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IRVING, Texas – For most of his career as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback, Tony Romo knew he would see Flozell Adams, Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis and Marc Colombo in front of him on the offensive line.

Over the last three seasons, all of them have departed.

Adams was the first following the 2009 season. Gurode, Davis and Colombo were gone entering the 2011 season. Kosier was released earlier this offseason.

Romo’s 2011 tackles – Doug Free and Tyron Smith – will switch sides in 2012 and there could be a change at center depending on how the Cowboys work the upcoming draft.

In March, the Cowboys signed guards Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings to free-agent contracts.

“I think the coaching staff likes a couple of these guys,” Romo said. “Some of the guys I was with for a long run we had some great football and played in some great football games together and I’ll always be appreciative of Kyle and all those boys. And it’s kind of slowly the start of a new set of people up front.”

Earlier this offseason, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he made a mistake in changing the guard of the line so quickly and moving to a smaller, inexperienced interior. He felt that played with Romo’s thoughts about pressure up the middle.

“I just think you’re comfortable when you have a nice protected pocket,” Romo said. “At times you have that and you’re just always trying to get it to where that part of it feels good all of the time.”

As for the Free-Smith switch, Romo joked, “As long as people don’t touch you I don’t think it matters at all.”

It had to happen at some point.

Todd Archer reports the Cowboys will release veteran guard Kyle Kosier. He did a fantastic job for the Cowboys in his seven seasons with the team.

Kosier's health and age led to this.

He's 33 but he played the 2011 season with a nagging plantar fasciitis and suffered a torn ligament in his knee in the regular-season finale against the New York Giants. If the Cowboys had beaten the Giants, Kosier would have been unavailable for the postseason.

You had to wonder just how long the Cowboys wanted to stick with Kosier. He missed 13 games in 2008 with a foot injury and three more with a bad knee in 2010. Kosier would have played through all these things if the team doctors had let him.

He was a tough guy.

Kosier was the good soldier for the Cowboys, moving from his customary left guard spot to the right to help rookie right tackle Tyron Smith get used to the NFL game.

Kosier even thought about moving to center if it was necessary, though he never played it.

But the Cowboys want to get younger.

It's OK to have experience, but when you get in your mid-30s and play a demanding position like the offensive line, NFL teams begin to move you out.

Nothing personal, just business.

It was time.

One of the good things about Kosier was his presence in the locker room. Several of the younger linemen relied on him this season for advice about playing the offensive line. He didn't talk with the media much, but his respect in the locker room and in the media was secure.

You sometimes forgot about Kosier when Pro Bowls were being awarded to Leonard Davis, Andre Gurode and Flozell Adams over the years. Kosier was a steady presence who sometimes was overlooked.

Like we said, it's time to move on and if the Cowboys are going to improve as a franchise, aging vets must be sent home.

Four years later, the Cowboys have nothing to show for all the cash they threw around during 2008.

Jerry Jones went on a re-signing spree that offseason, making major commitments to receiver Terrell Owens, running back Marion Barber, left tackle Flozell Adams, safety Ken Hamlin and cornerback Terence Newman. He gave receiver Roy Williams a rich extension after trading for him later that season.

The Cowboys cut ties with the last of those guys Tuesday, releasing Newman in a move that was about as surprising as opponents picking on him while the Cowboys lost four of their last five games.

Half of the Cowboys who cashed huge signing bonus checks from the Cowboys in ’08 weren’t even in the league last season. Barber and Williams were role players for the Bears, and Newman struggled as the Cowboys’ starting left cornerback.

T.O. was the first of the group to go from Valley Ranch. He got the pink slip – er, white tablecloth – after one controversy-packed, chemistry-killing season of his four-year, $34 million extension that included a $12.9 million signing bonus.

The Cowboys cut Adams and Hamlin two seasons into their six-year deals. Adams got $15 million guaranteed on a $43 million contract. Hamlin got a $9 million signing bonus on a $39 million contract. The Cowboys got an oft-penalized tackle and a non-playmaking safety.

