Dallas Cowboys Off Season News

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The change of the Cowboys coaching staff isn't the head coach or the offensive or defensive coordinators it is the assistant special teams coach. The Cowboys have not renewed the contract of Chris Boniol who has mentored place kicker Dan Bailey for the past 4 seasons helping to mold the guy into one of the best kickers in the NFL. DC.com is reporting that by mutual agreement Boniol's contract would not be renewed for 2014. I'm skeptical about this move because I whole heartedly believe if it ain't broke don't fix it. Bailey was 28 of 30 in his field goal attempts last season which included 3 of 4 from 50+ yards. Boniol holds the team record of most consecutive field goals in a row with 27 in 1996 came back to Dallas in 2010 under Joe DeCamillis and he stayed on last year under Rich Bisaccia. Boniol also worked with punter Chris Jones who is also one of the best punters in the league. Boniol hopes to connect with another team in the same capacity with an eye on becoming a special teams coordinator in the future.

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Dez Bryant is getting recognition for becoming a good man after such a horrific childhood could have led to something much different. In December it was reported that he bought the new PS4 game systems when they first came out for the other people waiting in line with him at Walmart the evening they were released to the public. Now, the Dallas-Ft Worth chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America have voted to award Dez the Good Guy Award for the Cowboys. The award is given to the player who has shown consistant and outstanding cooperation with the Cowboys beat writers.

Quote from DC.com; Bryant was lauded for having a consistent presence in the locker room this season. He was available to the press most weeks and often multiple times during the week. After controversies against Detroit and Green Bay, Bryant made himself available to address both.

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The finalists for the 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame have been announced and former Cowboys Charles Haley is on the list for the 5th time. To me, there have been lesser players who have gone into the HOF than Haley and I don't understand why he hasn't been elected yet. There is a limited amount of former players who can enter the HOF each year. A maximum of seven finalists can go in but not every year do seven individuals get in. That said I find it hard to believe that a guy who was instrumental in helping his teams, the 49ers and Cowboys, win a total of 5 Super Bowls and was given credit by none other than Jerry Jones nearly 20 years ago as being the player that was the missing piece to propel the Cowboys to their dynasty of the 90's. The unwritten criteria for being a HOF'er is can the history of the league be told without this player. Charles Haley should be in the Hall. Hopefully, he makes it this time even though, IMO, he's way over due.

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Dallas' DT Jason Hatcher has been added to the Pro Bowl roster after Haloti Ngata withdrew for injury reasons. Hatcher will join teammates Dez Bryant and Tyron Smith for next week's game in Honolulu. Hatcher had his best season as a pro recording 11 sacks which was best among defensive tackles which was the most by a Cowboys tackle since Randy White's 12.5 sacks in 1984. He is the first person since 2004 other than DeMarcu Ware to win the team sack title. Hatcher is an unrestricted free agent this season and likely won't be back in Dallas next season unless Dallas puts the franchise tag on him.

Dallas has lost their second coach this off season when it was announced that Wade Phillips son Wes, who has been an assistant coach on the staff since his father was head coach, is leaving to accept the tight ends coaching position with the Washington Redskins. Phillips' contract expired at the end of the season and Phillips and, like Chris Boniol before him, moved on to a new job. Wes started out as a quality control man on his father's staff and moved up the ranks over his 7 year tenure with the Cowboys. He took over as tight ends coach for Dallas when Jason Garrett's brother John left for Tampa Bay after being let go by his brother last January. The announcement is not official as yet but both teams acknowledge the move and Phillips logo on his twitter account has been changed to a Redskins logo. Two other coaches have also left. Offensive assistant Dave Borganzi and assistant coach Mikal Smith both left for Tampa Bay. Smith is Lovie Smith's son who was just hired as the Bucs new head coach.

It's weird but special teams coach Rich Bisaccia is reported to be interviewing for the Browns head coaching job. This makes the third interview Bisaccia has had this off season. Last week he interviewed for the Titans and Redskins before both teams decided on someone else. Bisaccia one season in Dallas has been really good for Dallas' special teams as they were much improved over the units former special teams coach Joe DeCamillis fielded in previous years.

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Could the pipeline begun by Sean Payton be continued with the 2014 draft? Payton is an alum of Eastern Illinois and he pointed the Cowboys to a record setting QB from his alma mater way back in 2003 when Dallas signed Tony Romo. Romo chose Dallas over a couple of teams including Denver because of Payton and because it looked like he may have a better chance to play. Eleven years later Easter Illinois has another QB coming out of college this year. His name is Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy G has broken many of the records at EI including some by Romo. Dallas doesn't have a high enough draft pick to go after a Bridgewater or Manziel but they could get Garoppolo who is expected to go in the second round of the draft, higher if he has a good Senior Bowl and scouting combine. Romo will turn 34 in April and Dallas will need to be thinking of a guy who can step in when Romo is done with his career. He's a link to the article and video from ESPN.com about Garoppolo.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000314787/article/jimmy-garoppolo-lives-up-to-hype-in-eastwest-shrine-game

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There have been two more Cowboys added to the Pro Bowl roster. Earlier this week TE Jason Witten was added after Julius Thomas and his Denver Broncos earned their way into the Super Bowl and now RB DeMarco Murray has been added to replace Frank Gore who was injured in the game between his 49ers and the Seahawks. This bring the total Cowboys representation to 5 players. Witten and Murray join Dez Bryant, Tyron Smith and Jason Hatcher who were already selected. Dez and Smith were elected to the Pro Bowl and Hatcher was added when Baltimore DT Haloti Ngata withdrew due to injury.
This week's Pro Bowl will be the first game not to feature all stars from the AFC facing all stars from the NFC. There is a pool of players selected to be in the Pro Bowl and on Wednesday evening on the NFL Channel Deion Sanders and Jerry Rice will choose the teams out of the pro bowl pool that will play Sunday evening on NBC. I don't know if this is going to work long term but it will be interesting to see how this works.

This week Cowboys coaches, scouts and media join the other NFL teams reps in Mobile Alabama for the Reese's Senior Bowl which will be played Saturday. Here is some news from the Senior Bowl practices.
> Jerry Jones was asked about possible changes to his coaching staff and he said that Jason Garrett, OC Bill Calahan and DC Monte Kiffin will not be let go. Jones said he has coaches under contract and he doesn't see anything changing. Jones has stuck by head coach Jason Garrett this entire past season voicing his support of the Garrett on several occasions. Media and fans have clambored for the firing of Kiffin and to a lesser extend Callahan but Jones is sticking to his guns and maintaining continuity in the coaching staff.

> The Cowboys will be looking hard at D-line help in practices and the game this weekend. What was perceived as a strength prior to the 2013 season was decimated by injuries before the season began which necessitated the search for viable D-line help. This on-going search resulted in no less that 20 different players started on the line this past season. It's likely, unless they designate him the franchise player, that Jason Hatcher will be gone so DeMarcus Ware will be the only starter coming back. Anthony Spencer who had micro fracture knee surgery will be trying to come back but he's a free agent too. Tyrone Crawford should be back as is Ben Bass but they will have to compete for jobs with George Selvie and Nick Haden who the Cowboys like as rotational players rather than front line starters.

> Here's a link from Cowboys.com's Bryan Broaddus who gives his thoughts from Tuesday's Senior Bowl practice.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddusBlog/Scouts-Notebook-Random-Thoughts-From-Tues-Practice/e2c091d8-daed-4fca-af25-b57d41c134a4

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Remember Josh Brent? The D-tackle who got into a car wreck and his friend and teammate Jerry Brown who was a passenger in the car was killed? His trial for intoxicated manslaughter was concluded yesterday when he was found guilty. No shock there--the guy is guilty. The punishment phase of the trial begins today and Brent could get up to 20 years in prison or as little as probation. I don't know where I stand on this because I have driven drunk before and it's only by the grace of God I didn't kill someone or myself. I've learned my lesson and I won't drive intoxicated again but this crime has two victims. Jerry Brown and Josh Brent. Jerry Brown's victim status is obvious but he got into a car with his good friend knowing he was intoxicated and he paid for it with his life. Brent is a victim too because he has to live with being responsible for the death of a human being. Friend, teammate, it doesn't matter. If he has any descency at all taking a life creates a guilt prison he will never escape regardless of the punishment the court system decides on. Josh Brent now has to try to live his life carrying a burden that never goes away. The ghost of Jerry Brown will follow him until the day he dies. To their, the Cowboys, from Jerry Jones to Brent's teammates have supported their friend since the incident happened. Sean Lee actually was in court to support Brent on Tuesday and safeties Barry Church and Danny McCray testified in the trial. To the Cowboys, it hasn't been about whether or not Brent will ever play football again, it's been about helping him in whatever way he needs to cope with the tragedy of his situation from all aspects. For those who criticize Jerry Jones his loyalty to the people who work for him is unquestioned. That is likely why so many of his current and former players love the guy.

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The one player that Dallas seemed determined not to lose this off season was old reliable kicker Dan Bailey. Today the Cowboys signed Bailey to a deal that will keep him in the fold through the 2020 season. The 6 year extension will pay Bailey an average of $3.3 mm a year making him the 5th highest paid kicker in the NFL but the figure is low enough that his salary cap hit is more than manageable. Bailey has been a model of consistancy the past three seasons culminating in a 28-30 performance in field goal conversions in 2013. He also improved his kickoff length this past season as well.

The Cowboys have replaced their tight ends coach and as the player roster is getting younger the coaching staff is getting older. 72 year old Mike Pope who has been the tight ends coach in New York for the Giants is coming on board in the same capacity for Dallas. Pope has had a successful run of coaching tight ends in the NFL for past 14 years for the Giants. His employment with the Giants dates all the way back to 1983 when he worked for Bill Parcels and he coached Mark Bavaro. Between stints with the Giants Pope has coached with Cincinnati, New England and Washington. Pope replaces Wes Phillips who left for Washington after his contract was not renewed. He joins 73 year old Monte Kiffin and 64 year old Rod Marinelli as proof you are never too old to coach in the NFL.

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I posted the item about former Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent who was found guilty of intoxication manslaughter in the death of his good friend and teammate Jerry Brown. The punishment phase of the trial was completed today with Brent receiving a sentence of 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation. Theoretically, Brent would be out of jail in late June meaning he could be available to join an NFL team for training camp. That is assuming he is able to stay in some semblence of shape during his prison stay. Brent was showing promise as a defensive tackle in the Cowboys 3-4 and he is probably more suited to play DT in a 4-3 which Dallas runs now. He certainly would be a player the Cowboys could get cheap and it's not far fetched that Jerry Jones would show a big interest in a player he has publicly supported during the ordeal Brent has gone through since his accident.
Here's the article from NFL.com with more details about the verdict that was handed down today.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000317453/article/josh-brent-sentenced-to-180-days-in-jail-10-years-of-probation

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Dallas has successfully muddied the waters of the their coaching staff. NFL.com has reported that Jerry Jones has hired former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan who it is being speculated as being the man calling plays next season. What that leaves is current offensive coordinator Bill Callahan sort of in no-man's land. DallasCowboys.com is reporting that Callahan's role is totally up in the air because it's a foregone conclusion that Linehan will call plays. It may be a way to force Callahan to void his contract and quit leaving the OC job open for Linehan who currently doesn't have a job title. Or, it may be, according to Colin Cowherd, evidence that Dallas is officially the most disfunctional organization in the NFL. There is no doubt that Linehan can help because since he became Detroit's OC in 2009 taking them from the 32nd ranked offense to the #3 overall ranked offense in 2013. Under Callahan the Cowboys were the 14th ranked offense last season.

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Okay, Jerry Jones has even me saying WTF!!!! After hiring former Lions OC Scott Linehan to call plays last night the Cowboys announced that Bill Callahan is still on staff as OC and Linehan will be the official play caller. That's not all! On the other side of the ball offensive line coach Rod Marinelli is now the defensive coordinator BUT Monte Kiffin remains on the staff as the Assistant Head Coach/Defense. Again, WTF??????!!!!!!!! Hey Jerry, remember that old saying, 'too many cooks spoil the pot'? What the hell is Callahan going to do, play with pencils all the time? It's Jason Garrett's offense Dallas runs and if Linehan is calling plays exactly what is Callahan doing? The same thing with Marinelli and Kiffin. Fortunately, the NFL doesn't have a salary cap for coaches but I don't understand the dynamic at Valley Ranch.
The Cowboys web site reports that Kiffin will be like a coach emeritus overseeing the continued transition from the 3-4 to the 4-3. His job seems more like a consultant than a coach. Callaahan is being classified as OC/Offensive line coach which means he's still the de facto leader of the offensive side of the ball with Linehan as the passing coordinator. It's all a lot of double talk to me. Callahan had some interest by a couple of teams but Dallas refused to allow Callahan to interview (they have that right because he's under contract for one more year) which means Dallas wants him on the staff. This situation is crazy.

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Here is a link to a DallasCowboys.com article about the top ten prospects in this year's NFL draft. These players are all seniors and the prospects in the underclassmen group may be better than the seniors but it opens the door for the discussion about what the Cowboys need to address in the draft. Personally, I think the consensus is defense with particular attention to the D-line needed after a historically bad performance in 2013. It's February so we've got a long way to go before the May NFL draft but I'm going thru football withdrawal symptoms already so I'm keeping myself busy.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/Top-10-Ranking-Early-Options-For-Cowboys’-Top-Pick/7d401538-f7cd-4fda-bfc5-024f36797bb7

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Earlier this week it was reported that DeMarcus Ware had surgery to relieve a nerve problem that caused Ware a lot of discomfort. He said that at the beginning of the year when he was so good his elbow was not a problem. But after he got hit on that elbow even padding over the elbow didn't help the pain he felt. A lot of people lately are talking about Ware losing a step a being past his prime. I think this may be wrong because of how dominating he was at the beginning of the year. I also look at how good Indianapolis' DE Robert Mathis was and he's 1-1/2 years older than Ware. The last two seasons Ware has been really slowed by a plethora of injuries. If he can get completely healthy and stay that way there's no reason Ware can't return to his old dominating form. The Cowboys may want to get some help so they can rotate him a little so he's not worn out at the end of the season. The really good news about this surgery is it is not expected to hamper any of his off-season work. Let's hope Ware gets right and stays healthy because Dallas really needs him.

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The Cowboys suffered a bucket load of injuries in 2013. With Dallas $24 mm over the salary cap they will definitely need to get production from many of these players because they won't be able to go hard in free agency and they don't have enough draft choices to fill all the holes in their roster. To be fair, few teams do have enough draft choices and the fact is most teams need the choices in rounds 1-4. Later round picks are hit or miss and even Seattle's hits in late rounds took 2-3 years to really pan out. Here's an article for DallasCowboys.com listing the top injury situations Dallas hope work themselves out as the off season progresses.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/Top-10-Romo%E2%80%99s-Back-Rehab-Ranks-First-in-Injuries-to-Watch-/83c04e34-5ef9-4f2f-a037-b70467ee0d11

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Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown has some more important worries than the state of Cowboys backs. He and his family are looking for a donor for a bone marrow transplant for his daughter, Malena. Malena is 15 years old and she was diagnosed with leukemia last year. Here's the link to the article on DallasCowboys.com.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/RB-Coach-Gary-Brown-Seeks-Donor-For-Daughter/52b00726-7fb6-4352-93fc-a96082d1a4f3

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A big event in the NFL calendar year takes place beginning Saturday when the top college prospects and representatives from all 32 NFL franchises meet in Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine. Here's an article from DallasCowboys.com's Brian Broaddus and his take on who to keep an eye on in Indy. I guess I should clarify a little. There is stuff going on in Indy right now as the combine kicks off with interviews of players and medical evaluations and administrative stuff. The drills, 40 yard dashes and the shuttle runs begin Saturday.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddusBlog/Scouts-Eye-A-Few-Names-To-Watch-At-The-NFL-Combine/0b032fba-0bc2-49ad-883b-df7a849a858b

Dallas final draft position was determined today when the league did a coin flip at the NFL Scouting Combine to decide who gets the 16th and 17th picks in this year's draft. The coin flip was between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cowboys who ended the 2013 season with identical 8-8 records and the exact same numbers for strength of schedule. Dallas won the flip and they will make the 16th pick with the Ravens next with No 17. Here is the final 1st round draft order for this year's draft.
1. Houston
2. St. Louis (from Washington)
3. Jacksonville
4. Cleveland
5. Oakland
6. Atlanta
7. Tampa Bay
8. Minnesota
9. Buffalo
10. Detroit
11. Tennessee
12. New York Giants
13. St. Louis
14. Chicago
15. Pittsburgh
16. Dallas
17. Baltimore
18. New York Jets
19. Miami
20. Arizona
21. Green Bay
22. Philadelphia
23. Kansas City
24. Cincinnati
25. San Diego
26. Cleveland (from Indianapolis)
27. New Orleans
28. Carolina
29. New England
30. San Francisco
31. Denver
32. Seattle

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The NFL Scouting Combine is full swing with the workout portion of the process taking front and center over the next few days. So far the offensive linemen have gone through their forties and agility drills and tight ends are running their forties. Not very compelling stuff until you see the top OL-men are running their 40's in the low 4.8's. There's no way a man weighing 300+ pounds running that fast!

Here's an article from DallasCowboys.com senior writer Mickey Spagnola with his take on the Demarcus Ware situation. It makes me feel good that Mickey's take is similar to mine in that Ware is fully capable of playing at a high level if he can stay healthy. That's a big deal because Dallas salary cap issues can't take a lot of dead money if they cut Ware as many fans and a lot of pundit argue that Ware is over the hill and needs to go.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Spagnola-Time-To-Weigh-In-On-DeMarcus-Ware/b7edc48c-1d47-49f3-b75c-c7299758ece6

Here's an article from DC.com about how excited new defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli is going forward. It seems the best chance for Dallas to upgrade their league worst defense is to draft well. His goal is to upgrade the front seven because that is the backbone of the Tampa 2 defense.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Marinelli-Excited-For-New-Role-Focus-On-Front-Seven/e89d1579-5c8b-4c97-b33e-40dea9b2e0fe

One last thing, can I get you all to start rolling your eyes giving your best Sheldon Cooper look of exasperated annoyance when someone starts talking about Tony Romo's recurring back issues? Romo had "A" back issue related to injury this past season. That's not to say the cyst he had removed this time last year didn't have something to do with his back injury this year. If you noticed, Romo didn't scramble as much as in the past and he often went down when the pocket collapsed instead of trying to get away. This could have been a residual effect of the cyst but not knowing the details I can't tell you it was or wasn't. All I can say is the surgery he had to repair a herniated disc is said to have gone fine and Romo is doing his rehab and is on schedule to begin workouts with the team when OTA's begin in May. On NFL.com Dr Oz was asked about the surgery and he said that he believes Romo's back should be good to go with no issues. Everything depends on how patient the Cowboys and Romo will be to make sure he's completely healthy before letting him step on a football field. With the money they have invested the Cowboys would be stupid to rush Romo back and believe me I don't think the Cowboys are stupid in this regard.

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"It was twenty years ago today. St Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style but they're guaranteed to make you smile. So let me introduce to you, the act you've know for these years, St Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band!" This Beatles lyric could apply to the Cowboys with only slight changes to make it fit but what makes it more appropriate is yesterday was the 25th anniversary of Jerry Jones buying the Dallas Cowboys. It's been a wild ride which includes 3 Super Bowls in a 4 year stretch in the mid ninties. The ride has still been wild but not very successful since the 1995 season but Dallas is still referred to a America's Team because of the run Dallas enjoyed between 1966 and 1985. The Cowboys had twenty consecutive winning seasons in that 20 year span with with 18 playoff appearances. They played in 2 NFL Championships in '66 and '67 losing to Green Bay both times and 5 Super Bowls winning 2 and 3 additionl NFC Championship games in '80, '81 and '82 losing all three. No other team has had even close to the run Dallas enjoyed in those twenty years. That's when "America's Team" was born. It was perpetuated in the 1990's when Big D won 8 division championships, won 3 of 4 NFC Championships and 3 Super Bowls missing the playoffs in 1990 and 1997. Since the new millenium Dallas has fallen on hard times that have certainly been well documented. This has been a too long intro to a link to a Jerry Jones interview where he reminisces about that time 25 years ago.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Jones-Recalls-Risk-Excitement-In-Purchasing-Cowboys-/b127071d-edf2-4d26-99d5-43311df89ce6

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The fact that this past week was the 25th anniversary of Jerry Jones buying the Cowboys the DallasCowboys.com senior writer, Mickey Spagnola, looks back on that time and I'm still not sure if it's fond memories or not. Warning, this is a fairly long article. Not War and Peace long but for a post on a web site it's a little long. But, it's a pretty good read.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Spagnola-Looking-Way-Way-Back-25-Years/88b253d5-ed42-4277-994a-911c14cd4a31

Here's a point about Demarcus Ware being the most valuable piece of the current Cowboys defense and counter point about Jason Hatcher being more important.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Point-If-All-Leave-Ware-Will-Be-Most-Missed-On-D-Line/d6982bb4-dec7-4ef0-979b-8ba564a4354e

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DavidHelman/Counterpoint--Hatcher-Is-a-Bigger-Need-For-2014/3826864e-0457-491a-b18c-16cb50ed911e

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Free agency will officially begin next week but yesterday was the final day teams could designate their frachise player if they so chose. For the first time in a couple of years no player was franchised by Dallas. The past two seasons Dallas franchised LB/DE Anthony Spenser but after undergoing micro-fracture knee surgery his stock has dropped considerably considering that the successful rehab rate from this type of surgery is not good. Spenser is an unrestricted free agent who will be looking for a big contract but a guy coming off a potentially career ending surgery isn't going to be paid much on the open market. Heck, Spenser might not be able to play football until 2015. Don't feel too sorry for Spenser in terms of his contract. The past two years being franchised Spenser pocketed about $20mm bucks. The downside was he didn't get the long term deal he was hoping for and it turns out it was a good move by Dallas who would've had to add Spencer to the list of guys who got LTD's and then didn't play up to their contract like Miles Austin, both Roy Williams' and Jay Ratliff with nothing but dead money to show for it.

Speaking of money before yesterday Dallas was about $24mm over the salary cap but after some contract restructures Dallas is only about $1mm over. Yesterday it was reported the Sean Lee and Orlando Scandrick redid their deals and will save Dallas $7.8mm of cap space and today Tony Romo restructured the deal he signed last year and will save Dallas $10mm on their cap. With these three moves Dallas is roughly only $1mm over the cap. All NFL teams have to be under the cap by March 11th when free agency begins. A lot of speculation about the release of players is flying around but nothing is certain until it happens. For sure Dallas will get under the cap limit, they always do but I would think at some point restructuring deals won't be an option for players who are too old to commit to long term.

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Okay, the Cowboys are under the salary cap. Today they released C/G Phil Costa and completed renegotiating G Mackenzy Bernadeau's contract so now Dallas will head into free agency, which begins next week, under the salary cap which is where lead rules say they need to be.
Costa started all sixteen games in 2011 but only appeared in 6 games the past two seasons. He started 3 games at center in 2012 before injuries cut his season short and Travis Frederick, who was Dallas' first round pick in last years draft has claimed the center position as his own. Dallas saves about $1.5 mm on their salary cap.
Bernadeau agree to redo his deal as he will compete for a starting job at guard this year. He finished the last 8 games last season as the starter at right guard after Brian Waters tore his bicep muscle.
The moves today put Dallas about $2 mm under the cap with contract issues with Demarcus Ware and Miles Austin looming like a black cloud in Dallas' near future.

