SB Nation - Cory Procter

Cowboys Injury Update: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown

Dave Halprin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:25:02 -0000

Wounded Warriors.

Today's practice produced the following injury report.

The Good: After missing yesterday's practice with a sprained knee, Andre Gurode returned and says he thinks he'll be able to play on Sunday. He actually said that was the plan all along, Wednesday was just precautionary. That's good, the prospects of Cory Procter or Duke Preston getting snaps wasn't very appealing. We need the main man back in the middle of the line.

The Bad: I don't think anyone really expected Felix Jones to play this week, and by all indications he won't. He hasn't practiced and is doing re-hab work.

Also on the bad, Roy Williams, who missed a second practice on Thursday. This doesn't mean that Roy won't play, and he seems to think he will, if he can handle the pain on gameday. We'll probably have to wait until then to find out for sure. Even if he does play, he'll probably be somewhat limited.

The Unknown: Gerald Sensabaugh had his surgery for his broken thumb but hasn't practiced yet. No real word on what to expect for Sunday.

The WTF: Marttellus Bennett taking lessons from Patrick Crayton:

"I don't think this team loses to the Chiefs," Bennett said. "I'm not a 'what-if' guy. I'm a 'right-now' guy, reality guy. The way we've been preparing this week, I don't see it happening."

Marty B., let sleeping dogs lie. I dig that your confident, but just hold off to that kind of talk. We're 2-2, and we're going on the road. Not really the time to even hint at bulletin-board material.

Cowboys Reach Agreement with Veteran Center Duke Preston

Dave Halprin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:30:09 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

The big question on everybody's mind: What happens to Free Reign if Duke Preston beats out Cory Procter? Has anybody tested Preston's drumming skills?

Browse more photos »

As you guys have already noted in the comments and in a FanPost - Hat Tip sublimezg, that's why this blog rocks, community participation - the Cowboys are adding veteran center Duke Preston to the roster.

This is a serious challenge to Cory Procter and Montrae Holland. On the positive side, his name is Duke, so that's just cool in itself. Oh yeah, he's also started games in the NFL, on a regular basis for Buffalo. He's experienced. On the negative side is the fact that he's a free agent this late in preseason. There's usually a reason for that. He was with the Packers from March until this week. And I've read mixed reviews about his play.

The Bills drafted him in the fourth-round in 2005, out of Illinois. He started the bulk of the games at center for Buffalo last year. For the Cowboys to go out and get him, they're obviously not comfortable with the current situation. Wade Phillips said that Holland will not be playing center after having trouble with the snaps this preseason. It feels like this signing is aimed directly at Procter, and that's a good thing. I don't think many of us have been impressed with his play. But Preston can also play guard, so Holland better make sure he's turning in a good performance or he could be the target.

Either way, I like getting some fresh blood in here to compete, and the fact he's a vet and has started before is a bonus. According to the National Football Post, Oakland and Cleveland were also interested but the ‘Boys won out.

Some Preston reviews below...

A couple of you found some stuff from other SB Nation blogs on Preston. A little bit in this Acme Packing Company post and a long rundown in this Buffalo Rumblings post.

I checked in with Scouts, Inc. over at ESPN and they had this to say:

Grade: Avg. Starter

Comment: Preston has seen more time as a starter in 2008 as a center and offensive guard. He has excellent size, strength and athleticism for an interior offensive lineman. He has natural power to anchor in the middle of the line as well as enough strength to get movement on double teams and power zone-blocking schemes in the running game. Preston is limited in space to connect with targets on the second level, but he's a solid technician who understands angles and combination-blocking schemes. He uses his hands well to gain leverage and does a nice job to lock on and stay connected, once engaged. He appears to have a good feel for the game and reacts well to stunts and twists. He was more aggressive in 2008 and is a versatile player who has value giving depth along the offensive line, but he's shown he can also be an effective starter.

We'll see what happens, but having someone else in the competition for the interior backup line was a smart move.

Here's an injury update.

