Is Kevin Ogletree a Lock to Make the Final Roster?

On the surface the answer is easy based on his recent preseason performances. Based on his play at receiver the answer is an easy and resounding yes. But if you dig deeper you have to take other things into account when determining the final 53 man roster. When you really think about it, it seems that Isaiah Stanback still has a chance even if his play at the receiver position has not been at all impressive because he does a good job on special teams.

While Kevin Ogletree has looked very good at receiver, the 5th receiver is going to have to be someone who can perform on special teams to make the active roster on game day. Ogletree has returned a few kicks and actually looked pretty good doing it, but he has to do more to be a factor on game day. Special teams coverage units are where bottom of the roster guys have to make their living. Ogletree has not done a good job in the few opportunities he has had to cover punts.

Stanback, on the other hand, tends to fly down the field with his tremendous speed and make an impact covering kickoffs. I know his receiver play has not been good, but he is always a threat on kickoff returns and actually looks explosive when he gets a crease to run through. The problem, as always, with Stanback is deciding whether you can rely on him to be healthy. I don't see how you can honestly believe that he will do anything but get hurt again, but the coaches just really seem to like the guy.

What makes me nervous is that Kevin Ogletree has looked so good over the last two preseason games that there is absolutely no way he can clear waivers to be signed to the practice squad. So the question becomes whether you can afford to keep him on the roster given his subpar coverage abilities on special teams. He would probably have to be inactive on game day unless another receiver is injured. Depending on how the final roster shakes out there is a slight chance that the Cowboys will keep six receivers. If you cut Ogletree you have to assume that he is gone for good.

I don't see the Cowboys cutting Ogletree under any circumstances at this point, but you never can tell what the coaches are thinking. I don't even think it is Ogletree vs. Stanback anymore. It is now do they keep a 6th receiver on the roster if they want Stanback? My best guess is that Ogletree stays and Stanback goes. My #2 option would be keeping both guys but the numbers don't work out very well when you try to keep six receivers on the final roster. I have a slight fear that Stanback will be cut and finally show he can play receiver in this league somewhere else, but, really, what are the odds Stanback even makes it through the season?

At some point the Cowboys have to pull the plug on the Stanback experiment and I think this is the year it happens. I would still love to see Stanback break out as a player this season but the preseason games have given me no indication that anything is different with him this year. I don't think you can give up a talented receiver like Ogletree to keep the unfulfilled potential of Stanback...especially when you have to be under the assumption that Stanback won't be available for all 16 games this season.

When the final roster is announced in the near future I won't be surprised if Stanback makes it based on his special teams play. I will be extremely disappointed if Ogletree doesn't make the team because he looks like a guy who could be a player on this team for a long time if he continues to work hard. Ogletree will probably have to be inactive on game day as long as the four receivers ahead of him are healthy, but he'll be a great fill in if any of those guys get hurt. Isaiah Stanback better pray that the coaches find a way to keep six receivers on the final roster. I believe the coaches have seen enough from Ogletree to know that he can play receiver at the NFL level...that should be enough to allow him to make the final roster. With Stanback we're still talking about potential after three years of waiting.

Observations from the 3rd Preseason Game

The regular season is almost here. We have now seen enough in the preseason to know that the Dallas Cowboys will at least be an above average team this season. How far above the average remains to be seen but there is potential for a great season. The third preseason game is typically referred to as the dress rehearsal so the performances from the game give us real insight into the regular season. Here is what I noticed. (At this point in the preseason I am going to focus on the guys who will actually be playing during the regular season.)

Tony Romo looked very good again. One extremely poor deep ball, but everything else was very good. He looked better in the second preseason game but he was missing Roy Williams and Sam Hurd this game. I love that he is keeping two hands on the ball when he scrambles. Hopefully that will cut down on his fumbles this year.

The defense is still a work in progress. The pass coverage was a little soft for my taste but overall they did a solid job. Anthony Spencer is looking better each week. Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick both deserve to start, but I think Jenkins will end up winning.

Special teams play was much better this week. A couple of stupid penalties kept it from being a great performance, but it was still much, much better. Kick and punt coverage was excellent and Terence Newman ripped of a big punt return. Kick returns were not overly impressive.

Kevin Ogletree got to run with the first team and he took advantage of the opportunity. He made a couple of nice plays and you could see that Romo trusted him to be in the right place. He was getting open against man coverage which is more than you can say for some of the guys in front of him on the depth chart. Stanback better hope they keep six receivers or he'll be cut in the near future.

I'm liking Keith Brooking more each week. He has a much better feel for getting to the passer than Zach Thomas did last year. It looks like opposing quarterbacks are going to have to get rid of the ball quickly against the Cowboys due to the pass rush.