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Free agency begins Tuesday and it's pretty much a given that Dallas won't be a player in free agency. At least to no great extent. With just a $2 mm bunch of money to play with it doesn't take long to figure out Dallas simply can't be big spenders because if you don't have it you can't spend it. The NFL does not give credit cards. Just to be able to pay for their draft picks this season it looks like Miles Austin will be released after June 1st so his $5.5 mm salary will become available. Personally, I wish they could keep Austin. I think he's pretty darn good and, when healthy, is another potent weapon for the Cowboys offense. The other big question is the status of Demarcus Ware. His base salary this coming year is over $12 mm and considering he's been injured and hardly his old self the Cowboys want him to take a salary cut. On Ware's side he's saying he won't take a pay cut. Sounds like a line is in the process of being drawn in the sand. I still think Ware has a lot of good football left and it'd be a shame if he played it somewhere else. After all, Indianapolis' Dwight Freeney is about a year and half older than Ware and he was in the discussion for defensive player of the year last season. Considering Dallas needs so much help to rebuild their defense the Avengers may not be able to help. Dallas really needs to keep Ware and hope he can remain healthy. That, and draft well. If you agree with the old cliché about success in football begins by winning in the trenches Dallas needs to restock their D-line. An impactful line that can cause pressure on quarterbacks and stop the run makes the rest of the pieces on defense all the better. Look at Seattle. Would Richard Sherman and the other DBs be so good without the pressure their front four is able to generate? If Austin has to go so be it, that's the football biz but I really think Ware has 2 to 3 good years left. I really hope one of the best players in Cowboys history finishes his career in that little ole town in north Texas.

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A recent post on NFL.com Tony Romo spoke with reporters for the first time since his back surgery a few days after his Week 15 win over Washington. Romo says that the procedure was a relatively minor one comparatively speaking and he is right on schedule to practice with the team when the first of the Cowboys off season OTA's begin next month. Romo and head coach Jason Garrett were in Durham, North Carolina to work with Duke QB guru David Cutcliff. Cutcliff worked with Peyton Manning in his rehab after his neck surgeries 2 seasons ago.
Romo was interviewed after they attended the Duke-North Carolina basketball game. Romo is quoted as saying, "We're getting close now to (returning). Usually takes three months, it's just (a) normal kinda roundabout date that they give ya and we're right on schedule. Really ahead in a lot of ways.
Romo even had a chance to play a game of "PIG" with Garrett and former Duke basketball star Jason Williams. Here's a link to the video of that shoot around in which Romo shows no evidence of a recent back surgery and a pretty good jumper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws9dh4X_-Hw

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The Cowboys, just minutes ago released defensive stalwart DeMarcus Ware. Ware, a likely first ballot Hall of Famer, was let go primarily because of money. The discussion has been since the 2013 season ended has been Ware's salary. Under the terms of his contract, which had been renegotiated several times for previous year's salary cap reasons was going to be $16 MM with a $12 MM base salary and because Ware has struggle through the past two seasons Dallas wanted Ware to take a decrease in salary. Ware has said he won't take a pay cut so the line in the sand was drawn. By releasing him Ware aves Dallas $7.4 MM against the salary cap. Ware also asked that if a deal can't be worked out then he wanted the Cowboys to release before the free agency period began which Jerry Jones did do this afternoon. There could still be hope for Dallas to resign Ware if interest in him isn't what Ware hopes. Dallas, I'm sure, would be happy to pay Ware in 7 or 8 million dollar range if that's the best offer Ware gets he may decide to resign him. Here's the article from DallasCowboys.com about Ware's release.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Cowboys’-Sack-Leader-DeMarcus-Ware-Released/83a977bd-70a5-4476-bff3-ce541ead7ce0

[eagle eye]

Dallas is still in the cut and slash mode. One day after releasing DeMarcus Ware they announced that Miles Austin is going to be cut as of June 1st. The reason for the delay allows Austin's cap hit to be spread over this season and next. Austin will still count $5.1 MM in 2015 but the oft injured wide receiver will save Dallas $5.5 MM on this year's cap after June 1. It's has been speculated that Austin would be a June 1st cut for months and today was the day. Before Tuesday Dallas was roughly $2 MM under the salary cap and with the cuts of Ware and Austin the Cowboys now have nearly $13 MM more to play with. Keeping in mind that Austin's cap savings won't be available until June 1st. It's being speculated that Austin's cap savings will be used to pay their draft choices.

Since early this morning on Mike and Mike the discussion has been that the Denver Broncos were showing a lot of interest in DeMarcus Ware and sure enough this afternoon the Broncos reached a 3 year deal with Ware for $30 MM with $20 MM guaranteed. Ware's base salary for 2014 will be $13 MM which a million more than his base salary with Dallas was going to be. There was an understanding between Ware and Jerry Jones that Ware would consider resigning with Dallas if a better deal was not forthcoming. Denver's deal blows that understanding out of the water. Now, all four of the defensive front four Dallas hoped they would be starting for them this time last year when Monte Kiffin was hired to bring his 4-3 Tampa 2 defense to Dallas. Two never played a down. Anthony Spencer was injured during training camp and Jay Ratliff played hurt during training camp and was released just a few weeks into the season claiming he would be able to play until 2014, or maybe 2015. Within weeks of his release he was signed by the Chicago Bears and was on the field against the Cowboys in Week 14. Jason Hatcher had his best season as a pro in 2013 and he's trying to capitalize on that in this year's free agency. The last one to go is Ware who would not agree to a pay cut the Cowboys wanted him to take and to be fair to Ware Dallas agreed to release before free agency began yesterday. Now Ware is a Denver Bronco. If you thought Dallas needed help on defense before.........sheesh. The Broncos are trying to take advantage of the narrow window of opportunity with Peyton Manning by bolstering their defense. Yesterday Denver agreed to terms with CB Aqib Talib to replace the aging Champ Bailey and today they sign DeMarcus Ware to help their pass rush to along with Vonn Miller. SS T J Miller was also signed today to further bolster their defensive backfield. So far, Dallas has made no signings.

[eagle eye]

I was not entirely correct when I wrote that Dallas had made no moves as yet in free agency. Dallas has signed defensive tackle Terrell McClain who has been with Houston for his first 3 years in the NFL. His role in the 4-3 defense will be considerably different than his role in the Texans 3-4. A change that will benefit him greatly from a wear and tear standpoint.
They also signed 6 year veteran DE Jeremy Mincey who comes from the Denver Broncos.
Both players fill a serious need to upgrade the D-line but neither is necessarily going to replace DeMarcus Ware. It is encouraging to see Dallas actually fill some major deficiencies in free agency. Neither player cost that much and they bring some youth AND experience to the table.

Here's a look at McClain from a scout's point of view by DallasCowboys.com's Bryan Broaddus.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddusBlog/Scouting-Report--New-DT-McClain-Is-Hard-To-Move/cabbfabd-2758-4573-af1b-765c6f026af9

[eagle eye]

The NFC East has a former Cowboy newly signed and one team just got a lot scarier on offense.

Washington Redskins - The Skins signed DT Jason Hatcher. Hatcher was the 2013 sack leader with 13 and now he will be chasing Tony Romo twice a year for the next 4 years. The deal with the Hatcher is around $27 MM over the 4 years. In the past two days Dallas has now lost it's all-time leader in sacks in DeMarcus Ware and the last season's sack leader. Newly signed DL from Denver with 20 career sacks and 2nd is George Selvie with ten, 7 coming last season.

The Philadelphia Eagle completed a trade with the New Orleans Saints that gives Chip Kelly another bullet for his offensive gun. Darren Sproles is now an Eagle and it only cost a 5th round draft choice and Philadelphia assumes Sproles contract. This isn't a bad deal either because there's only one year left on the contract he had with New Orleans for $3.5 MM. Sproles isn't the runner he once was but he doesn't need to be. Sproles will be a killer compliment to LeSean McCoy and there's no doubt he is top notch as a receiver out of the backfield.

Ex-Cowboy center Phil Costa signed on with the Indianapolis Colts. Terms of the deal are not readily know.

Dallas has signed their third free agent today. They signed LB Will Herring who came to Dallas from New Orleans where he spent the last three seasons. Prior to New Orleans he spent 4 years in Seattle where he was a 5th round draft pick in 2007. He played his college ball at Auburn. Herring is more of a special teams player who could fill in at LB.

[eagle eye]

The deal with LB Will Herring has fallen through. Due to disagreements in the language of the proposed contract Herring and the Cowboys will not be teaming up this year. No big loss. Herring isn't a starting caliber player and Dallas needs to upgrade their talent pool rather than remain stuck in the mud with mediocre players. Here's a link to senior writer for the Cowboys Mickey Spagnola's article about how the Cowboys are in trouble but maybe they have some hope for the future. Meaning the moves that have been made over the past week and losses they've suffered holds out hope for their salary cap. After this year, according to Spagnola, the Cowboys won't be in salary cap hell. They will actually be able to afford to upgrade the talent on this team before the older players on the roster are past their prime. The only guy who may not survive another mediocre team is Jason Garrett. To bad, because the team has gotten better since he came back to Dallas. The Cowboys have had talented players but the fact is Dallas has not had a talented team for a long while. Maybe Jerry thought since he had another 94, Charles Haley, that's all he needed but there wasn't another Tony Casillas, Leon Lett, Tony Tolbert and others a lot more talented than DeMarcus Ware has played with in his 9 seasons with Dallas. Just like Ware did in his opening press conference in Denver this week, I wish him well and I really hope he gets a Super Bowl ring or two before his career is over.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-MickeySpagnola/Spagnola-Let’s-Try--To-Make-Dollars--Sense-Of-All-This/55059ed5-dd0d-40ab-8e73-2c8ee5ecea71

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys are getting some visits from players who would be starters on the Dallas defense if they are signed. First is former Bears D-lineman Henry Melton. His visit was a bit of a surprise as it was thought his people were in deep negotiations with the Seattle Seahawks but Melton's visit in Dallas this morning clouds the picture somewhat. Melton is from the Dallas area and he played for D-coordinator Rod Marinelli when he had the same job in Chicago under Lovie Smith. The other visit is tomorrow by ex-Minnesota Vikings D-end Jared Allen. Allen is looking for a big contract and Dallas may not have the money he wants. If Dallas could snag these players it would seriously upgrade the Dallas D-line and make their draft day choices a lot easier.

Another player NFL.com is reporting will visit Dallas is former Browns QB Brandon Weeden. The only reason is so Dallas can have a 3rd string backup for cheap. I really hope it's just Weeden's agent trying to generate interest in his client which can't be easy to do after 2 very forgettable seasons in Cleveland.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys have made a signing but, no, it's not DL Henry Melton. No word has come out either way about Melton as yet. The meeting today was with former Browns QB Brandon Weeden and yes, they agreed to terms on a contract for Weeden to become the third string QB. Apparently, there is some doubt about whether or not Kyle Orton will return as it could be possible Orton will choose to retire than play football next season. It's not likely with over $3 mm he is scheduled to make but you just never know. I like Orton as Romo's backup, I think he's about the best backup in the NFL and Dallas has him for relatively cheap. For his part, Weeden struggled badly in Cleveland but he played for two different coaching staffs and two different systems. I don't think it's very surprising he struggled as much as he did. It is being reported the Dallas was looking at Weeden in the 2012 draft and it may have been possible Dallas would have drafted him but his selection killed any hope Dallas may have had. That and the fact that Dallas traded up to draft Morris Claiborne.

[eagle eye]

The visits are over for prospective defensive line free agents Henry Melton and Jared Allen. Melton completed his final stop which was in St Louis today. He had also met with the Vikings, the Seahawks and of course Dallas. It was said his visit to Valley Ranch was a good one and having his former defensive coordinator in Chicago the DC in Dallas didn't hurt one bit.
Jared Allen completed his visit to Dallas today and it too was reported to be a very good visit. Allen came into Dallas on Monday night and was given the first class tour of the Cowboys facilities. Allen left Dallas to return home to be with his wife who is pregnant with their 2nd child. Allen has not scheduled any more visits other than the one he already made to Seattle.
Now, the only thing left is to wait on Melton and Allen to make their final decision on where they want to go. According to NFL.com Melton is the #2 ranked free agent available and Allen is #4. If Dallas wins the lottery and both players sign with the Cowboys it makes the upcoming draft look a lot different in terms who they NEED to draft rather than picking the best player available which is what team would prefer to do. Drafting according to need seldom works out well. Let's hope Jerry and Jason are good salesmen.

S Danny McCray is now a Chicago Bear. McCray became an UFA this year after being with Dallas since he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2010. McCray was a bit of a liability as a safety but he is a special teams ace and a real backbone to the Cowboys coverage units almost from day one. McCray was signed to only a one year deal. The emergence of Dwayne Harris, Cameron Jordan and Jeff Heath on special teams sort of made McCray expendable.

Here's a scouting report from former scout and DallasCowboys.com writer Brian Broaddus on the Cowboys newest QB Brandon Weeden signed as a free agent yesterday.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddus/Scouting-Report-The-Pros-And-Cons-Of-Weeden’s-Tape/f211baa2-3cf9-4124-bdc2-81fea9ffac2e

[eagle eye]

Okay Cowboys fans, one down and one to go! Henry Melton has agree to terms on a multi year deal with the Cowboys!

Quote from twitter: Henry Melton @ HenMel

Thank you chicago for the best 5 years of my life!...I can't wait to begin the next chapter of my life...With a star on my helmet!

posted 7:17 pm 18-Mar-2014

Dallas may have gotten a nice discount for Melton considering he's coming off ACL surgery suffered about mid season in 2013 AND he'll be rejoining his old coach at Chicago and current D-coordinator Rod Marinelli. Now, if we can just get Jared Allen to come around.

[eagle eye]

The Astros ended up batting .500 in their pursuit of two big name free agents to help begin rebuilding a weak defensive line. The began the week by agreeing to terms with defensive tackle Henry Melton late of the Chicago Bears. It was probably an unfair advantage that Dallas had over 4 other teams who interviewed him. Why? For starters Dallas' defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli was in the same job in 2012 which was Melton's only pro bowl season. For another reason, Melton is coming home because he is from Grand Prairie which is a skip and a jump from Dallas and finally Texas has no state tax which was an issue in Chicago and took a big chunk of change out of Melton's pay check. For Melton it was a win-win-win situation. As for Dallas, they got a darn good interior lineman to replace Jason Hatcher/Jay Ratliff who is young enough to be a force for Dallas for years to come. The biggest surprise is Jerry and Stephen Jones didn't heap a huge long term contract on a player coming off rehab from ACL surgery. The deal is for one year for about $3 MM and if he plays well Dallas has a group of 3 1-year options that will reward Melton if he plays well. Dallas has been burned by giving big contracts to players and not getting a bang for the Cowboys buck. Remember both Roy Williams'? How about Miles Austin? Marion Barber and few other come to mind so evidently the Jones family actually has learned a lesson or two.
The free agent hope is defensive end Jared Allen. Allen only made two visits this past week beginning last weekend when he went to Seattle and it was actually reported that they were working on a deal but on Monday Allen flew into Dallas for a meeting Tuesday with the Cowboys. Allen left Dallas without a contract saying he needed to get back to Minnesota to his pregnant wife to discuss his options. Must have been a short talk because today it was reported that Allen was making another trip to Seattle. Late this afternoon it was reported that Allen and the Seahawks have agree to terms so Allen takes his talents to the home of Starbucks. I don't care what the terms of his deal was all I know is I'm disappointed in losing out on Allen. It's not a surprise because after Dallas signed Melton NFL.com reported that the signing probably took Dallas out of contention for Allen because the Cowboys just wouldn't have enough money to pay him what it is believed he wanted. A bunch of my friends are happy because if they paid Allen $12 MM when they wouldn't pay the same for DeMarcus Ware. My friends being a loyal bunch I certainly could understand their point. While Allen is a year younger than Ware he has been in the NFL eleven years to Ware's nine.
Dallas has been trying to get younger for the past two years and signing Allen would not have been consistent with the path the Cowboys have been following. This allows Dallas to concentrate on drafting for defense by taking the best player available instead of reaching for a guy out of desperate need. Dallas could use another linebacker or two and a safety to go along with D-line help.

Tony Romo is now the proud papa of another baby boy. The newest addition to the Romo household was born on Tuesday and he is named Rivers Ray Romo. He came into the world at 8 lbs 12 ozs and 20 1/2 inches long. There is a picture on twitter of the proud parents and the baby you can see via the link below.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/cowbuzz.html

[eagle eye]

Here's a video from DallasCowboys.com featuring a segment from a local program in Dallas called "The Blitz, Dallas Cowboys Report". The segment linked is a feature called 'coache's clinic' and in this episode defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson talks about how to play press-man coverage.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/The_Blitz_Jerome_Henderson_Coaching_Clinic_45/64de3589-53ad-47d9-960a-471f2b09a831

[Hey Guy]

Can't wait to see Weeden starting for the Boys, guy. Hey guy... it's about time the Romo era is ending. Where do you think the Boys trade Romo to? Houston? Jerry is finally making the right moves......guy.

[eagle eye]

Okay, some news to talk about.

Remember DT Jay Ratliff? Sure you do if you're a Cowboys fan. The pro bowl defensive tackle who was given a $40 mm contract extension in 2011 and who only played 4 games in 2012 due to a groin injury and supposedly tweaked his groin during a conditioning run at the start of 2013 training camp. The same Ratliff who was put on the PUP list for the first six weeks of the season so he could heal and at the end of the six weeks he was released. The same Rat-liff whose agent claimed Ratliff was seriously injured and may not play until the 2014 or 2015 season and then signed with the Chicago Bears two weeks later and played the last 5 games of the year, including the Dec 9 game against the Cowboys, and earned a 2 year extension this year. The same Jay Ratliff who blew up on owner and GM Jerry Jones in the locker room after a 2012 Thanksgiving day loss to Washington when Jones simply went up to Ratliff and said he hoped he would be better soon because the team needed him. The guy is a tool bag and pretty much took money from the Cowboys under false pretenses. Since Ratliff's release last year the Cowboys have said nothing, until now. Today it was reported that the Cowboys have filed a complaint against Ratliff to recoup money paid to Ratliff in the 2013 season, a chunk of the $18 mm signing bonus given Ratliff in 2011 not to mention money Ratliff owes for a suite at AT&T Stadium. This could take months to resolve. Stuff like this usually does but I hope Dallas wins because Ratliff didn't play for Dallas to punish Jones for something. I'm surprised Jones and the Cowboys didn't sue Ratliff. Although, it may not be allowed under the players collective bargaining agreement.

Dallas got some good news today. They will receive 3 compensatory draft picks for this year's draft. They are all seventh round picks giving Dallas a total of six seventh round picks. Last year Dallas received an extra 7th in the deal in September that brought DL Edgar Jones to Dallas in a trade with Kansas City. The Cowboys also gave up their sixth round pick in the deal. Dallas received a seventh from Chicago in the deal that brought TE Dante Rosario to Dallas who was only on the team a short time.
Now, the Cowboys have one pick in each of the first 5 rounds and now the 6 seventh rounders for a total of 11 draft picks. It certainly gives Dallas the ability to trade up in the draft if they want to. Draft picks are completely invaluable to NFL teams and with Dallas having so many holes that need filling Dallas has seemingly fallen into some tall cotton.

If you want to play GM here's a link to Fanspeak's On the Clock Mock Draft. You choose the team you want to draft for and how many rounds and the computer picks all other picks. It's pretty cool, check it out.

http://fanspeak.com/ontheclock/

[eagle eye]

Well, any hope I had of Jared Allen signing with the Cowboys is gone. But at least the Seahawks won't get him either. It was announced today that Allen has signed with the Chicago Bears. The contract is a 4 year deal worth $32 MM with a $15 MM in guaranteed money with the 1st two years fully guaranteed and a bonus due next year. Certainly out of the Cowboys cap-strapped ball park. Now, the focus on finding a player or combination of players to replace DeMarcus Ware.

[eagle eye]

According to a report on NFL.com Jerry Jones assures that even if the Cowboys don't make the playoffs this year it won't cost Jason Garrett his job. I have not read the article yet but it's my belief, despite the fact Jones said the Cowboys were absolutely not rebuilding in light of the Cowboys release of DeMarcus Ware. He acknowledged they need to fix the d-line and so forth but you don't rebuild with Tony Romo on the downside of his career, that said, Dallas has been rebuilding for the past 3 years, since Jason Garrett became head coach. The Cowboys have gotten younger and the talent on the team has increased. Dallas needs to restock their whole D-line with quality players who can defend the run and pressure the opposing QB for the Tampa 2 defense they now run. I think that Dallas has been bitten in the butt by injuries, especially on defense, which has derailed their chances the past two years. They got receivers, tight ends and o-linemen. The offense is in good shape. Dallas' efforts to rebuild the defense has been hampered by those aforementioned injuries. Last season, 1st round draft choice Morris Claiborne, missed most of the season. Sean Lee has missed most of the past two seasons. Bruce Carter missed time AND took a step back in terms of his production. Justin Durant missed most of the season. If you're keeping score that a starting cornerback and your whole starting linebacker corp out. Dallas needs to draft D-linemen and a linebacker or two. And not only that they need to play well and stay on the field.
Jones knows this and, make no mistake, they are rebuilding the defense. In Jerry's mind I'm sure he's thinking they are reloading. Pot-A-to pot-ah-to. Same difference. I think Jerry understands it ain't coaching that cost Dallas a playoff birth--or was it? Certainly, some better play calling could have helped win the Detroit game and the Green Bay game. Two games Dallas had in the bag and let slip away. But maybe they have solved that too by hiring Scott Linehan to call plays. He's Garrett's guy where Bill Callahan was not. Linehan's offenses have done a good job in Detroit. Linehan's O could pass the ball but they took advantage of their RB's too. Could be that problem is fixed. Who knows but Jerry is apparently all in on Jason and unless the team collapses like the last season under Wade Phillips don't look for Garrett to be looking for a job any time soon.

[eagle eye]

Dallas is trying to reconstruct their defense. Everybody knows that, it ain't no secret. That defense has more holes than a bee hive. I understand that Dallas has been trying to get younger and they showed no remorse in allowing a cornerstone of the last decade go when they released DeMarcus Ware last month. With that in mind there is one guy I'm sure Cowboys fans may feel is a good idea. Sign Danieal Manning. The guy has been a really good player since he was drafted in the 2nd round by the Bears in 2006 out of Abeline Christian. He's spent the past 3 seasons with Houston although he missed a big chunk of 2013 due to a broken leg suffered against the Rams last October. A deal similar to the one Dallas made with Henry Melton that was reletively cheap with options for future years could very well apply here. This would fill a need as Manning is a good player and a good locker room guy and for a couple of years he would be have some value. His age may be a concern but a one or two year deal at the right price would make sense. For his part, Manning was born and raised in Corsecana Texas and it has been his dream to play for Dallas. So it would be a win-win for both the Cowboys and Manning. That is of course Manning still has some gas left in his tank. Realistically, Dallas likely won't be in the market. As I said earlier the Cowboys have been trying to get younger and they feel like they have a good safety on the roster to pair with Barry Church who seems to have cemented his role for the Cowboys at free safety. The problem has been finding a strong safety. JJ Wilcox did okay but he's still learning as he's only played safety for like 3 years. Matt Johnson hasn't played a down but apparently he's shown something when he did practice because they are hanging on to the kid like he's made of gold. Jeff Heath is the other guy but he's young and maybe needs a year or two to learn from a vet like Manning. All of these guys could use a strong veteran presence like Manning but Dallas decided a vet wasn't important since they cut Will Allen about as soon as they signed him last year. It is just a thought I had and I'm sure I'm not the only one to have it.

