a time when we scratch our heads and wonder just how many more seasons Jason Witten can put together, but it's not this year. Witten had arguably his best season last year, at least since 2007, and did so with three different starting quarterbacks. Martellus Bennett also had one of his better seasons, in terms of catches and yards, and was a steady blocker. The only question mark about this position will occur if John Phillips possibly competes for the No. 2 spot with Bennett. But since he's returning from an ACL injury, it wouldn't be surprising if Phillips stays as the third tight end and nothing changes at all.
11. Outside Linebacker - DeMarcus Ware is back. That should be good enough, right? Seriously though, the only question marks here are more about the scheme from Rob Ryan than personnel. Anthony Spencer should be opposite Ware and you would think Victor Butler and Brandon Williams will probably compete for the third spot. Since no outside 'backer was drafted, it's unlikely to assume a rookie free agent - with probably no offseason - can come in and beat either of those two out. A veteran signing wouldn't be out of the question if Ryan is familiar with them, but this is probably how it's going to be at outside linebacker.
10. Quarterback - Again, personnel is set here and the order is, too. Regardless of what Martellus Bennett or anyone else thinks about an open competition between Tony Romo and Jon Kitna, it's not going to happen. Quarterback controversies are great for the media and fans, but not for a team trying to prepare for a season. And let's be honest, there's no reason for a competition. This team is invested in Romo and made sure they had a decent backup in Kitna, who did an admirable job in relief. The question for Romo is how he responds from last year's broken clavicle injury. As for Stephen McGee, he's done enough to secure a No. 3 spot. The fourth QB added will probably be some rookie free agent with a live arm whose best bet to stick around would be on the practice squad.
9. Inside Linebacker - This position has a healthy combination of experience and youth, with the addition of Bruce Carter in the draft. The uncertainty lies with the health of Keith Brooking and Bradie James, who played through nagging injuries last year. Also, if Sean Lee is ready to take over one of the starting spots, the Cowboys might not hesitate in making a move. Carter's rehab from an ACL injury last November is uncertain, especially since he won't be rehabbing with the team's trainers during the lockout.
8. Defensive Tackle - If the Cowboys stick to the word of both Ryan and Jason Garrett, who have both reiterated that Jay Ratliff will remain at tackle, then there isn't any real questions here as well. Ratliff has made three straight Pro Bowls, although it was clear he didn't have his best season in 2010 as offenses put more emphasis in blocking Ratliff. As for the backups, Josh Brent could be the answer again. Remember, he had no offseason in 2010 as he joined the team through the supplemental draft. Of course, it's looking like he still won't have much of an offseason again, but if he continues his natural progression, he should add some depth.
7. Cornerback - If Cowboys' fans get their wish, then this position will get the biggest facelift of all. That would hinge on the signing of one Nnamdi Asomugha, widely considered the biggest name in free agency. But if the Cowboys don't land the Raiders' free-agent-to-be, then there's a good chance not much changes here, personnel-wise. Still, the Cowboys do have plenty of uncertainty here. The trio of Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick has to play better. Whether Ryan's new defense will help remains to be seen, but the performance has to improve, whether the Cowboys get outside help or not. Expect a good battle for the fourth spot between Bryan McCann and rookie Josh Thomas. Don't forget that Alan Ball could work his way into the cornerback equation as well.
6. Special Teams - There will be a kicking competition between David Buehler and most likely Kris Brown, who was signed last December. That alone warrants some uncertainty on special teams, not to mention how the rule changes on kickoffs will affect all aspects from the kickoff specialist to the returners. Plus, with Dez Bryant's injury returning a kickoff last year, there will likely be a season-long debate on whether or not he should return any punts or kickoffs. If not, the Cowboys must find some replacements.
5. Wide Receiver - This position could be higher on the list, but that just tells you how much uncertainty surrounds this entire team. Who knows if Roy Williams will be on the roster at all? If he's not, it means the Cowboys have to count on Miles Austin and Dez Bryant to stay healthy, and hope they get some big improvements from guys like Kevin Ogletree, Manny Johnson, Jesse Holley and rookie Dwayne Harris. It's such a key position and it's really not settled. In other years, this could be much higher, but the Cowboys have too many other question marks.
4. Running Back - This is similar to receiver because Marion Barber's status is much like Williams'. Although it seems more likely the Cowboys will part ways with Barber, especially after drafting DeMarco Murray, the real question mark at running back will be the order of production. Since we're guessing here, I think it will start out with Felix Jones, Tashard Choice and Murray based on seniority, but it wouldn't be surprising if Murray becomes the third-down back because of his pass-catching and ability to block. Running back also gets the nod over receiver because there is some question about the fullback spot with the Cowboys taking Sean Choppa in the seventh round to push Chris Gronkowski.
