NFC East: Andre Gurode
Weekend mailbag: Whither Keith Brooking?
September, 4, 2011
9/04/11
11:32
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
You guys send in questions. Some are very good. Some are just rants directed at me for reasons I can't understand. Got one this week that just said, "Your a moron," which I thought was really funny. But like I said, a lot of the questions are good, and as such I like to take a little time and try and answer them. Thus is born the weekend mailbag.
Mike in Washington, D.C. wants to know where the Cowboys stand with linebacker Keith Brooking, given their obvious willingness this offseason to cut ties with veteran players who cost a lot of money and aren't what they used to be.
Dan Graziano: After Saturday's cuts, the Cowboys are left with only three active inside linebackers -- Brooking, Bradie James and Sean Lee. So a big part of the reason Brooking is still around is clearly because they don't feel they've replaced him yet, the way they did Andre Gurode or Leonard Davis or Marion Barber or I guess Roy Williams with younger guys. Even if Lee is ready to replace Brooking as a starter, they'd still need Brooking on the team as a backup at that position with Bruce Carter still injured. I wouldn't feel super-comfortable right now if I were Brooking, given the current climate, but for now he does not appear to be one of the veterans for which they feel they have an adequate replacement.
Bill in Gainesville, Fla., tells me I am wrong to think that John Beck is still the favorite to be the Redskins' starting quarterback. Bill thinks that the reason Rex Grossman rested Thursday and Beck played in the final preseason game is because the decision has already been made to go with Grossman, who he says is "more of a pure passer and has a better arm."
DG: Well, we'll see soon enough, won't we? But I don't think Grossman resting and Beck playing Thursday had anything to do with it. Remember, Grossman played and Beck didn't play in the Redskins' first preseason game because Beck had a groin injury, so they could have just been evening out the playing time. As I've said all along, they know what they have in Grossman and believe Beck offers more upside. They wanted to use the preseason to see if Beck could handle the pressure of the opportunity. What they decide about the way he did that will factor into the decision more than anything, and I believe Beck probably showed enough. But like I said, we'll know by this time next week.
Chris in Staten Island wants to know if the Giants would be smart to trade Osi Umenyiora for disgruntled Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.
DG: First, I'm going to say I don't think it's something that would interest the Giants. Remember, they don't want to trade Umenyiora just because he's unhappy. They believe he has more value to them as a player on the field this season than as a trade chip. They don't think his contract demand is reasonable, and at no point during the whole thing have they been inclined to solve a problem he created by simply giving him what he wants. They also value great pass-rushing defensive ends over linebackers, as the current construction of their roster indicates. I believe, given that they run a 4-3 defense, they're correct in doing this and that once Umenyiora is back healthy, he'll be of greater use to them than would a linebacker such as Briggs. I believe they're shaky at linebacker, but they kept four rookies as backups and seem determined to see what those guys have. As a result, if a starter goes down this season, they could struggle. But it's clear they don't prioritize the linebacker position, and so I don't think you'll see them make a major move to address it.
Larry from Philly but living in N.Y. thinks Michael Vick will retain his financial motivation to keep playing well even after getting his new contract, since his bankruptcy issues drop his take-home pay to about 11 percent of his salary. Larry isn't just pulling that figure out of thin air. He read it in a story Darren Rovell did on cnbc.com.
DG: Well, there's also Vick's endorsement money to consider, and I think the figures overall indicate that, if he were inclined to get complacent, he could financially afford to do so. But I'm not saying I expect him to do that. I see Vick as a guy who's been through a lot and understands the ways in which he needs to play and work and conduct himself in order to have success commensurate with his own expectations for himself. The question I have is whether he sees himself as a quarterback dedicated to honing his craft, or if he'll be content to lean on his tremendous athletic ability to carry him in tough spots. He's clearly established himself, in a short time in Philadelphia, as a very good player and leader. But the harder he works at improving as a quarterback, the better he and the Eagles will be in the long term. That, in my opinion, is the big question remaining with Vick -- not whether he retains sufficient financial motivation to play hard.
Keep em coming, folks. Mailbag out.
Mike in Washington, D.C. wants to know where the Cowboys stand with linebacker Keith Brooking, given their obvious willingness this offseason to cut ties with veteran players who cost a lot of money and aren't what they used to be.
Dan Graziano: After Saturday's cuts, the Cowboys are left with only three active inside linebackers -- Brooking, Bradie James and Sean Lee. So a big part of the reason Brooking is still around is clearly because they don't feel they've replaced him yet, the way they did Andre Gurode or Leonard Davis or Marion Barber or I guess Roy Williams with younger guys. Even if Lee is ready to replace Brooking as a starter, they'd still need Brooking on the team as a backup at that position with Bruce Carter still injured. I wouldn't feel super-comfortable right now if I were Brooking, given the current climate, but for now he does not appear to be one of the veterans for which they feel they have an adequate replacement.
Bill in Gainesville, Fla., tells me I am wrong to think that John Beck is still the favorite to be the Redskins' starting quarterback. Bill thinks that the reason Rex Grossman rested Thursday and Beck played in the final preseason game is because the decision has already been made to go with Grossman, who he says is "more of a pure passer and has a better arm."
DG: Well, we'll see soon enough, won't we? But I don't think Grossman resting and Beck playing Thursday had anything to do with it. Remember, Grossman played and Beck didn't play in the Redskins' first preseason game because Beck had a groin injury, so they could have just been evening out the playing time. As I've said all along, they know what they have in Grossman and believe Beck offers more upside. They wanted to use the preseason to see if Beck could handle the pressure of the opportunity. What they decide about the way he did that will factor into the decision more than anything, and I believe Beck probably showed enough. But like I said, we'll know by this time next week.
Chris in Staten Island wants to know if the Giants would be smart to trade Osi Umenyiora for disgruntled Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.
DG: First, I'm going to say I don't think it's something that would interest the Giants. Remember, they don't want to trade Umenyiora just because he's unhappy. They believe he has more value to them as a player on the field this season than as a trade chip. They don't think his contract demand is reasonable, and at no point during the whole thing have they been inclined to solve a problem he created by simply giving him what he wants. They also value great pass-rushing defensive ends over linebackers, as the current construction of their roster indicates. I believe, given that they run a 4-3 defense, they're correct in doing this and that once Umenyiora is back healthy, he'll be of greater use to them than would a linebacker such as Briggs. I believe they're shaky at linebacker, but they kept four rookies as backups and seem determined to see what those guys have. As a result, if a starter goes down this season, they could struggle. But it's clear they don't prioritize the linebacker position, and so I don't think you'll see them make a major move to address it.
Larry from Philly but living in N.Y. thinks Michael Vick will retain his financial motivation to keep playing well even after getting his new contract, since his bankruptcy issues drop his take-home pay to about 11 percent of his salary. Larry isn't just pulling that figure out of thin air. He read it in a story Darren Rovell did on cnbc.com.
DG: Well, there's also Vick's endorsement money to consider, and I think the figures overall indicate that, if he were inclined to get complacent, he could financially afford to do so. But I'm not saying I expect him to do that. I see Vick as a guy who's been through a lot and understands the ways in which he needs to play and work and conduct himself in order to have success commensurate with his own expectations for himself. The question I have is whether he sees himself as a quarterback dedicated to honing his craft, or if he'll be content to lean on his tremendous athletic ability to carry him in tough spots. He's clearly established himself, in a short time in Philadelphia, as a very good player and leader. But the harder he works at improving as a quarterback, the better he and the Eagles will be in the long term. That, in my opinion, is the big question remaining with Vick -- not whether he retains sufficient financial motivation to play hard.
Keep em coming, folks. Mailbag out.
Breakfast links: Vick contract concerns
August, 30, 2011
8/30/11
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Good morning. Only one more round of preseason games stands between us and real, regular-season football. I, for one, am looking forward to being able to drop the qualifiers and talk about games that actually do mean something and allow us to draw meaningful conclusions.
In the meantime, we have the links.
Dallas Cowboys
Why did the Cowboys cut Andre Gurode? ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon offers a couple of reasons: "He was overrated, overpaid and overweight. Oh, and they’re confident in Phil Costa." Tim says they'll get much more bang for their buck with Costa, even if he's inexperienced, "short-armed" and currently recovering from a knee sprain.
If the Cowboys don't have a good kicker this year, don't say it's because they didn't consider all options. Even with four kickers already on the roster, they're discussing adding Dave Rayner, recently cut by the Lions, to the mix. It's kicker, folks, so it's all about hitting on someone. Most of these guys blow with the wind, and just because Rayner didn't make it in Detroit doesn't mean he can't be the answer in Dallas.
New York Giants
Gary Myers writes that Eli Manning's decision-making must improve over what he showed Monday night, and I agree. When I spoke with Manning about last year's 25 interceptions a few weeks back, he said, "You try to eliminate the bad-decision ones." The second one he threw Monday was a bad-decision one, and he admits that. I'm just going to wait until he starts making them again in the regular season before I start condemning him for it. Because, for the six millionth time, preseason means nothing as far as predicting anything that will happen in the regular season. At all.
