45-year old head coach Jason Garrett will be in charge from Day #1 in 2011.  He took over a 1-7 Cowboys’ team and finished the year 5-3 in the last 8 games.  It’s kind of funny who the play calling got so much better when Wade Phillips was out of a job.  Coincidence…..I think not.  Garrett might have thrown Phillips under the bus to get his first shot at being a head coach in the NFL.  The Cowboys certainly looked a lot better with him in charge.  Garrett has been an assistant coach in the NFL for six years, including four years as an offensive coordinator. Bringing in Rob Ryan to run the defense was a good move for Garrett.  I think Garrett’s going to do a good job for the Cowboys in 2011.

24-year old Felix Jones will finally be a true #1 back in 2011.  He played in 16 games (7 starts) for the Cowboys last year and he carried the ball 185 times for 800 yards (4.3 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also caught 48 passes for 450 yards (9.4 avg) with 1 TD grab last year.  Jones has homerun speed to take the ball to the house any time he gets his hands on it.  He could have a breakout season for the Cowboys if he can handle the increased workload in 2011.  Jones has played in 36 games (8 starts) in his first three years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 331 times for 1,751 yards (5.3 ypc) with 7 TD runs.  He has also caught 69 passes for 579 yards (8.4 avg) with 1 TD grab so far in his NFL career.

26-year old Tashard Choice will also likely see an increased workload in 2011 with Marion Barber on the Bears now.  Choice played in all 16 games (0 starts) for the Cowboys last year and he carried the ball 66 times for 243 yards (3.7 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  He also caught 17 passes for 109 yards (6.4 avg) last year.  Choice has always been a solid back, so he should be able to handle an increased workload in 2011.  Choice has now played in 48 games (3 starts) in his first three years with the Cowboys and he has carried the ball 222 times for 1,064 yards (4.8 ypc) with 8 TD runs.  He also has caught 53 passes for 426 yards (8.0 avg) so far in his NFL career.

23-year old rookie DeMarco Murray will have a shot to compete with Tashard Choice for the #2 RB job in training camp.  Murray was a 3rd round pick out of Oklahoma last April in the NFL Draft.  He was a good RB in college so Choice better bring his A-game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COWBOYS RBS IN 2011:  B

31-year old Tony Romo is still the man in Dallas, he just needs to stay healthy in 2011.  Romo played in 6 games (all starts) for the Cowboys last year and he completed 148 of 213 passes (69.5%) for 1,605 yards with 11 TD passes and 7 INTs (94.9 QB Rating).  Romo also carried the ball 6 times for 38 yards (6.3 ypc) last year.  I look for Romo to get back to his winning ways in 2011 as long as the defense holds up their side of the bargain.  Romo has now played in 89 games (61 starts) in his first 7 years with the Cowboys and he has completed 1,326 of 2,070 passes (64.1%) for 16,650 yards with 118 TD passes and 62 INTs (95.5 QB Rating).  Romo has also carried the ball 136 times for 413 yards (3.0 ypc) with 3 TD runs so far in his career.  Romo is 39-22 (63.9%) as the Cowboys’ starting QB during the regular season.

38-year old Jon Kitna proved that he still has a lot in the gas tank last season when Romo went down to injury.  Kitna played in 10 games (9 starts) for the Cowboys last year and he completed 209 of 318 passes (65.7%) for 2,365 yards with 16 TD passes and 12 INTs (88.9 QB Rating).  Kitna also carried the ball 31 times for 147 yards (4.7 ypc) with 1 TD run last year.  Kitna fumbles too much because of his small hands and he still throws a lot of pickoffs as he is a gunslinger.  But, Kitna also makes his fair share of good plays and he certainly was way more good than bad for the Cowboys last year.  Kitna has now played in 138 games (124 starts) in his first 14 years in the NFL and he has completed 2,671 of 4,432 passes (60.3%) for 29,658 yards with 168 TD passes and 163 INTs (77.5 QB Rating).  Kitna also has carried the ball 310 times for 958 yards (3.1 ypc) with 11 TD runs so far in his NFL career.  Kitna is only 50-74 (40.3%) as a starting QB in the NFL, but in his defense, he has played on a lot of bad football teams in his career.

