#224 Dallas Picks: E.J Whitley OT Texas Tech

E.J. Whitley
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 309 | 40-Time: 5.40

Official Bio

Strengths:
Has good size...Moves well and can get to the second level...A very good pass blocker who has had a lot of reps...Extremely versatile and could play multiple positions...Smart and a hard worker...Very durable and has a lot of experience.

Weaknesses:
Is not overly athletic...Did not play in an offense that ran the ball much...Not very explosive or dominant...Needs to hit the weights and get stronger...Is not very physical and lacks a nasty demeanor between the lines...Blitz recognition is poor.

Notes:
The next in a recent line of pro prospects along the Red Raider offensive line...A three-year starter who has played every position up front and might be able to shift inside at the next level...If nothing else could prove to be a valuable backup.

with the #211 pick the Cowboys Paul McQuistan from Webser St.

Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 280 pounds
Class Year: So
High School: Lebanon
Hometown: Lebanon, OR

Pros: McQuistan is big, raw left tackle prospect with an intriguing upside. He has fine footwork and agility with the physical combination of size, athleticism and intangibles to be a starter in time. He dominated opponents on a weekly basis at Weber State, where his athletic ability was too much for small-college defenders. His movement skills are good and he is quick off the line - whether run or pass blocking. As a drive blocker, he uses his lower body strength to get movement at the line of scrimmage and leans on defenders with the nasty demeanor to finish well. He has the ability to get to the second level with success and adjusts well on the move. His arms measure 35.5” long and give him the ability to lock on and steer an opponent out of the hole.

Cons: He needs refinement on his overall technique. His level of competition did not challenge him and he will need time in camp to settle into either tackle spot. Whether he can handle NFL caliber speed rushers remains to be seen.

Numbers:: At the Combine he ran the 40-yard dash in 5.1 seconds with a 29.5" vertical jump and a 9’2” broad jump. He did 28 reps in the 225-pound bench press.

With the #182 choice the Cowboys take DT Montavious Stanley

Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 321 pounds
Class Year: Sr
Experience: 3V
High School: Westover
Hometown: Albany, GA

Pros: Mobile wide body defensive tackle completed a fine career with the Cardinals, starting the final three seasons on the inside. Montavious is a thickly built, naturally strong tackle that can play well in a number of roles on the inside. He has been a three-technique tackle that has the strength and bulk to work well as a two-gap lineman, though he looks like a natural for a zero technique nose man as well.

Cons: When he comes off the ball high, he lacks a burst through the line and allows blockers to get into him and push him around. He must improve his hand use if he expects to be a factor as a pass rusher

Numbers: As a senior, he posted 48 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 11 starts.

Skinny: He is a good athlete who has the package NFL scouts seek in a pro prospect, but he was slow to develop as a collegian. He has the natural tools that will warrant serious consideration by at least the middle rounds off his improving late performance.

#138 5th Round Pat Watkins S FSU

Pat Watkins S Florida St
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 210 pounds
Class Year: Sr
Experience: 3V
High School: Lincoln
Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
40 time: 4.5 seconds

Strengths
Pat is a deceivingly athletic safety. He is tall, and I don’t think at the college level, that he's been challenged enough to bring out all of his talent. He has good enough coverage skills to be able to handle those big WR’s one-on-one in the red zone. Due to his size, Pat will be intimidating to a QB in a 2 deep zone. Add his speed, burst, ability to cover ground quickly and tackling skills to the mix and you have a recipe for a hell of a free safety at the next level.

Needs to Improve
I think that Pat is very sure of his talent and until it's proven to him that the techniques he uses now will not be good enough at the next level, he might be a little stubborn to coach. But he will be well worth the struggle because he seems to be a good kid and his stubbornness is not an attitude problem. It is a "confidence in his abilities" problem. He will get beat and then, he will learn.

Bottom Line
Right now, things come easy for Pat. He has athletic skills that a lot of safeties do not have and I don't believe that he has been challenged enough for most people to realize that. His coverage skills are good for the college level, but just average for the NFL level. Here is the issue: his measurables tell me that this kid has a lot more talent than he's shown to date and will develop as he's challenged at the next level. Pat has excellent upside to his game and is very underrated at this point in the draft, but he has only himself to blame for that. You have to wonder about his ability to motivate himself to be the best. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that as soon as Pat is challenged and struggles a bit (to the point where it affects his play on the field), his pride in his athletic talent will force him to get motivated and eventually become one of the better safeties in the league. In the mean time, Pat still has the ability to cover those big WR’s in the red zone and cut down those pesky fade routes that everyone uses now. That coverage ability, along with his size and athletic talent, makes Pat a first day pick. In fact, if a team feels that Pat has the upside that I think he has, some team at the end of the first round just might take a chance and pick him. It’s a bit of a long shot; but like all long shots, it’s a possibility.

- Drew Boylhart (thehuddlereport.com)

Jets-Boys discuss trade for Julius Jones

Get passer in second
NY Daily News
Originally published on April 30, 2006

The Jets drafted a potential quarterback of the future yesterday, Oregon's Kellen Clemens in Round 2, and they also explored the possibility of trading for Curtis Martin's heir apparent.

Before the draft, the Jets talked to the Cowboys about acquiring running back Julius Jones, who has rushed for 1,812 yards in two injury-plagued seasons. If the Cowboys had drafted a runner, it would've made Jones expendable. Talks appear dead.

The Jets didn't take a running back with any of their five picks.

Clemens is only 6-1-1/2 and he doesn't have a big arm, but "the guy has outstanding, outstanding intangibles," GM Mike Tannenbaum said.

"Them passing on (Matt) Leinart left the door open for me," Clemens said.

He completed 64% of his passes last season, with 19 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. He missed the last two months of the season with a broken ankle.

Yahoo Sports: Day 1 Winners and Losers (Redskins)

Day 1's winners and losers
By Charles Robinson, Yahoo! Sports
April 29, 2006

Charles Robinson
Yahoo! Sports Exclusive
More Robinson – Analysis of first two rounds

NEW YORK – Rarely does one draft pick represent both a big win and a big loss, but the Houston Texans and Mario Williams have landed in that awkward intersection.

Williams scored big Saturday, unseating Southern Cal's Reggie Bush as the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft – a feat that most deemed unimaginable only a few days ago. At the same time, the Texans suffered a public relations loss, walking away from both Bush and Texas' Vince Young, the two most dynamic and electrifying players in college football last season.

It was said that Houston could pass on Young or Bush, but certainly not both. And yet, that's exactly what the Texans did.

"Vince Young was very popular in Houston and Reggie Bush is, too," Texans owner Bob McNair said Saturday. "So you know, it was a tough choice."

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It's one that McNair will have to explain in the coming days to Houston's fan base. It's also a decision he will have to repeatedly defend if Bush or Young continue to star in NFL highlight reels. Selling tickets for a 2-14 team is tough enough, but it's even more difficult to urge patience when that same team passes on players that need only to suit up to excite the locals.

Fans believe Reggie Bush could do that. They know Vince Young could, too. What about Mario Williams, he of raw talent and unpolished skills? His selection doesn't exactly elicit faith that last season's futility hasn't spilled into the offseason, too.

"I realize [the frustration] and I think that's going to be a temporary situation," McNair said. "It's up to us to go out and win football games. We win football games, and they are going to say, 'You made the right decision.' If we don't win football games, they say, 'You're stupid.' "

Therein lies the reality. For now, Williams walks into Houston in triumph and McNair returns in public relations defeat. Whether it stays that way has everything to do with the 2006 wins and losses that have yet to be counted.

Here are some other winners and losers on the draft's first day:

THE WINNERS

Arizona Cardinals – It may not translate onto the field, but Dennis Green sure has a way of looking great on draft day. After landing what was thought to be one of the best draft classes last season, Green shot to the top of the charts again this year. Not only did he land Mr. Golden Boy, Matt Leinart, but he also added massive guard Deuce Lutui in the second. For good measure, he pounced on Leonard Pope in the third round – a player some teams had rated as the No. 1 tight end.

Green Bay Packers – The Packers needed an infusion of talent, and just by sheer bulk alone, they may have had the best first day of the draft. Selecting five players in the first 75 picks is always a nice luxury, and Green Bay picked up some quality talent. The Packers added two of the best linebackers in the country in A.J. Hawk and Abdul Hodge to their porous defense, then accentuated their first-day picks with some lesser-known talent like Daryn Colledge, Greg Jennings and Jason Spitz – three players who could all contribute as early as next season either as starters or special-teams players.

Tennessee Titans – From a ticket standpoint, the Titans landed marketing whoppers with their lone pair of picks on Day 1. Watch reruns of the national championship game between USC and Texas, and you'll see why it's going to be so easy to sell Vince Young and LenDale White to the fan base. And getting White in the second round – despite all of his issues – is a steal.

Ohio State – Unlike USC, the Buckeyes' prospects realized all of their pre-draft hype. Ohio State placed five players in the first round – including two in the top eight picks – and had seven drafted on the first day alone. By the time it's all said and done, 10 Ohio State players could be chosen in this draft.

Atlantic Coast Conference – The ACC dominated the first round, with a staggering 12 selections. That's a draft record for a conference. The impressive lineup included four players from Florida State and three from North Carolina State, including the overall No. 1 pick in Williams. Even Miami squeaked out another first-round pick (Kelly Jennings to Seattle at No. 31) to extend its streak of first-rounders to 12 consecutive years.

Philadelphia Eagles – There's nothing like standing pat and striking it rich. The Eagles considered trading up from No. 14 overall and trying to snag one of two players – Florida State's Brodrick Bunkley or USC's Winston Justice. Instead, the Eagles waited patiently in the first round and Bunkley slid to them … and then watched Justice fall just far enough for them to trade up to the 39th overall pick and get him, too. It was an amazing coup that probably had Andy Reid wetting his pants. He got not one but two linemen with first-round ratings.

Defensive backs – A strong class of players always gets swept up in the first round, and the defensive backs have continued the trend of the last few years by landing a large crop in the first 32 choices. This year, 10 first-round picks were lavished on players in the secondary.

Donte Whitner – If you want the draft's biggest winner, it has to be Whitner. When Ohio State's season ended, the safety was considered a borderline first-round pick. By the time he had gone through the combine, pro day and personal workouts, he'd caught the eye of the Bills, jumping all the way to No. 8 overall. With his hard work in the last four months, he earned himself somewhere around an extra $6 million to $8 million in guaranteed money.

