Dallas Cowboys offensive line coach Conor Riley might be changing the way the franchise views offensive line prospects.
The Dallas Cowboys coaching staff under Brian Schottenheimer has been hitting all the right notes in their media sessions, and right now, that is all we can ask for.
We have come away from those outings with one overriding thought about how the Cowboys want to play under Schotteneheimer, and two words stick out – violent and aggressive.
Dallas hasn’t been known to be “that” type of team, and it is clear that the winds of change at The Star are bringing about a considerable change in attitude. As new offensive line coach Conor Riley states, a player’s makeup is perhaps the most important thing when looking at offensive line prospects.
“I think that the measurables are always the first thing everybody wants to talk to, but what is the makeup of that particular person,” Riley said. “How tough are they, how physical are they, what kind of grit, when I’m sitting there watching film, how do they finish? Are they stopping and watching or are they covering down to the football?
“That’s something that’s really important to me. That is something that is so controllable and yes absolutely you got to have a particular skill set, you have to have the measurables, the athleticism, but we cannot overlook what the makeup of that person is.”
So the Cowboys know what they want their offensive identity to be and they want players who will be aggressive and violent in how they play.
That’s music to Cowboys Nations’ ears.
Of course, this is all talk and the proof will be in how we see the team go through its paces at minicamp and training camp, but right now, this new-look coaching staff is saying all the right things.
The 2025 Cowboys will be a little different than previous versions, and with a focus on running the ball and being a violent team, sign us up for this new direction Dallas is heading in.
Adam is an experienced writer and covers the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL for Athlon Sports.