25-year old Stephen McGee got into his first action last year when Jon Kitna was injured late in the year.  McGee played in 2 games (1 start) for the Cowboys last year and he completed 22 of 44 passes (50%) for 238 yards with 2 TD passes and 0 INTs (81.4 QB Rating).  McGee also carried the ball 13 times for 74 yards (5.7 ypc) last year.  The Cowboys won McGee’s only start last year.  He is probably the Cowboys’ long term #2 QB after Jon Kitna either retires or moves on down the road.

26-year old Tom Brandstater will only make the Cowboys if Romo, Kitna or McGee get injured before the season starts. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COWBOYS QBS IN 2011:  B+

Felix Jones, Kevin Ogletree and rookie Dez Bryant will probably be competing for the kickoff return job during training camp.  Jones played in 14 games for the Cowboys last season and he returned 30 kickoffs for 678 yards (22.6 avg).  The 23-year old Jones has now played in 20 games in his NFL career and he has returned 46 kickoffs for 1,112 yards (24.2 avg) with 1 TD return.  Being a RB, Jones has the most power of the three candidates for this job but he also has a big role on the offense.

23-year old WR Kevin Ogletree played in 11 games for the Cowboys last season and he returned 8 kickoffs for 166 yards (20.8 avg).  He will have the smallest role on the offense of this trio and that might work in his favor trying to win the kickoff return job in 2010 for the Cowboys. 

Rookie first round pick Dez Bryant could be used on kickoff returns as he has the perfect skill set to excel at it.  But, the Cowboys probably want him to focus on offense in his rookie year.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COWBOYS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  C

The Cowboys are solid inside at guard and center but they need a couple of guys to step up at T for the 2010 season.  Doug Free will step into Flozell Adams’ old spot at LT.  Free played a lot at RT last season and he showed a lot of ability both run and pass blocking.  They really need him to step up and protect Tony Romo’s back.  LG Kyle Kosier isn’t a standout but he’s a solid player who gives his all on every play.  Center Andre Gurode is a masher in the running game but he’s a average pass blocker.  The same holds true for RG Leonard Davis as he is the best run blocker the Cowboys have.  But he could improve a tad on his pass blocking.  RT Marc Colombo is a solid player when healthy but he only lasted 9 games last season.  Alex Barron will give the Cowboys solid depth behind Colombo and Free.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COWBOYS O-LINE in 2010:  C 

63-year old head coach Wade Phillips will be on the hot seat this season.  Owner/GM Jerry Jones wants a home game in the Super Bowl played at Dallas Cowboys Stadium this year.  Phillips led the Cowboys to a 11-5 record during the regular season and they were 1-1 in the playoffs.  He is now 33-15 (68.8%) during his three regular seasons with the Cowboys and he is 1-2 in the playoffs.  Phillips has been a NFL head coach 10 years now and he is 81-54 (60%) during the regular season but he’s only 1-5 (16.7%) in the playoffs when it counts.  Phillips better have his team ready to go deep into the playoffs this season or he could be looking for a new job.

23-year old David Buehler will likely graduate from being a kickoff specialist to a full time place kicker in 2010.  He has a big leg and he has looked good so far in training camp.  But we’ll see if he can handle the job when the bullets start to fly for real.  The Cowboys don’t have any other experienced kickers on the roster so it’s Buehler or bust in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COWBOYS KICKERS in 2010:  C

26-year old Miles Austin will be the #1 WR for the Cowboys in 2010.  He played in 16 games (9 starts) for the Cowboys last season and he caught 81 passes for 1,320 yards (16.3 avg) with 11 TD grabs.  Austin made the Pro Bowl in 2009 for the first time and he will try to make it two in a row in 2010.  Austin has now played in 53 games (9 starts) in his four years with the Cowboys and he has caught 99 passes for 1,674 yards (16.9 avg) with 14 TD grabs. 

