Troy Aikman: Cowboys have to get better at protecting Tony Romo

[Midswat]

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 4, 2013, 12:37 PM EST

Hall of Fame former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman has never been shy about his support of current Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, saying recently that fans don’t appreciate how good Romo is. But Aikman says Romo can’t do it all by himself.

And so, Aikman told the Dallas Morning News, it’s time for the Cowboys to do a better job of protecting Romo.

“They have to shore up the offensive line,” Aikman said when asked about the draft. ”You can’t have a quarterback hit as much as Tony is.”

But the man who will make the decision in the Cowboys’ draft room, owner Jerry Jones, may not agree with that assessment. Jones says Romo can handle a porous offensive line and that he thinks the Cowboys can get by without great pass protection. So Romo may have to make do with a less-than-stellar line in front of him

 

[carphalen5150]

Troy is really breaking new ground here.

As an aside...it is not just about protecting Romo, we can't run block either, so there's that too.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

And so, Aikman told the Dallas Morning News, it’s time for the Cowboys to do a better job of protecting Romo.

“They have to shore up the offensive line,” Aikman said when asked about the draft. ”You can’t have a quarterback hit as much as Tony is.”

I would love for Aikman, Garrett, and Callahan, and even Romo, do a full court press on Jerry and explain this to him. If I was Romo's agent... I would express this to Jerry in shoring up the OL would be paramount IF they want to extend/retain Romo.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Troy is really breaking new ground here.

As an aside...it is not just about protecting Romo, we can't run block either, so there's that too.

I think something like this coming from Aikman might have an impact.

 

[Jon88]

Romo should have jumped in Jerry's face and called him an old man after those comments about him not needing a good line.

I would have.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Romo should have jumped in Jerry's face and called him an old man after those comments about him not needing a good line.

I would have.

This is when a good agent earns his money. He goes up to Jerry and tells him, that they can talk about extending Romo AFTER the draft. The agent will put to Jerry as to whether he is committed to protecting Jerry up front by getting better at the OL. That agent would point out as to how an excellant OL did wonders in San Fran for a bus driver like Kaepernick. Pressure for Jerry to go OL is going to have to come from multiple fronts.

 

[Cowboysrule122]

Why does everyone else see what's going on with this OL and not Jerry?

It's like the man just hates to admit he fucked up and tries to make something outta nothing.

 

[cmd34(work)]

Riverboat gambler.

Plus, he's smarter than all of us because he's rich, ask any Zoner. I mean he did single handedly pull off the Herschel Walker trade.

 

[Jon88]

This is when a good agent earns his money. He goes up to Jerry and tells him, that they can talk about extending Romo AFTER the draft. The agent will put to Jerry as to whether he is committed to protecting Jerry up front by getting better at the OL. That agent would point out as to how an excellant OL did wonders in San Fran for a bus driver like Kaepernick. Pressure for Jerry to go OL is going to have to come from multiple fronts.

That's a really good idea.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

That's a really good idea.

Agents have a lot more power and influence than what most people think. Yes, they are about the money, hence why they want their player that they are represented to be put in the best situation as possible. If Romo wins a SB, that's more money in endorsements. I'm sure Romo's agent wants Romo to win; he certainly doesn't want Romo behind a shitty OL, and risking injury and possibly a career ended prematurely.

I know if I was an agent, I'd be like, "Uh uh. No way. I'm not going to have my client play behind that shitty OL. What the fuck is wrong with you? Imagine if Aikman---who himself stated publicly, that Romo needs a better OL, imagine Aikman had this same crap of an OL when he was playing in his prime... do you think the Cowboys win those three Super Bowls? I'm not expecting you to re-create that OL from the 90's but at least show a committment protecting Romo. Livings, Bernadeau, Costa, Parnell/Free are not committments.And if you think they are... COMMITTED. None of those guys would start for any other team, but you are fine with that being upfront with Romo. Romo deserves fucking better than that. If you don't show a comittment to fixing the OL SERIOUSLY... I'm going to have to advise my client (Romo), to not sign an extension."

 

[jnday]

Why does everyone else see what's going on with this OL and not Jerry?

It's like the man just hates to admit he fucked up and tries to make something outta nothing.

Ego and money are the factors that keeps Jerry from fixing the line. Linemen don't sell jerseys and his ego won't allow him to admit that his approach to fixing the line is not working. He clearly doesn't value the line like a real GM does. I blame all his advisors and coaches for following his lead on the approach.

 

[JBond]

Aikman is an idiot. Doesn't he know we are one good safety away from being world champions?

 

[ZeroClub]

Ego and money are the factors that keeps Jerry from fixing the line. Linemen don't sell jerseys and his ego won't allow him to admit that his approach to fixing the line is not working. He clearly doesn't value the line like a real GM does. I blame all his advisors and coaches for following his lead on the approach.

Yeah, I think that's true about the OL and several of Jerry's other decisions (such as retaining Garrett).