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Pro Bowl Open Thread

Last chance to watch some Dallas Cowboys players participate in a ‘game’ all the way until preseason of 2010. Luckily, we have plenty of Cowboys in the Pro Bowl to watch, even if it is just the Pro Bowl.

This is an open thread for game chat.

Highlights from the 2010 Senior Bowl.

Senior Bowl Open Thread

College seniors audition for the NFL in today’s Senior Bowl. All draftniks are required to watch.

This is an open thread for game chat.

The VRR: CBA’s "Final League Year" Could Help the Dallas Cowboys

For every NFL team, the offseason is all about change. Some teams, like the Redskins and Browns began their offseasons while the ‘09 season was still being played. Others, such as the Superbowl participanting Colts and Saints, are reaping the rewards of their successful ‘09 offseasons. 

For a team like the Cowboys, ultimate success was just a few games away. They know what strengths they can build upon and what weaknesses they need to address.

With the majority of the coaching staff returning, management can focus their efforts on personnel. Being Senior Bowl week, draft prospects are at the forefront of many NFL minds. With the Pro Bowl practices concurrently taking place, those all-star veterans expected to be free agents may be drawing the peripheral eye of Coach Phillips and staff.

A little personnel tweaking at a few key positions could be all this Dallas team needs next season to get where the Colts and Saints are today. Fortunately, the Collective Bargaining Agreement’s “Final League Year” seems to have come at a perfect time for the Cowboys.

Any salary cap casualties this offseason? Huh? What salary cap?

Last year, it was Terrell Owens and Adam “Pacman” Jones. This season, the Cowboys could have another big name or two on the waiver wire. If it is an uncapped year, as expected, teams won’t be charged prorated bonus money when they cut a player.

Terence Newman, Ken Hamlin, Marion Barber and Flozell Adams all have big-money contracts the Cowboys could get rid of without penalty. The question is: Who would replace them?

More VRR after the jump.

Tim MacMahon says that moving on from Marion Barber “makes sense”.

This isn’t about bashing Barber, whose production has dropped drastically since he signed a seven-year, $45 million deal and became the Cowboys’ starter. If it was, we’d point out that he’s injury prone and disturbingly ineffective in short-yardage situations for a back whose game is based on power.

The Cowboys would be foolish not to make Felix Jones the lead horse in 2010. Choice is more than capable of serving as a complementary back, and unlike Barber, he’d fill that role at a reasonable price. The Cowboys can draft another back in the middle rounds to play special teams and back up Jones and Choice.

MacMahon also thinks that Ken Hamlin is another guy the Cowboys can replace.

Is it worth $4.5 million to keep Hamlin on the team? Hamlin hasn’t been bad the last two seasons, but he certainly hasn’t been an impact player. He has one interception since getting his big contract. Owner/general manager Jerry Jones cited the lack of plays made by the safeties as one of his primary concerns in the middle of the season.

There were some within the organization that wanted Ball to keep the starting job after Hamlin recovered from a high ankle sprain. However, it’s not Wade Phillips’ style to take a veteran’s job away after an injury, plus Phillips values Hamlin’s communication ability. With the way the defense peaked at the end of the season, you can’t criticize Phillips’ decision to start Hamlin.

Jerry Jones indicated that Doug Free could be a starter next year.

“I wouldn’t want to buy into the way you said it,” Jones told a reporter. “But I would say he’s shown me enough to know that he can be a starter in the NFL. That’s the best way to say it as opposed to taking somebody’s (spot).”

(Flozell) Adams has four years remaining on a six-year $43 million extension signed before the 2008 season, while Colombo has three years left on a four-year, $22 million deal. As for whether Free projects better as a right or left tackle?

“Either one,” Jones said.

In the past, Tom Ciskowski and the Cowboys have had success finding “hidden gems” at the Senior Bowl.

This will be Tom Ciskowski’s third draft as scouting director. His late-rounds production has been good and could get better.

