Is It Safe to Call Romo a Leader Now?

With the news that Tony Romo is organizing and running the offseason practices during the lockout there is suddenly renewed talk about Romo's lack of leadership. I would have thought that the 2009 season which resulted in the first Dallas playoff victory in 13 years would have ended all of this leadership talk. I thought watching the team completely implode for a few weeks after he went down with his broken collarbone last season might prove how much his teammates depend and believe in him. It seems as if the leadership questioners will only be satisfied if Romo "leads" the Cowboys to a Super Bowl win and yells at his teammates on the sidelines every step of the way.

I have always hated the ridiculous notion that Tony Romo isn't a leader. There is a perception in many circles that the Romo doesn't inspire his teammates to excel. I completely disagree with that notion. I would love for some of those people to go back and watch Joe Montana play in his prime. Was he a leader? Do you see him constantly screaming on the sidelines? Is it possible that maybe there is more than one way to act as a team leader?

Ever since Romo went down with his broken collarbone there has been talk that Jon Kitna sparked the Cowboys 5-3 finish in the second half of the season. According to those people Kitna somehow inspired his teammates to play better. Of course those same people leave out the fact that in the first two games he started the Cowboys lost 35-17 to the lowly Jaguars and 45-7 to the Packers in the most embarrassing loss in Cowboys history. And, amazingly, he supposedly managed to improve not only the offense, but also the defense a special teams while filling in for Tony Romo. It is hard for me to understand how Kitna changed the entire offensive game plan and the defensive philiosophy because he is such a great leader.

Maybe the coaches just changed things up when Wade Phillips was fired because they realized that the team was going down in flames. The offense recommitted to the running game. The defense stopped blitzing and playing man coverage on every single snap. Could it really be that simple? Maybe Jon Kitna isn't some sort of magician after all. I don't want to sound like I'm slamming Kitna. He is an excellent back up quarterback. But he is a back up for a reason. He is a solid pro. But he has zero playoff wins in 14 years. He doesn't have the arm to scare the defense. And he can't make all the throws that Romo can make. So people hang their hat on this mystical leadership quality.

Again, I'm not trying to bad mouth Kitna here. But he has even led a team to the playoffs in all his years in the league. In fact, he has 50 wins and 74 losses in his career as a starting QB. I realize that he played on some bad teams but if he really possessed these magical leadership qualities that so many want to talk about don't you think he would have willed at least one team in 14 years to a playoff appearance?

So now Romo is organizing team practices during the lockout to insure that the Dallas Cowboys turn things around next season. He is running the practices and acting as the coach of the offense while some of the other veterans are running the defense. And Romo is the guy making sure that 40+ people show up at an undisclosed location and get to work. So Romo is, in essence, the head coach of the workouts. So does that prove he is a leader?

Maybe this will finally convince some of the doubters that Romo has turned the corner on the mystical leadership front. But I have been convinced for a long time that Romo not only possesses enough talent to lead the Cowboys to the Super Bowl but he also has the competitive desire and personality that his teammates will follow. I know those that want to constantly bash Romo won't be convinced by my arguments but I think both sides need to be heard on the topic.

In Depth - Tight Ends

In this post I'll take a look at the tight end position heading into (hopefully) the start of free agency very soon. If the Cowboys stand pat at this position I don't think they will get many complaints from any fans. But I'm not sure how much longer the coaches will be willing to tolerate the immaturity of Martellus Bennett and I don't know if Marty B. will continue to be happy playing second fiddle to Jason Witten.

Jason Witten - Do I really need to say anything here? Witten is the best all-around tight end in the NFL. He is well on his way to a hall of fame career. And he is a great team leader both on and off the football field. There are some idiots talking about trading Witten while his value is at its peak but the Cowboys cannot seriously consider trading one of the core players on the roster. Witten will most likely retire a Cowboy.

Martellus Bennett - Where do I start? On one hand, Martellus is an excellent blocker. He is reliable both as a run blocker and as a pass blocker. But the Cowboys thought they were getting a play maker when the used a 2nd round pick on Marty B. back in 2008. You can argue that he hasn't been given enough opportunities to show what he can do as a receiver but I think it was easy to see that he has already lost a lot of the quickness and athleticism over the last two years by gaining too much weight. Maybe the coaches have asked him to put on weight so he can be a more effective blocker, but the added weight has definitely slowed him down. Martellus believes he can be a starter somewhere else. And maybe he is right. If the price is right I wouldn't mind seeing the Cowboys trade Martellus Bennett given the fact that John Phillips should be back at 100% heading into next season.