Oh, and on a much sillier note, Manning and Plaxico Burress did meet up to talk before Monday night's Giants-Jets matchup. They bumped into each other at the movies. Plaxico was coming out of "The Smurfs," but Brian Costello didn't report which movie Manning and Shaun O'Hara were there to see. Regardless, there can no longer be any question about Manning and Burress' relationship. I didn't see "The Smurfs," but based on my wife's reaction to it after seeing it with the kids, I have to believe Burress was in a pretty lousy mood when Manning found him.
Philadelphia Eagles
Phil Sheridan asks one of many good questions in the wake of Michael Vick's new six-year, $100 million deal -- namely, whether Vick will continue to work as hard and be the same straight arrow he's been for the past two years as he pursued that deal: "As long as that contract was out there, just out of his reach, Vick had literally 100 million reasons to be a solid citizen, coachable player, and consummate teammate. He had 100 million reasons not to be the man he was before he lost everything. Now the deal is done and he has 100 million temptations to go right back to his old ways." Phil doesn't worry that Vick will go back to dogfighting -- just whether he'll go back to being the "arrogant superstar" he was in Atlanta. It's a question worth raising, as it is with anyone with a questionable history who gets a big new contract. Only Vick can answer it. By now he surely knows such questions are here and not going away.
Geoff Mosher writes that the newly configured Eagles offensive line doesn't have much time to get in sync. With only 12 days until the regular-season opener, I see his point. But few seem to be talking about the fact that the line can continue to improve after the regular season begins, too. They'll still be practicing after Week 1, and there's no reason to believe the quality of the line play in the first game will be the same as it is come Week 4 or Week 9 or Week 15. I wouldn't be surprised to see the line play cost them a game or two early in the season, everybody to react as though the sky is falling and then Howard Mudd to continue to coach them up and improve as the year goes along. A lot of what the Eagles are trying to do this year rests on their faith in their coaching staff.
Washington Redskins
Wide receiver Terrence Austin has been one of the more impressive surprises of the Redskins' preseason, and Rick Maese has a look at the road he took to get to this point, where he's seriously challenging for a spot on the 53-man roster. The part about Austin and John Beck practicing together by themselves on Tuesdays last year when the rest of the team was off is especially interesting. Makes you wonder if Beck will look Austin's way more than you might expect -- assuming they're both playing, of course.
Ryan Torain is supposed to be back from his broken hand and playing in Thursday night's preseason finale. LaRon Landry won't, but he still says he'll play in the regular-season opener against the Giants. Landry seems pretty confident the fact that he hasn't played in a game since last November won't hold him back.
Nothing will hold me back today. I'm chatting at noon ET, and have plenty planned for your NFC East enjoyment today as we count it down together on the way to real football.
In the meantime, we have the links.
Dallas Cowboys
Why did the Cowboys cut Andre Gurode? ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon offers a couple of reasons: "He was overrated, overpaid and overweight. Oh, and they’re confident in Phil Costa." Tim says they'll get much more bang for their buck with Costa, even if he's inexperienced, "short-armed" and currently recovering from a knee sprain.
If the Cowboys don't have a good kicker this year, don't say it's because they didn't consider all options. Even with four kickers already on the roster, they're discussing adding Dave Rayner, recently cut by the Lions, to the mix. It's kicker, folks, so it's all about hitting on someone. Most of these guys blow with the wind, and just because Rayner didn't make it in Detroit doesn't mean he can't be the answer in Dallas.
New York Giants
Gary Myers writes that Eli Manning's decision-making must improve over what he showed Monday night, and I agree. When I spoke with Manning about last year's 25 interceptions a few weeks back, he said, "You try to eliminate the bad-decision ones." The second one he threw Monday was a bad-decision one, and he admits that. I'm just going to wait until he starts making them again in the regular season before I start condemning him for it. Because, for the six millionth time, preseason means nothing as far as predicting anything that will happen in the regular season. At all.
Oh, and on a much sillier note, Manning and Plaxico Burress did meet up to talk before Monday night's Giants-Jets matchup. They bumped into each other at the movies. Plaxico was coming out of "The Smurfs," but Brian Costello didn't report which movie Manning and Shaun O'Hara were there to see. Regardless, there can no longer be any question about Manning and Burress' relationship. I didn't see "The Smurfs," but based on my wife's reaction to it after seeing it with the kids, I have to believe Burress was in a pretty lousy mood when Manning found him.
Philadelphia Eagles
Phil Sheridan asks one of many good questions in the wake of Michael Vick's new six-year, $100 million deal -- namely, whether Vick will continue to work as hard and be the same straight arrow he's been for the past two years as he pursued that deal: "As long as that contract was out there, just out of his reach, Vick had literally 100 million reasons to be a solid citizen, coachable player, and consummate teammate. He had 100 million reasons not to be the man he was before he lost everything. Now the deal is done and he has 100 million temptations to go right back to his old ways." Phil doesn't worry that Vick will go back to dogfighting -- just whether he'll go back to being the "arrogant superstar" he was in Atlanta. It's a question worth raising, as it is with anyone with a questionable history who gets a big new contract. Only Vick can answer it. By now he surely knows such questions are here and not going away.
Geoff Mosher writes that the newly configured Eagles offensive line doesn't have much time to get in sync. With only 12 days until the regular-season opener, I see his point. But few seem to be talking about the fact that the line can continue to improve after the regular season begins, too. They'll still be practicing after Week 1, and there's no reason to believe the quality of the line play in the first game will be the same as it is come Week 4 or Week 9 or Week 15. I wouldn't be surprised to see the line play cost them a game or two early in the season, everybody to react as though the sky is falling and then Howard Mudd to continue to coach them up and improve as the year goes along. A lot of what the Eagles are trying to do this year rests on their faith in their coaching staff.
Washington Redskins
Wide receiver Terrence Austin has been one of the more impressive surprises of the Redskins' preseason, and Rick Maese has a look at the road he took to get to this point, where he's seriously challenging for a spot on the 53-man roster. The part about Austin and John Beck practicing together by themselves on Tuesdays last year when the rest of the team was off is especially interesting. Makes you wonder if Beck will look Austin's way more than you might expect -- assuming they're both playing, of course.
Ryan Torain is supposed to be back from his broken hand and playing in Thursday night's preseason finale. LaRon Landry won't, but he still says he'll play in the regular-season opener against the Giants. Landry seems pretty confident the fact that he hasn't played in a game since last November won't hold him back.
Nothing will hold me back today. I'm chatting at noon ET, and have plenty planned for your NFC East enjoyment today as we count it down together on the way to real football.
The news of the day so far in the NFC East is the Dallas Cowboys' decision to release center Andre Gurode and apparently head into the season with three new starters on the offensive line. Now, as happens whenever anyone we've ever heard of gets released, fans of the teams in this division want to know whether he's going to end up on their teams. So:
- Cowboys: No, obviously.
- Giants: Extremely unlikely. They targeted and signed David Baas to play center, and they like him. They like their guards, too.
- Eagles: Doubtful. They want Jason Kelce to win the job, and even if he doesn't, they already have Jamaal Jackson.
- Redskins: Possible, but I admit I don't have any insight into whether they're still looking to add to their line.
Miami makes sense, and I think I saw somebody mention Chicago. If Gurode is to be a division alum, we wish him well, but we're not likely to pay him much more attention. I'd rather focus on the offensive linemen who are actually in the division, and since the line pictures are starting to come into clear focus with all four teams (for better or for worse), let's take a look at each. Alphabetically, of course, since that's the only way I know to minimize hurt feelings.
Dallas Cowboys
Starters: LT Doug Free, LG Bill Nagy, C Phil Costa, RG Kyle Kosier, RT Tyron Smith
Reserves: G David Arkin, G Montrae Holland, T Sam Young, C Kevin Kowalski
Analysis: Wouldn't be surprised to see them add a veteran swingman who can back up the tackles. Nagy or Kowalski can handle center if Costa is not ready for the start of the season. I'd expect Arkin to get the first shot at playing time over Holland if a guard spot opened up, but if they should need a long-term fill-in, they might lean toward Holland. They like Arkin a lot but believe he needs more seasoning. Overall, there are more question marks here than you'd like to see. Nagy knows what he's doing but might not be strong enough yet to play the position full time in the NFL. Smith is a beast, but his footwork still needs some refinement. And the group as a whole hasn't played together for more than a couple of weeks. The most important guy might be Kosier, whom line coach Hudson Houck described to me last week as "kind of a secondary coach out there" because of the way he communicates with and among the other linemen. If they come together quickly and the rookies develop, Kosier is likely to get a lot of the credit.
New York Giants
Starters: LT William Beatty, LG David Diehl, C David Baas, RG Chris Snee, RT Kareem McKenzie
Reserves: T Stacy Andrews, T Jamon Meredith, C Adam Koets, G Kevin Boothe
Analysis: Koets might have to begin the season on the physically unable to perform list because of his injured knee, which could open a spot for Mitch Petrus or even rookie James Brewer. With Snee and McKenzie, the Giants have as strong a right side as any line in the entire league. Baas looks like a professional and a mauler, and the only question is how quickly he can get up to speed with Eli Manning and his linemates, since he's the new guy in town and they haven't had many here lately. Moving inside to guard should help Diehl, who struggled at tackle last season even when he was healthy. For me, the whole thing rests on whether third-year man Beatty is ready to handle the role of starting left tackle in the NFL. Diehl is right there to help him, and Beatty isn't a rookie or new to the Giants. They believe they've groomed him for this and that he's ready. Assuming he is, the talent and the relative lack of major changes make this the division's top line.