In two years, the Cowboys have pulled three serviceable players out of the Senior Bowl: Choice, pushing for more time at running back; Phillips, who could replace Martellus Bennett as the No. 2 tight end next season; and safety Michael Hamlin. Choice was the highest pick, in the fourth round.

The Senior Bowl serves as a talent laboratory. Ciskowski and his staff returned to the Cowboys complex in December and submitted grades on draft-worthy players. Performances in the Senior Bowl practices and game offer can confirm or knock down those grades.

Dolphins QB coach, David Lee, has been working with Tim Tebow at the Senior Bowl. As an assistant with the Cowboys, Lee was instrumental in teaching Tony Romo how to improve his mechanics.

In 2003, Lee encountered an undrafted rookie from Eastern Illinois with uncanny footwork, but a highly questionable delivery. Bill Parcells took one look at Tony Romo’s delivery and informed Lee, an offensive assistant at the time, that all of his passes would be batted down.

Lee was hesitant to completely overhaul a three-quarter delivery that had served Romo well since middle school, but the young quarterback begged him to make the changes. Lee helped Romo change his release point, making it much higher.

In the summer of ‘03, Romo would call Lee’s house at 9 p.m. and ask the coach to meet him up at the practice facility to play catch. Those sessions helped form the foundation for Romo’s shocking rise to fame in 2006.

Dat Nguyen spoke about why he opted out of signing a contract extension with the Cowboys. Whether he returns to Texas A&M remains to be determined.

“I want to grow as a coach,” Nguyen told the San Antonio Express-News. “I want to be more hands-on, and be more accountable to players. “I didn’t think I’d have the chance to grow like I had envisioned as a young coach. They offered me an extension. I just didn’t see where staying with the Cowboys was going to help me accomplish what I want to accomplish.”

Coming back to his old school might do just that.

“I definitely want to be in coaching; it’s a part of my life,” Nguyen said. “I want to make differences in kids’ lives.”

Matt Mosely’s All-Beast Team is full of Cowboys. One surprising pick is Dallas left guard Kyle Kosier.

Here’s my upset special. I realize that Leonard Davis is headed to the Pro Bowl, but the scouts I’ve talked to said that Kosier had the better season. He did a really nice job pulling and working in space. He didn’t hold up well against the Williams Wall, but you can say that about a lot of players.

DC.com goes back in time to describe how the Dallas Cowboys franchise came to life 50 years ago.

Everson Walls holds the Pro Bowl record for career interceptions in the all-star game. With Mike Jenkins just beginning what looks to be a promising career, perhaps he will start chipping away at that record. Here is the list of all the Pro Bowl records.

After the Pro Bowl, DeMarcus Ware will have surgery to shave down a bone spur on his left foot.

Ware is competing against Drew Brees and Mark Sanchez in the Pepsi Refresh Project. The winner receives a $100,000 grant towards the charity of his choice.

Ware will compete for Jonathan’s Place, a Dallas emergency shelter for abused, abandoned and neglected children.

“I want to help provide a safe environment for abused, abandoned and neglected children by supporting Jonathan’s Place,” Ware said in a statement. “With your help we can improve their lives with better medical care, counseling, clothing, food and shelter.”

View Ware’s video and vote for him here on NFL.com’s Pepsi Refresh Project page.

The final report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology on the Cowboys practice facility collapse was released.

The NIST reported the structure collapsed under wind loads significantly less than those required under applicable design standards. The group recommended that other fabric-covered frame structures be evaluated for safety.

The Blue Star Blog has a cool slideshow of The Season That Was.

Free Reign released their debut album. Rock on!

“Five songs, and it’s pretty heavy,” Colombo says, putting it mildly. “There are a couple of lighter songs too, but the album is named after one of our harder songs ‘Tragedy,’ and that’s going to be our second single. That’s kind of our song that we spent the most time on in the studio, because we felt it had the most chance to get radio play, and it’s done pretty well so far. We have a song on there called ‘Rise Up,’ which is kind of an anthem-type song, and it’s been played at the stadium when we’re stretching and stuff before games.”

Colombo and Cory Procter are getting around in the world of rock. Both players are featured here in this Drowning Pool music video.

