As Cowboys training camp approaches, somewhat of a paradox surrounds the team. Excitement and confidence are plentiful, yet there are a multitude of question marks for the Cowboys on offense, defense, and special teams.
Who is going to be starting at left tackle? How about in the slot? Who will return punts and kicks? Will David Buehler win all kicking duties? Who will be the nickel linebacker? The free safety?
The Cowboys, as one of the league’s most talented squads (perhaps even the creme of the crop), sure do have a lot of question marks. But it is important to differentiate between a “question mark” and a “hole.” At this point, there are no obvious holes on the team–no blatant weak spots.
Instead, there are positions where dependable play has been replaced by potential. But why the switch? Why substitute an unknown commodity for dependability? Well, if you can only “depend” on a player for mediocre play, then plugging in the ‘potential,’ even if it is a risk, is probably the right move.
For example, who would you rather have starting at left tackle: a player who the Cowboys can count on for average play (Flozell Adams), or a player who has, say, a 75% chance of being a tremendous player, but could also flop (Doug Free)?
There is no right or wrong answer. Perhaps it is savvy to fill a team with both high risk/high reward players and more dependable ones with less upside. One thing I know, however, is that teams with mediocre players don’t win championships. Organizations that take chances win it all, and the Dallas Cowboys are taking a lot of calculated gambles heading into the 2010 season.
One such gamble is heading into camp with various positions “up for grabs.” In our new “Cowboys Training Camp Battles” Series, I will analyze these positional battles, detailing who I think will win each job and why.
In this first installment, I will take a look one of the Cowboys’ backup positions (albeit an important one)–the nickel linebacker spot.
Battle for the Nickel Linebacker Job……..to read more click here
