DMN Blog: Live form Oxnard X. Ware gets day off
by Tim MacMahon
Weather: 69 with some clouds.
No signs of any country music/reality TV stars in the crowd, so we'll just have to focus on football again.
The Cowboys are in full pads, so this should be an extremely entertaining practice after yesterday afternoon's special-teams session. Stretching gets started at about 4:30. Feel free to fire off questions to fill time before the action starts.
4:11 -- Super Bowl XXVIII hero James Washington is back to watch another day of practice. He's chatting up defensive coordinator Brian Stewart while the players warm up.
4:17 -- This will be the first officiated practice of training camp. A crew of zebras is here. This is also the day that the Cowboys get their annual talk about the rule changes and things the refs plan to emphasize this season.
4:20 -- Roy Williams is now talking to James Washington. I really haven't noticed much change in Williams this camp. He certainly hasn't morphed into a great cover man, but that won't matter as much this season, when he'll be covering Wade Phillips in most obvious passing situations. I'm not sure his work ethic has even been an issue. ... It'd be very surprising if fifth-round CB Orlando Scandrick didn't make the 53-man roster. The Cowboys like his potential at cornerback, and he can contribute immediately on special teams after blocking seven kicks at Boise State. ... I don't think Jay Ratliff will be solely a DE. Matter of fact, I would still bet that he'll be the starting NT. Wade Phillips says he wants Ratliff to be ready to play DE, so the Cowboys have the flexibility to create matchup problems with their DL. Not sure that idea has been communicated well to Ratliff.
4:27 -- More answers to reader questions: I doubt Danny Amendola would slip through waivers, but that depends on what he does during preseason games. I wouldn't count on him being on the Cowboys' practice squad, though. ... I'd like to wait a little longer than a week into training camp before declaring that TE Martellus Bennett was drafted too high. The 6-6, 260-pound Aggie has done some good things out here, but Tony Curtis would be the No. 2 TE if the season started today.
4:32 -- DeMarcus Ware, who got dinged during yesterday morning's practice, will sit thos one out. He's out there, but he isn't wearing pads.
4:33 -- Stretching just started. More answers: I wouldn't go so far as to say that Orlando Scandrick has more potential than Mike Jenkins. If that were the case, Jenkins wouldn't have been drafted four rounds higher. Jenkins is three inches taller with a lot longer arms and almost as fast. Jenkins will play in the Cowboys' nickel and dime packages. Scandrick won't this season unless there are injuries.
4:36 -- My crystal ball is a bit cloudy in terms of whether Isaiah Stanback will end up being a better receiver than Sam Hurd and Miles Austin. Hurd is the best route-runner and hands guy of the bunch, Austin is the best deep threat, and Stanback is the most dangerous with the ball in his hands. As far as Stanback's development, the coaches compare it to where Austin was a year ago. ... Don't see Marcus Dixon as a realistic candidate for this roster. ... Too early to tell with Courtney Brown, but he's a phenomenal athlete with intriguing playmaking potential at safety. The coaches are eager to see how he tackles in preseason games. ... I could see Keon Lattimore sticking on somebody's roster, but he's just a practice squad candidate here with Tashard Choice the clear-cut No. 3 RB. ... LB Bradie James will have a helmet radio, and I believe FS Ken Hamlin will, too.
4:41 -- Defensive pursuit drills started in an interesting manner at the end of stretching. A bunch of DBs chased defensive coordinator Brian Stewart over to the other field. ... Offense running plays vs. air on field close to fans.
4:45 -- Jerry is yapping in Wade Phillips' ear as the offense runs plays and the defense does position drills. If the conversation is interesting, we'll probably hear it on Hard Knocks. ... Speaking of the HBO show, we'll have major breaking Hard Knocks news tomorrow.
4:47 -- More answers: Junior Siavii is splitting third-team NT reps with Remi Ayodele. They are both roster long shots at this point, especially since Marcus Spears has been working at NT. ... Depth at safety is good enough that a pretty good player might get cut. Pat Watkins, who led the Cowboys in special teams tackles last season, will be here. Courtney Brown vs. Dowayne Davis is one of the better roster spot battles, although there is a chance the Cowboys could go with five safeties. .
4:50 -- The focus of this practice will be the two-minute drill. Should be fun to watch.