John Phillips - Last preseason Phillips was starting to emerge as a force in the passing game. It looked like he had a real shot to unseat Marty B. as the #2 tight end. But then the dreaded ACL injury happened and Phillips was lost for the season. He seems to be everything Martellus is not. A hard worker, a guy who pays attention to detail and a receiver who has the trust of his quarterbacks. Phillips needs to improve as a blocker but he added about 15 pounds of muscle between his first and second season and he has had a long time to work on his strength since he missed the entire 2010 season. I think there will be a good battle between Martellus and Phillips this year in training camp if the Cowboys don't trade Martellus this offseason. I expect Phillips to eventually overtake Martellus as the #2 tight end.

Martin Rucker - Rucker got a shot last season thanks to the injuries the Cowboys sustained at tight end. He has no shot of making the roster next year if the Cowboys keep Martellus. If the Cowboys do trade Bennett I expect there to be more competition for Rucker in training camp from either a free agent or new draft pick.

Overall the tight end position is one of the greatest positions of strength for the Cowboys. I'll be happy either way if they decide to keep or trade Martellus Bennett. It would probably make the most sense to keep the trio of Witten, Bennett, and Phillips together for at least one more season and focus the offseason roster moves on greater areas of need.

Observations from the San Diego Game

Jason Hatcher got the start at defensive end. I wonder if that means anything. I don't think Bowen or Hatcher have done anything that would force the coaches to make a change in the starting lineup when Spears gets back.

Alan Ball made a good open field tackle on Darren Sproles on a screen pass. I would have been more impressed if the tackle didn't come after a 20 yard gain.

The first team defense didn't look great on the opening drive. The Chargers were able to run and pass all the way down the field. But Terence Newman made a great play to undercut and intercept an out route in the red zone. Hopefully the turnover is a sign of things to come from the defense this year.

The first series from the offense ended in an interception. Romo forced a bad pass with a free rusher in his face. Romo and Roy Williams missed another easy connection on the drive as well. Brewster and Holland both seemed to do a decent job on the opening drive.

Gerald Sensabaugh appeared to injure his left shoulder on the defense's second series. Barry Church stepped in for him. Keith Brooking did a good job (illegal contact?) covering Antonio Gates on a third down play. Barry Church made a nice goal line tackle on the drive. Philip Rivers finished the drive with a touchdown on a quarterback sneak and then ran his mouth as usual after the play.

The first team offense was very sloppy on their second drive. They look like a unit with a bunch of backup players trying to keep the offense afloat. Romo was heavily pressured on every pass.

Sean Lee got extended playing time because Keith Brooking banged up his shoulder and was taken out of the game as a precaution. Lee made two tackles in three plays on a three and out forced by the defense. Lee had a pretty good game for his first preseason appearance. He is going to be a starter for a long time if his knees hold up.

Doug Free made a great lead block on a toss left to Marion Barber. Unfortunately the drive ended on a dropped pass by Miles Austin. Once again, the first team offense just didn't look good.

Barry Church, filling in for the injured Sensabaugh, picked up a fumble and nearly scored. Tony Romo connected with Miles Austin a few plays later to end the offense's preseason touchdown drought.

Brewster earned a lot of respect tonight. He did a decent job with the starters at right tackle and then shifted to left tackle in the second half. He might be developing into a real NFL player right before our eyes. When I first saw Brewster play I thought he fit better at guard but he looked a lot more comfortable against San Diego.

Martellus Bennett reminded everyone why he had some much excitement surrounding him last year in the preseason. He made several nice plays including a great catch for a touchdown. And, more importantly, I didn't see any plays all night where he had to be told where to line up.

Owusu-Ansah had a 45 yard punt return called back for a block in the back, but his burst and vision was impressive on the return. He had a fumble on a kick return earlier in the game so ball security is an issue. But I'm excited about his potential.