The running game looked much better. Marion Barber turned back into the Marion "the Barbarian" this week. I haven't seen him running over defenders since his toe injury last year. He was finally back to bulling over defenders. Felix Jones nearly broke a 94 yard touchdown. The offensive line did a good job opening up holes for both backs.

Miles Austin finally got it going. He was starting so I figured he would finally get a few receptions. It is about time he got involved in the offense.

My favorite moment was when Wade Phillips laid into Courtney Brown after his pass interference penalty. I have never seen such emotion out of Wade. I hope it continues during the regular season.

The injuries started to mount in the second half. It looks like Michael Hamlin will miss 6 weeks with a broken wrist. I was worried when Jason Williams went out with an ankle injury but x-rays were negative and they are saying he might be back for the opener. He is starting to look like a guy who will be on the field this season. Alan Ball was down for a long time with a neck stinger but he appears to be ok. No one was lost for the season so that is a bonus. I wish there were no more preseason games because I hate injuries in games that don't count.

Thoughts From the 2nd Preseason Game

Tony Romo looks great. He stayed calm in the pocket and made quick, decisive throws. I was most impressed by the way he kept two hands on the ball as he slid in the pocket to find a throwing lane. I don't know if there is a better combination than Romo to Witten. And the timing with Roy Williams is not a concern to me at all any more.

The offensive line is doing a great job pass blocking. I'm not sold on their run blocking yet but they were going against the Titans defense so I'll give them a break for now. What I love the most is how comfortable Tony Romo is in the pocket because he has trust that his line will get it done.

Felix Jones is the big play guy in the offense without a doubt. He took a short pass and broke it for a 42 yard gain. He is the only guy on the offense that can go the distance on any play. And he can do it running wide, running between the tackles, or catching the ball. He is the one guy who will keep the defense honest.

The starting defense looked good but not great. I like the way the run defense looks but I still have concerns about the coverage of the secondary. Mike Jenkins seems to be a guesser and was repeatedly beaten deep because he was looking in the backfield and trying to get a break on the short passes. Terence Newman looked very good coming off of his injury and was the best tackler on the starting defense. Anthony Spencer looked better and had a quarterback pressure but I still want to see more from him. The reserves looked better too but I think it had more to do with the poor quarterbacking of Vince Young than anything else.

Special teams is still a problem. I'm waiting for the genious of Joe DeCamillis to show up on the field. Matt MacBriar is back to his old form, but Folk and the coverage units need major improvement before the season starts. I don't know why the Cowboys can't tackle on special teams but somehow they need to improve. They seem to get in position to keep the returns short but then can't break down and wrap up to bring the returner down. DeAngelo Smith should not return any punts in a real game this year. He can't be trusted to catch the ball.

What can the Cowboys do to reduce the number of penalties? They always seem to come at the worst time. I don't know if it is a lack of focus or what but it sure is irritating.

Anyone who thinks Jon Kitna will ever take the starting job from Tony Romo is an idiot. Kitna is clearly better than Brad Johnson, but there is a big drop off in talent when he takes over. I think he can fill in for a few games but the team is in trouble if Romo goes down this year. Kitna does throw a better ball on the fade than Romo but that is about it. For some reason Romo just can't get that pass down.

Kevin Ogletree is the 5th receiver. I don't care what happens from this point forward. Ogletree won the job tonight. Stanback is a great athlete but he has never shown ability as a receiver. Ogletree already has done more in two preseason games than we have ever seen from Stanback.

And the best news once again...no major injuries. Brandon Williams hurt his knee but I'm not counting on him being healthy at this point. I would love to see the Cowboys make it to the regular season with all of their key players at 100%. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Preseason Game 2 Preview

The Cowboys finished their last practice in San Antonio today and packed up for Dallas. They will be playing the Titans on Friday in their first "game" in the new stadium. The starters on both sides of the ball are expected to play at least two quarters and as much as three quarters. This game and the third preseason game will give all of us the best idea of what to expect out of the Dallas Cowboys this season. Here are the top 10 things I will be looking for on Friday.

1. No injuries. The Roy Williams scare over the weekend was a reminder of the depth concerns with the roster this season. Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins will be playing so I hope they are fully healed.

2. Tony Romo continuing to develop on-field chemistry with Roy Williams. All reports are that they are getting better by the day, but they need to gain confidence in game situations so they can get off to a good start in week 1 of the regular season.

3. The starting secondary doing a great job in pass coverage. We haven't seen them together on the field yet and the Titans don't have a dynamic passing game. The secondary should be able to shut down the passing game of the Titans. On another note in the secondary...the reserve players have got to show they are better than last week. They can't possibly be as bad as they looked.