[eagle eye]

Okay, I'm convinced that Dallas should pick Jadeveon Clowney in May's draft. Unfortunately, Dallas doesn't pick until No 16 and Clowney won't fall past No 3 and probably not No 1. I can easily see Clowney being drafted by the Texans. So, there are clearly only two options left available. 1) Dallas can package enough of their picks to move up to No 1 if Houston is willing. It will likely cost Dallas every pick they have except for the 3 compensatory seventh round picks they have or 2) I can utilize my Jedi mind tricks to influence the other 15 teams ahead of Dallas to pass on Clowney. Honestly, I don't think either scenario is going to happen. My mind tricks are powerful but I'm no Yoda. Add to that, Dallas has too many holes to fill to sacrifice the whole draft for one player. Mike Ditka did it in New Orleans to take Ricky Williams and you know what a disaster that was. But there is one guy who could be there, or in a workable range and that's UCLA's Anthony Barr. The guy is athletic and fast for a 6'5" 255 lb guy. How do I know he's athletic? He began his career at UCLA as a running back! Dallas biggest need is a revitalized pass rush and adding a guy like Barr could go a long way to help resolve that problem.

[eagle eye]

Could Dallas already have some reinforcement for their beleaguered D-line already on the roster? DallasCowboys.com's Mickey Spagnola thinks so. Last season 1st year defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford was making a name for himself in OTA practices. He seemed to be thriving in the new 4-3 defensive scheme. Then the Cowboys when to Oxnard, California for training camp and WTF happened? Crawford tore his blankety-blank Achilles tendon. Season over. Done. Flash forward and Crawford is on and maybe ahead in his rehab. The fact is the only thing good about his injury is when it was suffered. Late July is way better than say, November, which would mean Crawford would likely miss half of the coming season. Rod Marinelli, who was Crawford's position coach last year and his defensive coordinator this year thinks Crawford will be a great addition to the roster even to the possibility having the talent to step into DeMarcus Ware's spot at weak side DE. Wouldn't that be awesome!

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Spagnola-Marinelli-Has-Some-Tools-To-‘Tighten-Bolts’/9995f13b-ed00-4e4b-8bba-9bb2df09498f

There's another interesting possibility that looms possibly in Dallas' favor to further bolster the D-line. Anthony Spenser, remember him? The past two years Dallas thought enough of Spenser to use the franchise tag on him. In 2012 he had a breakout season recording 11 sacks, 27 QB pressures and he led the team in tackles with 95. He was the only NFL player that year to have 10+ sacks and 90+ tackles which went a long way to earned him his first pro bowl berth. Dallas had high hopes for Spenser and DeMarcus Ware as bookend D-ends last summer but that all went out the window when, after the first game of the season, Spenser had to have microfracture surgery on his knee. His season was over at that point, and maybe his career, because this type of knee surgery has been next to impossible to come back from. Spenser is still rehabbing his knee and he's still walking around Valley Ranch on crutches. But, he has been faithfully working hard on his rehab and even though he's a free agent Dallas has supported and guided him through that rehab. As a free agent Spenser has visited a couple of teams but as yet is unsigned. Like I said, microfracture surgery is pretty serious and teams seem to be taking a wait-and-see attitude. That's a good thing for the Cowboys. The beat writers for their web site share a common opinion that Dallas will be able to re-sign Spenser for a substancially lower price than the $8.86 MM and $9.6 MM he made as a franchise tag player. If Spenser can beat the odds and make a successful comeback AND he signs with Dallas then another piece of the D-line puzzle will be resolved. Problem is, that's a lot of ifs.

[eagle eye]

Here's a segment of the Cowboys TV show called, "The Blitz" that features Cowboys position coaches giving fans an inside of how they coach certain aspects of playing the game. A while back I posted a feature by Cowboys defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson on how to play man coverage. Today I'm posting a video again featuring Henderson on how Dallas has their DBs play zone coverage.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/The_Blitz_Coaching_Clinic_Playing_Tampa_2_45/e4c7e96f-924e-4f22-aafd-810e8924141a

[eagle eye]

Here's a link to an article from NFL.com listing 10 players whose stock seems to be rising. Labelled as draft day sleepers I can see a group of 10 players who would fit with the Cowboys. It almost seems like Bucky Brooks has assembled a list of potential Cowboys sleeper picks. All 10 of these players fills needs by the Cowboys including that elusive quarterback of the future that will surely need to be addressed with Tony Romo about to turn 34 in two weeks. (I knew there was a bond between Romo and me. We share April 21st birthdays!) Realistically, Romo has 3-4 prime years left barring injury so Dallas really needs to start grooming his replacement PDQ.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000340318/article/cody-latimer-tom-savage-among-10-draft-sleepers-to-watch

[eagle eye]

Big Rob and his son Trey were overnight national sensations when they danced a choreagraphed routine at their seats on the club level of AT&T Stadium during the NCAA National Championship Game this past Monday. So why mention this in this thread? Big Rob is an accounts payable accountant in the Cowboys accouting department. Not only that he's the captain of the Dallas Mavericks fun-loving dance team the Mavs ManiAACs. Here's a link to the Cowboys article about Big Rob and a link to the dance routine Big Rob and his son did that has garnered them so much attentions after the video of their dance routine went viral on youtube.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Video-Board-Dance-Now-Life-Changing-For-Father-Son-Duo/1f86ef5e-9475-4acb-93c5-10631db182d3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i_AMDCs0O0

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys had 30 players in at valley ranch in for a visit to get a last look at players they may be interested in. It's not the top 30 players on the draft pecking order but players that Dallas may want some questions answered because they are trying to get an idea who their 3rd, 4th and 5th round draft picks may be. They have a lot to be answered so they can best use their 6 seventh round picks. That said, Pitt defensive tackle Aaron Donald was among the thirty that made the visit. Many mock drafts actually are projecting the Cowboys will select Donald. Donald is undersized and he's projected as a 3 technique tackle, the same spot free agent signee Henry Melton plays. I'm not sure, with the holes in the D-line, that Dallas has can they afford to double up on a position you've already addressed? If I'm Dallas and both Donald and UCLA DE Anthony Barr who do you go with? Barr is actually listed as a linebacker in draft projections but most agree he would be used as a DE in the NFL in 4-3 defenses. Dallas has a huge need to try to fill the hole left by the release of DeMarcus Ware. I'm not saying Barr is as good as Ware but he's a sort of tweener type that Ware was coming out of Troy State.
The Cowboys could be looking at a real dilemma because what do they do if Donald and/or Barr is available and Notre Dame's OL Zach Martin is there? What if TAMU WR Mike Evans or Fla State WR Kelvin Benjamin is available? It depends on if you think Dallas needs to add a piece to replace Miles Austin or if you feel it's important to draft a guy who can come right in and play guard and go to right tackle when Doug Free's contract is up. Does Dallas have to take the best available or fill the needs they have on defense? It's all pretty interesting if you follow the Cowboys or are a draft geek like me. One thing is certain---draft day is 23 days away.

[eagle eye]

Today the Cowboys are officially back to work as far as the NFL collective bargaining agreement is concerned. Off season work with 19 of the 32 NFL teams begin today. The teams with new head coaches were able to begin workouts two weeks ago and the last 6 teams will begin tomorrow. Today is also Tony Romo's birthday marking his 34th year on the planet. He is scheduled to participate in team activities but that really isn't saying much considering this Phase 1 of off season work is relegated to strength and conditioning and rehab work. QB's can throw passes to receivers as long as they are not covered by a defensive player. The beginning of Phase II starts after the NFL draft May 8-10 and after the rookie mini camp held a week after the draft. It will be the first time the coaching staff will be allowed to actually begin teaching. As in Phase I, Phase II does not allow players to wear helmets but they will be allowed to walk through offensive and defensive schemes although not against one another in live contact drills. Phase III is the 10 days of OTA's within the 3 weeks between May 27th and June 12th. That is followed by a mandatory veteran mimi camp starting around June 17 and ending 3 days later.
So, basically, today is a big whoop day all things considered but it does get us one day closer to the draft which, right now, seems like a long way off.

[eagle eye]

There has been no real news since the Cowboys started off season workouts on Monday. Not at all unexpected. But, as I look at all the mock drafts and via fanspeak.com doing my own mocks I am mocked out. We are 15 days away from draft day and I'm really quite tired of the wait. One thing I have noticed is that the guys who are ranked in the top 10 are really can't miss picks. As far as position players goes that is. QB's are still hit and miss and that's why it's so scary to use a pick on a top ranked passer. With several QBs ranked in the top 10 it's makes this draft a real crap shoot. It also got me to thinking that Dallas has two top ten picks on their current roster. The first is left tackle Tyron Smith and that guy has blossomed into one of the best tackles in the game. Smith was the 9th overall pick in the 2011 draft. He is coming to the end of his rookie contract and getting him signed should be a huge priority of the Cowboys preferably during the coming season when he would surely give the Cowboys a little hometown discount. 2013 saw Smith make the Pro Bowl and it should be the first of many to come. Dallas seems to have gotten good value from the #9 pick.
The next guy is Dallas first round pick in 2012--a pick they made a big trade to get. The fact that Dallas moved up from their #14 pick to the #6 in a trade with St Louis was one of the real surprises on day one of the draft. As yet, Claiborne has not played up to what you would expect the #6 pick should be. For one thing, he can't seem to stay on the field. He missed most of the 2012 OTAs and part of training camp as he recovered from a broken wrist and he did okay as a rookie all things considered but in 2013 he ran into more injury troubles. In the first place he missed a big chunk of training camp due to a pulled hamstring, an injury that reached almost epidemic proportions in Dallas the past two seasons. Then, in the first game of the season he dislocated his shoulder and he never regained his starting spot because of his own sub-par play and Orlando Scandrick's good play. This looks to be the first off season of Claiborne's pro career that he's healthy going into team workouts. Another hindrance was the move from Rob Ryan's pressure defense that required cornerbacks to play press-man coverage, which is Claiborne's forte, to a zone type coverage in Dallas' new 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme under new defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Claiborne struggled in the new scheme and it didn't seem to suit Claiborne's style of play. Kiffin is now been elevated to be a consultant and Kiffin's close friend Rod Marinelli is the new DC but the overall scheme will remain the same. What needs to change is Claiborne's play. He needs to start to earn that #6 pick reputation he came into the NFL with. How well a cornerback plays in many cases has a direct correlation to how well the D-line can pressure the opposing QB but that said, Claiborne needs to ramp it up a few notches. It's time for Claiborne to shine and it's not negotiable. Play better or that 2012 pick will officially be labelled a bust and you know Jerry Jones won't like that one bit.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys have wasted what little free agent money they have by signing another useless quarterback. It is being reported on NFL.com that Dallas has signed Caleb Haney to a one year deal. The terms of the deal were not reported. It is being speculated that Dallas is getting another veteran arm in case backup Kyle Orton retires. Apparently Orton has been considering just such a move. The move to sign Haney is along the same importance of their signing of Brandon Weeden last month. Neither guy has really done much in the NFL and nothing much is really expected of them. Hopefully, the signing dissuades Orton from retiring because I like him as a QB and as the Cowboys backup. Realistically, Orton may have been trolling for a raise and the Cowboys are, in effect, saying that we'd like to keep you but we do have other options. The money given either Weeden or Haney is likely negligible and it won't stop Dallas from releasing one or both if they don't work out. It certainly won't stop Dallas from drafting a QB if one worth drafting falls in the right spot. With Tony Romo turning 34 this past week Dallas needs to start thinking about the future and get someone in to groom for his replacement.

[eagle eye]

With less than two weeks before the NFL draft Dallas has signed a defensive end today. There is some good and bad to this and a lot we won't know whether it's good or bad for a good while. The signing was none other than Anthony Spencer who missed 15 of 16 games in 2013 and has been rehabbing his knee following microfracture last fall and has been in Dallas ever since rehabbing that knee. The latest update on his status was a couple of weeks ago when DallasCowboys.com reported he was still on crutches getting around Valley Ranch. There is still no real time table for Spencer's availability but all parties are hoping he will be ready to go by training camp which begins at the end of July. Frankly, that's a stretch because of the nature of what microfracture surgery is and the time it takes in rehab. If, by some miracle, Spencer can go for Dallas and assuming he regains his pro bowl form then Dallas has added a nice piece to their rebuilding project on the D-line. Dallas signed Spencer to a one year deal for what so far is for undisclosed money but I'm sure they were able to sign him pretty cheap considering what is options are at present. Dallas is playing craps right now betting Spencer will be able to play and at a high level. The dice are rolling and it will be a while before they know if they hit seven or eleven or snake eyes.

[eagle eye]

The draft is only 9 days away. The talking is just about over (thank the Lord!). All the pundits on ESPN.com and NFL.com and all the sports related .com's it plastered everywhere. Those of you who are into the draft probably have your own faves. Me too but I'll keep it to myself -- for now. Right now, here's a list of the top 50 draft prospects from DallasCowboys.com's Bryan Broaddus who is not just a writer for the web site he is a former NFL scout who worked for the Cowboys and Packers.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddus/Broaddus-Big-Board-Ranking-The-Top-50-Prospects/eef1adf3-18f5-4bb2-8c74-4794220a3711

For all you draft geeks there's a pretty dope draft guide written by Broaddus and the staff of DallasCowboys.com and Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine. It is actually the current issue of Star Magazine and you can order it on line via DallasCowboys.com or you can go to the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop in Parkdale Mall and buy your copy there. It's a great intro to the top candidates in the draft--not just the top prospects--but guys Dallas or Houston or your favorite team may be looking at in the later rounds. If you order Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine online version you not only get the draft guide but you also get a full year subscription to the magazine all for only $14.95. Not a bad deal if you are a Cowboys fan. The magazine/e-zine is delivered monthly during the off season and weekly beginning when training camp begins.

[eagle eye]

Dallas has signed a free agent! Exactly one week before the NFL draft Dallas has signed former Arizona Cardinals receiver LaRon Byrd. If nothing else you have to like his size. He's 6'4" and 220 lbs which makes him the biggest receiver on the Cowboys roster. Byrd was a four year starter at the U but he was signed by Arizona after the 2012 draft as an undrafted free agent. He made Arizona's final roster and he actually played in 4 games during that season. In 2013 Byrd suffered a concussion in preseason and was on the reserve/injured list and after he cleared waivers he was placed on the injured reserve list causing him to miss the entire season. Prior to the 2012 draft Byrd was clocked in the 40 at 4.45. Speed isn't an issue and it's almost like Dallas is getting a semi free look at slightly experienced guy who was projected as a 6-7 round prospect. For a guy this fast and that big you wonder what's wrong. Is he a poor route runner? Are his hands in question? Byrd was the 73rd ranked WR in the 2012 draft behind teammates Tommy Streeter (21) and Travis Benjamin (64). Benjamin now plays for Cleveland and Streeter is playing for Tampa Bay.

[eagle eye]

Here's another installment of 'The Coaches Clinic' segment from the Cowboys TV show, "The Blitz Dallas Cowboys Report" Today's post features Cowboys wide receiver coach Derek Dooley some important techniques in playing the WR position.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/The_Blitz_Wide_Receiver_Coaching_Clinic_45/4e61630a-2476-4840-95df-abd5c7c19fe8

[eagle eye]

Yesterday long time Cowboy linebacker Brady James signed a one day contract to retire as a Dallas Cowboy.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Bradie-James-Signs-Deal-To-Retire-With-The-Cowboys/29941921-de4b-4b56-874e-a45fccf6d76f

Yesterday Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and Jason Garrett held a pre draft press conference in Dallas. One part of that presser was to update the status of three players who have undergone surgeries during the 2013 season for various ailments. Those players are Tony Romo, Henry Melton and Anthony Spencer.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DavidHelman/Garrett-Jones-Give-Updates-On-Romo-Melton-Spencer/b204df7c-6bf1-4d24-ba10-9f2353211f6a

During the press conference Jerry Jones pretty much squashed any rumors on whether Dallas would draft a QB, namely Johnny Manziel, with the 16th pick in the draft. Jones said they are confident with Tony Romo and don't see the need to draft a QB when they need a player who can help the team THIS year and not down the road. My guess is it's going to either be DE Kony Ealy or S Calvin Pryor. Pryor may not be available. Would love LB/DE Anthony Barr from UCLA but he likely won't be there either. I don't think Dallas will trade up but I think it may be possible they trade down.

There is a pretty nice draft simulator on Fanspeak.com. There's even a deluxe simulator you can download that will allow you to trade up or down in the draft. I spend enough time on the regular one that shudder to think how I'd be preoccupied with one I could wheel and deal on. It's pretty fun if you're into that sort of thing. It's also frustrating as players you want to target disappear to other teams during the draft. What's cool about it is you can look at any team you might be interested in and see who the simulator selected for that team. You can choose to draft one round up to seven rounds and the simulator knows about the compesatory picks and what pick each team has in each round. It's like a fantasy draft and it's pretty interesting as you try to fill the needs on your team with the players available and the picks you have to work with.

[eagle eye]

The Draft Is Here!!!!! Just hours away and the NFL's version of Black Friday begins! 3 days of cutthroat dealing, arguing and disappointment. That's just at the draft parties around the country. No matter. All the talking is done and all the mocks don't mean a thing. The real thing begins at 7 o'clock and after the initial excitement Cowboys fans will have to wait 150 minutes before Dallas makes their pick at #16. 150 minutes is 2 hours and 30 minutes meaning Dallas picks at 9:30 PM. That's assuming they don't trade up or down. That's a long time to hope Anthony Barr falls to the Cowboys. The word from the Cowboys various podcasts is Barr is a definite person of interest to Dallas.

If Barr is gone and Aaron Donald too then it wouldn't hurt my feeling if Dallas choses either WR Odell Beckham or LB Ryan Shazier. Either pick fills a need because Dallas needs to replace Miles Austin and they need an upgrade to Bruce Carter. If both these players are gone I believe they HAVE to target DE Kony Ealy. I wouldn't reach for Ealy but Dallas needs to replace DeMarcus Ware and he's a prime available candidate. I might go with LB CJ Mosley. I really want Dallas to load up on defesive ends and linebackers. I think they are okay at D-tackle and cornerback and I'm sure they want to see if JJ Watt is going to be the answer at safety to pair up with Barry Church. Later in the draft they need to pick up an offensive guard or two, maybe a tackle and if they don't get Beckham maybe a Josh Huff from Oregon would be a nice fit about the 4th or 5th round. Damn, I don't mean to go on and on. I could talk this stuff all day. Bottom line, the wait is nearly over and I'm glad.

[eagle eye]

Dallas used their first pick on offensive lineman Zack Martin. I was really hoping Dallas would draft Alabama LB CJ Mosley. He could play outside LB for Dallas and if Sean Lee gets hurt, which is highly likely, he could slip into the middle without a problem. But, they didn't take him and settled on Martin. It's quite possible Martin was the top player on the Cowboys board and either wide receiver or O-line would be the only positions Dallas should have even considered other than defense. Okay, I get it, and when you look at it Dallas offensive line is set for years, literally years, to come. Left tackle Tyron Smith is 23, 2013 1st round pick center Travis Fredrick is 23, Zack Martin is 23, left guard Ron Leary is 25, right tackle Doug Free is the old man at 30 and right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau is 28. 2014 is the final year of Free's contract and I would expect him to be gone with Martin sliding over to tackle.
It's time to get down to business now and address ALL the needs Dallas has on defense. First and foremost Dallas needs to find a defensive end to replace DeMarcus Ware. If they pick up 2 or 3 it won't hurt my feelings. I'd like to see the Cowboys get Florida LB Telvin Martin in the 2nd round to help fill a huge void at that position. I can't imagine who Dallas has on their draft board but I hope Telvin is up there. They could also target that defensive end they need. I'm thinking Missouri's Kony Ealy or Oregon State's Scott Creighton or Boise State's Demarcus Lawrence or Texas' Jackson Jeffcoat. If the Jeffcoat name sounds familiar it should. His father, Jim, was a stellar defensive end for the Cowboys in the 80's.

I have to admit, I'm exhausted. Today is going to be a struggle but I think when the clock starts on the second round my adrenalin will be flowing again. The first round was great. Lots of surprises beginning with Jacksonville selecting QB Blake Bortles with the 3rd pick all the way down to Minnesota trading back into the first round to get Seattle's pick at 32 to select Teddy Bridgewater. Cleveland took a page out of Kevin Costner's movie Draft Day with a lot of wheeling and dealing in the first round that netted them a 1st and 4th round pick in the 2015 draft and cost them their 4th round pick in this draft. What they got was a stud cornerback to pair with Joe Haden and Johnny Football. People were sure Dallas, i.e. Jerry Jones, couldn't help himself and refrain from taking Manziel but he did and he solidified his offensive line for the next decade. I need a nap.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys draft is one I don't believe that this draft can be graded at this time. You like or hate the picks, you can say the Cowboys reached for players that likely would have been available at their regular picks. You can criticize them for giving away their 3rd round pick but we literally won't know until the Cowboys hit the field in September. Maybe September 2016. After all conventional beliefs are it takes 3 years to judge a draft. This time around it may take that long for Demarcus Lawrence to grow into the defensive end the Cowboys need. He has the height at 6'3" but he's a little light at 251 lbs to take on a 300+ left tackle. What happens if Tyrone Crawford is really good at weak side defensive end? Is Lawrence, who at his current dimensions, may be a crackerjack outside linebacker. If Lawrence bulks up to say 270 will he lose his quickness?
Another question is who sits on the O-line Ron Leary, Mackenzy Bernadeau or even Doug Free? Free isn't likely to sit especially since Jason Garrett has already said the Cowboys will try Zack Martin at guard. So is it an open competition or what. One thing for certain the sixteenth pick in the draft WILL play.
There are concerns about WR Devin Street. He's had concussion issues in college. Remember Laurant Robinson? A year after earning a big free agent contract with the Cowboys concussions ended his career while with Jacksonville. He suffered 4 concussions in the one and only season with the Jags and his NFL career was done. It's lucky he got $14 mm guaranteed when he signed with Jacksonville. Also, for a WR Street isn't considered fast. His best 40 time was 4.55. There are linebackers faster than he is.
Fourth round pick Anthony Hitchens is a big of an enigma. I don't remember even seeing his name in mock drafts and Dallas is being accused of reaching but the information on Hitchens is saying he's a fast, hard hitting middle linebacker. Dallas has admitted he's being slotted as Sean Lee's backup which isn't a bad idea since Lee has never been able to finish a season. If Hitchens is all that he's advertised then what happens to Sean Lee come contract time if he continues to have injury problems?
Lots of questions and right now very few answers. All you can be is cautiously hopeful.