What to Watch for Against the Chargers

It feels like a long time ago that the Cowboys played the Raiders. There hasn't been much news out of training camp recently outside of the injuries to Marc Colombo and Kyle Kosier. Now that we are getting to the meat of the preseason schedule we have reached the point that the starters get a lot of playing time. This is what I will be watching for:

1. Can the offensive line hold up with two starters out? Like I have said before, in some ways it is a good thing to have some starters out for the preseason. The coaches are forced to get Montrae Holland and probably Robert Brewster some meaningful playing time with the first unit. I'm pretty confident that Holland can get the job done but Brewster is a big question mark.

2. Assuming Romo gets some protection, can the offense finally find a good rhythm and score a touchdown? It sounds like the offense really found their groove in practice this week but until they score points in a game there are going to be questions.

3. Is David Buehler going to keep it up? He has been solid so far in the preseason games, but he needs to keep improving heading into the season.

4. Is Stephen Bowen good enough to start when Spears finally gets healthy. Bowen has looked pretty good so far but he still needs to prove he can stuff the run like Spears can do.

5. Who is going to win the #4 cornerback job? There are a lot of young guys vying for the job. Whoever makes the most plays will win the battle but right now it is too close to call.

6. What can Akwasi Owusu-Ansah do at the NFL level? He missed the first two preseason games but he'll be playing on Saturday. I'm excited to see what he can do in the return game.

7. Does Martellus Bennett have his head screwed on straight? He has been lighting it up in practice but I still need to see him prove he knows the play book. I'd like to see him get lined up every play without help from Romo or anyone else on the field.

8. Will Kevin Ogletree snap out of his slump? He looked so good in his limited action last year I think everyone expected him to challenge for more playing time this season. So far his play has been flat and uninspired in the first two preseason games.

9. Will the linebackers impress again? Last week it looked like the Cowboys were stacked across the board at the four linebacker spots. Having too many good linebackers is a good problem to have. I hope they look good again this week.

Training Camp Thoughts - 8/14/10

I just saw that Martellus Bennett still isn't practicing in Oxnard today. I know it is better to be cautious with injuries in the preseason but this injury to Marty B. is really dragging on. Now that there are really only two legitimate tight ends on the roster it is going to be imperative that Martellus is on top of his game all year. He needs the practice reps so I hope he is back soon. But at the same time I also understand that aggravating the injury could be devastating since there is no depth left at tight end. It seems like the severity of Bennett's ankle injury was downplayed too much heading into camp.

Dez Bryant is out of his walking boot and has started rehabbing off to the side during practice. That is great news. My feelings towards his injury are a little different than Marty B.'s. The Cowboys have plenty of depth at wide receiver and Dez is just the icing on the cake for an already potent offense. I'd like to see the Cowboys bring him along slowly and safely so he doesn't risk re-injuring his ankle.

The starting defense has looked really good so far in the two preseason games. My worries for the defense are free safety and defensive tackle depth. I know Alan Ball has done a decent job so far but he hasn't been forced to do much yet. I want to see him hit someone and be forced to make a play down the field in the passing game before I'll feel comfortable. Junior Siavii is probably going to be the backup defensive tackle again but he sometimes gets manhandled against the run.

Roy Williams should be working against press coverage during camp. He couldn't get off the ball on Thursday and that scares me. He really has a hard time getting separation from his defender.

I feel pretty good about Doug Free at this point. Working against Demarcus Ware in practice has to help. There was some criticism of the offensive line after the Raider game on Thursday, but they did a decent job. The pass protection problems seemed to be more of a result of problems with the receivers and quarterback than the offensive line. But I still don't understand how they don't seem to dominate the line of scrimmage in the running game like you would expect a line so massive to do.

David Buehler still has a long way to go to prove himself but he looked a lot better on Thursday. I think he should be working on longer field goals during practice because that seems to be where he hasn't quite figured it out yet. The 42 yarder against the Raiders was perfect but I think the team needs to be able to depend on him from 45-50 yards as well. With his leg power there is no reason he shouldn't be able to make long field goals consistently. I like that they make him kick in live drills in practice but I think they need to increase the distances.

The offense still should be working on their red zone production. Tony Romo mentioned that they aren't really calling their red zone plays during the preseason games, but I'm not sure they shouldn't. It would be nice if the starting offense could get in the habit of scoring touchdowns heading into the regular season. More than the lack of execution in the red zone what worries me are the stupid penalties down there. That seems to be the biggest red zone battle the offense faces.