The “Manster”, Randy White, talks Cowboys with Fox Sports Southwest in this video interview.

Jim Jeffcoat’s son, Jackson, has made his decision. He will play for the University of Texas. Woohoo!

The 6′5″, 225-pound defensive end rated as the second-best prospect by ESPNU. As a senior, he made 68 and a half tackles, eight and a half sacks and had two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

For his efforts, he was named his district’s defensive player of the year and was named to the Class 5A All-State first team.

The University of Houston hired former Dallas defensive coordinator Brian Stewart to take over its defense.

Stadiumjourney.com released its rankings of the NFL’s best stadiums for 2009. Guess I could’ve given Cowboys Stadium another half point or so. Darn it!

Below, Jerry Jones discusses what he’s learned from this past season, looks forward to events at Cowboys Stadium, and debates a bit about whether Manny Pacquiao would be a better fit as a slot receiver or safety.

The VRR: CBA’s "Final League Year" Could Help the Dallas Cowboys

For every NFL team, the offseason is all about change. Some teams, like the Redskins and Browns began their offseasons while the ‘09 season was still being played. Others, such as the Superbowl participanting Colts and Saints, are reaping the rewards of their successful ‘09 offseasons. 

For a team like the Cowboys, ultimate success was just a few games away. They know what strengths they can build upon and what weaknesses they need to address.

With the majority of the coaching staff returning, management can focus their efforts on personnel. Being Senior Bowl week, draft prospects are at the forefront of many NFL minds. With the Pro Bowl practices concurrently taking place, those all-star veterans expected to be free agents may be drawing the peripheral eye of Coach Phillips and staff.

A little personnel tweaking at a few key positions could be all this Dallas team needs next season to get where the Colts and Saints are today. Fortunately, the Collective Bargaining Agreement’s “Final League Year” seems to have come at a perfect time for the Cowboys.

Any salary cap casualties this offseason? Huh? What salary cap?

Last year, it was Terrell Owens and Adam “Pacman” Jones. This season, the Cowboys could have another big name or two on the waiver wire. If it is an uncapped year, as expected, teams won’t be charged prorated bonus money when they cut a player.

Terence Newman, Ken Hamlin, Marion Barber and Flozell Adams all have big-money contracts the Cowboys could get rid of without penalty. The question is: Who would replace them?

More VRR after the jump.

Tim MacMahon says that moving on from Marion Barber “makes sense”.

This isn’t about bashing Barber, whose production has dropped drastically since he signed a seven-year, $45 million deal and became the Cowboys’ starter. If it was, we’d point out that he’s injury prone and disturbingly ineffective in short-yardage situations for a back whose game is based on power.

The Cowboys would be foolish not to make Felix Jones the lead horse in 2010. Choice is more than capable of serving as a complementary back, and unlike Barber, he’d fill that role at a reasonable price. The Cowboys can draft another back in the middle rounds to play special teams and back up Jones and Choice.

MacMahon also thinks that Ken Hamlin is another guy the Cowboys can replace.

Is it worth $4.5 million to keep Hamlin on the team? Hamlin hasn’t been bad the last two seasons, but he certainly hasn’t been an impact player. He has one interception since getting his big contract. Owner/general manager Jerry Jones cited the lack of plays made by the safeties as one of his primary concerns in the middle of the season.

There were some within the organization that wanted Ball to keep the starting job after Hamlin recovered from a high ankle sprain. However, it’s not Wade Phillips’ style to take a veteran’s job away after an injury, plus Phillips values Hamlin’s communication ability. With the way the defense peaked at the end of the season, you can’t criticize Phillips’ decision to start Hamlin.

Jerry Jones indicated that Doug Free could be a starter next year.

“I wouldn’t want to buy into the way you said it,” Jones told a reporter. “But I would say he’s shown me enough to know that he can be a starter in the NFL. That’s the best way to say it as opposed to taking somebody’s (spot).”