4. The offensive line opening holes in the running game. The offense is supposed to be more run oriented this season but that can only happen if the line is opening holes for the running backs.

5. Felix Jones getting involved in the offense. We saw a glimpse of how Jason Garrett is going to use him in the first preseason game, but now Garrett gets a chance to show that he is committed to using Felix Jones this year.

6. The battle between Sam Hurd and Miles Austin. It is going to be won over the course of the rest of the preseason. It appears that Hurd is ahead right now, but Austin still has a chance to assert himself. Either way both guys will play a lot this year.

7. Isaiah Stanback vs. Kevin Ogletree. It looks like the 5th receiver spot is basically down to these two players. Stanback is starting to flash some ability, but can he make it through the next three preseason games without getting hurt?

8. Keith Brooking establishing himself in the defensive scheme. We didn't get to see much out of the starters in the first game so I didn't see Brooking do much outside of the sack he made. I am going to watch him more closely to see if he is reading and reacting like he needs to be.

9. Bobby Carpenter continuing to solidify his nickel linebacker job. He is looking more comfortable the more he is on the field. I am becoming more convinced by the day that all he needed was a chance to get regular playing time.

10. Improvement from all reserve players. My biggest worry after the first preseason game is the depth on the roster. All of the young players need to play with more confidence than last week. There are a lot of very young reserve players so I think they'll get better as they get more experience in game situations.

Roy Williams Is Responding Well to the Pressure

I felt a huge sense of relief today when I heard that Roy Williams was not only practicing, but playing great. Losing Roy is not something that needs to happen before the season even starts. What was extremely encouraging were the comments that he made to the media after practice.

Roy said he wanted to get back on the field because he wants to prove to his teammates, the fans, and the media that he is tough enough to push through some pain. He also admitted that some of his motivation was to avoid a core workout on the side with the trainers, but at least he was honest. It would have been easy for him to sit out for a few days and get a break from the monotony of camp, but I think he realizes that all eyes are on him this season.

Roy Williams expects to play in the preseason game Friday against the Titans. Again, this is great news because the more work he and Tony Romo get in game situations the better off the offense will be when the season starts. I was expecting him to miss a few days. This turned out to be the best case scenario for an injury which is unusual for the Cowboys over the last couple of years.

In other excellent news, Terence Newman made a strong return to practice as well. It sure would be nice to make it to the regular season with the core group of starters on both sides of the ball healthy. The nicks and bruises that are adding up are to be expected, but it always makes me nervous when the key players are hurting.

The Cowboys Appear to Have Dodged a Bullet

After a few anxious hours today it was reported that Roy Williams is day-to-day with a sprained wrist. The severity is unknown, but X-rays were negative so he doesn't have any broken bones. He'll probably miss some practice time, but it doesn't look like it is anything that will keep him out long term. The Cowboys are still waiting on results from an MRI, so that could still reveal a more serious injury than is currently being reported.

Operating under the assumption that Roy Williams will only miss a few days or even a week while he rests the wrist the only concern is going to be the practice time he misses. Tony Romo and Roy Williams were really starting to click so I hope his time away from practice is short so they can continue to build on the trust they are gaining with one another.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is actually a day-to-day injury as it is being reported because the Cowboys don't have enough quality receivers on the roster to make up for the loss of the #1 guy. Unfortunately, with the Cowboys, a day-to-day injury tends to turn into a longer stretch of missed practices. Let's just hope that this is much ado about nothing and he is back in a few days.

What Did the 1st Preseason Game Tell Us?

The first preseason game is in the books and it gave some insight into the current state of the Dallas Cowboys. The starters on offense put together a very nice touchdown drive to end their day. The defense was shaky and it was obvious that they were working with young, inexperienced cornerbacks. Once both starting units finished up things got a little bit scary. The youth of the team depth was very apparent but I know the young guys will get better the more they play. Here is what I saw out of each position group last night.

Quarterbacks: Tony Romo is still Tony Romo. He is a very good and potentially great quarterback. He looked good running the offense, and, most importantly, he seemed composed and patient. He didn't force the ball to any receiver in his limited attempts and he was calm in the pocket. Jon Kitna was up and down, but really got things going with Sam Hurd. Kitna looks like a major upgrade over Brad Johnson even if his lone deep ball was picked off. Kitna is willing to get the ball down the field. Stephen McGee is very green. He looked uncomfortable in the pocket and often scrambled before it was necessary. He was hesitant to throw the ball, but he did show a strong arm and a good ability to run. He'll only get better.

