12 Draft Picks Will Provide Training Camp Intensity

The one item that I think everyone is looking past in regards to all of the new faces being brought on board via the draft is what it will change when the team reports for training camp in July. There are a lot of players on the team who are going to be fighting for not only time on the field but also for a spot on the final roster. I think training camp and the preseason is going to be a lot more intense this season with so many hungry players fighting to make it on the final roster.

At outside linebacker, assuming Greg Ellis doesn't get cut or traded before training camp, there are several guys who are going to end up fighting it out behind Ware and Spencer. Ellis better get his head on straight and be ready to fight for his playing time and maybe even his job. I think we are better with Ellis in the short term but a lot of the offseason decisions are being made with a long term outlook. Brandon Williams, Victor Butler and Greg Ellis look to be fighting it out for playing time and possibly even roster spots.

At inside linebacker the starters are set, but Bobby Carpenter is at a crossroads in his career with the Cowboys. Jason Williams looks like an athletic freak and you know the coaches are going to give him every opportunity to win the job at linebacker in the nickel package. Bobby better step up and show something to the coaches or he might find himself on the sidelines once again or on another team when the season starts.

At cornerback the Cowboys suddenly have a few options after the draft. Obviously Terrance Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick will be on the team. But now Alan Ball will be fighting for a spot with Mike Mickens and DeAngelo Smith, although Smith may end up playing safety. It is entirely possible that all three of those guys will make the team but how much action they see in the regular season will be determined by training camp and preseason games.

Wide receiver is set for a big battle even without a top wideout being drafted. Sam Hurd, Miles Austin, and Patrick Crayton are going to be battling for playing time. They'll all make the final roster but how much action they see during the regular season might be determined during training camp and the preseason. Isaiah Stanback is going to have to show something or his time might run out. The Cowboys have patiently waited for him to get healthy and develop the skills needed to play wideout at the NFL level. Manuel Johnson may make Stanback expendable.

It is looking like most of the offensive line is set except for the left guard spot. Kyle Kosier is going to have to fight off Montrae Holland and Robert Brewster to keep his starting spot. Montrae Holland looked pretty good during his limited time last season although anyone would have looked good after the embarrassing display of blocking put on by Cory Proctor during several games.

And maybe we can finally find a safety capable of tackling consistently and actually making plays on the ball. There are a lot of guys who will be vying for the open spot next to Hamlin in the defense. Sensabaugh clearly has the early lead to win the job, but Michael Hamlin, DeAngelo Smith and Pat Watkins are all going to be trying to win the starting job.

Even with the laid back approach that Wade Phillips takes in training camp I believe the desperation many of these guys will be showing will have to increase the overall intensity. Fighting for your NFL life is bound to make a guy more focused and determined to excel at all times. And that includes special teams. A guy on the fringes of the roster is going to do whatever it takes to stay on the team.

More Thoughts on the 2009 Draft

Now that everything has calmed down and I have had a chance to clear my head and spend a little time finding out more about the players drafted I feel better informed to offer my opinion on how things turned out for the Dallas Cowboys in this years draft. Before I start, I can only pray that most of you reading this understand that any opinions or draft grades offered by any of the various media sources at this point are pure conjecture. It is extremely difficult to project whether any of these guys will turn out to be impact players over the next 5-10 years. Anyone who wants to tell you unequivocally that the draft was boom or bust is just blowing smoke. It is going to take a few years before we find out what we really got in this draft.

And I don't like hearing all of the talk about how the Cowboys should have traded up higher in the draft. They were working those phones during the second round like madmen but they just couldn't seem to find a trading partner. You could tell if you were watching the War Room camera that they were disappointed when the run on players they wanted started about 10 picks before the Cowboys were up. It seemed like all of the players rated as second round picks on their draft board were gone when they finally got their chance so Jerry and Stephen Jones made the decision to trade down to acquire picks so that they wouldn't be forced to reach for a player. Could they have overpaid to move up in the draft? Probably, but then everyone would slam them just as hard as they are now for not trading up. Going into the draft without the first and third round pick they traded for Roy Williams left them with their hands tied early in the draft.