(Flozell) Adams has four years remaining on a six-year $43 million extension signed before the 2008 season, while Colombo has three years left on a four-year, $22 million deal. As for whether Free projects better as a right or left tackle?

“Either one,” Jones said.

In the past, Tom Ciskowski and the Cowboys have had success finding “hidden gems” at the Senior Bowl.

This will be Tom Ciskowski’s third draft as scouting director. His late-rounds production has been good and could get better.

In two years, the Cowboys have pulled three serviceable players out of the Senior Bowl: Choice, pushing for more time at running back; Phillips, who could replace Martellus Bennett as the No. 2 tight end next season; and safety Michael Hamlin. Choice was the highest pick, in the fourth round.

The Senior Bowl serves as a talent laboratory. Ciskowski and his staff returned to the Cowboys complex in December and submitted grades on draft-worthy players. Performances in the Senior Bowl practices and game offer can confirm or knock down those grades.

Dolphins QB coach, David Lee, has been working with Tim Tebow at the Senior Bowl. As an assistant with the Cowboys, Lee was instrumental in teaching Tony Romo how to improve his mechanics.

In 2003, Lee encountered an undrafted rookie from Eastern Illinois with uncanny footwork, but a highly questionable delivery. Bill Parcells took one look at Tony Romo’s delivery and informed Lee, an offensive assistant at the time, that all of his passes would be batted down.

Lee was hesitant to completely overhaul a three-quarter delivery that had served Romo well since middle school, but the young quarterback begged him to make the changes. Lee helped Romo change his release point, making it much higher.

In the summer of ‘03, Romo would call Lee’s house at 9 p.m. and ask the coach to meet him up at the practice facility to play catch. Those sessions helped form the foundation for Romo’s shocking rise to fame in 2006.

Dat Nguyen spoke about why he opted out of signing a contract extension with the Cowboys. Whether he returns to Texas A&M remains to be determined.

“I want to grow as a coach,” Nguyen told the San Antonio Express-News. “I want to be more hands-on, and be more accountable to players. “I didn’t think I’d have the chance to grow like I had envisioned as a young coach. They offered me an extension. I just didn’t see where staying with the Cowboys was going to help me accomplish what I want to accomplish.”

Coming back to his old school might do just that.

“I definitely want to be in coaching; it’s a part of my life,” Nguyen said. “I want to make differences in kids’ lives.”

Matt Mosely’s All-Beast Team is full of Cowboys. One surprising pick is Dallas left guard Kyle Kosier.

Here’s my upset special. I realize that Leonard Davis is headed to the Pro Bowl, but the scouts I’ve talked to said that Kosier had the better season. He did a really nice job pulling and working in space. He didn’t hold up well against the Williams Wall, but you can say that about a lot of players.

DC.com goes back in time to describe how the Dallas Cowboys franchise came to life 50 years ago.

Everson Walls holds the Pro Bowl record for career interceptions in the all-star game. With Mike Jenkins just beginning what looks to be a promising career, perhaps he will start chipping away at that record. Here is the list of all the Pro Bowl records.

After the Pro Bowl, DeMarcus Ware will have surgery to shave down a bone spur on his left foot.

Ware is competing against Drew Brees and Mark Sanchez in the Pepsi Refresh Project. The winner receives a $100,000 grant towards the charity of his choice.

Ware will compete for Jonathan’s Place, a Dallas emergency shelter for abused, abandoned and neglected children.

“I want to help provide a safe environment for abused, abandoned and neglected children by supporting Jonathan’s Place,” Ware said in a statement. “With your help we can improve their lives with better medical care, counseling, clothing, food and shelter.”

View Ware’s video and vote for him here on NFL.com’s Pepsi Refresh Project page.

The final report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology on the Cowboys practice facility collapse was released.

The NIST reported the structure collapsed under wind loads significantly less than those required under applicable design standards. The group recommended that other fabric-covered frame structures be evaluated for safety.

The Blue Star Blog has a cool slideshow of The Season That Was.

Free Reign released their debut album. Rock on!