What to Watch for Against the Raiders

With such a quick turnaround between Sunday's game against the Bengals and Thursday's game against the Raiders the Cowboys are going to struggle to overcome some injury issues on the roster. Of course I am primarily talking about tight end and cornerback, but I'm sure a lot of players will be dealing with minor bumps and bruises heading into the game. Fortunately the majority of the starters didn't see much action against the Bengals so they should be fresh for the game on Thursday. Here is what I will be watching for:

1. Can the first team offense score touchdowns in the red zone? Sunday was concerning because we saw the exact same problem that plagued the offense last year. They moved right down the field only to stall in the red zone. Wade Phillips mentioned that they wanted to work on some passing down there but I think it is important to establish the physicality of the running game. The offense needs to have the attitude that they will cram the ball down the opponent's throat in short yardage situations. I'd like to see Jason Garrett establish the running game down there this week.

2. Was Doug Free's performance a sign of things to come? He looked great against the Bengals but he needs to play like that every week. I'll be watching him closely until he dominates a big name player in the regular season.

3. Was David Buehler nervous or is he going to be squeaking them through all the time? Against the Bengals it seemed that the longer the field goal the more he pulled the kick to the left. I hope he can straighten it out or the Cowboys will need to find a kicker fast.

4. Will Sean Lee get on the field? I want to see what he can do. Jason Williams looked a lot more comfortable and confident last week than he ever did last year. But Lee is the guy that most people are expecting to win the nickel linebacker battle.

5. Will Martellus Bennett play? The coaches seem to be indicating that Marty B. won't be ready just yet, but with the lack of depth at tight end he might be forced into limited action. With John Phillips out we are back to counting on Martellus to step up his game. I'd like to see him on the field if he is healthy.

6. Will Alan Ball show us something? He was somewhat invisible in the game on Sunday but that isn't necessarily bad for a safety. But I'd like to see him come up and make a hit against the run and make some plays on the ball in the passing game. Maybe with more game action we'll see him make more plays.

7. Will the second team offensive line perform better? They weren't great last week which has to make you nervous. Alex Barron is probably out so we should see more of Brewster again this week. The backups need to step up their game because odds are the offense will need one of them at some point in the regular season.

8. Can one of the rookie safeties make the team? I really like how Barry Church plays. He is always around the ball and he likes to hit. Danny McCray played great in the game on Sunday so hopefully he can continue that type of play. One of these guys could push one of the veterans off the team if they keep it up.

9. Is Stephen Bowen ready to start? He sure looked good against the Bengals. But we didn't see him as much against the run as we did against the pass. The key to becoming the starter is going to be playing the run as good as or better than Marcus Spears.

10. Can Brandon Williams play the run? He sure has a quick first step off the line against the pass. He could be a great backup option at outside linebacker if he can learn to play the run. The depth overall at outside linebacker looks much better this year with an experienced Victor Butler, Brandon Williams, and Curtis Johnson all battling for playing time.

11. Can the Cowboys avoid more major injuries? This is probably the most important question of all. John Phillips was lighting it up in camp and the first preseason game before he went down. We have to hope that the key players on the roster stay healthy for the rest of the preseason.

Training Camp Thoughts - 7/27/10

With so much information flowing out of training camp I am going to try to keep up with the developments with a quick reaction to the hot topics every few days from now until training camp is over. Even though camp only started a few days ago it seems like the media is in mid-season form already.

- I'll start with the "hot" topic. Dez Bryant should have just carried Roy Williams' pads and this wouldn't be a story. I don't think it automatically makes him a diva receiver just because he refused to take part in a typical training camp tradition. I would bet that the problem has already been dealt with behind closed doors by the veterans and we'll never hear about it. I was expecting to see Dez taped to a goal post and left there after practice but I guess that isn't going to happen. Either way Roy says it is a non-issue and Dez says the same thing. It is over. Let's move on. But I will file that move by Dez in the memory banks and hope that it was an isolated incident.

