Bigger & Better? Spears Hoping Added Bulk, Full Strength Will Lead To Success
Nick Eatman - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
May 24, 2006 5:52 PM
IRVING, Texas - When Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears was being carted off the practice field last August in Oxnard, Calif., it wasn't a pretty sight.
The team's first-round draft pick, who had just signed his rookie contract and joined the team in training camp less than a week earlier, suffered a knee injury that had even team owner Jerry Jones wondering if he would play again that season.
As it turned out, Spears only suffered an MCL sprain and actually returned in time to play in the preseason finale against Jacksonville.
While Spears eventually played in all 16 games, even replacing Kenyon Coleman in the starting lineup by Week Six, the defensive end said he never regained full strength until after the season.
And Spears said that alone has helped him enjoy a rather productive off-season hitting the weights.
"It's been good," Spears said. "This is maybe my strongest off-season in the weight room. Just getting healthy. The leg is right. I was able to do a lot of things I wasn't able to do in the weight room.
"The knee injury I had in camp - I struggled with that all year. I finally got some time to get off of it, get it rehabbed and get it well."
Now Spears' weight has been an issue since the moment he arrived at Valley Ranch about a year ago. Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells wanted to him to drop about 10 pounds to get in the 290-range, and playfully gave him the nickname "Fats Domino."
And although he accomplished that and played last season at 294, Spears now is a little over 300 again, but said it's not a problem.
"I'm a little bulky with the weights and other things I've done," Spears said. "But it's the good weight this time."
And with extra bulk and two healthy knees, Spears is certainly hoping to improve on a solid rookie season. He started 10 games and finished the year with 35 tackles and 1½ sacks.
But being one of the team's two first-round picks last season, along with DeMarcus Ware (11th overall), Spears (20th) said the pressure to improve exists.
"The expectations are there anyway," Spears said. "We definitely want to be better players. There's a lot of things I can improve on. There's a lot of things DeMarcus can improve on. Everyone has pushed themselves this year and I think it will definitely help both us to have that year in under our belt."
Banged Up
Just before last week's NFL Europe regular season came to an end, the Cowboys figured to have at least one player participating in Sunday's World Bowl.
The Frankfurt Galaxy and Rhein Fire have all three Cowboys' allocated players and were battling out for the final spot to play Amsterdam this week in the World Bowl.
But despite Frankfurt clinching the final spot by beating Berlin, 14-13, and sending Rhein quarterback Drew Henson back to Dallas this week, the Cowboys might not have any representation in the game.
Not only has wide receiver Tom Crowder left the team for Birmingham, Ala., to rehab after undergoing surgery to repair a broken jaw, but now cornerback Lenny Williams missed practice Wednesday because of a sprained ankle.
Williams has started all 10 games for the Galaxy and leads the team with 11 pass deflections. He also serves as Frankfurt's primary kickoff return specialist, with a team-high 16 returns for 406 yards and a 25.4 yard average.
While the Fire did not advance to the World Bowl, Henson finished the season second in the league with an 84.2 quarterback rating. He completed 109-of-203 passes (53.7 percent) with 10 touchdowns to just three interceptions. His numbers went down considerably after suffering the sprained knee early in Game 8.
Before Crowder's injury two weeks ago, the receiver started to turn the corner, catching seven passes for 62 yards and one touchdown.
Gill released
The Cowboys made one roster move Wednesday, releasing tight end Erik Gill. The rookie free agent from Pittsburgh signed with the team following the NFL Draft and participated in the Cowboys' three-day rookie mini-camp two weeks ago.
The Cowboys are rather stocked at tight end, with not only Jason Witten and second-round pick Anthony Fasano expecting to start in the team's new two tight-end set, but also have Ryan Hannam, who signed a four-year deal in free agency in March.
The club returns a pair of third-year vets in Sean Ryan and Brett Peirce, who performed well on special teams last season before suffering a torn ACL midway through November.
The Cowboys also have Tony Curtis, who spent all of last year on the practice squad, and Danny Young, who is primarily a deep snapper.
