Carpenter will sit on Sunday
Cowboys' first pick will sit
Depth at LB allows surprising decision on Carpenter for opener
11:31 PM CDT on Friday, September 8, 2006
By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING – Linebacker Bobby Carpenter, the 18th player selected in the 2006 draft, will be inactive for the Cowboys' season opener Sunday against Jacksonville.
Linebacker Oliver Hoyte, an undrafted free agent, will play.
Hoyte has been deemed more valuable because of his production on special teams, especially the kickoff and punt coverage units.
"At linebacker, we've really evolved and got a lot of talent at that position," owner Jerry Jones said. "You saw it when we let Rocky [Boiman] go.
"It's not a negative," Jones said of the Carpenter decision, "although it obviously could be looked at that way. I can see with what we want to do with Bobby, playing him at inside linebacker, how it's eventually going to be in his best interest and the Cowboys' best interest."
Dallas released Boiman, a free-agent acquisition who received a $1 million signing bonus, last week.
Carpenter, who signed a five-year deal worth nearly $12 million, including $7.5 million in guaranteed money, is making a tough adjustment from outside linebacker in the 4-3 defense, which he played at Ohio State, to inside linebacker in the 3-4.
The Cowboys switched Carpenter five days into training camp, in part, because Greg Ellis adapted so quickly to linebacker after spending the early years of his career at defensive end and because veteran Al Singleton proved to be a capable backup on the outside.
In the 4-3 defense, the outside linebacker lines up over the tight end or on his outside shoulder, where speed and quickness is an advantage. In the 3-4, Carpenter must consistently take on guards who outweigh him by 50 pounds.
He's playing behind Akin Ayodele, another free-agent acquisition who signed a five-year, $17.5 million deal in March. In the Cowboys' scheme, Carpenter is playing on the weak side (opposite the tight end), so he doesn't have to deal with as many blockers and can use his speed to chase plays from the back side.
Carpenter was unavailable for comment Friday. Earlier in the week, though, he talked about the adjustment from outside linebacker to inside linebacker.
"The reads are a lot different," he said. "If you take one false step, it can take you completely out of the play."
Jones said the Cowboys have more depth and talent at linebacker than any position on their roster. Being inactive for the season opener, he said, does not make Carpenter a wasted draft choice.
"He's a smart young man. He knows he has a career here," Jones said. "Hopefully, he'll recognize that no matter what basis you join the team that you really have to get it done on the field."
That's what Hoyte has done.
Although he was a productive player at North Carolina State, his 5.0 time in the 40-yard dash made most teams leary.
Hoyte (6-3, 247) is what coaches refer to as a "football player" because while he doesn't have the prototypical measurements and numbers, he makes plays.
He earned a spot on the Cowboys' roster with his work on special teams. He made four tackles against New Orleans.
"I run down the field as fast as I can and do my job," Hoyte said. "It's really not too complicated. I knew I could play. I'm not the fastest guy, but they wouldn't have signed me if they didn't think I could play."
Parcells said he has been impressed with Hoyte's performance.
"You tip your hat to a kid like that because he's hungry and wants it bad," Parcells said. "You put him out there and all he does is make tackles.We will see Sunday. He might have stage fright. That's what you worry about."
Depth at LB allows surprising decision on Carpenter for opener
11:31 PM CDT on Friday, September 8, 2006
By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING – Linebacker Bobby Carpenter, the 18th player selected in the 2006 draft, will be inactive for the Cowboys' season opener Sunday against Jacksonville.
Linebacker Oliver Hoyte, an undrafted free agent, will play.
Hoyte has been deemed more valuable because of his production on special teams, especially the kickoff and punt coverage units.
"At linebacker, we've really evolved and got a lot of talent at that position," owner Jerry Jones said. "You saw it when we let Rocky [Boiman] go.
"It's not a negative," Jones said of the Carpenter decision, "although it obviously could be looked at that way. I can see with what we want to do with Bobby, playing him at inside linebacker, how it's eventually going to be in his best interest and the Cowboys' best interest."
Dallas released Boiman, a free-agent acquisition who received a $1 million signing bonus, last week.
Carpenter, who signed a five-year deal worth nearly $12 million, including $7.5 million in guaranteed money, is making a tough adjustment from outside linebacker in the 4-3 defense, which he played at Ohio State, to inside linebacker in the 3-4.
The Cowboys switched Carpenter five days into training camp, in part, because Greg Ellis adapted so quickly to linebacker after spending the early years of his career at defensive end and because veteran Al Singleton proved to be a capable backup on the outside.
In the 4-3 defense, the outside linebacker lines up over the tight end or on his outside shoulder, where speed and quickness is an advantage. In the 3-4, Carpenter must consistently take on guards who outweigh him by 50 pounds.
He's playing behind Akin Ayodele, another free-agent acquisition who signed a five-year, $17.5 million deal in March. In the Cowboys' scheme, Carpenter is playing on the weak side (opposite the tight end), so he doesn't have to deal with as many blockers and can use his speed to chase plays from the back side.
Carpenter was unavailable for comment Friday. Earlier in the week, though, he talked about the adjustment from outside linebacker to inside linebacker.
"The reads are a lot different," he said. "If you take one false step, it can take you completely out of the play."
Jones said the Cowboys have more depth and talent at linebacker than any position on their roster. Being inactive for the season opener, he said, does not make Carpenter a wasted draft choice.
"He's a smart young man. He knows he has a career here," Jones said. "Hopefully, he'll recognize that no matter what basis you join the team that you really have to get it done on the field."
That's what Hoyte has done.
Although he was a productive player at North Carolina State, his 5.0 time in the 40-yard dash made most teams leary.
Hoyte (6-3, 247) is what coaches refer to as a "football player" because while he doesn't have the prototypical measurements and numbers, he makes plays.
He earned a spot on the Cowboys' roster with his work on special teams. He made four tackles against New Orleans.
"I run down the field as fast as I can and do my job," Hoyte said. "It's really not too complicated. I knew I could play. I'm not the fastest guy, but they wouldn't have signed me if they didn't think I could play."
Parcells said he has been impressed with Hoyte's performance.
"You tip your hat to a kid like that because he's hungry and wants it bad," Parcells said. "You put him out there and all he does is make tackles.We will see Sunday. He might have stage fright. That's what you worry about."
posted by The Gryphon at 9:16 AM
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