Dallas Cowboys Training Camp: The Bubble Boys

Jim Vance — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:00:09 -0000

Who are the Bubble Boys this year? Who are the Cowboy players standing on the proverbial bubble this training camp? Almost all rookies are somewhat on the bubble unless they are top-round draft picks. I'm defining a Bubble Boy as a veteran player, who has not broken into the starting lineup and has yet to show themselves to be a reliable backup. At some point the team has to make a change if a player doesn't develop. That change can mean being traded for another player or future draft choice, or being cut outright. For some of the Bubble Boys, the clock is ticking.

Make the jump.

Bubble Boys:

Pat Watkins - When you play the safety position and your team signs a free agent safety and then drafts two more, you should be looking over your shoulder. The safety play was poor last year and the team appears determined to upgrade. With Roy Williams' injury last year there was a real opportunity for Watkins to secure a spot. He didn't. Watkins will have competition for one of the backup safety positions and he will need to make it clear that he is worth the roster space. If it looks like a push between him and a rookie, the rookie will get the spot.

Courtney Brown - See Pat Watkins above. The safety play was poor last year, Roy Williams was hurt and Brown had a chance to win a spot. He didn't. He could be on the outside looking in. The Cowboys could possibly look at him back at corner again.

Isaiah Stanback - Have you seen the M. Night Shyamalan movie called Unbreakable where Samuel L. Jackson played a bad guy who was nicknamed ‘Mr. Glass' because he was very fragile? Well, that's who Stanback reminds me of. He has talent, but he can't seem to stay healthy enough to get on the field. How long can the Cowboys endure the opportunity cost of waiting for Mr. Glass to become Mr. Big Play?

Alan Ball - At cornerback, the Cowboys have gone from liability to strength with Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick. Ball was a 7th-round draft choice in 2007 and will be battling for a backup spot with rookie Mike Mickens, who was considered an elite cover prospect before suffering a knee injury. If Mickens knee is solid, Ball might be in trouble. DeAngelo Smith will also be in the mix.

Pat McQuistan - An offensive tackle drafted in the 7th-round in 2006. He has backed up Marc Columbo at RT and even Flozell Adams at LT but only for very brief stints. When Flozell had a bad wing last year and seemed a shell of himself, McQuistan had an opportunity to step in and help the team as well as himself. Flo had to come right back in. McQuistan needs to bring it during training camp or he just might lose it.

Bubble Boys (potential trade variety)

Bobby Carpenter - When you cost your team a first-round draft pick (18^th) and first-round draft pick money, and you haven't played your way onto the field - that's a big problem. Since Carpenter was drafted by Parcells in 2006 he has not been able to earn significant playing time and the team surely won't want to continue to burn up a roster spot without reciprocal production. For the last few years I've heard Carpenter being discussed as moving inside and then outside and that he deserves more playing time and yet, he doesn't manage to get on the field except for special teams. If the guy has the ability and desire, I'm sure Wade will recognize it and find a way to use it. His big opportunity is a shot at the starting nickel-backer role. I see him as someone the Cowboys would love to talk up during camp and package him for a future draft pick.

Cory Procter - Procter signed a one-year deal in April and he has shown some versatility by backing up Andre Gurode at center, but last year while filling in at guard he got pushed around more than a Wal-Mart shopping cart. If the Cowboys really liked him it seems they would have locked him up for a longer term. That one-year deal sounds to me like, "If another G/C prospect comes on the radar screen, we won't be tied to you with a longer contract." We used to think Kyle Kosier was the weak link on the o-line, until Proctor took his place. Procter will be battling Montrae Holland as the primary backup guard, but his best chance for continued stability with the Cowboys is as a backup center. Playing center could save him this year.

The clock is ticking down for these guys to make an impact. Training camp may be the last time some of these men wear the star. Tick...tick...tick.

Cowboys Magazine: A Look at the Running Game by KC Joyner

Dave Halprin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:03:43 -0000

[Ed Note]: BTB will be running a series of posts over the next few weeks highlighting some of the articles in the new magazine Maple Street Press Cowboys Annual. You can pre-order the magazine for delivery by visiting the Maple Street Press website. We appreciate any orders, you'll be supporting Rafael and I along with BTB. So go pre-order now.