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
May 24, 2006 5:52 PM
IRVING, Texas - When Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears was being carted off the practice field last August in Oxnard, Calif., it wasn't a pretty sight.
The team's first-round draft pick, who had just signed his rookie contract and joined the team in training camp less than a week earlier, suffered a knee injury that had even team owner Jerry Jones wondering if he would play again that season.
As it turned out, Spears only suffered an MCL sprain and actually returned in time to play in the preseason finale against Jacksonville.
While Spears eventually played in all 16 games, even replacing Kenyon Coleman in the starting lineup by Week Six, the defensive end said he never regained full strength until after the season.
And Spears said that alone has helped him enjoy a rather productive off-season hitting the weights.
"It's been good," Spears said. "This is maybe my strongest off-season in the weight room. Just getting healthy. The leg is right. I was able to do a lot of things I wasn't able to do in the weight room.
"The knee injury I had in camp - I struggled with that all year. I finally got some time to get off of it, get it rehabbed and get it well."
Now Spears' weight has been an issue since the moment he arrived at Valley Ranch about a year ago. Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells wanted to him to drop about 10 pounds to get in the 290-range, and playfully gave him the nickname "Fats Domino."
And although he accomplished that and played last season at 294, Spears now is a little over 300 again, but said it's not a problem.
"I'm a little bulky with the weights and other things I've done," Spears said. "But it's the good weight this time."
And with extra bulk and two healthy knees, Spears is certainly hoping to improve on a solid rookie season. He started 10 games and finished the year with 35 tackles and 1½ sacks.
But being one of the team's two first-round picks last season, along with DeMarcus Ware (11th overall), Spears (20th) said the pressure to improve exists.
"The expectations are there anyway," Spears said. "We definitely want to be better players. There's a lot of things I can improve on. There's a lot of things DeMarcus can improve on. Everyone has pushed themselves this year and I think it will definitely help both us to have that year in under our belt."
Banged Up
Just before last week's NFL Europe regular season came to an end, the Cowboys figured to have at least one player participating in Sunday's World Bowl.
The Frankfurt Galaxy and Rhein Fire have all three Cowboys' allocated players and were battling out for the final spot to play Amsterdam this week in the World Bowl.
But despite Frankfurt clinching the final spot by beating Berlin, 14-13, and sending Rhein quarterback Drew Henson back to Dallas this week, the Cowboys might not have any representation in the game.
Not only has wide receiver Tom Crowder left the team for Birmingham, Ala., to rehab after undergoing surgery to repair a broken jaw, but now cornerback Lenny Williams missed practice Wednesday because of a sprained ankle.
Williams has started all 10 games for the Galaxy and leads the team with 11 pass deflections. He also serves as Frankfurt's primary kickoff return specialist, with a team-high 16 returns for 406 yards and a 25.4 yard average.
While the Fire did not advance to the World Bowl, Henson finished the season second in the league with an 84.2 quarterback rating. He completed 109-of-203 passes (53.7 percent) with 10 touchdowns to just three interceptions. His numbers went down considerably after suffering the sprained knee early in Game 8.
Before Crowder's injury two weeks ago, the receiver started to turn the corner, catching seven passes for 62 yards and one touchdown.
Gill released
The Cowboys made one roster move Wednesday, releasing tight end Erik Gill. The rookie free agent from Pittsburgh signed with the team following the NFL Draft and participated in the Cowboys' three-day rookie mini-camp two weeks ago.
The Cowboys are rather stocked at tight end, with not only Jason Witten and second-round pick Anthony Fasano expecting to start in the team's new two tight-end set, but also have Ryan Hannam, who signed a four-year deal in free agency in March.
The club returns a pair of third-year vets in Sean Ryan and Brett Peirce, who performed well on special teams last season before suffering a torn ACL midway through November.
The Cowboys also have Tony Curtis, who spent all of last year on the practice squad, and Danny Young, who is primarily a deep snapper.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:44 PM
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