Now that Tony Romo is signed, sealed, and delivered to the Cowboys for the foreseeable future, they need to protect this investment with calculated prowess. No matter how you may feel about the decision to make Romo a “100 million dollar man”; if you’re smart, you know that he needs help.  Last year Tony Romo threw the ball 648 times for almost 5,000 yards. That is roughly 100 more times than he’s ever thrown before. Tony also threw 19 interceptions and was sacked 36 times.  It isn’t even remotely conceivable to believe that the lack of protection hasn’t led to some of those interceptions. In fact the Tampa game would have done major damage to a pocket-passer, and though Romo got crushed many a time, he kept on ticking and led the team to victory.

Nov 18, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) throws under pressure against the Cleveland Browns at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The one thing Tony Romo has never had in his career is a 1,000 yard rusher, now some may be saying “big deal”, Aaron Rodgers wins without a stout running game. That is true, but folks; Tony Romo isn’t Aaron Rodgers, nor is he Drew Brees, Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. The truth is that he is much like the Quarterbacks that have donned the Blue Star before. Troy Aikman had Emmitt Smith; Roger Staubach had Duane Thomas then Tony Dorsett. That is precisely why this team needs to get this running game going. The Cowboys are best served with Romo throwing 25-30 times a game and a complimentary running game with 25-30 carries.

There have been quotes from Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones regarding Tony Romo becoming a “bigger” part of the game plan every week. That  is a brilliant idea, last year this team did very well in 2-minute drill situations. A lot of NFL teams like the Ravens and Patriots have adopted the “no-huddle” approach from Peyton Manning with much success to follow. Dallas has young, fast and talented receivers to make the “no-huddle” work well, but there is room for improvement in play-action formations. In order for play-action to work, defenses must be kept honest and have to account for the running game. The porous play by the offensive line in recent years has left this offense handicapped and has forced Tony to be accounting for way more than he should.

Though it has been lamented the importance of upgrading pieces on the offensive line,  too many are starting to fall in love with the idea of getting a Safety in the 1^st. The concept is understandable and no fan would object to getting another “ play-maker” in the secondary but the position is pretty deep even into the 4^th round. In honesty, the Cowboys need to select a Guard or Offensive Tackle in the 1^st because after Barrett Jones in the 3^rd round, things start to slim down; and the chance of finding a starter begins to drop. The Dallas Cowboys need to hit on this year’s 1^st and 2^nd round selections, because those picks need to be day one contributors. It seems odd that neither Andre Smith nor Eric Winston have signed with any team, but the longer it takes the more desperate they will become, and that is a good thing for The Dallas Cowboys. Winston, whom would be a fit most, has a legitimate chance to possibly become a Cowboy. Bryan Broaddus from DallasCowboys.com mentioned that this team had interest in him, but only time will tell. Doug Free is a possible June 1^st cut, and if not Winston than who? Parnell is a swing tackle, not a starter. If the Cowboys do not sign a free agent then maybe they go all in for the 1^st and 2^nd round picks to be Offensive Lineman.

The NFL Draft is 2 ½ weeks away, and I haven’t weaned off my stance that fixing this line will go a long way to fixing this team’s record. 2007 was arguably the best offensive line Tony Romo had, the results? This team went 13-3, was the NFC’s number 1 seed; and lost in The Divisional Round when Patrick Crayton dropped a sure-fire touchdown pass. 2009 saw The Dallas Cowboys make a miraculous run to end the season at 11-5 and secure their first playoff win in 13 years; but saw their dreams fade when Romo was sacked 6 times by The Minnesota Vikings the following week after Flozell Adams left the game injured. Say what you will about Flozell Adams but he fought hard for Tony Romo; however 2009 was the beginning of the deterioration of the Cowboys Offensive Line. 2010 saw Tony Romo breaking his clavicle and finishing the year on IR after 6 games. Are you starting to follow along now?

In order for The Dallas Cowboys to start winning more games and to firmly step into the playoff picture, the Offensive Line is going to need a face-lift  The Cowboys can ill afford more band-aids on the glaring boo-boo’s this team has been suffering. There are needs in other areas that are not necessarily offense related and I understand that; however there is nothing that can convince me otherwise that Safety is more important than this Offensive Line. The Dallas Cowboys must finally make due on the “Romo-Friendly” promises that have been spewed out every offseason since Terrell Owens’ departure. The Cowboys will only go as far as Romo can lead them; he can’t lead the Cowboys if he is sacked 36 times, because nobody can lead this team to the promise land on Injured Reserve. The Dallas Cowboys need some quality players up front, and if they accomplish that they will surely make the playoffs and DeMarco Murray will do what no Cowboy Running Back has done since 2006: rush for 1,000 yards.

Stephen Jones and Company worked vigorously in the past 2 weeks to restructure contracts and sign some role players to get underneath this year’s cap. One move many didn’t expect was the release of Safety Gerald Sensabaugh and the Franchise Tagging of one Anthony Spencer. In my humble opinion, it was a very smart idea to tag Spencer. At Purdue, in a 4-3 Scheme might I add, Spencer was a force on defense. In the 3-4 Scheme it’s often preached that “there is no such thing as too many linebackers.” In a 4-3 Scheme it is said “there is no such thing as too many pass rushers.” Finding a decent amount of skilled pass rushers in The NFL can prove to be vital to the success of winning championships; just ask The New York Giants.