Today's feature article is by KC Joyner entitled: Six Innovative Plays: Breaking Down the Cowboys Running Game. I'll let KC do the set-up for the article and tell you more about it.

[KC Joyner]: One of the writing mountains I climb every year is putting together my annual Scientific Football book. This tome takes a detailed metric and scouting eye look at every team in the league and that task typically requires 2,000-3,000 words per franchise.

Even with that level of verbiage volume, there are still times where I am not able to pen everything I want to about a club. It was with that thought in mind that I gladly accepted an assignment from Maple Street Press to contribute to their Cowboys annual. Dave Halprin, webmaster extraordinaire for Blogging The Boys and editor of the MSP Cowboys magazine, asked if I could take on the challenge of putting together over 8,000 words in a series of metric-based articles.

I was more than happy to take on the venture because Dallas is one of those teams whose talent level and performance level don't always equal one another. I wanted to go as deep as I could into the performance metrics and scouting notes to try to get a better feel for which players were truly meeting expectations and which weren't. That was the central theme in the offensive and defensive articles in the mag.

I also wanted to take a closer look at Jason Garrett's playcalling to see if he really deserved the level of grief he was taking for the state of the Cowboys offense. I did this by taking a closer look at the Boys rushing attack, or more specifically their creative use of the counter play, an excerpt of which is posted below.

I would also like to the opportunity to invite you to take a look at my series of Scientific Football articles on the New York Times Fifth Down blog. I use these to take a look at every team in the league and will be posting one about the Cowboys running backs on Monday, July 6.

Make the jump below for the good stuff.

[Excerpt from the actual magazine article]:

Let's start with the most basic bread-and-butter power running play, the counter. Dallas ran some variant of this play 93 times last season, making it easily their #1 rushing choice. The Cowboys typically use the counter play to attack the left flank of the opposing defense, as fifty-eight of those ninety-three counter-style runs were directed towards the right side of the Boys offense.

A good example of how to properly execute this play occurred in week 17 game against the Eagles in week 17. Dallas used an I-right formation with a pro set (two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end on the right side of the offensive line) against the Eagles standard 4-3 front. The conceptual idea behind the play is that the offense is partially selling a run to one side of the field and then sending the ballcarrier to the other. The subterfuge is a temporary ruse designed to get the linebackers to take a step in the wrong direction, thus giving the point of attack blockers the initiative and a slight time advantage on their blocks.

Its success revolves around four blocking areas. The first three are the triangle of the left defensive end/strongside linebacker/middle linebacker. These three are the point of attack impediments and must be moved out of the way for the ballcarrier to gain yards.

A triumvirate of blockers has the responsibility of accomplishing that task. The first of these three is the right tackle. In our example play, Marc Columbo's responsibility isn't just to neutralize the left defensive end with an angle block. He is to try to drive the end as far away from the hole as possible.

The second is the fullback, who on this play was Deon Anderson. Anderson's job is to perform a running drive block at the strongside linebacker. His goal is similar to the tackle's in that he wants to push the defender out of the hole as far as possible, but it is made more difficult because of the amount of ground the fullback has to cover before he can make his block. That might be too big of an impediment to overcome except that the outside linebacker has the responsibility for keeping the play from bouncing outside of his gap. That obligation is such that Anderson should have enough time to make his block if he gets on his horse.

As soon as the tackle and fullback start making their moves, the middle linebacker will immediately key the tight end to see where he is going. Once the tight end passes him by to block the backside pursuit by the weakside linebacker, the middle linebacker will recognize the counter run and close to try to fill the gap.

That's where the third person in our trio, left guard Cory Procter, comes in. His main focus is to ensure that the middle linebacker does not stuff the gap. If everything goes well, Procter will leave the hole completely clean of the linebacker fill but at the very least he needs to make sure that the linebacker is blocked to one side or the other so that some kind of run lane crease is made. The worst result is if the guard does not clear the linebacker out, as the runner will either get stuffed in the hole or will have to bounce the run outside of the intended point of attack of the run.

When these blocks are made, the halfback will find a lane that can only be closed by the strong safety. If the safety moves quickly, he can usually hold the play to around five yards, but if he misses the tackle, this run can turn into big yards in a hurry.