Barber and Williams played three nonproductive seasons for the Cowboys after getting their rich contracts. Barber’s seven-year, $45 million deal included $16 million guaranteed. About half of Williams’ six-year, $54 million deal, which he signed before playing a down for the Cowboys, was guaranteed.

Newman played four seasons of his six-year, $50.2 million deal, which included $22.5 million guaranteed. He struggled much of the last two seasons, but Newman was still the best buy of the Cowboys’ ’08 shopping spree.

IRVING, Texas – As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, the Cowboys will be docked $10 million in salary cap space that can be spread out over the next two years for the structures of deals in the 2010 uncapped season.

According to sources in Schefter’s report, “the Cowboys and Redskins took immediate cap hits during the 2010 season that normally would have been spread out over the length of the contracts, giving them an advantage that other NFL owners found unfair.”

The Cowboys signed wide receiver Miles Austin to a six-year extension worth $54 million and paid him a $17 million base salary, which worked within the rules of an uncapped season. In a capped season, players are normally given large signing bonuses that are prorated over the course of the contract to come up with a salary-cap charge.

As part of the original deal, Austin was to receive a 2011 base salary of $8.5 million. The Cowboys created salary-cap room prior to last season by lowering Austin’s base to $685,000 and turning $7.855 million into signing bonus, which is a common practice by teams across the league.

The Cowboys did not sign a high-priced free agent of note in 2010 and the only veterans that were released prior to that season were left tackle Flozell Adams and safety Ken Hamlin.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The conventional wisdom regarding the switch of tackles Tyron Smith and Doug Free, which was announced Thursday by coach Jason Garrett, is that the Cowboys are disappointed in Free.

Free was credited with allowing 10 sacks in 2011 after signing a four-year, $32 million extension in August, but owner and general Jerry Jones is not down on Free.

“I think we’re too tough on Free,” Jones said. “Although he had 10 sacks against him I think in all of our criticism of that position, it’s going to be like cornerback and it’s going to get some of the best. But I think we’re too tough on him. He will get better.”

The Cowboys drafted Smith with the No. 9 overall pick last year with the idea he could move to left tackle eventually. Free broke into the lineup in 2009 at right tackle and performed well there after Marc Colombo suffered a fractured ankle. Free moved to the left side in 2010 when the club decided to part ways with Flozell Adams.

“I’m not at all dismayed by Free,” Jones said, “but we certainly want him to do better and let that sack total against him go down.”

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Cowboys’ decision to move Tyron Smith to left tackle in 2012 is something that was in the plans when they selected him in the first round last year, but it is not the cure-all for the offensive line.

There is no doubt Doug Free struggled last season. He was not as comfortable as he was for whatever the reason: the lockout forced a short camp, the pressures of a $32 million extension, the loss of technique and the loss of confidence.

But playing right tackle is no easy thing, especially in the NFC East.

Washington can throw Ryan Kerrigan (7.5 sacks in 2011) and Brian Orakpo (nine sacks) at either tackle. Philadelphia can throw Trent Cole (11 sacks) and Jason Babin (18 sacks) at either tackle. The New York Giants can throw Jason Pierre-Paul (16.5 sacks), Justin Tuck (five sacks) or Osi Umenyiora (nine sacks) at either tackle.

Outside the division, the Cowboys have to contend with Pittsburgh’s James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley. Baltimore moves Terrell Suggs all over the field. Chicago does the same with Julius Peppers.

The adjustment to the right side should not take Free too long. He broke into the lineup there in 2009 after Marc Colombo suffered a broken ankle and showed the Cowboys he can play. The Cowboys felt comfortable enough the next year to let Flozell Adams leave via free agency and slide Free to left tackle. After the lockout ended the Cowboys gave Free the contract.

To me, the switch is more about Smith’s ability than Free’s lack of it but one of the top jobs facing new offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Bill Callahan is rebuilding Free.

IRVING, Texas -- Starting today teams can begin using the franchise tag, but do not expect the Cowboys to be in a hurry to place it on outside linebacker Anthony Spencer.

