Hill: Gurode not guaranteed starting job at Center. Costa in the mix

[Midswat]

Five-time Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode returned to practice last week after missing the first three weeks of training camp rehabbing from off-season knee surgery.

Gurode, however, has not completely been given his old job back.

According to coach Jason Garrett, backup Phil Costa is competing with Gurode for the starting job at center. They have both split time with the first-team offense since Gurode's return.

Garrett said Costa was impressive with the starters during Gurode's absence and remains in the mix.

"We like him a lot," Garrett said Costa. "He's done a very good job, a very good job for us since he's been here. He made a very strong impression on us right at the outset last year as a free agent. We call him a little bit of a bulldog. He'll fight every down from the snap to the whistle and sometimes afterward. When you have guys on your football team like that, that's a real good thing. He's developed in the offseason. He came back in great shape. He's really had a good start to training camp. We want to create competitive situations throughout our football team. It's really why we don't talk about starters. It's more about working with the ones, and he's worked with the ones just like Andre has worked with the ones. I think it was benefical for Costa to get some work when Andre was out early on in camp, because that established him a little bit more and he was getting rep after rep after rep, and if you approach it like he does, you're going to get better. We've been pleased with his progress. We like to have him in the mix certainly."

Costa is in his second year after signing with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2010.

Gurode is a former second-round pick of the Cowboys in 2002. He has twice been named All-Pro, and he was No. 57 in the NFL Network's list of top 100 players in the NFL in 2011.

-- Clarence E. Hill Jr.

 

[dbair1967]

Garrett be the man

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

He promised competition, and so far he has been true to his word.

 

[Cr122]

This is what I like about Jason Garrett. Open competition, there's only so many positions that are a given.

We already know what they are. I'm all for an offensive line of Free, Nagy, Costa, Kosier, Smith.

And if Arkin continues to progress he'll take over for Kosier next year.

 

[cmd34]

This is what I like about Jason Garrett. Open competition, there's only so many positions that are a given.

We already know what they are. I'm all for an offensive line of Free, Nagy, Costa, Kosier, Smith.

And if Arkin continues to progress he'll take over for Kosier next year.

Any team with a big NT or 2 good DT's (in a 4-3) are going to go off on us. We are going to get Romo killed.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Any team with a big NT or 2 good DT's (in a 4-3) are going to go off on us. We are going to get Romo killed.

We did so well with the combined weight of Gurode and Davis...

A quick DT can destroy just as easily as a huge one. It's all about technique and movement, but if you have none, then you are worthless if you are just a huge blob out there.

 

[dbair1967]

Any team with a big NT or 2 good DT's (in a 4-3) are going to go off on us. We are going to get Romo killed.

I'll bet we dont.

 

[cmd34]

I'll bet we dont.

I swear we as Cowboy fans fall in love with every player that wears the Star. Nagy wasn't even a starter on his college team his Senior year. Yes, he eventually started because of injuries, but again he wasn't 1 of the 5 best O linemen at the beginning of the season. He was a 7th round pick THIS year.

Phil Costa was a short-armed, undrafted free agent just a year ago. He has shown some toughness but I still don't get all the love.

I'm not saying they will never develop into solid NFL players. I just don't see how a team who claims to have championship aspirations, can start a 2nd year undrafted player and a rookie 7th round pick. Not to mention a talented as hell but only 20-year old right tackle.

This line is going to struggle and Jerry's refusal to address needs is the reason. If we're rebuilding then fine, but we are wasting the prime years of guys like Romo, Witten, and Ware.

Go out and get a real left guard. Protect Romo. Break in Nagy, Arkin, and Costa over some time.

For those of you who will say Jerry and the coaches know better than any of us, just remember they are the exact same people who thought Cory Proctor was good enough too.

 

[Cythim]

I swear we as Cowboy fans fall in love with every player that wears the Star. Nagy wasn't even a starter on his college team his Senior year. Yes, he eventually started because of injuries, but again he wasn't 1 of the 5 best O linemen at the beginning of the season. He was a 7th round pick THIS year.

Phil Costa was a short-armed, undrafted free agent just a year ago. He has shown some toughness but I still don't get all the love.

I'm not saying they will never develop into solid NFL players. I just don't see how a team who claims to have championship aspirations, can start a 2nd year undrafted player and a rookie 7th round pick. Not to mention a talented as hell but only 20-year old right tackle.

This line is going to struggle and Jerry's refusal to address needs is the reason. If we're rebuilding then fine, but we are wasting the prime years of guys like Romo, Witten, and Ware.

Go out and get a real left guard. Protect Romo. Break in Nagy, Arkin, and Costa over some time.

For those of you who will say Jerry and the coaches know better than any of us, just remember they are the exact same people who thought Cory Proctor was good enough too.