Hat tip to BTB's own icStars, who created the graphics for KC's article in the magazine and has contributed graphics to this blog. Thanks!

The Valley Ranch Review: Football, Golfing and Music

Dave Halprin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:05:12 -0000

Michael Silver at Yahoo Sports has another good Cowboys article up. Initially, he focuses on Jerry World. He gives it a thumbs-up.

It is, quite simply, the finest athletic venue in the world, the new millennium’s answer to the Roman Colosseum.

But then the article switches gears and talks about the sobering fact of the bubble collapse, Rich Behm's injury, and how those events have made for a different offseason. Even Jerry isn't celebrating the move to the new stadium quite as care-free as he would have liked. It's also caused the Cowboys to perform a new routine for the OTA's and mini-camp, and the tragedy might be forging some bonds.

"We’ve had to go through a little bit of adversity here," quarterback Tony Romo(notes) said after last Tuesday’s minicamp practice in Carrollton. "Having to bus out here every day, it’s kind of like we’re in high school again. But it’s good for us. It has forced us to hang together and focus in on ourselves as a unit and realize that it’s all about us, and nothing else."

The article is a good read, check it out.

Good, long interview with Jason Williams over at the Ranch Report. Williams commenting on beating the 40 times of almost all the linebackers at the combine.

"It really wasn’t about beating anybody, it was just proving that my name should be in the same sentence as those guys," Williams maintained. "I made this shirt, it was just a black t-shirt and the letters read, ‘numbers don’t lie,’ and it was kind of my own slogan. I’m just an energetic, charismatic guy and I just like to do stuff to entertain, I guess. And the shirt was just a reminder to myself that since I didn’t get invited to the Combine, my numbers are going to speak to why I should have been invited."

[snip]

Besides his speed and strength, another reason he was picked so high has to do with his impressive versatility. Williams played multiple positions before ending up at linebacker, and at Western Illinois he showed that he can play inside or outside ‘backer, stuff the run or bring the pass rush. "There were certain times in our scheme where I’d be playing inside, other times I’d walk outside of the box, where I’d be lined with the slot receiver," noted Williams, who registered 15 sacks over his college career. "I did a little bit of everything in college."

Make the jump below to read the rest of the VRR.

JJT's got a theory.

You don't win in today's NFL if your best players don't play to their salaries. It's that simple.

Safety Roy Williams, Terrell Owens, Anthony Henry, Leonard Davis and Tony Romo had the five highest salary-cap figures on the team last season. Only Davis consistently played to the standard he has established for himself.

Just so you know, that's the best way to judge players.

Read the rest to see if you agree.

Nick Eatman calls out the young vets who need to produce.

Free Reign gets a deal. Marc Colombo, Leonard Davis and Cory Procter must now answer the 'Romo Questions'. Are you spending more time writing songs than watching film? Are the groupies sapping you of that extra-energy for practice? Will your Behind The Music episode in 10 years discuss the regrets around your music success and how it made your football careers suffer?

Romo's going to golf, and ain't no one stopping him.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has no problem getting tee times. At next week's AT&T National, he will be playing in the Wednesday pro-am with tournament host Tiger Woods. Then he'll compete in the American Century Championship celebrity tournament, which also includes former Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith, on July 17-19 at South Lake Tahoe, Nev.

Speaking of the American Century Championship, ex-pitcher Rick Rhoden is the favorite, but Romo isn't far behind at 3-to-1.

In more golf news, this is a nice story.

[Pro golfer] Rich Beem helped raise $10,321 for Cowboys scouting assistant Rich Behm, who was severely injured in the collapse of the team's practice facility. Through his " Beem Fore Behm" project, Beem contributed $100 for each birdie he made at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Beem made seven birdies and one eagle despite missing the cut at both events. The PGA Tour, both tournaments, the Cowboys, Callaway Golf and online donors joined the effort. "It ended up being much more than I envisioned," Beem said.

The Linc - Plan your Juan Castillo day BBQ!