Philadelphia Eagles
Starters: LT Jason Peters, LG Evan Mathis, C Jason Kelce, RG Danny Watkins, RT Todd Herremans
Reserves: C Jamaal Jackson, T Winston Justice, T King Dunlap, G Reggie Wells
Analysis: If Justice isn't ready, maybe Mike McGlynn will grab that spot. Still some things unsettled here, including among the starters. Mathis, Kelce and Watkins are all new, the latter two are rookies, and Herremans is changing positions from left guard. Watkins is the first-round draft pick and as such he can expect to be the starter no matter how badly he's struggled in the preseason. They're saying the same about Kelce, but if he's clearly not ready, they can always go back to Jackson until he is. Peters is a given, and a stud, in the passing and running games. And Herremans should be fine at tackle, although it says a lot about where the Eagles are with the state of their line that they moved him there with two weeks left in the preseason. I predict that this line will struggle at the outset and maybe even cost Philadelphia an early game or two, but that it will show improvement under Howard Mudd as things move along and ultimately be good enough to deliver effective protection for Michael Vick and the Eagles' other outstanding skill-position players.
Washington Redskins
Starters: LT Trent Williams, LG Kory Lichtensteiger, C Will Montgomery, RG Chris Chester, RT Jammal Brown
Reserves: T Sean Locklear, G Artis Hicks, G Selvish Capers, C Erik Cook
Analysis: One of the reasons I couldn't rule out Gurode here was that the group could use some depth. As for the starters, though, this is the line in the NFC East that looks most like it did last season. Only Chester is new, and while Montgomery wasn't the starting center last season, he played there and is likely to be an upgrade over Casey Rabach. Due to Mike Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme, this is a group that must play and execute together in order to be effective. If one guy looks bad, the whole line is going to look bad. A lot rests on Williams, the fourth overall pick in the 2010 draft, who must play with more consistency this season if he's to prove his talent justified that pick. Brown was a big re-signing, as he was well liked by teammates and linemates and brings a veteran presence among a relatively young group.
Clarence Hill makes a good point about this Andre Gurode situation in Dallas, namely that it backs up Jason Garrett's pre-camp assertion that everyone was fighting for a job and that he didn't consider that he had any set "starters." Gurode was hurt, Phil Costa played well and now it appears that Costa is the center and Gurode is (likely) out in spite of Gurode having the better and longer résumé.
It's a good message for Garrett to be sending as he overhauls the culture around his roster. Neither Roy Williams' contract, Marion Barber's accomplishments nor Leonard Davis' service time kept any of those guys safe, and now the point is made again with Gurode. What Bradie James said last week about entitlement applies on a micro level to these roster spots, and it's clear Garrett's not just talking.
To that end, Clarence wonders if Terence Newman should be worried about his spot on the team, or at least in the starting lineup. Newman's been out all of training camp and the preseason with an injury, as has fellow starting corner Mike Jenkins, and Orlando Scandrick has not just played well in their absence -- he also signed a five-year contract extension. So Clarence wonders:
A good question, considering the way things work around the Cowboys these days. Surely, if I were Newman or Jenkins, I'd be motivated to get back quickly and play very well once I did. And as for next year, all bets are off. Scandrick surely projects as a 2012 starter over one of those guys.
It's a good message for Garrett to be sending as he overhauls the culture around his roster. Neither Roy Williams' contract, Marion Barber's accomplishments nor Leonard Davis' service time kept any of those guys safe, and now the point is made again with Gurode. What Bradie James said last week about entitlement applies on a micro level to these roster spots, and it's clear Garrett's not just talking.
To that end, Clarence wonders if Terence Newman should be worried about his spot on the team, or at least in the starting lineup. Newman's been out all of training camp and the preseason with an injury, as has fellow starting corner Mike Jenkins, and Orlando Scandrick has not just played well in their absence -- he also signed a five-year contract extension. So Clarence wonders:
Scandrick has drawn raves the coaches since the start of camp, even before Newman went down with a groin injury sidelining him for the preseason. [Newman] is expected to return for the season opener. Will he return as a starter or a reserve with Scandrick getting the Costa like promotion?
A good question, considering the way things work around the Cowboys these days. Surely, if I were Newman or Jenkins, I'd be motivated to get back quickly and play very well once I did. And as for next year, all bets are off. Scandrick surely projects as a 2012 starter over one of those guys.
Breakfast links: Giants man in the middle
August, 29, 2011
8/29/11
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Dallas Cowboys
Tight end Martellus Bennett is going to miss two to four weeks with a sprained ankle and therefore might not be ready for the Sept. 11 season opener against the Jets. Losing Bennett impacts the Cowboys' passing game because it might inhibit their ability to use tight end Jason Witten as their slot receiver if he has more blocking responsibilities. The Cowboys are counting on their depth at tight end to help offset their lack of depth at wide receiver.
Jerry Jones seems almost giddy about the rookies on the Cowboys' offensive line. Kevin Kowalski isn't likely to be the starter once the season begins, but Jones seemed pleased with his performance in Saturday's game. Still seems strange, the treatment of Andre Gurode. Why fly him with you to Minnesota only to make him sit there and watch someone else do his job? Ugly business sometimes.
New York Giants
Mike Garafolo checks in with Jonathan Goff, who's shown signs this preseason of improving in pass coverage. I personally think this is a big question-mark spot for the Giants. There aren't too many positions at which you can point and say, "Yeah, the Giants are actually better there this year than they were last year." As good? Sure. Maybe not too much worse? Absolutely. But better? Not too many. If Goff can show improvement in his second year as a starting middle linebacker (not an outrageous idea, certainly), that would be one.
Victor Cruz was the star of the show in last year's Jets-Giants preseason game. He believes he's come a long way since then and hopes he can star again as he continues his bid for more playing time at wide receiver this year.
Philadelphia Eagles
In the wake of Todd Herremans' move from left guard to right tackle, Les Bowen assesses the remaining issues on the Eagles' offensive line -- specifically whether Jason Kelce is or should be leading the supposed "competition" between himself and Jamaal Jackson for the starting center's job. If Kelce proves to be a complete disaster (as he appeared to be at times Thursday night), then they can always just slide Jackson back in there. But Les is right -- they don't seem as though they want to do that.
The Eagles' receiving corps is gaining strength and depth, it would seem, with two weeks left before the start of the regular season. If Jeremy Maclin and Steve Smith really are both going to be ready, it'll be fascinating to see how this offense operates and who gets the targets.
Washington Redskins
Mike Shanahan was known in Denver for his zone-blocking offensive lines. Implementation of that scheme and those concepts didn't go so great in Shanahan's first year in Washington, but things seem to be improving in the second. It does amaze me a little bit that Washington's is the offensive line about which I've written the least in this preseason. Does that say more about what they're doing there or the number of question marks with which the other three teams are dealing?
On the other line, however, the Redskins' options for replacing promising rookie Jarvis Jenkins look grim. Jenkins is out for the season with a knee injury suffered in last week's preseason game, and his playing time will be taken by some combination of Kedric Golston, Doug Worthington and Darrion Scott. "Obviously," Shanahan said, "you cannot replace a player like that."
Tight end Martellus Bennett is going to miss two to four weeks with a sprained ankle and therefore might not be ready for the Sept. 11 season opener against the Jets. Losing Bennett impacts the Cowboys' passing game because it might inhibit their ability to use tight end Jason Witten as their slot receiver if he has more blocking responsibilities. The Cowboys are counting on their depth at tight end to help offset their lack of depth at wide receiver.
Jerry Jones seems almost giddy about the rookies on the Cowboys' offensive line. Kevin Kowalski isn't likely to be the starter once the season begins, but Jones seemed pleased with his performance in Saturday's game. Still seems strange, the treatment of Andre Gurode. Why fly him with you to Minnesota only to make him sit there and watch someone else do his job? Ugly business sometimes.
New York Giants
Mike Garafolo checks in with Jonathan Goff, who's shown signs this preseason of improving in pass coverage. I personally think this is a big question-mark spot for the Giants. There aren't too many positions at which you can point and say, "Yeah, the Giants are actually better there this year than they were last year." As good? Sure. Maybe not too much worse? Absolutely. But better? Not too many. If Goff can show improvement in his second year as a starting middle linebacker (not an outrageous idea, certainly), that would be one.
Victor Cruz was the star of the show in last year's Jets-Giants preseason game. He believes he's come a long way since then and hopes he can star again as he continues his bid for more playing time at wide receiver this year.
Philadelphia Eagles
In the wake of Todd Herremans' move from left guard to right tackle, Les Bowen assesses the remaining issues on the Eagles' offensive line -- specifically whether Jason Kelce is or should be leading the supposed "competition" between himself and Jamaal Jackson for the starting center's job. If Kelce proves to be a complete disaster (as he appeared to be at times Thursday night), then they can always just slide Jackson back in there. But Les is right -- they don't seem as though they want to do that.
The Eagles' receiving corps is gaining strength and depth, it would seem, with two weeks left before the start of the regular season. If Jeremy Maclin and Steve Smith really are both going to be ready, it'll be fascinating to see how this offense operates and who gets the targets.