- I really want John Phillips to push Martellus Bennett down on the depth chart. I can't stand the fact that Marty B. has to be told where to line up repeatedly in every game he plays. Add the fact that Tony Romo doesn't trust Martellus to run the right route or run it correctly and you can see that Phillips has a real shot. With Martellus out with an ankle sprain John Phillips has been showing that he has made great strides this offseason. Phillips was already starting to take some snaps from Martellus at the end of last season and now he might be on the verge of taking his job. Like I said, I'm pulling for Phillips in this training camp battle. And I didn't even mention the continuing off-the-field news that Marty B. keeps creating.

- The Bengals have recreated the locker room mess that Dallas dealt with in 2008. The have managed to add Tank Johnson, Pacman Jones, Roy Williams, and now Terrell Owens over the last year. Throw Chad Ochocinco into that mix and I smell disaster. Those guys are all ok as long as the team is winning. Carson Palmer better pray they win a lot of games or his team is going down in flames.

- I'm wondering what is going to happen with Patrick Crayton. It seems pretty clear that he has dropped down to the #4 slot and I wonder how long he is going to keep quiet about it. I seriously doubt that he will unseat Roy Williams or Dez Bryant to get back on the field with the first team whether he outplays them or not. I'm not saying what it happening to Crayton is fair, but it is the reality of the NFL. I hope he can be a team player because it would be nice to be able to keep him for depth.

- Doug Free, Alan Ball, and David Buehler have all done a decent job so far. We won't really know about any of them until the preseason games start. And even then we might have to wait until the regular season to find out if these three are ready to step up this year. Only time is going to tell what we have at left tackle, safety and kicker.

- So far the injuries have been minor. Let's hope that continues.

The Quietest Offseason in a Long Time

There hasn't been a lot to talk about lately. I can't remember the last time I was honestly at a loss for topics to discuss about the Dallas Cowboys. Recent offseasons have been filled with endless drama. Whether it was T.O. coming or going, Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, Greg Ellis whining or any other big story it seemed like the stream of news from Valley Ranch was endless. Until this year.

Sure, there has been a little controversy this offseason. Flozell Adams was cut by the Cowboys and the move has been endlessly debated by fans and the Dallas media for months now. And Ken Hamlin was also cut but I don't think that caused much concern for most people. Alan Ball and David Beuhler have been discussed and debated to the point of boredom.

Marty B. tried to spice things up over the holiday weekend. He concocted and filmed another video that I'm sure he thought was hilarious and entertaining. This time he dressed up as Osama bin Laden and performed a horrible rap. You would think that would be big news but I think everyone is numb to his childish antics at this point. His video only lasted a few hours on the internet before it was mysteriously removed. Something tells me he will be paying another fine to the team for his ignorance and immaturity.

Miles Austin is making some waves with his dating life, but does that really mean anything to me? Probably not. As long as he isn't going Hollywood or getting the idea that he is bigger than the team then I really couldn't care less who he is dating. Same goes for Tony Romo or any other player on the roster.

So what do we do to fill the time before training camp? I have found myself taking a break from the team for a few weeks for the first time in years. I didn't check the news for a few days and when I finally did I realized that absolutely nothing had transpired. What a concept. A real offseason from the Dallas Cowboys. It was nice for a few weeks but now I am getting antsy for training camp to start. A break is nice but I'm excited for the season to officially start with training camp in a few weeks.

Can Martellus Turn It Around This Year?

Last offseason had a lot of us believing that Martellus Bennett was the secret weapon in the Cowboys offensive attack. In the preseason it really looked like the Cowboys were going to have a role for him in the passing game. But in the early part of the season it became apparent that Martellus was not ready for an increased role in the passing game.

He seemed clueless when it came to pre-snap alignment on a ridiculously high number of his offensive snaps. There were incorrect routes run in games and even a few dropped passes. The worst thing that happened to Martellus was that he lost the confidence of his coaches and his quarterback. As the season wore on it became obvious that he was no longer a significant player in the passing game.

On the plus side for Martellus he did do an excellent job blocking in the running game. I have to give him credit for continuing to give a strong effort blocking while he was slowly phased out of the passing game. John Phillips started getting some looks in passing situations late in the season. Again, to the credit of Martellus, he didn't go crying to the media.

I'm not going to lie. I'm no fan of Martellus and his antics. I watched him act like a complete fool while the rest of the team was stretching and warming up for a training camp practice last season. He didn't seem very serious about his job. Having fun is one thing, but acting like an immature fool while the rest of the team is working is unacceptable. I was really hoping the Cowboys would trade him during the draft.