New England Patriots – Yes, the Patriots need a shot of defensive talent. But it's hard to knock them spending their first two picks on the likes of Minnesota's Laurence Maroney and Florida's Chad Jackson. Maroney becomes the heir apparent to a slowing Corey Dillon, and the blazing Jackson – a big wideout with a first-round grade – somehow fell to them in the second round. The skill positions have been replenished nicely.

THE LOSERS

USC – It's been a rough few days for the Trojans. First, they had a shadow cast over them by the Reggie Bush investigation and Mark Sanchez arrest. Then, on what was expected to be the shining day for their pro prospects, disaster struck. Bush lost what seemed to be a hammerlock on the first overall pick and Leinart slid all the way to No. 10. But the real smack in the face came when both White and Justice plummeted to the second round because of character concerns. And did we mention that Darnell Bing wasn't drafted on the first day?

Wide receiver crop – The talk that the top receivers had bolstered their status over the last few months turned out to be hype. Santonio Holmes tumbled to the 25th pick and Jackson – thought to be top-20 material – fell into the second round. We should have stuck with our assessment that we had going into the combine: This was a truly crummy receiving class.

LenDale White – Talk about rolling downhill after your star moment. White reached his apex in the Rose Bowl, then plummeted down the side of a mountain without brakes. He showed up overweight at the combine, followed that up with a horrific pro day, then had a report of a failed drug test surface the week of the draft. When his downward spiral came to a rest, White had gone from top-10 material to the 45th overall pick. For those who are counting, that's a loss of about $8 million in guaranteed money.

Winston Justice – It was hard to figure out how Justice went from being a potential top 10 to 15 pick to falling into the second round, particularly after having such an impressive pro day. The buzz on Saturday was that teams weren't sold on Justice's character, stemming from his year-long suspension in 2004.

Kurt Warner – How many times is Warner going to get nailed by the youth movement? First, he got toppled by Marc Bulger in St. Louis, then he had to go through the dread and awkwardness of the Eli Manning experience in New York. And just when it looked like he had found some solid ground in Arizona, Leinart arrives. In a perfect society, Leinart will have to wait his turn, but we know people will ask questions about starting Leinart right away. Maybe Leinart's rookie season will go down like Carson Palmer's first year when he warmed the bench in Cincinnati. But for Warner, it's more likely to be flashbacks of New York.

Ashley Lelie – Javon Walker is coming to town. So much for Lelie's shot at the No. 1 wide receiver job.

Washington Redskins – The Redskins traded three draft picks – including their second-rounder in 2007 – to move up 18 spots and draft Roger McIntosh in the second round. This is supposed to soothe the pain of letting LaVar Arrington go. We'll see.

#125 4th Round Pick - Skyler Green WR - LSU

Ht: 5-9
Wt: 189
Position: SE
Date of Birth: 9/12/1984
Class: Senior
High School: Higgins, L W, HS (Marrero, LA)
College:LSU

Pos: WR Pos Rank: #19 Pos Rating:

Biography:

2004 Honorable Mention All-SEC (AP) 2003 First-Team All-American (SI.com, ESPN.com)
2003 Second-Team All-American (Collegefootballnews.com)
2003 First-Team All-SEC (Collegefootballnews.com)
2003 Second-Team All-SEC (AP, SEC Coaches)

The veteran in the Tiger receiving corps ... Enters the 2005 season at full strength after being slowed for most of 2004 with an ankle injury ... Has played in 31 games during his career with eight starts ... Blends sure hands with that of blazing speed for the Tigers ... Can be used in a variety of ways much like that of former standout Josh Reed ... Has scored touchdowns in several different ways during his career - rushing (1), punt returns (3) and receiving (9) ... Enters final season with the Tigers ranked fifth in school history with 705 yards on 50 returns ... For career, has 79 receptions for 861 yards and 9 TDs ... Led the nation in punt returns average in 2003 with an 18.5 average ... Cousin of former LSU standouts Jarvis and Howard Green, both of which are in the NFL - Jarvis with the Patriots and Howard with the Saints.
---------------------------------
Green's lack of size is going to be the thing that hinders him most as he makes the jump to the NFL because the league has eaten up a ton of tremendous college receivers who were under 5-10 and never made any real impact as a pro. He has all the athletic tools you can ask for and when it combines with his hands and vision/instincts running with the ball, he no doubt has what it takes to be a good returner and slot receiver in the NFL. However, his lack of size makes him best suited to be a No. 3 receiver who comes in when his team goes to three-receiver sets and can line him up in the slot to take advantage of his athleticism and limit the pounding he has to take. Additionally, he does not consistently make good decisions returning the ball. Overall, Green is a player that has big-play ability as a receiver and returner. He could really make an impact with a team like the Rams or Chiefs, where he can be aligned to avoid the jam most of the time and can rely upon his quickness, agility, explosiveness and hands to make big plays in the open field.

New Dallas Cowboy TE Anthony Fasano Bio

By: TheRanchReport.com
Date: Apr 29, 2006

TIDBIT: The Cowboys selected former Notre Dame tight end Anthony Fasano with the No. 53 pick in the draft.

CAREER: One of college football's most productive tight ends ... figures to compete for national acclaim this season ... a legitimate contender for the John Mackey Award, given annually to college football's finest tight end ... stands to get plenty of looks in Notre Dame's new offense ... an excellent receiver who also shows good speed in the open field ... has developed into a good blocker ... has been a vital component of the Notre Dame offense the last two seasons ... rough and tumble type of player ... 2005 will be his third season of action and he could be eligible

Dallas Cowboy QB Drew Henson had a nice day today...

Originally posted by silverbear from a sports forum:

In a come-from-behind, 27-24 victory... he completed 13 of 21 for 219 yards and 1 TD, no interceptions... rating of 113.0... he was sacked twice...

New Dallas Cowboy Bobby Carpenter's Highlight Video!

Thanks to roywilliamsismyhero from a sport forum:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/draft click on the little button next to his name

OLB Bobby Carpenter and TE Anthony Fasano lead our 2006 draft class

By RICK HERRIN
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
IRVING – The Cowboys went offensive in the second round Saturday and drafted Notre Dame tight end Anthony Fasano with pick No. 53.

Fasano (6-foot-3, 260 pounds) had 47 catches for 576 yards and two touchdowns last season. He came out after his junior year. As a sophomore, the New Jersey native had a career-best four TDs.

Fasano became more of a weapon with Notre Dame’s move to a passing system under coach Charlie Weis.

The Cowboys moved down to pick No. 53 from No. 49 after a trade with the New York Jets.

In the trade, the Cowboys also added two second-day picks in the sixth and seventh rounds from the Jets.

In the first round, the Cowboys selected Ohio State linebacker Bobby Carpenter with the 18th pick. The Cowboys have not selected an offensive player in the first round since taking tight end David LaFleur from LSU in 1997.

The Cowboys also own pick No. 80 in the third round.

With Carpenter, Bill Parcells went with a player from a family he knows well. Carpenter (6-foot-2, 254 pounds) is the son of former New York Giants running back Rob Carpenter, who played for Parcells from 1981-85.

Carpenter is expected to play outside linebacker. He had eight sacks and 49 tackles this season. He suffered a broken right ankle late in the last game of the season and missed Ohio State’s bowl game.

Several attractive players fell to the Cowboys, including N.C. State defensive end Manny Lawson, USC offensive tackle Winston Justice, Ohio State receiver Santonio Holmes and Florida receiver Chad Jackson.

TIDBIT: Eagles, Cowboys passing on Justice?

From ESPN Insider ----
Eagles, Cowboys passing on Justice?
By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
Archive

A potential landing spot for Justice could be the Cowboys at pick No. 18, but there are rumors that head coach Bill Parcells would not sign off on another laid-back Southern California offensive tackle after the Jacob Rogers fiasco (second round, 2004). If Justice does experience a free fall, the Chargers would be delighted to address their biggest need with the in-state product.

NFL News: The owner of the house Reggie Bush's family lived in is planning to sue the family

The owner of the house Reggie Bush's family lived in is planning to sue the family for $3.2 million. The NFLPA claims the family was the subject of unlawful threats.
We've heard whispers that this story is only getting started. Bush's family reportedly did not pay rent at the house they were living at. There are indications that Bush's stepfather was involved in setting up the agency that he eventually spurned. The possibility of him losing his Heisman is growing.

Apr. 28 - 9:56 am et
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune

NFL News: Texans are focusing Friday contract talks on Mario Williams, not Reggie Bush

ESPN.com reports the Texans are focusing Friday contract talks on Mario Williams, not Reggie Bush.

There were conflicting reports Wednesday that a deal with Bush was close. But Len Pasquarelli reports the Texans haven't contacted Bush in over 24 hours, and have negotiated with Williams all Friday. A FoxSports.com report claims the Texans have told Williams he will be the first pick. Houston GM Charlie Casserly denies that.

Apr. 28 - 7:38 pm et
Source: ESPN.com

The Saints landing Tony Romo probably will not happen

Saints | Team lands J. Martin
Thu, 27 Apr 2006 20:54:09 -0700

Jim Thomas, of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, reports the New Orleans Saints have signed free agent QB Jamie Martin (Rams) to a two-year contract. Financial terms were not released.

NFL News: Las Vegas city officials contacted the Chargers about relocating to NV

Las Vegas city officials contacted the Chargers about their interest in the team this week.

The team is expected to explore other locations in Southern California as early as next month. They aren't allowed to speak to other U.S. cities, including Vegas, until 2007.

Apr. 28 - 4:16 pm et

NFC East: Redskins released WR/KR Antonio Brown

Redskins released WR/KR Antonio Brown.
With Antwaan Randle El on the team, Brown had no role.

Apr. 28 - 5:58 pm et

Cowboys Listening to Offers

History indicates Dallas may move down from No. 18
www.cnnsi.com

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Jerry Jones is getting tired of writing big checks to free agent offensive linemen.

The cheap solution: Draft some good ones.

The Dallas Cowboys have the 18th pick in the draft Saturday, which gives them a chance to add all but a handful of the best blockers available -- unless they trade up a few spots, perhaps to take Southern California tackle Winston Justice.

However, Jones usually prefers trading down, both to get more picks that way and because the lower they're taken, the cheaper they cost. That doesn't always mean getting lesser players, either, as evidenced by Larry Allen and Flozell Adams going from second-rounders to Pro Bowlers.

"We would really like to have numbers of picks," Jones said. "But if we thought there was a real chance to get a player who shouldn't have been sliding, we might move up. More than likely, I don't anticipate anything dramatic in either scenario, nothing more than three or four slots."