Overall, I thought the Cowboys did a very average job in the draft. Jason Williams looks like a phenomenal athlete and several of the defensive backs look like they could develop into good players. I didn't expect any big time players given their draft position but I expected a little more since they went into the draft with so many picks to use as ammunition to trade into spots to get they guys they had rated high on their draft board. I can't get past the fifth round pick for a kicker. Jerry can try to sell us all he wants on that pick but I see that one as a waste unless they are setting something up for a trade. I just don't see how you can justify keeping two kickers and a punter active on game day no matter how they try to spin that one.

I've heard draft grades for the Cowboys anywhere between an F and a B+. That just shows you how subjective the grading process is at this point. What I am looking at to assess the draft is how they addressed their roster needs. The only positions I thought didn't get enough attention were speed receiver/punt returner and defensive tackle. I guess they really think highly of Junior Siavii since they didn't feel it necessary to draft depth at defensive tackle. The only thing I can say is still a need coming out of the draft is track star speed at wide receiver. I know Jerry Jones is going to say that Miles Austin is the speed receiver, but I wanted a guy who can run past anyone in the league. There were countless opportunities in the draft to get a 4.2 or 4.3 forty guy fairly late in the process and they never made the pick.

I am putting my trust in the scouting department and hoping that several of these guys can become good players. They have cornerbacks, safeties, linebackers, a quarterback, a kicker, and an offensive lineman to develop. The odds are in the Cowboys' favor that a few of them will become quality players just based on percentages since they picked 12 players. They can't all be busts...I hope.

What became obvious if it wasn't already is that Roy Williams has to prove that he was worth what the Cowboys gave up to get him. The focus of the draft was defense so clearly the coaching staff believes they have the playmakers in place for a successful offense. He is the first round pick in a sense so he has to produce to make the draft successful. Roy Williams has the weight of the world on his shoulders this season. I hope he is up to the task of being a big time #1 receiver.

First Impressions After the 2009 NFL Draft

After waiting around until day 2 for the first pick by the Cowboys I was happy when the action picked up on day 2. I don't pretend to be an expert on any of these guys, but, as a fan, these are my first thoughts on each of the players drafted.

Jason Williams (OLB), Western Illinois: He looks like an athletic freak. He played in a gimmick defense so he is hard to project in a conventional defense. He sure looks fast and everyone seems to think he is a guy who goes all out every play. Guys like him find a way to make it on the field. Bobby Carpenter may have just lost his best chance at playing time because he looks like a great replacement for Kevin Burnett.

Robert Brewster (OT), Ball State: A big versatile offensive lineman. Let's just hope that he pans out better than the offensive linemen drafted over the last few years by the Cowboys. He is projected as a tackle, but supposedly could slide inside to play guard as well. I like the pick if he can actually play because the offensive line depth was terrible last year.

Stephen McGee (QB), Texas A&M: Finally a quarterback to develop behind Romo. I don't know if McGee can ever be a starter but at least we have a guy who can learn the offense and be a solid backup for many years to come. I like the pick because the Cowboys haven't picked a decent quarterback in the draft for a long time and it ended up costing them last season. Now they have another guy to step in after a year or two of Kitna as the backup.

Victor Butler (OLB), Oregon State: There was a serious lack of depth at outside linebacker going into the draft. This was the first pick to address that deficiency. He is supposed to be a great pass rusher so he should fit in just fine in the Wade Phillips 3-4 scheme.

Brandon Williams (DE), Texas Tech: He'll move to outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme. He is another speed rusher who should add depth at outside linebacker. I'm starting to wonder if Greg Ellis will be on the team by the start of training camp.

DeAngelo Smith (CB), Cincinnati: A cornerback with the ability to play safety. He doesn't have great speed but he is considered to be a ball hawk. Maybe he is actually slated to move to safety. He seems like a better fit there.