I'm with you on this. Costa and Nagy are hard workers but they have a very low ceiling and will eventually become what Colombo was for us.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

I swear we as Cowboy fans fall in love with every player that wears the Star. Nagy wasn't even a starter on his college team his Senior year. Yes, he eventually started because of injuries, but again he wasn't 1 of the 5 best O linemen at the beginning of the season. He was a 7th round pick THIS year.

Phil Costa was a short-armed, undrafted free agent just a year ago. He has shown some toughness but I still don't get all the love.

I'm not saying they will never develop into solid NFL players. I just don't see how a team who claims to have championship aspirations, can start a 2nd year undrafted player and a rookie 7th round pick. Not to mention a talented as hell but only 20-year old right tackle.

This line is going to struggle and Jerry's refusal to address needs is the reason. If we're rebuilding then fine, but we are wasting the prime years of guys like Romo, Witten, and Ware.

Go out and get a real left guard. Protect Romo. Break in Nagy, Arkin, and Costa over some time.

For those of you who will say Jerry and the coaches know better than any of us, just remember they are the exact same people who thought Cory Proctor was good enough too.

I don't have a problem with Nagy starting at LG. If he's earned it, then he should start. Simple as that. But I'm with you on Costa. I like Costa's scrapiness, but that will only get you so far. How much of his scrapiness is due to him being a UFDA and thus a longshot and the turk potentially hanging over his head? His scrapiness is allowing him to maybe overachieve, and causing people on this baord to get drunk off the Kool-Aid. I'd definitely would rather go with Free, Nagy, Gurode, Kosier, and Smith, than what a certain person has proposed. And with that, we can still be competitive. The alternative would be starting Holland, and no thank you.

You say that Jerrty should go and get a vet for LG. Well, by them not doing so, is proof positive that Jerry isn't running the show but rather Garrett. Because knowing Jerry, he would have went out and got a vet guard. As for the coaches knowing more, UI don't think that was Garrett's call on Proctor.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

I'm with you on this. Costa and Nagy are hard workers but they have a very low ceiling and will eventually become what Colombo was for us.

. Before that, they were jus JAGs, according to you. I guess that's progress.

 

[dbair1967]

I'm with you on this. Costa and Nagy are hard workers but they have a very low ceiling and will eventually become what Colombo was for us.

Injury prone?

Because the injuries are what ruined Colombo, he wasnt a mediocre talent or mediocre player. When he was healthy, he was pretty good. If guys like Nagy and Costa becomes solid starters like Colombo, thats great. Thats not a liability as you are saying.

 

[dbair1967]

I swear we as Cowboy fans fall in love with every player that wears the Star. Nagy wasn't even a starter on his college team his Senior year. Yes, he eventually started because of injuries, but again he wasn't 1 of the 5 best O linemen at the beginning of the season. He was a 7th round pick THIS year.

First off, I dont fall in love with every player who wears the Star. And you and some other guys seemed dialed in on where a player was picked or how they got here as a baramoter on whether the guy can play and how soon. There are tons of examples of players coming in as late round picks, who end up starting very early in their career. Particular at OL. It isnt unprecedented. In regards to Nagy, he lost his starting job because of a major injury and once he was healthy, really wasnt given much of a chance to get it back because of a rumored disagreement with the HC. He wasnt benched because he wasnt any good.

Phil Costa was a short-armed, undrafted free agent just a year ago. He has shown some toughness but I still don't get all the love.

Not sure people love him, but he plays good when he is in there. Seems to have very good technique and plays with good leverage.

I'm not saying they will never develop into solid NFL players. I just don't see how a team who claims to have championship aspirations, can start a 2nd year undrafted player and a rookie 7th round pick. Not to mention a talented as hell but only 20-year old right tackle.

I'm just happy we have a coach who says the best guys will play. But pretty sure we arnt starting Costa, Nagy and Smith all at the same time this yr, unless some others get hurt.

This line is going to struggle and Jerry's refusal to address needs is the reason. If we're rebuilding then fine, but we are wasting the prime years of guys like Romo, Witten, and Ware.

So in your opinion, because the team didnt go out and spend alot of dough to sign one veteran OL to start at G, they didnt address the need? We drafted 3 guys, and it appears we hit the jackpot with the guy we drafted in the first, and may have gotten really lucky with the other two. Davis and Colombo were major liabilities, both are gone. Thats an improvement.

Go out and get a real left guard. Protect Romo. Break in Nagy, Arkin, and Costa over some time.

LG isnt critical to the teams OL success or failure. And Holland is still on the team, its possible he starts for awhile this yr.

For those of you who will say Jerry and the coaches know better than any of us, just remember they are the exact same people who thought Cory Proctor was good enough too.

I dont recall anyone thinking Cory Proctor was an answer as a legit starter.