Since going 9-7 last season and falling short of the playoffs, the Cowboys have addressed most of their needs through free agency. That includes signing Kyle Kosier to replace Allen at left tackle and Jason Fabini to take over at right guard. Of course, they also made the headline-grabbing addition of receiver Terrell Owens.

"It seems like we've got a lot more options," Jones said. "With the free agents, we were really able to cover our needs spots. That allows us not to compromise our pick in any way. We don't have to take a lesser player because he plays a position of need.

"But I would not hesitate at all to draft a position where we didn't have the biggest need. We're not going to pass up too good of a player."

Except maybe if he's a receiver.

Although Owens is 32 and fellow starter Terry Glenn will be, too, when training camp opens, and there are legitimate questions about whether they will play every game (Glenn because of health, Owens because he's Owens). Jones may already be trying to make Owens content by not adding competition at the position.

"I don't feel an urgency to get a young wide receiver," Jones said.

If Dallas does try drafting by position, defensive tackle and linebacker are good places to start.

The Cowboys improved their defense a lot by taking outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and defensive lineman Marcus Spears in the first round last year, then adding lineman Chris Canty in the fourth round.

Yet coach Bill Parcells can still find a spot for anyone else who can get to the quarterback or draw enough blockers to free someone else's path. Tackle might be a priority since La'Roi Glover left in free agency.

When in doubt, though, the Cowboys might go with an offensive lineman.

"If we get out of the draft without an offensive lineman, I'll be very disappointed," Jones said. "Frankly, I like putting an offensive lineman in the mix every year because of how expensive it is to get them in free agency."

The Cowboys have drafted six offensive linemen in four drafts under Parcells. They've had as many misses as hits.

Second-rounders Andre Gurode and Al Johnson split the center job last season and likely will do so again this year. Last year, seventh-rounder Rob Petitti cracked the starting lineup out of training camp, but as the season went on it became apparent that was mostly by default; most telling is that Fabini was signed to take his place.

The regrettable move was taking Jacob Rogers 52nd in 2004.

Rogers was an All-American from Southern California's national championship team, so the Cowboys thought they got a steal getting him so low. Turns out, other teams knew what they were doing by avoiding him. He frustrated team officials for two years, never taking an offensive snap before being released recently.

In the third round of that same draft, Dallas took Stephen Peterman. He remains a fringe player. The other OL pick of the Parcells era was seventh-rounder Justin Bates in 2003, who never made the team.

COWBOY UP

"Cowboy Up" by Adam Schefter

"Dallas and head coach Bill Parcells are taking a different tact to this year's draft, one that could set a trend in future years.

The Cowboys have instructed their assistant coaches to focus on this season's upcoming opponents rather than the upcoming draft, meaning the assistant coaches have had as little input into this draft as any coaching staff in recent memory.

Parcells, the Cowboys front office and Dallas' scouts have handled all the draft preparations, gearing up for the big weekend. It could turn out to be a great move. The men who know college talent have focused in on it, and the assistant coaches have focused in on next season, allowing Dallas to get ahead."

Good Idea? Bad Idea?

Tony Romo: Biding Time

By: Scott Knudsen

Date: Apr 25, 2006

Over time and throughout the world, there have been seven Ancient and Natural Wonders known to man. Upon further inspection, there should actually be eight. Along side The Pyramids of Egypt and The Grand Canyon there should be one additional entity: Cowboys reserve QB Tony Romo.


While the traditional seven have had millions pay, view, adorn and applaud their splendor, the eighth remains a local enigma. A complete mystery perched behind Drew Bledsoe in the Dallas pecking order of supremacy.

For the good of the order, the shroud of mystery must continue. At least for another year; possibly two. If the true identity of Tony Romo is revealed in 2006, chances are the Cowboys are flirting with disaster. Why? The starting quarterback is either hurt or deemed ineffective. Neither is a proposition offering much upside. You do not want to see Tony Romo on the field of play during 2006. End of story.

Patience is a virtue. His baptism, right along with the next phase of the Dallas Cowboys, will be ushered in a few sacred Sundays down the road. Until then, the fandom needs to fixate on the present. The current assembly of players, especially the skill positions, are built for “right here, right now.” Brett Favre, in a recent interview being asked his views on Terrell Owens, noted, “The Cowboys are loading up.” If there are statement disbelievers out there, you haven’t been following along closely enough. Of course all the “we’re just in it to compete” superlatives will be touted from the mount, but be clear on one thing. Jerry has loaded every chamber, and he fully expects to win it all. This year!! “Loading up” may prove to be a bit of an understatement when compared to overall expectations.

If the Cowboys weren’t viewed as the top-rated player in free agency, they certainly reside in the top three. This isn’t some test drive around the track. Sights are clearly set on the winner’s circle.

Thus, Tony Romo needs to continue swinging golf clubs in the off-season and caddying for Drew Bledsoe during the regular season. Pretty sound logic if you’re No. 9. Actually the flawed logic resides with the Cowboys’ brass. If truly in the “right here, right now” mode, with the sun continuing to set on the Bledsoe and Parcells tenure, it could be construed as negligence not to have a veteran signal-caller either on deck or in the hole. Or is it?

For the third-year running, absent any treks across the pond, the organization has placed its trust and confidence in the former rookie free agent from Eastern Illinois. Indeed, you better read that statement one more time. The back-up quarterback for your beloved, on the cusp of breakthrough, team is a former, undrafted, rookie free agent from Eastern Illinois. What’s wrong with this picture? What does the organization already know that none of us spectators have been able to validate with visual evidence?

In the most simplistic of terms, they like Tony Romo. Like him a lot. Must. How else do you rationalize the food stamps approach to the quarterback budget? Bank this: there are more prudent ways to save a few bucks when tightening the monetary belt, but NFL quarterback is not the suggested line item for frugalness. Not if you desire to compete and yearn to win.

It would have been most interesting to see the Sean Payton reaction had Tony Romo been available on the open, free agency market. Would there have been a play? Some type of indicator or reassurance that there’s actually a “little something” to this kid? In this “prove it” world, where validation is constantly sought, the fan base is left with nothing more than blind faith and organizational trust. Talk about your gut check of intestinal fortitude. There comes a time when all must place heart and soul with those who actually do this for a living.

While certainly anxious to get his moment in the sun, Tony Romo continues to appear calm and unflappable. It could be a façade, but something says otherwise. There’s a certain quiet air/heir to this kid, and that’s a good thing. The history and mystique, which engulfs the position of Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback, has to be daunting. Expectations run a little North of human. This has to be both frustrating and desirous for Romo. How could it be any other way? Patience, young man, patience. Take it all in. Observe and absorb. Enjoy the marginal scrutiny while you can. Your time is coming, and when it does, the Dallas Cowboys have truly entered a new era.

The flashes and grittiness, which have been on display during preseason games, are most encouraging. Just as the Thanksgiving decision to start Henson over Romo, the refusal to provide him any type of mop-up duty and the outright chance to acquire out-of-contention playing time (insert St. Louis game here) were pure, head-scratching frustrations. Short-sidedness or New Jersey stubborn? You make the call.

One thing is crystal clear. No inexperienced signal caller is going to see the field on Parcells’ watch. Even if Bledsoe were on life support, the proposition would still be iffy. No quarterback desiring to play that very position will be drafted next weekend. If a QB’s name is called Saturday or Sunday, it will be of the Brad Smith, Michael Robinson or Reggie McNeal ilk. Collegiate QB turned NFL wide out or return man. See, the Cowboys already have their man. Even if the likes of a Brady Quinn were to find himself “landed” in Big D next year, he will ride pine until the Tony Romo show has a chance to take center stage. For now, it has to remain a figment of the imagination, for any dose of 2006 reality means the season is over. When Bill goes, Tony arrives. Until then………

NFC East: Eagles re-signed punter Dirk Johnson to a one-year contract

Eagles re-signed punter Dirk Johnson to a one-year contract.

The restricted free agent actually got some interest from Baltimore in the offseason. Johnson missed most of last season with a sports hernia. The team also signed K E.J. Cochrane.

Apr. 27 - 6:49 pm et

NFL News: Toronto Argonauts of the CFL has placed Ricky Williams on its 'negotiation list',

The Toronto Argonauts of the CFL has placed Ricky Williams on its 'negotiation list', giving them exclusive CFL bargaining rights.

ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli doesn't mention whether the Dolphins might be in favor of such a move - or if they had a choice. Williams could make up to $150,000 playing in Canada and could stay in game shape. Training camp starts next month. Our favorite part: classic Draft bust R. Jay Soward is already on the team.

Apr. 27 - 5:12 pm et
Source: ESPN.com

KTCK on what Coach Billl Parcells wants in his OLB

Originally posted by InmanRoshi from a sports forum:

Bob Sturm was just on KTCK, and he said he talked to a Cowboys Scout and he said Parcells wants an up the field pass rusher from the LB spot. He doesn’t want a “complement” to Ware, he wants as many Demarcus Wares as he can get his hands on. He wants to relentlessly attack opposing QB’s.

He went on to say that Carpenter doesn't really seem to be that type in his opinion. He gets the feeling they like Lawson alot.

NFL News: Drew Brees reportedly a "long way away from being able to play."

Drew Brees reportedly a "long way away from being able to play."

Both CBS Sportsline and profootballtalk.com report today that there are serious concerns Brees won't be ready for the season. Todd Bouman is currently the backup in New Orleans.

Apr. 27 - 6:45 pm et
Source: CBS.Sportsline.com

NFC East: Eagles say they want to increase Brian Westbrook's touches this season

The Eagles say they want to increase Brian Westbrook's touches this season.

Westbrook, despite all his catches, has never topped 250 touches in a season. "I'd like to get him more touches out of the backfield is what I'd like to do. We'll see how it works out," coach Andy Reid said.

Apr. 25 - 10:38 am et
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News

NFC East: Sean Taylor's trial for assault has been delayed indefinitely

Sean Taylor's trial for assault has been delayed indefinitely.

"I don't think anybody has a handle on it," coach Joe Gibbs said. "If they continue to move it, it would be a concern as the season gets closer."

Apr. 25 - 11:09 am et
Source: Washington Times

NFL News: Packers agreed to terms with CB Charles Woodson

Packers agreed to terms with CB Charles Woodson, formerly of the Raiders, on a seven-year, $52 million contract.

He held out for more money, and he got it. The deal reportedly brings the former Heisman winner $10.5 million in the first year and $18.5 million in the first three. Woodson should take over for disappointing Ahmad Carroll as the Packers starting corner opposite Al Harris. Injuries the past two seasons have hindered Woodson's play, but on paper, Green Bay's secondary looks to be vastly improved.