Sensabaugh was cut because although he was a leader in the locker room to many of the defensive backs, his play didn’t warrant his staying power. Bryan Broaddus has claimed many a time that “The Safety position has held this team hostage for years.” I echo those sentiments exactly, The Dallas Cowboys have plugged too many different types of players in that position over the years and as many know it’s been difficult to replace Darren Woodson. This year offers some resolve in a position that recently hasn’t shown very much depth. Most recently there has been an influx of rangy defensive backs coming out of college, and in this year’s Draft; The Dallas Cowboys would be wise to take a chance on one of these young  Safeties. This team needs a Free Safety, not a Strong Safety but a rangy, ball-fly type of Safety that has speed necessary to cover the likes of a Victor Cruz or DeSean Jackson.

Sept 5, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive back Barry Church (42) knocks the ball away from New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (88) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

After pondering my most recent Mock Draft and adding the news that is now known I have to exercise my right to change my opinion on how this year’s draft will go. After the Free Agency period it could very well change again, but at this point I believe some things have shuffled around as far as where this team may be looking to select talent. The objective of this year’s draft is going to be to find as many quality players that can have a significant impact on this year’s playoff chances. After giving my due diligence to research and many hours of video watching, I have put together a new Mock Draft. Without further ado here is the 2^nd installment of my many Mock Drafts to come:

18. Chance Warmack OG Alabama- The way things are trending,  Jonathan Cooper is probably gone at this point. Warmack is a natural Guard; He plays with power and is considered by many the best Guard available. He is also a mauler which bodes well for this offense. Tony Romo needs a Guard, a tackle can be grabbed later but the most important position on this offensive line needing rectification is the Guard position. Warmack excites with his intelligence of the position and ability to shut down defenders from sniffing his quarterback.

47. Jonathan Cyprien S Florida International- Although listed as a Strong Safety he has the intangibles and range to play at the Free position. Cyprien always seems to be around the ball and he never lets up on receivers. He can also play down in the slot and has good ball skills to grab the ball at its highest point. He intrigues many with physicality and fits his position well. For The Cowboys, along with a hopeful recovery from Church; Cyprien would go a long way into making the secondary a feared unit in this “passing league”.

80. Sylvester Williams DT North Carolina- His strength is his ability to create pressure for interior linemen. Williams is disruptive and has great pass rush moves. He often uses many different variations of the swim move to confuse the offensive line into believing they have him covered. Williams also has a strong burst that often leads to his ability to bust plays in the backfield. He is best fitted in my opinion to fill the 3 technique this team could use. He will need coaching to help keep him from disappearing at times but the kid has a motor.

111. Alvin Bailey OG Arkansas- May have to trade up to select this prospect but with the flux of tackles many envision being selected all is possible. Bailey has that massive size many salivate for and he was arguably the biggest reason for any offensive success Arkansas was able to generate. Bailey is fantastic at blocking on the move and could really be a force for DeMarco Murray at the 2^nd level. He will need coaching on perfecting his footwork and also will need refining his re-direction skills, however if there in the 4^th, Bailey is a no-brainer pick.

144. Le’Veon Bell HB Michigan State- This prospect is a potential slider in my opinion, with the other needs of many teams in the NFL; as well as the long list of free agents set to hit the market. He is very hard to bring down. He has the ability to be the workhorse back that can stay grounded; even after he has initial contact. DeMarco Murray is the man in Dallas, but Bell could help in case Murray was to be missing a couple of games. He has acceleration that often puts defenders off balance.

175. David Bass DE Missouri Western State- Great first step quickness and natural burst. Bass is often described as a positive influence on and off the field.  He plays very fundamentally sound football with good vertical and lateral movements. This Defensive End has a knack to find the ball carrier and make the tackle. Bass also has a competitive drive which motivates his enormous motor.  He needs refinement to his pass rush moves and hand technique, but could be a contributor in many different areas.

Only one player from my previous mock made the cut to the 2^nd one. This time of year often makes people fickle and ready to pull the trigger at any moment. The Safety position has become a bigger influence on many including myself since Monday. This current Mock offers the most impact players in key positions; However with Free Agency on the horizon, anything is possible and nothing is safe from change.

Now with all that stated it seems absurd that any team would take a chance on a player as troubled as Young. Well, not if the team’s owner is Jerry Jones. Jerry Jones is notorious for taking chances on talented but troubled receivers. Take Terrell Owens and Dez Bryant for instance both Dez and Terrell were carrying baggage that made many teams look the other way, but despite the baggage Jones went ahead and signed Owens and drafted Bryant in the 2010 NFL draft. While these were bold moves at the time both moves ended being somewhat solid pick ups for Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys.

Despite Owens departure not ending without incident, he produced a solid report with quarterback Tony Romo. Romo and Owens were often connected on deep passes and also in the end zone. As for Dez, he finally got himself together producing 12 TDs with 1382 yards in the 2012 season. However Dez has his fair of issues off the field, including one instance where police reported that Bryant had allegedly physically harmed his mother during a confrontation at home. This incident lead Jerry Jones to assign Dez a body guard which was entitled to watch over Bryant during his time off the field.

Furthermore, Titus Young may cause more bad than good, he has a bunch of baggage but he’s capable of being a force in the Cowboys offense. It’s no question that the Cowboys need help in the receiver position especially with Bryant and Miles Austin constantly getting injured. Titus Young looks great on paper he finished his career in Detroit with 81 catches 990 yards and 10 touchdowns in two seasons. Yet in this case the negatives may out way the positives.

The drawbacks of hiring a troubled wide receiver like Titus Young are the unpredictability of the player’s personality and the negative effects it will have on the image of the team. In addition having Young and Bryant on the same team would possibly cripple Bryant’s development and may lead to more off the field issues for the Dallas Cowboys. So as hard as it might be for him Jerry Jones should stay away from Titus Young and players with unsettling personal issues.