JasonB — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:47:58 -0000

View full size photo »

"Juan Castillo Day" Sparks Controversy : News : KGBT 4
A banner hanging over Port Isabel, reads "Juan Castillo Day- July 4th", and is causing quite a stir. Its all the people in this small, port town are talking about. The controversy deals with a ceremony the city opted to celebrate on July 4th called "Juan Castillo Day".

Five Reasons the Eagles Will Reach the Super Bowl | Inside the Iggles | A Philadelphia Eagles Blog
ITI eschews it's previous negativity and gives the masses what they want!

Iggles Blog - Philadelphia Eagles Blog: ESPN %#@$ Up Again
Does Troy Polamalu belong on a 2000s "all decade team" ahead of Brian Dawkins?

The rhythm got the Miami Dolphins. Hey, we were all warned. - Shutdown Corn... - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The rhythm got the Miami Dolphins. Hey, we were all warned.

Donovan McNabb Cardboard Cutout Makes Rare Appearance In Old City
Famed Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb made a rare appearance in Old City, Philadelphia yesterday in the form of a cardboard cutout in front of several bars on Second and Chestnut Streets. Crazed fans came from far and wide to get …

Dallas Cowboys Leonard Davis, Marc Colombo and Cory Procter Sign Heavy Metal Record Deal - cbs3.com
NFL offensive linemen bang heads all the time. A trio of Dallas Cowboys linemen are now professional head-bangers, too. Leonard Davis, Marc Colombo and Cory Procter have signed a recording contract as part of a heavy metal band called Free Reign.

The most irreplaceable Eagles player? | Philadelphia Daily News | 06/23/2009
Is there not enough evidence out there about the importance of Brian Westbrook to this team? As he spends June nursing whatever the hell ails him this time, and it's always something, how is it possible that someone cannot recognize just how vital Westbrook is to the Eagles' success?

YouTube - Kid playing with Icecream
Kid playing with Icecream during soccermatch Italy - Brasil Confederations Cup 2009. Watch this!

Also you can check out video of the Cowboys O-line band after the jump...

The Valley Ranch Review: Debating Jason Garrett; Nick Folk's Surgery "Common"

Aaron Novinger — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:35:13 -0000

Is Jason Garrett overrated? Not bloody likely, but Dan Parr at Pro Football Weekly writes that Garrett is the most overrated offensive coordinator in the NFL.

Overrated: Cowboys' Jason Garrett Thanks to an intriguing pedigree that fit what NFL owners were looking for in the next hot, young head-coaching candidate and his management of Dallas’ high-powered offense, the hype around Garrett skyrocketed after the 2007 season. He reportedly turned down head-coaching job offers from the Ravens and Falcons. As last year showed, however, this supposed prodigy has a lot to learn. Despite having an abundance of playmakers at his disposal, the Cowboys ranked 13th in total offense and 18th in scoring in ’08. While blame for the unit’s struggles was largely directed at Terrell Owens and a lack of team chemistry, Garrett erred by stubbornly underutilizing a deep, dynamic backfield and ultimately failed to get the most out of a talented group on "O." He may turn out to be a fine coordinator and even a great head coach someday, but people around the league are beginning to wise up that many crowned him king too soon.

Rick Gosselin ranks the Cowboys this off-season at just below average, dropping the team to 17th in the league.

Terrell Owens' departure could and probably should trigger a philosophical shift on offense to the running game. In Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, the Cowboys have the ability to be a top-5 rushing attack. But Dallas needs Roy Williams to flourish on the flank and Anthony Spencer in the pass rush.

Final '08 ranking: 15

More VRR after the jump.

Nick Folk told Mickey Spagnola that the hip surgery he had is a rather common one for kickers.

In fact, not only did Folk’s brother have a similar surgery, so did Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri last week. Vinatieri’s surgery was performed by the same surgeon who fixed up Folk, Dr. Marc Phillipon, in Vail, Calif. Vinatieri is expected to be ready for the Colts’ Sept. 13 season opener. Folk explained how the soccer-style kicking motion wears down the labrum which is a ring of cartilage-like material that protects the inner portion of the hip socket where the femoral head fits into. Says his hip feels better than ever.