Apr. 26 - 7:50 pm et
Source: ESPN.com

NFL News: The Broncos are reportedly zeroing on WR Santonio Holmes

The Broncos are reportedly zeroing on WR Santonio Holmes.

We're not exactly sure why, but ESPN.com's Todd McShay seems like the most reputable prognisticator these days. Denver wants a receiver who can contribute right away and Holmes is more polished than Chad Jackson.

Apr. 26 - 4:30 pm et
Source: ESPN.com Insider

Jerry Jones Sunday Conversation

Jerry Jones Sunday Conversation
Originally posted by danthefreakinman from a sports forum:

Here's my recap:

- When asked about his thoughts of TO's star celebration:

He said it "infuriated" him but what made him really mad was the TDs he was scoring to be able to do it. He understands a player's competiveness driving him to do something like that. He wants TO to make up for that incident with touchdowns in a Cowboys uniform.

He also said it wouldn't be inappropriate to repeat the celebration as a Cowboy.

- When asked about how TO has destroyed teams for his own benefit:

He said the Cowboys worked hard to put a package together that says to TO that we're serious about this and hopefully he sees that and doesn't try to cause any problems. He didn't outright say this, but he was kind of dancing around the fact that the contract is structured to cut him if they have to.

- When asked if we got TO because this is Bill's last year and we're desperate:

He said the only thing he agrees with is that we're desperate to win. We haven't won like he wants and that needs to change. He didn't say anything about this being BPs last season, only that Bill was open to bringing in TO because the team needs to get back to winning. JJ said that desperate teams can be the most productive teams.

And that was the whole Sunday conversation. Kind of a letdown.

Cowboys 12.6million under cap

Cowboys | Team is $12.6 million under salary cap
Sun, 23 Apr 2006 16:16:51 -0700
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the Dallas Cowboys are $12.6 million under the salary cap, according to a source with NFL contractual data.


Cowboys | Team conducted pre-draft private workout with K. Simpson
Sun, 23 Apr 2006 15:54:40 -0700
Denny Seitz, of Charlotte Observer, reports the Dallas Cowboys conducted a private workout with South Carolina S Ko Simpson.

NFC East: Giants showing interest in Q. Porter

Giants | Team showing interest in Q. Porter Sun, 23 Apr 2006 16:51:47 -0700

Steve Solloway, of the Portland Press Herald, reports the New York Giants contacted Boston College QB Quinton Porter about a potential free agent contract, if he goes undrafted in next week's NFL Draft.

NFC East: Arrington only received a $5.25 million signing bonus from the Giants

Lavar Arrington only received a $5.25 million signing bonus from the Giants.

His deal only resembles fellow LB Julian Peterson on the surface. Without factoring the enormous incentives, the deal is worth about $3.7 million per year. It rises to $5 million per year if he hits the more reasonable incentives. In short, it was a very fair deal for New York and nowhere near what Arrington was looking for.

Apr. 23 - 11:41 am et
Source: New York Post

RUMORS OF COWBOYS-RAVENS DEAL ARE OFF THE MARK

POSTED 7:30 p.m. EDT, April 21, 2006

It always pains us to be required to actually debunk rumors, since our primary endeavor is to monger them. Still, at a time when phony information is moving through the grapevine faster than spoiled egg salad through a lactose intolerant Labrador, we feel compelled to speak out whenever we catch wind of something that is off the mark.

There are rumors making the rounds of a potential blockbuster trade between the Ravens and the Cowboys. We've learned through a league source with knowledge of any such discussions that, well, there are no such discussions.

None. Zero.

Really, what would the trade be? Neither team holds a top ten pick. Ray Lewis likely wants out of Baltimore, but the last place he'd want to go is to a team that runs a 3-4, since he needs a couple of wide bodies to prevent offensive linemen from knocking him on his butt.

Who else? Kyle Boller? For who? And why would the Cowboys want him?

Besides, any player-for-player trade likely wouldn't go down until after the draft, giving each team a chance to address any holes resulting from the move without other teams knowing that they suddenly have needs.

Before or after the draft, nothing is going down.

Cowboys get early shot at revenge

By Darrell Laurant
04/12/2006


All this spring, the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins have been dealing hands of player poker. Imagine Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder wearing green eyeshades and surrounded by clouds of cigarette smoke.

"Akin Ayodele, huh? I'll raise you Andre Carter."

"OK, I'll see your Antwaan Randle El and raise you Terrell Owens."

It's been fun to watch, and the piles of chips have been steadily rising. But we won't get a good idea of who will actually rake in the pot until the Redskins travel to Dallas for a Sunday night game on Sept. 17.

True, a second game is just that -- a second game. Whoever comes out on the short end will have another 14 games to regroup.

Still, the Redskins and Cowboys were two of the most active teams during the free agent season, aggressively bidding for a hostile takeover of the NFC East. Besides WR Owens and LB Ayodele, Dallas brought in place kicker Mike Vanderjagt (addressing a chronic weakness from last season) and offensive lineman Jason Fabini. The Redskins also went on a shopping spree, signing DB Archuleta, wide receivers Randle-El and Brandon Lloyd, backup quarterback Todd Collins and LB-De Andre Carter.

And they haven't even gotten to the draft yet.

Then there is the revenge factor. Washington swept the two-game series in 2005, and the Cowboys were definitely not playing Texas Hold 'Em.

In the first meeting, the Cowboys let the game slip away, 14-13, by surrendering two long touchdown passes from Mark Brunell to Santana Moss in the fourth quarter.

That was frustrating. The second game was just discouraging, as Washington pounded Bill Parcells' team 35-7 and locked the Dallas Cowboys out of the playoffs. In the process, Dallas made average players Chris Cooley (three touchdown receptions) and Philip Daniels (four sacks of Drew Bledsoe) look like Pro Bowlers.

The Cowboys will kick off the 2006 campaign at Jacksonville, the team from which they snatched Ayodele, then open their home season with the NBC prime-time Redskins' matchup. Because the home team is supposed to win traditional rivalry games, the pressure will be more on Dallas than on the Redskins.

Losing to Washington might not make for a long season. But it will definitely make for a long Monday.

Cowboys' non-divisional schedule seems simple

By Connor Byrne
04/14/2006


When people think of the Dallas Cowboys’ chances next season, they often think of the struggles they may endure because they play in such a difficult division, the NFC East. However, after analyzing the Cowboys' schedule for 2006, it's fair to say that it appears to be simple, at least in terms of non-divisional opponents. It's never smart to believe football games are won on paper, but with their plethora of talent, this Cowboys team shouldn't have much difficulty with some of the creampuff opponents that they'll face next season.

In Week One, Dallas will travel to Jacksonville to take on a Jaguars team that went 12-4 last season. However, the Jaguars capitalized on a weak schedule and were gobbled up by good teams last year. They’ve done little to improve themselves and seem average going into next year. Thus, the Cowboys should handle them in the opener to improve to 1-0.

In their second non-divisional game, the Cowboys take on a Tennessee Titans team that is currently rebuilding. Obviously, this should result in a Week Four home victory in Irving, Texas, which would put the Cowboys at 2-0 outside their division.

Week Six pits the Cowboys against the rising Houston Texans in a battle of two in-state rivals. Although the Texans have certainly improved this offseason, they won’t have the horses to beat the Cowboys on October 15th in Irving. Much like the previous two non-divisional matchups for Dallas, this should result in a win. Assuming that forecast comes to fruition, it would make the Cowboys a perfect 3-0 outside of the NFC East.

Two weeks later the Cowboys face a real test on the road against the reigning NFC South Champions, the Carolina Panthers. Both of these teams will be competing for major accomplishments next season, but I would give the Panthers the edge because they’re at home on NBC’s marquee Sunday Night matchup. Should a loss occur for the Cowboys, they’d drop to 3-1 against non-divisional rivals.

In the 10th week of the season, the Cowboys take on the up and coming Arizona Cardinals. Much like the aforesaid Texans, the Cardinals are improving, but won’t quite have what it takes to defeat a Cowboys team that would be 4-1 after this in non-NFC East contests.

Week 11 won’t be so carefree for the Cowboys, as they’ll have to welcome a perennial AFC juggernaut, the Indianapolis Colts, into town. Even though this should make for one of the most interesting matchups of next season, don’t expect the Cowboys to come out on top. It will indeed be down to the wire, but the better team usually wins, and Indy is better. The loss drops Dallas to 4-2 in this projection.

Next, for the third consecutive week, the Cowboys take on a non-divisional opponent. This time it will be one of the NFC’s finest, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in a home Thanksgiving Day showdown. Tampa may be very good, but Dallas will use the home crowd and Turkey Day momentum to propel them to a 5-2 mark outside of the NFC East.

On the 10th of December, the Cowboys will welcome the New Orleans Saints into Texas Stadium for a matchup of one team that will be readying for a postseason run, and one that will probably be in the NFC South’s toilet. Although quarterback Drew Brees will have the Saints more competitive than this past season, it just won’t be enough. Because of that, look for the Cowboys to roll up a sixth victory in their non-divisional schedule.

The following game for Dallas appears to be a much larger test, as they travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons in a Saturday evening battle. This game should go down to the bitter end, but look for the playoff-contending Falcons to hand the Cowboys their third non-divisional loss of the season.

In the final week of the regular season, the Cowboys welcome one of the NFC North’s basement-dwellers, the Detroit Lions, into town for a New Year’s Eve contest. To be fair, the Lions have improved this offseason, but not enough to get on the Cowboys’ level. This game will probably have major playoff ramifications for Dallas, so don’t look for their talented group of players to fold. The victory would end the Cowboys non-divisional 2006 schedule at a solid 7-3.

Assuming the Cowboys go at least 7-3 against opponents outside the NFC East, it would greatly increase their chances of making the playoffs for the first time since 2003. In their six divisional matchups, the Cowboys would only have to go 3-3 in order to finish at a respectable 10-6, which is usually good enough for at least a Wild Card spot. However, it may not be good enough next season because so many NFC teams appear to be playoff-ready. If Dallas can somehow find the strength in itself to go 4-2 against the Washington Redskins, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles, it would give them an 11-5 mark, which should be enough to make the playoffs.

The NFC East may be like running the gauntlet, but the Cowboys’ other opponents are light as a feather.

Will Cowboys roll the dice on Draft Day?

By Darrell Laurant
04/18/2006


When it comes to the NFL draft, no team has proven more creative and risk-taking than the Dallas Cowboys.

Part of the credit for that goes to former general manager Gil Brandt, who had the chutzpah to envision an Olympic sprinter (Bob Hayes) as a top wideout, a small school nobody (Rayfield Wright) as a future anchor of the offensive line, and a basketball star (Cornell Green) as an All-Pro cornerback.