The only way things are going to change for Marty B is if he has a new attitude and a new level of maturity this offseason. He has all the natural physical tools to be not only a good player, but a great player. It all boils down to desire and maybe intelligence for Martellus. I don't want to insult his intelligence but when a guy can't even line up before the snap without his quarterback or a teammate telling him where to go it is embarrassing. His lack of preparation and focus is flat out unprofessional.

Either he hasn't cared enough to learn the offense or he doesn't have the mental capacity to learn it. In his second season he actually seemed to regress in his level of play and mental preparation. But the great thing about sports is that you have a chance to redefine yourself every season. If he comes out this season and plays well then all will be forgiven. We'll all talk about how he just needed time mature because he came into the league so young.

But if he goes through another season like last year I think we can come to the conclusion that he is what he is. I hope he turns the corner but I honestly believe the coaches should put their stock in John Phillips. I'm not saying Martellus shouldn't play. He still needs to be the #2 tight end because he is a big part of the running game. But John Phillips should be the second tight end option in the passing game until Martellus earns the right to get some passes. That would come from proving he knows the offense and is ready to take his job seriously.

Marty B Needs Less Talk, More Action

I have been pondering the future of Martellus Bennett with the Dallas Cowboys since early in the 2009 season. The Cowboys had spent a great deal of time developing schemes in the offensive game plan to get him involved. But it was obvious in game after game that Martellus wasn't getting the job done. Sure, he did a good job run blocking. But he has to be told where to line up in what seems like every other play. He runs the wrong route on passes or makes the wrong pattern adjustment during the play. And, worst of all, he lost the trust of his quarterback.

When John Phillips started to take the place of Marty B in the passing game I thought it might finally light a fire under him. But listening to his comments to Steve Dennis of CBS in Dallas, it seems as though Martellus believes he is already working hard. That is a scary thought. I have witnessed the work habits of Martellus first hand at training camp. He is a guy who is more interested in playing around and working the crowd then actually focusing on the practice. And during the games you can watch him goof around on the sidelines while other offensive players are discussing adjustments or correcting mistakes.

He is the classic case of a guy who never had to work hard to make it big in sports. He has all the talent in the world but he lacks the work ethic required at the professional level to be successful. I really wonder if he has the mental capacity to succeed at the NFL level based on his enourmous number of mental mistakes throughout the course of each game. I really wonder how it is possible that he has to be told on nearly every other play where to line up. Is he too dumb to remember where to line up or does he lack the focus needed to be successful?

I remember when people were getting on Jason Witten's case during Hard Knocks in 2008 when he was caught telling Martellus that he wasn't going to help him line up every play. At that time it seemed like a rookie struggling to adapt but now it is becoming apparent that this is what Martellus is. Jason Witten seemed to sense the problem early on. Now we can see that Jason was right all along.

Jerry Jones has weighed in on the topic recently. He agreed that Martellus needs to put in more work to succeed at this level. You would think that getting called out in the media by your owner would light a fire under your butt. Not with Martellus. He seems to believe he is already working hard and the coaches need to find better ways to use him. That scares me.

Remember how John Garrett had to constantly ride Martellus during hard knocks in 2008? You shouldn't have to treat a professional football player that way, but I think that is the only way Martellus will listen. I think Martellus lacks the desire needed to reach his potential.

I have reached the point that I am ready for the Cowboys to attempt to trade Martellus for whatever they can get for him. I'm sure some team would be enamoured by his enormous talent and offer a draft pick for him. I would be happy to trade him for a second or third round pick. If the Cowboys can get that for him I think it would be a steal. John Phillips has proven he is on the rise and Martellus' stock is falling fast.

If Martellus stays, he is right, this is the big year for him. We saw promise in his rookie year. But then he actually regressed in year two. I didn't see his problems this year as the classic sophomore slump. His problems seemed to be a lack of mental preparation for the games. We need a new focus from Martellus this season. Save the comments for me about his age. He has been working as a professional football player for two years now. How long should we have to wait for a guy to get it together? We are all hoping for a Super Bowl run this season. That isn't going to happen with guys lining up in the wrong place every other place. And Martellus will have to work hard to earn back the trust of his quarterback. I don't think Tony Romo has trusted Martellus since he ran his stupid spin route instead of the called fade route in the Carolina game.

