My plan to take the Cowboys to the SB.

Everyone else was doing it, so I thought I would too. 

Obviously we need OL depth.  And I don't mean depth like serviceable backups, I mean guys who can legitimately challenge a starter.  Stop drafting guys who can adequately play 2 OL positions and instead draft a guy that you know is dominant at one.  If a LT that is truly superior to Doug Free is available through trade, the Cowboys need to look into acquiring him.  If not, they will need to get some help in the draft.  I'm also wondering if Colombo could play guard, and eager to see what kind of ability Brewster has.  In my perfect world, we find a starter for LT, Free takes Colombo's spot and Colombo takes Kosier's spot, instantly upgrading our power on interior runs.

At WR, more than anything else, Dallas needs RW to play to his ability and for Ogletree to take his game to the next level, challenging Crayton.  I think Ogletree can be both a deep threat and a Wes Welker type slot receiver, but he is still raw.  Williams has size and leaping ability that is hard to find, and just needs to learn how to make the right reads, and run his routes properly.  This will be Williams' third season with the Cowboys and 2nd offseason, so hopefully he will make a leap mentally.

If they do anything with the TE/FB situation, which I think is solid, they need to find a true annihilator at FB.  Cricket is a good guy, but I want someone that is a guaranteed pancake on every run.  He touched the ball once last year, so I don't buy that we need someone who can also catch passes and/or be an effective short yardage runner.  We use our TEs in that role if we do want someone to catch.  Obviously Bennett needs to step up, but I think being called out by the owner and this being his 3rd season will enable him to show that growth.  If not, Phillips has shown that he is good 2nd TE.

At RB, they need to reshuffle the current work load. Ignoring their contracts, Jones should be the starter, Barber the 3rd down and short yardage back, and Choice the backup for both roles. Barber is an animal as a pass blocker, is highly effective on dump off passes on 3rd and long, and not being the starter would save wear and tear on him over the season (and his career). That’s the role that earned him the big contract, so why not put our aces in their places?

At DL, they need to find a legitimate backup for Ratliff.  As difficult as it is to find a space eating monster that fills the role of traditional NT, it is even more so to find someone with Ratliff's skill set.  As a backup, they would likely have more success finding a guy who can just be a rock in running situations and relieve Ratliff on first and second down for some series.  DE is solid if not spectacular, but there are very few spectacular 3-4 DEs, and that doesn't seem to be a need.

The biggest help at LB would be if the rookies from this year prove to be capable.  They offer athleticism at ILB that none of the current top 3 can match.  It might not be a bad idea to try to find a couple more potentials mid to late in the draft, because Brooking isn't going to last forever and Carpenter and James are average.  OLB is our strongest position, and if the rookies can show growth and Curtis Johnson can develop, we are probably set here for years.

Orlando Scandrick showed improvement throughout the year, and if he can make a similar leap this year that Jenkins made last year, he may be able to challenge Newman as the starter.  I think that would also allow Dallas to move Newman to covering slot receivers where he always excelled in years past.

The problem at S is that Hamlin isn't an athletic playmaker, and that guys with his field generalship and communication are rare.  If you're going to replace Hamlin, you have to be sure that it's with someone that can line the other guys up as well as him.  This will be Ball's 4th season, so I think this is the year where he shows that he can either take Hamlin's spot or if he will be a career backup.  The key for him is film study and communication, in my opinion, because he's a great athlete. 

I sincerely hope that Buehler hired a personal kicking coach and is developing his FG skills, because devoting 2 spots to kicker hurts both our depth and ability to develop other young players.  However, if not, Dallas needs to find someone who can reliably make FGs.  If no one in training camp establishes themselves as that guy, then just go with Buehler, because it's not like we're having success there anyway.  Why waste the roster spot on a specialist that can't fulfill his role?

This is the first year that I go into the next season honestly believing that we have one of the top 5 QBs in the league.  Kitna is about as solid as you're going to get for a backup.

How 'bout them Cowboys?!