Folk was one of thirteen players who helped make and serve sushi at RA Sushi, Thursday night, for the Rich Behm Family Trust. The event, led by Jenny Kosier (wife of OL Kyle Kosier) and the Dallas Cowboys' Women's Association raised nearly $10,000.

The list inlcuded Tony Romo, DeMarcus Ware, Jason Witten along with, Kyle Kosier, Nick Folk, Mat McBriar, DeAngelo Smith, Doug Free, Pat McQuistan, Montrae Holland, Cory Procter and Bobby Carpenter and former Cowboys lineman Marco Rivera.

Romo spoke about Behm.

"Rich is an important part of the organization involved in the day-to-day activities of the team," Romo said. "It's not just the players. There are a whole bunch of people who put us in position to win. Coaches, players, front office and all the people behind the scenes that people don't see. We wouldn't be where we are without all of those people and Rich is one of those guys."

Behm's wife, Michelle, commented on the support.

"It's very overwhelming," Michelle Behm said. "These players are great. They are just ordinary people. They've really helped us out a lot. Whether it's coming out to the hospital to bring meals or something like tonight, they're just really great guys and they've really helped us out through all of this. Tonight was a big night and Rich is doing very well. We're really thankful for everyone who came out to support us."

Christopher Harris at ESPNFantasy took a look at how some quarterbacks such as Tony Romo and Peyton Manning will respond (fantasy football-wise) to losing targets, Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison, respectively.

So what fate awaits Romo? On the plus side, unlike the post-Owens 49ers and Eagles, the Cowboys do have a proven, legit No. 1 receiver left on their roster in Roy E. Williams. Sure, he stunk once he came to Dallas in '08, but he also had an injured foot. He's 27, has a 1,310-yard season under his belt, and definitely offers high-ceiling potential. But let's face it: He ain't T.O. He's injury-prone and was known as something of a diva in his own right in Detroit. Yes, Romo has Jason Witten and some potentially interesting complements in Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin, but the fact is, Owens' departure is a perfect excuse for the Cowboys to get away from their sometimes ridiculous gun-slinging ways and start running the ball more. They had the eighth-heaviest pass-versus-run mix in the NFL last year, throwing on 57.7 percent of offensive snaps. With the troika of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice in the backfield, presumably offensive coordinator Jason Garrett would like to see a bunch more handoffs.

Apparently, the Cowboys knew of Summit Structure's Philadelphia Regional Port Authority canopy collapse prior to the company's building of their practice facility.

Last weekend's DWI arrest of Cowboys Stadium's general manager has inspired the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to investigate liquor sales at the stadium.

Just a friendly reminder for any Cowboys-related talk regarding Michael Vick's release:

Last month, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, who had been speculated to be a potential suitor for Vick, told the Dallas Morning News that the team was not interested in him.

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf, who had a stint with the Cowboys in '01, will surrender on drug and burglary charges.

Cowboys Offense: Breaking Down the Training Camp Battles

Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:44:02 -0000

While training camp position battles will undoubtedly be intense on the defensive side of the ball, the fight for roster spots on offense should be a bit less interesting. There should be no competition at quarterback, as Tony Romo will obviously be the starter. The team drafted Stephen McGee in the 4th round when the team had bigger needs, so that ought to be an indication of how much the team likes the former Texas A&M signal caller. Jon Kitna was acquired via trade, and is the only experienced depth at the position. He will be safe for that reason. Rudy Carpenter is coming to camp to minimize arm fatigue, and maybe log enough preseason snaps to impress another team.

While their 2009 roles have yet to be defined, we do know that Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice will occupy the team’s three running back roster spots. No disrespect to Ray Ray’s little brother (Keon Lattimore), but he will be at camp for the sole purpose of preserving the bodies of Bash, Dash, and Tash. The only way we will see any movement at running back is if Minnesota, in an attempt to clear cap space for Brett Favre, offers us Adrian Peterson for a bag of K-balls.

Most of the offense is locked up, but there are still a few spots up for grabs. Let’s look at this year’s offensive contestants for Survivor:Dallas.

