Glaring holes, especially in the defense; you can't discuss the Cowboys without talking about how the defense played in 2013.
Poor Monte Kiffen, he only had one year to take a mediocre defense and then totally revamp the system (sans the talent) and try to rebuild this unit into a "true blue" NFL powerhouse defense.
Can't be done, not by the "Tuna" not even by the "guru" himself - Jimmy Johnson. Yet, in all likelihood, Senior Kiffen somehow made the unit worse. In steps Rod Marinelli (whom the players actually liked) for 2014 and he will continue to implement a 4/3 scheme with personnel drafted and signed as free agents to help build a monstrous 3/4.
Photo by www.DallasCowboys.com Rod Marinelli calls Jason Hatcher: Big Daddy, DeMarcus Ware: Long Arms, George Selvie: Bricklayer, and Nick Hayden: Golden Cock. silverandbluereport.com
Oops, somewhere someone got in the way and the wheels fell off the Silver Star bus. Except the bus is owned by Jerry Jones and filled with Jerry Jones personnel. But hey, the marketing campaigns on the bus and the busses garage are completely sold out so it's no big deal.....wait.......NO BIG DEAL?
Nary a marketing peep from the coffers and registers at Jerry World as the tills are overflowing with cash. Except he can't spend it all because of this nasty little rule called a "salary cap". That damn little nuance law that keeps Jerry from owning the NFL.
Seems that "JJ" has learned how to sell but he can't build a football team to save his tanned and surgically enhanced hyde. None the less, Mr. Jerry has spent the last 3 years enjoying the financial acumen while steering his bus into a mediocre purgatory. Sadly, he can't buy his way out of this mess and with no general manager to fire/hire and/or blame, "JJ" finds himself trying to make chicken soup out of "chicken poop".
Well the recipe starts with realigning the old dudes and putting them in charge of starching the jock straps while the middle aged dudes still work on trying to figure out how to stop the Eagles, Redskins (RG3) and to a lesser degree the G-Men.
Since the "Boyz" can't buy their way out of purgatory the best they can hope for is a "spot on" draft. Except.....JJ hasn't done a very good job of that lately either......
As tragic as it all might seem, there is a legitimate shot at 9-7 in 2014 with the right pieces being brought in. And if history is allowed to repeat itself in 2015, we could actually see a 10-6 Cowboy team win the NFC Least (East) and just in time for Romo to ride off into the wonderful world of Pro-Am's and possibly a shot at a second career.
In order to have a successful draft, the Cowboys must trim some fat and that begins with such heroes as DeMarcus Ware as example (unless they franchise him for one season). Along with Spencer on the other side and Hatcher at DT, in fact the Cowboys line has got to go. I would keep Hayden and Selvie but mainly as rotating players and spend my first 2-3 picks on the defensive line.
In fact, I would take every pick the Cowboys have in the upcoming 2014 draft and invest on the defensive side of the ball. Even if only say 3-4 picks make the squad, the team can do no worse than they did in 2013. If executed properly, it is conceivable that the team could have 6-7 players make the squad and thus begin the transformation back to a legit 4/3 team.
By chance if a stud QB was to fall into the Cowboys lap, then you need to have serious round table discussions on finding the next Romo but I believe the Boyz can find his eventual replacement either in free agency or in the 1st round of 2015 draft.
With RB's being a "dime a dozen" the only true and glaring, dare I say "gaping hole" is on defense. If Sean Lee can stay health (yes that is a big "IF") then the cornerstone is there to build around.
I gotta run as my phone is ringing and the caller ID says "Frozen Hell"....
-Krip @crippledshark_krip