The deadline to use a franchise tag is March 5, eight days before free agency starts. In the meantime the Cowboys can talk to Spencer’s agents regarding an extension that would chew up less than the $8.8 million he would receive in 2012 as the franchise player or wait to see if potential free agent linebackers are tagged by their teams.

If the Cowboys use the designation, they would likely wait until the final moments, according to sources.

The Cowboys have used the franchise tag twice; on left tackle Flozell Adams in 2002 and safety Ken Hamlin in 2008.

There are similarities in the decision to tag Adams in 2002 and the one the Cowboys face this offseason with Spencer. At the time the Cowboys did not have a suitable replacement for Adams but were unsure whether he was worth signing to a long-term extension. He played the season out under the tag and Bill Parcells made Adams one of his priorities when he took over after that season. He went on to make the Pro Bowl five times from 2003-08.

Spencer, a first-round pick in 2007, has been solid but has never had more than six sacks in a season, however, the Cowboys do not have an in-house replacement ready. The free-agent market for outside linebackers is not considered strong.

If the Cowboys choose to tag Spencer, they would lose $8.8 million in cap space immediately but they could always rescind the tender and regain the space provided he did not sign. They could also make a trade, which would add that money back to the cap.

MOBILE, Ala. -- ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper went back in history and redrafted the 2006 class for every team.

That year the Cowboys drafted linebacker Bobby Carpenter from Ohio State. Carpenter's claim to fame might have been that NFC wild-card playoff loss at Seattle where he played out of his mind.

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Carpenter was a disappointment overall.

Kiper now says the Cowboys should have taken South Carolina cornerback Johnathan Joseph with the 18th pick. Kiper also says Houston should have bypassed Mario Williams with the top pick and selected Haloti Ngata, the defensive tackle from Oregon.

Here's a link to Kiper's selections (you need to be an ESPN Insider to view it).

We look at the Cowboys' draft picks that year:

Bobby Carpenter, first round, LB: The Cowboys could never find a role for Carpenter, whether it was at inside linebacker or outside linebacker. He just wasn't physical enough and always seemed overmatched. The best thing about Carpenter is he became one of Tony Romo's closest friends. After the Cowboys moved on from Carpenter, with a trade to St. Louis for tackle Alex Barron, he switched teams again. Carpenter played for Detroit in 2011 and picked off a Romo pass in the second half as part of the Lions' dramatic rally to overcome a 24-3 deficit.

Anthony Fasano, second round, TE: A physical tight end that just never took his game to the next level. He wasn't going to compete on Jason Witten's level, but he wasn't athletic enough, like Martellus Bennett was, to warrant more playing time. Cowboys eventually traded him to the Miami Dolphins. Fasano has been pretty good in Miami, catching 18 touchdowns in four seasons while Bennett has just four in four seasons.

Jason Hatcher, third round, DE: It took some time but Hatcher finally emerged as the pass-rushing end the Cowboys thought they had when they selected him from Grambling. Hatcher eventually took a starting role at end this season from Marcus Spears, a former first-round pick. Hatcher finished the season with a career-high 4.5 sacks. He will probably start at end in 2012. Hatcher is the only player from this draft class still on the team.

Skyler Green, fourth round, WR: Bill Parcells had plans for this man. The problem was that the plans were a mess. A returner, a wide receiver and a running back eventually, Green couldn't find any playing time. The Cowboys should have passed on him unless they had a defined role for him, and they didn't.

Patrick Watkins, fifth round, S: He started nine games his rookie season, picking off three passes and knocking down seven more. But Watkins wasn't physical enough for the defensive coaches and while a free safety had trouble making plays on the ball. He didn't play in the NFL last season after spending 2010 in San Diego. He was long and lean, very athletic, but just couldn't find consistency.

Montavious Stanley, sixth round, DT: He's bounced around among five NFL teams, including two stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Stanley just wasn't a fit with the Cowboys. He had the size to play inside (6-2, 302 pounds), but like most late round picks, he didn't play with the needed consistency.

