Williamson gave the Cowboys a B-plus in the ESPN Insider piece. A sample of his analysis:
The Cowboys' cornerbacks look to be incredibly improved with the addition of Brandon Carr in free agency followed by an aggressive draft day trade up to secure Morris Claiborne, a potential shutdown corner, at No. 6. Teaming those two with Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick should allow Rob Ryan to finally trust his cover men, resulting in much more aggressive defensive play calling from a pressure and blitz standpoint. There is a chance Jenkins will be traded before the season, but the Cowboys still could use a lot of nickel personnel (even on early downs) considering the wealth they now have at corner.
Staying on the defensive side of the ball, Dallas also looks stacked at inside linebacker. Sean Lee is already a great player, and Bruce Carter, a great talent, could be due for a breakout season. Plus, the Cowboys signed Lee's college teammate Dan Connor as insurance. Connor is a very solid two-down player who excels versus the run.
The Cowboys' defense clearly has improved, and the offense remains explosive and has plenty of high-end talent. Don't overlook the addition of Kyle Orton as Tony Romo's backup, giving the Cowboys one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league. But there are two considerable holes on this side of the ball. With Laurent Robinson leaving for Jacksonville and Coale's injury in minicamp, Dallas has very little at wide receiver behind Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. That limits the personnel packages the Cowboys can feature. Also, although the Cowboys brought in interior offensive linemen in free agency, I don't think any of those guys is an upgrade or the answer -- and Mackenzy Bernadeau recently had hip surgery. However, new offensive coordinator Bill Callahan is one of the top offensive line minds in the NFL.
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Play Podcast Todd Archer joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss the latest Tony Romo news and what he will be watching for in OTAs.
Play Podcast Nate Newton joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss his comments on how Jason Garrett should handle being on the hot seat and not let Jerry Jones get in the way.
Play Podcast Cowboys safety Barry Church joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss the new defensive scheme and the impact it will have on him, how much more intense he expects practice to be with Monte Kiffin and his expectations.
Play Podcast ESPN Insider Ed Werder joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss the latest Cowboys news, including Jason Garrett downplaying Tony Romo's involvement in offensive planning and play calling.
Play Podcast John Lynch joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss playing for Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli, why Cowboys fans should be excited about the new defensive staff, why Valley Ranch will no longer resemble a country club and his thoughts on the Cowboys' roster.
Play Podcast Herm Edwards joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss the latest Cowboys news and give his take on what new face will make the biggest impact for Dallas.
Play Podcast Nate Newton joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss what he saw at the Cowboys' rookie minicamp and how he helped Rod Marinelli on the defensive side of the ball.
Play Podcast Todd Archer joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss what he took away from the Dallas Cowboys' rookie minicamp.







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