Cowboys starting left guard tryouts

by Dave Halprin on Aug 26, 2008 10:00 AM CDT in News Comment 28 comments

So the Cowboys are holding open tryouts Thursday for a starting left guard. Well, open if your name is Pat McQuistan, Joe Berger or Cory Procter. Not content with what they’ve seen so far from their primary backup, Joe Berger, Dallas will shift McQ inside from his right tackle spot and give him a chance. Berger is still in the mix and Procter is going to get some time too, although with Gurode not playing that means Ryan Gibbons will get some time at center on Thursday. Watching our offensive line against Minnesota will be of interest to Cowboys fans everywhere.

I’ve never been impressed with McQ’s work out at tackle; he doesn't have the footwork and agility necessary to deal with the quality pass rushing ends in the league. At the end of the last preseason game, a guy went right around him and knocked the ball from Brad Johnson’s hands. Luckily a penalty wiped out the play. Moving him inside might be the ticket as it was for another player at tackle, albeit one with a much higher level of talent, Leonard Davis. The principle remains the same, they may struggle in space, but inside where they have protection on both sides can play to their strengths. We’ll see if McQ is ready for primetime.

If not, then it could be Joe Berger, who received a lot of praise in camp but I never quite saw what the big fuss was about. They might have liked his play, but if they’re contemplating moving McQ inside, which might kick James Marten back outside, they must not be all that sure about his play. That’s a lot of movement to initiate and they wouldn’t do it unless they had doubts.

I don’t see Cory Procter as the guy who will win this competition. He’s had too many soft moments in the middle this preseason to be a starting guard. My guess is he remains at backup center/emergency guard.

Wade puts it this way.

"We're looking at all three of those guys this week," head coach Wade Phillips said. "All of them will get an opportunity to play in the game. We should have some idea what we'll do after the game."

Please, someone step up.

Terence Newman returned to practice.

Todd Archer on all kinds of Cowboys stuff.

Here’s a good look at all of our injuries and our options.

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money quote from the injury article

talking about Carp replacing Burnett

Replacement option: Bobby Carpenter would be his replacement as the linebacker on passing downs. It’s the first significant opportunity for Carpenter since being taken in the first round in 2006. He hopes to make the most of it. He has had a good camp and preseason. He plays fast and knows where to be. However, the Cowboys still don’t believe he is physical enough.

Not physical enough, boy, where did we hear that before?

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Aug 26, 2008 10:32 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

real good source Terry

Where’s the link?

The being physical quote was last years news. This year it has never been mentioned from Wade or anyone else.

Look up... get up...Don't ever, ever give up!!

by Boyzfan94 on Aug 26, 2008 11:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Grizz linked it above

and anyone with eyes can clearly see Carp is too soft and weak to play inside in a 3-4, you just choose to ignore it because it makes your boy look bad, but its the truth.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Aug 26, 2008 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's too bad Clarence can't find a quote

on that and has to make it up because that’s not his problem this year.

Look up... get up...Don't ever, ever give up!!

by Boyzfan94 on Aug 26, 2008 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

thats exactly his problem this year

and always will be his problem as long as he’s playing inside. He’s strictly a 4-3 OLB who likes to operate in space instead of mixing it up with blockers and for his sake, I hope we trade him to a team that can use him correctly.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Aug 26, 2008 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll be sure to foward that Coach Terry

to Parcells who thought otherwise. I know your football knowledge is far superior to his…. :)

Look up... get up...Don't ever, ever give up!!

by Boyzfan94 on Aug 26, 2008 4:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah Terry!

Parcells NEVER made any mistakes with draft picks except Julius Jones and Jacob Rodgers and Stephen Peterman and Bruce Thornton and Anthony Fasano and Skyler Green. Yeah except for those guys, so OBVIOUSLY Bobby can play any LB spot in the the 3-4 because Bill thought he could.

The greatest two yard run ever!

by WB3forMB3 on Aug 26, 2008 7:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You got that right pops....

that’s why he is a HOF coach.

Look up... get up...Don't ever, ever give up!!

by Boyzfan94 on Aug 26, 2008 8:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Parcells didn't draft him as a 3-4 ILB either

if you recall Carp was supposed to be our insurance against Ellis making the successful transition to OLB.

Nice try Boyz but shot down once again.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Aug 27, 2008 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Glad to see Newman is back

May the best man win the LG competition. I think we’ll be ok. Our schedule starts tough, but we’ll be fine as long as we go 2-2 or better in the first 4 games. We’ll get healthy (hopefully) as we hit the soft spot in the schedule.

by grapejoos on Aug 26, 2008 10:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Me 2 on Newman.

I’d like to see him get at least a quarter of action this week.