Pat McQuistan, seventh round, T: He might have been a nice find to possibly replace either Flozell Adams or Marc Colombo at one of the tackle spots, but he never developed into what the Cowboys hoped. He played mainly on special teams before going to Miami in 2010. He did start eight games for the Dolphins and in 2011 he played 10 games for the New Orleans Saints.

E.J. Whitley, seventh round, G: The Texas Tech alum was the 224th player selected that year. He didn't do enough to warrant a roster spot.

As tough as the cuts might have been, Jerry Jones had to be thrilled as he went to bed Tuesday night.

The Cowboys accomplished their primary offseason goal at a reasonable price. They locked up Doug Free to a four-year, $32 million deal with $17 million guaranteed, ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer reported.

That’s a reasonable price for a good left tackle who is just entering his prime, especially considering the six-year, $60.7 million deal Jason Peters signed with Philadelphia last year. You can wonder about Free’s limited track record with only one season as a starter on the left side, but he’s a 27-year-old with no health or character issues who has proven he can compete against the NFL’s premier pass rushers.

Consider that Free faced Houston’s Mario Williams, Minnesota’s Jared Allen, Chicago’s Julius Peppers and Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney last season. The quartet of elite defensive ends -- all of whom have eight-figure salaries -- combined for a grand total of two tackles and one sack against Free.

As the protector of the quarterback’s blind side, left tackle is the most important position on the offensive line. It’s a position worth paying a premium price. Free probably could have forced the Cowboys into a bidding war, particularly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rumored to be interested in spending some of their ample salary cap space on him.

However, Free opted to stay with the Cowboys, signing a contract that compensates him well but won’t keep Jones and Co. from plugging the other holes on the roster. The risk of not using the franchise tag on Free didn't cost the Cowboys.

Jerry has said on several occasions that the left tackles in his ownership tenure – Mark Tuinei, Larry Allen and Flozell Adams – have allowed him to sleep well at night. That will continue for at least the next four years.

Whenever the lockout ends, free agency looms large for the Cowboys.

And no free agent is more important for the Cowboys than left tackle Doug Free, the highest-graded offensive linemen on the team in 2010.

With labor uncertainty, it hasn't been determined whether Free will be unrestricted or restricted in free agency. As of now, the talented tackle was given a first-and-third round tender worth $3.5 million. If the new CBA allows Free to become an unrestricted free agent, he will have other options.

Finding a quality left tackle, no matter his age, is important for a team. When the Cowboys elected to release Flozell Adams after the 2009 season, it showed they had confidence in Free. When the team traded for Alex Barron, sending Bobby Carpenter to St. Louis, it created some competition at the tackle spot. But Barron wasn't up to standards and didn't make a challenge for Free's left tackle tackle spot during training camp last year. Barron's fate was decided by three holding calls in the 2010 season opener at Washington. The last holding call negated what would have been a game-winning touchdown.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones is determined to keep Free in the fold and said he's the top priority for the club in free agency.

The team could get a safety in free agency or maybe a guard or cornerback, but keeping Tony Romo's blind side protected is important.

The Cowboys drafted Tyron Smith from USC with the ninth pick of the draft. Line coach Hudson Houck said Smith could move Smith to Free's spot just to see how he performs.

Smith has the skill set to eventually play left tackle. Should the team lose Free in free agency, Smith is the logical choice to play the position.

If the Cowboys keep Free, which it appears they will, making sure he stays at left tackle long term is a must.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Flozell Adams’ week started with his Steelers teammates wearing throwback Michigan State jerseys and professing to want to win Super Bowl XLV for the long-time Cowboys left tackle in the stadium he called home.

Unfortunately for Adams, the Steelers could not close out the homecoming.

“You’re never satisfied when you don’t win,” Adams said.

Adams spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Cowboys, winning one playoff game. He did not sign with the Steelers until late July but was able to start every game at right tackle. He enjoyed the ride with Pittsburgh but is not sure he will continue to play. The talks between the NFL and NFL Players Association regarding a new collective bargaining agreement could play a part in his decision.

