Dallas Cowboys Off Season News

[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!

 

[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