[eagle eye]

Dallas let 6 players go to make room to sign the draft picks and undrafted free agents. The Cowboys have a whopping 24 UFA's that they signed. The most notable signing is TAMU RB Ben Malena who I believe will have a real opportunity to make the team.

Here are the players Dallas released:
> G Chris DeGeare
> DT Frank Kearse
> WR Lance Lewis
> DT Tristan Okpalaugo
> LB Quinton Spears
> LB Jabara Williams

Here is the list of 24 UFA's signed by the Cowboys:
Josh Aladenoye, OT, Illinois State
Chris Boyd, WR, Vanderbilt
Brian Clarke, G, Bloomsburg
Davon Coleman, DT, Arizona State
J.C. Copeland, FB, LSU
Andre Cureton, G, Cincinnati
Casey Kreiter, LS, Iowa
Ben Malena, RB, Texas A&M
Cody Mandell, P, Alabama
Glasco Martin, RB, Baylor
Jordan Najvar, TE, Baylor
Ronald Patrick, G, South Carolina
Dashaun Phillips, CB, Tarleton State
Jarrod Pughsley, G, Akron
Marvin Robinson, S, Ferris State
Dontavis Sapp, LB, Tennessee
Jocquel Skinner, CB, Bethel
Keith Smith, S, San Jose State
Ryan Smith, S, Auburn
Dustin Vaughan, West Texas A&M
L’Damian Washington, WR, Missouri
Chris Whaley, DT, Texas
Joe Windsor, Northern Illinois
Evan Wilson, Illinois StateJosh Aladenoye, OT, Illinois State
Chris Boyd, WR, Vanderbilt
Brian Clarke, G, Bloomsburg
Davon Coleman, DT, Arizona State
J.C. Copeland, FB, LSU
Andre Cureton, G, Cincinnati
Casey Kreiter, LS, Iowa
Ben Malena, RB, Texas A&M
Cody Mandell, P, Alabama
Glasco Martin, RB, Baylor
Jordan Najvar, TE, Baylor
Ronald Patrick, G, South Carolina
Dashaun Phillips, CB, Tarleton State
Jarrod Pughsley, G, Akron
Marvin Robinson, S, Ferris State
Dontavis Sapp, LB, Tennessee
Jocquel Skinner, CB, Bethel
Keith Smith, S, San Jose State
Ryan Smith, S, Auburn
Dustin Vaughan, West Texas A&M
L’Damian Washington, WR, Missouri
Chris Whaley, DT, Texas
Joe Windsor, Northern Illinois
Evan Wilson, Illinois State

[eagle eye]

Here's an interesting tidbit from an interview with Stephen Jones. If Dallas was unable to complete the trade that allowed the Cowboys to move up 13 spots to draft Demarcus Lawrence Dallas would have used their 47th pick on Missouri DE Kony Ealy and their 3rd round round pick, which ultimately went to Washington in the trade, would have been LSU G Trai Turner. The Cowboys didn't think Lawrence would still be there when their regular pick at 47 came around and they found a willing partner for a trade in the Redskins. The Cowboys saw Ealy as more of a strong side DE but would have tried him on the weak side if they had taken him. That 3rd round pick may have surprised everyone but that was the plan had the Cowboys still had that pick. It would have given Dallas potentially 2 new starters at guard with Zack Martin and Turner and it would have meant 4 of the 5 Dallas starters would have been 23 years old or younger. Not bad if you are talking the future of the O-line. To think that both players would have been available at picks 47 and 78 is totally feasable because as it happens Carolina picked both these players with their 60th and 92 picks which was the Panthers 2nd and 3rd round selections.

As I said the success or failure of the this draft may rest directly in the lap of Demarcus Lawrence. If he gives Dallas a reasonable facimile of DeMarcus Ware then it's ok but if not Jerry and company will get barbaqued again in the press for another poor draft. Oh, he'll get credit for Martin and WR Devin Streeter and any later round picks but if Lawrence is a bust the haters will line up to crucify Jones and Garrett. Which they usually do anyway.

Many people suggest this is a make or break year for Jason Garrett but unless the team just quits on him, and I don't believe they will, Garrett will be the head coach at least until Romo's window is closed. Those two are tied together just like Forrest Gump's peas and carrots because Jones doesn't want to put Romo through another coaching change at this stage in his career. That, and Jones likes Garrett and he realizes that the defense has been the weak link for most of Garrett's tenure. I think the Cowboys are in the process of rebuilding their defense just like they did their O-line which is another commitment to the Garrett staff. If someone tells you Garrett is on the hot seat just give your best Sheldon Cooper look of derision and go about your business.

[eagle eye]

Just yesterday Jason Garrett said there is still a possibility the Cowboys could bring back Miles Austin. He was released because his salary did jive with his production mainly because his constant hamstring issues kept him off the field. Nobody questioned Austin's ability just his availability. Well, today that ship has sailed because the Cleveland Browns signed Austin. Details of the deal are not available yet. While it was possible Austin could've been resigned the selection of Devin Street in the 5th round may have spelled the bell that ended any chance Austin would return.

[eagle eye]

This is certainly a busy week at Valley Ranch. Lets take a quick look.

> Dallas signs 15 players on a tryout basis.
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Cowboys-To-Add-About-15-Players-On-Tryout-Basis-/f2e38b57-9307-41d7-a215-53ce40cad0f7

> Dallas signs 3 of it's 7th round picks to contracts.
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Cowboys-Get-Early-Jump-Sign-3-Seventh-Round-Picks/65fc1c75-d0ed-4cc3-997a-3c233cb5ecc8

> Dallas 2nd round pick Demarcus Lawrence will miss the first day of Cowboys mini camp on Friday (tomorrow) so he can be with his brand new son, Damari, who was born today. Lawrence travelled back to Boise today.
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DavidHelman/Lawrence-To-Miss-1st-Day-Of-Rookie-Camp-For-Sons-Birth/abdc9e9d-97ec-4965-868a-91d6d2e6b154

> And as I just mentioned, rookie mini camp begins tomorrow.

[eagle eye]

A few years ago the Houston Texans drafted a young man named Amobi Okoye in the first round of the NFL draft. He was the 10th pick in the 2007 draft and he played 4 seasons for the Texans and was arguably a disappointment for such a high draft pick. Aside from being the only rookie to win Player of the Month in September 2007 which was the fastest a rookie had ever won that award he was still largely known as Kansas City RB Christian Okoye's brother. The Texans released him during training camp of 2011. The Bears signed Okoye and he played for Rod Marinelli who was D-coordinator of the Bears at the time to a one year deal. Okoye was signed by Tampa during free agency in April of 2012. Okoye was resigned by the Bears for 2013 but injury caused him to miss the entire season. Okoye was available and with Rod Marinelli familiar with him Dallas signed Okoye to a two year deal. For a player who has had a rather non-descript career it seems like a little leap of faith to sign him for 2 seasons. The idea in Dallas now is to go back to a situation like the Cowboys had in their Super Bowl run days in the 1990's and that is to have a strong rotation of D-linemen so they can constantly run fresh players at the offense. They are not just looking for one starter, they are looking for a depth chart of "starters" to come in waves to pressure offenses into turnovers or 3-and-outs to get Romo and company the ball. In a way, I think the signing of Okoye is taking a looksee at a player the coaches know. They drafted all but two defensive players and they have brought in a boatload of defensive players as UFA's and tryout guys. The Cowboys are hoping Demarcus Lawrence is a hit and I think they have their fingers crossed Sean Lee is past all the bizarro injuries and can stay on the field for the entire season. As they try to restock the defense with quality players they will need the mainstays to remain healthy.

Here's a video interview of Demarcus Lawrence after today's practice. He missed the opening of the rookie mini camp yesterday for the birth of his new son Damari, his first child, on Thursday.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/Lawrence-I-Feel-Like-Im-The-Best-Birth-Of-Son/64b862b7-5d14-4f5c-a02a-c6f0da648e66

Here's a video of Jason Garrett's post practice presser today.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/Garrett_Practice_Without_Pads_Speeding_Up_/d5ff1a59-ed12-417b-a75e-6ed848bad878

This is pretty interesting. A video of the first rookie practice on Friday with commentary by DC.com beat writers Bryan Broaddus and Rowan Kavner. About 20 minutes long.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/MiniCamp_LIVE_First_Look_Team_Drills/f32595ad-63cf-4a46-ace6-e7c9fd6a7924

Last but not least here's a video of today's practice with Bryan Broaddus and David Helman commentating. This features the Cowboys first look at Demarcus Lawrence.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/MiniCamp_LIVE_Lawrence_Takes_The_Field_/47d9c67b-3426-483c-a54b-78d82cf3582c

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys have made another move to bolster the depth on their roster by signing former Arizona Cardinals RB Ryan Williams. Williams was the Cardinals 2nd round draft pick in 2011. During a pre season game that summer Williams suffered a torn patellar tendon ending his rookie season. He missed most of the Cardinals games in 2012 and again he missed the entire season in 2013. The Cardinals had high hopes for Williams after a record setting career at West Virginia but he just hasn't had any luck but bad since he was drafted. It's being reported that Williams had an excellent workout for the Cowboys coaches prior to his signing. Ryan says that he's worked really hard to get this opportunity to show what he can do in the NFL but he has a lot of competition on the Cowboys roster and it will definitely be an uphill battle for him.

People like to root for the underdog. I think it's ingrained in the American DNA. Every year there's a guy hoping to make it in the NFL against all the odds. DallasCowboys.com senior writer Mickey Spagnola has just such a candidate for 2014. He's a wide receiver from Spagnola's alma mater Missouri and it certainly is a compelling story of a young man who has overcome some incredible odds to get his shot at an NFL career. I think I'll be keeping my eye on WR L'Damian Washington as the the summer progresses. He's got size, 6-3 7/8 although he a little light in the drawers at 188 lbs. He can also run like the wind as he was clocked at a blistering 4.38 at the NFL scouting combine earlier this month. Dallas could certainly use someone with that kind of speed. It's his backstory that makes the kid special. Check this out.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Spagnola-If-You-Are-Looking-For-A-Guy-To-Root-For-/f372c6a9-3bdf-48f4-a140-23cd0bff2868

[eagle eye]

Ryan Williams is the newest Cowboys RB. I posted that yesterday but the Cowboys had to make room for him on their 90 man roster and the casualty was UFA Glasco Martin from Baylor. It appeared Martin was on some shaky ground anyway because he's the only UFA not to get a signing bonus. As I posted before, Ryan has some talent or he wouldn't have been drafted early in the second round but in Bryan Broaddus' scouting report (link posted below) he doesn't give you much hope that he's a guy you can count on or than he's all that great a player to begin with. Check out Broaddus' evaluation and you can make up your own mind.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddus/Scouting-Report-Grading-Out-New-RB-Ryan-Williams/49378662-99aa-40ae-9ab8-7a0e4b537126

Here's Broaddus' take on the rookie mini camp held this past weekend broken down down by position. Today he covered the offensive side of the ball.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddusBlog/Scout’s-Eye-Grading-The-Offense-From-Rookie-Minicamp/a9dd64a9-6d61-43c7-8a1d-f2e7d71c55d6

[eagle eye]

I have come to the conclusion that Dallas just didn't have enough firepower in the draft to go and get the player they really wanted. Word from the Cowboys camp is that Dallas had three guys on their radar with the sixteen pick they were Anthony Barr who went to Minnesota with the 9th pick and Aaron Donald who was drafted by the Rams at 13 and the last player Dallas was targeting was Ryan Shazier and it was said Jerry Jones was on the phone with Shazier when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him one spot ahead of the Cowboys. Isn't that a kick in the pants to have one of your most hated rivals steal a player you want right before you? Unequivocally, you bet your sweep behind it is. If Dallas was able to get the right value out of a trade down, which they actually did have offers then not only would they not lose their 3 round pick they would have gained at least one or two other mid round picks. Curse the luck and curse the friggin Steelers.
Oh well, I'm not going to cry over spilled milk. What I will do is post the thoughts of DallasCowboys.com's writer and former NFL scout Brian Broaddus about his impressions of this past weekend's rookie mini camp. Yesterday he reviewed the offense and today he looks at the defense.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddusBlog/Broaddus-D-Line-Stands-Out-At-Rookie-Minicamp/8d0e4110-9458-4066-b50f-36130e59150f

[eagle eye]

Today in an exclusive interview on 105.3 The Fan radio station Tony Romo made only his second public statements since his back surgery the week before Dallas ended it's season vs Philly.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/Tony-Romo-Almost-100-Building-Our-Best-Team/11035d2d-4b9b-4fb6-ace9-30dd4e172e3e

The Cowboys have lost DB Marvin Robinson due to a torn meniscus suffered last Friday in the opening of the rookie mini camp. The UFA from Ferris State was really making a positive impression on the coaches and they will have their fingers crossed that he will clear waivers so they can place him on IR and keep him in the fold until he can practice again. In the mean time Dallas signed one of the tryout players that turned heads and cause defensive consultant Monte Kiffin to compare him to a young Ronde Barber. That players name is Tyler Patmon from Oklahoma State. You may have seen Patmon if you watched the OK State and Baylor game last season he was the one who took a 78 yard fumble recovery for a TD that sort of put the icing on the Cowboys victory.

The Cowboys VP Stephen Jones spoke about being patient with players coming back from injuries. For an explanation of what he means check out the DC.com article.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Stephen-Jones-Patient-With-DL-Coming-Off-Injuries/272ee643-41ea-429d-8f56-dc2cd71b8655

Baylor head coach Art Briles was hanging around Valley Ranch when Dallas rookie mini camp took place last weekend. He has several players from Baylor on the Cowboys roster and a few rookies looking to crack the squad. Here's an article about Briles and his thoughts on his players on the Cowboys roster.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Baylors-Briles-Still-Following-Cowboys-With-Proud-Eyes/8c84f812-6306-4da4-b386-cbea4f851131

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys placed UFA offensive lineman Jarrod Pughsley from the University of Akron on the waived/injured list due to a torn bicep muscle suffered in last weekend's rookie mini camp which means he is likely done for the season. At 6'4" and 308 lbs he was emerging as a player who had a shot at making the team. The Cowboys could bring him back on IR if he truely is a person of interest for them if he clears waivers. To replace Pughsley the Cowboys signed a player who was in mini camp on a tryout basis named Darius Morris from Temple. He isn't a true rookie though. He came to the NFL in 2011 and made the Houston Texans team but he did not play at all for them and there are no records for him in the past two seasons. To say Morris is a long shot it a huge understatement.

In a previous post I linked a story by DC.com's Mickey Spagnola about UFA WR L'Damian Washington. In the article Spagnola gave a glimpse of the backstory of Washington and pointed to him as that underdog to root for as OTA's roll into training camp. Well, apparently, his backstory was enough to inspire another DC.com writer, David Helman, to go a little more in depth. Good story.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DavidHelman/Steep-Odds-Are-Nothing-New-For-WR-Washington/cac1c9cb-25b5-4c44-b04a-0b48d8ccbf4b

The Cowboys have a defensive lineman from Boise State they are really excited about. A guy who D-coordinator Rod Marinelli feels can really have a positive impact this season. The thing is, he wasn't referring to Demarcus Lawrence who was the Cowboys 2nd round draft pick this year. No, Marinelli was talking about Tyrone Crawford who was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft. After a year to learn the NFL game Crawford was expected to take the next step and be a big contributor to the D-line last season. That is until he tore his Achilles tendon in training camp in the first practice. His injury was a harbinger of the tidal wave of injuries to the Dallas defense last season. Marinelli feels like with his size, speed and movement to make an impact assuming he's fully recovered from the surgery to repair that Achilles. As a Cowboys fan I hope so too. Heck, in his interview on The Fan (check earlier post for a link to that interview) Tony Romo singled out Crawford as a dark horse player to watch this summer. “I think Tyrone Crawford’s going to be a guy that’ll be shocking to a lot of people, and I think if we’d had had him last year, it’d been a very different defensive unit that we would have had,” Romo said in the interview. Good news for a defense that was epically bad in 2013.

The most notable of the absentees when the Cowboys began offseason work a couple of weeks ago was backup QB Kyle Orton. The signing of FA Brandon Weeden was a hint that there was a little uncertainty from the Orton camp. Word was he was considering retirement. First appearances were that since Tony Romo was coming off back surgery the chance Orton could play was even higher that one might expect from a backup QB and he wanted more money. According to an NFL.com article it turns out Orton was serious about retiring. He doesn't want to play football any more--for anybody. He's ready to hang it up at 31. Trouble is if he does retire the Cowboys want him to repay $3 mm dollars of his signing bonus back. Both sides are at an impasse and it could be Orton may have to put off that retirement for a year or lose a big chunk of cash. I personally hope Orton reconsiders because I like him and he's the best backup Dallas has had in years. I think he got hosed by the Tim Tebow mania in Denver and he's deserved better. Hell, he goes to Kansas City in a trade before the Chiefs got Alex Smith from the 49ers and his first pass he broke his thumb. I think in the right offense Orton can be very good. I won one of my fantasy football leagues the year he started for Denver. The guy produced before being injured late in the season. Now he's a backup and you can certainly understand his frustration with the way his NFL career has gone. I can understand why he may want to retire. Hopefully, he comes to his senses and he decides to finish out his contract with Dallas. To me that would be way better than depending on cement footed Brandon Weeden to be the backup to Tony Romo.

[eagle eye]

West Texas A&M QB Dustin Vaughn was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent the week after the NFL draft. I don't know if he will work out or not for Dallas but this video of him in a mock video of his draft profile is absolutely hilarious! If nothing else he's got a great sense of humor and he's not afraid to poke a little fun at himself. It's a great video so here's the link---check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGsJ5hpdjqs

[eagle eye]

It's been pretty quiet around Valley Ranch the past week. I'm sure the team has been working out but no organized activities have been going on since the end of rookie mini camp last Sunday. All that is about to change as OTAs crank up tomorrow. There will be 10 sessions between now and June 12th followed by a few days off and the mandatory mini camp beginning June 17 through June 19th. With the beginning of OTAs the rookies will practice with the vets and get an idea of just what they have gotten themselves into.

One guy ready for work to begin is Tony Romo who is feeling pretty salty these days as his rehab from back surgery is getting near the end. Here's an article from DC.com's Mickey Spagnola about Romo and his potential for the coming season.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Spagnola-Romo-Ready--Able-To-Get-Back-At-It/05bb313f-8922-4844-af52-57e3dc51aad4

The Cowboys have signed their 5th round draft pick Devon Street to a deal this past week which only leaves 3 players from the draft left to sign. LB Anthony Hitchens (4th), DE Demarcus Lawrence (2nd) and OL Zach Martin (1st). This should be done fairly soon and should be a non-issue. I would not be surprised if all three were signed within the next couple of weeks.

Jerry Jones has gone on record at recent NFL meetings as saying he's in favor of an expanded playoff system. What wasn't reported was that when Jones said it would give the Cowboys a better chance of making the playoffs it was said with his tongue placed firmly in his cheek. This was discussed on The Fan 105.3 this past week because the part about Jerry making a joke is often left out of the commentary and it DOES make a difference in the narration. Here are links to a point-counterpoint by DC.com writers Nick Eatman and David Helman over the issue of playoff expansion. How do you feel about it?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Point-Expanding-Playoffs-Just-Makes-Too-Much-Sense/2c34a7a6-6414-4776-9611-0ee186219bf7

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DavidHelman/Counterpoint-Expanded-Playoffs-A-Needless-Cash-Grab/739d2d45-02ce-4309-8d1d-32f85e0c9954

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys OTAs begin tomorrow and there are some storylines that DC.com's Bryan Broaddus will be looking at and as a suggestion we, as fans, may consider looking at too. The most interesting item on Broaddus' list is who will play free safety next to Barry Church. Broaddus is right to say a lot has been put upon JJ Wilcox and Jeff Heath to be what the Cowboys hope they will be. Especially Heath because the Cowboys have stuck with him through thick and thin over the past two years which has been more thin than thick. As Broaddus again points out that the top safeties were available when Dallas drafted Zack Martin. There must be a huge upside to these safeties for Dallas to hang their hats on players on the roster. Especially players who haven't exactly distinguished themselves as yet.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddusBlog/Scout’-Eye-Top-Storylines-Ahead-Of-Cowboys-OTAs/e494f9b9-3b72-441b-8b5d-115254f235c0

The next item that comes from DC.com concerning the upcoming OTAs is Cowboys Star Magazine writer Jeff Sullivan. In the article Sullivan gives us four players that many have already written off but, according to Sullivan, warrant a second chance and a second look.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-JeffSullivan/STAR-Let’s-Not-Count-These-Four-Players-Out-Just-Yet/96100d57-df6d-49a7-92b6-dc12340bcb05

I agree with Sullivan that the four guys in his article are important to the Cowboys present and future. Here's my take on them.
Gavin Escobar - It's one of the few times Dallas has actually drafted with an eye on the future as well as the present. Escobar isn't a luxury at all as many claimed when he was drafted. Jason Witten ain't no spring chicken. He will be starting his 12th NFL season and Dallas will need to replace what has become a living legend in Cowboys lore. Who better to teach his successor than the master himself while reaping the benefits of his high level of play and leadership. It's a perfect scenario for both the Cowboys and Escobar. From reports Escobar is more Rob Gronkowski than Witten but that's okay too. Receivers, even tight ends tend to need around 3 years to blossom and fortunately Escobar doesn't have to do it under a starter's spotlight. I agree with Sullivan's assessment of Escobar and I look forward to see him develop.
B W Webb - Webb was the sentimental favorite last season after his mother, a lady fighting against a cancer that would take her life later that summer, was present on draft day when her son was drafted. A feel good story in the spring digressed to a sad tale when he passed away during training camp. Webb is acknowledged as a good talent. Maybe injury slowed him down and caused him to lose confidence but he won't be handicapped this summer going in. Again, I agree with Sullivan's take on the potential of Webb. The fact he will be the 4th stringer at cornerback with Brandon Carr, Mo Claiborne (who has a thing or two to prove himself) and Orlando Scandrick so, like Escobar that damning starter's spotlight likely won't be a factor during OTAs and training camp.
JJ Wilcox - Talked about him earlier in this post.
Morris Claiborne - Did I mention he has something to prove? You bet he does and Sullivan correctly points out that spotlight I mentioned earlier is square in Claiborne's face. Injury has hampered Mo both years he's been with the Cowboys. The fact is, a bad shoulder for a guy who tackles for a living ain't so great and that's what Claiborne has dealt with the past two years. Sullivan points out that he put on some muscle and bulk but it's no guarantee that will help Claiborne stay on the field or avoid the dreaded "bust" label. My hope is that it is high time, past due time, for Dallas to enjoy a run of good luck injury wise and a lot of these problems will answer themselves.