“You’ve got to sit back and make the right decision that benefits you,” Adams said.

DALLAS -- Donald Driver and Flozell Adams share the same Dallas-based agent in Jordan Woy, and they share the same neighborhood. The Green Bay wide receiver and Pittsburgh right tackle live in Flower Mound, Texas.

“Definitely it’s going to be a certain bragging right thing,” said Adams, a former Cowboy. “Drive, he’s always going to talk stuff, but I’m going to talk more.”

Said Driver, “Me and Flo have been knowing each other for a long time. It’s no big deal. The good part is that we’re close friends, got the same agent and live in the same neighborhood. We’ll throw a party when it’s all said and done.”

But only one will have a Super Bowl XLV ring.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The roof of Cowboys Stadium was closed Tuesday for obvious reasons but that did not mean it was a climate-controlled temperature inside the $1.2 billion joint.

Several players at either end of the podiums that stretched the length of the field sported goose bumps as they spoke on Media Day because of a windy draft that came through the tunnels.

“It’s freezing,” Steelers right tackle and former Cowboy Flozell Adams said.

At one point Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark yelled over to newly-crowned Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu during the Steelers’ hour-long session, “Troy, tell them to turn on the heat. They’ll listen to you.”

The Steelers and Packers were hoping to avoid the colder climate, especially being inside.

“I want it to leave,” Green Bay wide receiver James Jones said. “I don’t want it to be here. It’s not that cold. I mean there is a little snow on the ground, but we’re from Green Bay, we can deal with it. It was crazy when we were driving up here and they were putting sand on the roads. I’m like, ‘What are you guys doing putting sand on the ground? You guys are going to get us stuck.’”

Pittsburgh Steelers starting right tackle Flozell Adams spent 12 years with the Dallas Cowboys. No one would blame him for having a little bitterness after the way he was discarded last offseason. But in a revealing interview (by his standards) with the media in Fort Worth on Monday, Adams didn't sound like a man with a score to settle.

"It's one of the things with the game," said Adams of his release. "Whether you’re a rookie or an old vet it's going to happen eventually. I just did what I had to do and picked a team I wanted to go to. I wasn’t crying or anything like that or boo-hooing. I was like 'OK, that's it. It's time to move to the next level,' and that’s what I did."

Adams' teammates on the offensive line surprised him Monday by wearing his Michigan State No. 76 throwback jerseys. Adams seemed genuinely touched by the gesture.

He was asked Monday to compare the Rooney family to the Jerry Jones family.

"They have different styles," Adams said. "They're both great organizations and I like being with the Cowboys and I like being here. It's a two-way street going in the same direction."

Please feel free to explain that last sentence to me at some point.

FORT WORTH -- Flozell Adams didn't talk with reporters much when he played with the Cowboys for 12 years.

He grumbled at times and offered some off-the-record comments from time-to-time. But when it came for something insightful, you didn't get much.

But Adams talked with reporters on Monday about how he was let go by the Cowboys last season. The team wanted to move Doug Free from right tackle to left tackle and to do so it had to let Adams go.

There are no hard feelings.

"It's one of the things with the game. Whether you’re a rookie an old vet it's going to happen eventually," Adams said. "I just did what I had to do and picked a team I wanted to go to. I wasn’t crying or anything like that or boo-hooing. I was like 'OK, that's it. It's time to move to the next level,' and that’s what I did."

Adams said he still speaks to some of his old teammates and exchanges text messages with Free.

"I talk to Doug and he did a pretty good job this year. I taught him well," Adams said. "I always watched their games whenever I can and just look at him and hopefully he won. Sometimes he messed up and I would text him and say 'You know you're not supposed to do that.'''

Adams went from playing for Jerry Jones, one of the NFL's more visible owners, to the Rooney family, among the more reserved owners.

"They have different styles," Adams said. "They're both great organizations and I like being with the Cowboys and I like being here. It's a two-way street going in the same direction."