Washington Redskins
Mike Shanahan was known in Denver for his zone-blocking offensive lines. Implementation of that scheme and those concepts didn't go so great in Shanahan's first year in Washington, but things seem to be improving in the second. It does amaze me a little bit that Washington's is the offensive line about which I've written the least in this preseason. Does that say more about what they're doing there or the number of question marks with which the other three teams are dealing?
On the other line, however, the Redskins' options for replacing promising rookie Jarvis Jenkins look grim. Jenkins is out for the season with a knee injury suffered in last week's preseason game, and his playing time will be taken by some combination of Kedric Golston, Doug Worthington and Darrion Scott. "Obviously," Shanahan said, "you cannot replace a player like that."
Could Andre Gurode be done in Dallas?
August, 27, 2011
8/27/11
7:38
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Assuming my power stays on long enough here in Northern New Jersey Saturday night, I will be watching the Dallas Cowboys' preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. But even if the power does stay on, I won't be seeing center Andre Gurode, who is apparently healthy but won't be playing as the team ponders his future, his salary and his spot on the roster. Gurode has a $5.5 million base salary and a $7.2 million cap number this season, and it appears as though the team would like him to take a pay cut.
Seems like odd timing, but it apparently speaks to how impressed the Cowboys have been with the play of Phil Costa, who's been filling in at center this preseason while Gurode has been hurt. Costa won't play Saturday either, since he's out with a knee injury. But Jerry Jones told reporters in Minneapolis that they expect Costa to be back by the season opener. If Gurode is gone (or even if he stays and takes that pay cut), Costa looks like the likely starter at center to begin the season as long as he's healthy.
This likely also says a lot about what the team thinks of rookie Bill Nagy, the seventh-rounder who's been starting at left guard lately in place of the injured Montrae Holland. The starting left guard job is still probably Holland's if he gets back and healthy, but the team has been impressed with Nagy, who can play guard or center, and his strong showing thus far improves their position in these talks with Gurode.
With rookie Tyron Smith already set to start at right tackle, the Cowboys' offensive line is clearly in flux with a couple of weeks left before the season starts. Keep a close eye on Nagy Saturday night to see how he holds up. Kevin Kowalski's going to start at center Saturday, but he's not likely to be a factor during the regular season.
Seems like odd timing, but it apparently speaks to how impressed the Cowboys have been with the play of Phil Costa, who's been filling in at center this preseason while Gurode has been hurt. Costa won't play Saturday either, since he's out with a knee injury. But Jerry Jones told reporters in Minneapolis that they expect Costa to be back by the season opener. If Gurode is gone (or even if he stays and takes that pay cut), Costa looks like the likely starter at center to begin the season as long as he's healthy.
This likely also says a lot about what the team thinks of rookie Bill Nagy, the seventh-rounder who's been starting at left guard lately in place of the injured Montrae Holland. The starting left guard job is still probably Holland's if he gets back and healthy, but the team has been impressed with Nagy, who can play guard or center, and his strong showing thus far improves their position in these talks with Gurode.
With rookie Tyron Smith already set to start at right tackle, the Cowboys' offensive line is clearly in flux with a couple of weeks left before the season starts. Keep a close eye on Nagy Saturday night to see how he holds up. Kevin Kowalski's going to start at center Saturday, but he's not likely to be a factor during the regular season.
Breakfast links: Vick backs up his line
August, 26, 2011
8/26/11
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Two preseason games in the books from Thursday night, two more to come Saturday, so let's see where things stand in the NFC East with a little thing we like to call the breakfast links.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys' offensive line picture gets a little bit cloudier with an injury to Phil Costa, who'd been doing a good job filling in at center for the injured Andre Gurode. Costa's play this preseason had him in line to start either at center or potentially left guard, but now it appears as though Gurode is the center and Montrae Holland is the guard if both are healthy. Bill Nagy remains a threat at either position if he continues to impress Saturday night.
Lots of talk in this story about Dez Bryant and what he and the team see as his improved maturity and professionalism this offseason. This is going to be an issue throughout Bryant's career, I imagine, as reputations are nearly impossible to shake and he's got a tough one. He's saying all the right things and seems to be impressing the right people in his own locker room, at least. We know the kid had stunning talent, and if he can keep these extra issues from mattering, that'll be best for him and the team.
New York Giants
Newly signed cornerback Brian Williams is expected to play for the Giants on Saturday. Tom Coughlin said the main reason the team signed Williams was his experience, and their expectation that he could learn their defense quickly. With all of the injuries the Giants have suffered at the position, Williams is going to get a chance to play and show what he can do after a couple of years as a backup.
Matt Dodge didn't like being booed at the Giants' first home preseason game Monday, but he has shrugged it off. Here he talks about the competition between he and Steve Weatherford, the support he's received from Coughlin since he got to New York, and other things on the mind of a punter fighting for a roster spot.
Philadelphia Eagles
After getting knocked around due to their ineptitude in Thursday night's preseason game, Michael Vick defended his offensive line, especially rookie Jason Kelce, who was beating himself up. Shows good leadership from Vick, who was one of last week's goats and obviously doesn't see the benefit in engaging in blame-assignment after a meaningless preseason game.
If you thought LeSean McCoy caught an unusual number of passes in this game, you weren't alone. They noticed in the Eagles' locker room, as well, and the party line was that you take what the defense gives you. McCoy is clearly a weapon in the passing game -- this is not news. But on a night like this one, when Vick didn't get any time to find receivers downfield, it was encouraging for the Eagles to see him so in sync with his best running back.
Washington Redskins
It sounds as though the injury to rookie defensive end Jarvis Jenkins could be worse than initially thought, which would be a shame, since Jenkins has been one of the pleasant surprises of training camp and preseason. Jenkins will have an MRI on Friday and hope it comes back clean, but he was fearing for his ACL on Thursday night after the game.
Dan Daly tries to decipher Mike Shanahan's clues about his deliberations on the Redskins' quarterback situation. Shanahan isn't offering many in his news conferences, though I still think as long as John Beck doesn't fall flat on his face he's the guy. And we don't know how much, if at all, Beck or Rex Grossman will play in next week's preseason finale.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys' offensive line picture gets a little bit cloudier with an injury to Phil Costa, who'd been doing a good job filling in at center for the injured Andre Gurode. Costa's play this preseason had him in line to start either at center or potentially left guard, but now it appears as though Gurode is the center and Montrae Holland is the guard if both are healthy. Bill Nagy remains a threat at either position if he continues to impress Saturday night.
Lots of talk in this story about Dez Bryant and what he and the team see as his improved maturity and professionalism this offseason. This is going to be an issue throughout Bryant's career, I imagine, as reputations are nearly impossible to shake and he's got a tough one. He's saying all the right things and seems to be impressing the right people in his own locker room, at least. We know the kid had stunning talent, and if he can keep these extra issues from mattering, that'll be best for him and the team.
New York Giants
Newly signed cornerback Brian Williams is expected to play for the Giants on Saturday. Tom Coughlin said the main reason the team signed Williams was his experience, and their expectation that he could learn their defense quickly. With all of the injuries the Giants have suffered at the position, Williams is going to get a chance to play and show what he can do after a couple of years as a backup.
Matt Dodge didn't like being booed at the Giants' first home preseason game Monday, but he has shrugged it off. Here he talks about the competition between he and Steve Weatherford, the support he's received from Coughlin since he got to New York, and other things on the mind of a punter fighting for a roster spot.
Philadelphia Eagles
After getting knocked around due to their ineptitude in Thursday night's preseason game, Michael Vick defended his offensive line, especially rookie Jason Kelce, who was beating himself up. Shows good leadership from Vick, who was one of last week's goats and obviously doesn't see the benefit in engaging in blame-assignment after a meaningless preseason game.
If you thought LeSean McCoy caught an unusual number of passes in this game, you weren't alone. They noticed in the Eagles' locker room, as well, and the party line was that you take what the defense gives you. McCoy is clearly a weapon in the passing game -- this is not news. But on a night like this one, when Vick didn't get any time to find receivers downfield, it was encouraging for the Eagles to see him so in sync with his best running back.
Washington Redskins
It sounds as though the injury to rookie defensive end Jarvis Jenkins could be worse than initially thought, which would be a shame, since Jenkins has been one of the pleasant surprises of training camp and preseason. Jenkins will have an MRI on Friday and hope it comes back clean, but he was fearing for his ACL on Thursday night after the game.
Dan Daly tries to decipher Mike Shanahan's clues about his deliberations on the Redskins' quarterback situation. Shanahan isn't offering many in his news conferences, though I still think as long as John Beck doesn't fall flat on his face he's the guy. And we don't know how much, if at all, Beck or Rex Grossman will play in next week's preseason finale.
You have injuries along the offensive line, and it's preseason, so you throw your seventh-round draft pick in there to see what he's got because ... well, why not? Worst that happens, you try something else. Best that happens, you get pleasantly surprised. Dallas Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck was pleasantly surprised by Bill Nagy when things started to go wrong.
"There are a lot of things you can't coach, and one of them is recovery," Houck told me after a recent Cowboys practice. "This guy can get into kind of an awkward position and still figure out a way to get the job done. And that's important, because you want to teach good technique, but not everything always goes according to plan on that field."