[eagle eye]

Wasn't it me who posted just yesterday that Dallas was way past due to catch a break from the injury bug that has appeared to make a home in Dallas the last couple of years? Yes, yes it was and the fates response was to hammer Dallas again. On defense again. In today's opening practice of the Cowboys OTAs LB Sean Lee went down with a knee injury after colliding with an offensive lineman, reportedly rookie 1st round pick Zack Martin, while trying to defend a pass. In his post practice presser Jason Garrett said he didn't know the extent of Lee's injury and that tests were going to be run this afternoon. In a supposedly non-contact practice Lee was hit hard enough to go down which Garrett says in NOT supposed to happen. He said the coaching staff preaches that they are not to go down under any circumstances because that's when people get injured. It certainly was the case today. Garrett also said he hadn't reviewed the film of the play as yet but he would this afternoon. Lee was photographed being helped from the field after the incident and he was clearly upset, cursing loadly as he left the field according to on-site reports. Whether he was mad at a hit or just frustrated at another freak injury it has not been reported as yet. The past four years Lee has missed a big part of every season he's been in the NFL rehabbing from injuries. Some quite freakish in nature. Like two years ago when he missed half the season with torn ligaments in his toe or the last 3 games of 2013 when he tore a ligament in his neck. IN HIS FREAKING NECK. I have never heard of that one before. Lee stated prior to the beginning of OTAs that his main goal was to be on the field for all 16 games this season. That would be great, especially since he never has. Hopefully, the injury isn't so bad that he can still shoot for this goal in 2014.

[eagle eye]

It's not official but DallasCowboys.com is reporting that Sean Lee has been told that he tore is ACL in his left knee. That almost certainly means his 2014 season is done. It seems like a freak play that did Lee in. He was reported as chasing down a screen pass when he planted his left foot the same time he collided with rookie lineman Zack Martin. He immediately went down and it was several minutes before he was helped up and guided to the sideline where is was put on a cart and taken to the locker room. Now the defense has lost it's best player and a virtual coach on the field. It's a big blow that could be seen at practice when the team, who began the session with great energy and enthusiasm, seemed to have the life sucked right out of them all. It is a huge blow to the prospects of the defense but doing without Sean Lee is something the Cowboys have sort of gotten used to. Now, who will replace Lee as the Cowboys middle linebacker? DeVonte Holloman did a decent job as a rookie last year. It could be Justin Durant who was the backup Mike linebacker last year before injuries ended his season. Maybe even 4h round pick Anthony Hitchens who has never played the Mike before but was drafted with him being Lee's understudy in mind. The Cowboys will have all summer to decide if it's someone on the roster or if they go out and sign a free agent to fill the spot. My feeling is Dallas will keep this in-house and I honestly believe either Holloman or Hitchens will be the guy. This loss likely has one benefit for one player. It was quite possible that Justin Durant was done as a Cowboy at some point this summer but Lee's injury precludes almost any possibility that Durant will be cut because they just can't afford to lose him now. You wonder about the long term effects of this injury because this is the second time Lee has torn his ACL in the same knee. It's a crap thing to happen to a high character guy who is truly an elite level talent. He is, as they say, one of the good guys and it's a shame he can't catch a break.

[eagle eye]

OTAs for this week are over and only the disasterous loss of Sean Lee is the only real negative for the week and some positives actually came out that can give Cowboys fans reason to hope they can have a good defense despite the loss of Lee.

> First off, on the DC.com podcast Talkin Cowboys some light was shed on Sean Lee's injury. First and foremost it was NOT due to anything Zack Martin did on the play. In a discussion with DC.com's senior writer, Mickey Spagnola, Lee told him his knee gave out before the contact with Martin occurred. According to Lee he smelled out a screen pass and was running to cut off the outside on the play just like he's supposed to and he wanted to make a play on the ball carrier so when he planted his feet to change direction back to the inside his foot slipped causing all his weight to come down on his left knee. His knee was toast at that point and Martin, who was doing what he was supposed to do, made the contact that sent Lee to the ground. It was bang-bang and happened so quickly it appeared Martin's contact did the damage but after film review of the play and Lee's own account it absolved Martin of blame. Lee will be going to do the surgery to repair his ACL as soon as possible after the swelling goes down in his knee.

> Tyrone Crawford was a guest on Talkin Cowboys yesterday after practice and he talked about the loss of Lee and he also was excited about the prospects for the D-line this season. This has become a real tight knit group in a short amount of time and Crawford said people will be surprised at what the D-line will do this coming season. That sort of enthusiasm is pretty refreshing and gives fans a little hope that the defense will be able to turn around what was an epically bad defense last year. Of course that's assuming the bad old injury monster doesn't come knocking the Valley Ranch door any more.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Marinelli’s-Focus-On-Potential-Not-Past-Of-D-Line-Unit/8786a1b4-86dd-419e-a354-0cc6a5bc5ae7

> Here is a scouting report of new OG Tyronne Green who Dallas signed earlier this week to fill an opening left by the waived/injured release of UFA TE Evan Wilson earlier this week. Looks like Dallas is getting an essentially free look at a veteran lineman. A lineman with a little playing experience but hasn't really distinguished himself as yet in the NFL.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddusBlog/Scouting-Report-Film-Study-On-New-OG-Tyronne-Green-/19d34b96-4769-440f-802e-ae6d6b200bd4

> Tony Romo is feeling good and participating on a limit basis in the OTA practices so far but he is really anxious to jump into the mix with both feet because of the excitement he feels over working with new passing game coordinator Scott Linehan. Seeing what Linehan did with Matthew Stafford in Detroit you can't help but believe Romo is chomping at the bit to get back to full participation.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Working-With-Linehan-Has-Romo-“Anxious”-To-Return-/af86bb92-151c-489b-9c9e-a110b1d15e56

[eagle eye]

The most we can do is move on. Of course I'm referring to the loss of Sean Lee. Next man up, right? Dallas has gotten used to that over the last couple of years, so just like baseball, there's no crying.

JJ Wilcox looks like the frontrunner to be the starting free safety this season. Not excited about that? I get it. But, DallasCowboys.com writer Rowan Kavner tears back some of the veil of mystery why he may not have played so well.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Wilcox-Feels-Ready-To-Start-After-Taxing-Rookie-Year/53ec9b86-859f-4831-b111-ebad83da9f17

Free agent signee DT Henry Melton is continuing his rehab from ACL surgery. He has been doing his rehab with the tortoise in a race idea--slow and steady wins the race. He and the Cowboys are proceeding with an eye on training for his debut as a Cowboy. In case some of you thought maybe Sean Lee can come back this season know this, Melton won't be able to be a full go until the 1st of August. That's 11 month removed from when he tore his ACL. With that in mind don't look for Lee back on the field until this time next year.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Melton-Inching-Back-Setting-Sights-On-Training-Camp/5603a6c5-6732-40d9-a793-90bc4b2d83ed

In his weekly column Mickey Spagnola gives some heart-felt sympathy to Sean Lee and in the process gives us some semblance of hope for Lee and the Cowboys.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Spagnola-Brother-Just-Say-It-Aint-So-Sean-Lee/7d48ecdf-b114-4697-88cb-24b8380694b0

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys have a single session tomorrow of OTAs and then they have 2 days on Wednesday and Thursday. That's what Dallas has to look forward to this week but according to Brian Broaddus there are some battles worth keeping and eye on as the summer moves inexorably forward.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddus/3-Questions-Standout-Rookies-Darkhorses--Quality-Backups/e7984fdb-039b-452b-ab55-65c91344441a

[eagle eye]

Back in March when Dallas signed form 1st round pick out of Oklahoma State just 3 years ago Brandon Weeden I'll bet I'm not the only Cowboys fan who rolled my eyes and let a very sarcastic "great" when the news was posted. Recently, we have found out that Dallas had interest in Weeden in the 2012 draft. In 2012 when the Browns drafted him I was pissed because it meant that Colt McCoy had zero chance to be the #1 guy for the Browns. Screwed by two different coaches since he was drafted I sort of secretly hoped Weeden would fall flat on his face and even with Norv Turner as the Cleveland OC Weeden was really bad. So bad he was benched twice last season for poor play. Well, maybe my opinion of Weeden is changing slightly. Not just because he is now on the roster of my favorite team but I hear how he is doing a good job so far in OTAs. How he's getting the lion's share of 1st team reps. Then, this evening the senior staff writer for DallasCowboys.com gives a fresh look at Weeden's presence in Dallas. That guy (Spagnola) is a heckuva writer and he's got a perspective on things Cowboys that is often eye-opening. Check out this article and see if you don't agree.

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/67565098/v33211011/draft-report-derick-velazquez-college-pitcher

[eagle eye]

Dallas has been known to show patience to allow a player to develop but this Matt Johnson thing is taking patience to the extreme. Johnson was drafted out of Eastern Washington where he finished his career in the top ten in several Big Sky Conference records. But, since he's gotten to Dallas he hasn't played a game yet in 2 full seasons. He has suffered a plethora of muscle pulls and a broken foot/ankle that derailed him last year. Here's a link to DC.com that talks about this very subject. I sure hope 2 things; 1-he can get healthy enough to get on, and stay on, the field and 2-that he's been worth the wait.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Despite-Injury-History-Johnson-Still-Has-Opportunity/4795729c-e3a3-4f83-88d2-058321fe4781

In an interview 2nd year center Travis Frederick said he feels more comfortable this year over his rookie season and he's using his experience to get better as a player and he can help fellow 1st round draft choice Zack Martin make the transition to the pros easier. Nice.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DavidHelman/Frederick-Prepared-To-Ramp-Up-Role-In-Year-Two/e5a22975-9afe-40db-b5c3-93719bf19207

One the other side of the ball the feel good story of George Selvie who came to Dallas as a result of a tidal wave of injuries to the D-line last season. A guy who was on his couch one week and the next beginning his best year of the his 3 year career for the Cowboys. Nice story from DC.com's Rowan Kavner.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Selvie-Recalls-Long-Road-To-Dallas-Still-Not-Satisfied/77bfaea8-ff0a-46e4-adf3-98eb87d89495

One last item and it's not football related. George Strait played in the Death Star, or Jerry World or however you prefer to refer to the Cowboys AT&T Stadium on Sunday setting a new attendance record of an indoor concert in North America. George Strait must be like 96 years old but he can still pack the house in Texas. Just joking George!

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/Attendance-Records-Shattered-After-George-Strait-Concert/dc672b36-176a-4454-b816-0bacc5019f6b

[eagle eye]

A couple of notes to pass along.

> The 3rd week of OTAs concluded yesterday. Besides the loss of Sean Lee on day one of OTAs the sessions were reported as productive with 1st year players Travis Frederick, Gavin Escobar and Terrance Williams making big strides over last season. Demarcus Lawrence and Lance Dunbar were also players that turned some heads as well.

> OTAs for this season are over now. Next week from June 17 to 19 the Cowboys will have a manditory mini camp and that will be it until Dallas packs up and heads to Oxnard, California for training camp on July 24th through August 15th.

> Sean Lee underwent successful ACL surgery yesterday morning according to Jason Garrett in an interview yesterday. There is no time table for Lee's return but recovery time for ACL surgery is around 12 months. Dallas could save Lee's season and save a roster spot by putting him on PUP. That gives Dallas up to nine weeks to decide if they want to put Lee on the active roster in case they make the playoffs and his rehab is ahead of schedule. I highly doubt it but you never know.

[eagle eye]

Dallas has come to terms on the contract for 1st round pick Zack Martin. Terms of the deal were not released but E J Manual was the 16th pick in last year's draft and he got around $8.8 mm for a 4 year deal. Martin's deal is for 4 years. This makes 8 of the 9 draft picks that are signed. The only one to not agree to terms yet is DE Demarcus Lawrence. There is no word on what the hold up is but I expect he'll be under contract soon enough. With the rookie salary cap and the slotting of the new player's salaries money isn't a sticking point. It's likely there some language in the Cowboys offer that is the sticking point. After manditory mini camp this week the Cowboys and Lawrence will have a month to work it out before training camp begins.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys started their only mandatory mini camp this off season today and despite the word "mandatory" Kyle Orton was still a no-show. Now, Orton is scheduled to make $3.2 mm give or take this season but that figure is going to $70K less with the fine he will surely incur for his absence. If Orton decides to retire, which is what has been inferred for a while now, Orton stands to lose another $3.4 mm if Dallas decides to sue Orton for the remaining signing bonus he was given when he signed his contract last season. If you're counting, that's 6.6 mm dollars Orton is just throwing away. Some still think he's trolling for more money but after the Cowboys got screwed by Jay Ratliff even Jerry Jones may want to stick it to Orton.

One of Dallas' seventh round draft picks is finally able to attend practice. Unlike Orton's self imposed absence Terrence Mitchell, a cornerback from Oregon, has had to finish his schooling before he could begin his career as a Cowboy. Now school's out and Mitchell is making his debut at mini camp. Teammates have been in contact with Mitchell and they have been able to help out, at least as much as they could with him being way up in the Pacific Northwest.

During today's practice when the Cowboys were doing some 7-on-7 drills Tony Romo was not supposed to be taking any snaps as he is banned from competitive team drills. Romo has been relegated to individual drills as a precaution as he is working his way back into a regular routine following off season back surgery. This didn't stop a determined Romo from trying though. Romo switched Jersey's with fellow QB Caleb Haney he actually broke the huddle to take his first live snap. He was foiled when Jason Garrett noticed Haney looked a little different and as he looked closer he saw Romo wearing an unfamiliar #10 jersey. Garrett stopped the play before it got started and shooed Romo back to the area of the practice field he was supposed to be. After getting his #9 back first. Romo stated last week that if he had to he could play. He says he feels great and is ready to go but Garrett is steadfast in sticking with the timetable laid out for Romo's return. When training camp begins the end of next month Romo is supposed to be full go, but right now--not so much.

Shades of Bill Parcels. When the Cowboys came out for practice today the offensive and defensive linemen all were wearing specially made knee braces. Garrett was asked about how they felt about wearing the braces and Garrett admitted they weren't all that happy. Especially the defensive linemen who are always trying to shed any excess weight they can. Garrett said the braces were from off season discussions by the coaching staff but you know that the shadow of Bill Parcels still looms over Valley Ranch and knee braces for all linemen was one of the main demands Parcels had. It may not have helped Sean Lee but you kinda have to wonder what if........ Garrett even sounded a little Parcels-ish when he said, "This has been going on for years. Sometimes you have to protect them from themselves.”

Here's some thoughts on today's practice from DC.com's Bryan Broaddus.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddus/Scout’s-Eye-Carter-Looking-More-Comfortable-In-Nickel-/beedda30-0e41-4d74-bae6-a171f90fe046

[eagle eye]

In an earlier post about the signing of 1st round pick Zack Johnson I mentioned that DeMarcus Lawrence was the only draftee not yet signed. I also mentioned that Dallas had a month to get a deal done before training camp. Well, the Cowboys used just a couple of days to get Lawrence signed. The Cowboys web site didn't mention any details of the deal other than it's for four years. So there is one less thing to worry about. Now Lawrence has to just live up to the expectations the Cowboys and their fans surely will have for a guy who Dallas traded away their 3rd round pick to the Redskins to get the right to move up and pick him. There is going to be some big hopes this kid can replace a Cowboys legend---the OTHER DeMarcus---and live up to what Dallas sacrificed to get him. I think there is more pressure on Lawrence than on 1st round pick Zack Martin. Martin falls into an already rebuilt unit that performed much better last season than in recent memory. Martin is a sort of under the radar pick, especially after he was absolved from blame for Sean Lee blowing out his knee 3 weeks ago. Martin's impact could be extreme if the guard position is so much better than last season which would result in bigger numbers for both Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray. On paper you have to feel that Dallas' offense is going to be a force to be reckoned with so it's a win-win situation for Martin.
Lawrence, on the other hand, has a lot of pressure on him. Right or wrong he could be looked at as the key to turning around the worst defense in Cowboys history. If he can't pressure the opposing QB and become a force to be respected the pick Dallas made and the trade Dallas made to get him will be considered a bust. Nevermind that it may take a year or two before he becomes that type of player. I believe there is a target on his back, especially from Dallas fans, for him to succeed RIGHT NOW. Fair or unfair that's how it's going to be. For a playoff and Super Bowl starved fan base you can bet your sweet bippy Lawrence needs to be the new defensive messiah or the crowd will not be happy.

[eagle eye]

Dallas fans and the so-called experts are too and the conclusion they seem to be coming to is that the Cowboys will be lucky to win 5 games in 2014. It just looks like the rest of the division got better and unless you have a big imagination it didn't look like Dallas did much to improve their team. Then, on the first hour of the first practice of OTA's Dallas lost the heart and soul of their defense when Sean Lee suffered a torn ACL ending his season before it had a chance to begin. God, maybe the 'Boys will only win 3 games! Hold on. Stay in control. And let Mickey Spagnola give you a bit of hope. Not, just the hope homers have before any games are played but, a real reason to believe Dallas can get over the 8-8 hump on the backs of their very talented offense. Yes, offense. Not only does Dallas have an offense that deserves more than a little respect but if Dallas defense has improved from the number 32 ranked defense to say, the 16th then how well can Dallas do. If you buy into Mickey's article then we have reason to hope not based on pipe dreams.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Spagnola-Going-On-The-Offensive-Again/8b3da289-4f37-425f-a243-7e0ba64ef9cc

BTW the Cowboys have the next month to rest, relax and prepare for training camp which begins on July 24th with the Cowboys loading up and leaving for Oxnard, CA on July 22nd.

The big questions in my mind will be;
1. Will Demarcus Lawrence live up to expectations as he tries to become the replacement for that other DeMarcus. A lot is riding on it. But, Dallas has better players along the D-line starting with free agent signee Henry Melton who played for DC Rod Marinelli in Chicago. Melton, BTW, went to a pro bowl under Marinelli. 2012 3rd round draft pick Tyrone Crawford is coming back from a lost 2013 season due to a torn Achilles. The Cowboys are very excited with what they have seen in the past month's practices. Then there are the other free agents Dallas signed, Jeremy Mincey and Terrell McClain to bolster the interior line positions. Then you have returnees, George Selvie and Ben Bass and Nick Hayden. All this means the talent depth on the D-line has been improved significantly which should make Lawrence's job a little easier.
2. Who will be the guy in the mike linebacker spotlight trying to replace Sean Lee. Going into training camp the guy with the first shot at it will be veteran Justin Durant. Durant was the backup mike LB last year and he actually made one start before an injury ended his season. DeVonte Holloman stepped in after Durant went down and by the end of the season he had shown a little something for Dallas to be happy with. Then there's 4th round pick Anthony Hitchens who was drafted to be Sean Lee's backup.
3. What can Dallas do to bolster the safety position? JJ Wilcox was okay but didn't set the world on fire with his play. Barry Church has taken charge of one safety position but Watt didn't definitively answer the question that has been asked since Darren Woodson retired. Who is going to play safety? Wilcox could get better but there's an undrafted free agent signed in 2013 that is wowing coaches with his athleticism. Hamilton was thrown to the wolves last year along with several other DBs who had been pushed into service due to a plethora of injuries to Dallas DBs in the Detroit game. As Cowboys fans painfully remember, the Cowboys allowed the Lions to march right down and score the game winning TD with seconds left in the game to steal what should have been a Cowboys win. Hamilton was one of the goats in that collapse but he's back and he's no rookie and he's been looking good in practices. Or will Eastern Washington's Matt Johnson finally be able to stay on the field a justify all the patience the Cowboys have had with their 2012 4th round draft pick. After all, Johnson has not taken a single snap in a regular season game in the past two years. In the few practices he's participated in he must have shown the coaches something special for them to keep him on the roster for so long with zero to show for it.

That's it. One month and one day the long grind of the 2014 season will begin. Damn, it's going to seed like a million years!

[eagle eye]

Not being there to see what the Cowboys players do pre-game or pre-practice during their warmups I certainly can't speak to any deficiencies in their prep work. DC.com writers have intimated on pod casts that there seemed to be a lackluster attitude about their stretching. This is very disconcerting since Dallas is one team notorious for multiple hamstring injuries. Some want to point the finger at Dallas' strength and conditioning coach Mike Woicik but this seems a little lame considering he has 6 Super Bowl rings. Three were with the Cowboys during the ninties and the other 3 were with the Patriots during their Super Bowl run in the 2000's and he obviously had a hand in those team's preparation. You could envision the players out shooting the breeze and feeling like stretching is a waste of time. They see evidence of the need to stretch but young guys will be young guys and, after all, they are invincible. Bad stuff only happens to somebody else. In the case of a lot of guys who get pulled hamstrings it never seems to heal. See Miles Austin and Matt Johnson. You get to feeling better but the first time you land awkwardly or your foot slides in a way you don't expect--wham--that old twinge in the back of your leg rears its extremely ugly head. A pulled hammy is actually a slight tear and it takes time to heal and unlike a broken bone which often heals stronger than before the break a muscle doesn't do that. The muscle tissue is damaged and more often than not it is never the same again. Either way Dallas isn't the only team with hamstring issues but they're the only ones I care about. If lazy stretching habits are a problem it would seem like the first and easiest fix. It wouldn't stop hammy injuries all together but it could slow them down a lot and having your best players on the field is the ultimate goal isn't it?

[eagle eye]

For being a slow time in the NFL world I guess it affords the opportunity to touch on subjects that during the hectic time of an NFL season you don't have the time or inclination to write about. Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine writer Jeff Sullivan has done just that--touch on a subject not normally broached. It's about head coach Jason Garrett to some extent and about his dad Jim but it's more about the bond between father and son. Whether or not you like Garrett as the Cowboys head coach this is a really nice story.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-JeffSullivan/Sullivan-Garrett-And-His-Father-Have-Special-Bond/dc39b60a-1ff3-464e-a7a5-5e21eb36a1fe

[eagle eye]

You certainly can't accuse the Cowboys of being a stagnant organization. Today, the Cowboys agreed to terms on a contract for 7 year veteran guard Uche Kwaneri. Kwaneri was drafted in the 5th round of the 2007 draft by Jacksonville and he's started all but 4 games, all missed in 2009. Kwaneri will vie for a spot on the roster with Ronald Leary, Mackenzy Bernadeau, Zach Martin and 4 others. The fact he is a veteran and very durable he should have no problem making the roster. The reason he became available was he was a salary cap casualty in Jacksonville. Kwaneri has yet to actually sign the contract but it should just be a formality. Kwaneri is from Texas, the Dallas area to be exact. He graduated from Naaman Forest High in Garland. Kwaneri was a teammate of DE Anthony Spencer at Purdue so he has some legit Texas and Cowboys ties.

[eagle eye]

In his weekly Friday article Mickey Spagnola tackles a hodgepodge of items including the Kyle Orton deal, the O-line and salary cap stuff. As for Orton, from a numbers perspective it would benefit both him and the Cowboys if he just plays this season. From a money standpoint it would seem it would be just plain stupid not to play in 2014. Orton doesn't strike me a being stupid. It would mean the Cowboys would be carrying 3 QBs this year because Brandon Weeden seems to have earned a roster spot.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Spagnola-On-A-Need-To-Know-Basis/66cdb20e-59fe-4128-bacc-6901c111628a

Here's a video link to several Dallas Cowboys reading tweets to them. The segment is called, "Mean Tweets", so you can imagine they are not tweets praising them.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/

Dez Bryant was named the 25th best player in NFL.com top 100 players list. Here's a video of recapping Dez.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/Top_100_Players_of_2014_Dez_Bryant/85577731-56bd-4440-9e8a-08e799390788

[eagle eye]

A couple of items today I found on Bleecher Report.

1. Tony Romo has not played golf since February of 2013 which pre-dates his surgery to remove a cyst from his upper back. For those who follow Romo and Cowboys this is a big deal. What's even more of a big deal he doesn't plan to play in the weeks leading up to training camp to protect his back from any unnecessary stress since he had back surgery in January for a herniated disc. For all those who felt Romo playing golf was a distraction to playing football---stick your tongue out between your lips and blow. That is my response to you.

