August 13, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) makes a catch in front of Oakland Raiders defensive back Ron Bartell (21) in the first quarter at O.Co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-US PRESSWIRE

1) Dez Bryant is acrobatic and physical beast. The leaping back shoulder grab he made was almost perfect, and that throw is almost indefensible, especially with defenses worrying about his down field big play ability. If he can stay healthy and no suspensions are levied by Commissioner Goodell, this could be a breakout and Pro Bowl year for the 3rd year Veteran.

2) Who starts between Dan Conner and Bruce Carter? Who cares! They both were on the field with the first team defense. Bruce Carter took snaps at the vacant OLB spot because of an injured Anthony Spencer. He showed some good quickness, but a little bit of assignment “brain fart” (if you will). This is to be expected because it is not his normal position and this is the first preseason game; no harm, no foul.

3) Our safeties are better this year than they have been the previous three years. I am so glad that Ken Hamlin, Alan Ball, and Abe Elam are no longer back there. Maybe it was beginners luck, but Barry Church likes to hit. He has quick instincts and breaks on the ball. What is even better, is that he is a “wrap up” tackler. He can bruise with his hits, but he follows through the tackle to ensure the ball carrier is on the ground. With the upgrades made at corner with Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, I can see a good year (secondary wise) from our Dallas Cowboys. This all rests on the health of Morris Claiborne AND Mike Jenkins. We need both of them back and pronto.

4) Marcus Spears doesn’t want to lose his job. He pulled a page out of Denzel Washington’s book and played like a Man on Fire Monday night. He was using that huge frame and 1st round draft pick pedigree, throwing his weight around, and making plays. Why haven’t we seen this the entire time he’s been here?? He is one of the main reasons I celebrated when the Cowboys didn’t draft Michael Brockers (another 1st round bust DL out of LSU). Has he done enough to save himself a roster spot. or will the Cowboys give it to the youngsters (Sean Lissemore & Clifton Gathers)?

5) Dan Bailey is still the man. This kid has had ice water running through his veins since he joined the Cowboys camp last year. My only question is… How is Bailey only kicking four or five FG’s per practice session? I am following undrafted rookie kicker, Justin Tucker, (formerly kicker for the Texas Longhorns) and son of a co-worker of my wife. I see reports that he has kicked over 60 FG’s at the Ravens practice. I want to see that from Bailey, and whoever else we have on the roster. That is all.

6) I don’t even want to talk about the offensive line today. Plus, I told you in the beginning that it would only be five things… stay tuned next week. It won’t be as bad; I hope.

Teetering back-and-forth on what exactly the Dallas Cowboys should do with the 14th overall pick in this April’s upcoming NFL draft and until free agency runs its course one can only speculate at this point as to what the Boys in blue are to do…nonetheless a conclusion has been brought to pass.

Sep 3, 2011; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Mak Barron (4) wraps up Kent State Flashes wide receiver Tyshon Goode (5) at Bryant Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE

Every fan of the Dallas Cowboys knows that the need of a space eating nose tackle that can collapse the middle of the pocket in Rob Ryan’s defense is paramount. Equally as such is the need of a shutdown cornerback who can damper the offensive production of the oppositions number one wide receiver.  Lack of a ball hawking safety, interior lineman issues, both depth and linebacking issues opposite DeMarcus Ware and a quality pass rushing defensive end all follow suit and lend to the myriad of positional issues for Dallas going into the 2012 NFL season.

Which issues get resolved via free agency and which are addressed via the NFL draft? Where exactly do the Cowpokes begin?

Some Dallas faithful believe the interior offensive line needs to be addressed early on along with the cornerback position. But if Dallas does not commit the fourteenth overall pick on guard David DeCastro then do not fret. Those faithful few can breathe a huge sigh of relief in knowing that Mike Mayock recently stated, “In the first three rounds, you can get a lot of quality at center and guard.”

Should the Cowboys re-sign Abram Elam? Elam knows Ryan’s defensive scheme, but he might want a long-term deal. But then do the Cowboys faithful really want to see another season without a game changing safety occupying the secondary?

Speculation that Terrance Newman will be cut has many fans clamoring for a first round cornerback but,  thanks to Landry Hat cohort Greyson Jones, only 17.2% of cornerbacks drafted in the first two rounds have been named to the pro bowl since 2004. The Cowboys fanatic faithful will clearly look past this stat due to the glaring hole that needs to be addressed undoubtedly. But rest assured that value in the second round will certainly be available and no one can guarantee that Dre Kirkpatrick will be the shutdown corner that most Dallas fans desire to have.

One interesting note found from Rotoexperts.com’s NFL scout Jayson Braddock on Dre Kirkpatrick: “Dre benefited from playing with a safety like Mark Barron behind him and became too dependant upon him.”