If it were up to me, Martellus would be shipped out of Dallas ASAP. You don't make comments to the media about changing the offense to fit you when you aren't even working hard to improve. Martellus needs to improve his game and I don't think he sees that. Maybe a ticket out of town will make him finally realize he has to work to take advantage of his natural physical talents.

Training Camp Preview - Part 3 - Tight Ends

Another position with no concerns heading into the season is tight end. Jason Witten is arguably the best all-around tight end in the NFL, Martellus Bennett is developing into a well-rounded complement, and John Phillips was drafted for depth at the position. The plan appears to be running more two tight end sets to get Bennett and Witten on the field together as much as possible. It certainly makes sense considering how talented they both are. There really isn't going to be much of a battle during camp but here is what I will be looking for.

Jason Witten - There isn't much that Jason needs to work on to improve his game. What makes him great is that he believes he still has a long way to go to be a complete player. He will be working hard a striving for perfection in every aspect of his game. I hope his work ethic and desire rubs off not only on Bennett and Phillips, but also the rest of the team. I would like to see Jason stepping into more of a leadership role this year during training camp. In my mind it is up to Tony Romo and Jason Witten to be the leaders of the offense this year.

Martellus Bennett - I'll be very interested to see how Bennett performs during camp this year. I know he has great talent as a receiver but my bigger concern is whether he can handle sealing off the end of the line on runs out wide to his side. If he can do the job then Felix Jones is going to be a dangerous weapon in the double tight end set because the defense won't be able to cheat to one side of the field. I am also very anxious to see if Bennett is ready to put in the hard work needed to make the most of his talent. I'm no fan of his off field antics, but I can ignore that stuff if he is working hard like he should be. I know he is very young but I am worried that he is more concerned with being the cool, funny guy than being a great football player.

John Phillips - I haven't seen much of this guy except for the few highlights I could find on YouTube. Most of the scouting reports rated him as a good receiving tight end, but a sub par blocker coming out of Virginia. He is going learn very quickly how important his footwork and technique are for blocking at the NFL level. I hope that the coaches and especially Jason Witten can get him going in the right direction. It will be interesting to see if he can develop into the blocker the Cowboys will need him to be. He is also going to be expected to contribute on special teams, so his hustle and desire are going to be exposed. If he develops into even a decent player then the Cowboys have absolutely no concern, barring injury, at the tight end position heading into the season.

Heading into the 2009 season, the Cowboys are set at tight end. With Jason Witten and Martellus Bennet the Cowboys have the best tandem of tight ends in the NFL. I hope that Jason Garrett can find ways to get both of these guys involved in the offense because they are both capable of making big plays.

The Waiting Is the Hardest Part

We have hit the slowest time in the NFL offseason. Mini-camp is over and the tidbits of information we can get about the Cowboys are few and far between. This is the time of year that is the toughest for me to endure. The season is only 81 days away but right now that feels like forever.

What makes this year harder than the last few years is that we really can't predict what we are going to get from the Cowboys this season. As I have previously mentioned, the team has undergone some major changes this offseason so we really don't know how the newly assembled roster will come together during training camp. The one thing that is safe to say is that there are no more excuses for some of the key members of the team.

There are so many questions that pop in my head I don't know where to start. What will we get out of Roy Williams? Is Tony Romo going to step up and be a vocal leader on and off the field? Can Felix Jones stay healthy? Is Miles Austin ready to be an integral part of the offense? Can Demarcus Ware continue to dominate without Greg Ellis on the other side of the line? Is Sensabaugh the answer at safety? Can Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick take the next step in their development? Does Keith Brooking have a good season left in him? Is Martellus Bennett ready to play a bigger role in the offense? Will the special teams be improved? Can Anthony Spencer keep opposing offenses from doubling Demarcus Ware every play? Is the offensive line going to play better? Will the tackling improve? How can all of the running backs be utilized? Is Bobby Carpenter finally going to get on the field?

There are too many questions to list them all, but there is still a long time to wait before we start to get some real answers. And we won't get an answer to the most important question until January...can this team finally win a playoff game?