DMN: Todd Archer: Broncos help Cowboys' evaluation process
by Todd Archer
IRVING – The Cowboys' four practices with Denver are not only for the players to take out aggression on someone in a different color jersey but for the front office to continue the evaluation process.
Going against the same offense or defense or player week after week, the evaluating can be tricky because a player can figure out the tendencies pretty quickly. By bringing in the Broncos, a player is forced to think more because they see different formations, different schemes and different abilities.
Cornerback Joey Thomas knows how to read Miles Austin's routes by now, but he is not so sure what Brandon Marshall is going to do. Jay Ratliff knows how to beat Leonard Davis in a pass rush by now, but he knows a little about Broncos tackle Matt Lepsis.
"Anytime you go against somebody else, game, or in this practice session,
I think they're going a little harder than they normally do," coach Wade Phillips said. "You want them to go hard all the time, but I still think the competitive thing helps.
"Anytime you're competing, that's what you want to see. We want to see how you do when you compete, in a ballgame or this situation. We want to see you compete against other people."
No vacation: Remi Ayodele, Tony Curtis and John Saldi spent the off-season playing in NFL Europa, and their bodies could use a rest. But they're not getting one.
Ayodele and Curtis have excellent chances of making the 53-man roster. Curtis came up with three catches on one drive against Indianapolis in the first preseason game, and Ayodele is getting the chance to win the backup nose tackle job. With Jason Ferguson's wife giving birth to twins Thursday, Ayodele worked with the first team.
While playing for Frankfurt, he kept in touch with his older brother, linebacker Akin, on the changes to the Cowboys' defense.
"I've never studied this hard before," Remi Ayodele said. "I'm doing all the things I didn't do last year when I was here. I'm working harder. I'm studying more. This is where I want to be."
No hazing: As a rookie, Jason Witten was responsible for getting drinks for Dan Campbell and Jeff Robinson for every meeting. For Campbell, he had to mix in half Gatorade and half water, which became a tiring act later in the year. Last year, Witten had rookie Anthony Fasano bring drinks to meetings. So far this year, rookie Rodney Hannah has escaped such work.
"He's too nice a guy," Witten said. "I told Fasano, 'You're still my rookie.' He's got to tell Rodney what to get."
How much can you bench? Quarterback Tony Romo wears a beat-up, weightlifting T-shirt from his Burlington (Wis.) High School underneath his uniform for every game. He was sporting a new one the other day.
"They're always trying to hook me up," Romo said. "Two-hundred and fifty bench club. I did it once. I couldn't lift 250 pounds at all. I did it once. I was around a 210-max guy. Senior one day, I did 250 and I made them give me the shirt."
IRVING – The Cowboys' four practices with Denver are not only for the players to take out aggression on someone in a different color jersey but for the front office to continue the evaluation process.
Going against the same offense or defense or player week after week, the evaluating can be tricky because a player can figure out the tendencies pretty quickly. By bringing in the Broncos, a player is forced to think more because they see different formations, different schemes and different abilities.
Cornerback Joey Thomas knows how to read Miles Austin's routes by now, but he is not so sure what Brandon Marshall is going to do. Jay Ratliff knows how to beat Leonard Davis in a pass rush by now, but he knows a little about Broncos tackle Matt Lepsis.
"Anytime you go against somebody else, game, or in this practice session,
I think they're going a little harder than they normally do," coach Wade Phillips said. "You want them to go hard all the time, but I still think the competitive thing helps.
"Anytime you're competing, that's what you want to see. We want to see how you do when you compete, in a ballgame or this situation. We want to see you compete against other people."
No vacation: Remi Ayodele, Tony Curtis and John Saldi spent the off-season playing in NFL Europa, and their bodies could use a rest. But they're not getting one.
Ayodele and Curtis have excellent chances of making the 53-man roster. Curtis came up with three catches on one drive against Indianapolis in the first preseason game, and Ayodele is getting the chance to win the backup nose tackle job. With Jason Ferguson's wife giving birth to twins Thursday, Ayodele worked with the first team.
While playing for Frankfurt, he kept in touch with his older brother, linebacker Akin, on the changes to the Cowboys' defense.
"I've never studied this hard before," Remi Ayodele said. "I'm doing all the things I didn't do last year when I was here. I'm working harder. I'm studying more. This is where I want to be."
No hazing: As a rookie, Jason Witten was responsible for getting drinks for Dan Campbell and Jeff Robinson for every meeting. For Campbell, he had to mix in half Gatorade and half water, which became a tiring act later in the year. Last year, Witten had rookie Anthony Fasano bring drinks to meetings. So far this year, rookie Rodney Hannah has escaped such work.
"He's too nice a guy," Witten said. "I told Fasano, 'You're still my rookie.' He's got to tell Rodney what to get."
How much can you bench? Quarterback Tony Romo wears a beat-up, weightlifting T-shirt from his Burlington (Wis.) High School underneath his uniform for every game. He was sporting a new one the other day.
"They're always trying to hook me up," Romo said. "Two-hundred and fifty bench club. I did it once. I couldn't lift 250 pounds at all. I did it once. I was around a 210-max guy. Senior one day, I did 250 and I made them give me the shirt."
posted by The Gryphon at 8:54 PM
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