Things didn't go exactly according to Nagy's plan at Wisconsin. As a junior, he got into a moped accident and suffered serious injuries that cost him playing time and, ultimately, his spot in the Badgers' starting lineup. He started only a handful of games as a senior last year, and much of the action he did see was as an extra tight end near the goal line and in short-yardage situations. Once a top line prospect, he headed into the NFL draft not knowing what to expect.
"I went into the process understanding that, at first, it wasn't likely that I was going to get drafted, but that I could get an opportunity," Nagy said. "And then I performed fairly well at my pro day and some more opportunities started opening up."
The Cowboys took him at the back end of the seventh round, with the third-to-last pick in the entire draft. He was three picks away from spending the locked-out summer wondering where he'd end up. Instead, he knew he'd be a Cowboy. What he didn't know was that he'd be the Cowboys' starting left guard for last week's preseason game and, it now appears, their next one as well. With starting center Andre Gurode and projected starting left guard Montrae Holland out with injuries, the interior of the Dallas offensive line has offered opportunities for Nagy and fourth-round pick David Arkin to show what they can do. Houck said the Cowboys like Arkin a lot, but that Nagy looks more ready to step in and play right away if need be.
"We knew he could run and we knew he competed, but there's stuff about a player you can't know until you get him into your camp," Houck said. "He's a real smart player, got a lot of savvy and knows how to play the game. He played in a real tough conference against some real serious competition, and I think that shows up. He's got a lot of high-level experience, even though he may not have had an opportunity play as much in college as some others."
Wisconsin isn't the easiest place in the world for an offensive lineman to get comfortable. Nagy said that, when you get hurt and miss time there, you have real concern about losing your spot.
"To get on the field at Wisconsin is an achievement," Nagy said. "At Wisconsin, there's always somebody coming up behind you and there's always a lot of talent. Every day was competition there, and that's helped me because, every day, that's what it is here."
The Cowboys have used Nagy at guard and at center this offseason. (Houck said it's a testament to Nagy's relative readiness that they've worked him at center and haven't done so with Arkin.) They still expect Gurode to be the starting center and to be back soon, so there's a chance Phil Costa, who's been filling in at center, could land at that left guard spot. But if Holland doesn't hurry back (and Houck didn't seem to think he was all that close), that spot is up for grabs. And it just might be the Cowboys' late seventh-round pick who grabs it.
"I feel good about him," Houck said. "He's been very impressive."
"There are a lot of things you can't coach, and one of them is recovery," Houck told me after a recent Cowboys practice. "This guy can get into kind of an awkward position and still figure out a way to get the job done. And that's important, because you want to teach good technique, but not everything always goes according to plan on that field."
[+] Enlarge
Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesRookie offensive lineman Bill Nagy has been impressive during the preseason.
Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesRookie offensive lineman Bill Nagy has been impressive during the preseason."I went into the process understanding that, at first, it wasn't likely that I was going to get drafted, but that I could get an opportunity," Nagy said. "And then I performed fairly well at my pro day and some more opportunities started opening up."
The Cowboys took him at the back end of the seventh round, with the third-to-last pick in the entire draft. He was three picks away from spending the locked-out summer wondering where he'd end up. Instead, he knew he'd be a Cowboy. What he didn't know was that he'd be the Cowboys' starting left guard for last week's preseason game and, it now appears, their next one as well. With starting center Andre Gurode and projected starting left guard Montrae Holland out with injuries, the interior of the Dallas offensive line has offered opportunities for Nagy and fourth-round pick David Arkin to show what they can do. Houck said the Cowboys like Arkin a lot, but that Nagy looks more ready to step in and play right away if need be.
"We knew he could run and we knew he competed, but there's stuff about a player you can't know until you get him into your camp," Houck said. "He's a real smart player, got a lot of savvy and knows how to play the game. He played in a real tough conference against some real serious competition, and I think that shows up. He's got a lot of high-level experience, even though he may not have had an opportunity play as much in college as some others."
Wisconsin isn't the easiest place in the world for an offensive lineman to get comfortable. Nagy said that, when you get hurt and miss time there, you have real concern about losing your spot.
"To get on the field at Wisconsin is an achievement," Nagy said. "At Wisconsin, there's always somebody coming up behind you and there's always a lot of talent. Every day was competition there, and that's helped me because, every day, that's what it is here."
The Cowboys have used Nagy at guard and at center this offseason. (Houck said it's a testament to Nagy's relative readiness that they've worked him at center and haven't done so with Arkin.) They still expect Gurode to be the starting center and to be back soon, so there's a chance Phil Costa, who's been filling in at center, could land at that left guard spot. But if Holland doesn't hurry back (and Houck didn't seem to think he was all that close), that spot is up for grabs. And it just might be the Cowboys' late seventh-round pick who grabs it.
"I feel good about him," Houck said. "He's been very impressive."
Thoughts from the Cowboys' 20-7 preseason loss to the visiting Chargers.
Defense is what matters for the Dallas Cowboys. Defense is what killed them in 2010, and defense will determine whether or not they can rebound and return to playoff contention in 2011. And so, when you tune in to watch a Cowboys preseason game, you're going to watch the defense. And it is, as we mentioned in Camp Confidential, a work in progress.
New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's defense is based on multiple and varied looks. It's intended to confuse the opposing offense, but before it can do that, the players playing the defense must learn the scheme and develop trust and confidence in it. Since the lockout eliminated OTAs and minicamps, the Cowboys couldn't start practicing their roles in Ryan's new scheme until a couple of weeks ago, and the lack of experience in the new system has shown in both of their preseason games so far.
The best example was Randy McMichael's touchdown catch from Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. The Cowboys' pass rush had Rivers cold and he looked as though he was about to throw the ball away. But because cornerback Alan Ball and safety Gerald Sensabaugh had both gone after the same receiver, McMichael was wide open. Rivers saw him and found him for the touchdown, and Ryan had something to say to Sensabaugh when he came off the field.
There were good things that happened, too. Barry Church had an excellent game, knocking down a touchdown pass in the first half and making a great open-field tackle in the third quarter. And Ryan lined top linebacker DeMarcus Ware in several different spots -- left side, right side, dropped him into pass coverage. As a coordinator, Ryan's never had a player as good as Ware, and he's going to have more and more fun with him as everybody gets comfortable in the new system and he can keep moving Ware (and others) all over the field into unexpected spots.
But the question is how soon that will be. Can this Cowboys team learn and become comfortable in this new system in just two more preseason games and three more weeks of practice? There are still communication issues in the secondary, and injured starting cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman haven't even played yet, so there's no way to even know if they'll be good enough to allow Ryan to do what he wants to do up front. Long way to go before the Cowboys' defense looks like a cohesive unit, and they don't have a lot of time.
Here are some other things I saw in the loss to San Diego:
1. The first-team offensive line looked good. Especially rookie right tackle Tyron Smith, who is big and strong and athletic and just looks like a nightmare to try and get past. They've been working with Smith on his footwork, specifically the alignment of his left foot, and it's a matter of him getting comfortable with the new foot position and trusting it. He looked better and protecting the outside Sunday night than he had in the first game. Fellow rookie Bill Nagy got the start at left guard and handled himself well, but he gets overpowered by stronger defensive linemen, as rookie David Arkin did a bit last week. If everyone's healthy (including starting center Andre Gurode), I still think either Montrae Holland or Phil Costa starts at left guard three weeks from now in New York. But Nagy and Arkin will still get opportunities in the meantime to show what they can do, and there are plenty of reasons to like both -- for the near future, if not immediately. You can always build strength.
2. I don't have anything, really, to say on Tony Romo. Yes, his interception was terrible -- terrible decision, terrible throw, terrible all the way around. But from the Twitter reaction you'd have thought it was his 700th consecutive pass attempt that resulted in an interception. His touchdown pass was a very good throw, and while it seems clear that those who don't like Romo will always be looking for reasons to point and shout, "See? Told ya!", he has offered no reason to worry and remains very low on the Cowboys' list of concerns.
3. Lonyae Miller and Phillip Tanner. With Tashard Choice and DeMarco Murray injured, the younger running backs on the Cowboys roster have had a chance to show their stuff. Miller looked good early, and the block he threw against the blitz early in the third quarter will show up on his personal highlight film. But his fumble will not, and fumbles can kill a fringe guy's chances of making the team. Tanner struggled in pass protection last week, but he looks like a better runner than Miller does. I don't think any defenders let up on the play after he lost his helmet on the touchdown that got called back, so on tape that's going to show up as a tough touchdown run. Difficult call, if it comes down to two of these guys for one spot, or if they're looking to see whether or not one can unseat Choice.
4. Oh, and the starting running back. Felix Jones, for the second week in a row... wow. Fast, tough and resilient. Guy is moving up those fantasy draft boards, I guarantee. He's running like he means it. His teammates like the spark he brings. He's seeing the field and his lanes from the backfield, and he's working for extra yards against a very good defense in a game that doesn't count. Everything you'd want to see out of Jones when presented with a chance to be the every-down guy, he's showing. My only concern? He's taking a lot of hits, and hasn't exactly shown himself to be Mr. Durable in the past. If he can hold up, he's got a chance to bring something special.
