A Few Thoughts As The Dust Settles

With Chris Canty heading to New York, Steven Bowen and Jason Hatcher appear set for a possible training camp battle barring any major moves to acquire a defensive lineman. There is still the option of moving Ratliff to end if the Cowboys can find a defensive tackle to plug up the middle in free agency or the draft but I wouldn't be disappointed if the Cowboys start Spears, Ratliff and Bowen or Hatcher. Hatcher has made some plays before but he will have to prove the he can handle the full load of snaps required of a starter. It is easy to be explosive when you only have to play in short stretches during the game. Ratliff is quite a luxury to have since he is able to create havoc from either the end or the tackle position.

How much would the Dallas media and ESPN have criticized Jerry Jones if he had signed Chris Canty to the same contract that the Giants gave him? Of course now that the Giants overpaid for his services they are deemed to have made a brilliant move. The constant criticism of Jerry Jones as a general manager is really getting old. Who assembled all of the talent on the current Dallas roster anyway? I guess Jerry gets no credit for that. He has made mistakes, but at least he aggressively tries to improve his team. There are many owners out there who just run their team as a financial investment but Jerry Jones does anything he can to try to bring a championship to Dallas.

Anyone who honestly believes that Tony Romo will get benched in favor of Jon Kitna at some point during the season needs to get their head checked. I don't know how else to explain it, but Tony Romo is the franchise quarterback now and for years to come. The "fans" planning to chant Kitna's name the first time Romo struggles need to decide if they are really fans of the Dallas Cowboys. Tony Romo is the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. Deal with it. Kitna is a major upgrade at the backup position, but he is only going to be the backup.

Keith Brooking seems like a solid addition but he will have to prove that he still has something left in the tank. I thought Zach Thomas was going to be a great addition last season and it became apparent early in the season that there was a reason the the Dolphins let him move on. Thomas had an ok year but it was obvious that he was not the player Dallas had hoped he would be. I pray we don't come to the same realization with Brooking. He seems like an active, aggressive, fiery player and I believe he can make a significant impact next season as a player, leader and team motivator. Brooking is a big believer in the defensive scheme that Wade Phillips runs and has experience playing in it so that can only help his chances to be successful.

Losing Anthony Henry doesn't suddenly make the Cowboys thin at the cornerback position. Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins are primed to step in and play great football in their second seasons. And don't forget about Alan Ball. He was forced into duty during the Tampa Bay game last year and made several plays down the stretch to help win the game. Safety is still a major concern, but the Cowboys still have four good players at the cornerback position.