Running Backs: Marion Barber looked ok but Felix Jones was exciting. I was happy to see Barber back to full health but we probably won't see him truck over many defenders until the regular season. Felix Jones was explosive and it going to make the defenses honest. I love how he opens up the entire offense just by being out there as a threat. Tashard Choice was solid but missed one key blitz pick up. Things like that are going to cost him playing time and he isn't going to get much as it is. Deon Anderson was missed as a lead blocker. Julius Crosslin missed a couple of blocks and needs to get it going because the Cowboys might need him in the first few games of the season.

Wide Receivers: Roy Williams and Tony Romo connected on a nice timing route. Patrick Crayton was his usual self, but the guy that stole the show for the receivers was Sam Hurd. He was on fire in the second quarter and looked leaps and bounds ahead of Miles Austin at this point in the preseason. Sam Hurd was the one guy on the field that really got my juices flowing because he was flat-out dominating. Miles Austin dropped a perfectly thrown ball on a slant that may have been a huge play. After that it was really hard to judge the receivers because Stephen McGee struggled so much running the offense in the second half. Isaiah Stanback did look good on a couple of kick returns and Kevin Ogletree nearly broke a return for a touchdown.

Tight Ends: Jason Witten was his usual all-pro self and caught a TD pass from Romo. No surprise that Romo went to Witten when the play broke down. Martellus Bennett caught a short pass in the flat and then steamrolled over a defensive back for a nice gain. I didn't notice much in the running game for either tight end. John Phillips looked decent in his time on the field. Scott Chandler made a few nice plays as well.

Offensive Line: The starters looked pretty good, but a mistake by Kyle Kosier on the goal line was irritating. I would love to see Holland get a shot with the starters. Doug Free actually looked pretty good manning the backup left tackle role. Cory Proctor and Jon Kitna had some snap issues that should never happen. One was a fumbled snap and another was a shotgun snap over Kitna's head. I don't know why the Dallas centers have so much trouble with the shotgun snap.

Defensive Line: Olshansky really did a good job stuffing several runs in his direction. I didn't notice Marcus Spears but the defensive scheme doesn't showcase the ends. Jay Ratliff caused chaos in the middle was usual. Junior Siavii and Tim Anderson didn't show up much during the game but it is hard to judge what they did since they primarily need to hold up the middle of the line. I know Marcus Dixon played but I only saw him jog off the field so I have no idea what he did.

Outside Linebackers: Demarcus Ware looked good as usual. Anthony Spencer didn't put much pressure on the quarterback but he did make a nice play covering the fullback in pass coverage. Spencer will have to do a better job rushing the quarterback or Ware is going to get doubled all year. Victor Butler put pressure on the quarterback a few times but he looked lost against the run.

Inside Linebackers: Keith Brooking made a sack thanks to a perfectly executed blitz by the defense. He was active and around the ball. Bradie James was solid. Bobby Carpenter got extensive playing time and did a good job. He was all over the field and made a nice pass breakup on a seam pass to the tight end. I think he has the nickel job sewn up. Jason Williams was completely lost out there. He got beaten by about 10 yards by the tight end on one play and was out of position on several plays. He did a good job rushing the passer though.

Cornerbacks: Ouch. The Cowboys need Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins out there or they are going to have trouble against the pass. Orlando Scandrick played great and Alan Ball was solid. After that the cornerbacks were awful. Mike Mickens didn't seem to understand that a game was going on. He was beaten time after time after time. Courtney Brown couldn't cover anyone either. I think there are four guys ready to play cornerback, but Mike Mickens better turn things around before the season starts or depth is going to be a major concern.

Safeties: Gerald Sensabaugh and Ken Hamlin both did a good job in coverage. Hamlin dropped an interception but made the play against a streaking, speedy receiver. Sensabaugh was called for a pass interference on a deep ball. Mike Hamlin is going to be a starter some day. He was good in run support. Pat Watkins didn't play very well and I'm starting to think his days with Dallas are over.

Special Teams: Can you say David Buehler? He delivered on a touchback on a kickoff as promised. And he was all over the place on the special teams units. He even ran down the field to make a tackle on a kickoff even though the announcers failed to notice it. Nick Folk missed a short field goal but I'll give him a pass since they were playing on a baseball field. Matt McBriar had some good punts and some not so good punts. I'm sure he'll be ok when the season starts. Willie Reed didn't show anything on punt returns and DeAngelo Smith misplayed a punt. The search for a punt returner besides Patrick Crayton may come up empty.

The best news of the night was that there were no major injuries. I found myself terrified at the thought of an injury to Tony Romo. I'll be glad when the real games start so I don't think "don't get hurt" on nearly every play the starters are out there.

Who I'll Be Watching in the First Preseason Game

Preseason games can be dull since the games don't count, but if you know what to look for they can be pretty interesting. The first preseason game usually doesn't showcase the starters on either side of the ball for too long. With all of the young players vying for roster spots it will still be fun to watch. I am excited to see several of the young players show what they can do in a game situation. Here are the guys I'll be watching and why.