5. The No. 3 receiver issue. If it's Kevin Ogletree's job to lose, he didn't do anything to lose it Sunday. He looked very speedy and very determined, and we didn't see any of the Dwayne Harris magic we saw last year. Manuel Johnson was the down-the-roster receiver who made the strongest second-half impression with Stephen McGee under center. Which is probably another reason for Ogletree to feel good about things.
6. No blood in the kicking battle. Neither Dan Bailey nor David Buehler got a field goal attempt, and I'm not sure I get why neither got one in the final minute. Is it more important right now for the Cowboys to see these guys kick or see if their third-team offense can get in on fourth-and-goal? I guess you could say a 20-yard field goal would be a poor indicator anyway, but still. Why not put one of the kickers in a real game situation if you can?
7. Finally, I'm a little bit surprised by the choice of James Spader for "The Office." My hope is that it allows the very funny people that populate the rest of the cast to shine now that they don't all have to orbit Steve Carell.
Defense is what matters for the Dallas Cowboys. Defense is what killed them in 2010, and defense will determine whether or not they can rebound and return to playoff contention in 2011. And so, when you tune in to watch a Cowboys preseason game, you're going to watch the defense. And it is, as we mentioned in Camp Confidential, a work in progress.
New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's defense is based on multiple and varied looks. It's intended to confuse the opposing offense, but before it can do that, the players playing the defense must learn the scheme and develop trust and confidence in it. Since the lockout eliminated OTAs and minicamps, the Cowboys couldn't start practicing their roles in Ryan's new scheme until a couple of weeks ago, and the lack of experience in the new system has shown in both of their preseason games so far.
The best example was Randy McMichael's touchdown catch from Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. The Cowboys' pass rush had Rivers cold and he looked as though he was about to throw the ball away. But because cornerback Alan Ball and safety Gerald Sensabaugh had both gone after the same receiver, McMichael was wide open. Rivers saw him and found him for the touchdown, and Ryan had something to say to Sensabaugh when he came off the field.
There were good things that happened, too. Barry Church had an excellent game, knocking down a touchdown pass in the first half and making a great open-field tackle in the third quarter. And Ryan lined top linebacker DeMarcus Ware in several different spots -- left side, right side, dropped him into pass coverage. As a coordinator, Ryan's never had a player as good as Ware, and he's going to have more and more fun with him as everybody gets comfortable in the new system and he can keep moving Ware (and others) all over the field into unexpected spots.
But the question is how soon that will be. Can this Cowboys team learn and become comfortable in this new system in just two more preseason games and three more weeks of practice? There are still communication issues in the secondary, and injured starting cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman haven't even played yet, so there's no way to even know if they'll be good enough to allow Ryan to do what he wants to do up front. Long way to go before the Cowboys' defense looks like a cohesive unit, and they don't have a lot of time.
Here are some other things I saw in the loss to San Diego:
1. The first-team offensive line looked good. Especially rookie right tackle Tyron Smith, who is big and strong and athletic and just looks like a nightmare to try and get past. They've been working with Smith on his footwork, specifically the alignment of his left foot, and it's a matter of him getting comfortable with the new foot position and trusting it. He looked better and protecting the outside Sunday night than he had in the first game. Fellow rookie Bill Nagy got the start at left guard and handled himself well, but he gets overpowered by stronger defensive linemen, as rookie David Arkin did a bit last week. If everyone's healthy (including starting center Andre Gurode), I still think either Montrae Holland or Phil Costa starts at left guard three weeks from now in New York. But Nagy and Arkin will still get opportunities in the meantime to show what they can do, and there are plenty of reasons to like both -- for the near future, if not immediately. You can always build strength.
2. I don't have anything, really, to say on Tony Romo. Yes, his interception was terrible -- terrible decision, terrible throw, terrible all the way around. But from the Twitter reaction you'd have thought it was his 700th consecutive pass attempt that resulted in an interception. His touchdown pass was a very good throw, and while it seems clear that those who don't like Romo will always be looking for reasons to point and shout, "See? Told ya!", he has offered no reason to worry and remains very low on the Cowboys' list of concerns.
3. Lonyae Miller and Phillip Tanner. With Tashard Choice and DeMarco Murray injured, the younger running backs on the Cowboys roster have had a chance to show their stuff. Miller looked good early, and the block he threw against the blitz early in the third quarter will show up on his personal highlight film. But his fumble will not, and fumbles can kill a fringe guy's chances of making the team. Tanner struggled in pass protection last week, but he looks like a better runner than Miller does. I don't think any defenders let up on the play after he lost his helmet on the touchdown that got called back, so on tape that's going to show up as a tough touchdown run. Difficult call, if it comes down to two of these guys for one spot, or if they're looking to see whether or not one can unseat Choice.
4. Oh, and the starting running back. Felix Jones, for the second week in a row... wow. Fast, tough and resilient. Guy is moving up those fantasy draft boards, I guarantee. He's running like he means it. His teammates like the spark he brings. He's seeing the field and his lanes from the backfield, and he's working for extra yards against a very good defense in a game that doesn't count. Everything you'd want to see out of Jones when presented with a chance to be the every-down guy, he's showing. My only concern? He's taking a lot of hits, and hasn't exactly shown himself to be Mr. Durable in the past. If he can hold up, he's got a chance to bring something special.
5. The No. 3 receiver issue. If it's Kevin Ogletree's job to lose, he didn't do anything to lose it Sunday. He looked very speedy and very determined, and we didn't see any of the Dwayne Harris magic we saw last year. Manuel Johnson was the down-the-roster receiver who made the strongest second-half impression with Stephen McGee under center. Which is probably another reason for Ogletree to feel good about things.
6. No blood in the kicking battle. Neither Dan Bailey nor David Buehler got a field goal attempt, and I'm not sure I get why neither got one in the final minute. Is it more important right now for the Cowboys to see these guys kick or see if their third-team offense can get in on fourth-and-goal? I guess you could say a 20-yard field goal would be a poor indicator anyway, but still. Why not put one of the kickers in a real game situation if you can?
7. Finally, I'm a little bit surprised by the choice of James Spader for "The Office." My hope is that it allows the very funny people that populate the rest of the cast to shine now that they don't all have to orbit Steve Carell.
Offensive line was the position of greatest need for the Cowboys in this year's draft. They used three of their eight picks on offensive linemen, and all three have been factors so far in training camp. The latest is seventh-rounder Bill Nagy, who took some snaps at left guard with the first-team offense Monday. With Leonard Davis cut, Montrae Holland hurt and Kyle Kosier having moved from left guard to right guard so he could work more closely with rookie right tackle Tyron Smith, left guard is an open position, and the Cowboys are mulling several different options.
"I think we're just continuing to work the different combinations on the offensive line and the guard position is one of them," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said in his news conference Monday. "Montrae has been out, so David Arkin played a lot of it the other day. Nagy has done a really nice job for us with the opportunities he's gotten both at guard and center, so he'll take some snaps. We'll just kind of keep working the different combinations and see what feels right."
Lots of moving parts here still. As Todd Archer points out in the link above, Jerry Jones has hinted that Phil Costa, who's been playing center with starting center Andre Gurode out, could be a candidate for left guard. Todd also suggests that Gurode could move to guard (with Costa, presumably, playing center). This has become a major issue to watch as Cowboys camp and the preseason roll along, and Garrett says he's perfectly fine mixing and matching for now if the end result is that they find their best five in time for the season to start.
"I think you'd rather have your starting five guys established, but oftentimes, when you have injuries or young guys or new guys, it becomes a little bit of a work in progress," Garrett said. "We feel like we have some options to look at. You'd rather have the starting five guys that have been playing together for eight years, but that's not really the case in the NFL, so you adjust accordingly."
Playing the numbers and hoping someone steps up to make the decisions easy for them. This is where the Cowboys appear to be with their offensive line. The reviews on Arkin last week were good. Guess they want to see if Nagy can be even better.
"I think we're just continuing to work the different combinations on the offensive line and the guard position is one of them," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said in his news conference Monday. "Montrae has been out, so David Arkin played a lot of it the other day. Nagy has done a really nice job for us with the opportunities he's gotten both at guard and center, so he'll take some snaps. We'll just kind of keep working the different combinations and see what feels right."
Lots of moving parts here still. As Todd Archer points out in the link above, Jerry Jones has hinted that Phil Costa, who's been playing center with starting center Andre Gurode out, could be a candidate for left guard. Todd also suggests that Gurode could move to guard (with Costa, presumably, playing center). This has become a major issue to watch as Cowboys camp and the preseason roll along, and Garrett says he's perfectly fine mixing and matching for now if the end result is that they find their best five in time for the season to start.
"I think you'd rather have your starting five guys established, but oftentimes, when you have injuries or young guys or new guys, it becomes a little bit of a work in progress," Garrett said. "We feel like we have some options to look at. You'd rather have the starting five guys that have been playing together for eight years, but that's not really the case in the NFL, so you adjust accordingly."
Playing the numbers and hoping someone steps up to make the decisions easy for them. This is where the Cowboys appear to be with their offensive line. The reviews on Arkin last week were good. Guess they want to see if Nagy can be even better.
Breakfast links: Sun comes up for Giants
August, 11, 2011
8/11/11
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
And a good morning to you all. Lovely one here in northern New Jersey as I head back to Giants camp for another day of interviews there. When I arrive, I expect to find the team ... looking pretty much the same as it did Wednesday.