That tradition continued last year, when Dallas used its top pick on pass-rushing defensive end DeMarcus Ware from Troy University and converted him to linebacker. Then, in the fourth round, they traded a later pick to get DT Chris Canty from Virginia, a player with impressive raw talent but daunting injury baggage. And the gamble paid off -- Canty healed from a damaged knee and provided quality minutes to the defense.

This year, the gambling Cowboys could wind up throwing a rope around Tennessee safety Jason Allen, considered a top prospect but sidelined by a hip injury last season. Based on his combine performance, however, Allen -- while still not the fastest guy on the field -- appears to have fully recovered. And at 6-2, 202, he's a hitter.

An Allen might pick be the logical result of the Cowboys' matching a New Orleans’ offer sheet to retain Keith Davis, last year's starter at free safety. But Davis failed to make an interception last season, and Bill Parcells reportedly would prefer moving him to strong safety. That would make players like Mike Huff of Texas, Donte Whitner of Ohio State and South Carolina's Ko Simpson attractive targets in the draft.

Huff will probably be long gone by the time Dallas drafts at No. 18, as will Virginia Tech's Jimmy Williams (highly rated at both safety and corner), but the Cowboys recently hosted Florida State's Antonio Cromartie -- perhaps this year's Canty -- at Valley Ranch. Cromartie missed last season at Florida State with a knee injury. By all indications, he has come most of the way back. He’s one of the bigger DB's in the draft (6-2, 210), and ran a 4.52 at the Indianapolis combine -- speed that should improve with time. He played cornerback as a Seminole, but could be moved to safety.

Of course, all of this is speculation, contingent upon what the teams above Dallas do. Since five of the Cowboys' top seven picks last year were defensive players, a more offensive 2006 wish list would seem logical. Dallas helped itself considerably on that side of the ball during free agency, however, picking up WR Terrell Owens, OT Jason Fabini and PK Mike Vanderjagt.

If a viable safety isn't on the table in round one, the Cowboys might wait until a later round to take another gamble, on 6-0, 205-pound Danieal Manning of Abilene Christian. Manning plays both cornerback and safety, had the speed to return kicks, and stood out in the Shrine Bowl.

One of the draft's top linebackers might also look good at No. 18, perhaps Ernie Sims of Florida State or Bobby Carpenter of Ohio State.

Finally, despite the pickup of Fabini, the Cowboys would like to draft a solid left tackle as protection for the less-than-agile Drew Bledsoe. Their preference seems to be Winston Justice of Southern Cal, although University of Texas All-American Jonathan Scott is another strong possibility -- literally.

With the Cowboys, the only given is that you never know what Draft Day will bring. That’s tradition.

Cowboys shouldn't "Huff" Michael's fumes

By Connor Byrne
04/19/2006


Recently, a great deal of talk has been surfacing around the NFL that the Dallas Cowboys are keen on drafting Michael Huff, the former safety for the Texas Longhorns. However, the problem with that rests in the fact that Huff likely will not fall out of the top nine in the draft's first-round.

In order to get Huff on their roster, the Cowboys would have to move up at least nine spots in the upcoming draft, which would put them at a major disadvantage for the future. It might take a future first-round draft choice as well as other relatively valuable picks in this year's draft for the Cowboys to find a trading partner. Obviously, 64-year-old head coach Bill Parcells wants to win a third Super Bowl before his time ends in the league soon, but this would be the wrong way to go about it for Dallas.

Assuming Huff goes where he's projected, the Cowboys should turn their attention to Jason Allen, a former standout defensive back for the University of Tennessee.

Not only does Allen have the ability to fill the Cowboys' glaring need at free safety, but he can also play cornerback, which he often did in college. At 6-0, 209 pounds, Allen has good size for a defensive back--as well as a terrific 4.39 40-yard dash time at February's scouting combine. Outside of those two qualities, Allen also has great leadership skills and the ability to defend against the opposition's running game, which would be huge in a division that sees the Cowboys face Tiki Barber, Clinton Portis and Brian Westbrook a combined six times per year.

In the event that Allen is off the draft board by the time the Cowboys select at No. 18 overall, former Ohio State defensive back Donte Whitner should also be a possibility.

Whitner's upside doesn't quite match Allen's, but he still is projected to be a success on the pro level. Standing 5-10 and weighing 204 pounds, Whitner doesn't necessarily possess great size, but his talent is unavoidable. He boasted a 4.4 40-yard dash time at the scouting combine, so he obviously has the speed to succeed as either a safety or cornerback. Much like Cowboys All-Pro strong safety Roy Williams, Whitner has the ability to utilize his explosiveness and rush the opposing quarterback. Along with Williams, he would make a lethal, yet rare pass-rushing combo at the safety positions.

The best thing about Allen and Whitner is the fact that neither has a true position right now, so the Cowboys could mold them into playing free safety. As of now it's one of the Cowboys' biggest areas of concern, since they have average veteran Keith Davis at the position. Davis just signed a two-year deal with Dallas, however, that doesn't necessarily mean he has the position etched in stone. There is some major room for improvement for Davis; drafting one of these youngsters would be an automatic upgrade over the 27-year-old Davis, who has still not recorded a sack or interception in 39 total games.

If Huff was the only solid safety in the draft's first round, it would make sense for the Cowboys to trade up. However, it's rash considering Allen and/or Whitner could easily turn into equal or superior players to Huff at the NFL level.

Of course, nothing's ever guaranteed in the draft, but the Cowboys should make sure staying at No. 18 is affirmed. Otherwise, their future competitiveness could be sold down the river.

’Boys Ware set to make McAllen appearance

April 21, 2006
Jason McDaniel
Monitor Staff Writer


McALLEN — With an eye-opening start and a dominating finish to his rookie campaign, Dallas Cowboys defensive end/linebacker DeMarcus Ware landed on the NFL scene with a bang during 2005.

Now he’s hoping for an explosive second run that carries throughout the 2006 season and into the playoffs.

“Me being a rookie, it was 365 days of work because it was a lot to learn playing defensive end and linebacker at the same time,” said Ware, who arrives in the Rio Grande Valley today to sign autographs. “It was actually fun learning a whole different concept, not just pass rushing, but pass (coverage) as well.

“Overall, I think I played pretty good. I was hoping for 10 sacks and I got eight, so I had some good production in my rookie season.”

Ware, the Cowboys’ first-round pick in 2005, will sign autographs beginning at 6 p.m. today at Four Points Sheraton in McAllen. He is the 13th Cowboys player to visit the RGV with the help of C.J. Cavazos, a local liaison to the Cowboys who coordinates player appearance in the Valley.

“I’ve been working on getting Ware here probably since December,” Cavazos said.

“But DeMarcus is different. He is represented by a company called Legendary Impressions, but I jumped through all the hoops I had to and landed on my feet.”

The 6-foot-4, 251-pound Ware opened eyes during a preseason game Aug. 22 against Seattle. In one half of action, Ware forced two fumbles, recovering one, and tallied an interception, a sack and three tackles in a Cowboys win. He went on to record four sacks and 14 tackles in his first six games before hitting a midseason slump. But he broke out of that lull in a big way in Week 16.

The Cowboys were fighting for their playoff lives Dec. 24 against Carolina when Ware recorded three sacks, all of which forced fumbles, and nine tackles in a 24-20 win. The sacks and fumbles were the most in a single game by a rookie in team history.

“I wish I could have a game like that every game, I would end up with like 50 sacks, but teams scheme against you and sometimes you won’t be as proficient as you were in a certain game,” Ware said. “It just depends on the team playing against you and its personnel.”

Ware finished as a finalist for the NFL Rookie of the Year award, which ended up going to Tampa Bay’s Carnell “Cadillac” Williams. Ware finished with 58 tackles and eight sacks.

“Last year I set a goal to get 10 sacks, so this year I’m trying to get 12, and I want and interception during the season this time, not the preseason,” Ware said. “I’d like to get a touchdown too on an interception or fumble recovery, so those are the goals I have.”

Cavazos said he expects to announce the next Cowboys player to visit today. For more information on Ware’s signing party, visit www.cowboyconnection.biz.
———
Jason McDaniel is a sports reporter for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4442.

Who: Defensive end/linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
What: Ware will sign autographs and take pictures with fans. Picture packages include an 8x10 autographed color photo and a photo with Ware for $40. Other items ranging from $25 to $50 will be available for signing. Henry also will sign personal memorabilia for $25. Fans cannot bring cameras to the signing party.
When: Doors open at 5 p.m. today; signing and pictures from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Four Points Sheraton at 2721 S. 10th St. south of La Plaza Mall in McAllen.

Cowboys brass, Owens reach workout agreement

01:55 PM CDT on Thursday, April 20, 2006

By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING – Owner Jerry Jones said receiver Terrell Owens and coach Bill Parcells have reached an agreement regarding his off-season workouts.
Jones declined to divulge the details of the agreement.

This is not an unprecedented move. In Larry Allen's final two off-seasons with the Cowboys, he did his own weight-lifting program that was built around bench presses instead of the clean and jerks that Parcells prefers, but did the same cardiovascular workouts as his teammates.

Although off-season workouts are voluntary, Parcells emphasizes them. Players must complete 40 workouts in a 10-week period that began in March.

Owens attendance in the club's off-season workouts has been sporadic, although there has never been an issue regarding his conditioning or work ethic. Still, Parcells wants the players to participate in the program so he can monitor their conditioning and the players can bond with their teammates.

"Bill and T.O. have worked that out and they're on the same page," Jones said. "It's not an issue. All I can and should say is that everyone is comfortable with the way it's working."

On The Clock With Willie Pile Dallas Cowboys Free Safety #20

From NFL Draft Blitz.
Willie Pile Interview
Safety - Dallas Cowboys

With: Chris Harris

4/21/06

On The Clock With Willie Pile Dallas Cowboys Free Safety #20

I recently spoke with Willie Pile of the Dallas Cowboys. He formerly starred at Virginia Tech where he started three consecutive years and led the team in tackles his final two seasons. In the NFL, Pile has played with the Kansas City Chiefs and currently is with the Dallas Cowboys.


Chris Harris: First off, where did you grow up?

Willie Pile: Irvington, New Jersey until age 11 and then I lived in Alexandria, Virginia until college.


Chris Harris: How was the high school experience with football?

Willie Pile: It was good. Wanted to play basketball but decided to play football because all my other friends were doing it. It was a way to pass time until basketball season. I just wanted to play wide receiver, but we really needed a quarterback. The coach let me know that I might as well play quarterback.


