Cowboys ready to gamble on Reeves
A liberal dose
IRVING -- Cornerback Jacques Reeves walked into the Cowboys' locker room Monday and was immediately put on an island.
A career backup, Reeves normally saunters in and out undetected.
But with cornerback Terence Newman still hobbled by a plantar fascia tear in his right heel, Reeves couldn't escape the spotlight of possibly being in the starting lineup for Sunday's season opener against the New York Giants.
Reeves, a seventh-round pick in 2004, was initially taken back by the crush of cameras and microphones. But he readily acknowledges the pressure to perform from inside and outside the locker room will be greater Sunday.
'I wouldn't be surprised [if the Giants targeted him],' Reeves said. 'People can worry. I have been working hard. I have confidence in myself. I am ready to go.'
If the Cowboys didn't have some confidence in Reeves, he wouldn't be in this situation.
Coach Wade Phillips said the Lancaster product has improved in training camp and the preseason.
Reeves enters the fourth and final year of his contract as an unknown commodity. He has one start and 27 career tackles, including only two tackles last season. Phillips summed up Reeves' history as a player who does not give up plays but does not make plays, either.
Clearly, this is not the ideal way the Cowboys wanted to open a season.
Newman hasn't practiced in more than two weeks. Phillips said he didn't know when Newman would be ready to play -- Week 1 or shortly thereafter.
It's bad enough that Newman is the team's best cover cornerback, making him key to the team's pressure 3-4 defense.
But Reeves' inexperience complicates the situation for the Cowboys, who will have to change what they do schematically. They had a veteran alternative in Aaron Glenn, 35, but chose to release him Saturday.
The 14-year veteran Glenn was not only considered to be the team's third-best cornerback behind Newman and Anthony Henry, but he was a team leader.
Newman and safety Roy Williams were among a number of Cowboys to call Glenn personally and vent.
'He was a great cornerback for us. I feel that if Terence wouldn't have been able to play, Aaron would have been that person that started,' Williams said. 'But somebody is going to have to step up. I have confidence in Jacques because he is on the team.'
Another player said Glenn's $1.7 million base salary played a role in the team's decision.
Phillips declined to address Glenn, but intimated that his age and inability to play special teams were factors.
Since Glenn had no future in Dallas, the team needed to know what it had in Reeves and Nate Jones, who will play in the nickel. Both are making $850,000 in 2007.
Glenn simply might have been considered a progress-stopper, but only in Dallas.
Detroit, St. Louis, Arizona, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Houston and the New York Jets tried to sign Glenn before he decided to continue his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday.
Glenn said he appreciated the sentiments of his former teammates and understands the Cowboys had decisions to make.
'It's good for Jacques to see where he is at,' Glenn said. 'He has done the job in practice. It's an opportunity for him.'
Reeves hasn't started a game since a rash of injuries forced him into the lineup as a wide-eyed rookie in 2004.
'I'm a lot more ready than I was then,' Reeves said. 'This is the chance I have been waiting for.'
COWBOYS VS. GIANTS 7:15 P.M. SUNDAY. TV: KXAS/Ch. 5
IRVING -- Cornerback Jacques Reeves walked into the Cowboys' locker room Monday and was immediately put on an island.
A career backup, Reeves normally saunters in and out undetected.
But with cornerback Terence Newman still hobbled by a plantar fascia tear in his right heel, Reeves couldn't escape the spotlight of possibly being in the starting lineup for Sunday's season opener against the New York Giants.
Reeves, a seventh-round pick in 2004, was initially taken back by the crush of cameras and microphones. But he readily acknowledges the pressure to perform from inside and outside the locker room will be greater Sunday.
'I wouldn't be surprised [if the Giants targeted him],' Reeves said. 'People can worry. I have been working hard. I have confidence in myself. I am ready to go.'
If the Cowboys didn't have some confidence in Reeves, he wouldn't be in this situation.
Coach Wade Phillips said the Lancaster product has improved in training camp and the preseason.
Reeves enters the fourth and final year of his contract as an unknown commodity. He has one start and 27 career tackles, including only two tackles last season. Phillips summed up Reeves' history as a player who does not give up plays but does not make plays, either.
Clearly, this is not the ideal way the Cowboys wanted to open a season.
Newman hasn't practiced in more than two weeks. Phillips said he didn't know when Newman would be ready to play -- Week 1 or shortly thereafter.
It's bad enough that Newman is the team's best cover cornerback, making him key to the team's pressure 3-4 defense.
But Reeves' inexperience complicates the situation for the Cowboys, who will have to change what they do schematically. They had a veteran alternative in Aaron Glenn, 35, but chose to release him Saturday.
The 14-year veteran Glenn was not only considered to be the team's third-best cornerback behind Newman and Anthony Henry, but he was a team leader.
Newman and safety Roy Williams were among a number of Cowboys to call Glenn personally and vent.
'He was a great cornerback for us. I feel that if Terence wouldn't have been able to play, Aaron would have been that person that started,' Williams said. 'But somebody is going to have to step up. I have confidence in Jacques because he is on the team.'
Another player said Glenn's $1.7 million base salary played a role in the team's decision.
Phillips declined to address Glenn, but intimated that his age and inability to play special teams were factors.
Since Glenn had no future in Dallas, the team needed to know what it had in Reeves and Nate Jones, who will play in the nickel. Both are making $850,000 in 2007.
Glenn simply might have been considered a progress-stopper, but only in Dallas.
Detroit, St. Louis, Arizona, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Houston and the New York Jets tried to sign Glenn before he decided to continue his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday.
Glenn said he appreciated the sentiments of his former teammates and understands the Cowboys had decisions to make.
'It's good for Jacques to see where he is at,' Glenn said. 'He has done the job in practice. It's an opportunity for him.'
Reeves hasn't started a game since a rash of injuries forced him into the lineup as a wide-eyed rookie in 2004.
'I'm a lot more ready than I was then,' Reeves said. 'This is the chance I have been waiting for.'
COWBOYS VS. GIANTS 7:15 P.M. SUNDAY. TV: KXAS/Ch. 5
posted by The Gryphon at 8:18 AM
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