Isaiah Stanback: This story is well documented at this point. It is put up or shut up for Stanback. He needs to prove he is worth keeping around. He needs to play great and stay healthy for the rest of camp or he'll be cut and he knows it.

Kevin Ogletree: I keep hearing the reports of how good he is playing. I saw it with my own eyes at training camp, but games tend to bring out the best (or worst) in players. Let's see what he can really do when it counts...sort of.

Mike Mickens: When I saw him early in training camp he looked terrible. Over the last week he has picked up his game and is making plays. He is going to get a lot of playing time with Jenkins and Newman out. Let's see if he was a draft steal or a wasted pick.

Michael Hamlin: He is probably going to end up as a starting safety one day. I want to see if he can make the plays he has been making in practice against a real opponent.

Alan Ball: He looked great when it counted against Tampa Bay last season but he hasn't been on the field much since then. He is going to play some cornerback in this game and I am excited that he is getting a chance to prove himself again.

David Buehler: He was primarily brought in to kickoff. Let's see if he can force as many touchbacks as we are all hoping he can.

Jesse Holley: The 4th & Long series makes this guy interesting. I am pulling for him but he really needs to shine to make the team.

Jason Williams: Will he look lost playing linebacker? We know he is an athletic freak but I want to see if he is picking up the techniques he needs to get on the field this year.

Brandon Williams: Bring on the pass rush. The Cowboys need all the help they can get when it comes to depth at outside linebacker.

Victor Butler: See Brandon Williams.

DeAngelo Smith: The media reports say he is struggling to adapt to playing safety. Maybe a game will bring out the best in him. I really want to see if he is a dynamic punt returner more than anything else.

Junior Siavii/Tim Anderson/Marcus Dixon: Are any of them good enough to be counted on as the backup defensive tackle?

Miles Austin: Will he outperform Sam Hurd? So far Hurd seems to have the advantage in their battle but a strong performance will probably give him the edge.

Sam Hurd: Can he carry his practice performance into a game? He was starting to emerge last preseason before he injured his ankle. Maybe he will break out this season.

Bobby Carpenter: He appears to have the nickel linebacker job locked up, but Wade Phillips needs to see that Bobby can get the job done in a game situation.

The Case for Kevin Ogletree

It is looking more and more like Kevin Ogletree is winning the battle for the #5 receiver spot on the final roster. There is still a long way to go and the preseason games will probably be the deciding factor in the competition. From what I have seen in person and from what the media and coaches are saying, it is Ogletree's job to lose.

So who is this guy? He is an undrafted free agent out of Virginia. He is listed as 6"0" and 196 pounds. Certainly not big, but not a small receiver either. The stat that catches my eye is his 4.30 40 time at the NFL combine (his official time was 4.36). He had ACL surgery on his knee in March of 2007. He came back to have a solid junior season. He entered the draft early even though he could have improved his draft stock with a good senior season. He was actually projected as a 4th round pick so the Cowboys got a steal when they signed him as an undrafted free agent. He graduated with his sociology degree a semester early.

What could be happening here is that we are seeing the usual progression following an ACL surgery. Most guys return to the field within a year but usually take two years to regain their speed and explosiveness. The Cowboys had nothing to lose by giving him a shot and it appears he is making the most of his opportunity. The fact that he went undrafted is probably adding some fuel to his fire because he clearly has some skills as a receiver. His ability to return punts is helping his cause even more.

I like Ogletree as the #5 receiver for several reasons. First of all, he has the best speed out of all of the guys he is fighting for the spot. He can return punts which is a major plus since the Cowboys don't have a true punt returner on the team. He is on the still improving as a receiver since he is so young. I think it will come down to Jesse Holley, Isaiah Stanback and Ogletree for the 5th receiver spot but Ogletree wins it based on receiving skills, health, and his ability to return punts.

Update: Apparently Ogletree is no longer in the mix as a punt returner. I'm not quite sure why that is the case but he'll have to make the team primarily on his receiving skills.

Cornerback Injuries...Time To Worry?

In just one practice the Cowboys went from a relatively injury free camp to a suddenly injury plagued camp...at least at the cornerback position.  Mike Jenkins sprained his ankle and Terence Newman has a mild groin strain.  They are both now listed as day to day on the injury report.  The problem with day to day is that it sometimes drags out or even turns out to be a much bigger injury than first anticipated.  So the big question is whether we should all be losing sleep over what is being described as relatively minor injuries.

