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.

Losing Jimmy Smith in the 90′s to the Jacksonville Jaguars still haunts me.  Smith was a 2nd round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1992 and had two injury plagued years while with the Cowboys.  In 1992 he suffered a broken leg.  In 1993 he underwent a near fatal emergency appendectomy. Jerry Jones had not morphed into a modern day version of Rich Uncle Pennybags giving huge contracts to players who have yet to earn it a la Roy Williams.  Jones did not wish to pay Smith for the 1993 season as the injury was not football related.  Skip to 1996 when Smith became one of the best WR’s in the game accumulating 862 receptions and over 12,000 yards in his career.

The question is raised, “Have we lost any great players in the past 3 years that we will later regret?”  Here’s a brief look back (though players who should have never been a Cowboy will not be considered).

2009

Terrell Owens:  There is a reason he is still unsigned this late into free agency in 2010.  The Cowboys find themselves flushed with WR talent especially with the emergence of both Miles Austin and Kevin Ogletree.  While Owens may be productive in other settings, his services are not missed in Dallas.

Nick Folk:  For a two year stretch, Folk was the most clutch kicker the Cowboys had in recent memory.  Unfortunately, he developed a case of the yips and was released after inconsistent play in 2009.  Initially replaced by Shawn Suisham, it is likely that David Beuhler will man the position in 2010.  Beuhler is an unknown in regards game situations.  He certainly has the leg strength, but his reported accuracy in practice is still in question.  As for Folk, he has since signed with the NY Jets; unfortunately, initial reports are not positive.

Chris Canty:  Canty was injured for much of 2009, recording 1/2 sack and 13 tackles in 8 games.  Canty’s replacement, Igor Olshansky, was more productive, healthier, and a substantially cheaper option.  It is too early to declare a winner, but for the 2009 season, Canty was not missed.

Greg Ellis:  Despite a rough start to Anthony Spencer‘s 2009 season, he became a worthy player to rush on the opposite side of DeMarcus Ware.  Spencer logged 6 sacks in the final six games of the season.  Prior to this point, he applied a substantial amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks, played well in coverage, and was solid against the run.  While Ellis had a long tenure with the Cowboys, his constant bickering about his contract status had the fan base believe he was a malcontent.  Ellis can still be a productive player, but with the emergence of Spencer, he won’t be missed in Dallas.

Tank Johnson:  Johnson’s transgressions in Chicago were related to firearms.  The culture in Texas embraces firearms as part of the state character.  Johnson was lumped together with Terrell Owens and Adam Jones as the questionable character players on the team.  This seems unfair.  Johnson should be lumped together with backup players who did not have an effect on the game.  He was well known due to this transgressions, but was a marginal player with the Cowboys.  He has since signed and started 13 games for the Bengals.  He had an average year and with the continuing performance and health of the defensive line, was not missed.

Kevin Burnett:  Initially Burnett was replaced by Bobby Carpenter as the nickel linebacker.  Surprisingly, Carpenter played as well as Burnett.  In 2010 Sean Lee (2nd round pick in 2010) or Jason Williams (3rd round pick in 2009).  While it has yet to be proven whether Lee or Williams can effectively handle the nickel LB role, it is certain that Jerry Jones would not have matched the Chargers salary offer to Burnett to play a non-starting role.  Next season, we may be longing for the good old days when Carpenter was covering tight ends.  I don’t foresee it happening, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

Zach Thomas:  Thomas was signed by the KC Chiefs and cut prior to the start of the regular season.  He was replaced by Keith Brooking who brought  a fire and passion to the defensive side of the ball in 2009.  It was this fire and passion that was assumed Thomas would bring in 2008.  Unfortunately, there was a void of leadership and more specifically, a void of impressive plays at the weakside linebacker position.  With Lee and Williams on the roster, the long-term answer at linebacker is not in question.  The only fans who lament Thomas’s release are those who purchased $100 jerseys.

Adam Jones:  Jones did not play in 2009 and was only recently signed by the Cincinnati Bengals.  With the emergence of Mike Jenkins and the solid play of nickel CB Orlando Scandrick, Jones has not been missed.  Considering the lack of common sense displayed by Jones, even if his performance was outstanding in Cincinnati, he would not be missed by most, if not all Cowboys fans.

Roy L. Williams:  Ironically, the safety positions haven’t been solidified since Williams and Darren Woodson roamed the field.  Last year Gerald Sensabaugh replaced Williams effectively; however, Ken Hamlin had his second mediocre season.  The safety position is in flux and Alan Ball is slated to play in the defensive backfield.  Williams isn’t missed per say (nor his missed tackles, his horse collar 15 yard penalties, lack of coverage skills, etc.), but productivity from the position is.  Williams has been injury plagued for the past two years, but it is believed that his passion for football has slowly seeped out of him like helium from a balloon.

2008

Julius Jones:  Jones is an enigma.  He showed flashes of greatness that were on par with some of the moves displayed by Barry Sanders.  It was presumed that Bill Parcells broke Jones (like a wild horse) into running straight into the hole to gain a few yards with the hopes that once into the second level Jones would again flash greatness.  Unfortunately, it appears that Parcells broke Jones’s (like a vase) ability to make a cut and improvise.  Jones hasn’t been missed as Felix Jones and Tashard Choice have more than effectively replaced his production and speed.  If anything, the Cowboys sincerely miss the Marion Barber of the 2007 season.  That Barber has been missing in action (though injury provides some explanation).  Jones was signed by the Seahawks and has averaged approximately 4 yards per carry.  However, considering that 62 yards came in one run in 2009, Jones production has been closer to 3.4 yards per carry in 2009.  Once considered a building block for the Cowboys organization, Jones begs the question, “What happened?”

Terry Glenn:  Glenn has yet to play again after his release by the Cowboys.  The biggest effect from the loss/release of Glenn is the fact that a void was opened for the #2 WR.  That void was unfortunately not filled by Patrick Crayton, but rather Roy Williams.  So if you were looking for a reason to resent Glenn, this is as good as any other.

Jacques Reeves:  Reeves most closely resembles the Jimmy Smith situation.  Reeves played at a high level once he left Dallas.  In 21 starts with the Texans, he has played at a surprisingly high level.  He suffered a broken leg in 2009 which limited his opportunities.  Cowboys fans will remember Reeves getting beat, getting called for a costly facemask penalty in the playoff game against the Giants, and simply being a stop gap player.  Kudos to Reeves for continuing to improve.

2007

Al Johnson:  Johnson was drafted in the 2nd round and was believed to have the fight and fire that Parcells was looking when re-constructing the Cowboys offensive line.  To Johnson’s credit, he did push Gurode as both competed for playing time.  Johnson didn’t play in 2909 and hasn’t started for a team since 2007.  Despite Johnson’s actual time on the field, he is simply another example of the Cowboys recent ineptitude in drafting quality offensive linemen.

Kenny Rogers said it best, “You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em…”  Jerry Jones has justifiably drawn the ire of Cowboys fans in the past for questionable personnel moves.  As indicated in the above, Jones seems to have righted the ship and is owed a well deserved tip of the hat, the Landry Hat that is.