3. Guard - Too many questions here. Will Kyle Kosier be re-signed? Will Leonard Davis get cut? What about rookie David Arkin and his readiness to contribute? And then you've got Montrae Holland, who might finally get the chance to start. The Cowboys have several options here, but it will likely depend on the result of the lockout and if next season is capped. With no salary cap, the Cowboys might part ways with Davis and his contract. But if so, then it would cost the team more to release the veteran guard, who actually played better in the second half of last year when the offense made more of a commitment to the run.
2. Defensive End - There're only five on the roster and three of them could be free agents. Another one played about 20 snaps last year and then there's Igor Olshansky who didn't really make a noticeable contribution in 2010, despite starting all season. The Cowboys must decide who to keep between Marcus Spears, Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher. If Hatcher and Bowen remain restricted free agents, then they will likely stay in the fold. It will be interesting to see what Spears' value will be on the open mark. Let's not forget he has said he wouldn't mind staying here for a lesser price, but that was last year. Sean Lissemore will likely factor in the mix at some point.
1. Safety - Yeah, you know the position. Feels like we've beat this drum to death but it hasn't changed. Any position that has 100 percent of its starters up for grabs is one to worry about. Now, Gerald Sensabaugh could very well return but it won't be cheap. He's probably in the top 5 of free-agent safeties out there and you can bet his agent is aware of that. Even if he returns, the Cowboys will have to either sign another free agent, with names such as Michael Huff, Abram Elam and possibly Eric Weddle among the candidates, or there are some in-house choices that will likely end up as backups, including Alan Ball, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Barry Church and Danny McCray.
So there you have it. Some of these positions could go either way. The tricky one is cornerback because it could end up getting changed rather boldly if Asomugha is signed.
But it's always a dead time around here. It just usually doesn't have so much uncertainty along with it.
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - In a normal offseason, something completely opposite from what we're experiencing right now, we'd all have a much better grasp on what was about to take place in training camp at the end of next month.
Putting it that way, since June is upon us and camp typically starts in the last week of July, it sounds rather close. Yet, we all know it's much further away, if it even occurs at all.
But the point is that even though we don't know exactly when training camp will be, we have a pretty decent idea what will happen, or at least what we'll be looking for when the team does finally get together.
Obviously, the big issue right now is personnel, since neither rookie nor veteran free agency has begun. When it does, there's a good chance the Cowboys will probably sign anywhere from 12-20 new faces, most of which will be undrafted rookies, but there could be a handful or so veterans.
With that much turnover still to go, and it's already June, that's reason No. 1 why there is so much uncertainty surrounding this team. The Cowboys should take comfort knowing it's probably about the same for the majority of the teams around the league.
But in this offseason of doubt, I've put together my own list of every position on this team, ranking them in order of uncertainty.
Again, it's my list - my opinions and my perceptions of certain players on this roster, at least for the time being.
I went with 12 positions, including special teams as one big unit, and because of that, it's probably higher on the list than expected. Remember, this isn't ranking the positions from best to worst, but rather the level of doubt that surrounds the group heading into training camp, which again, is obviously its own level of uncertainty as well.
12. Tight End - Sure, there will be a time when we scratch our heads and wonder just how many more seasons Jason Witten can put together, but it's not this year. Witten had arguably his best season last year, at least since 2007, and did so with three different starting quarterbacks. Martellus Bennett also had one of his better seasons, in terms of catches and yards, and was a steady blocker. The only question mark about this position will occur if John Phillips possibly competes for the No. 2 spot with Bennett. But since he's returning from an ACL injury, it wouldn't be surprising if Phillips stays as the third tight end and nothing changes at all.
11. Outside Linebacker - DeMarcus Ware is back. That should be good enough, right? Seriously though, the only question marks here are more about the scheme from Rob Ryan than personnel. Anthony Spencer should be opposite Ware and you would think Victor Butler and Brandon Williams will probably compete for the third spot. Since no outside 'backer was drafted, it's unlikely to assume a rookie free agent - with probably no offseason - can come in and beat either of those two out. A veteran signing wouldn't be out of the question if Ryan is familiar with them, but this is probably how it's going to be at outside linebacker.
10. Quarterback - Again, personnel is set here and the order is, too. Regardless of what Martellus Bennett or anyone else thinks about an open competition between Tony Romo and Jon Kitna, it's not going to happen. Quarterback controversies are great for the media and fans, but not for a team trying to prepare for a season. And let's be honest, there's no reason for a competition. This team is invested in Romo and made sure they had a decent backup in Kitna, who did an admirable job in relief. The question for Romo is how he responds from last year's broken clavicle injury. As for Stephen McGee, he's done enough to secure a No. 3 spot. The fourth QB added will probably be some rookie free agent with a live arm whose best bet to stick around would be on the practice squad.