Weather: 69 with some clouds.
No signs of any country music/reality TV stars in the crowd, so we'll just have to focus on football again.
The Cowboys are in full pads, so this should be an extremely entertaining practice after yesterday afternoon's special-teams session. Stretching gets started at about 4:30. Feel free to fire off questions to fill time before the action starts.
4:11 -- Super Bowl XXVIII hero James Washington is back to watch another day of practice. He's chatting up defensive coordinator Brian Stewart while the players warm up.
4:17 -- This will be the first officiated practice of training camp. A crew of zebras is here. This is also the day that the Cowboys get their annual talk about the rule changes and things the refs plan to emphasize this season.
4:20 -- Roy Williams is now talking to James Washington. I really haven't noticed much change in Williams this camp. He certainly hasn't morphed into a great cover man, but that won't matter as much this season, when he'll be covering Wade Phillips in most obvious passing situations. I'm not sure his work ethic has even been an issue. ... It'd be very surprising if fifth-round CB Orlando Scandrick didn't make the 53-man roster. The Cowboys like his potential at cornerback, and he can contribute immediately on special teams after blocking seven kicks at Boise State. ... I don't think Jay Ratliff will be solely a DE. Matter of fact, I would still bet that he'll be the starting NT. Wade Phillips says he wants Ratliff to be ready to play DE, so the Cowboys have the flexibility to create matchup problems with their DL. Not sure that idea has been communicated well to Ratliff.
4:27 -- More answers to reader questions: I doubt Danny Amendola would slip through waivers, but that depends on what he does during preseason games. I wouldn't count on him being on the Cowboys' practice squad, though. ... I'd like to wait a little longer than a week into training camp before declaring that TE Martellus Bennett was drafted too high. The 6-6, 260-pound Aggie has done some good things out here, but Tony Curtis would be the No. 2 TE if the season started today.
4:32 -- DeMarcus Ware, who got dinged during yesterday morning's practice, will sit thos one out. He's out there, but he isn't wearing pads.
4:33 -- Stretching just started. More answers: I wouldn't go so far as to say that Orlando Scandrick has more potential than Mike Jenkins. If that were the case, Jenkins wouldn't have been drafted four rounds higher. Jenkins is three inches taller with a lot longer arms and almost as fast. Jenkins will play in the Cowboys' nickel and dime packages. Scandrick won't this season unless there are injuries.
4:36 -- My crystal ball is a bit cloudy in terms of whether Isaiah Stanback will end up being a better receiver than Sam Hurd and Miles Austin. Hurd is the best route-runner and hands guy of the bunch, Austin is the best deep threat, and Stanback is the most dangerous with the ball in his hands. As far as Stanback's development, the coaches compare it to where Austin was a year ago. ... Don't see Marcus Dixon as a realistic candidate for this roster. ... Too early to tell with Courtney Brown, but he's a phenomenal athlete with intriguing playmaking potential at safety. The coaches are eager to see how he tackles in preseason games. ... I could see Keon Lattimore sticking on somebody's roster, but he's just a practice squad candidate here with Tashard Choice the clear-cut No. 3 RB. ... LB Bradie James will have a helmet radio, and I believe FS Ken Hamlin will, too.
4:41 -- Defensive pursuit drills started in an interesting manner at the end of stretching. A bunch of DBs chased defensive coordinator Brian Stewart over to the other field. ... Offense running plays vs. air on field close to fans.
4:45 -- Jerry is yapping in Wade Phillips' ear as the offense runs plays and the defense does position drills. If the conversation is interesting, we'll probably hear it on Hard Knocks. ... Speaking of the HBO show, we'll have major breaking Hard Knocks news tomorrow.
4:47 -- More answers: Junior Siavii is splitting third-team NT reps with Remi Ayodele. They are both roster long shots at this point, especially since Marcus Spears has been working at NT. ... Depth at safety is good enough that a pretty good player might get cut. Pat Watkins, who led the Cowboys in special teams tackles last season, will be here. Courtney Brown vs. Dowayne Davis is one of the better roster spot battles, although there is a chance the Cowboys could go with five safeties. .
4:50 -- The focus of this practice will be the two-minute drill. Should be fun to watch.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:01 PM
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