“Five songs, and it’s pretty heavy,” Colombo says, putting it mildly. “There are a couple of lighter songs too, but the album is named after one of our harder songs ‘Tragedy,’ and that’s going to be our second single. That’s kind of our song that we spent the most time on in the studio, because we felt it had the most chance to get radio play, and it’s done pretty well so far. We have a song on there called ‘Rise Up,’ which is kind of an anthem-type song, and it’s been played at the stadium when we’re stretching and stuff before games.”

Colombo and Cory Procter are getting around in the world of rock. Both players are featured here in this Drowning Pool music video.

The “Manster”, Randy White, talks Cowboys with Fox Sports Southwest in this video interview.

Jim Jeffcoat’s son, Jackson, has made his decision. He will play for the University of Texas. Woohoo!

The 6′5″, 225-pound defensive end rated as the second-best prospect by ESPNU. As a senior, he made 68 and a half tackles, eight and a half sacks and had two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

For his efforts, he was named his district’s defensive player of the year and was named to the Class 5A All-State first team.

The University of Houston hired former Dallas defensive coordinator Brian Stewart to take over its defense.

Stadiumjourney.com released its rankings of the NFL’s best stadiums for 2009. Guess I could’ve given Cowboys Stadium another half point or so. Darn it!

Below, Jerry Jones discusses what he’s learned from this past season, looks forward to events at Cowboys Stadium, and debates a bit about whether Manny Pacquiao would be a better fit as a slot receiver or safety.

Cowboys Free Agency ‘10: Jerry 2.0’s First Off-season At Bat

I get some awkward comments when I point out, and I frequently do, that Jerry 2.0 has been better in respects that Tuna 1.0, better known as the Parcells Era.  

Many people take it as permission to again flog the was-Big Bill-a-success-or-failure corpse.  I’d like to steer people clear of that issue.  The Parcells Era was clearly a success.  He pulled the team out of a losing streak, brought some order to the draft process and hit some rookie grand slams.  Jason Witten and Demarcus Ware are on Canton trajectories.  Tony Romo has been a low-risk, high-reward poster boy.

People must understand that personnel is acquired from two sources.  You re-stock through the draft and through free agency.  While I feel Parcells was a success, his offensive line draft picks notwithstanding, I give Jerry 2.0 the nod because Jerry and Stephen have been better, much better, at playing the free agency game.  Consider:

Take a look at Parcells free-agency buys and trade acquisitions, big and small:

1. QB VInnie Testaverde
2. QB Drew Bledsoe
3. OT Ryan Young
4. OT Jason Fabini
5. OT Marc Colombo
6. OG Marco Rivera
7. OG Kyle Kosier
8. TE Ryan Hannam
9. WR Terry Glenn
10. WR Keyshawn Johnson
11. RB Richie Anderson
12. NT Jason Ferguson
13. ILB Akin Ayodele
14. ILB Rocky Boiman
15. CB Anthony Henry
16. CB Aaron Glenn
17. K Mike Vanderjagt

Parcells found some decent players.  His biggest bargains were probably Glenn, who was swiped from Green Bay for a 6th round pick, and Colombo, who was a no-risk, all-reward bargain off the Bears injured list.

The bigger theme here is short-term gratification.  Most of these guys were “Parcells guys” who had played for Bill in New York or New England.  Ferguson, Anderson, Young, Testaverde, Fabini, Glenn and Johnson were Parcells Jets.  Bledsoe and Glenn were high draftees during Bill’s Patriots tenure. 

They produced good and in cases very good seasons in Cowboys uniforms, but none gave the Cowboys sustained quality play.  Kosier and Colombo have been steady Eddies, but not one of these seventeen players has made the Pro Bowl as a Cowboy.  None could be considered a big hit.

Let’s look at Jerry’s free agents, since he assumed control of the free agent acquisition duties:

1. WR Terrell Owens
2. WR Roy Williams
3. OG Leonard Davis
4. OG Montrae Holland
5. NT Junior Siavii
6. DE Igor Olshansky
7. ILB Zach Thomas
8. ILB Keith Brooking
9. SS Gerald Sensabaugh
10. FS Ken Hamlin

Wide receiver has been the lightning rod position for Jerry 2.0.  Owens was his expected talented, mercurial, turmoil-creating self.  He also produced big numbers his first two years.  Williams, right now, looks like the biggest bust of either regime. 

Look at the top-side and the bottom side.  Jones has three Pro Bowlers in Owens, Davis and Hamlin. Six of his guys are current starters.   His hit rate has been very good, when you consider Siavii and Holland, the two non-starters on the roster, were obtained to be backups.  And Jerry has excelled at implementing the old Patriots blueprint, signing talented players coming off down years or injured years and getting value production for them. 

Last year’s trio of signings, Olshansky, Brooking and Sensabaugh all fit this description.   Olshansky cost roughly more than half what the Giants paid Chris Canty, yet he produced the consistency Canty never showed in Dallas.  Sensabaugh was the best strong safety since Roy Williams was a rookie, and came at a fraction of Roy Willie’s price tag.  Brooking was considered washed up in Atlanta’s 4-3 and was reborn in Phillips’ 3-4.

(A closer look at both lists also should point you to the positions the Cowboys will target on draft day.  Notice how many free agent offensive linemen this team has had to buy?  How both safety spots were filled that way?)

Dallas will operate under financial free agent constraints, as one of the Final Eight teams in this year’s playoffs.  Take a close look at last year’s free agent crop and you’ll see that those limits should not be crippling.  None of last year’s key acquistions were big ticket buys.  All of them gave big money performance.

Another player or two like those will get Dallas closer to the mark.  Jerry’s pro personnel record suggests he and his staff should again be able to find another bargain or two.

Why the 2009 Season Was So Important for the Cowboys and Tony Romo

Over the next few weeks, this blog will examine the current state of the Dallas Cowboys roster. We’ll be searching for answers about free-agency and the draft; what are Dallas’ absolute needs (ahem, FG kicker) and nice-to-haves. Fortunately, there’s one position we’ll have no problem with, and it just happens to be the most important one on the field.

Cowboys fans everywhere can be thankful for Tony Romo.

At minimum, you need a competent QB in the NFL or your team is going nowhere. Only on the exceptional occasions can a mediocre QB reach the pinnacle in the league and hoist the Lombardi. A dominant defense and a punishing running game can do the trick, but it’s only the exception that proves the rule. You need a play-maker at QB to be a dominant team in the NFL, and the Cowboys have one. Before you lose the plot and say Dallas isn’t a dominant team and that Romo hasn’t won anything “big” yet, I say “yet” is the key. He may or may not reach those heights the fanbase wants, but we at least know he has the ability to do it.

When you look across the NFL landscape, it’s littered with teams that are desperate for a QB, or have big questions mark. The Rams, Bills, Raiders, Browns, Redskins, Panthers - that’s just a sample. And it’s not just bad teams, look at some playoff teams: the Vikings and the Cardinals both could have issues at QB depending on how events unfold.

Certain games stick out as landmarks in Tony Romo’s NFL journey so far. His first start against the Panthers when he took his team on the road and posted a convincing win. The heart-breaker playoff game in Seattle, the amazing comeback against the Bills after he had put the Cowboys in a big hole. There are others.

But in time, perhaps the most important game in Tony Romo’s career will be the Week 2 loss in 2009 to the New York Giants. The Cowboys spent most of the game knocking the Giants around the field, only to have Romo’s three interceptions snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Romo has already declared that he had an epiphany after the game. For whatever reason, he finally realized what was missing from his game - ball security. Critics may joke it took long enough - and I might agree - but it finally happened.

Romo threw nine interceptions in all of 2009. Three came on that day against New York. The rest of the year, he never again had a multi-interception game. He put together a three-game, and a four-game, streak without throwing one. Previous to this year, Romo had 81 TDs and 46 INTs. That’s .57 INTs per TD. This season, he had 26 TDs and 9 INTs, that’s .35 INTs per TD. He went from throwing roughly 2 TDs per INT, to 3 TDs per INT.

Previous to this season, Romo had demonstrated almost all of the key ingredients you need in QB. He can make any throw, he generally throws an accurate ball that puts his receivers in a position to rack up YAC stats. He’s mobile, can throw on the run, and he has the uncanny knack for making a big play out of potential disaster. He was missing two big ones though, ball security and leadership.

In 2009, he just might have conquered the last two.

Romo on the loss to the Giants in Week 2:

“When we lost the Giant game (on Sept. 20), I felt like I was a major reason why,” Romo said. “I needed to improve, and committed myself to taking better care of the football.”

From Pro Bowl interviews yesterday, Romo on interceptions:

Part of it is throwing the ball more accurately when you are under duress. That was something I had to teach myself, too. Find a way to be more accurate when there are people around you. You have to practice those throws. Everybody can practice dropping back and throwing the football. That is what you do. You don’t practice having people around your body in funny positions, still trying to be accurate.

Romo on leadership:

It’s like the sophomore kid in high school who’s the quarterback, and there’s a lot of older kids. It’s hard to tell them what to do when they’ve been through the fire, through these games, and they know the process, whereas you’re just learning. With me, it’s no different than becoming that junior and senior. You’re able to grab ahold of the offensive team and let people know what you expect.

One thing we do know, Romo will be the starting QB in Dallas in 2010. It feels good not to worry about the position.

The Cowboys are enjoying themselves at the Pro Bowl.

Romo speaks about practicing with Miles Austin on Thursday.

“He’s just fun to be around. He works hard,” Romo said on NFL Network. “Even here I can get on him a little bit - ‘Let’s go, turn it up a notch.’ We’re having a good time, but we’re also trying to get better too when we’re out here.”

Meanwhile, Mike Jenkins is enjoying his Pro Bowl experience, especially sharing it with Terence Newman.

“You look on the other side of the field, you see another star,” Jenkins told NFL Network. “I can’t even explain how I feel. T-New, when I came in he took me under his wing, taught me everything. He could’ve just left me out there hanging. He came in and did a great job and as ya’ll can see, I had a great year this year and we’re going to keep it going.”

Wade Phillips explains why Dat Nguyen left the organization.

Phillips said he wanted Nguyen to stay and had even recommended that he get a new contract. But Nguyen, who was a quality control coach and helped out with linebackers, wanted an opportunity to be a position coach.

“He wanted to try to move up,” Phillips said. “He didn’t feel he could do that quick enough at our place. We obviously wanted him back. He did a great job for us. I think he is a really good coach.”

Michael Irvin talks with Mike Jenkins at the NFC’s Pro Bowl practice.

It’s That Time Again: Mocking The Cowboys

It’s an annual occurrence, as sure as the leaves coming back, catchers and pitchers reporting to spring training, and Brett Favre blowing another playoff game.

It’s the Mock Draft.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, we just can’t resist them. We know they mean absolutely nothing, and that the guys making the mocks have about as much insight into who the Cowboys will draft as we do. Still, once the season is over - we like free-agency, but we love the draft.

So without further ado, let’s take a spin around the Cowboys mock draft world.

Yesterday, Aaron gave us a few, I’ll repeat them here.

Scott Wright of Draft Countdown

MIKE IUPATI, OL, IDAHO

At first glance the Cowboys don’t appear to have any major, glaring holes on their depth chart. This is especially true after the emergence of Miles Austin at wide receiver. However, the appalling performance of their offensive line in a playoff loss to Minnesota had to have been a wake up call. Sure they recently gave both Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo sizeable new contracts but can they really afford to risk a repeat of the Vikings six sack free-for-all in another big game? Idaho’s Mike Iupati is exactly the type of big, tough, physical blocker that Dallas looks for. A mountain of a man at 6-6 and 330 pounds, Iupati is a mauler in the run game but also pretty athletic and still has considerable upside. With the ability to play either guard or tackle at the next level Iupati would certainly be able to find a home and provide an upgrade somewhere along the Cowboy’s offensive line.

