Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Associated Press
IRVING, Texas -- As much as Bill Parcells professes to be focused on this season, he's dropped enough hints lately to make it clear he's already started thinking about how he'll improve the Dallas Cowboys this offseason.
And since Parcells is an avid list-maker, breaking down his offseason priorities into must-gets, need-to-gets and want-to-gets, here's a potential rough draft based on his statements from the last two weeks.
^MUST-GETS
-- Defensive playmakers, preferably more than one.
You were expecting something about a quarterback, weren't you? Sorry, that comes much lower.
Parcells points out that mediocre QBs (like Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson) won recent Super Bowls. Teams with mediocre defenses haven't.
"We've got a lot of work to do on defense. Matter of fact, I think we need more things on defense than we do on offense," Parcells said. "We need more dynamic, opportunistic, aggressive, catalytic kind of players. Every good defense in the league has some."
Dropping from first to 21st in yards allowed is only part of the problem. He's bothered more by Dallas' inability to generate turnovers.
The solution starts with pairing Pro Bowl tackle La'Roi Glover and end Greg Ellis with better players. Marcellus Wiley was a bust, as were the gaggle of tackles Parcells counted on.
"I think you need some kind of defensive pressure player," Parcells said. "It would be nice to have two so they can't pay attention to one all the time."
Hurrying quarterbacks also would help the secondary. So would the addition of another safety and a right cornerback. Plug those holes and odds are Roy Williams and Terence Newman can become the difference-makers the Cowboys expected when making them top-10 picks.
-- Upgrading the offensive line.
Though the unit has been decent this season, Parcells said Monday, "There are other things we need to add. When the season's over, I'll be trying to do that."
The right side needs the most work, with guard Andre Gurode and a recent smorgasbord of tackles playing themselves out of the lineup. The left side will be interesting, too, with guard Larry Allen not getting any younger and tackle Flozell Adams regressing after making the Pro Bowl last season.
Something else to watch: Second-round pick Jacob Rogers can't crack the field at right tackle, but Parcells said he could handle left tackle. Asked whether that will affect his plans for '05, Parcells said: "It definitely could."
"That is some of the things that I am thinking about that I guess wouldn't be obvious," he said.
^NEED-TO-GETS
-- TE Dan Campbell and WR Terry Glenn returning from season-ending foot injuries.
That's right, still not a quarterback. But we're getting close because of how important those two are to the offense.
Glenn is the deep threat who stretches defenses. Campbell is the sixth lineman; his blocking helps the running game and his presence makes Jason Witten more effective.
As often as Parcells has bemoaned their absence, it's clear the trickle-down effect of replacing both has been among the reasons he's stuck with 41-year-old Vinny Testaverde instead of newcomers Drew Henson and Tony Romo.
"If we start one of these young guys next year, it's going to be an absolute that we have to have the right combination of characters around them," Parcells said. "Right now, with everybody healthy, we've got a good start on that."
-- A QB game plan.
Taking care of the previous three to-do items will take money and-or draft picks. Don't expect more to be spent here.
And if those three things get done, the 2005 starter would be set up at least as good as Quincy Carter was in leading Dallas into the playoffs at 10-6 last year.
So expect Testaverde to start the opener and save your venom over replacing him until August. Whether Henson or Romo eventually replaces him will depend on where they spend their offseason (Valley Ranch or NFL Europe) and how well they do there.
"There's a very good chance one of those two could be the quarterback in 2005," Parcells said.
^WANT-TO-GETS
-- More running backs.
Parcells wants his RB corps to resemble a baseball bullpen, with everyone having a role.
Julius Jones is set as the featured back. Now Parcells wants a nimble guy with good hands for third downs and a bruiser to help wear out defenses.
"I don't think there's any question we're going to have to get another runner at some point," Parcells said. "You'd like to have a combination of a little bit bigger one. But if I had to pick one, I'd pick an elusive back."
-- Bigger linebackers.
Starters Dexter Coakley (5-foot-10), Dat Nguyen (5-11) and Al Singleton (6-2) have combined for just one sack, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
Size doesn't necessarily lead to more big plays, but to Parcells it certainly helps. This one is more of a hunch, based mostly on how often he says things like, "We have to be able to create more things on defense, many more than we've created."
^BOTTOM LINE
The Parcells Lovers of 2003 have turned into Parcells Bashers in '04. Someone with his track record doesn't lose his touch that quickly.
Besides, he's set up to succeed.
He's got this blueprint to help get him started, plus two first-round picks and plenty of salary-cap room. Dallas remains a dream destination for free agents and playing for Parcells is a lure, too.
Parcells, however, frets about whether the right players will be available. For instance, Philadelphia was lucky that Terrell Owens was on the market when it went looking for a game-breaking receiver.
Still, Parcells believes he has a decent core. He knows it's up to him to make it better.
"I think there is a chance that it can be rectified pretty quickly," Parcells said last week. "Will it? I don't know. Can it? Yes."