9. Inside Linebacker - This position has a healthy combination of experience and youth, with the addition of Bruce Carter in the draft. The uncertainty lies with the health of Keith Brooking and Bradie James, who played through nagging injuries last year. Also, if Sean Lee is ready to take over one of the starting spots, the Cowboys might not hesitate in making a move. Carter's rehab from an ACL injury last November is uncertain, especially since he won't be rehabbing with the team's trainers during the lockout.
8. Defensive Tackle - If the Cowboys stick to the word of both Ryan and Jason Garrett, who have both reiterated that Jay Ratliff will remain at tackle, then there isn't any real questions here as well. Ratliff has made three straight Pro Bowls, although it was clear he didn't have his best season in 2010 as offenses put more emphasis in blocking Ratliff. As for the backups, Josh Brent could be the answer again. Remember, he had no offseason in 2010 as he joined the team through the supplemental draft. Of course, it's looking like he still won't have much of an offseason again, but if he continues his natural progression, he should add some depth.
7. Cornerback - If Cowboys' fans get their wish, then this position will get the biggest facelift of all. That would hinge on the signing of one Nnamdi Asomugha, widely considered the biggest name in free agency. But if the Cowboys don't land the Raiders' free-agent-to-be, then there's a good chance not much changes here, personnel-wise. Still, the Cowboys do have plenty of uncertainty here. The trio of Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick has to play better. Whether Ryan's new defense will help remains to be seen, but the performance has to improve, whether the Cowboys get outside help or not. Expect a good battle for the fourth spot between Bryan McCann and rookie Josh Thomas. Don't forget that Alan Ball could work his way into the cornerback equation as well.
6. Special Teams - There will be a kicking competition between David Buehler and most likely Kris Brown, who was signed last December. That alone warrants some uncertainty on special teams, not to mention how the rule changes on kickoffs will affect all aspects from the kickoff specialist to the returners. Plus, with Dez Bryant's injury returning a kickoff last year, there will likely be a season-long debate on whether or not he should return any punts or kickoffs. If not, the Cowboys must find some replacements.
5. Wide Receiver - This position could be higher on the list, but that just tells you how much uncertainty surrounds this entire team. Who knows if Roy Williams will be on the roster at all? If he's not, it means the Cowboys have to count on Miles Austin and Dez Bryant to stay healthy, and hope they get some big improvements from guys like Kevin Ogletree, Manny Johnson, Jesse Holley and rookie Dwayne Harris. It's such a key position and it's really not settled. In other years, this could be much higher, but the Cowboys have too many other question marks.
4. Running Back - This is similar to receiver because Marion Barber's status is much like Williams'. Although it seems more likely the Cowboys will part ways with Barber, especially after drafting DeMarco Murray, the real question mark at running back will be the order of production. Since we're guessing here, I think it will start out with Felix Jones, Tashard Choice and Murray based on seniority, but it wouldn't be surprising if Murray becomes the third-down back because of his pass-catching and ability to block. Running back also gets the nod over receiver because there is some question about the fullback spot with the Cowboys taking Sean Choppa in the seventh round to push Chris Gronkowski.
3. Guard - Too many questions here. Will Kyle Kosier be re-signed? Will Leonard Davis get cut? What about rookie David Arkin and his readiness to contribute? And then you've got Montrae Holland, who might finally get the chance to start. The Cowboys have several options here, but it will likely depend on the result of the lockout and if next season is capped. With no salary cap, the Cowboys might part ways with Davis and his contract. But if so, then it would cost the team more to release the veteran guard, who actually played better in the second half of last year when the offense made more of a commitment to the run.
2. Defensive End - There're only five on the roster and three of them could be free agents. Another one played about 20 snaps last year and then there's Igor Olshansky who didn't really make a noticeable contribution in 2010, despite starting all season. The Cowboys must decide who to keep between Marcus Spears, Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher. If Hatcher and Bowen remain restricted free agents, then they will likely stay in the fold. It will be interesting to see what Spears' value will be on the open mark. Let's not forget he has said he wouldn't mind staying here for a lesser price, but that was last year. Sean Lissemore will likely factor in the mix at some point.
1. Safety - Yeah, you know the position. Feels like we've beat this drum to death but it hasn't changed. Any position that has 100 percent of its starters up for grabs is one to worry about. Now, Gerald Sensabaugh could very well return but it won't be cheap. He's probably in the top 5 of free-agent safeties out there and you can bet his agent is aware of that. Even if he returns, the Cowboys will have to either sign another free agent, with names such as Michael Huff, Abram Elam and possibly Eric Weddle among the candidates, or there are some in-house choices that will likely end up as backups, including Alan Ball, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Barry Church and Danny McCray.
So there you have it. Some of these positions could go either way. The tricky one is cornerback because it could end up getting changed rather boldly if Asomugha is signed.
But it's always a dead time around here. It just usually doesn't have so much uncertainty along with it.