Terence Newman has developed a scary trend for what is now the third season in a row.  Last year we were told that he had a mild groin strain and then things lingered and worsened to the point that he eventually required surgery due to a sports hernia.  I have a hard time taking Wade Phillips at his word on injury comments because he has a tendency to downplay every injury that happens.  All we can do is keep our fingers crossed that this really is minor for Newman because these groin strains have a way of lingering for long periods of time.

Mike Jenkins is another story.  Some guys bounce back from ankle sprains very quickly but others take months to get back to 100%.  The severity of the sprain is part of the equation but some guys are just fast healers.  Jenkins didn't seem to be a fast healer after his hamstring pull last season but he did come back and look very strong after his rehab stint.  I'm going to hope this sprain is minor enough that Jenkins has plenty of time to get himself back to 100% a couple of weeks before the regular season so he can get his confidence back.

I'm not going to go jump off of a bridge and call the season a bust after these two injuries but I am definitely concerned.  There are some young guys who will benefit from the extra practice reps.  How quickly Newman and Jenkins get back to full time practice will tell us everything we need to know about the severity of the injuries.  If at least one of them can get back to practice within the next week then I won't be worried.  If both guys are back I'll be elated.  But if Jenkins and Newman are both still out in two weeks then I am going to start sounding the alarm.  

Austin May Win the #3 Job Despite the Play of Hurd

The training camp practice I attended last Friday was very interesting in terms of the wide receiver play. Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton looked obviously a cut above the rest of the receiver group, but the next player in my rankings would have been Sam Hurd. He caught every ball in sight and got himself open regularly. Miles Austin, on the other hand, was nearly invisible.

It appears, based on the media practice reports, that Hurd has continued his stellar play while Austin has been steady but not a standout. Hurd may deserve to win the #3 receiver role, but his lack of speed will probably cost him the job. Miles Austin has proven that he can force the safety to stay deep when he is in the game. Sam Hurd has never shown blazing speed.

If you consider a three receiver set you have to wonder who would keep the defense from jumping the short and intermediate routes if Sam Hurd were on the field with Crayton, Roy Williams, and Witten. Maybe motioning Felix Jones into the slot or sending him deep out of the backfield could provide a deep threat but that can't happen on a regular basis.

So, in my mind, Miles Austin will get more playing time than Sam Hurd for one reason...speed. I love how Sam Hurd is playing and I think he deserves to get on the field. Unfortunately he is not the guy who will keep the safety from cheating to help on Jason Witten and Roy Williams.

Do You Think Isaiah Stanback Can Stay Healthy?

I've finally reached my breaking point with Stanback.  I have always hoped he could turn his tremendous athletic ability into production on the field for the Cowboys.  But it seems like he will eternally be teasing us with potential only to disappoint us with yet another injury.  The latest injury, a hamstring strain, is said to be very minor but it is just another on what is becoming a very long list.  

He was drafted injured coming off of foot surgery.  Then it was a separated shoulder which needed surgery followed by another shoulder injury which resulted in surgery.  This summer when he really needed to get in some work to develop his receiving skills he injured his knee which ended in another surgery.  Now he was supposed to be healthy for training camp but only lasted a few practices before the strained hamstring put him out of action again.

The injuries wouldn't be so bad if the team knew that he had the receiving skills to produce in games.  The problem is that he is trying to make the transition from quarterback to receiver but he can't stay on the field long enough to fully develop his receiver skills.  I would be more inclined to hold onto hope for him if I had seen him make some plays as a receiver.  He has flashed some great athleticism on kick returns and that has always kept me hoping for more.

I just don't see how the Cowboys can afford to keep Stanback as the 5th receiver even if he recovers from his latest setback and finishes training camp healthy.  I would be worried that he would be injured again at any moment.  The only way I can see him making the final roster would be if one of the rookie receivers shows some ability and can make it through waivers to land on the practice squad.  That would leave an insurance policy if Stanback can't stay on the field.  And now with guys like Jesse Holley, Kevin Ogletree and Mike Jefferson playing well in camp I'm not even sure that Stanback can beat those guys out for a roster spot.

I hope I'm wrong about Isaiah Stanback, but I'm done believing that he'll pan out in the end.  I'll be thrilled if he proves me wrong but I won't be holding my breath.  He seems to be one those guys that, for whatever reason, just can't stay healthy.  

My Impressions from Training Camp

I attended my first training camp practice of the year today and I'll do my best to describe what I saw while I was there. One thing you'll notice, as I did early on, is that my camera takes horrible pictures. I posted a couple that came out ok, but there rest of them were too fuzzy to make out. Here are my quick thoughts from today. I am planning to go into more detail over the next few days on some of these topics, but I wanted to get everything down while it was fresh in my mind.

