Cowboys Team Report
Jean-Jacques Taylor
For Sporting News
OLB Greg Ellis, who ruptured his left Achilles' last October, failed to make it out of the first practice because of pain in his Achilles. He felt the pain during a drill where he was taking on blockers, the first real football movements he has done since the rehab process began. Ellis had an MRI, which was negative, to make sure there was no structural damage. The Cowboys still expect him to be ready for the start of the season, but they're going to take it slow with him to make sure there are no setbacks. ...
The Cowboys are starting training camp without their two starting tackles -- Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo -- because each is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. The Cowboys expect each to be ready for the start of the season, but they want to be careful with them right now. They're using this time to give Pat McQuistan, a highly regarded late-round pick repetitions at left tackle, while second-round pick James Marten will work at right tackle.
NEWCOMER REPORT: FS Ken Hamlin will be one of the keys to the Cowboys' defense this year for two reasons. He will allow Roy Williams to line up near the line of scrimmage, where he's at his best being disruptive, and he will get everyone in the secondary lined up. That will also take pressure off Williams. Hamlin has only eight career interceptions, but the Cowboys think he has good enough coverage skills that he won't be a liability. More important, they need him to be a leader in the secondary who's not afraid to tell the others where to line up or what to do.
PLAYBOOK UPDATE: Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is making it a point to get the ball to Terrell Owens and he's putting him all over the formation to make sure it happens. Last season, Owens lined up primarily at split end on the left side of the formation. Garrett will put him on both sides of the formation as well as in the slot to make it more difficult for defenses to game plan for him and double cover him. Garrett will also get the ball to Owens on crossing routes, something that rarely happened last season, on a regular basis to take advantage of his run-after-the-catch skills. ...
Under Wade Phillips, the Cowboys will use a one-gap 3-4 scheme that emphasizes aggressive play and blitzing. The Cowboys plan to turn OLB DeMarcus Ware loose on quarterbacks and let him attack. Last year, he spent more time in coverage than blitzing. That won't be the case this year. The Cowboys will also use a lot of stunts and movements to create negative plays, especially on first down, in hopes that it will put teams into obvious passing situations. Then the Cowboys can really attack.
INSIDE DISH: QB Tony Romo would like a new contract before the end of training camp, but it's more likely to happen in the middle of the season when owner Jerry Jones has a much better idea of where Romo ranks in the NFL hierarchy. Romo has said he's not going to let it bother or distract him. Jones said he can get a deal whenever the numbers are satisfactory, whether it's now or later.
For Sporting News
OLB Greg Ellis, who ruptured his left Achilles' last October, failed to make it out of the first practice because of pain in his Achilles. He felt the pain during a drill where he was taking on blockers, the first real football movements he has done since the rehab process began. Ellis had an MRI, which was negative, to make sure there was no structural damage. The Cowboys still expect him to be ready for the start of the season, but they're going to take it slow with him to make sure there are no setbacks. ...
The Cowboys are starting training camp without their two starting tackles -- Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo -- because each is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. The Cowboys expect each to be ready for the start of the season, but they want to be careful with them right now. They're using this time to give Pat McQuistan, a highly regarded late-round pick repetitions at left tackle, while second-round pick James Marten will work at right tackle.
NEWCOMER REPORT: FS Ken Hamlin will be one of the keys to the Cowboys' defense this year for two reasons. He will allow Roy Williams to line up near the line of scrimmage, where he's at his best being disruptive, and he will get everyone in the secondary lined up. That will also take pressure off Williams. Hamlin has only eight career interceptions, but the Cowboys think he has good enough coverage skills that he won't be a liability. More important, they need him to be a leader in the secondary who's not afraid to tell the others where to line up or what to do.
PLAYBOOK UPDATE: Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is making it a point to get the ball to Terrell Owens and he's putting him all over the formation to make sure it happens. Last season, Owens lined up primarily at split end on the left side of the formation. Garrett will put him on both sides of the formation as well as in the slot to make it more difficult for defenses to game plan for him and double cover him. Garrett will also get the ball to Owens on crossing routes, something that rarely happened last season, on a regular basis to take advantage of his run-after-the-catch skills. ...
Under Wade Phillips, the Cowboys will use a one-gap 3-4 scheme that emphasizes aggressive play and blitzing. The Cowboys plan to turn OLB DeMarcus Ware loose on quarterbacks and let him attack. Last year, he spent more time in coverage than blitzing. That won't be the case this year. The Cowboys will also use a lot of stunts and movements to create negative plays, especially on first down, in hopes that it will put teams into obvious passing situations. Then the Cowboys can really attack.
INSIDE DISH: QB Tony Romo would like a new contract before the end of training camp, but it's more likely to happen in the middle of the season when owner Jerry Jones has a much better idea of where Romo ranks in the NFL hierarchy. Romo has said he's not going to let it bother or distract him. Jones said he can get a deal whenever the numbers are satisfactory, whether it's now or later.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:21 PM
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