Wide Receiver

Starters: Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton/Miles Austin

Survivor Contestants: Sam Hurd, Isaiah Stanback, Kevin Ogletree, Julian Hawkins, Manuel Johnson, Travis Wilson

Cowboys will likely keep: 5-6

Breakdown: Sam Hurd will probably make the squad again. He is a good special teams player, and of the group he has the body and skill set that most closely mirrors that of Roy Williams. Hurd would be the most natural fit to step in for Williams at the "X" in the event of an injury. Travis Wilson has nice measurables, but his mouth is bigger than his game. It is unlikely that his arrogance will fly in the recently cleansed Cowboy locker room. I think Manuel Johnson has a real shot. His play far outshines his measurables, and the team could possibly view him as an eventual heir to Patrick Crayton’s role.

I think the guy to watch here is Kevin Ogletree. Ogletree is an accomplished receiver with top notch NFL speed. Ogletree was widely ranked among the top 20 wide receiver prospects, but saw his stock drop due only to a 2007 ACL tear. Ogletree has to be viewed as the favorite if the team keeps six wideouts, and still a possibility is the team keeps only five. At the end of the day, I still think Isaiah Stanback makes the team. The team did little to bolster it’s kick return options behind Felix Jones in the off season, leaving Stanback as the best remaining alternative. Stanback would also be the best option if the ‘Boys want to tinker with some wildcat action, and most importantly, Jerry Jones likes him.

Tight End

Starters: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett

Survivor Contestants: John Phillips, Rodney Hannah, Jamar Hunt

Cowboys will likely keep: 3

Breakdown: I know Martellus Bennett is not technically a starter, but he will be a key part of the offense, so he’s not going anywhere. I was a little surprised that the Cowboys drafted a tight end at all. As high as the club had appeared to be on Rodney Hannah, I figured he would get his chance to step in with the departure of Tony Curtis. Nonetheless, the University of Virginia has a history of producing well-rounded tight ends, and John Phillips is no different. This battle is really between Phillips and Hannah. Jamar Hunt’s best quality is his ability to serve as a long snapper. You don’t mess with a good thing, so unless the Cowboys are desperate for roster spots, I don’t see the team dumping L.P. Ladouceur.

Offensive Line

Starters: Flozell Adams, Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis, Marc Colombo

Survivor Contestants: Doug Free, Pat McQuistan, Montrae Holland, Ryan Gibbons, Cory Procter, Matt Spanos, Robert Brewster, Travis Bright, Michael Turkovich, Greg Isdaner

Cowboys will likely keep: 8-10

Breakdown: It’s hard to divide this thing by position since there are so many tackle/guard and guard/center guys on the roster. Regardless of his camp performance, Robert Brewster’s draft position buys him a roster spot, so he’s in. The only true tackles in the group are Free and Turkovich, so if Free can hold off the undrafted Turkovich he’s in as well. Hopefully Montrae Holland mixed an occasional salad into the rotation this off season. If he’s in shape, he’s easily the best guard among the backups. Holland gets good push in the run game, and is by far the most experienced (35 career starts) of the group. I know no one wants to hear this, but Cory Procter will probably be back. Procter and Matt Spanos are the only players in the group with experience at center. If Procter outshines Spanos, he’s probably coming back. This may be a "put up or shut up" year for McQuistan as well, who has logged zero starts in three seasons with the team.

Fullback

Starter: Deon Anderson

Survivor Contestants: Asaph Schwapp, Julius Crosslin

Cowboys will likely keep: 1

Breakdown: Deon Anderson is not a Lorenzo Neal-type lead blocker, but he is a good all-around fullback who does most everything pretty well. I have not seen enough tape on Schwapp to make an educated evaluation, but I was not impressed by the few clips I did see. For a 257-pound guy, Schwapp doesn’t get a ton of push, and can be driven back into the hole rather easily. Again, maybe I just saw the worst handful of clips of his entire career. Crosslin played pretty well for the team last preseason, but it’s hard to envision Anderson being overtaken by any fullback currently on the roster.

Who will survive?