Michael Hamlin (S), Clemson: Finally a safety is drafted. The Cowboys must feel pretty good about Sensabaugh to wait this long to address the depth at safety. Hopefully Hamlin's experience against big time college programs will help him be successful in the NFL. His bio says he isn't great matching up man to man but anything is an upgrade after last season. I also read that he was a two year captain so he has some leadership qualities.

David Buehler (K), USC: This is one pick I just don't get. A kicker? Unless he is going to be a kickoff specialist I don't see how he makes the team. This could end up being a wasted pick. Joe DeCamillis, the new special teams coach, really wanted a kickoff specialist but I don't see how you keep two kickers active on game day.

Stephen Hodge (SS), TCU: So now two full time college safeties and one part time safety have been drafted. Hopefully at least one of them will pan out. Hodge is a big guy so you almost have to wonder if he will be moved to linebacker. He would make a good nickel linebacker if that turns out to be the case. At the minimum he looks like a great special teams prospect.

John Phillips (TE), Virginia: This is clearly a pick for depth. I'm hoping Phillips is a good blocker so he can contribute if he makes the team. He'll at least be in a battle for a roster spot with Rodney Hannah. He looks like a guy who needs a year in the offseason program to add some muscle to his frame.

Mike Mickens (CB), Cincinatti: More depth at cornerback. He'll have to compete to make the final roster. His scouting report says he needs time to develop. I'm not sure the Cowboys will have room to keep him around if he isn't ready this year.

Manuel Johnson (WR), Oklahoma: He looks like a developmental type of receiver. He doesn't have the top notch speed I was hoping to see the Cowboys come out of the draft with at wide receiver. And no experience in college returning punts...disappointing.

Overall, it looks like the primary concern was on the defensive side of the ball. We definitely have some options at safety. The receivers better step up this season or Jerry Jones is going to look like a fool for trading for Roy Williams. I really only have two major complaints about the draft. The wasted pick for a kicker and the fact that we didn't get a speed receiver/punt returner. I am excited about Jason Williams but I am going to have to wait and see on the rest of the players. Hopefully half of them can make the roster but it sure seems like we picked a lot of developmental players. It is hard to judge how they'll pan out before we see them in training camp.

Final Thoughts Before the Draft

It sure seems like Jerry Jones is starting to loosen his grip on the general manager duties. More and more we are seeing Stephen Jones get publicly involved in major roster decisions. I get the feeling that the Terrell Owens move was the moment when Jerry finally gave in to his son and started to give him some control. T.O. went out of his way to point out that he believes it was Stephen who wanted him out. Good for Jerry for finally realizing he had too much on his plate if that is indeed what is going on. Some of the moves that have been made since the end of the season have been out of character for the Cowboys so it is hard to believe that Stephen isn't getting more of a say in the final decisions.

Now we just need to see a continuation of the decision making during the draft like we saw last season. If Jerry can keep from getting antsy while so many teams are making picks in front of him we can probably steal a few guys who slip down farther than expected. I wouldn't mind seeing the Cowboys move up a few spots to get one of the top safeties but I don't think it is necessary to sell the farm to try to make a splash during the draft. Sure, the Cowboys have 11 picks, but that in no way means that we need to package a bunch of them up to move way up to get one player. The more players we can draft the better the chances we'll have of getting a few hits although drafting 11 players does seem unrealistic.

With Miles Austin and Sam Hurd both finally locked up on one year deals we can all breathe just a little easier about the depth at wide receiver. I still want to see a guy drafted who can flat out fly down the field. I'm talking about a guy who has 4.2 or 4.3 speed and the ability to return punts. We haven't had a guy like that on this team in a long time. Patrick Crayton doesn't muff many punts but it would be nice to have a real threat returning punts rather than a guy who gets 5-10 yards every return.

I'm excited to see some new talent added to the roster. This weekend will be fun once the wait for the Cowboys to finally pick is over. You never know if one of the guys drafted this weekend will turn out to be one of the all-time greatest Dallas Cowboys.

Expect Trades During the Draft

I have always known that Jerry Jones loves to wheel and deal during the draft but I never really stopped to look at how many trades he actually made until I read Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column yesterday. The Dallas Cowboys have made 18 trades during the draft in the last five years. The most of any team in the NFL.