28-year old Roy Williams enters training camp as the Cowboys’ #2 WR but he will have to fight off rookie Dez Bryant to keep the job.  Williams played in 15 games (13 starts) for the Cowboys last season and he caught 38 passes for 596 yards (15.7 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  He has now played in 85 games (76 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 319 passes for 4,678 yards (14.7 avg) with 37 TD grabs.  Williams has made it to 1 Pro Bowl in his NFL career but it’s going to be hard for him to ever get to that level again in Dallas.

23-year old rookie Dez Bryant is hitting the ground running for the Cowboys.  The 6’1″, 217 pound first round pick out of Oklahoma State has been catching everything in sight for the Cowboys in practice so far.  He recently refused to carry Roy Williams’ pads during practice and that could be a good thing or a bad thing.  The kid is probably trying to get into Williams’ head as they are competing for a starting job in training camp.

31-year old Patrick Crayton has been a solid player for the Cowboys in the past but he’s buried on the depth chart heading into training camp.  Crayton played in 16 games (6 starts) for the Cowboys last season and he caught 37 passes for 622 yards (16.8 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  He has now played in 82 games (32 starts) in his six years in the NFL and he has caught 196 passes for 2,888 yards (14.7 avg) with 23 TD grabs.  Crayton has also carried the ball 6 times for 39 yards (6.5 ypc) in his NFL career.  He has lobbied for a trade for a while but he will have to bite the bullet and play for the Cowboys in 2010.

25-year old Sam Hurd will also have a hard time moving up the depth chart in Big D.  Hurd played in 16 games (1 start) for the Cowboys last year and he caught 7 passes for 121 yards (17.3 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played in 50 games (5 starts) in his four years with the Cowboys and he has caught 31 passes for 510 yards (16.5 avg) with 2 TD grabs.

22-year old Kevin Ogletree showed some potential as a rookie with the Cowboys last year.  He played in 11 games (0 starts) for the Cowboys last year and he caught 7 passes for 96 yards (13.7 avg).  He also carried the ball 1 time for 6 yards.  Ogletree has big time potential but he will likely be brought along slowly by the Cowboys.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COWBOYS WRs in 2010:  A

28-year old Jason Witten has been to six Pro Bowls in his 7 years in the NFL.  He played in 16 games (all starts) last season for the Cowboys and he caught 94 passes for 1,030 yards (11.0 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Witten has now played in 111 games (101 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 523 passes for 5,965 yards (11.4 avg) with 27 TD grabs.  Witten always seems to be on the same wave length as Tony Romo so look for him to have another outstanding year in 2010.

23-year old Martellus Bennett is one of the best backup TEs in all of football.  He played in 14 games (6 starts) for the Cowboys last season and he caught 15 passes for 159 yards (10.6 avg).  Bennett has now played in 30 games (13 starts) in his 2 years in the NFL and he has caught 35 passes for 442 yards (12.6 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  Bennett would be a starter on at least 15-20 teams in the NFL.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COWBOYS TEs in 2010:  A+

27-year old Deon Anderson will be the starting fullback for the Cowboys again in 2010.  Anderson played in 16 games (9 starts) for the Cowboys last season but he only touched the ball one time catching a pass for 5 yards.  Anderson has now played in 38 games (18 starts) in his three years for the Cowboys.  In those games, Anderson has carried the ball 2 times for 3 yards (1.5 ypc) and he also has caught 9 passes for 67 yards (7.4 avg) with 1 TD grab.  The Cowboys just need Anderson to block for the solid trio of tailbacks they have on the roster in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COWBOYS FBs in 2010:  B