The Valley Ranch Review: Cowboys, Miles Austin looking at multi-year deal

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:02:43 -0000

The Dallas Cowboys and Miles Austin are trying to work out a multi-year deal before, or even after, he signs his tender.

The wild card is Austin, who is in the process of negotiating a multiyear contract extension with the Cowboys. Austin could wait until the two sides come to an agreement on an extension or he could sign the tender and continue negotiating the extension.

The football world is saddened by the announced retirement of John Madden. Jerry Jones spoke about Madden's influence on the game.

"I don't know that I've ever met anyone who loves the NFL, or cares about the NFL, more than John Madden. As a friend, I know that John's respect and passion for the sport will be the two elements of his legacy that matter the most to him," Jones said. "His imprint and impact on our game were powerful and meaningful. His influence on the sport was felt by everyone-the guys in the equipment room, the players, the coaches, the owners, and most importantly, the fans. He's going out on top-as the best we have-and the best we have ever had."

Hat tip to Johnny Cage for the Fanshot.

Jerry Jones met with Houston OT Sebastian Vollmer on Wednesday night.

On Thursday, Ohio State wide receiver Brian Robiskie visited Valley Ranch. He just might be available when Dallas picks at 51.

Todd Archer sees a need for the Cowboys to bring in pass rushers during this year's draft.

Boldin to the Eagles? Braylon to the Giants? Vice Versa? Eli Manning seems to think that the Giants' management will pursue a trade for a #1 receiver.

"They know we have some good receivers here, some young guys who can play football for us, but that we might need a No. 1 receiver. So I think that's what they're going to look for right now and I'm sure something will happen either during the draft or before the draft or right near it to help us out."

Free Reign fans unite! Cory Procter and Marc Colombo sit down with ESPN and discuss metal.

The Valley Ranch Review: Dan Reeves Speaks and Other News from Big D

Aaron Novinger — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:00:13 -0000

Exactly, what did happen between the Cowboys and Dan Reeves? The former NFL head coach told the Star-Telegram that Jerry Jones is the one who suggested: "If I feel it's important and you feel it's something you can't live with, why don't we just part ways?"

The "it's" Reeves referred to are his and Jones' differences in opinion regarding the infamous logging-of-hours stipulation embedded within the proposed contract. Reeves, who was being brought in as a consultant, felt confused by Jones' desire to even have such language in the contract.

"Although I respected Jerry's decision, I didn't understand it, and it wasn't something that was even negotiable," Reeves recalled from his home in Atlanta.

"I just couldn't sign something that, in my opinion, would mean I'd be working day-to-day."

Reeves also discussed how his hours worked could be compared to that of other coaches.

"[F]or some reason, Jerry felt like he had to [have in writing] that I work as many, or more, hours as the head coach [Wade Phillips] and offensive coordinator [Jason Garrett]," Reeves explained.

"That meant, at any time, [Jones] could say, 'You didn't work as many hours as Wade did yesterday, therefore, you've voided your contract.' "

The Cowboys were bringing Reeves in, as a consultant, for several reasons.

Reeves was to lend his expertise in the passing game, help with the move to the new Arlington stadium, maybe even win back a few old Cowboys fans who lost interest after Landry was fired in 1989.

However, the contract ruined the former Dallas assistant coach and player's reunion with the Cowboys' organization.

"Coaches," Reeves said, "never punch a clock."

Over the weekend, Zach Thomas moved on to Kansas City to help the Chiefs install their 3-4 defense.

Hat tip to Nelson for the Fanshot.

One prospect Dallas may be interested in is Georgia's Corvey Irvin. The team conducted a formal interview with the 6'3", 301-pound defensive tackle at the combine.

South Carolina linebacker, Jasper Brinkley, is visiting Valley Ranch today.

Feel-good story about Cory Procter and a farmer from Iowa who was in a serious car crash and almost paralyzed for life. Easter Seals had flown him to a Cowboys game and he met Procter; now they're best buds.

"He inspires me more than anything. ... How doesn't he inspire everyone?" said the 6-4, 310-pound Procter, who earns his Cowboys keep in the trenches as a reserve center and guard. "Here is a guy who was paralyzed ... who they told would never walk, and he's getting around just fine."