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Updated: March 22, 2011, 12:43 PM
Roster Rundown
Gurode Least Of Worries On O-Line
Josh Ellis
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Gurode earned his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl trip in 2010.
(Editor's Note: Throughout the offseason, DallasCowboys.com staff writers will take a closer look at the roster, analyzing each player's impact last season and how he fits into the team's 2011 plans. Today's featured player is center Andre Gurode.)
Name: Andre Gurode
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 6-4/318
Experience: Nine seasons
College: Colorado
Key stat: On an offensive line that has prided itself on continuity over the last half decade, Gurode has been the real anchor. Injuries have plagued Kyle Kosier and Marc Colombo at different times and Doug Free became a full-time starter, but Gurode has been holding down his job for the last five years, only missing two games at the end of 2007.
Contract Status: Signed through 2012.
2010 Impact: While the entire offensive line seemed to lack the same punch in the running game, Gurode usually seemed to have his man accounted for, and his pass blocking was as good as ever. He allowed only 1.5 sacks to match his best since 2005, when he became a Pro Bowler for the first time. He was also flagged for only four penalties on the year, and seemed to be well past the days of wayward shotgun snaps that plagued him a couple of years back. Three different quarterbacks took snaps from under center, but there was no noticeable difficulty in the exchange with any of them.
Where He Fits: At 32, Gurode is just reaching the age of physical decline, as some of his fellow offensive linemen encountered in 2010, so he'll need to rely on his technique more than ever. He'll remain a starter for the Cowboys through the end of his contract barring a dramatic dip in performance in the coming season, though the Cowboys could choose to move him to guard if they fall in love with a particular center prospect early in the draft. As the Cowboys' longest-tenured player heading into his 10th year with the club, veteran savvy continues to grow as an asset for him.
Writers' Analysis:
Josh Ellis: This is a good player the Cowboys don't have to worry about, and they're in an excellent position with his contract relative to his age. Generally you want to let players go before they're too old to get it done anymore, and with two years left on Gurode's contract, that would seem time for the Cowboys to let him move on as he'll be 34 when it expires. His play seems to fluctuate based on how the rest of the line is performing around him, though that's probably to be expected for a center. But even when things are going poorly up front, you never see any defensive lineman abusing him. He's easily the least of the Cowboys' worries on the offensive line.
Rob Phillips: The line struggled in the first half of the season and got better in the final eight games under Garrett. So did Gurode, and that - as well as his reputation as a top center - helped him get back to the Pro Bowl. Generally he has done a good job of directing things up front, and he seems even better when left guard Kyle Kosier is healthy. Shotgun snaps have been an adventure at times, but there were fewer high ones in 2010. I've heard speculation about moving Gurode back to guard to replace either Kosier (free agent) or Leonard Davis, but I'd keep him right where he is. His career didn't take off until he moved back to center in 2005.
Roster Rundown
Gurode Least Of Worries On O-Line
Josh Ellis
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Gurode earned his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl trip in 2010.
(Editor's Note: Throughout the offseason, DallasCowboys.com staff writers will take a closer look at the roster, analyzing each player's impact last season and how he fits into the team's 2011 plans. Today's featured player is center Andre Gurode.)
Name: Andre Gurode
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 6-4/318
Experience: Nine seasons
College: Colorado
Key stat: On an offensive line that has prided itself on continuity over the last half decade, Gurode has been the real anchor. Injuries have plagued Kyle Kosier and Marc Colombo at different times and Doug Free became a full-time starter, but Gurode has been holding down his job for the last five years, only missing two games at the end of 2007.
Contract Status: Signed through 2012.
2010 Impact: While the entire offensive line seemed to lack the same punch in the running game, Gurode usually seemed to have his man accounted for, and his pass blocking was as good as ever. He allowed only 1.5 sacks to match his best since 2005, when he became a Pro Bowler for the first time. He was also flagged for only four penalties on the year, and seemed to be well past the days of wayward shotgun snaps that plagued him a couple of years back. Three different quarterbacks took snaps from under center, but there was no noticeable difficulty in the exchange with any of them.
Where He Fits: At 32, Gurode is just reaching the age of physical decline, as some of his fellow offensive linemen encountered in 2010, so he'll need to rely on his technique more than ever. He'll remain a starter for the Cowboys through the end of his contract barring a dramatic dip in performance in the coming season, though the Cowboys could choose to move him to guard if they fall in love with a particular center prospect early in the draft. As the Cowboys' longest-tenured player heading into his 10th year with the club, veteran savvy continues to grow as an asset for him.
Writers' Analysis:
Josh Ellis: This is a good player the Cowboys don't have to worry about, and they're in an excellent position with his contract relative to his age. Generally you want to let players go before they're too old to get it done anymore, and with two years left on Gurode's contract, that would seem time for the Cowboys to let him move on as he'll be 34 when it expires. His play seems to fluctuate based on how the rest of the line is performing around him, though that's probably to be expected for a center. But even when things are going poorly up front, you never see any defensive lineman abusing him. He's easily the least of the Cowboys' worries on the offensive line.
Rob Phillips: The line struggled in the first half of the season and got better in the final eight games under Garrett. So did Gurode, and that - as well as his reputation as a top center - helped him get back to the Pro Bowl. Generally he has done a good job of directing things up front, and he seems even better when left guard Kyle Kosier is healthy. Shotgun snaps have been an adventure at times, but there were fewer high ones in 2010. I've heard speculation about moving Gurode back to guard to replace either Kosier (free agent) or Leonard Davis, but I'd keep him right where he is. His career didn't take off until he moved back to center in 2005.