The analyst also intimated that Barron’s style of play and ability to cover ground is what allowed Dre Kirkpatrick to thrive in the Alabama pro-style defense and that without a safety such as Barron to play behind the young cornerback prospect, Kirkpatrick, could struggle with his transition to the NFL.

Team general manager Jerry Jones has failed miserably at addressing the safety position since losing Darren Woodson to retirement in 2004. Whiffing on draft picks such as Roy Williams and Tony Dixon and then signing free-agent band-aids Ken Hamlin, Gerald Sensabaugh and Abram Elam, to place over the seven year gapping hole left by Woodson’s departure, only lends proof to Jones’ failure as a general manager to address the all-important position.

Bryan Broaddus surmises it best, “As other NFL teams have been able to fill this all-important position, the Cowboys have continued to struggle to find the right mix.”

If Jerry Jones decides to not re-sign Abram Elam then Jones’s is even less likely to throw big money at San Francisco 49ers free agent safety Dashon Goldson. Goldson will not only be a tough buy from the bay area after having a career year playing behind a stalwart front seven in San Francisco but the twenty-seven year old safety’s price tag has escalated.

If the Dallas Cowboys are dead set on drafting the best player available when the time comes this April then the obvious choice should be to go with Alabama safety, Mark Barron.

Not that Mel Kiper Jr. is the end all be all when it comes to draft analysis but just like Mike Mayock and Todd McShay, who have all had their hits and misses, Kiper Jr. seems to agree. Kiper Jr. admits to debating between Kirkpatrick and Barron himself, “I debated those two for Dallas and Barron is the better player. You take the better player. He has the better ball skills and he’s a safety.”

For the mainstays within the Dallas secondary both Mike Jenkins and Gerald Sensabaugh don’t seem to be going any where any time soon. Sensabaugh has performed well at times and looks to continue to be a mainstay in the Dallas defense for at least a couple more seasons and drafting a young, strong, and physical safety to play alongside Sensabaugh seems to only make sense for the Cowboys in this year’s upcoming NFL draft.

Many analysts and draftniks alike felt as if Alabama safety Mark Barron wouldn’t be available when Dallas is on the clock but due to a recent double sports hernia Barron could likely slide to the Cowboys at the 14th slot.

The Dallas Cowboys can’t possibly address all the team issues with this years draft but coupling the draft with free agency the Cowboys should be able to find a happy medium using the two means to end the positional needs going into the 2012 season.

Mark Barron is a playmaking ball hawk who can punish ball carriers and does forcibly so. Barron being a student of the game by spending ample amounts of time in the film room only lends to his being an instinctive player who engages well at the point of attack. Barron can sometimes be overly aggressive but has both the make-up and mentality to become a physical imposing force on the field.

NFLmocks.com had this to safe about the Alabama safety: Mark Barron will bring a hard nosed winning style of play to any NFL team that decides to draft him.  He possesses above average size and speed for the safety position and utilizes those abilities to make a difference on the field.

There is no denying that the Dallas Cowboys need to improve a the pass rush along with their secondary but lets not forget that New York Giants pass rushers Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan and Justin Tuck were drafted in the second and third rounds. All these current and former NFC East rivals were and are quality pass rushers who were drafted outside the first round of the NFL draft.

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First we take a look at quarterback.  The players are the same with Tony Romo headlining.  Romo had an outstanding season in 2009.  He threw 26 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and was sacked 34 times.  The presumption is that Romo elected to hold the ball and accept an 8 yard sack rather than to throw the ball up for grabs which could lead to an interception.   Strangely enough, simply throwing the ball out of bounds/away was never really discussed.  Romo turns 30 in 2010.  He is certainly capable of duplicating and improving upon the statistics of 2009; however, for the sake of argument, I will be a bit pessimistic.  With an aging offensive line, a less than stellar running game (based upon the Cowboys performance in the pre-season), as well as the initial health of the offensive line for the first few games (Colombo and Kosier), the presumption is that Romo will have a worse year in 2010 than 2009.  As a counterpoint, Romo has stated that he likes to focus on one area each year and improve upon the same during the off season.  Prior to 2009, he worked on fumbling less and holding onto the ball with two hands while scrambling.  His fumbles decreased from 13 in 2008 to 6 in 2009.  He has refrained from tipping his hand as to what he has worked on this off-season, but I believe it is the back shoulder throw.  He demonstrated the same in a few pre-season games.  The back shoulder throw (as EVERY TV analyst will tell you) is not defensible.  So on paper, I’m going to say this is a push.  Romo will do well, but not better or worse.

