So how might the Boys improve their Oline next year? Lets first look at what they have.

Doug Free is a keeper at tackle. He played R last year and has played L this year.
Kosier is their best interior lineman when healthy. But his contract expires after this season. He's 33 years old, I believe. I doubt they resign him.
Gurode cannot deal with speed anymore and his knee is arthritic. His contract goes through 2012. Time to move on.
Davis has completely lost his ability to deal with speed. He can no longer be trusted to make blocks in space. He is the most obvious cut.
Columbo tries his best. He's got attitude. But he can't handle speed anymore either. Just like Gurode, contract goes through 2012, but its time to move on.
Holland, when healthy, is showing himself to be serviceable. He's under contract for next year and probably sticks around as a starter at Guard next season.
Costa is getting his first game reps now with Kosier and Holland hurt. We'll find out if he's got any game. He's the most likely replacement for Gurode at center going forward. His play over the next couple weeks will tell us a fair amount about his future.

In summary, the team needs 4 new starters to join Free. Holland might be a 1 year stop gap at guard. Costa may or may not prove capable of succeeding Gurode. So for sure, we'll need a guard and a tackle. And this is just to fill out the starting lineup.

Assume they have a top 10 draft pick. Rafael Vela, at his new website, has a draft series going on with Wes Bunting. This linked post discusses top OTs. http://www.cowboysnation.com/2010/10/wes-w...mos-injury.html According to this article, this tackle class is not on the same level as last year's crew. The best of the bunch appears to be Sherrod from Miss St. A natural LT. While the article gives him a mid-first grade, its possible we force him and take him top 10. Plug him in at LT and slide Free back to the right side where I actually thought he was better last year.

But Dallas may go with a higher rated prospect in the Top 10. Either a CB or DE may provide better value (and fill other needs). According to Bunting's research, the tackle class' value is in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Dallas may use its ~40th pick for a RT and leave Free at LT. Then come back to the interior in rounds 3 and beyond. Bunting's post here, discusses some of the oline guys. http://www.cowboysnation.com/2010/09/wes-b...oys-o-line.html. It does not appear that there are elite guard or center prospects that warrant late first, early 2nd round grades as is often the case. No Iupati's, Pouncey's, Mangold's.

What it looks like based on Buntings evaluation of the draft class is that the value will likely be in rounds 2-4. I'd expect Dallas to take at least 2 OL in the first 4 rounds and probably at least 1 late round pick as well. So lets assume Dallas does take 2 guys in the first 4 rounds. Either a round 1/2 OT and a round 3/4 G/C.

Their line now looks like: Free LT, rookie LG, Costa? center, Holland RG, and Rookie RT. My take is Romo doesnt make it through the season next year with this line. So the only available option is free agency. I would not be surprised to see them sign someone to play inside at a moderate contract like Kosier was. Especially if Costa proves incapable.

Its looking more and more like this line will take a couple of years to remake

So I set out to try to divine what Wade and Company will settle upon in about 10 days as final cuts are made.  There is definitely turnover on the bottom of the roster, with a lot of UDFA's making a lot of noise.  A couple of surprises as well, as there always seem to be.  There were at least 5 guys who could have made the team in other times.

QB 2:  Romo, Kitna.  McGee is the surprise cut.  He is let go and hoped to make it onto the practice squad.  He just hasnt come on enough to justify keeping a very valuable roster spot.  We draft another next year.

RB 3:  Felix, MBIII, Choice.

FB 2: Anderson and Gronkowski.  Gronko makes it due to Phillips' injury.  Both will be key special teams players.

TE 2:  Witten and Martellus:  Rucker was a strong consideration.  Sicko too.  But both lose out to Gronko.  Sicko probably ends up on the practice squad.

WR 5:  Austin, Dez, Roy, Crayton, Ogletree.  The second area of surprise.  Only 5 WR.  Hurd has maxed out at WR.  He is strong on special teams.  But some other players, below, hopefully take that role.  Holley is another who misses out and hopefully makes it to the practice squad.  But ultimately, UDFA WRs aren't the most difficult guys to find.  He is more replaceable than most.

OL 10:  Free, Kosier, Gurode, Bigg, Columbo, Barron, Brewster, Hollland, Costa, and Young.   Young is borderline, but has apparently been better as camp has gone on.  We need all the young OL with potential we can get.

DL 7:  Rat, Igor, Spears, Hatcher, Bowen, Brent, Siavii.  Siavii is questionable, but he makes it as big guys are harder to find than smaller guys.  Lissimore gets to the practice squad.

ILB 4:  James, Brookings, Lee, J Williams.   Leon Williams is too inconsistent.  Possible practice squad guy.

OLB: 4:  Ware, Spencer, Williams, Butler.   Octavien is the last cut from this group.  But his upside is largely established.  He'll catch on with another club.

CB 5:  Newman, Jenkins, Scandrick, Gordon, McCann.  Good corners are hard to find.  You don't let young ones with potential go.

S 6:  Sensa, Ball, Hamlin, AOA, Chuch, McCray.  A lot of youth and inexperience.  A lot of upside and energy.  A lot of new special teams players.  Watkins is the last to go.  He'll also catch on with another team.

ST 3: McBriar, Beuhler, Ladouceur.   I'd love to see us pick up a vet place kicker as I don't trust Beuhler yet.  But I have a hard time seeing where he would go without forcing a hard cut elsewhere.

 

Its a roster heavy on DB.  But these guys make good special teamers usually.  And finding good young guys at these spots with upside is always a challenge.  Older guys with limted upside like Hurd, Watkins, and Octavien have to make way.   McGee is the toughest cut.  Giving up on your one developmental QB can't be easy.  But he hasn't shown enough, so he makes way for others who have.

What say you?

The draft has come and gone and we have 12+ new players to factor into our roster.  I wanted to take a stab at what the 53 man roster might look like.

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In the upcoming draft, Dallas has 2 fourth rounders, 3 fifth rounders, 2 sixth and 2 seventh round picks.   It got me wondering just how effective we've been with these later round picks?

Lets look at the current roster:

4th Round Picks

• Marion Barber
  
• Brady James
• Tashard Choice
  
• Doug Free
• Stanback

5th Round

• Scandrick
• Watkins

6th Round

• Deon Anderson
• Nick Folk

7th Round

• Ratliff
• Crayton
• Ball
• Brown
• McQuistan

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