Chris Harris: When you left high school what was your height, weight and speed?

Willie Pile: 6-3 180 and 4.6 range in the 40.


Chris Harris: Are there any siblings in your family who also have a future in athletics?

Willie Pile: Ben Barber, he is a sophomore at Edison High School in Alexandria, Virginia and Levi Barber is a rising freshman at Edison High School. Ben, will likely be bigger, faster and stronger than I was. Ben's skill level is far more advanced than myself at the same age. Levi, who is in eighth grade and will attend high school next year. Levi, is a student of the game and has an intelligence in remembering statistics in being exposed to the game on every level. He has been at my high school, college, NFL Europe and NFL games.


Chris Harris: What would be your advice to young athletes pursuing an NFL career?

Willie Pile: To physically prepare your body, because everyone at that level in in peak condition. You are going against the best athletes in the world. Mentally, prepare your mind to take in a lot of information. Then be prepared to handle dealing with people. You are representing your family, your franchise and the NFL and you have to act accordingly.


Chris Harris: What was your biggest adjustment from high school to Virginia Tech?

Willie Pile: Physically getting ready. I wasn't strong enough or fast enough to compete at the Division I-A level coming out of high school.


Chris Harris: How would you describe Coach Frank Beamer?

Willie Pile: Coach Beamer is a very detail oriented coach, that gets the most out of all his players. He gets guys that have high character. He wants guys to maximize their potential.


Chris Harris: Who was the best player that you played with while at Virginia Tech?

Willie Pile: Ben Taylor, now with the Green Bay Packers. Because I actually played on the same side of the ball. His football instincts were higher than anyone I ever played with in college. He was a leader, showed the young players the way.


Chris Harris: Who was the best player that you played against while at Virginia Tech?

Willie Pile: Willis McGahee, now with the Buffalo Bills. He was tough. He ran hard and competed every play.


Chris Harris: Much has been made of the comparisons between Michael Vick and his brother Marcus Vick. As a free safety who had the unique experience of practicing against both Michael and Marcus, how would you compare the two as quarterbacks?

Willie Pile: Michael has the stronger arm and quicker release. Marcus has a better touch on his ball. Both have the same accuracy. Michael's ball gets there faster than Marcus. Athletically, about equal in speed and quickness but it seems like Michael throws it a lot harder and further than Marcus would.


Chris Harris: Would you take a chance on Marcus Vick if you were an NFL front office?

Willie Pile: Yes, but I would include a behavior clause in his contract. He is tremendously talented and all he needs is a veteran to show him how to carry himself like a professional.


Chris Harris: In moving up to the professional ranks what was the hardest aspect for you?

Willie Pile: I had to speed up mentally. When I sped up mentally I was able to react faster physically.


Chris Harris: Was it difficult to choose an agent?

Willie Pile: No, it wasn't difficult. Sports Stars Inc. in New York gave me the best opportunity to prepare for the combine.


Chris Harris: What were you looking for in an agent?

Willie Pile: Somebody that knew how to negotiate. Someone that had a strong background with past clients. I called athletes who were represented already at Virginia Tech to find out how my agent would deal with his current NFL clients.


Chris Harris: In evaluating the 2006 NFL Draft which three players do you think will end up having the most successful careers?

Willie Pile: Got to go with Reggie Bush of USC, Jimmy Williams of Virginia Tech, and Ernie Sims of Florida State.


Chris Harris: If you had to bet a one game paycheck on a college player who would be successful in this 2006 draft class who would it be?

Willie Pile: Reggie Bush of USC because his game translates to the NFL.


Chris Harris: Obviously, playing for two Hall of Fame caliber coaches in Dick Vermeil and Bill Parcells is a great experience. How would you compare the coaching styles of Vermeil and Parcells?

Willie Pile: Both are very similar as far as in what they demand. Practices are very similar. They both want intense practices on every snap. Vermeil is emotional to the point he cries over the players he loves. Parcells, he is a coach that doesn't show emotions as easily as Vermeil.


Chris Harris: Now that you have been in Dallas for a year do you feel more comfortable in the defensive scheme?

Willie Pile: I feel more comfortable when looking back at the film. I’ve looked at the technique aspects that I need to learn to get better. Mainly lining up, the backpedal, my reads and my depth in lining up in the secondary.


Chris Harris: Any personal and team goals for the upcoming season?

Willie Pile: Our team goal is to make it to the Super Bowl and then we have enough in the arsenal to win the game. Personal, is to get my first interception. Once I get my first, the rest will come.


Chris Harris: Where do you feel you have improved since last season?

Willie Pile: I have improved my strength and my footwork. The off-season strength and conditioning program helped mostly with my improvement.


Chris Harris: What is the best part of competing in the NFL?

Willie Pile: The chance to play against the best week in and week out. We face the best players to come out of all regions of the country.


Chris Harris: What would be your message for the Dallas Cowboy fans for the 2006 season?

Willie Pile: That we are going to be a playoff caliber team. We are coming to work and Willie Pile will be a big part of it.


Chris Harris: Are you excited to have Terrell Owens joining the team?

Willie Pile: Yes, he will take some heat off of Jason Witten and our other receivers. He will really help us out, he gives us another dimension and threat to score any time the offense is on the field.


Chris Harris: Thanks Willie. Appreciate the interview. Best of luck on the 2006 NFL season.

Jerry Jones thinking defense first

By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

IRVING - Roughly two months ago, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sat on his bus at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and said he was leaning toward selecting an offensive player in the first round of the NFL Draft.
The Cowboys have not drafted an offensive player in the first round since selecting tight end David LaFleur with the 22nd pick in 1997, and the team's biggest needs seemingly have been on that side of the ball.
Of course, that was before the Cowboys signed a whopping eight players in free agency, led by superstar receiver Terrell Owens.
Jones said Thursday that the overall plan is to take the best player available in the draft.
But based on the draft and what the Cowboys have done so far in free agency, Jones is now leaning toward taking a defensive player with the 18th overall pick.
"When I've looked at this year and free agency, I think that free agency has helped our offense appreciably," Jones said. "We're not going to be able to make that kind of difference in a draft offensively, in my mind. We may be able to, in the draft, help ourselves defensively, right now."
Who they get and when they might get them, however, will be decided on draft day.
Among the names being considered for the 18th overall pick are North Carolina State linebacker Manny Lawson, Tennessee safety Jason Allen, Ohio State safety Donte Whitner and Ohio State linebacker Bobby Carpenter.
Because there are so many choices, many of whom might be available later in the round or early in the second round, Jones acknowledges that the team might trade down.
While he said trading up is only a possibility if one of the top players (USC tackle Winston Justice or Texas safety Michael Huff) drops to within three picks of their position, the Cowboys are more apt to trade down.
"It's so expensive to go up, relative to what it costs you in draft picks," Jones said. "There's just six or seven situations up there that if it got close enough to you, a few picks away, that you would want to pay the cost to get up there.
"But it's more likely to take the value of trading down if someone else has a player there. I feel good about the quality of the players right there."
Safety talk
Jerry Jones likes the moves the Cowboys made with the re-signing of safety Keith Davis and the addition of veteran safety Marcus Coleman.
He said Davis was "in our plans," and because of the $2.1 million offer sheet he signed with the New Orleans Saints, "it's going to cost us more" for him to be in our plans.
The Cowboys were able to remove some language from Davis' contract regarding defensive snaps and bonus money.
Jones said Coleman can play special teams, nickel defense and will compete for a starting role at free safety against Davis, Justin Beriault and Willie Pile.

NFL News: Packers out of Arrington chase

By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: April 21, 2006

The Green Bay Packers made a play for free agent linebacker LaVar Arrington, but it appears it wasn't enough.

According to a National Football League source, the Packers were informed that Arrington planned on signing with another team. It's unclear who Arrington is going to sign with, but his visit to the New York Giants is a pretty good sign that they are in the lead for his services.

All along, Arrington made it a point to say he wanted to play in the NFC East where he would be able to play against his old team, the Washington Redskins, twice a year. Miami, Cincinnati and Jacksonville were involved earlier in the negotiations with Arrington, but the Giants had shown the most interest of late.

The Packers were hoping to lure Arrington to Green Bay with a solid contract offer and from all indications they were in the running until the end. But the uncertainty of not having a decision from Brett Favre on his status for next season might have affected Arrington's decision.

Arrington is one of two big-name free agents the Packers have been pursuing of late. The other, cornerback Charles Woodson, remans on their radar, but they are battling the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his services. Woodson, like Arrington, is represented by Carl and Kevin Poston.

Kevin Poston, who has been handling Arrington, did not return a phone message.

NFL News: Shaun Alexander will grace the cover for Madden 07

"The BJ Shea Show (99.9 FM KISW) and The T-Man Show (93.3 FM KUBE) both announced on their respective shows that Shaun Alexander will grace the cover for Madden 07.

Roy Williams has a good reason why TO stood on the star

Roy Williams has a good reason why TO stood on the star with his arms outstreached.
Roy says the reason TO stood on the star to make the statement he wanted to -play in Dallas. It was a prayer to God..

No reaching, hoping for Cowboys

By GIL LEBRETON
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Going up?
Not the Cowboys. Not in this draft, it appears.

And that's good news, for a change, because desperate measures often reap dismal results.

Don't misunderstand -- the Cowboys are desperate. They are quietly frantic to get back to a Super Bowl before Bill Parcells has to be propped up like the guy in Weekend at Bernie's.

But for the first time in Parcells' four Aprils with the franchise, the Cowboys don't have to fill lineup holes with rookies scavenged from the NFL Draft.

They don't have to trade up. When their turn comes in nine days, picking 18th in the first round, the Cowboys can pick the proverbial best player available. A long-lost concept in their usual end of the NFL labyrinth.

As owner Jerry Jones explained to reporters Thursday, the Cowboys have had an active off-season.

Well, most of the Cowboys family has. The new stepson, Terrell Owens, has been conspicuous by his absence from the team's off-season program, which began four weeks ago.

Owner Jones sought to defuse the situation Thursday by announcing that Parcells and T.O. are "on the same page" about Owens' Valley Ranch attendance. It's not an issue, Jerry said.

So much for the notion of T.O. bonding early with his new teammates.

But if the owner says that the head coach is OK with Owens' absences, I'm inclined to believe that Parcells indeed is.

Jerry wouldn't be so reckless as to speak for Parcells.

As for Owens, don't forget that this is a guy who had a severely sprained ankle and a fractured fibula, yet not only came back to play in Super Bowl XXXIX, but he also could have been voted the MVP of it.

