All five of Cowboys Pro Bowlers are deserving but I felt like Jayron Kearse and Randy Gregory should've been there too. As good as this defense has been, I thought they should be on the list as well. Thoughts? – MIKE S / DALLAS, TX
Rob: Agreed. Gregory's three-week stint on injured reserve obviously hurt his chances, but he's been flat-out dominant quite often when he's been healthy. Kearse has been as important as anybody when you think about this defense's turnaround. He never comes off the field and he plays a variety of spots. The Cowboys don't announce Pro Bowl alternates, but sounds like they've got a few.
David: Pardon my French, but it's total BS that Randy wasn't eligible for fan votes while he was on injured reserve. Had he been, he'd have 100% been on the roster. I think Kearse was deserving, but it probably worked against him that he wasn't a known name until the second month of the season or so. Like Rob said, though, I have a feeling we'll see two or three more guys get in before it's all said and done.
In recent years we have seen an increasing number of teams eliminate the traditional fullback position and rely on a tight end or offensive lineman to play the past role of a blocking fullback. This year, especially, the Cowboys have followed suit and it seems to have been relatively effective in short yardage situations. This approach also saves a spot on the active roster. I believe the Cowboys will continue this trend. Thoughts? – FRED LONDON / MORRISTOWN, TN
Rob: Eh, we'll see. I think Sewo Olonilua would've made the team as a traditional fullback if he hadn't injured his neck in training camp. Mike McCarthy sees the value of the fullback, if you look all the way back to his time in Green Bay. If Connor McGovern isn't a starter on the offensive line next year, he's likely to continue this lead-blocking role because he's really good at it. If he does move into the starting lineup, I wouldn't rule out the Cowboys adding a fullback next year.
David: Yeah, I think it just depends on your personnel. To your point, I think a fullback in the modern game has to be able to wear about five different hats on game day. But I think McCarthy would probably love to have a do-everything fullback like Kyle Juszczyk, but those types of guys are obviously hard to find. I won't be surprised if they look to upgrade that spot in future offseasons. But it's at least encouraging to know guys like Connor McGovern and Sean McKeon can do it if need be.
