The REAL Direction of the Dallas Cowboy's Offseason

It is continually mentioned things just weren't addressed...

Leaving last season, there were some areas of concern that needed to be addressed. The foremost of all of these was the horrible coverage on coverage teams. DeCamillas was immediately brought in to redirect the conduct on special teams.

The nature of this part of the game was upgraded by a better group brought in by this draft. The inability for this unit to stop the opponent without major field position changes lost Dallas as many games last year as any other feature being addressed...first. That whole climate has changed-FACT.

Now, much of the short comings in the special team's play was due to a kicker's inability to kick deep for coverage units to excel. Then, with BOTH Felix Jones and Miles Austin injured for most of the season, return abilities dwindled as well. While Felix Jones was able to return for the team, the team was the 6th best in the NFL.

He averaged a whopping 27.1 yards a return. With Miles Austin healthy, this is a major advantage different from last season. Heck, even Stanback may prove, now healthy, to even be a major contributor there.

On the punt return side, Terence Newman has great skills that can be used in crucial games, as well can those of someone like Scandrick, and one of the new secondary 'rooks' is pretty polished as well. Reliability is found in Crayton for punts. He doesn't muff punts and his average is surprisingly respectable on punt returns.

Next, add in the field position consideration that dramatically returns with the healthy return of Mat McBriar. Now, with the addition of a drafted David Buehler, in the FIFTH round, the team can use it's kicking game more directed.

This special team's group should project up with the very best in the NFL this year, in all phases of that part of the game. That is 1/3 of a game's fight...

Now, as to NOT addressing problems...c'mon, quite ignoring the facts of the matter here:

So, here then, is the Cowboy's list of primary needs that needed to be addressed in free agency or in the draft.

1. A solid backup quarterback

Well, the team only went out and traded for Jon Kitna, who is a very capable and proven leader. He has a complete arsenal of throws and knows how to lead a team through rough times as well.

In addition to this, the Cowboys drafted one of the top five quarterbacks in this draft, Stephen McGee and did NOT reach for him via where he was selected. They got very good value for him at the top of the COWBOY's draft.

2. A starting middle linebacker

Here, in free agency, the Cowboys signed Keith Brooking. He is a proven commodity that still has much credibility at this point in his career. Everyone has been saying the Ray Lewis was operating on fumes for the past four seasons.

Nay-sayers would have called New England idiots for signing a whole group of 'senior citizen' the very year they rode them to the Super Bowl, and four consecutive years following that challenged the entire NLF with them.

This was solved, but not enough yet, as the top pick in this draft...the COWBOY part of it, was a player who will quickly push for this very position. The Cowboys drafted the fasted linebacker and one of the most talented in this draft—Jason Williams. He WAS the top player selected by this draft group.

3. At least two cornerbacks

Don't look now, but Dallas took the most productive pair of cornerbacks in collegiate football last year. The Cowboys drafted both, Mike Mickens and DeAngelo Smith from Cincinnati.

Heck, Macklin was a complete steal that dwarfs the picking of Canty by Parcells four drafts ago. Macklin was the number nine cornerback in this entire draft, with isolated coverage abilities.

He only lead collegiate play in interceptions, and the pair together were unmatched in collegiate play.

4. A starting caliber strong safety

Early on in the free agency, Dallas signed a very productive Sensabaugh. He is starting quality and is an aggressive defender that creates turnovers.

In addition to this, the Cowboys drafted Michael Hamlin, a coverage safety, and Steven Hodge who has similar abilities to Darren Woodson when he came onto the Cowboy's team. Hamlin was considered top 100 by many sources.

He was All-ACC in 2008, first team.

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