As things stand right now, it looks as if the Dallas Cowboys have had a pretty disappointing off-season, and that’s putting things as nice as I really can.
Fortunately, with the good comes the bad and I decided that I would share with you what I see as the best and worst things that happened to America’s Team throughout the off-season.
Now, I know you might not agree with everything I say. The good thing is that this is just one person’s opinion and you, the readers, can certainly chime in and agree or disagree with anything I have to say.
I decided to break it down to the best and worst things that happened to the offense and then do the same thing to the defensive side of the ball. All of these circumstances will have some kind of impact on the 2016 season, but we have no way of predicting that as of yet.
Without further ado, here are the best and worst things that happened to the Dallas Cowboys on offense and defense during the off-season.
Offense
Best:
This might be the most obvious out of everything that happened to the Dallas Cowboys during the off-season, but the return of quarterback Tony Romo and the addition of Ezekiel Elliott should once again make the offensive unit one of the best in the entire NFL.
The good news is that Romo was able to fully participate in all of the off-season practices and was moving around better than he has been able to for the past couple seasons. He wasn’t limited in any way by his collarbone and the extra time off allowed his back to have even more time to heal and recuperate. This is all excellent news!
Ezekiel Elliott’s addition transforms an already potent offense into a lethal force. Elliott is the perfect fit to run in the Cowboys zone blocking scheme, which will allow the offensive line to get back to what they do best, unlike last season when they had to use more man concepts in the running game. His addition will also help every single player on the offensive side of the ball take their game to the next level.
*Honorable mention-Dez Bryant returning to 100%
Worst:
Okay, there really isn’t anything bad to mention on the offensive side of the ball, more of a disappointment.
Stephen Jones mentioned that Chaz Green could push Doug Free for the starting right tackle position earlier in the off-season, but that never materialized in OTA’s or mini-camp practices. He seemed to continue to get better with more practices, so maybe he just needed to knock off some rust to get things going.
Training camp will be huge for Green if he wants to try and push Doug Free for the starting position at right tackle, but his best bet might be to win the swing tackle spot first and then go from there.
Defense
Best:
In all honesty, there wasn’t a lot of good that happened to Dallas Cowboys defense throughout the off-season. However, I think the Cowboys’ decision to sign former division rival defensive tackle, Cedric Thornton, will pay huge dividends in the middle the defense.
Thornton should be a big upgrade over Nick Hayden at the 1-tech in Rod Marinelli’s 4-3 defensive scheme. He is not only a really good run defender, but he should be able to put more pressure on the opposing QB and help collapse the pocket.
Playing next to Thornton, Tyrone Crawford should benefit the most and wreak havoc from the 3-tech. I think this is where the majority of the Cowboys pass rush will come from, at least the first month of the season.
I’m really expecting big things from Cedric Thornton in 2016 and that might be why the Dallas Cowboys made him their biggest signing in free agency.
*Honorable mention-Orlando Scandrick returning to 100%
Worst:
Is this even worth mentioning?
One of the worst things imaginable that could’ve happened to the Dallas Cowboys during the off-season happened, and it went down in a big way.
The worst is absolutely when the announcement was made that Rolando McClain will miss 10 games of the season because of his suspension, but the four-game suspensions that was handed down to both DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory might hurt just as much.
Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli will have to work his magic with the defense and help his players once again outperform what is expected of them.
Training camp will be huge for the Dallas Cowboys in order to figure out who will fill in for the suspended players and the decisions they make could impact the way the 2016 season goes.
What are your best and worst things that happened to the Dallas Cowboys during the off-season?
Please use the comment section below to share your thoughts and opinions about the Dallas Cowboys off-season.
I like the idea of this article but it is a fairly "shallow" assessment. For ex. you fail to mention the incredible depth right now at RB, addition of Alfred Morris and Round 6 draft pick Jackson. Brice Butler having a full training c amp to push out useless Devin street. No mention at the DEPTH of D-line, expected growth of David Irving, Jack Crawford, Ryan Russell. No Benson Mayowa? The addition of draft picks Charles Tapper and Maliek Collins? Byron Jones at his true Safety position and no need for Wilcox? The return of a healthy Tyrone Crawford. Scandrick returning might be HUGE. Switching positions for Claiborne and Brandon Carr? Lots to be positive/excited about right now, at least on paper. Health always a critical factor but we'll see when the pads come on.
Thanks for commenting Ethan. I like to hear any kind of feedback from readers whether it's negative or positive. First off, these were the best and worst things that I thought happened to the Cowboys during the off-season. I agree that the Cowboys have incredible depth at running back, but is it better than Tony Romo returning and Ezekiel Elliott become the lead back? I really like Brice Butler as well, but I think Devin Street pushed himself off the roster. Yes, the Cowboys have depth along the defensive line, but it still not really anything to stand up and cheer about. I think the addition of Cedric Thornton will help Tyrone Crawford immensely, but other and that there are a lot of question marks. Benson Mayowa is probably nothing more than a pass rush specialist. His size probably wont allow him to stand up to the pounding he would take as a full-time starter. I agree that the return of Scandrick is huge for the defense and that's why he received an honorable mention in the article. He probably would have fallen under the best category, but he didn't because we have yet to see him practice. Same with Dez Bryant. Yes, there are a lot more positives that I could've mentioned, but I was trying to focus on the absolute worst and best of the Cowboys off-season.