Yeah, Steve Smith left to sign with the Eagles. No, that's not a good thing for the Giants, who'd hoped to re-sign him. But they were already preparing for life without him, since they didn't expect him to return from his knee injury and contribute right away. It's a tough break for the Giants, who haven't had a very successful free-agency period. It's another score for the Eagles, who have had the most successful one of any team in the league. But I think it's easy to lose sight of the fact that not every team has to kill it in free agency in order to be a good team.
I get called out here very often for being only negative/never positive about the Giants. This criticism is unfair and inaccurate, of course, and I fully expect this missive to be forgotten the next time a Giants fan wants to get on me for writing something about the team that isn't 100 percent positive. But the Giants, remember, won 10 games last year. Their starting lineup is loaded with very good players on offense and defense. Eli Manning is a top-10 quarterback, Hakeem Nicks is emerging as a top young receiver and they remain stacked in the running game. The defensive line, led by Justin Tuck, is also deep and talented, and the starting secondary looks stellar in practice. If they keep their key guys healthy, the fact that they couldn't get anything done in free agency shouldn't stop them from being a playoff contender.
Are there concerns? Of course there are. There are unknowns at tight end, and No. 3 receiver, and left tackle and linebacker. There's little depth behind that starting secondary and in other key spots on the roster. It's entirely possible that the cap concerns that cost them Smith, Kevin Boss, Plaxico Burress and anyone else they were hoping to get rise up and hurt them at some point in the season.
But that's not what's guaranteed to happen. The Giants believe in grooming and developing their own players. And if they've done a good job of grooming William Beatty, Jason Pierre-Paul, Travis Beckum, Linval Joseph, Domenik Hixon and guys like that, then that'll mean they didn't have as much work to do in free agency in the first place. It's a lot to count on, but that's where the Giants are right now. Some of the young guys who've been working their way toward starter's roles have to be ready to take them on. If they're not, the Giants could have problems. But if they are, there are enough established good players on the team to shake off an unsuccessful summer and still have a successful autumn.
More Giants
Ralph Vacchiano continues to believe that Osi Umenyiora's visit to a knee specialist today portends an end to his contract dispute with the Giants. Ralph could be right, but as he points out, there's a chance the specialist backs up Umenyiora's claims of a knee injury, in which case the stalemate continues and things get uglier before they get better. Umenyiora is without a leg to stand on in this dispute, and it's possible he has come (or is coming) to the realization that it's time to let it go and get back on the field. But we'll see what the doctor says.
There is opportunity in the Giants' receiving corps right now, and Darius Reynaud had the best practice of anyone Wednesday. Mike Garafolo spoke with Reynaud about what drives him. (I mean what drives Reynaud, not Garafolo. It's rage that drives Garafolo. Pure rage. And coffee.)
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have a game tonight! A preseason opener against the Broncos. Expect the rookies on the offensive line to get more snaps than the rest of the starters, and expect David Buehler and Dan Bailey to alternate kick attempts as Jason Garrett works to sort out that sticky-but-important issue.
And while several key players will miss the game with injuries, it sounds as if the Cowboys expect to get Jay Ratliff, Mike Jenkins, Andre Gurode, Keith Brooking, Tashard Choice and DeMarco Murray back when they resume practice Saturday in Dallas. Terence Newman is the only one of the critical injuries that seems long-term at the moment, as he's out through the preseason at the very least.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have a game tonight! That's right, after all of this they still have to play. All eyes will be on the starting cornerbacks, at least while the starters are in the game. Paul Domowitch writes that the Eagles would do best to keep all three of the trio of Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and to use Asomugha in the slot while all three are on the field. Based on the conversations I had while in Eagles camp last week, it sounds as though Paul will get his wish.
As for the Philly side of the Steve Smith signing, Jeff McLane writes that it had nothing to do with the health of Jeremy Maclin, who still hasn't practiced or said why not. And I'm sure Jeff's sources are telling him the truth. But the fact is, whether it was part of their motivation or not, having Smith on the roster will, once he's healthy, give the team some coverage if Maclin does have any health issues. It also will give them some increased leverage in their contract talks with DeSean Jackson -- or coverage if they can't come to an agreement with him and he walks after the season. Depth is good and useful for many reasons, and the Eagles clearly have a great deal of depth right now -- at receiver and elsewhere.
Washington Redskins
One of the places where the Redskins have a little depth is at tight end, which is good, because this Chris Cooley knee injury is starting to sound like a serious concern. Cooley won't play Friday night, and it sounds as though quarterback John Beck's groin injury will keep that particular rocket from launching right away as well. So you'll see Rex Grossman throwing to Fred Davis. Among others.
I wrote about this a week or so ago and people were aghast, but yes, there is a chance that the Redskins don't start first-round pick Ryan Kerrigan at outside linebacker in the first week of the season. Why? Well, in case he's not ready, simple as that. They do still have Lorenzo Alexander, who played the position last year and can handle it while Kerrigan gets up to speed. They're deep at linebacker as well as tight end. So it would make more sense to take advantage of that, than to rush a kid who might not yet be ready, right?
Anyway, going to be a long day, folks. Final camp interviews at Giants include, I am told, some head-coach time with Tom Coughlin. Got a column running this afternoon on new Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and the nutty way he carries himself at practice. And I'll be up late watching the Eagles and Cowboys games and writing those up for you here. So right now I'm going to go for a run and get some coffee so we can get this thing started off the right way.
Yeah, Steve Smith left to sign with the Eagles. No, that's not a good thing for the Giants, who'd hoped to re-sign him. But they were already preparing for life without him, since they didn't expect him to return from his knee injury and contribute right away. It's a tough break for the Giants, who haven't had a very successful free-agency period. It's another score for the Eagles, who have had the most successful one of any team in the league. But I think it's easy to lose sight of the fact that not every team has to kill it in free agency in order to be a good team.
I get called out here very often for being only negative/never positive about the Giants. This criticism is unfair and inaccurate, of course, and I fully expect this missive to be forgotten the next time a Giants fan wants to get on me for writing something about the team that isn't 100 percent positive. But the Giants, remember, won 10 games last year. Their starting lineup is loaded with very good players on offense and defense. Eli Manning is a top-10 quarterback, Hakeem Nicks is emerging as a top young receiver and they remain stacked in the running game. The defensive line, led by Justin Tuck, is also deep and talented, and the starting secondary looks stellar in practice. If they keep their key guys healthy, the fact that they couldn't get anything done in free agency shouldn't stop them from being a playoff contender.
Are there concerns? Of course there are. There are unknowns at tight end, and No. 3 receiver, and left tackle and linebacker. There's little depth behind that starting secondary and in other key spots on the roster. It's entirely possible that the cap concerns that cost them Smith, Kevin Boss, Plaxico Burress and anyone else they were hoping to get rise up and hurt them at some point in the season.
But that's not what's guaranteed to happen. The Giants believe in grooming and developing their own players. And if they've done a good job of grooming William Beatty, Jason Pierre-Paul, Travis Beckum, Linval Joseph, Domenik Hixon and guys like that, then that'll mean they didn't have as much work to do in free agency in the first place. It's a lot to count on, but that's where the Giants are right now. Some of the young guys who've been working their way toward starter's roles have to be ready to take them on. If they're not, the Giants could have problems. But if they are, there are enough established good players on the team to shake off an unsuccessful summer and still have a successful autumn.
More Giants
Ralph Vacchiano continues to believe that Osi Umenyiora's visit to a knee specialist today portends an end to his contract dispute with the Giants. Ralph could be right, but as he points out, there's a chance the specialist backs up Umenyiora's claims of a knee injury, in which case the stalemate continues and things get uglier before they get better. Umenyiora is without a leg to stand on in this dispute, and it's possible he has come (or is coming) to the realization that it's time to let it go and get back on the field. But we'll see what the doctor says.
There is opportunity in the Giants' receiving corps right now, and Darius Reynaud had the best practice of anyone Wednesday. Mike Garafolo spoke with Reynaud about what drives him. (I mean what drives Reynaud, not Garafolo. It's rage that drives Garafolo. Pure rage. And coffee.)
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have a game tonight! A preseason opener against the Broncos. Expect the rookies on the offensive line to get more snaps than the rest of the starters, and expect David Buehler and Dan Bailey to alternate kick attempts as Jason Garrett works to sort out that sticky-but-important issue.
And while several key players will miss the game with injuries, it sounds as if the Cowboys expect to get Jay Ratliff, Mike Jenkins, Andre Gurode, Keith Brooking, Tashard Choice and DeMarco Murray back when they resume practice Saturday in Dallas. Terence Newman is the only one of the critical injuries that seems long-term at the moment, as he's out through the preseason at the very least.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have a game tonight! That's right, after all of this they still have to play. All eyes will be on the starting cornerbacks, at least while the starters are in the game. Paul Domowitch writes that the Eagles would do best to keep all three of the trio of Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and to use Asomugha in the slot while all three are on the field. Based on the conversations I had while in Eagles camp last week, it sounds as though Paul will get his wish.
