Cowboy question

[4bubba]

There was very little notice or explanation of why the Cowboys let go of there unrestricted free agent OL Soloman Page.

He started at both the OT and OG position for 51 of his first 59 games as a Cowboy. As a fifth year starter, he should be in his prime.

At 6-5 / 330 he sounds like a load.

Why was he not resigned by the Cowboys?

From articles I read, he was expected to move on as soon as the season ended.

 

[4bubba]

Trying to answer my own question by reading past Cowboy's articles:

Dec 29

Offensive line: The injury-ravaged group struggled most of the season with either its pass protection or its adaptation to offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet's zone-blocking scheme in the running game. Flozell Adams was the only player to start all 16 games. Grade: F

******In the 3 years prior to this, the Cowboys had an excellent offensive line coach, Hudson Haulk. He was known to develope the Oline masterfully. He went to San Diego last year (2002). If anyone remembers, Coslet (of Bengals disasters) ruins any team he is associated with. No wonder the line got progressively worse. It was not just injuries, it was the line theory.

 

[4bubba]

Continuing

By Jean-Jacques Taylor/Dallas Morning News


Cowboys' regular-season wrapup
Dec. 31, 2002 Print it



AREA TO IMPROVE

The team must fix the offensive line.

Left tackle Flozell Adams and right tackle Solomon Page will be unrestricted free agents, and left guard Larry Allen will have offseason ankle surgery.

Page is not expected back, and the team will look for a guard because Allen can slide over to tackle. The biggest decision is whether to sign Adams to a lucrative long-term deal, designate him as the franchise player for the second consecutive year or allow him to walk away without any compensation.

Until the Cowboys fix their offensive line, they're not going to get a legitimate read on whether Chad Hutchinson is the quarterback of the future.

*******Amazing. The Cowboys are opposite.
Most teams fire coaches when things dont go right. The Boys got rid of the players. And these players a year before were considered good. In the course of only one year, good players were considered expendible. A new coaching staff was not blamed.

 

[IE]

Not positive on this but I think it was a matter of a discipline problem at the end of season and the costs structure of bringing a character-problem(??) back...

"Desire of Soloman Page who did not care if he sat on the bench at the last Redskins game"...

Parcell opted for Young....

"The re-signing of Flozell Adams and the free-agent addition of Ryan Young answered the team's questions at offensive tackle. Adams was crucial because if he hadn't returned, Parcells said the Cowboys would have been forced to take a tackle in the draft (probably Jordan Gross) and pass on cornerback Terence Newman. That move would have left the team with a hole in the secondary."



If i find something else will post 4Bubba...

 

[4bubba]

continuing

Porous line won't be protected in offseason
Dec. 10, 2002 Print it



The offensive line played well in the final two games in November, but the coaching staff wasn't sure what it meant because the opponents -- Jacksonville and Washington -- were flawed.

The staff viewed San Francisco as a litmus test because it has a young, fast, athletic defensive line. Unfortunately for the team, the offensive line flunked. It simply has too many backup players in key roles.

This unit must be upgraded in the offseason for the Cowboys to have any chance of succeeding and protecting QB Chad Hutchinson. ...

Hutchinson already has triggered a playing time-based incentive clause that will reduce his contract from seven to three years. And if he passes for 524 yards in the final three games, Hutchinson will earn a sizable bonus.

If he continues to improve, he probably will be in line for a lucrative long-term contract at the end of 2003. ...

Guard Larry Allen needs to get serious about rehab after undergoing ankle surgery. Allen, no longer widely considered the best guard in the NFL, probably will play tackle next year.

The team needs him at his quick and athletic best, so he needs to lose about 20 pounds.

******Even tho the coaching staff put in a totally new system for the offensive line, everyone gave up on the players with a third of the season to go. There was talk of letting Page walk as an unrestricted free agent as early as mid November. He had a coach he didnt get along with in a system the Oline couldnt do good in. No wonder everything fell apart.

 

[4bubba]

For Cowboy fans and bettors:

Keep an eye on who the Oline coach is and if Coslet is still there.

I cant imagine the Clown Coslet working for Parcell's

 

[4bubba]

The end of last season, the Cowboys had 2nd round draft pick Andre Gurode playing next to Page.
Gurode played center most of the time in college.

This year the only Oline player the Cowboys picked before the 7th round, was another center in the 2nd round.

 

[4bubba]

As far as I can tell, the Cowboys have only signed OT Ryan Young as a free agent.

And we all know that Htn QB Carr was sacked an all-time NFL record of times last year.

 

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Bubba:

Reading through this stuff, a few things stick out to me:

1) Parcells has some familiarity w/ Ryan Young back from the end of his Jets' run. The signing tells me the Big Tuna likes Young. In his previous jobs, Parcells was famous for bringing in veterans that he knew he could count on.

2) Parcells DOES put a priority on establishing a solid offensive line that is going to keep his QB healthy. One of his first signings in New York was C Kevin Mawae. Turned out to be a great move.

3) Parcells doesn't stand for status quo. If name players were not getting the job done, and in particular doing it w/ poor attitudes, hit the road. Big Tuna will find some guys w/ desire.

4) I wouldn't put much of that Carr sack stat on Young. The Texans had some offensive line injuries (notably Boselli) and never fielded a unit close to what they envisioned.