The Owens signing punctuated a productive off-season for the Cowboys. Parcells has become the NFL's Coach March.

Granted, he duck-hooked on a couple last season. Signing guard Marco Rivera instead of Pro Bowl teammate Mike Wahle was a hiccup, and we're still waiting to see why Jason Ferguson was billed as the linchpin of the new 3-4 defense.

But the Cowboys might have plugged more holes in the winter of 2005 than any other NFL team. And Parcells might have done it again.

The offensive line, for example. The gang that brought the '05 playoff drive to a halt appears better, even with future Hall of Famer Larry Allen gone.

Tackle Flozell Adams returns from season-ending knee surgery, and Rivera is also expected to finally be healthy. Rob Petitti is likely to go from starting 16 games at tackle as a rookie to being an experienced backup.

For those reasons, including signing tackle Jason Fabini from the Jets, it is difficult to imagine the Cowboys selecting an offensive lineman with their first pick.

Free safety might be off the early board as well, after signing free agent Marcus Coleman and re-signing Keith Davis.

If not a blocker or a safety, then, what?

Probably not a quarterback, Jones said. Owner Jones, of course, could start a new league, just with Quarterbacks Who Tried to Replace Aikman.

He's dropped hints that the team wants to take one last long look at Drew Henson, currently exiled in Germany. Plus, there's the annual fascination with Tony Romo.

Whatever. Parcells barely acknowledges his backup quarterbacks.

Too bad, because in this draft Alabama's Brodie Croyle would make an intriguing, low-risk choice.

Trade up, maybe to have a chance at Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler? Some mock drafts have Cutler going ridiculously high, as high as No. 4.

But as Owner Jones reminded, the price of trading up in the draft is far too steep. The Cowboys would like to find a fourth-round pick to replace the one they dealt away last year to select Chris Canty. Moving down a few spots, Jones indicated, is a possibility.

Doesn't sound very exciting, does it? For two seasons, though, Parcells has done his best "drafting" a month before the NFL Draft. In some cases, he's signed players that he himself once drafted for the Jets.

The days of the Cowboys reaching and hoping to find a starter or two in the draft, however, appear to be over, at least for now.

No Quincy Carter. No Kavika Pittman. No Shante Carver.

Nine days from now, expect the Cowboys to settle for the "best athlete available."

A dull, but usually wise choice.

Norm Hitzges interview with Demarcus Ware on SportRadio 1310 The Ticket

Interview originally posted by InmanRoshi from a sports forum:

Feeling more relaxed this year?

So much more, everything isn’t going 100 mph like last year.

What was the combine like with 300 bodies in shorts and tshirts being prodded and poked?

It was like lining up 100 cattle and see which one you could milk the most. Every team was there watching you and evaluating you, so its almost like you can’t satisfy all of them.

Without identifying the team, what’s the strangest thing you were asked last year?

What type of animal you would like to be? What is your favorite subject. Where do you like to live. Things that don’t portain to football.

So what type of animal would you like to be?
Lion. King of the Jungle, baby.

That’s the right answer. The wrong answer would be wilderbeast.
Yeah, or hyenia. They probably think your someone who doesn’t take things seriously.

What was draft day like?
Christmas day. You don’t know what kind of present you’re going to get, but you know something good is going to happen. You get a call and its like you open up your present.

Did any teams call you that morning to give you the latest updates?
My phone was really quiet that morning. But after I was picked my batteries went dead in 10 minutes and my text messages were full because everyone was calling.

You remember we were the very first people to call you after the pick ,and you thought it was the Cowboys calling?
Yeah.

We were going to negotiate a contract with you. Some people had you going as high as the 5 pick. So when you start getting around the 8 or 10 pick range did you get nervous at all?
Yeah, because teams hype it up that they are interested in you at a certain spot and then they draft someone else. Then another team that doesn’t talk to you picks you up, it’s a roller coaster.

TO’s voluntary weight program … does this bother you at all?
Doesn’t bother me at all. He came up here and worked out and he’s better built than I am, he runs faster than I do, and he does the agility drills better than me. So he must be doing something right working out on his own.

What do you think would happen if you asked for special treatment with the voluntary workouts?
That wouldn’t happen. Voluntary means mandatory.

What was your biggest misconception about the league? What really surprised you?
Its more of a mental game than a physical game. So much is about schemes and match ups. The size of our playbook is like a Websters Dictionary, and I need to know the LB and DE responsibilities.

Everyone thinks of offensive audibles, but how many times does the defense calls audibiles?
Not very often, but it happens. You may have a specific thing you want to do when a team lines up in a certain formation. When the offense changes, the defense has to do the same.

Was there one veteran that you looked at and tried to emulate?
Greg Ellis is a real hard working guy, and he’s been playing 10 or 11 years and he’s running gassers out there like the young guys.

After a bad game did a veteran ever come up to you and try to help you?
Yeah, if I made a mistake a guy like LeRoi and Dat would come over to me and explain to me things I need to work on and explain to me what I did wrong.

There is talk that the Cowboys may add another OLB. Will you help them out with how to deal with Bill?
I’ll tell them that no matter where you were picked in the draft, 1st round or 3rd round, he’s going to criticize you. So how do you deal with the criticism? Do you let it bother you or do you take his advice

Jones says that Bill Parcells and Terrell Owens have an "understanding" regarding T.O.'s offseason training

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says that Bill Parcells and Terrell Owens have an "understanding" regarding T.O.'s offseason training.

Owens hasn't been a regular at voluntary offseason workouts. Parcells hasn't commented publicly on Owens once since the team signed him.

Apr. 21 - 10:13 am et
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

NFC East: Giants say LaVar Arrington needs to bring his price down before they seriously consider signing him

The Giants say LaVar Arrington needs to bring his price down before they seriously consider signing him.

Arrington went to New York for a physical Thursday. He refused to take one the first time he visited the team.

Apr. 21 - 10:20 am et
Source: Newsday
-----------------------------
Giants GM Ernie Accorsi says the team hasn't re-started contract negotiations with LaVar Arrington.

Arrington underwent a physical in New York Thursday. "Nothing has happened in the negotiations. Obviously, you're not even going to think about a player without a physical examination. Now we have that," Accorsi said.

Apr. 20 - 6:16 pm et

Jeff Ireland...Most Important non-gameday Personnel (IMHO)

The Dallas Cowboys' third straight losing season has fans of America's Team feeling a little less "patriotic." But Baylor's all-time leading field goal kicker Jeff Ireland is working overtime to make sure the fortunes of Da Boys change, even though he never steps on a field again.

Ireland, who kicked for Baylor from 1988-91, is the Cowboys' national scouting director, responsible for fanning across the country to discover the next best NFL prospects.

When the Cowboys make the fifth overall selection in the 2003 NFL draft on April 26-27 in New York City, the player chosen most likely will be a product of Ireland's ongoing talent search.

"I love being in football, watching players live and on tape, still being involved in the game," he said. "My job is to know every aspect of a player's career. It's a major investment for our team."

Ireland, 33, has been working for the Cowboys in their scouting department since 2001. Before then, he spent four years with the Kansas City Chiefs and three with the NFL scouting combine.

He left Baylor in 1992, one class short of a degree. When he wasn't drafted to play ball, the Abilene native spent a brief time in the business world and then as the kicking coach at the University of North Texas before becoming an NFL scout.

"Jeff came highly recommended from our scouts because of his hard work, and we've been pleased," said Larry Lacewell, the Cowboys' vice president of scouting and player personnel director. "You have to be disciplined scouting on the road because there is nobody watching you all the time. You have to be a people person because you're in the business of gathering information from people," he said.

It's a job that keeps Ireland on the road. Last year, he was in 29 states, on both coasts and at 40 different schools looking for top players the Cowboys can select in this year's draft. In last year's draft, Dallas picked Ireland-recommended University of Oklahoma safety Roy Williams in the first round. Williams earned all-rookie honors and Ireland's selection of Williams was featured in Sports Illustrated (April 21, 2002). But the search for new and talented Dallas Cowboys never ends, Ireland said.

"I'm usually in a different school every day with the same routine. I'll watch tape from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., or whenever they kick me out. I'll watch practice, talk with the trainer, talk with the assistant coaches and talk with the head coach if I get a chance. I'll write up a report, give each player a grade and start all over again. It makes for long days and short nights," he said.

One person who's not surprised at Ireland's success in pro scouting is former Baylor head coach Grant Teaff. He recruited Ireland as a receiver and then moved him to kicker, where he scored a record 18 field goals in a single season, including a 58-yarder against Rice. Teaff said Ireland has what it takes to make a contribution in the pro scouting ranks.

"He sees more than just talent, there are a lot of talented people who don't make it in the NFL. You have to have character and ethics, and Jeff has plenty of both," Teaff said.

The Cowboys' recent 5-11 season prompted a change at head coach, but even with the disappointing record, Ireland said the Dallas scouts are able to see the bright side.

"Nobody is happy with the record, but when you see your draft picks doing well, that makes you feel good because you've played a part. Not just Roy (Williams), but we had several rookies who played very well last year," he said.

Ireland said finding the future stars of pro football is almost as exciting for him as making those key field goals at Baylor - something he did 45 times in his college career, along with 78 extra points, making him the third best scorer in Baylor history. "When I was in school, I was your basic flaky kicker. I played all the games on the sidelines," he said. "The coaches never knew what I was thinking."

As for his nondrafted status, the NFL talent judge said the verdict on his playing ability was an accurate one. "Nondrafted free agent. That was me."

NFC East: Giants CB Will Peterson had his injured back examined by doctors this week

Giants CB Will Peterson had his injured back examined by doctors this week.

"He is not ready to go out on the field yet," Accorsi said. Peterson's career is believed to be in jeopardy.

Apr. 21 - 10:29 am et

NFC East: Redskins signed Brandon Lloyd to a multi-year contract extension

Redskins signed Brandon Lloyd to a multi-year contract extension.

Terms were unavailable, but the Redskins now have their receiver corps set for a few years with Lloyd, Santana Moss, and Antwaan Randle El. It remains to be seen if Joe Gibbs can find enough production to keep all three receivers and their fantasy owners happy. We don't see how it's possible.

Apr. 21 - 4:46 pm et
Source: Redskins.com

NFC East: Redskins and WR Brandon Lloyd aren't close on a contract extension

The Redskins and WR Brandon Lloyd aren't close on a contract extension.

The ex-49er speculated in late March that a deal would have been done by now. Agent David Dunn says neither Lloyd nor the 'Skins have approached the situation with much urgency.