Roy Williams looks good. He is much quicker, faster, and confident then he appeared last year. He made some tough catches with defenders draped all over him. Michael Irvin was also giving him some pointers after a 10-yard comeback route on the art of the push off so hopefully he was taking notes (the picture to the right captures part of the discussion between Irvin and Williams).

Tony Romo looked very good. According to most media sources, Romo had been off to a slow start over the first few days. Today his passes were tight spirals and most of them hit receivers on target and in stride. He forced one pass during team drill that was intercepted but that was the only memorable mistake he made over the 2 hour practice session.

Jason Witten is getting better every season. He looked like an all-pro player today. He caught every ball thrown his way and did an excellent job blocking from what I saw. He lined up on one play at wide receiver during team drills and caught a 10 yard slant route that may have been a touchdown in a live game situation.

Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins both looked awfully good. Both players clearly have more confidence and seemed to be able to stick with any receiver throughout practice. Scandrick had some trouble with the size of Roy Williams, but most DB's would.

The rookie DB's have a long way to go. Michael Hawkins walked off the field with the trainers pretty early on, but DeAngelo Smith and Mike Mickens looked overmatched in one-on-one situations. I'm sure they'll get more confidence as camp goes on but they didn't impress me today. Michael Hamlin was the lone exception for the rookie DB's. He looked bigger than I expected and he made a nice interception during practice.

Gerald Sensabaugh has great coverage ability. Martellus Bennett couldn't beat him in man coverage several times during the team portion of practice. He'll be a major upgrade in coverage over Roy Williams.

Kyle Kosier looks good. He might end up winning the left guard job after all. I was leaning towards Holland before today but Holland looked fatter than last year to me and Kosier did a good job with the first team.

Martellus Bennett needs to focus on football. He spent his first 10 minutes on the field playing the crowd, dancing, and doing T.O. touchdown celebration impressions. Everyone else was stretching and warming up. There were several times when teams were transitioning from one drill to another and Martellus would be the last to arrive because he didn't hustle. His body language sends a bad message. But his natural receiving ability is easy to see. I think some focus from Bennett would probably fix is pre-snap alignment troubles.

Bobby Carpenter looks determined to make an impact. He made several plays during running drills and was very active all day. We'll get a better idea of his impact when preseason games get going since there is no tackling.

Terence Newman looks good. He got beat on a double move at one point, but he looks quick, confident, and prepared for the season. He worked with the receivers and caught passes from the QB's for one session of practice which I found interesting. Maybe they'll put him on the field as a deep threat this year from time to time?

Demarcus Ware looks great. He may have gained some muscle in his lower body but he was beating blockers off the edge all day long.

The defenders spent a lot of time on fumble recovery drills. That was good to see because an increase in takeaways would go a long way in helping the team win more games.

Matt McBriar is 100%. He booted several punts 70+ yards in the air.

Nick Folk is good to go. He kicked field goals and didn't seem to have any limitations.

Jon Kitna looked bad. He needs to pick up his level of play. He had numerous off target passes and forced the ball into coverage all day long.

Stephen McGee has talent. He was accurate and throws a good looking ball. It is hard to judge him until he gets some game action in preseason, but he looks like he has the skills to develop into a player.

Jason Williams got beaten badly a couple of times in coverage. He didn't looks as fast as I expected but he is obviously slow right now because he has to think before he reacts. His speed and quickness will probably be more evident when he gets more comfortable with his role in the defense.

Igor Olshansky is a beast. He looks like the big, strong guy that we were promised. I saw him beat a double team to get to the quarterback in the team session.

The three running backs all look good. Felix looks as fast as ever. All three running backs look ready to start the season right now.

Sam Hurd looked like the #3 receiver today. If I didn't know Miles Austin was expected to make an impact I wouldn't even have noticed him. Hurd made several tough catches. Austin did absolutely nothing to show me he is ready to break out this year.

Jesse Holley looked pretty darn good. I know he is in a fierce battle for the last receiver spot but he was impressive today. Holley, Stanback, and Ogletree all looked pretty even in their battle. Manuel Johnson looked very slow. Mike Jefferson was inconsistent throughout the day.

I wish I could say more about the offensive and defensive line but they mostly worked on the opposite side of the field from me.

Wade Phillips is running the defense and is pretty much completely removed from giving any input on the offensive side of the ball. Phillips ran the defensive drills on one end of the field while Garrett ran the offensive drills on the other side. It will be interesting to see how in-game big play decisions are made during the game when it comes to offense. It appears like Garrett has total control over everything on that side of the ball this year. During the team portion of practice Wade Phillips was very involved and animated while coaching the defense.

Joe DeCamillis was quieter than I expected. He does command the attention of the special teams players but I didn't see the screamer I thought I would see.

