The Official Dallas Cowboys 2010 Off-Season Thread

[Male30Dan]

It looks like Wade is coming back due to the good regular season finish and the home playoff win. I am not completely sure how I feel about that. He made some poor decisions against Minnesota but him staying also means we don't have to go through the hullabaloo that bringing in a new coach introduces. Sometimes that stability is very good for a franchise. Hopefully we can build on a good year and come back and win 3 total playoff games after securing home field throughout. That would be the first time any team had played all playoff games at home, considering next year the Super Bowl is going to be at Cowboys Stadium. How awesome would that be if we managed to make it that far? One can dream.

There is an ESPN insider reference to the Cowboys possibly being interested in Brandon Marshall, (feel free to post that btw), so that is a big name already being linked to Dallas. Many might think he is a young version of TO in all the bad ways but he is a 100-reception, 1000+ yard, 10-TD guy that could be paired up with Miles Austin if the Cowboys could make a trade work. He also had, if my memory serves me right, a 23-catch performance, which broke TO's old SF record of 20 catches in a single game.

The offensive line needs some work but the absolute best option may be in-house. If Columbo is replaced by a quicker Free and we draft someone to either be the future LT or the future RT with Free sliding to Flo's spot when he finally hangs them up, I think we would be better off long term, but I am not certain that we would be better next year. Don't let this past game completely influence your decision about Columbo - he was a mauler and very talented prior to his leg injury. I think if anything, him starting over Free was a poor coaching decision as he likely wasn't 100%. There was a lot of interior pressure too so we may need to look at upgrading the LG spot where Mr. Kosier plays. There are other options, but I haven't looked at all of the Free Agents. All I know is that we got pushed around and bullied all day long in the trenches and that just isn't a good thing.

So, in your opinion, what makes this team a sure-fire Super Bowl team next year? A combination of a great OL-heavy draft and a trade for Marshall? A better Coverage Nickel LB? Signing a couple of OL to replace a couple of guys? Moving Phillips to FB and getting rid of Cricket? Simply improving due to the youth getting better from this experience, (Bennett, Scandrick, Spencer, Jenkins, Free, etc...)? Replacing Hamlin at FS? Finding a kicker that can get back to where we WERE with Folk, (btw - I wonder if he is going to be given another opportunity to shake the mental crap)? Etc...

Is it all just a pipe dream with this team being mental midgets that will never consistently put together 3-4 playoff games of smart football when it matters most? We have a long time before the draft, free agency, and training camp so, discuss away...