No question in my mind that the Cowboys will field an improved Off Line this year. Keep an eye on 2nd round draft choice Al Johnson. He's 24 years old and a fairly polished technician. He played some guard and center at Wisconsin, and the Badgers have produced a fair # of servicable NFL offensive linemen.

 

[freelancc]

The Parcells factor will be interesting to watch this year. I am curious how the Offense will be affected. Dallas' Offense was offensive last year...

and i am puzzled why the Atlanta Falcons point spread for Game 1 has fallen from -3 1/2 to - 2 1/2:shrug:

curious what you guys think?

 

[4bubba]

Its tough to win on the road. Parsell's has done great things. But he is realistic.
From an interview lately:

By Gil Brandt
Special to NFL.com


IRVING, Texas (June 6, 2003) -- The Cowboys ended their final minicamp this year at 11 a.m. Friday at their Valley Ranch training facility.

What kind of record do you expect your team to have in 2003 after having three 5-11 seasons in a row?

"I don't go by won and lost. I go by how our team performed. Did they or did they not perform up to their capabilities?"

He mentioned his 1993 New England Patriots, who ended up 5-11, and said he was very pleased with that because he didn't think they had the capabilities to be 5-11. (They were 1-11 but won the last four games of the season.) Conversely, he mentioned he was not all that pleased with his 1985 Giants, who went 10-6 and reached the playoffs. They made some changes with basically the same team and won 14 games and the Super Bowl the following season.

******This shows he is a realist. He wants to get the most out of his players, but knows limitations.

I expect him to substitute many players to find a core he can win with. This process will take the whole season and more. He has been around a long time, and although he wants to win, he wont change his theory and style because of media pressure. I expect there will be hard times for the Cowboys this year.

 

[bjfinste]

The Cowboys want to use Gourde at guard rather than center, and they felt Johnson was the best center in the draft so it fit perfect to take him in the early second. I grew up hating the Cowboys but have been following them very closely this offseason, and I think they will be much improved on the O-line this year, and the foundation is laid for a solid future there.

 

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Right on, bjfin. I have no rooting interest in the Cowboys, but I think Parcells is making the same kind of moves that he's made elsewhere. He knows that the offensive line is the core of the offense. The QB's name doesn't matter if he's flattened.

Al Johnson can play right away imho. If they avoid major injury to their top 6 or 7 linemen, I think it will be a better than average unit.

 

[4bubba]

Good ideas guys. Thats what this is supposed to be.

So two questions left. Do you guys feel:

A) Dal +2

B) Atl -2

C) Pass

For the first week of the season/

And second question:

How much emphasis will Parsell's put on winning during the preseason?

 

[ChuckyTheGoat]

The Atl/Dal line looks sharp to me. No play for me personally.

I don't follow preseason that closely, but I seem to recall Parcells being one of the coaches that takes a BUSINESS approach in preseason. Interesting, b/c the Cowboys are notorious for laying down in the preseason and resting starters, going back to the Landry days. My guess is that Parcells will take a business approach for most of the preseason. Lots of jobs up for grabs, I would think. Heck, even veterans get no free pass w/ the Big Tuna running the ship.

 

[4bubba]

With this schedule, I feel it is probable the Cowboys could go
3-13 this year.

ARI, @DET, and CAR are the best possibilities.

Dallas Cowboys
2003 Schedule
Date Opponent /Time

Sep 7 Atlanta /4:15pm
Sep 15 @N.Y. Giants /9:00pm
Week 3 BYE
Sep 28 @N.Y. Jets /4:15pm
Oct 5 Arizona /1:00pm
Oct 12 Philadelphia /1:00pm
Oct 19 @Detroit /1:00pm
Oct 26 @Tampa Bay /1:00pm
Nov 2 Washington /1:00pm
Nov 9 Buffalo /4:15pm
Nov 16 @New England /8:30pm
Nov 23 Carolina /1:00pm
Nov 27 Miami /4:05pm
Dec 7 @Philadelphia /1:00pm
Dec 14 @Washington /1:00pm
Dec 21 N.Y. Giants /1:00pm
Dec 28 @New Orleans /1:00pm

 

[bjfinste]

If I had to play the Dallas/Atlanta game, I'd take the Falcons, but it'll be a no play for me. You never know what to expect in the season opener when a team has a new coach.

From what I've heard, the players have really bought into Parcells and his ideas and a lot of guys are pretty motivated going through summer workouts. I think you have to pass on this game, at least for now.

 

[freelancc]

personally i think the line reflects a healthy respect for Parcells more than the actual teams and players on the field. Atlanta is an up and coming perennial play off team and Vick alone is worth 10 points.

It will take Dallas several weeks to be cohesive. Atlanta is solid and ready to pick up where they left off last year in the playoffs.

 

[4bubba]

Exactly,

This game is the worst one for Parsell's. He has a team that he wants to build defensively the way he wants to play. He will work on it all preseason. A solid defense. New system, new coaches.

Now comes week 1 and teams know you have to change your defense for QB Vick. The Dallas defense will not be thinking their assignments, but where is Vick.

Dont forget, these D players are trying to be comfortable that their team-mate next to them knows were to go and will be there.

Note:
(as in the other thread)
The sportswriters are also afraid of Parsell's. They will be reporting all rosy things and little, if any, negative things. You will only be getting one side of the story.

 

[Vegas Dave]

Is the line Dallas -2? or Atl -2?