Now we turn our attention to the offensive line (the main reason Romo will not do better than 2009).  Doug Free has played as well as could be expected during the pre-season.  He practices against two of the best pass rushers in the league and has been giving a passing grade by the coaching staff.  At left tackle, Free in 2010 is better than Flozell Adams in 2009 and ABSOLUTELY better than Adams in 2010.  However, continuity on the entire offensive line is important.  Silent communication and having a feel for the player(s) next to you is often overlooked and undervalued.  Free will eventually play next to Kyle Kosier; however, as Kosier rehabbs from his knee injury, they will miss too much time to develop the silent chemistry.  That should not be a problem between Kosier and Andre Gurode as they have played next to each other for the past 4 years.  Colombo will return to the field for the first game of 2010.  The 2010 version of the Cowboys offensive line will be one year older coming into the season dinged up.  Despite Free being an upgrade at left tackle, I simply do not believe the offensive line’s performance will be improved over 2009.  So on paper, the nod goes to 2009.

The wide receiving corp changed by only one player.  Patrick Crayton out, Dez Bryant in.  Advantage 2010.  There’s more to it than that.  Originally in 2009, Miles Austin was the 3rd WR and Roy Williams was the #1.  Obviously as the season shook out, Austin became the de facto #1 WR and Williams the #2.  In 2010, you may again see the 3rd WR push Williams further down the depth chart.  It is unlikely that Bryant will be an immediate factor as the transition to NFL regular season game speed requires a period of acclimation.  With Sam Hurd and Kevin Ogletree manning the bottom of the WR’ing corp, it is undeniable that the athleticism of the WR’s has improved, though it remains to be seen whether the reliability and comfortability with Romo remains unchanged.  Ergo, advantage 2010.

The injury to John Phillips has really shaken up how the Cowboys planned on using their tight ends.  It was expected that the Cowboys would utilize a variety of three tight end sets with Phillips playing as an H-back on running downs.  With Phillips on injured reserve, the Cowboys were unable to find a suitable replacement and have elected to keep only two tight ends on the roster (Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett).  Witten’s production may improve if Romo has limited protection.  As for Bennett, he did suffer a sophomore slump.  Recently I heard a quote that if you can get a 2nd year player to play at the level they did in their first year, you have done a good job (it may have been Joe Gibbs who said it).  Without a doubt, Bennett did not play at the level he did in his first year; however, he has seemed more focused during the pre-season and practices.  If Bennett improves upon his rookie campaign, the nod goes to the 2010 season.  However, if the Cowboys sustain one injury to either Bennett or Witten, they will inevitable sign Martin Rucker or Scott Chandler off the practice squad, and the nod goes to 2009.

Running backs are a push, though Marion Barber sustained a deep thigh bruise early in the 2009 season which affected his play.  If he is able to return to form, the advantage is 2010.

Why is special teams always relegated to the end of any article.  Special teams can determine the outcome of a game and consequently determine whether a team will go to the playoffs (think 2008 with Bruce Read).  Matt McBriar has been incredible and barring injury, will continue to astound.  2009 was not as steady for placekicking.  Nick Folk was coming off hip surgery and developed a case of the yips.  The once confident kicker struggled to split the uprights on a consistent basis, regardless of distance.  Enter Shawn Suisham.  4 for 5 in the first three games, however, he was only 1 for 3 against the Minnesota Vikings in Dallas’s final game.  For 2010, David Buehler will handle kickoffs and field goals.  Despite having one errant kick against the Bengals, he has been highly effective (10 out of 11).  In fact, confidence in the kicking game is at an all time high since the start of the 2008 season.  Advantage 2010.

On the defensive side of the ball, there are few changes.  Bobby Carpenter out, one of the Williams boys in.  Ken Hamlin out, Ball in.  The Cowboys defense was predominantly young to begin with, so one additional year in the system will allow the players to be more confident in their assignments.  If there is a valid point of concern, it is veteran depth.  The Cowboys have elected to replace Junior Siavii with Josh Brent and Sean Lissemore, both rookies.  If Ware or Spencer are injured, Victor Butler (2nd year player) will replace them.  If James or Brooking are hurt, they will be replaced by Sean Lee (rookie) or one of the Williams (2nd year for Jason W.).  The biggest question is if there is an injury at cornerback as there are only three corners presently on the roster (Newman, Jenkins, and Scandrick).  Certainly Ball could return to that role, but then who is next in line to play free safety?  Advantage 2010.

So on paper, the 2010 Cowboys win 4-1-2 over the 2009 Cowboys.  Throw in a Madden simulation and the 2010 Cowboys win 24 to 21 in overtime (after Folk misses a 24 yard kick for the win and Buehler hits a 64 yarder which splits the uprights).  Unfortunately, where they are vulnerable affects the entirety of the offense, but we’re going to overlook that for right now.  The Cowboys should be better in 2010, and this should be reflected in their record.