Maybe I’m behind, but why isn’t Marten involved in this LG mix? Is it just because they want him to swing out at RT because they’re counting on McQ taking the LG spot?

That #38 sure should wrap up!

by Aaron Novinger on Aug 26, 2008 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Marten

I think he’s in danger of getting cut. He’s already been tried at RT and failed, now tried at LG and failed. What else can they do with him? Maybe he can go on the PS so we don’t have to waste a roster spot on a guy who won’t be playing.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Aug 26, 2008 5:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

not much

"If you see me up in the mountains with a lion, I ain't lyin
don't help me, help the mountain lion"

by Wmillion on Aug 26, 2008 5:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of all the linemen going down...

Kosier is the least critical.

He’s always been solid. He gets bull-rushed from time to time, but he pulls, combo blocks, and gets to his second assignment as well as anyone. We’ll miss his consistency.

by GhostofGaryHogeboom on Aug 26, 2008 12:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I love Nate

yesterday mickey and rob on yesteday’s talking cowboys both were insisting that Joe Berger would be the one to come in because he was the one practicing for that position. Low and behold that same day guess who was the guy practicing with the first team: McQ not berger. Right now I am listening to today’s talking cowboys Nate was not suprised at all by the move. Nate felt that McQ was better suited because it was an easier transition to go from tackle to guard. Mickey acknowledged that they got feedback yesterday in regards to McQ and they initially dismissed and also noticed that McQ was practicing with the 1st team OL. Again Nate brings up not what the coaches had said but the fact that he saw Joe and Cory struggle in the preseason games that they were being pushed back consistently. This is why I love Nate, his understanding of the game and in particular the cowboys is far above what our regular reporters can provide.

by cowboy78 on Aug 26, 2008 2:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

obviously guys who played the game

are far more knowledgeable than just your average Joe reporter and this is proof. Thats why I can’t understand why so many fans throw Emmitt under the bus because even though he doesn’t have the greatest command of the English language, the substance of what he says is always right on because he obviously knows the game as well as anyone.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Aug 26, 2008 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's ironic

because it was nate on one of the podcasts who said he thought Berger might be pushing Kosier for his job, so although Wade did allude to it in one presser without going so far, Nate’s the one who really started all those rumors in the first place. But that was early in camp, and apparently after seeing the preseason games he thinks McQ is the best suited to step into that role now.

by scottmaui on Aug 26, 2008 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I remember hearing Nate

enthusiastic about hamBerger’s play. Got my hopes all high.

That #38 sure should wrap up!

by Aaron Novinger on Aug 27, 2008 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Emmitt sucks Terry ....seriously....the substance ?..lacking at that as well...

I love ‘em, but he wasn’t, isn’t, and never will be considered a good analyst….If he’s on air beyond this year I’d be simply amazed…He should be coaching the RB’s here in Dallas…….

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on Aug 26, 2008 4:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1 I agree as well

twice in two days. Were on a roll Boyz…lol.

The guy should NOT be an analyst. I’m just surprised after the disaster experience he had on NFL Network he was able to get another job. Some people have it naturally, Emmit does not!

Look up... get up...Don't ever, ever give up!!

by Boyzfan94 on Aug 26, 2008 4:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

good entertainment value, though ;)

by scottmaui on Aug 26, 2008 5:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

so on and so forth

That #38 sure should wrap up!

by Aaron Novinger on Aug 27, 2008 12:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

step it up

although not to impressed with either"s performance thus far, McQ seemed to hold up slightly better, they got to get it together, we play blitz crazy teams in our division alone, hopefully some of the starters nastyness rubs off on him.
Hooray for T-New!

by bleedn blu on Aug 26, 2008 3:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

NICE

Strahan reportedly decides to stay retired

link

"If you see me up in the mountains with a lion, I ain't lyin
don't help me, help the mountain lion"

by Wmillion on Aug 26, 2008 5:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

Good for us, good for him, and bad for the Midgets.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Aug 26, 2008 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well at least he didn't stretch it out

and make a big drama out of it like some other player…

Michael Strahan told Foxsports.com on Tuesday that he thought long and hard about returning to the field but decided to remain retired.

“This has been one of the toughest nights of my life,” Strahan told the Web site from his vacation in Greece.

Long and hard for Strahan was overnight. What did it take Favre, three months? lol

by scottmaui on Aug 26, 2008 5:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

GREEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT POINT…

Unless he really needs the money, what is the point? If he comes back and sustains a lingering injury he will not be happy about his decisions and without Osi and Wilson they don’t have a chance to repeat..

"If you see me up in the mountains with a lion, I ain't lyin
don't help me, help the mountain lion"

by Wmillion on Aug 26, 2008 7:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs