Five Dallas Cowboys players on the fringe
The Dallas Morning News
Aug. 4--OXNARD, Calif. -- The Cowboys are five days from their first preseason game. Outside of Tony Romo, Flozell Adams, Marion Barber, Jason Witten and a few others who are locks to make the team, there are several fringe players fighting for roster spots. With the preseason opener at San Diego looming, we look at five fringe players who have made an impact in training camp
1. Evan Oglesby, cornerback
Wade Phillips said the cornerback position will be one of the toughest cuts in camp. There are nine corners, and the Cowboys might keep six. Oglesby, 26, with three years of NFL experience, leads the team with six interceptions and continues to impress the coaches with his quickness. Two interceptions have come in one-on-one drills where he sometimes has to jam a receiver off the line of scrimmage. Oglesby is good at using his long arms to deflect passes away on out routes. He's also good against the run, and he made a nice tackle on Felix Jones during an outside play last week.
"I knew what was at stake coming into camp," Oglesby said. The wide receivers "are the best in the league, and it's just helping me every day."
2. Joe Berger, offensive line
In 2005, then-Miami offensive line coach Hudson Houck told Berger what he needed to work on. Gaining weight and improving his techniques were the biggest things Houck wanted to see.
Now Berger is reunited with Houck and there is vast improvement.
Berger is 310 pounds, and Houck told Berger he's seen improvement in his technique.
"In Miami it was a struggle to get over 300," said Berger, a left guard, who joined the Cowboys last year after he was waived by the Dolphins. "It's mostly muscle now. He's noticed that my technical stuff is getting better like my hand placement and footwork."
Berger is competing for one of the backup spots on the offensive line. Houck has said he wants his linemen versatile to create depth.
Berger has practiced at both guard spots.
"In my three-year career, I'm learning if you're going to be a backup you have to be versatile to stay alive," he said. "Playing center is not too far away."
3. Alonzo Coleman, running back
Last season, an ankle injury kept Coleman off of the active roster, but the Cowboys thought enough of him to retain him on the practice squad. But in the draft, the Cowboys picked up Felix Jones and Tashard Choice and signed Keon Lattimore as a free agent. Jones is the No. 2 back behind Marion Barber, and Choice is projected as the No. 3, but Coleman is showing signs of improvement.
Phillips praised Coleman's efforts in practice last week and said noting is settled at the No. 3 running back spot.
Coleman, who is getting limited repetitions in practice, showed some skills when he juked past Anthony Henry into the end zone during an inside-the-20 drill.
4. Dowayne Davis, safety
In the early stages of camp, Davis has done a good job in run support with several key tackles. Phillips said he was impressed with Davis and that he's making a case for himself for the roster on special teams. But, the Cowboys could go with just four safeties on the active roster, which could push Davis to the practice squad.
"I've been learning a lot," Davis said. "I'm starting to understand the defense."
Davis, an undrafted free agent from Syracuse, said he's treating the practices as if they are games because he feels he needs to prove himself.
"I always believe that," he said. "Everywhere I went, high school, college, I was like that. It makes me stronger and want to work harder."
5. Tearrius George, linebacker
Injuries can hurt a player's chance to make the active roster. George suffered a bone bruise and a hyperextended right knee that caused him to miss four practices. George, a linebacker from Kansas State who played in the CFL last season after playing one year with the Jets, was worried.
"I got 100 calls when it hit the airwaves," George said when his injury was made public. "I felt the pressure. With a team like this, everybody is stacked at all positions, and when you're not out there, everybody is doing good."
Phillips was asked if being injured can hurt a player's chances to make the roster and he said no. He pointed out that George came back and had some good practices last week.
George, who is wearing a knee brace, is getting time at both inside linebacker spots.
Aug. 4--OXNARD, Calif. -- The Cowboys are five days from their first preseason game. Outside of Tony Romo, Flozell Adams, Marion Barber, Jason Witten and a few others who are locks to make the team, there are several fringe players fighting for roster spots. With the preseason opener at San Diego looming, we look at five fringe players who have made an impact in training camp
1. Evan Oglesby, cornerback
Wade Phillips said the cornerback position will be one of the toughest cuts in camp. There are nine corners, and the Cowboys might keep six. Oglesby, 26, with three years of NFL experience, leads the team with six interceptions and continues to impress the coaches with his quickness. Two interceptions have come in one-on-one drills where he sometimes has to jam a receiver off the line of scrimmage. Oglesby is good at using his long arms to deflect passes away on out routes. He's also good against the run, and he made a nice tackle on Felix Jones during an outside play last week.
"I knew what was at stake coming into camp," Oglesby said. The wide receivers "are the best in the league, and it's just helping me every day."
2. Joe Berger, offensive line
In 2005, then-Miami offensive line coach Hudson Houck told Berger what he needed to work on. Gaining weight and improving his techniques were the biggest things Houck wanted to see.
Now Berger is reunited with Houck and there is vast improvement.
Berger is 310 pounds, and Houck told Berger he's seen improvement in his technique.
"In Miami it was a struggle to get over 300," said Berger, a left guard, who joined the Cowboys last year after he was waived by the Dolphins. "It's mostly muscle now. He's noticed that my technical stuff is getting better like my hand placement and footwork."
Berger is competing for one of the backup spots on the offensive line. Houck has said he wants his linemen versatile to create depth.
Berger has practiced at both guard spots.
"In my three-year career, I'm learning if you're going to be a backup you have to be versatile to stay alive," he said. "Playing center is not too far away."
3. Alonzo Coleman, running back
Last season, an ankle injury kept Coleman off of the active roster, but the Cowboys thought enough of him to retain him on the practice squad. But in the draft, the Cowboys picked up Felix Jones and Tashard Choice and signed Keon Lattimore as a free agent. Jones is the No. 2 back behind Marion Barber, and Choice is projected as the No. 3, but Coleman is showing signs of improvement.
Phillips praised Coleman's efforts in practice last week and said noting is settled at the No. 3 running back spot.
Coleman, who is getting limited repetitions in practice, showed some skills when he juked past Anthony Henry into the end zone during an inside-the-20 drill.
4. Dowayne Davis, safety
In the early stages of camp, Davis has done a good job in run support with several key tackles. Phillips said he was impressed with Davis and that he's making a case for himself for the roster on special teams. But, the Cowboys could go with just four safeties on the active roster, which could push Davis to the practice squad.
"I've been learning a lot," Davis said. "I'm starting to understand the defense."
Davis, an undrafted free agent from Syracuse, said he's treating the practices as if they are games because he feels he needs to prove himself.
"I always believe that," he said. "Everywhere I went, high school, college, I was like that. It makes me stronger and want to work harder."
5. Tearrius George, linebacker
Injuries can hurt a player's chance to make the active roster. George suffered a bone bruise and a hyperextended right knee that caused him to miss four practices. George, a linebacker from Kansas State who played in the CFL last season after playing one year with the Jets, was worried.
"I got 100 calls when it hit the airwaves," George said when his injury was made public. "I felt the pressure. With a team like this, everybody is stacked at all positions, and when you're not out there, everybody is doing good."
Phillips was asked if being injured can hurt a player's chances to make the roster and he said no. He pointed out that George came back and had some good practices last week.
George, who is wearing a knee brace, is getting time at both inside linebacker spots.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:19 AM
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