Cowboys Team Report
Jean-Jacques Taylor
For Sporting News
Coach Wade Phillips wants to give LB Demarcus Ware every opportunity to rush the passer, so he's using him on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Last season, Ware spent the majority of his time on the right side, so he could attack the quarterback's blindside. The Cowboys need Ware to be a dominant pass rusher for this defense to work. He had 11.5 sacks last season and the Cowboys privately think he can add at least another 3.5 to that total because he's going to blitz much more than he did last season. To prepare, Ware spends a portion of each practice working with linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni on his hand techniques, so he's more capable of freeing himself from offensive tackles when they get their hands on him. ...
The Cowboys were cautious with S Ken Hamlin after he suffered a concussion during practice two weeks ago. The Cowboys held him out of practice for several days and did not use him in the first preseason game. Hamlin suffered a severe head injury two years ago, when he was hit in the head with a steel pole during a bar fight. Hamlin said he has completely recovered and is not afraid that the concussion would have any lingering effects because of the previous head injury.
NEWCOMER REPORT: The Cowboys are excited about the potential of fourth-round pick Doug Free, a tackle. He played left tackle in the first preseason game and did a nice job against Dwight Freeney before spraining his knee and leaving the game. He will miss 2-4 weeks, but the Cowboys see him as a player who could eventually start at tackle. He has toughness, quick feet and good recovery skills once he's beaten. Flozell Adams is expected to be a free agent at the end of this season and Marc Colombo, the starter at right tackle, will be a free agent at the end of next season.
PROBLEM SPOT: There was some question as to how Martin Gramatica would handle the competition from sixth-round pick Nick Folk. Thus far, he has responded well in practice and games. He did a good job on kickoffs in the first preseason game, which is something the Cowboys wanted him to improve in the offseason. He made 7-of-9 kicks with Dallas last season and the Cowboys signed him to a two-year deal in the offseason. But now coaches want him to win the job and leave no doubt he's the guy. Dallas expects a long playoff run and the Cowboys would prefer a veteran kicker who has performed in big games before.
For Sporting News
Coach Wade Phillips wants to give LB Demarcus Ware every opportunity to rush the passer, so he's using him on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Last season, Ware spent the majority of his time on the right side, so he could attack the quarterback's blindside. The Cowboys need Ware to be a dominant pass rusher for this defense to work. He had 11.5 sacks last season and the Cowboys privately think he can add at least another 3.5 to that total because he's going to blitz much more than he did last season. To prepare, Ware spends a portion of each practice working with linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni on his hand techniques, so he's more capable of freeing himself from offensive tackles when they get their hands on him. ...
The Cowboys were cautious with S Ken Hamlin after he suffered a concussion during practice two weeks ago. The Cowboys held him out of practice for several days and did not use him in the first preseason game. Hamlin suffered a severe head injury two years ago, when he was hit in the head with a steel pole during a bar fight. Hamlin said he has completely recovered and is not afraid that the concussion would have any lingering effects because of the previous head injury.
NEWCOMER REPORT: The Cowboys are excited about the potential of fourth-round pick Doug Free, a tackle. He played left tackle in the first preseason game and did a nice job against Dwight Freeney before spraining his knee and leaving the game. He will miss 2-4 weeks, but the Cowboys see him as a player who could eventually start at tackle. He has toughness, quick feet and good recovery skills once he's beaten. Flozell Adams is expected to be a free agent at the end of this season and Marc Colombo, the starter at right tackle, will be a free agent at the end of next season.
PROBLEM SPOT: There was some question as to how Martin Gramatica would handle the competition from sixth-round pick Nick Folk. Thus far, he has responded well in practice and games. He did a good job on kickoffs in the first preseason game, which is something the Cowboys wanted him to improve in the offseason. He made 7-of-9 kicks with Dallas last season and the Cowboys signed him to a two-year deal in the offseason. But now coaches want him to win the job and leave no doubt he's the guy. Dallas expects a long playoff run and the Cowboys would prefer a veteran kicker who has performed in big games before.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:25 PM
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