2. Jonathan Bales from B/R gives his prediction of 5 players who will make the final roster and 5 players to not make the final roster.
Players Bales feels will make the roster;
1. WR Chris Boyd
2. S Matt Johnson
3. FB JC Copeland
4. S Ahmad Dixon (I disagree because from what I've been able to find out he just can't cover and the Cowboys need more than a special teams ace.
5. WR L'Damian Washington (this is the guy you want to root for considering his background story. A real feel good story even if he only makes the practice squad.)

Players who get the boot;
1. P Cody Mandell
2. TE Jordan Najvar
3. S Jakar Hamilton (DallasCowboys.com's reporters have been touting Hamilton's athletic ability so I disagree with this pick.)
4. RB Joseph Randall (With the signing of Ryan Williams it looked like Randall could be the odd man out.)
5. CB BW Webb (Interesting -- I have to think about this one)

Finally, CBS sports writer Gregg Doyle has written an article destroying new Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry over the way he handled the hiring of new head coach Jason Kidd. Apparently, there is a whole black cloud over the circumstances of Kidd's hire. Doyle compares Lasry with Jerry Jones saying, " ....both believe they are smarter than everyone else.". Doyle continued, "Look at Jerry Jones, another self made billionaire who bought America's Team, the Dallas Cowboys, and installed himself as general manager and is stuck with a fool running his team into eternal mediocrity." That seems a little harsh but it is twinged with some truth. The fact is Jerry was involved in turning the Cowboys into a Super Bowl team in the ninties and he spent ten years trying to prove he could do without Jimmy Johnson after he and Johnson had a major falling out after the 1993 season. Jerry was the fool running his business trying to spite Johnson but with the hiring of Bill Parcels he acknowledged he needed a strong coach instead of a puppet and with the hiring of Jason Garrett he got another strong willed coach who has made the overall roster of the Cowboys better. When Garrett took over there were more holes in the Cowboys roster than a home made boat and zero cap space to work with. in the three and a half years since the Cowboys roster has gotten considerably better and with an improvement in the defense the Cowboys could be right where they want to be--in the playoffs and from there to the ultimate goal of the Super Bowl. I don't think Dallas will go to the Super Bowl this season but I think it's entirely possible for them to make the playoffs. Another good draft and who knows what could happen in 2015. So, I find the bile of Gregg Doyle's article to be out of line, mainly because Jerry hasn't made deals considered shady by comparison to Marc Lasry.

[eagle eye]

Just when you think the Cowboys are taking a break until training camp up jumps a deal like today's. The Cowboys traded a 2015 6th round pick for the rights to LB Rolando McClain and a 7th round draft pick with the Baltimore Ravens. McClain is a very talented player who has been hampered by off field issues, suspensions and arrests have marred what could have been a good career to date. Cowboys fans may remember it was the hit by McClain in the 2012 preseason while he was with Oakland that lacerated Jason Witten's spleen. Google McClain and you will see a biography of a talented and flawed young man but Dallas puts a lot of faith in their personnel support department led by Calvin Hill. After a tumultuous time in Oakland he went to Baltimore in 2013 but soon after he signed his contract he retired. He expressed a desire to play in 2014 but he again decided to retire. McClain was considered the best linebacker in the country entering the 2010 draft after his Alabama Crimson Tide won the NCAA National Championship at the end of the 2009 season. The Raiders drafted McClain with the 8th pick in the draft but he never really assimilated with the Raiders. The fact that McClain is only 24 years old and has three years of wear and tear on his body and the fact he should be well rested after being out of football the past year should be good news for the Sean Lee-less Cowboys. Trouble is, can Dallas convince McClain to un-retire? That's where the salesman in Jerry Jones can come in handy. Jerry could sell a winter coat to an Egyptian but he may not be able to sell the Cowboys to an emotionally unstable young man. Anyway, it's basically a free look at a player who could be the answer to the question of who will replace Sean Lee. Lee, BTW was put on injured reserve to make room for McClain officially ending Lee's 2014 season.

[eagle eye]

I posted that Dallas had signed former top 10 draft pick Rolando McClain the linebacker who was part of the Alabama National Champs of 2009. The link below is a scouting report from DallasCowboys.com's Bryan Broaddus that really says if he is motivated he will be a great asset. Can position coach Matt Eberflus get him going? Can Calvin Hill and the player assistance dept help McClain the way they have helped players like Dez Bryant? What if he turns into a stud? Where does that leave Sean Lee in 2015? Anyway, Dallas needs a force in the middle and hopefully, McClain IS a stud. Lord knows the Cowboys defense needs one.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddusBlog/Scouting-Report-New-LB-McClain-Plays-With-Power/ddc86fef-3320-49de-9cae-a967affee9b9

[eagle eye]

On DallasCowboys.com a series has been started called "20 Questions" answering that many questions that the staff writers feel needs answering as the Cowboys go into training camp. In the Links below the Cowboys staff writers, Nick Eatman, Rowan Kavner, David Helman and Bryan Broaddus give their version of the answers to the questions.

20) Can the Cowboys afford to lose Kyle Orton?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/20-Questions-Can-Cowboys-Afford-To-Lose-Kyle-Orton-/cebaec59-c1f1-4156-8e47-78f8c9bda1cd

My own opinion is split. If Orton just comes back because it would cost him too much money not to I would have a concern about his motivation. But, if the business side of the deal is settled and he comes back all in I would prefer him to be the backup. But, if he's pissed about his deal or his heart isn't into the game and he really doesn't care about playing I'm good with Brandon Weeden being the backup. By all accounts he has worked his ass off in OTAs and mini camp and deserves a shot to revive his career. I think if Orton ends up being the backup I really think the Cowboys will carry 3 QBs because Dallas has liked Weeden since his Okla State days.

19) What 7th round pick has the best shot (to make the team)?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/20-Questions-What-7th-Round-Pick-Has-The-Best-Shot/0907e6d4-a0b6-4c65-b015-f8775de21f08

I have no opinion on this because I have not been able to watch the players this spring and as the DC.com writers each have picked a different player they like. Dallas had 5 7th round picks, DE Ben Gardner from Stanford, S Ahmad Dixon from Baylor, DT Ken Bishop from Northern Illinois, LB Will Smith from Texas Tech and CB Terrence Mitchell from Oregon and the one left out was Ahmad Dixon. All spring the writers have written about Dixon's limitations as a safety and the only real shot he has to make the team as a special teams specialist. Personally, I don't see that happening. As bad as Dallas needs a safety to line up along side Barry Church I don't see Dixon is the answer to that question, all things considered.

[eagle eye]

Here are two more of the 20 questions DC.com's writers feel needs answering as the Cowboys head towards training camp later this month.

18) How can DeMarco Murray Prove He's a Long-Term Option?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/20-Questions-How-Can-Murray-Prove-He’s-Long-Term-Option-/4002d8b1-b102-4a66-ac96-af0ff8963dc2

17) What Non-Pro Bowl Player Will Help The Cowboys The Most?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/20-Questions-Which-Non-Pro--Bowler-Helps-The-Offense-Most/0dc04b8e-f528-40dd-b0e7-3e2effd411aa

You may be surprised at the players the writers think will make and impact this coming season! Can you think of a better player, or players?

[eagle eye]

The "20 Questions" series continues with questions 15 and 16.

16) Does Zack Martin man the Cowboys O-line dominant?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/20-Questions-Does-Martin-Make-This-O-Line-Dominant/c5fd5881-158a-4a10-877a-9752669cebcc

Personally, I think dominant isn't the word I'd use. For the foreseeable futue the linchpins of the line will be Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and now Martin. All are first round picks and should anchor the Cowboys line for the next ten years barring injury. Frederick should be much better in his second year while Smith has made his first pro bowl last year. Martin will need, at very least, this season to learn the NFL game and a full off season to get stronger, NFL stronger, to be on the road to where he will be. It's pretty much consensus that Martin will be better than either Mackenzy Bernadeau and Ron Leary but will he? This year? And who's to say Martin doesn't end up taking Doug Free's spot at right tackle since this is Free's last year under contract? They will still be looking a Bernadeau and Leary at guard. I'm not just thinking 2014 but I'm looking long term. Dominant? No, better, Martin or not, for sure.

15) Which player will be the surprise training camp standout?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/15-Which-Player-Will-Be-The-Surprise-Camp-Standout/23c19022-9603-40ed-bf2c-86c3beb355d6

Mr's Eatman, Kavner, Broaddus and Helman each selected a different player and a couple of their picks may surprise a little bit. Obviously, I have been able to watch the OTA's and mini camp practices but these guys have. I know who I'd like to be standouts starting with Morris Claiborne. Mo has been hampered by injuries since before he even took the field for the Cowboys and he needs to start living up to his first round pick status. I'd love to see Lance Dunbar excel. Apparently, new offensive coach Scott Linehan likes him and has compared him to Reggie Bush who Linehan had in Detroit. Trouble is Dunbar who got his first extended playing time against Oakland on Thanksgiving and didn't last the whole game before he was injured and lost for the rest of the season. Stay healthy Lance! The most obvious choice is for DeMarcus Lawrence to shine. He was the guy Dallas targeted in the draft to be the pass rusher who strikes fear in opposing QBs. Hopefully, he even more badass than even the Cowboys expected. One last guy I might pick is new MLB Rolando McClain. Talent and potential are not the issues. Can he get, and keep, his head on straight is the issue. I would love it if McClain plays so well the headline in 2015 is "Can Sean Lee Win His Job Back?".

[eagle eye]

I can't believe I'm giving lip service to any kind of commentary by the NFL Channel but this is just the last straw. A female host with Willie McGinnest and Jamie Dukes discuss and interview with Dez Bryant in which Dez says he's not concerned with the talent on the team more than he focuses EACH YEAR on building a good chemistry within the team. Makes sense right. There's a little, or a lot, of turnover on rosters each year and you've heard it said time and again that every year is a new team that comes to training camp. Dukes especially twisted Dez's words to mean Dez thinks there is a chemistry problem on the Cowboys. He goes on to say that the fact Dallas has hired several former head coaches to be assistants contributes to the chemistry problem because they are all trying to be chiefs each sending different messages to the team. SAY WHAT? The segment with Dez's comments begins the piece and you can see for yourself that what Dez said and how the NFLC people chose to interpret it is totally different. Excuse my language but this the kind of unmitigated bullshit the NFL Channel constantly spews in regard to the Cowboys. Just sitting here writing about it made me throw up in my mouth a little. See for yourself. If this isn't a classic example of yellow journalism I don't know what is. Excuse me I have to rinse out my mouth.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/Do-The-Cowboys-Have-A-Chemistry-Problem-/89996df8-0ee0-4d59-ae13-9335e5ebb67b

[eagle eye]

Here are the next two questions address by the DC.com writers.

14) Where does the defense start to replace DeMarcus Ware?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/14-Where-Does-This-Defense-Start-To-Replace-Ware/005270b8-63b6-4df9-a75f-1ab8debc53fe

Is the question about replacing the awesome DeMarcus Ware or the injured DeMarcus Ware of the last two years? If it's the latter that shouldn't be too hard to do but if it's the former Dallas may be a while replacing THAT Ware. I'm sure the hope is DeMarcus Lawrence will be that guy but there a lot of players who can man a nice rotation of fresh players. The DC.com writer make nice points on this subject.

13) Which encore performance from 2013 will be the hardest to match?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/13-Which-Encore-Of-2013-Will-Be-Hardest-To-Match/5e29b278-9beb-4778-b407-c82baa848067

The DC.com staff writers have just a couple of guys in their analysis which is, I'm sure, a coincidence. You may not agree but I'll bet you could be surprised by their picks. To me you have to wonder if DeMarco Murray can equal or top his 2013, 1000+ yards rushing. You would think of the players who had good seasons last year Murray would be the MOST likely to equal last year's output. But 2013 was one of Murray's healthiest seasons and he still missed two games. Murray will have to stay healthy and on the field to better last season and it hasn't been his history.

[eagle eye]

The next "20 Questions for today are;

12) Which D-Lineman has Selvie-like staying power?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/12-Which-D-Lineman-Has-A-Selvie-Like-Breakthrough/5f6b0dca-26ae-46b4-84e5-a03202bcfda6

I haven't read the answers to this question but I would ask, does Selvie have Selvie-like staying power? He did okay for Dallas last year and he put up his best career numbers it wasn't like he was blowing people away with how good he is. He will still have to compete for his job. Who's to say if Tyrone Crawford, Ben Bass and a couple of others who were out due to injuries or free agent signings like Henry Melton and Terrell McClain or a draft pick like Ben Gardiner or an UFA Davin Coleman.

11) Is this the year Morris Claiborne lives up to the hype?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/11-Is-This-The-Year-Claiborne-Lives-Up-To-The-Hype-/4b9b34ee-03f7-4f17-9984-4ca8fafe8c06

For me as a fan, I hope that Claiborne is finally healthy and can stay on the field. During OTAs the DC.com writers commented how he looks like he bulked up and seemed stronger. If he plays 16 games and is healthy he should take his starting CB job back from Orlando Scandrick. I believe his poor play has everything to do with his poor health. If Claiborne, Scandrick and Carr stay healthy we should be good at CB.

[eagle eye]

We've worked our way down to the top ten questions heading into training camp the DC.com writers attempt to answer. Food for thought and a way to kill the time waiting for training camp to begin.

10) What changes should we expect with Scott Linehan now calling the plays?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/10-What-Changes-With-Scott-Linehan-As-Play-Caller--/be0b9a17-4e5c-47ef-99b1-065850ab28d0

The main hope will be that Linehan does a better job featuring Dez who seemed to disappear at times last year. Hopefully, Linehan won't forget about the run game which former play called Bill Callahan did all to often last year. Also, Dallas threatened to use Lance Dunbar more extensively last seaon but the Callahan led offense didn't feature Dunbar until Thanksgiving against Oakland and he suffered an injury and was lost for the season. Linehan has compared Dunbar to Reggie Bush who he had in Detroit and Bush enjoyed a bit of a comeback year under Linehan. The running backs should benefit because the way Linehan has used his backs in Detroit they got a lot of touches. Joique Bell and Bush got a lot of work under Linehan.

9) Can this offense carry another bad defensive effort?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/9-Can-This-Offense-Carry-Another-Bad-Defensive-Effort/3fc13bbc-1a43-4ff4-93ad-29b3af24af07

I agree with DC.com's Nick Eatman in that I think the Cowboys offense is fully capable of carrying the team. If Dallas had opened up their offense the way they did against Denver I think they would have won a couple of games they lost. I had a lot of problems with Bill Callahan's play calling last year and I'm really glad Jason Garrett got somebody who he trusts to call plays. Not that he didn't trust Callahan, Garrett just has a history with Linehan and they are very like-minded when it comes to play calling. Dallas will definitely throw the ball but they may go downfield more than they did last year. The Cowboys drove me crazy throwing 1 yard outs that were defensed almost immediately. The other thing is, I just don't see Dallas having the #32 ranked defense again this year. Barring injury they have a real shot at being much better.

[eagle eye]

The Top 20 Questions is down to #'s 8 and 7 so let's get started.

8. Who is most likely to make his first Pro Bowl?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/8-Whos-Most-Likely-To-Make-His-First-Pro-Bowl/a6944cc6-4878-4bd3-8fd5-aed00c39f85e

All four writers for DallasCowboys.com chose a different player and all four players certainly have a real possibility of being the next first time Pro Bowler. I can't decide who I think could make it and there is a player or two who could sneak into the mix too.

7. Do the Cowboys have the depth to overcome injuries?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/7-Do-The-Cowboys-Have-The-Depth-To-Overcome-Injuries/187d7e74-a5d6-41b9-9752-3edcccfae397

I'm writing my take before I read the article so I'm not biased in any way. I think Dallas has improved their depth. They may be a little thin at backup on the O-line but even that position is in better shape. The biggest question is on defense and maybe the more relevent question is, do they have enough quality starters? The D-line has nothing but question marks at pretty much every position except DT Henry Melton and Safety Barry Church. There is a lot depth on the D-line but the players the Cowboys are most depending on are rookies or guys coming off injuries. The linebacker position is a huge question mark with unanswered questions about Bruce Carter and who the hell will play the Mike LB spot. The battle for the other safety position next to Church is primarily going to be between JJ Wilcox, Jakar Hamilton and Matt Johnson and Johnson hasn't even been on the field in his two years with the Cowboys. Cornerback is the only position you can even feel halfway good about but the depth is pretty thin there. Needless to say Dallas cannot field a decent defense if they suffer the injuries they have the past two years and if there is there will be a lot of pressure put on the Cowboys offense.

[eagle eye]

The 20 Questions continues today with question numbers 6 and 5. They are very interesting questions indeed.

6) Who starts at left guard when the season begins?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/20-Questions-Who-Wins-Starting-Left-Guard-Job-/9699f801-7311-4d87-abdc-986e3505d7c9

There seems to be only two choices here, incumbent left guard Ronald Leary and last year's starting right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau. I think it's pretty much a given that the Cowboys will expect 1st round pick Zack Martin to man the right guard position mainly because 1st round picks are expected to play right away. So with that thinking in mind let's flip a coin and odds are you have a 50-50 chance to be right. Will Leary start to maintain the continuity of the line with only one change from last season? Or will Bernadeau, who many consider the better player, take the job away from Leary? Or will Leary keep his job because Bernadeau is more versatile and can back up at guard and center which could save a game day roster spot? There's a consensus from the DC.com writers and that consensus is there is not a consensus. This is one training camp battle that will be very interesting to keep an eye on.

5) Who fills in for Sean Lee at middle linebacker?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/5-Who-Fills-In-For-Sean-Lee-At-Middle-Linebacker-Spot/63ab7e73-fee4-4cde-9257-3b61c047da0a

This may be the most important question to get answered in training camp. I agree with Bryan Broaddus that the competition will be between newly signed Rolando McClain, veteran Justin Durant and 2014 4th round draft pick Anthony Hitchens. The wild card is McClain. If he comes to training camp in shape and ready to play he should win the spot based strictly on talent. Durant and Hitchens will get their shots and, along with the battle for left guard should be the top two questions Dallas needs to answer.

The latest and greatest new about backup and disgruntled QB Kyle Orton is this---the Cowboys will waive Orton with the official announcement expected to be tomorrow. For a little more detailed explanation of the salary cap implications and more check out the link to the DC.com article below.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Cowboys-Expected-To-Officially-Waive-QB-Kyle-Orton/a221a6b2-15d3-4fe3-8736-7207b98bffbf

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys made rumor official today by waiving QB Kyle Orton. Orton had been indicating on the down-low that he might retire from football and other people thought it was a play to renegociate his contract and others thought he might just be crazy to walk away from about $7mm over the next two years. But, after talks with Orton's management the Cowboys brain trust must have decided to cut bait on him. By releasing him Orton will not have to repay the pro rated portion of his signing bonus but Dallas won't have to pay Orton's salary either. After all is said and done the Cowboys will pick up about $2mm on their available salary cap. The biggest hurt to Dallas will be the loss of a quality backup QB, that is a big loss. What people are saying is the backup is now going to be Brandon Weeden but Caleb Hanie is the real vet of the 3 QBs behind Tony Romo. Hanie has NFL starting experience and there's no reason to write Hanie off. I think Weeden will be on the team but he may not be a shoe-in at backup.

[eagle eye]

With the release of QB Kyle Orton yesterday the Cowboys had a roster spot open and apparently the hole in their roster was too stressful not to address. So, today they announced the signing of TE Dallas Walker who was an undrafted free agent after the 2012 draft. He didn't play in 2012 but he was signed by San Diego in April of 2013. He was released by the Chargers in August and went unclaimed by NFL teams. He did play arena football for the Georgia Rampage indoor football team which was in the Ultimate Indoor Football League. The guy is has nice size at 6'6" and 235+ lbs and Dallas doesn't have a true blocking TE on the roster. It's basically a free look at a guy who is liable to be little more than guy to give the TE position a little depth for training camp.

Speaking of training camp, we are exactly one week away from the start. Getting excited yet?

[LU4LIFE]

I am

[eagle eye]

From the "That Figures" file, former Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware who had surgery on his elbow in the off season told the Denver Post reporter Mike Klis that, "I feel better than I did the last two years going into the season," Ware said Thursday. "Stronger, faster. I feel flexible." It would be Dallas Cowboys luck that a guy who hasn't been healthy for the past two years is finally, really, truly, healthy and ready to perform to the level he did in his prime.
It's interesting to note that Ware said pretty much the same thing going into training camp last season. In truth, Ware was the unquestioned star of training camp last season. He began the season like his old self but in the 3rd game against San Diego Ware was injured and was not a true force the rest of the season. He missed three games but it was also the first season his sack total wasn't in double digits as he only recorded six sacks all year.
All things considered, I think Jerry and the Cowboys brain trust made the right move to cut bait with Ware. If he has a great season in Denver, good. I like Ware and he's always been a standup guy and I bear him no ill will now that he's a Bronco. Still, he is at the end of his career and he has been hurt the last two years. It was kind of time to let him go. Hell, even the 49ers let Joe Montana go!

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20 Questions has wound down to questions 4 and 3. You may have noticed the questions get a little more pointed and in some cases a little harder to answer.

4) What kind of difference will new D-coordinator Rod Marinelli make?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/20-Questions-What-Kind-Of-Difference-Will-Marinelli-Make-/d4053eeb-b65c-431e-94cb-d4530eb5b00d

I think I agree with Bryan Broaddus' answer. Nick Eatman's too a little. Marinelli got the most out of a bunch of D-linemen off the street to form a semblence of a pass rush. As Eatman said, he did well but they didn't exactly stuff the run. That wasn't exposed too badly because it was just so damn easy to pass the ball on the defense. Broaddus said Kiffin didn't tweek his defense to play to his players strengths and we saw Marinelli's defense in Chicago play very well thank you. It all depends on the health of the players. Just like the past two years, injuries could kill any chance of Dallas fielding even a decent defense. Not even Vince Lombardi could make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

3) Where's the pass rush going to come from?

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DallasCowboysReport/3-Where’s-The-Pass-Rush-Going-To-Come-From/797a2681-31ef-4450-8c1f-172e7fe858fe

I have a hard time agreeing with DC.com writer, Rowan Kavner. He's the most conservative guy I've ever seen. He's like a poor man's Alex P Keaton. "I haven't seen it" and "...we don't know what he's able to do" and "I'd rather have a veteran in that spot because we don't know what the young guy will do" are among the key phrases that he usually spits out. He's so conservative you have to wonder how much anxiety he goes through just buying a new pair of shoes. But in this case I agree. We need pressure from the whole front four. The Cowboys don't have an established pass rusher so the whole 7 or 8 man rotation has to be good.

[eagle eye]

Cowboys training camp began yesterday with the first practice at the training camp facility in Oxnard, California. It was uneventful compared to last season when DL Tyrone Crawford was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. No major losses today either. Romo is said to be looking good but the practices so far have been little more than walk through type affairs. Tomorrow the schedule call for the team to be in pads for the first time. We'll likely see just how ready Romo is. I suspect he's more than ready.