The Cowboys are currently slated to make 11 picks in the 2009 draft. There is no doubt in my mind that Jerry Jones will be making several trades during the draft to move up, move down, or get picks for next year. The history shows that he prefers the trade down with 12 of the 18 picks over the last five years being trades down. But with so many picks this year it seems pretty logical that the Cowboys could package a few of them to move up at some point in the draft.

If someone unexpected slips into the middle of the second round that the Cowboys have rated highly then I would them to move up to get that player. I have no idea who they might be targeting but you have to believe that a highly rated receiver might be someone they would move up to pick. Maybe even a defensive back, linebacker or defensive tackle might be someone who they feel is worth a trade up.

But I also fully expect that the Cowboys will be trading out of many of their picks. They always do. Sometimes the draft drives me crazy because I wait for hours for them to make a pick only to see the clock running down and then listen with disappointment as the commissioner announces a trade. No matter how many times it happens it always makes the draft frustrating to watch. I am trying to mentally prepare for the inevitable trade down. This year will be much worse if I have to sit through the entire first round and most of the second round waiting for a Cowboys' pick only to see them trade down. But I won't be surprised if it happens.

Getting Ready for the Draft

Now that Miles Austin and Sam Hurd have run out of time to sign a contract with a new team the Cowboys have a more settled situation at wide receiver. With both players returning the Cowboys will go in to next season hoping to cash in on the time spent developing both players. The good news is that having both players leaves the Cowboys in a position to draft the best available player each time their turn comes up next weekend.

There are still obvious needs at several positions, but the Cowboys have at least locked up potential starters at all positions. So with eleven picks slated for next week they find themselves with options. The worst way to go into a draft is to feel like a particular position has to be filled at all costs. That tends to lead a team to reach for a player too early in the draft process. The Cowboys can let the draft unfold in front of them and make their move without any additional pressures.

I still believe the needs are safety, speed receiver, cornerback, developmental quarterback, inside linebacker, offensive line, outside linebacker, and defensive tackle...not necessarily in that order. I think if they take the highest player on their draft board throughout the draft and maybe move up once or twice if a highly rated player slips then the draft will yield excellent results. The great news is that even if they fail to draft a player at any of the positions I mentioned then they are at least in decent shape for next season. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this year's draft will be as successful as last year's draft.

John Madden Will Be Missed

The news today about John Madden's retirement was disappointing to me. I looked forward to Sunday night games over the last few seasons and one of the main reasons was the entertainment and insight that Madden brought to the telecast. The Cowboys are slated for three Sunday night games. Those games lost just a little bit of their luster to me.

I value the play on the field over all else, but an announcing team can make or break the entertainment value for a lot of games. I'm watching every game involving the Dallas Cowboys from now until the day I die regardless of the announcers, but some of the marginal matchups can become nearly unwatchable with an annoying announcer blabbing throughout the telecast. Some people would say that Madden is one of those annoying announcers but I always enjoyed his antics.

I'll miss the random comments from Madden that seem idiotic but usually have some truth to them when you stop and think about it. A perfect example is Madden's reference to an offensive lineman's "kankles". He talked about how a lineman with "kankles" had the right build to be a durable offensive lineman. "Kankles" are said to be calves that become feet without taking an ankle break. Of course he would break out the telestrator and circle the "kankels" to make his point which always added to the entertainment of his comments. But think about it...a guy built like that is usually a big, stong, durable offensive lineman. And that idiotic/insightful comment has been stuck in my mind for years now since I first heard Madden utter that ridiculous expression.

The worst part of the Madden retirement story is his replacement. Cris Collinsworth is slated for the Sunday night color commentator role. Ouch. Is there an announcer who is more arrogant than Collinsworth? He always comes off as a smug know-it-all to me...to the point that he has distracted me from the play on the field during some games. Maybe without Terrell Owens on the team he won't be so negative towards the Cowboys. I hope he doesn't last long on the Sunday night telecasts but I am already convinced that he will take away from many of the games I watch on Sunday night.