Keith Brooking didn't do anything to catch my eye.

David Beuhler is big, but he didn't do enough in practice for me to come to any conclusions on him. He does look big enough to contribute in other ways on special teams.

Some Early Training Camp Thoughts

Things appear to be off to a good start at camp...at least from an injury standpoint which is my #1 concern after the endless injuries of last year. The passing game sounds like it is a little rusty which is usually the case at this point in the year. It is actually pretty amusing to see how much the fans and media overreact about the statistics produced by Tony Romo during practice. I don't have concerns about Romo's ability to get the ball to the open man. Three years of good/great numbers tell me that he will get the kinks worked out.

Roy Williams looks leaner and quicker early in camp. All of the receivers are out there working so that is a good sign. I think the receivers can get the job done but there is going to be trouble if anyone gets injured. The last thing the team needs is to bring in another head case. Matt Jones isn't the player the Cowboys need right now. Not only is he one dumb mistake away from suspension, but he is lazy and inconsistent. And just in case you haven't hear...it was Matt Jones' agent who called the Cowboys to try to guage their interest and they said they aren't.

Jason Witten is the best tight end in football no matter how delusional Chris Cooley has become about himself. Cooley's videos were pretty stupid but I have to admit I did chuckle at them. I don't know why he acts surprised that he is catching some flak for putting stupid stuff like that on the internet. I personally don't care what he says or does. It is interesting that no one seems concerned about his focus since he appears to have time to film silly skits like that. If he were a member of the Dallas Cowboys that video would be leading off SportsCenter.

Kyle Kosier is working with the first team at left guard. I am very interested to see how the left guard battle plays out. I'm guessing that Kosier will remain on the first team until the preseason games start. I was really impressed by Holland when he got on the field last year but I might have a skewed memory of him since he was replacing Cory Proctor, one of the worst Cowboys' lineman in recent memory. I'd like to see the Cowboys keep both Kosier and Holland.

If all three running backs go into the season at 100% then I can't name a better group in the NFL. Jason Garrett has to be loving the options he has right now after dealing with injury after injury at running back last year.

I am heading to camp tomorrow to see how things look in person. I'll be sure to post an entry on my impression of training camp when I get home.

Let's Get It Started

All of the picks are signed (except Brewster who is out for the year). Everyone is ready to go. There definitely a different vibe when you listen to Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips talk about the team. They both seem to be making an effort to keep expectations reasonable, but there is a confidence under the surface that tells me they both still believe this team is built for a deep playoff run.

Time will tell how everything plays out but I noticed during yesterday's opening press conference that Wade Phillips seems to be taking a better approach to practice. They will start with special teams every day for a few reasons. Joe DeCamillis is going to be getting everyone fired up but it also sends the message to the team that special teams are no longer an afterthought.

Wade Phillips still isn't exactly a fiery guy, but he definitely has a more serious and determined tone in his voice. I'm sure it will be mocked by the media but at least he is trying. I'm not convinced he is the right guy to deal with everything that comes with being the head coach of the most publicised team in American sports. He is the coach of my team and I have to hope that the team can find a way to succeed with Wade as the head man.

Jesse Holley Joins the Team

Congratulations to Jesse Holley. By winning the 80th spot on the roster on the 4th and Long reality show he has at least given himself a shot at making the team. His chances of making the final roster are very slim but at least he gave himself a chance. You can say what you want about giving a roster spot to the winner of a reality show but he showed me that he really wants to make it in the NFL by battling through the tough drills on the show. It was actually nice to see someone earn a chance to make the team. I'd rather have someone like him who has earned a chance than someone who is full of potential but has no heart or desire.

So what does he bring to the table as a wide receiver? The first thing you notice about him is his size. He is 6'3" and weighs 215 pounds. The next thing I noticed when I first saw him was his physique. His 215 pounds are almost all muscle. He supposedly runs a 4.5 40-yard dash so he has good speed to go with his size. And finally, with his basketball background, he knows how to use his body to make the tough catches in traffic. He'll need some injuries to some of the receivers ahead of him to get a real shot to make the roster. His ability to make the tough catch might get him some attention from the coaches during camp.

As a special teams player it looks like Holley would primarily contribute as a coverage player. He didn't show the quickness during the show that would lead me to believe he could be a good returner, but he was forced to go through a lot of coverage drills that showed he had the ability and desire to excel on special teams. He is going to have to be an unbelievable special teams player in addition to anything he does as a wide receiver to have any realistic chance to even make the practice roster.

I'll definitely be interested to see how Holley looks against NFL-caliber talent during training camp. It will be hard not to pull for him at least a little bit after seeing all he had to go through to get a chance to compete for a job.