As for the Philly side of the Steve Smith signing, Jeff McLane writes that it had nothing to do with the health of Jeremy Maclin, who still hasn't practiced or said why not. And I'm sure Jeff's sources are telling him the truth. But the fact is, whether it was part of their motivation or not, having Smith on the roster will, once he's healthy, give the team some coverage if Maclin does have any health issues. It also will give them some increased leverage in their contract talks with DeSean Jackson -- or coverage if they can't come to an agreement with him and he walks after the season. Depth is good and useful for many reasons, and the Eagles clearly have a great deal of depth right now -- at receiver and elsewhere.
Washington Redskins
One of the places where the Redskins have a little depth is at tight end, which is good, because this Chris Cooley knee injury is starting to sound like a serious concern. Cooley won't play Friday night, and it sounds as though quarterback John Beck's groin injury will keep that particular rocket from launching right away as well. So you'll see Rex Grossman throwing to Fred Davis. Among others.
I wrote about this a week or so ago and people were aghast, but yes, there is a chance that the Redskins don't start first-round pick Ryan Kerrigan at outside linebacker in the first week of the season. Why? Well, in case he's not ready, simple as that. They do still have Lorenzo Alexander, who played the position last year and can handle it while Kerrigan gets up to speed. They're deep at linebacker as well as tight end. So it would make more sense to take advantage of that, than to rush a kid who might not yet be ready, right?
Anyway, going to be a long day, folks. Final camp interviews at Giants include, I am told, some head-coach time with Tom Coughlin. Got a column running this afternoon on new Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and the nutty way he carries himself at practice. And I'll be up late watching the Eagles and Cowboys games and writing those up for you here. So right now I'm going to go for a run and get some coffee so we can get this thing started off the right way.
Bryan Broaddus has a somewhat extensive breakdown of performances from the Blue-White scrimmage the Dallas Cowboys had Sunday in San Antonio. Lots there if you want point-by-point analysis, but what interested me the most was his review of the right side of the offensive line. First-round pick Tyron Smith is of course slated to be the starting right tackle, and with Montrae Holland injured, fourth-rounder David Arkin started at right guard. Bryan liked what he saw from Arkin, on the whole:
Arkin doesn’t have the prettiest technique, but he shows the ability to play on his feet and stay after his man. He has an advantage in this scheme over Montrae Holland because Arkin can pull, trap and get on the edge. With him in the lineup, the team is more athletic on the front.
So that's interesting, since Holland isn't the surest thing in the world at right guard, where the team has a hole after cutting Leonard Davis early in free agency. There's been lots of chatter about whether the Cowboys would need to add a piece to the offensive line due to the departure of Davis, but it appears as though the team at least wants to give its fourth-round pick a chance to show he can do it.
Here's Bryan's review of Smith:
Smith was matched up against Anthony Spencer and was solid with his ability to get movement in the running game and as a pass protector. The more I get the opportunity to see Smith play live, the more I understand why he was the top-rated tackle in the draft by teams across the league. His ease of movement and patience is impressive.
Usually rookie offensive linemen will struggle with technique, overextend and have problems keeping their balance. Smith’s play has improved each day.
Encouraging, to say the least, if you're worried about keeping Tony Romo upright. The Cowboys re-signed the left side of their line, Doug Free and Kyle Kosier, and they're hopeful that center Andre Gurode will return from his knee surgery in time for the regular season. So the concerns lie on the right side, where at least one and possibly two rookies are in line to start. It seems as if the ability is there. The question -- as it is across the NFC East, where offensive lines are in flux -- is how quickly the group can jell together.
For the second night in a row, the Cowboys agreed to terms on a new contract with a key piece of the left side of their offensive line. This time, it's left guard Kyle Kosier, who will return to Dallas on a three-year deal worth about $9 million. Tuesday night, they reached agreement on a new deal with left tackle Doug Free.
The Cowboys' focus this offseason was going to be on defense, and in the end it will be. But these two offensive line moves were critical at the outset of free agency. Free was the big name everybody thought they had to keep, but Kosier makes a lot of the line calls from his spot on the left side and was a big help to Free last year in his transition from right tackle to left. With right guard Leonard Davis being cut and center Andre Gurode revealing that he had knee surgery last month, the Cowboys may still have some work to do on the interior of the line. But Free and Kosier were the two key moves, and each seems to have been pulled off without much difficulty.
Now, about those safeties ...
The Cowboys' focus this offseason was going to be on defense, and in the end it will be. But these two offensive line moves were critical at the outset of free agency. Free was the big name everybody thought they had to keep, but Kosier makes a lot of the line calls from his spot on the left side and was a big help to Free last year in his transition from right tackle to left. With right guard Leonard Davis being cut and center Andre Gurode revealing that he had knee surgery last month, the Cowboys may still have some work to do on the interior of the line. But Free and Kosier were the two key moves, and each seems to have been pulled off without much difficulty.
Now, about those safeties ...
Leaving no position unturned, we continue our look at potential four-year unrestricted free agency and the way it could play out in the NFC East. This afternoon we look at the center position, which seems set in Philadelphia with Jamaal Jackson, set in Dallas for now with Andre Gurode and perhaps in the future thanks to some later-round 2011 draft picks, but potentially up in the air in Washington and New York.
NFC East teams in need
Redskins: There is still Casey Rabach in the middle, but the Redskins' interior offensive line is a muddle. They could let Rabach go and move Will Montgomery or even Kory Lichtensteiger to center. They could stick with Rabach for another year and see what develops at guard on either side of him. Or they could go out and get a replacement for Rabach, who was something of a disappointment in 2010.
Giants: This isn't a real "need," but give me a break. I can't just put one team here. Shaun O'Hara remains one of the best in the business when healthy, but he wasn't healthy last season and is no sure bet to be fully healthy in 2011. The Giants were able to cover the injury thanks to the versatility of Rich Seubert, but O'Hara did just turn 34, and the Giants might soon be looking to their future at that position.
Top five potential free-agent centers
1. Olin Kreutz. His age (34) and the legendarily poor performance by the Bears' offensive line in 2010 work against Kreutz on the open market, but he's still a durable and effective run blocker who can help someone. He doesn't, however, look like a fit in Washington or New York, where they're likely seeking longer-term solutions if any.
2. Chris Spencer. A former first-round pick who started all 16 games for the Seahawks in 2010, Spencer is not yet 30 and is a solid option at the position for now and the near future.
3. Lyle Sendlein. The Cardinals will make it a priority to re-sign their emerging 27-year-old offensive line mainstay.
4. Samson Satele. Another young talent who becomes unrestricted if the threshold moves back to four years. He's been a reliable starter for Oakland the past two seasons and could draw open-market interest.
5. Casey Wiegmann. He's as reliable as anybody on this list, but he's also 38 and more likely to go back with Kansas City than he is to generate any free-agent market buzz.
Predictions that mean nothing: Redskins dabble with Spencer but ultimately commit money elsewhere (most likely defense) and give their line a year to shake out. The Giants do nothing, confident that they have good potential replacements in Seubert and Adam Koets and that they're better off addressing long-term offensive line needs at tackle if at all.
NFC East teams in need
Redskins: There is still Casey Rabach in the middle, but the Redskins' interior offensive line is a muddle. They could let Rabach go and move Will Montgomery or even Kory Lichtensteiger to center. They could stick with Rabach for another year and see what develops at guard on either side of him. Or they could go out and get a replacement for Rabach, who was something of a disappointment in 2010.
Giants: This isn't a real "need," but give me a break. I can't just put one team here. Shaun O'Hara remains one of the best in the business when healthy, but he wasn't healthy last season and is no sure bet to be fully healthy in 2011. The Giants were able to cover the injury thanks to the versatility of Rich Seubert, but O'Hara did just turn 34, and the Giants might soon be looking to their future at that position.
Top five potential free-agent centers
1. Olin Kreutz. His age (34) and the legendarily poor performance by the Bears' offensive line in 2010 work against Kreutz on the open market, but he's still a durable and effective run blocker who can help someone. He doesn't, however, look like a fit in Washington or New York, where they're likely seeking longer-term solutions if any.
2. Chris Spencer. A former first-round pick who started all 16 games for the Seahawks in 2010, Spencer is not yet 30 and is a solid option at the position for now and the near future.
3. Lyle Sendlein. The Cardinals will make it a priority to re-sign their emerging 27-year-old offensive line mainstay.
4. Samson Satele. Another young talent who becomes unrestricted if the threshold moves back to four years. He's been a reliable starter for Oakland the past two seasons and could draw open-market interest.
5. Casey Wiegmann. He's as reliable as anybody on this list, but he's also 38 and more likely to go back with Kansas City than he is to generate any free-agent market buzz.
Predictions that mean nothing: Redskins dabble with Spencer but ultimately commit money elsewhere (most likely defense) and give their line a year to shake out. The Giants do nothing, confident that they have good potential replacements in Seubert and Adam Koets and that they're better off addressing long-term offensive line needs at tackle if at all.
Dez Bryant eats with veteran teammates
April, 24, 2011
4/24/11
12:55
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
ESPNDallas.com's Calvin Watkins says troubled Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant tweeted late Friday that he had a meal with quarterback Tony Romo and center Andre Gurode.
Click here for the rest of the story.
Click here for the rest of the story.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Graziano
Graziano joined ESPN.com in 2011 after two years as a Senior NFL Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered Major League Baseball, the Olympics and various other sports during his time at the Star-Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. A New Jersey native and author of two published novels, he now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with his wife and two sons.