Apr. 19 - 12:23 pm et
Source: Washington Post

Dallas Cowboys Team Needs

Frank Coyle, Special to Rivals.com: Dallas Cowboys Team Needs
Dallas Cowboys 9-7
Head Coach Bill Parcells 4th Year

Key Team Needs:
1. OT
2. WR
3. S
4. DT/NT
5. CB

1. Offensive Tackle - HC Bill Parcells will not sit with his current offensive line even after the addition of OT Jason Fabini and OG Kyle Kosier. The Cowboys' attack is only as good as their protection for immobile veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe. They failed to protect the edges last season and look for left offensive tackle Flozell Adams to improve off a subpar performance. They like right offensive tackle Winston Justice very much and feel he can compete for starting job immediately. They also like Andrew Whitworth and Jeremy Trueblood on the third round.


2. Wide Receiver - Yes they did land TO and he can be a huge difference maker here. But there is little depth and experience behind him and recently resigned Terry Glenn. Best value could be WR Santonio Holmes or Chad Jackson on the first round. They like Maurice Stovall and Demetrius Williams later on the first day (3rd round). They will probably be interested in a blocking TE after FA loss of Dan Campbell but most likely will not address that until the middle rounds. They like TEs Jeff King and Cooper Wallace on the 2nd day of the draft.

3. Safety - The Cowboys need a FS with cover skills for their secondary and hope to address this area and possibly early. SS Roy Williams is a playmaker that would flourish with a better athlete at FS. They like Daniel Bullocks and Donte’ Whitner on the 2nd round and at least one of them could be available at the 49th selection.

4. Defensive Tackle /NT - The 'Boys signed veteran DT/NT Jason Ferguson last season. They released Pro Bowl performer LaRoi Glover this offseason that creates a bigger problem than they are willing to admit. They could shock fans and select Gabe Watson in the first round, though it is not there highest need area. They also like DT Dusty Dvoracek, Babatunde Oshinowo and LeKevin Smith very much in the late 2nd thru 4th rounds. They most likely address this on the first day with the talent falling off quickly after the top 10-12 prospects.

5. Cornerback - The Cowboys' secondary has made nice improvement in recent seasons with the addition of top picks CB Newman and safety Williams. They lack quality depth here and adding another good cover corner would solidify a good but thin unit. In a quality class at this position, they should be able to add a fine prospect on the first day. They are looking at CBs Richard Marshall and Cedric Griffin with their 2nd/3rd round picks. They hope corners like Will Blackmon, Marcus Maxey and Anwar Phillips will be available in the middle round area.

Insiders' Insights

The Cowboys have a few key needs that should be addressed early in the two-day event. They need pass protectors for Bledsoe if they expect to return to the playoffs. Justice is a very logical choice for ROT, though there are a number of prospects who can fill that role in the 3rd/4th round areas like Whitworth, Trueblood and O'Callaghan. Parcells is looking for impact on the first day to take a run at the NFC East title and will look for well developed prospects with the ability to contribute this fall. They like both top receivers and could shock fans and add to the TO signing. The FS spot and NT situations are key areas that need to be addressed and both could be a main focus on the first day of the draft. They are also interested in a NT prospect to spell Jason Ferguson and have honed in on five prospects. The safety situation could be addressed in the top two rounds. They like Roman Harper on the early 2nd day if they don't pick Bullocks or Whitner on the 2nd round.

1st Round Pick: Mathias Kiwanuka, DE Boston College - Versatile defender can play up in 3-4 or down end in 4-3
Alternate Pick: Chad Jackson, Florida, 'Boys looking to load up in the receiving game. Jackson too good to pass on here.

ESPN The Magazine Cowboys Draft Analyisis

ESPN The Magazine Cowboys Draft Analyisis
This was the Cowboys Draft Needs section of their Draft Preview in the latest magazine.

Dallas Cowboys First Round Pick: No. 18

Free Safety: Though he fills hard, Keith Davis lacks ideal speed and gets caught out of position far too often. Dallas will zero in on a lockdown safety to push him for the starting job.

Cornerback: Starters Terence Newman and Anthony Henry are talented but inconsistent, and nickelback Aaron Glenn is on the downslope of his career. A polished, instinctive corner would help stabilize the secondary.

Nose Tackle: Dallas needs a situational run-stuffer to spell the undersize Jason Ferguson. He can hold his ground at the point of attack but tends to wear down over the course of the game.

Big Number: 10 - The number of current starters drafted by the Cowboys since 2000. (Stephen Peterman, Al Johnson, Jason Witten, Julius Jones, Marcus Spears, Bradie James, DeMarcus Ware, Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton (Kick Returner), Terence Newman)

Hall of Fame: Maryland DT Randy White, 1st Round, 1975
Hall of Shame: Arizona St. DE Shante Carver, 1st Round, 1994

Kiper: They addressed wide reciever and offensive line needs through free agency, so I expect them to go for secondary help and pick Jason Allen, who played safety and CB at Tennessee.

Cowboys are reportedly considering a move up in the draft

The Cowboys are reportedly considering a move up in the draft to select Texas cornerback/safety Michael Huff.

Huff, who is expected to go in the top ten, is completing a two-day visit in Dallas. It would take the Cowboys a lot of ammunition to move up that far.

Apr. 18 - 10:50 am et
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Jason Witten with GaC on ESPN 103-Dallas...

RECAP by TrickBlue from a sport forum: Jason Witten with GaC on ESPN 103-Dallas...

Witten:

1) Off-season training is going great for me. I have made all of the workouts, but I have no comment about the question coming up. (TO not being there)
2) I have seen TO at Valley Ranch. We had lunch together and he picked up the check.
TO missing workouts is no big deal. He has plenty of time to make the required 40.
3) I think TO has been well-received by the team. We need a guy that can help us win games. I think that Coach Parcells has the same approach. Coach won't put up with any distractions and TO knows that. You can't question his performance on the field.
4) I think Coach Parcells took care of any potential problems before TO was signed. He met with his agent and he had a hand in bringing him here.
5) As a TE I am happy we signed him... so is Terry. Those coverages HAVE to roll now. We need a WR that can seperate.
6) I will miss Dan Campbell. He really kept the team together and was great in the locker room.
7) We will miss the past locker room leaders but lets face facts. We are grown men. The leadership is more for the young players like seeing how hard the team leaders work.
8) When AB went awry, not one single player said a thing to him. Parcells said he's gone and that was the end of the story. There will be things to address at times, but those things will work themselves out.
9) We have upgraded our team. Vanderjagt was a big signing as well. We would have won a few more games had he been here last year.
10) I am a big LA fan, but we brought some guys in that will help us out this year.

Cowboys sign safety Coleman

Cowboys sign safety Coleman

BY CLARENCE E. HILL JR.

STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

IRVING - The Cowboys have agreed to terms with former Houston Texans safety Marcus Coleman.

Coleman, a former cornerback who moved to safety, is a step toward addressing the team’s wish for a true free safety to play opposite strong safety Roy Williams.
Safety is still a position the Cowboys might consider in the draft. They brought in two safety prospects - Texas’ Michael Huff and Tennessee’s Jason Allen - for visits on Monday and Tuesday.

Both are potential first-round draft choices. While the Cowboys would have to make a major trade to move up to get Huff, who is considered a top 10 pick, Allen could be there when the Cowboys pick at No. 18.

However, the signing of Coleman and the re-signing of 2005 starter Keith Davis means that the Cowboys don’t have to reach to address a need in the draft. They can accept the pick or the deals that come to them.

Joining the Cowboys is a homecoming for Coleman, who played at Lake Highlands High School before starring at Texas Tech and becoming a fifth-round pick of the New York Jets in 1996. He will be reunited in Dallas with Cowboys coach Bill Parcells and cornerback Aaron Glenn. He played under Parcells with the Jets. He played with Glenn with the Jets and Texans.

The 10-year veteran played cornerback for the first eight years of his career before moving to free safety in 2004 with the Texans. He has started 27 games at free safety in the past two years. Coleman’s addition continues a busy off-season for the Cowboys who have now signed a club-record eight free agents, including receiver Terrell Owens, guard Kyle Kosier, tackle Jason Fabini, linebacker Akin Ayodele, linebacker Rocky Boiman, kicker Mike Vanderjadt and tight end Ryan Hannam.

NFL News: ESPN's John Clayton Reports Ty Law is asking....

For $7 million a year with a $10 million signing bonus.

The Cowboys have 10 remaining free agents

Cowboys | Team has 10 remaining free agents
Sun, 16 Apr 2006 20:08:34 -0700

The Dallas Cowboys have 10 remaining free agents; six unrestricted, one restricted and three players that were released. Restricted free agent LB Scott Shanle heads the list of remaining free agents.

Newman Is the 2nd Best CB In The NFL

According to "Dr. Z" or Sports Illustrated

Cornerbacks
Ken Lucas, Panthers, and Terence Newman, Cowboys. Champ Bailey of the Broncos finished in third place, and on sheer ability, plus the memory of what a cornerback used to look like, the Champ was king. But he'd also get into strange walkabouts when he'd seem to lose focus and next thing you knew, there were six points on the board. Nevertheless, Champ was going to be one of my top two until the end of the grading period, when I was checking notes with someone and he said, "Give Newman a more careful look."

Now my last memory of Newman was ducking his head as the Redskins' Chris Cooley ran over him for a TD, but what the heck, fair's fair. So I did a complete workup, as the doctors like to say, and Newman was my highest scorer on pure coverage, although he was not stellar playing the force. But neither was Deion. It happens that way sometimes...you just sort of fall into it, although most selectors would not admit it.

When I saw Lucas against the Patriots in September, I said, "There's one All-pro right there." I mean he was out of sight. He had other good games, but none like that one. But there were also teams, such as the Vikings, that refused to throw into his coverage. Before I forget, one more word to you Bailey fans out there. He had a game, against the Eagles, in which he was trying to struggle through, against T.O. no less, on a pulled hamstring. He had a very bad time of it. If you're wondering if I factored that game into my system, the answer is that I did not. I threw it out. I still have some honor left. Another notev -- someone asked me what I do with interference penalties. I count the yardage, on a grading system. But if I feel the penalty was too picky, I just throw it out with yesterday's garbage, which about sums up these rules.

Without going into too much detail about grades and stuff on the rest of the corners I studied, here's the way I ranked them, in order -- McAllister of Baltimore, O'Neal of Cincinnati, Barber of Tampa Bay, Kelly of Tampa Bay, Harris of Green Bay, Mathis of Jacksonville. I started workups on Vasher and Tillman of the Bears and Taylor of Pittsburgh, but quit when I realized that they would not match up with the others.