Cowboys leading an O-line arms race in the NFC East

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And it seems clear the Cowboys' neighbors have studied the blueprint.

Not only did the Washington Redskins ignore conventional wisdom by selecting a potential guard surprisingly high in the 2015 draft (No. 5), they also lured O-line coach Bill Callahan, who played a key role in developing the Cowboys' young squad, from their division rival. The Redskins are confident that Callahan's arrival will mark the beginning of a renaissance period for the once-faceless group made famous by the franchise more than a generation ago. The New York Giants also have invested heavily in an ongoing effort to rebuild the foundation of their offense, and Philadelphia Eagles creative whiz Chip Kelly, the enigmatic head coach and team architect, cut his teeth as, among other things, a college O-line coach.

When you add it all up, it's obvious there's a high-stakes race underway in the division to win up front. At the very least, the O-lines have become a microcosm of the division. And after watching the leader pull away, the pack is making a move.

"Any organization, every organization, has a dire need to have their line be the best it can be, and that's what you're seeing now [in the NFC East]," Callahan said during a recent break in camp. He received a lucrative three-year deal to join the Redskins.

"If you want to build continuity, stability and consistency across the board for your football team, your line is a great place to start. That's what we think about here. That's what we're trying to do now. That's what we're trying to major in."

Even casual NFL observers understand the importance of effective line play. After all, a house is only as sturdy as its foundation. Throughout NFL history, NFC East teams often have been bedrock solid.

The Cowboys leaned on their line while winning five Super Bowl championships, including three during the 1990s. Without sterling line play, the Giants wouldn't own four Lombardi Trophies. And then there are the Redskins, who made rock stars out of "Hogs" during three title runs.

In the nation's capital today, new general manager Scot McCloughan is determined to build a kick-butt line. That's the centerpiece of his plan to resuscitate the Redskins. Shortly after being handed the keys to the team, McCloughan floored the accelerator, hiring the proven Callahan, who was eager for a change after having been stripped of play-calling duties in Dallas. Then McCloughan doubled down on the line in the draft, taking the broad-shouldered Brandon Scherff early.

Although Scherff was widely considered the best lineman in the class (if the Redskins had passed on him, the Giants were expected to nab Scherff with the No. 9 pick), several teams expressed doubts about his ability to play tackle in the NFL. In the previous six drafts, only two guards were chosen in the top 10 -- none in the top five.

Teams win, largely, because of great tackles, not guards, NFL people tell you. If Scherff failed to stick at tackle, the thinking went, he would be considered a reach pick in the top ten, let alone the first five slots. McCloughan couldn't have cared less. He saw a massive hole and quickly determined that Scherff could fill it, either at tackle or guard. Despite the fact that Scherff, overmatched against edge rushers from the start of camp, was moved from right tackle to right guard before the first preseason game, McCloughan, head coach Jay Gruden and Callahan have continued to bang the drum: For the Redskins, Scherff was the right pick, no matter where he lines up. McCloughan is more concerned about stocking the line with talented football players than their draft position.

The Cowboys understand.

With the 16th pick in the 2014 draft, Dallas selected Zack Martin, who played left tackle at Notre Dame, but was taken with guard in mind. Although the Cowboys could have made a flashier move (quarterback Johnny Manziel was still available), they stuck with their plan, adding Martin after taking tackle Tyron Smith ninth in 2011 and center Travis Frederick with the next-to-last pick of the opening round in 2013. And in an example of the rich getting richer, the Cowboys signed rookie lineman La'el Collins, who received a first-round grade from many teams, after off-the-field concerns resulted in him going undrafted.

Currently listed as a backup at left guard on the Cowboys' first depth chart, the talented Collins should fit right in. Simply put, the agile, powerful Smith is the game's best left tackle. As a rookie, Martin joined Smith as a first-team All-Pro. Frederick was a second-team selection.

They earned the accolades, ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth said. Not only are the Cowboys second-to-none in pass protection, which, with many rules in place to benefit the passing game, is a good thing to be, they're also without peer at "dictating in the run game," Schlereth, who played guard in the NFL for 12 years and was on three Super Bowl winners, said on the phone.

"On third down and three, can you basically say: 'We're going to power it down your throat in the 4-hole [between the right guard and tackle] and there's nothing you can do about it'? They can. That has been kind of a lost art form because the rules are basically favored to throwing the ball on all downs. But Dallas sees the value in a nasty 2-to-3-yard run. To me, that's beautiful."

Pillars of an offense that finished first in the NFL in time of possession and second in rushing, Smith, Martin and Frederick were three of the biggest reasons, literally and figuratively, that the Cowboys went 12-4 and won the division. Jones believes in the line so much, he was content to let 2014 rushing champion DeMarco Murray join the Eagles in free agency. The most important people in the Cowboys' running game remain up front.

Dallas invested heavily in its line, and "when you allocate resources to a position that can provide opportunities for big plays, well, to me, that makes a lot of sense," Callahan said. "We've got to make plays down the field in the passing game. You've got to have the ability to keep your quarterback clean.

"And you've got to provide him with the type of time to make those type of plays to provide an impact. Yeah, we're all an extension of one another. You need everyone [on offense] to do their jobs -- but it starts up front."

No argument from the Giants.

Already with two Super Bowl wins during the Eli Manning era, the Giants want more, and they're banking on a retooled line to help keep their window open. With Scherff off the board, the Giants took Ereck Flowers, who initially was slotted to start at right tackle. But then veteran Will Beatty suffered a torn chest muscle and, well, Flowers' assignment changed: The Giants need him to start at left tackle right away, a major challenge for a rookie.

For the Giants, having a rookie protect Manning's blind side isn't the best-case scenario. On the other hand, the Giants have spent the past couple of years trying to get their line right. They need to determine whether Flowers and left guard Justin Pugh, a first-rounder in 2013, can work well together.

After Kelly's head-scratching overhaul of the Eagles' roster and lingering questions about his ability to relate to some veteran players, it's unclear what's happening in Philadelphia. This much, though, is certain: Kelly knows how to get the most out of a line.

His multifaceted, up-tempo approach only works if the line is in sync. Right tackle Lane Johnson, Kelly's first pick in Philly, has been solid since his first camp. Kelly inherited All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters. Having great bookends is a good place to start, and Kelly's run game has been effective even as he has juggled a mix of mid- to lower-tier quarterbacks.

On the eve of a new season, there's so much to like about the line play in the NFC East. The Joneses still have the most impressive house on the block, but remodeling is occurring all around them.