And I dont know that Jerry knows much of anything about who should play, why or why not. But I do believe in the HC. He seems to have a plan and I'm pretty pumped about it.

 

[Cythim]

Injury prone?

Because the injuries are what ruined Colombo, he wasnt a mediocre talent or mediocre player. When he was healthy, he was pretty good. If guys like Nagy and Costa becomes solid starters like Colombo, thats great. Thats not a liability as you are saying.

Colombo was borderline starter quality and didn't always play up to the standard. We should've had him on the bench while Flo's replacement was groomed at the RT spot but Jerry was in win now mode and went with average instead of what was best for the future. Nagy and Costa should be nothing more than stop-gaps until we can get better players in to replace them. Colombo was here for four years? Nagy and Costa will be lucky to start that long.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Your post is so full of wrong cmd that I don't know where to begin. We just drafted 3 players for the line.

Do you see me pining for Josh Thomas? Shaun Chapas?? No. I see a little something in Nagy, Tyron, Arkin, Dwayne Harris. Why? Because they are showing a lot in such a short time.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Dbair. The OG positiob is extremely important for giving Romo a clean pocket to step into his throws.

 

[dbair1967]

Dbair. The OG positiob is extremely important for giving Romo a clean pocket to step into his throws.

Kosier is pretty good and doesnt require help on most plays. Even if we do go young at either C or LG (and C looks like a longshot now with Costa out) you can help that guy.

Its a concern, but I dont see it as a reason to hit the panic button. I'm still not convinced we wont be adding a veteran OL before week one anyway.

 

[cmd34]

Your post is so full of wrong cmd that I don't know where to begin. We just drafted 3 players for the line.

Do you see me pining for Josh Thomas? Shaun Chapas?? No. I see a little something in Nagy, Tyron, Arkin, Dwayne Harris. Why? Because they are showing a lot in such a short time.

So having concerns about starting 3 unproven, young O linemen from Day One is wrong? I understand we just drafted 3 players but was the strategy in the 7th round to find immediate starters? Come on now.

We knew about drafting and probably starting 20-year old Tyron Smith. I just dont undertsand why we wouldn't get an experienced replacement for Davis so we minimize the inexperience of Romo's protectors. I wouldn't even be mad had we brought in a veteran (liek Brian Waters, bringing back Bigg cheaper) and then Nagy beat them out. I can live with that but we are just handing one of these young players the job. Holland was a decent back-up but depending on him to be in shape and be your starter is just not a good plan.

I would think Garrett would say positive things about his most of his young players who are working hard in camp. That's the kind of a guy he is. At the same time, I think if the GM asked Garrett would you like an experienced guard to improve your line right now, he would be all for it.

 

[cmd34]

and dbair if I have to tell you this one more time, I am going to have you legally declared mentally challenged...

Wanting to sign a veteran free agent is not the same as "throwing a bunch of money" at someone. That is always your argument when I'm disappointed we didn't address a need. If we can sign guys like Elam and Coleman to reasonable contracts why can't we sign a veteran guard to a reasonable deal?

Sometimes I think you would defend Jerry Jones even if he went out and shot orphans and puppies. Ummm, those puppies and orphans were a burden on society so Jerry's actually a hero.

I give Jerry credit the few times he has deserved it. Can you ever be critical of the craptastic job he has done as GM?

 

[dbair1967]

and dbair if I have to tell you this one more time, I am going to have you legally declared mentally challenged...

Wanting to sign a veteran free agent is not the same as "throwing a bunch of money" at someone. That is always your argument when I'm disappointed we didn't address a need. If we can sign guys like Elam and Coleman to reasonable contracts why can't we sign a veteran guard to a reasonable deal?

Sometimes I think you would defend Jerry Jones even if he went out and shot orphans and puppies. Ummm, those puppies and orphans were a burden on society so Jerry's actually a hero.

I give Jerry credit the few times he has deserved it. Can you ever be critical of the craptastic job he has done as GM?

Has the season started yet? Is signing someone else out of the question today?

I think we know why they didnt sign anyone. They 1) Hadnt decided they were going to cut Davis until right after the lockout ended and 2) They knew they had Holland and felt he could hold down 1 G position until one of the young guys was ready. Then there's Gurode, who I'm sure they'd contemplated playing G if Costa could play C fulltime.

And we've been through the Jerry shit for years, and you just dont listen. I dont defend everything he does and there probably isnt anyone who was more critical of him for what happened between 1994-2001 than I was. I'm also really disappointed in how the 2009 draft turned out. But at some point players have to play and coaches have to coach. There's plenty of examples of both those sides coming up lame for the last 15 years or so. And neither has anything to do with the owner or the GM. If coaches fail to run quality practices, install quality game plans, make poor (or no) adjustments during games or seasons and players dont show up on a week to week, or sometimes just quarter to quarter basis you are going to lose.