The Cowboys had a voluntary fitness test run by players last Friday. I posted about this earlier this week. It turns out that LG Ronald Leary pulled a hammy in the fitness test and was put on the PUP list as training camp began. The injury is not considered bad in any way so he will not likely be out long. This is a good thing because one the main items of interest in this camp was said to be the battle to start at guard between the incumbent, Leary, and the former starting right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau. It's kind of a given that first round pick Zack Martin will step in and start at right guard.

The 2014 debut of DE Anthony Spenser will likely be delayed until after the 6th game of the upcoming season because he is still rehabbing from micro fracture knee surgery last season. He only began running about a month ago is reportedly a long way off from slapping on a pair of cleats and hitting the field with the team. It's quite possible Dallas won't see any dividends from sticking with Spenser until 2015.

There are training camp podcasts and Jason Garrett pressers on the Cowboys multi media page along with other features. As soon as I get used to this new format (which I think is pretty cool BTW it's just going to take a while to get used to navigating again.) I post links to stuff I think are interesting. Go Cowboys!

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys have taken chances on players before. Guys who have or had off field issues. The low end of the spectrum is Pac-man Jones. He was an experiment even Dr Frankenstein wouldn't claim but it sure looks like the chance on Dez Bryant is working out okay to give you an idea that there are guys who have made it. When Dallas lost Sean Lee in the first 20 minutes of the first OTA practice Dallas knew they were in trouble. Despite having several candidates on the roster to fill Lee's spot none failed to ease the anxiety of losing your best defensive player and team captain. Just about a week before training camp Dallas signed troubled former 1st round pick by the Oakland Raiders, Rolando McClain. I mentioned his signing earlier in this thread but he was at camp on Saturday in practice with the team for the first time. He missed Thursday and Friday practices because he was in court in his home town of Decatur, Alabama being found guilty of misdemeanor assault and resisting arrest. The ruling is under appeal so in an interview yesterday McClain said he could not comment on the case. However, he did explain his path and in the link below DC.com's Rowan Kavner gives us a look and some insight to Dallas newest player. It's a good article and if McClain's really matured over the last year and 4 months then Jerry is getting a huge bang for his few bucks he spent on him.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/McClain-Ready-For-New-Chance-With-Fewer-Distractions/734fedd1-543e-41d9-b9f1-2e44d6894064

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The Cowboys were featured on NFL Channel's Live At Training Camp last evening. Rich Eisen, who is one of the few on-air guys at the NFL Channel I actually like, sat down with Michael Irvin during the Cowboys practice for an interview with Jerry Jones and later after practice ended Eisen and Irvin did interviews with Tony Romo and Dez Bryant.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-training-camps/0ap2000000370328/Jones-on-Manziel-It-was-that-close

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-training-camps/0ap2000000370344/Tony-Romo-ready-to-have-his-best-season

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-training-camps/0ap2000000370347/Bryant-fired-up-for-2014

The Cowboys had three defensive players leave practice with injuries yesterday. LB Devonte Holloman left with what is believed to be dehydration and he is day to day. DT Terrell McClain left with an ankle thing. I say thing because nothing has been officially diagnosed but he did sit out the rest of practice after hurting it. S Matt Johnson left with a hamstring pull. Johnson can't seem to stay healthy and it has been his balky hammies that have done him in. Since he was drafted in 2012 Johnson has yet to play a down for the Cowboys in a regular season game. Also, LB Bruce Carter left for a time but returned to practice probably due to lack of fluids and Jeff Heath left for a time but he returned with his hand heavily wrapped. Heath said later he got it smashed between a couple of helmets. In addition, 3 players missed practice all from the defensive side of the ball. DL Ben Bass (shoulder), Will Smith (groin) and Darrius Morris all missed.

Here's a look at yesterday's practice with DC.com writers Bryan Broaddus and Rowan Kavner.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/

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If there is one thing I have been remiss about in passing on info about the Cowboys is that I have failed to mention the passing of a Cowboys legend, folk hero, fan favorite.....there are so many ways to describe the impact that Robert Newhouse had on Cowboys fans lucky enough to see him play game in and game out for 12 seasons. From 1972 to 1983 Newhouse was a spark plug for the Cowboys. Give him the ball and the way he fought for every single yard, often gaining extra yards from his effort fired up fans in the stadium and in living rooms all over the country. His biggest, highest profile, play was probably the fullback pass to Golden Richards to ice the game for the Cowboys. Newhouse was 5'10" and 209 lbs of pure muscle and he had maybe the biggest pair of thighs in football at the time, except for Earl Campbell's, at 44". Most men's waists aren't even that big! The cool thing about Newhouse was he was a Texan through and through and he went to college right up the road in Houston at the U of H. Here's brief write-up of Newhouse from NY Times writer William Yardley.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/sports/football/robert-newhouse-64-rusher-whose-pass-secured-a-title-dies.html?_r=0

Here's another link to an article from the Dallas Morning News writer David Moore who interviewed another Cowboys great, Charlie Waters, recounting a funny backstory to Newhouse's famous TD pass in SB XII.

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/2014/07/what-charlies-waters-knows-about-that-robert-newhouse-td-pass-in-super-bowl-xii-that-you-dont.html/

We will never know the nice, caring and unselfish man Waters refers to but for those who watched him play we can relive the fond memories he was a part of as part of the Cowboys dynasty of the seventies. For the high motor and spark he gave the Cowboys and the many, many Sundays we cheered the "human bowling ball" as he scratched and clawed his way to the next first down. Thanks for the memories Robert. Rest in peace.

[eagle eye]

Anthony Spenser has been rehabbing his knee since he had micro fracture surgery last fall. It's a potentially career threatening surgery and football players have difficult time making it back. But, he has been very diligent and following the trainers and doctor's instructions but when he began training camp on the Active/PUP list it appeared like he would be at least mid season before he could return to the lineup. Today in an interview Spenser indicated he is confident he will be on the opening day roster against the 49ers. That would be a big shot in the arm talent-wise IF Spenser is back to his old self.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Spencer-Optimistic-To-Return-Before-Sept-7-Opener-/48a37e16-fe9c-4a25-aaa0-105127fc61a7

DeMarco Murray is the acknowledged bell cow of the Cowboys but even Murray recognizes talent when he sees it. What he's seen is the potential of fellow RB Lance Dunbar. Really, the only thing that has held Dunbar back is pass blocking because no matter what Tony Romo is the Cowboys bread and butter and if you can't pass protect you won't see the field much.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Murray-I’m-Lead-Guy-But-Dunbar-Needs-Touches/b19b5a2d-1a26-4d7b-8d05-bc1d33b808f5

[eagle eye]

The whole deal about off season work is to get guys ready for training camp so any fine tuning to the offensive and defensive schemes could be done and the best players could be identified for the coming season. Simple right? Yeah, right. For some it's just an exercise in frustration. Of course the one I'm talking about is S Matt Johnson who was drafted in 2012. From having to show up late to OTAs in '12 because Eastern Washington is one of those pesky Pacific coast colleges that does it's school terms in the quarters system meaning they can't report until the term ends in early June. Within the week Johnson was injured, that confounded hamstring thing. The hammy issues kept him off the field but Dallas was hoping he could return and actually start playing games so they kept him on the active roster but at the end of November Dallas gave up and put Johnson on IR ending his year. In '13 Johnson still battling his hammy managed to play in his first preseason game when Dallas and Miami squared off in Canton in the Hall of Fame game. He injured his foot so badly he was placed on IR during the last cut downs prior to the beginning of the season. In two years he has been able to play in just two pre season games. In '14 he was trying hard not do anything to tweak the hammy even though it hobbled him some but less than 5 days into camp he's in the training tent with a pulled hammy. I've said this before but he must have really showed something in the practices he has been able to participate in. Not just something but something special. That's the only reason why Dallas would have kept him, they see something in this kid and safety is definitely a position of need. By all accounts he's a model citizen, smart, very coachable and dedicated worker who has done everything humanly possible to rehab his injuries and also to prevent injury. In the words of Jason Garrett he's "the right kind of guy". If you believe it, God has a plan for everyone and either he's testing Johnson's patience or the Joneses patience or God has other plans for Mr Johnson. I'm curious about the guy. I want to see him play, I just wish the good Lord would lighten up on the guy. Right now, any semblance of that scenario is extremely in question. Hamstring injuries just never seem to go away once they appear, see Miles Austin a guy with potentially Hall of Fame talent who couldn't stay on the field because of his confounded hamstrings. Bad things happen to good people and it's never more evident than to fans of an NFL team.

[eagle eye]

What the hell is the deal on the defensive side of the ball? I mean really. 2012 the defense was gutted by injuries. Last season the injuries mounted up like cord wood with 22 different starters on the D-line and lost time by virtually every starter on defense. So far this season we've lost Sean Lee for the season with a torn ACL and several other players on the defensive side will miss valuable training camp time with various injuries and now, BANG, we get a biggie. The biggest loss since Sean Lee's ACL. Yesterday in 2-on-2 drills DeMarcus Lawrence was squared off against Tyron Smith when Smith got the better of that skirmish and knocked Lawrence to the ground. Lawrence came up limping badly and after some work with the trainers it was found that Lawrence has a broken foot and will miss 8 to 12 weeks. If it goes the whole 12 it will be the end of October before Lawrence can be back in the lineup. I think Jerry Jones needs to hire an exorsist to purge the defensive demon from Valley Ranch. Enough is e-freaking nuff.
Add to that and LB Rolando McClain left practice with a stomach virus. He could be back today or next week. Considering the virus that blew through the Astros clubhouse this April it could very well be a week he's gone.

Chalk this up to sportswriters boredom. Or just an easy way to fill an article deadline. Or the writers have joined ESPN and NFL.com adding to the endless stream of top (fill in the blank) lists. The writers at DC.com have ranked the eleven WRs on the roster from top to bottom. Snooze. They can't be that bored, can they? Anyhoo see if you agree with writers on this ranking.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Power-Rankings-Staff-Writers-Order-WRs-From-1-11/76ecf6e8-44bf-4fed-9b2a-3c9831b53125

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Holy cow! LT Tyron Smith's contract was due to expire after the 2015 season. I said "was" because Dallas completed a deal that will keep Smith a Cowboys through the 2023 season worth in the neighborhood of $110 mm! Actually, Smith is signed through 2023 beginning after the final two years on his rookie contract worth $10mm for around $97 mm. It is the highest non-quarterback contract in Cowboys history and will assure Smith will be wearing a star on his helmet unit he's 34 years old. He just turned 24 recently. Smith will be eligible to become a free agent in 2024.

"Well, that's awesome but what about Dez Bryant's contract? Don't worry true believers. According to Stephen Jones, the salary cap overseer for the Cowboys, he says even though they just gave their franchise left tackle a $12 mm a year deal with about $40 mm guaranteed there is still money left for Dez. Jones said they are working on a deal and can sign Dez to an extension any time now. Smith and Bryant were the two guys who many felt needed to be signed this year to prevent them from testing the free agent market. Well, one down and one to go. It should be interesting.

One bit of good news, one bit of hopeful news and one bit of a downer. DeMarcus Lawrence flew back to Dallas today and will undergo foot surgery tomorrow. A foot that he broke in a drill facing Tyron Smith. Yep, that Tyron Smith. The Cowboys indicated today that Smith could undergo the surgery and recover enough to get back with the team before they break training camp in Oxnard on August 15th. It's an 8-12 week recovery time so Dallas will have to make due, best case, until the end of September and worst case, the end of October. As Jason Garrett has said there's still a lot of football left after 8 to 12 weeks. The name that keeps popping up is Tyrone Crawford to move over and take Lawrence's place. Maybe, but I wanted to see how well Lawrence could step into that other DeMarcus's spot.

[eagle eye]

The news for the defense just won't stop being of the lousy variety.

Yesterday Mo Claiborne left at the end of practice with a knee issue. The Cowboys don't think it's a big concern so let's hope they're right!
Brandon Carr, who has missed about the whole of training camp to be with his mother who was in hospice care, has to deal with her passing yesterday. By the time arrangements are made and the funeral service has been held it is speculated that Carr likely won't be back to camp until after the San Diego game next Thursday. The Cowboys, for their part have told Carr to take all the time he needs and to come back when he is ready. That's one thing about Jerry Jones, he does have a kind heart when it comes to his players. It's one reason so many players for Dallas, past and present, love Jones.
The Cowboys lost three more players to injury yesterday. WR Dwayne Harris tweaked his ankle losing a one-on-one battle with new CB Terrence Mitchell that saw Mitchell sling Harris to the ground. Cowboys coaches let Mitchell know that sort of behavior is NOT tolerated. DL Ben Bass had a slight hamstring pull and OL lineman Darrion Weems going 1-on-1 in a drill with Tyron Smith hurt his shoulder. Tyron Smith is becoming a real beast and Dallas won't let him play with the other guys if he keeps sending them to the infirmary.
One good thing happened yesterday, OG Ronald Leary, who began training camp on PUP was back at practice. That's a good thing as one of the key battles of training camp was going to be between Leary and Mackenzy Bernadeau to see who will be the starting left guard. He'll work in slowly because he hurt his hamstring in the conditioning test held by players before training camp began.
Speaking of the O-line, word is Dallas hit a home run drafting Zack Martin with their first round pick. It is said he is very strong for a rookie, he rarely makes a mistake and he's solid at the point of attack. Add to this a bonding the line has done through OTAs and up through training camp. The line is spending quality time together off the field too to foster this bonding. Center Travis Frederick said that the O-line group is the tightest group he's been around in his football career. This includes not just the starting five the whole group in camp, many of which won't make the final cut.
Finally, Dallas added two DE's to their roster of the three they worked out last Friday. Adewale Ojomo and Kenneth Boatwright are the newest sacrificial lambs to the injury demon plaguing the defense. Ojomo played for the Giants as an UFA in 2012 and was on the practice squads of several teams last season finally ending up with the Tennessee Titans. The Titans released him in April after he was arrested for soliciting a prostitute in Miami. Boatwright was a UFA from Southern Illinois last year who was signed by Seattle. The Seahawks released him during their mini camp in June. To make room for them Dallas is expected to release OL Darius Morris and WR L'Damian Washington.
I'm out. I'm conducting an exorcism to expel the injury demon plaguing the defense. May the power of the Star compel you!

[eagle eye]

It's kind of looking like the exocism we did the day before yesterday may have worked! I'm not uncrossing my fingers though and I've got some spirit powder handy just in case but since Thursday nobody of any consequence has been hurt.
Mo Claiborne is still out and no real word on his status that I can find. As far as I'm concerned no news is good news. (Spirit powder handy)

Yes, the HOF game between Buffalo and the NY Giants is tonight on NBC at 7 o'clock but this afternoon at 4:30 PM on DallasCowboys.com the annual Blue-White scrimmage is going to take place. Pretty generic stuff, you how scrimmages go, but it's a chance to get a first look at the 2014 version of the Cowboys. And it's football---in August---on Sunday.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys held their annual Blue-White scrimmage over the weekend and the biggest story of scrimmage was an altercation between Dez Bryant and JJ Wilcox after Wilcox wrestled Bryant to the ground after a reception over the middle of the field. Dez was up immediately and getting into Wilcox's face which included a bit of a head butt when Wilcox threw a couple of punches. Teammates stepped between the two and prevented anything serious from developing. In the aftermath of the scrimmage it was noted that while not the best thing in the world the incident between Dez and Wilcox was a good thing. A good thing that showed some spunk by the defense who has had to listen to Dez talk smack constantly to the DBs in particular and the defense in general. A Cowboy vet remarked that the incident reminded him of the old Jimmy Johnson days and how Michael Irvin talked smack and fights used to break out all the time because the atmosphere was so competitive. Jason Garrett's comments about the deal were not really negative at all. He talked about the competitive nature of the camp and such things happen in competitive situations. Now, in private, I'm sure Garrett pointed out to Wilcox and Dez that the punches and the head butt would have gotten both ejected from a game and he didn't want to see it again but in his mind I'm sure he was tickled to death to see that kind of spirit on the field. Dez is emerging as a newer and improved Michael Irvin. Dez is more talented than Michael and really the sky is the limit for him but his personality is emerging and he's becoming the heart and soul of the team with his drive, work ethic and team spirit just like The Playmaker was. Nobody worked harder than Irvin back in the day and nobody works harder than Dez does now. The personal problems that plagued Dez early on was due to a lack of maturity on his part and the fact that he overcame a truly horrific childhood to be where he is now is a testament to his strength of character. Don't worry about Dez, he'll be okay. The fact that he's the patriarch of the WR corps now that Miles Austin is gone is something Dez seems to have taken to heart and he's making the most of it. Truth be told, the fact that Wilcox stood up to him and got right back in his face probably made Dez happy. Dez wants his defense to show some spirit too. In his mind Dez was probably thinking, "...good for you JJ!" while something totally different was coming out of his mouth. Some might call that tough love.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys hired tight ends coach Mike Pope this off season with an eye on developing the younger players on the roster but he's had a definite influence on Jason Witten as well. Pope is sort of THE TE's guru of the NFL and he brings a lot of interesting drills to help the TE's improve their skills. Here's an article from the Cowboys web site about the influence of Coach Pope. It's pretty funny and interesting to boot.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Mike-Pope-Shares-Why-He’s-Got-His-List-Of-478-Tricks/da4c392b-12ab-42d3-821e-7cea04a49c79

Tony Romo is keeping a low profile during the preseason to such an extent that since the Sunday Blue-White scrimmage Romo hasn't practiced and will not play Thursday night in the preseason opener against San Diego.

Here's a recap of Monday's practice.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Mon-Practice-Recap-CB-Depth-Thin-LB-McClain-Banged-Up/d92afa10-286a-4c48-a6fa-e75d5617680c

[eagle eye]

I wonder if Jason Garrett is a little miffed at QB's coach Wade Wilson. In an interview Wilson said that Tony Romo is having trouble throwing the deep ball and he feels it's because of his back which is still being rehabbed following surgery after the Week 16 win over Washington. Head Coaches don't normally like to divulge player weaknesses. Some coaches like Bill Belichick are down right fanatical about NOT giving other teams player info that can be used against his Patriots. You've got to wonder if there may be a private conversation between Garrett and Wilson about what NOT to say to the press.

The Cowboys vs Chargers game is on late tomorrow night. Because they are on the West Coast the game normally will start late and tomorrow is not exception. The game begins at 9:30 CDT on the NFL Channel.

There was no practice today as the Cowboys travelled to San Diego.

There will be one guy who will be in the spotlight more than any other player tomorrow night. Who, you ask? Brandon Weeden I answer. With the release of Kyle Orton Weeden has become the defacto #2 guy in the QB depth chart. Caleb Hanie is in the mix but Dallas really wants Weeden to succeed. Dallas had Weeden on their radar when he was part of the 2012 draft and now that they actually have him, Dallas wants him to be that guy. Yes, there will be a lot of eyes on the defense as it should be but with Romo coming off back surgery Dallas needs someone to be able to go out and win a couple of games if needed. If it's more it's likely Dallas season is in big trouble anyway. The extended reps Weeden has been given with Romo on a conservative practice schedule have been invaluable and the start tomorrow night just adds to that much needed bank of reps Weeden will need to be ready. .................Damn, football is really here!

[eagle eye]

Dallas looked pretty in Thursday night's game. 27-7 looks pretty bad. The whole team didn't look bad though, believe it or not there were a couple of actual bright spots. No, really, I'm serious. First of all Brandon Weeden didn't look half bad. With the first team offensive line in front of him Weeden looked pretty good. The TD pass he threw to James Hanna in the 1st quarter was pretty dope. Rolling out to his right and just as he was being drilled in the chest by a Chargers defender he threw a strike past 3 defenders to Hanna in the back of the end zone. Nice play indeed.
Up until about a one minute span in the 3rd the score was a respectable 10-7 Chargers lead. Kellen Clemens threw a 70 yard TD pass over the newest cornerback on the roster signed Tuesday and without benefit of even one practice. On the ensuing kickoff RB Ben Malena suffered a groin injury and 3rd string QB Caleb Hanie was the victim of a strip sack that resulted in another Charger score. Bang, a 10-7 game turned into a 24-7 rout.
This recap of the game by DallasCowboys.com's Mickey Spagnola puts some perspective on the game you may not have realized. After that a breakdown of the game by Bryan Broaddus who went over game film to see what happened and pointing out a couple of bright spots besides Weeden.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-MickeySpagnola/Spagnola-Let’s-Not-Jump-To-Such-Hasty-Conclusions/e6670278-f771-4ce1-bf46-61f2dcac6122

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddus/Scout’s-Eye-Breaking-Down-The-San-Diego-Tape/e11b2e57-0014-4032-bf7d-46e4956b53b5

Dallas is also about to sign former Maryland RB D J Adams who coincidently enough was cut by San Diego in June for a defensive signing. The signing of Adams is likely due to the strained quad Ben Malena suffered Thursday night. Malena has been on crutches ever since. Speculation is that Malena will be waived/injured to make room on the roster for Adams. Malena has shown promise and he could end up being signed to the Cowboys practice squad.

[eagle eye]

After the smack down from the San Diego Chargers on Thursday night there have been a couple of roster moves. Not as punishment for poor play but rather out of need or a 'thanks but no thanks' situation.

Dallas lost Ben Malena and he was waived/injured so Dallas signed D J Adams. Neither guy has, or had, more than a gambler's chance to make the team although Malena was definitely a practice squad candidate. Dallas also released a punter. No not mainstay Chris Jones but rookie from Alabama Cody Mandell. The ultimate idea is to sign a kicker to give Dan Bailey a break.

Just like the cavalry riding in over the hill to save the day in those old western movies Dallas had a cavalry of sorts back at practice on Saturday. CB Brandon Carr was back after an emotional two weeks with his mother who passed away from cancer. The support of the Jones family was much appreciated by the Carr family from just emotional support to sending meals to them while his mother was in hospice. If you hate Jones the GM please don't hate Jones the man. He's proven time and again how he's stood behind his players under any circumstance. Like Josh Brent. More on Brent another time.
Saturday also saw the return of CB's Mo Claiborne and Sterling Moore, S Barry Church, LB's Rolando McClain and Will Smith. All just participated in individual drills and will be eased back into the routine to prevent any set backs of their injuries. Good news seems to come in bunches and it's none-too-soon after the disappointing showing against San Diego.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys can't catch a break but this latest snafu has nothing to do with an injury--thank goodness?! CB Orlando Scandrick, arguably the best defensive player so far during training camp will be suspended the first 4 games of the season for violating the NFL policy on PED use. Jerry Jones announced that Scandrick and the Cowboys were made aware of situation just prior to the beginning of training camp. Scandrick had appealed his suspension and that Scandrick and the Cowboys were notified yesterday that Scandrick had lost his appeal. Scandrick will miss the following games; the 49ers, @ Tennessee, @ St Louis and at home vs New Orleans.

When S Ahmad Dixon from Baylor was drafted the book on him was that he was a big hitter but lacked cover skills. The Cowboys have been looking for a good free safety to pair with strong safety Barry Church. In all honesty the Cowboys have been looking for a replacement to Darren Woodson who retired over ten years ago and they have failed miserably to date. They did hit a bit of a diamond in the rough in undrafted free agent Church but the other spot has been much more elusive to fill. Last Thursday's game vs San Diego opened some eyes, that is to say, got Ahmad Dixon noticed by the Cowboys staff. Dixon was the leading tackler in the game logging 12 stops unfortunately the last tackle cost him the rest of the game due to possible concussion issues. Dixon sort of proved what the Cowboys thought--big hitter but needs to learn other things to be a really good safety. He did prove he could hit although he probably needs to not lead with his head when he does it. So, Dixon has the coaches attention. That's step one in making the team but now he needs to prove he's not a one trick pony --- or Bear --- as the case may be.

