Cowboys prop up kicker
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
IRVING — One by one, they stopped by — Roy Williams, Julius Jones, Jason Witten. Why even Terrell Owens offered a few words of comfort.
After he missed two potential game-winning field goals in overtime Thursday night, Mike Vanderjagt received nothing but a glare from Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells.
Vanderjagt's teammates tried a different approach.
"I told him to keep his head up," Owens said after the Cowboys tied Minnesota 10-10 to close the preseason. "We're going to count on him during the course of the season. I'm still behind him and a lot of the team is still behind him."
Vanderjagt signed a three-year deal worth $5.4 million in the offseason, but the Cowboys are wondering now whether he's worth it.
NFL teams must submit their final 53-man rosters by 4 p.m. today. Defensive back Marcus Coleman is expected to be suspended for the first four games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. That leaves the Cowboys with 16 players to cut.
Will Vanderjagt be among them?
"I don't know," Parcells said. "We're going to have to think it over."
If the Cowboys were to release Vanderjagt, he would count $830,000 against the 2006 salary cap and $1.6 million against the '07 cap.
If he stays, the Cowboys would likely have to keep a kickoff specialist. Vanderjagt hasn't handled the chore regularly in several seasons. He kicked off once against Minnesota and the Vikings fielded it at the 12.
The Cowboys other kicker, Shaun Suisham, had one touchback and landed two other kickoffs in the end zone.
"I haven't seen much (from Vanderjagt)," Parcells said.
Vanderjagt is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He made 23 of 25 field-goal attempts last year with Indianapolis.
But he ended the season on a down note. In the AFC divisional playoff game against Pittsburgh, Vanderjagt missed a 46-yard field goal that would have tied the score with 17 seconds left.
Asked if that miss shattered his confidence, Vanderjagt said: "I don't buy into that for one second. I've never lacked confidence. I didn't get where I've been by luck over eight years."
Vanderjagt also was shaky in training camp. Before Thursday's game, he had attempted only one field goal in preseason. He hurt his groin in the opener against Seattle and missed games against New Orleans and San Francisco.
Vanderjagt made a 24-yard field goal in the first half against Minnesota. His misses in OT were from 33 and 32 yards. Both were wide right.
"I don't know if it was my steps," Vanderjagt said. "I don't know what it is. I'll figure it out in the next week and a half and be ready for (the season opener in) Jacksonville. Somehow I have the ability to turn it on when it counts."
Owens believes him.
"He's a vet," Owens said. "He's been playing this game for a while and he'll bounce back. He's going to win some games for us."
Notebook: Quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who suffered a head injury in the first quarter against Minnesota, practiced Friday.
Express-News Staff Writer
IRVING — One by one, they stopped by — Roy Williams, Julius Jones, Jason Witten. Why even Terrell Owens offered a few words of comfort.
After he missed two potential game-winning field goals in overtime Thursday night, Mike Vanderjagt received nothing but a glare from Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells.
Vanderjagt's teammates tried a different approach.
"I told him to keep his head up," Owens said after the Cowboys tied Minnesota 10-10 to close the preseason. "We're going to count on him during the course of the season. I'm still behind him and a lot of the team is still behind him."
Vanderjagt signed a three-year deal worth $5.4 million in the offseason, but the Cowboys are wondering now whether he's worth it.
NFL teams must submit their final 53-man rosters by 4 p.m. today. Defensive back Marcus Coleman is expected to be suspended for the first four games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. That leaves the Cowboys with 16 players to cut.
Will Vanderjagt be among them?
"I don't know," Parcells said. "We're going to have to think it over."
If the Cowboys were to release Vanderjagt, he would count $830,000 against the 2006 salary cap and $1.6 million against the '07 cap.
If he stays, the Cowboys would likely have to keep a kickoff specialist. Vanderjagt hasn't handled the chore regularly in several seasons. He kicked off once against Minnesota and the Vikings fielded it at the 12.
The Cowboys other kicker, Shaun Suisham, had one touchback and landed two other kickoffs in the end zone.
"I haven't seen much (from Vanderjagt)," Parcells said.
Vanderjagt is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He made 23 of 25 field-goal attempts last year with Indianapolis.
But he ended the season on a down note. In the AFC divisional playoff game against Pittsburgh, Vanderjagt missed a 46-yard field goal that would have tied the score with 17 seconds left.
Asked if that miss shattered his confidence, Vanderjagt said: "I don't buy into that for one second. I've never lacked confidence. I didn't get where I've been by luck over eight years."
Vanderjagt also was shaky in training camp. Before Thursday's game, he had attempted only one field goal in preseason. He hurt his groin in the opener against Seattle and missed games against New Orleans and San Francisco.
Vanderjagt made a 24-yard field goal in the first half against Minnesota. His misses in OT were from 33 and 32 yards. Both were wide right.
"I don't know if it was my steps," Vanderjagt said. "I don't know what it is. I'll figure it out in the next week and a half and be ready for (the season opener in) Jacksonville. Somehow I have the ability to turn it on when it counts."
Owens believes him.
"He's a vet," Owens said. "He's been playing this game for a while and he'll bounce back. He's going to win some games for us."
Notebook: Quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who suffered a head injury in the first quarter against Minnesota, practiced Friday.
posted by The Gryphon at 2:47 PM
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