Cowboys Mailbag:Mick's Mail: 07/27

With talk of a very potent offense, there is one weak area that needs to be improved: scoring in the red zone. With three first-round linemen, what needs to happen to improve red-zone scoring?

Are there any defensive players who were on the team last year that you think are going to surprise us with the changes in coaching and the overall talent upgrades?

Do the Cowboys still have any interest in Jadaveon Clowney? He had a good season last year, leading the team in sacks. Is it a matter of price or has Dallas simply moved on?

Read with interest Mickey Spagnola's column about Cornell Green. Made me wonder why, in this era with so much information instantly available, these crossover athletes are so rare. Has the game become so complex that superior, high-character, high-IQ athletes without football experience have no chance to make it in today's NFL?

Which player on offense (other than the quarterback) and on defense can the Cowboys least afford to lose to injury, due to either his impact or lack of depth at the position?

Coming off last season, the defensive bar literally could not be any lower. The Cowboys defense could improve significantly and still not be an average NFL unit. Why all the hype?

Any concern there is no coach on the staff with prior head coaching experience? In the past, there have been a few coaches or coordinators who were head coaches. Who does Brian Schottenheimer turn to if he needs some in-game advice or suggestions?

Outside of quarterback, what position group on this current team is the most valuable? And which one do you think needs to have a really good year to get the Cowboys back in the playoffs?

Now that Christian Parker is a defensive coordinator and not a position coach, how much interaction will he have with the individual players? In particular, how much influence will he have on the development of players in the secondary?

Dallas has some cap space to make a solid free-agent addition if needed, and there are some big names still available. Which position do you think the Cowboys can help themselves the most with an addition? And do you think it will happen?

The NFL season is now 17 games, and the NFL actually slates a bye in Week 14? With three weeks to go? What's the point? Everyone is already beat to dirt. Why aren't byes set for all teams in the middle of the season? How does a bye SO late in the schedule help any team?