The Cowboys begin a couple of days worth of practices with the Oakland Raiders today after and off day yesterday. As chippy as the Cowboys have been in practice this past week and a half it will be interesting if there isn't as much fighting as practicing going on. There's no doubt both teams have been told to keep things civil but it is the Raiders. Chippy was a word invented to describe them on their good days and Dallas has shown the propensity to go off on each other this camp. The over-under on fights the next couple of days is 2. It should be fun.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys and Raiders had the first of two practices yesterday and I pointed out that there would probably be some fights over the next two days. Well, both teams delivered with two separate brawls. With a recap of yesterday's practice which includes injury updates, a couple of roster moves and of course the blow by blow of the fights along with some video included David Helman of DallasCowboys.com gets us up to speed. As I said, there were some roster moves one involving DL Ben Bass who was traded to the Patriots for a cornerback. As for the fights, yesterday I said the over-under on fights was 2. They had 2 in the same practice. We will have to see what today's practice brings.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DavidHelman/Tue-Practice-Recap-2-Brawls-Highlight-Joint-Practice/2c600046-d63d-47eb-8610-a02f15cb0ff6

Orlando Scandrick address the media yesterday following the news that he would be suspended for the first 4 games of the season for testing positive for PED use. Scandrick apologized to the Jones family, his teammates, Cowboys fans and his family. Apparently, back in April, Scandrick was out of the country on vacation when he ingested something, what was never said, that caused him to test positive for amphetamines. Scandrick said he made an error in judgement ingesting something he wasn't sure of and it's a mistake that will never happen again. He swore that he wasn't taking the substance as a way of enhancing his performance but it was a lapse in judgment while on vacation.

In Jason Garrett's press conference before practice yesterday he talked about the repercussions of Orlando Scandrick's suspension, the status of DT Henry Melton (minor 'tweak' to his groin) and several other subjects. Here's a recap of that presser by DC.com's David Helman.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DavidHelman/Garrett-Updates-Henry-Meltons-Injury-Bishop--More/fdcd05f8-436b-4c36-9712-8f2e15bbea01

[eagle eye]

Never a dull moment with the Cowboys. They are still making roster moves to compensate for injuries. So, I'll take a stab at the player moves in the last day or two.

DL Ben Gardner is done for 2014 due to a shoulder injury that will require surgery. It is expected that he will be placed on injured reserve when Dallas makes it's first roster cuts from 90 to 75.

Mo Claiborne is day-to-day with a shoulder injury. Jason Garrett said the Cowboys got good news that it wasn't serious but it had to do with an AC joint separation. This is the second year in a row Claiborne has had shoulder issues. Garrett did say it is day-to-day and back within a week type of deal. It's likely he will miss the Ravens game Saturday.

Ahmad Dixon was cleared to return to practice yesterday. Dixon suffered a mild concussion vs San Diego last Thursday.

CB's Brandon Carr and Sterling Moore are back at practice but it looks like Dallas is easing them back into game shape after both have missed time in training camp. Carr missed due to the ill health and death of his mother and Moore suffered a groin injury. Carr will not play against the Ravens but Moore could depending on how he's doing in practice.

CB Korey Lindsey who was signed last Tuesday and played in the San Diego game on Thursday. That's only part of the story. This past week he suffered an injury and yesterday he was waived/injured by the Cowboys.

To fill the open roster spot Dallas signed defensive tackle Zach Minter. Minter was an undrafted free agent in 2013 out of Montana State who was signed by the Bears following last year's draft. He was on the Bears practice squad and active roster thru November and he played in 2 games for the Bears recording no stats. The Bengals signed Minter on Dec 20 last years and he remained with them until he was released Aug 8.

On Tuesday Dallas acquired CB Justin Green from New England in a trade for DL Ben Bass. Green was signed by NE in 2013 as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois. He is 5'11" and 200 lbs. Dallas has suffered a few setbacks at cornerback and depth at the position has been thin. Green played in 2 games for the Patriots around 2 stints on the practice squad.

Off season free agent signee Amobi Okoye has been medically cleared and he could begin practicing next week if he is cleared on his conditioning. Okoye has missed all of training camp and has been in Boston being treated for a condition called NMDA receptor encephalitis (whatever the heck that is). Is sounds like the first game action Okoye could see is in the final preseason game in two weeks.

Bright spots in camp (yes there are bright spots) Mike LB competition is heating up with Justin Durant making a lot of plays and Rolando McClain showing the talent that got him drafted with 8th pick overall a couple of years ago. Also, rookie CB Terrence Mitchell has been turning heads with his play in practice so far. He has a lot to learn but he's got talent and nose for the ball. Could be he's the steal of this year's draft for Dallas.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys will play their 2nd preseason game tonight at 6:00 PM on local channel 4 vs the Baltimore Ravens. The Cowboys left Oxnard for good yesterday as the California portion of training camp is over. Here's some final thoughts from DallasCowboys.com writers as they reflect on training camp.

Some final thoughts from Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine writer Jeff Sullivan.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-JeffSullivan/Sullivan-Farewell-Camp-Thoughts-From-the-Bald-Head-/97ebe707-ec4d-4367-9fa7-4320314d3ad2

The DC.com writers break down the camp highlights.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/DCCom-Staff-Breaks-Down-Its-Camp-Highlights/6e3b0e51-0160-40c6-b573-9e790a7071e4

The writers rate the top 10 training camp standouts.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Offense-Dominates-Top-10-Training-Camp-Standouts/449f0a98-87bf-4297-a24c-ccaaa768045d

Former scout Bryan Broaddus gives a breakdown of the two newest Cowboys TE Asa Watson and DL Zack Minter.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-BryanBroaddusBlog/Scouting-Report-Studying-Tape-Of-Minter--Watson/b542965c-8e20-434b-8ee1-e1b5525bee26

Finally, the weekly thoughts of senior staff writer Mickey Spagnola who sort of breaks down the defensive challenges ahead for the Cowboys these last 3 weeks of training camp.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-MickeySpagnola/Spagnola-This-Defense-Just-Cant-Rest-Its-Case-Right-Now/45fb9e91-9de6-472e-a471-a3fc74d9ab5f

Lot of reading I know but a lot going on and for Cowboys fans a lot to worry about.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys did better than the 37-30 final score would make you think. Except for a fumbled handoff between Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray the first team offense looked pretty good after only two possessions moving the ball pretty well and scoring a TD on a pass from Romo to Dez Bryant. After that Brandon Weeden took over and looked good sporadically. Caleb Hanie came in the game in the second half and led the Cowboys on a TD drive and rookie QB Dustin Vaughn led the Cowboys on 2 4th quarter scores.
The first string defense, who only allowed the Ravens 3 points, was much better than the previous week against San Diego. They weren't great but they were able to get off the field on third down.
I'm sure Rich Bisaccia's special teams units will get an earful when they go over the film on Monday. The kickoff and punt coverage units allowed a ton of yardage including a 108 yard kickoff return following Dallas' first score. There is definitely some work to be done there.

Players who stepped up and got noticed:
> RB Ryan Williams didn't get in the game until the 4th quarter but after a 27 yard run to the 3 yard line which included running over a Ravens safety and followed up by a 3 yard TD run you can be that he gives the coaching staff something to think about.
> DL Zack Minter has only been on the team 3 days but he didn't let that stop him. In the 4th quarter he stepped up with 2 sacks, a forced fumble and he tied Rolando McClain for second in the game with 4 tackles.
> LB Rolando McClain also shone in places in the second half looking good in coverage and making some stops at the line of scrimmage.
> WR Jamaar Newsome made an impression with 2 catches, one for TD, and another highlight grab along the sideline that was ruled no catch because both feet didn't get down because the defender was driving him out of bounds.
> QB Dustin Vaughn looked good in his 4th quarter of work which included 2 TD's. It could be Vaughn is showing enough to make the final 53 if Dallas keeps 3 QB's or the practice squad if he actually clears waivers.

All in all it was a much more encouraging game for the Cowboys. Maybe not as dramatic a turnaround for Dallas as it was for Houston but the starters played far less for Dallas than they did for Houston. Right now it think the Cowboys offense is ahead of the Texans and the Texans defense is definitely ahead of the Cowboys. No shock here.

[eagle eye]

The outlook for the Cowboys secondary is getting better. CB Brandon Carr, who has missed all of training camp so far to the illness and death of his mother, will be in pads for the first time today. Sterling Moore who has missed some time due to a groin injury could be back later in the week and hopefully Mo Claiborne will also return to practice later this week. It's looking like Dallas will start getting players back at practice for a change because along with the 3 CB's mentioned Dallas is looking to get DL Henry Melton back late this week although he wouldn't play against Miami on Saturday. Terrell McClain could also return from the ankle injury that has kept him sidelined most of preseason. He is coming back from the dreaded high ankle sprain which takes forever to heal. The Cowboys are hoping all five players are on the field by the weekend. The only sure bet is Carr so far.

LB Rolando McClain will get first team reps this week in practice according to Jason Garrett. McClain was the 8th pick in the draft a few years back by Oakland and Dallas has seen flashes of why he was picked so high. According to the Talkin Cowboys podcast the deal with McClain is he isn't in game shape and Bryan Broaddus said that when he got winded in the game Saturday against Baltimore he got very lazy and missed assignments. The key will be to get McClain a lot work and get him to push past his fatigue issues and see if he's got what it takes to play the Mike LB in the NFL. This move likely means that Justin Durant, who has shined at the Mike during training camp, will be moved to his more natural position of Will LB. If that happens then Bruce Carter will either be sitting on the bench or moved to the strong side spot. At any rate Dallas is looking to put the best 3 guys on the field and this game against Miami will go a long way to finding out who that is.

[eagle eye]

Less than a week after joining the Cowboys DL Zach Minter is taking first team reps. Why? Because Minter came into the Falcons game last Saturday and blew up. Recording 2 sacks and a tackle for loss Minter was a noticeable spark on the Dallas defense in the 2nd half of the game. Now, you have to understand Minter was playing with and probably against 3rd teamers but you takes what you got and you does your best and Minter certainly did that on Saturday night with only one practice with the Cowboys under his belt. Now DallasCowboys.com is asking if Minter could be this year's George Selvie.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Minter’s-Big-Game-Leads-To-First-Team-Reps-At-Def-Tackle-/25711e2c-a93b-44a4-8fd7-5a74d8166059

The NFL has implemented a new rules expanding the practice squad from 8 to 10 players. Now, if only they could throw teams a bone by allowing them to step in and keep a player who is trying to be signed off their practice squad. The practice squad is made up of guys teams see potential in developing but under the current rules other teams can sign the player off your practice squad only if he is part of the signing team's 53 man roster. With 10 players now on that practice squad team the team should be allowed to protect at least one of those players from being poached by another team. This would allow a team like Dallas to protect a developmental guy a Matt Moore who was poached by the Carolina Panthers or Alex Tanney who many people thought could be the eventual successor to Tony Romo was signed to Dallas practice squad last season only to see him go to Cleveland and he's now in Tampa Bay. This year Dallas has an undrafted free agent QB in camp named Dustin Vaughan out of West Texas State who has Dallas seriously considering keeping 3 QBs on the roster. Vaughan has looked good in practices and in the preseason games and he is forcing Dallas to do what they haven't done in a while---keep 3 QB's on the roster. With Tony Romo 34 years old and coming off back surgery it's high time that the Cowboys start grooming his replacement and the 6'5" 233 lbs Vaughan has been giving Dallas hope that another UFA like Tony Romo can emerge to be the future QB of the franchise. Vaughan's previous notoriety came with a hilarious spoof of the plethora of videos put out be collegians to market themselves prior to the draft. It's good enough to warrant a look. Unfortunately, the video isn't anywhere I can find it but the video is referenced in an interview with Cowboys reporter Gina Davis. Check it out.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/Dustin-Vaughan-From-YouTube-To-Valley-Ranch/c2a7b5a9-009e-4ea1-b0de-6c31efe7618a

[eagle eye]

Ever get the feeling that the Cowboys are playing a game of musical chairs when they go to practice? A guy gone today is back tomorrow and a guy that missed yesterday is back today? It's hard to really keep track sometimes. Let's give today a try.

> CB B W Webb missed today with a hip issue. It's not expected that it's serious but he is missing practice which is never a good thing. Webb missed as a result of a sore hip flexor. The same injury CB Tyler Patmon missed several practices over. Patmon has since returned and Webb is day-to-day.

> LB Devonte Holloman the 2nd year man who showed such promise at the end of last season has been informed that his NFL career is over. Jason Garrett announced the news at today's press conference following practice that Holloman's career is likely over due to the neck injury he suffered in last week's game vs Baltimore and is related to the neck injury suffered last season that caused him to miss 6 games. Garrett also said Holloman is being very realistic about his injury and he's the type of guy coaches like to have on their football team. Garrett also said Holloman was welcome to continue being a part of the Dallas Cowboys. I would think that means as an assistant coach or consultant. The Cowboys do take care of their own.

> CB Sterling Moore and LB Rolando McClain were back at practice today. Moore had a setback of sorts when a groin injury he's been nursing during training camp flared up again causing him to miss several days of practice. It will be of concern until the Cowboys and Moore know how he feels after practice today. McClain was held out of Wednesday's practice due to lingering effects of cramps he suffered vs Baltimore. McClain is working his way back into football shape after missing the last 20 months due to his "retirement". McClain has told Dallas reporters that he appreciates the way the coaching staff is working him back into football shape and frankly it will be better for his long term health to do it the way Dallas has been doing it.

> DL Henry Melton was at practice working on the side with trainers. The Cowboys were hoping to get Melton back by today with hopes of getting him a series or two in Miami this weekend but that is not likely now. Melton is a veteran player and he's played for Rod Marinelli before so it's not like he really needs training camp but getting into football shape is the challenge. If possible I'll bet if Melton gets back to full practice next week he'll get snaps in the 4th preseason game with an eye on being ready Sept 7th for San Francisco. Melton, who is recovering from ACL surgery last year should be ready come opening day.

> Starting linebackers in today's practice were Justin Durant at SAM, Rolando McClain at MIKE and Bruce Carter at WILL. This is likely the starting trio for the game in Miami.

[eagle eye]

Dallas lost to Miami 25-20. Big deal. It's preseason and Dallas is just trying to find out who is going to make the team. The starters for both teams played the first half and the halftime score was Dallas 6 and Miami 3. Here's a couple of my observations from the game.

1. The Cowboys website writers have been crowing about how good this offense looks in practice but it hasn't really translated to these preseason games. I know it's vanilla but the line certainly hasn't been dominant and the running backs with the 1st offense have been decent but not jaw dropping good. The most disconcerting this is that Cole Beasley is dropping balls he normally would get to. As dress rehearsals go this one wasn't one to write home about.

2. The defense looks like it may be finding a couple of guys who can play. The projected starters at the one technique and the 3 technique, Henry Melton and Terrell McClain were not active last night but it allowed other players to step up and couple did. Davon Coleman did a nice job at DT and made a couple of plays behind the line of scrimmage. CB Tyler Patmon also showed up. He forced a fumble in the first half that was recovered by Barry Church and he had two picks, one for a TD. He did give up a long pass in the 3rd quarter but overall the kid didn't do bad. CB Terrence Mitchell didn't do bad. He makes rookie mistakes but he could certainly make the team. I would be scared to cut him and have another team pick him up before he can be signed to the practice squad. Patmon will likely make the team but with Mo Claiborne having chronic shoulder issues and Orlando Scandrick being suspended 4 games Mitchell could make the final 53 too.

3 Ahmad Dixon is going to get crucified when coaches go over game film with the team today or Monday. He was the one who led with his helmet to deliver a totally unnecessary blow to Miami WR Matt Hazel on the Dallas goal line on 3rd down with the pass clearly overthrown. Totally a lame brained play. Instead of forcing a field goal attempt by Miami it gave them a first down that eventually led to a Dolphins TD. Dixon was flagged for two penalties on the play, unnecessary roughness on a defenseless player and helmet to helmet contact. So, not only is Dixon going to get reamed by the coaches he's going to have to pay a fine to the NFL league office. BTW, the NFL Heads Up Program is meant to teach kids how to avoid head and neck injuries and avoid concussions. Dixon is a walking poster child why. The head to head hits do nothing but get you flagged and the worst thing is the hitter, in this case Dixon, is likely to concuss himself than the other guy. Dixon had a good game in San Diego in Week 1 but left with a mild concussion. The following week he overslept and missed a team meeting and was benched for the Ravens game and now last night he commits a totally stupid play that helped Miami win the game. When all you can do is hit hard only bad things came happen and as much as Dallas may like Dixon it may be hard for him to make this team. Practice squad maybe.

4, Punter Chris Jones better not slack off in practice for the next 10 days because the kid they brought into camp a week or so ago, Tom Hornsey, has got thunder in his foot. He got off a couple of 60+ yard punts last night. Jones is the holder for Dan Bailey so Dallas likely won't want to rock that boat but the kid was impressive.

5. Okay, for the last 3 weeks the debate has been, will Dallas keep three or four RB's? Meaning that DeMarco Murray is a lock, Lance Dunbar is a lock and the last spot could be between 2nd year man Joseph Randle and 4th year man Ryan Williams. I'm here to tell you that the way Ryan Williams has played the past two weeks it's possible there is consideration for keeping Williams and Randle and cutting Lance Dunbar. I haven't seen anything Dunbar has done that Williams can't do better and Williams is a better pass blocker than Dunbar. If you want to keep your 100 million dollar QB clean you had better be able to pick up a blitzer or help out with a pesky defensive lineman or linebacker every once in a while. I think it's entirely possible that Dunbar could be the odd man out of the RB's on this team especially if Dallas wants to keep a fullback. Ryan Williams was an NFL second round pick with second round talent that is showing up in games.


We'll see what happens this week when Dallas and the rest of the NFL has to cut rosters down from 90 players to 75. That will be on Tuesday if you're keeping track.

[eagle eye]

Here's an update on the Cowboys injury situation. The only real ambiguous note was about Tony Romo's absence from practice today but it's consistent with how is training camp work has gone. As noted in the article below he was sacked 3 times vs Miami and seemed to be okay.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Practice-Update-Melton-Returns-Romo-Not-On-Field/36e82ee8-37f6-4c22-91b3-b27bc4a1358d

The Cowboys, as all NFL teams, will need to get cut down their roster to 75 players from the training camp limit of 90 by tomorrow evening. Today they cut 2 players, DL Martez Wilson who just didn't work out and rookie UFA from LSU JC Copeland which leaves Dallas with only Tyler Klutts as the only fullback on the roster.

[eagle eye]

Dallas got down to the 75 man limit on their roster today by making the final cuts. The most notable of the cut were veteran QB Caleb Haney and S Matt Johnson. A guy like Haney that has starting experience could be picked up by a team like St Louis who could depend on Shaun Hill or a guy like Haney could actually be a starter. He did for Chicago not all that long ago. Johnson has seen the patience of Job from the Cowboys in his 2+ years with the team after Dallas made him a 4th round choice in the 2012 draft. Because of a nagging hamstring injury that never seemed to heal he never saw a down in a regular season game. Here's the article about all the roster moves Dallas made to get down to the 75 player limit.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-DavidHelman/Cowboys-Trim-Roster-To-75-Matt-Johnson-Waived-/a919dc13-f1b7-47e5-b0bc-ad7149621b66

Jerry Jones said in a radio interview today that DE Anthony Spenser who has been recovering from microfracture knee surgery last year, one year ago to be exact, will begin the season on the 53 man roster. What that means is the Cowboys expectations are that Spenser will be a go to join the line up within the 6 six weeks he would have had to sit out on PUP/Able to Return list. If Spenser comes back close the par he was when he suffered the knee injury Dallas will have filled a big void on the D-line. Only it won't be Week 1 against the 49ers.

DL Henry Melton was back at practice today but it's not clear if he will play in Thursday night's final preseason game. It's good to have him back and the probability of his being in the starting lineup in Week 1 is looking pretty good. Which mean 2 voids on the D-line will soon be filled.

[eagle eye]

Final cuts are coming today but as yet nothing official from the team website. It's possible RB Ryan Williams could be cut but he has done a really nice job in preseason. I'd hate to see him go. To me, he's been better than Lance Dunbar and Joseph Randall but he's played mostly 3rd and 4th stringers but he's been better than them. He's a 2nd round talent Dallas could have cheap.

The big debate on DallasCowboys.com is who will play linebacker in all three spots (talking about starters)? That is a really good question. My feeling is SAM LB is going to be Justin Durant, WILL will be Bruce Carter and MIKE will be either Anthony Hitchens or Rolando McClain. That will be the big question going forward.

The more you hear about Mo Claiborne the more you almost have to think he's a bust considering Dallas traded up to pick No 6 in the 2012 draft to get him. He has had nothing but injury problems since he was drafted. Mostly it's been his hamstrings or his shoulders. He was slowed down so much that he lost his starting job to Orlando Scandrick last season. Now, after shining early in OTAs and training camp he's been hampered by a sprain to his AC joint in his right shoulder and knee tendonitis. The shoulder is still hurting bad enough he already knows he's going to need a pain killer shot to play in the opener with San Francisco a week from tomorrow. With all his injury woes it's getting very close for him to be labeled the 'B' word, that is a "bust". That's what happens when you trade up to the 6th pick in the 2012 draft and you miss more than half the time your on the team and a big chunk of the time you play you're not very good. Last season Claiborne dislocated his left shoulder and he tried to play through the pain but he played so badly he lost his starting job. Dallas defense is hurting, everyone knows that. Part of that hurt, like or not, is Morris Claiborne.

[eagle eye]

Dallas has made their final cuts and they had their first practice solely dedicated to the San Francisco 49ers who they begin their 2014 campaign with this Sunday.
Among the final cuts were S BW Webb and RB Ryan Williams. I am really surprised that Williams was cut based on his past draft status (2nd round) and the way he showed up in all but the first game of the preseason. Dallas elected to keep fullback Tyler Klutts who DallasCowboys.com writer agree there is really nothing special about Klutts. Dallas also kept QB Dustin Vaughn meaning Dallas has 3 QBs on the roster which is something they haven't done in a while. Vaughn is someone from a small school (West Texas A&M) and was an undrafted free agent just like the current starting QB Tony something-or-other. The Cowboys also went long at defensive line hoping a nice rotation could emerge and healthy bodies were needed while Terrence McClain, Anthony Spenser and DeMarcus Lawrence recover from injuries. That's not even talking about DT Henry Melton just now coming back to practice after straining his quad in the summer plus his rehab from 2013 ACL surgery. Oh yeah, George Selvie is injured and questionable for opening day. Holy crap!
This will be my last post on this thread because it ain't the off season any more, Toto. The real deal begins Thursday with the Cowboys beginning Sunday. I was asked what I thought the Cowboys would do this year the other day and I replied, "16-0 and Super Bowl win". That's what 31 other teams and their fans are saying a week before the season starts. That's what is beautiful about hope.