With the flurry of free agency acquisitions going on out the Valley Ranch way, the Cowboys biggest obstacle remains good ol' Father Time. They are desperately trying to surround the three bonefide, core, superstars with depth and younger talent. One can debate the merits of whether the careers of Jason Witten, DeMarcus Ware and Tony Romo are still on the up-tick, at the cusp or slowly starting down the hill. Either way, the time is NOW for the Dallas Cowboys. They have to make something happen while these three still possess Pro Bowl talent capable of leading the Cowboys to a title.
As age inches upward and durability trends downward, Cowboys brass realizes the urgency of fortifying the offensive line. Patchwork quilts just don't cut it when your franchise quarterback is in his 30's, and in back-to-back years, a broken collarbone coupled with broken ribs and a punctured lung have altered playing time. If Doug Free and Tyron Smith handle the flip-flop as Bill Callahan and the Cowboys expect them to, the perimeter of the OL seems foundational, but the interior, where Romo is most vulnerable, needs a few more pillars, of concrete, not salt. For those foo-fooing the thought of collecting an OG with the 14th overall selection in the first round of the Draft, think again. In today's NFL, with the rules slanted dramatically towards the offensive side of the ball, and you have a top-ten, franchise quarterback, you're potentially in every game. Even if you have to shoot it out in the OK Corral to get the job done. The Cowboys possess the needed fire power, but they MUST keep Romo upright and as clean as possible.
With OL upgrading a work in progress, the Cowboys must turn their sights and efforts to the biggest deficiency at Valley Ranch and Cowboys Stadium. When it comes to mounting a pass rush and applying constant, consistent pressure on the opposition quarterback, the cavern is Grand Canyon-like. This HAS to be a Draft focus, if not all-out assault. The Cowboys need look no further than Division-rival and Super Bowl Champion, New York Giants for the blueprint. No team was more decimated in the defensive secondary than the New York Giants started the 2011 season. Yet, the job still got done because of the relentless pass rush they mounted all year long. Cowboys fans, say all you want about the costly acquisition of CB Brandon Carr, his presence won't mean a darn thing without an opposition QB being hit and running for his life. The Cowboys must do something to generate pressure all along the defensive line. This is not just an Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware issue. This is totally about depth, scheme and speed. While the Cowboys will never again enjoy the front seven rotation they had while hoisting Lombardi trophies for SB's XXVII and XXVIII, they simply must get better, much better, and quickly!!!
You do not accomplish this via Free Agency. While the Buffalo Bills may have bought themselves the final piece to their defensive front, the outlay for Mario Williams made Brandon Carr look like a garage sale steal. Free Agency is all about overspending for someone else's goods they either don't want (must be reasons) or can't afford. Sooner or later, usually later when the girth of a free agency contract packs a wallop, a team will get hoodwinked in a huge way. The Cowboys know this as well as any team in the League. They have done numerous terms in Salary Cap Hell saddled with a heavy burden of "Dead" money.
So, whether Stanford's David DeCastro is the chosen one at the #14 slot, it has to be nothing be relentlessness and production that somehow, some way adds to the depth and production of the defensive line and OLB positions. Bringing the heat will do wonders for softening the blow of the Brandon Carr ransom. Need more food for thought on this matter and priority? How about four games (minimum) against the likes of Michael Vick and Robert Griffin III?
Enough Said.
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