Bucky Brooks at NFL.com

Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa - Flozell Adams’ declining skills make it necessary for Jerry Jones to find a replacement at left tackle.

Some others:

CBSSports.com

Mock 1 -  Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
Mock 2 - Earl Thomas, S, Texas

Mel Kiper at ESPN

Bruce Campbell*, OT, Maryland Jerry Jones knows he needs to address the tackle position after the debacle he witnessed against Minnesota in the divisional round of the playoffs, and Campbell, while still learning, is a tremendous talent at this position.

NFL Draft Dog

Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland - At 6′ 6″ 312 pounds he is the prototypical left tackle in the NFL with superior athletic ability.

Football’s Future

Charles Brown, OT, USC - Brown may not bring the size of other Cowboy lineman, but he has the talent and toughness to be the answer at left tackle for a long time.

WalterFootball.com

Mike Iupati, G, Idaho - Mike Iupati makes too much sense here. He’s the type of mauling offensive lineman Dallas loves to have up front. The Cowboys need help at the position. It’s a perfect match, and I found it highly amusing that the Dallas Morning News reported that the entire Cowboys coaching staff “perked up” when Iupati’s name was announced for the Senior Bowl Weigh-Ins.

The Football Expert

Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma -  After the Saints game, I bet Tony Romo is pleading with Jerry Jones for some more offensive line help. Left tackle Flozell Adams is near a great career at 34 years old, while Marc Colombo isn’t much younger at 31 years old. Trent Williams’ stock drops this far mostly for two reasons: he may only be able to play right tackle, and he is an Oklahoma lineman. Both Phil Loadholt and Duke Robinson had high draft grades at this time and fell to the 2nd and 5th round respectively.

Mocking The Draft

LB- Navarro Bowman- PSU - Keith Brooking is aging and Bowman could be a nice replacement. The Cowboys have need at left tackle and safety but there isn’t anyone worthy of this pick available.

A few non-draft notes:

It appears Dat Nguyen is leaving the Cowboys. That’s too bad, I always liked Dat and thought Bill Parcells’ description of him as a ‘football playin’ dude’ was perfect.

Hat tip to jam0152 for his FanPost.

This was a nice line from the DMN:

Wide receiver Roy Williams made one significant contribution to the Dallas Cowboys’ offense this season. By missing the Kansas City game because of bruised ribs, Williams opened the way for Miles Austin to get into the rotation at receiver.

Also, I try to fix the Pro Bowl, here.

Happy 50th Birthday, Dallas Cowboys!

Happy 50th Birthday, Dallas Cowboys!

Standing Pat Gives Cowboys Coaches a Chance to Stand Above

Last week’s extension for Wade Phillips made a gentle ripple among the Cowboys faithful. The supporters were okay with the move.  The rippers made some noise but seemed tepid by relation.  Equally important, in my opinion, was the rapid closing of other NFL head coaching spots, which means none of the Cowboys assistants were on the market this year.

Let’s consider where this puts the Cowboys.  Phillips and OC Jason Garrett have just completed their third years running the team’s offense and defense.  When they took over from Bill Parcells’ guys in 2007 they were the newbies of the division.  Andy Reid, Marty Morhinweg and Jim Johnson had run their shop in Philly for years.  In New York, Tom Coughlin and Kevin Gilbride had been in place for three years.  The Giants had shiny new DC Steve Spagnuolo, but he had been an Eagles assistant for years and knew the division well.  Joe Gibbs was starting the final year of his four-year Redskins comeback that fall.

The Cowboys lacked the book their opponents had on each other.

This gave Garrett an early edge, as his offense put 45 on New York , 38 on the Eagles and 28 on the Redkins the first time around.   Those numbers declined precipitously on Dallas’ second tour.  The high-score first tour, low-score second tour pattern continued last year as well.

Look at the divisional brain drain the last calendar year.  Johnson, sadly, passed away.  His replacement, Sean McDermott, could not replicate Johnson’s incredible adjustments in his inaugural season.  At New York, Bill Sheridan stumbled so badly replacing Spagnuolo that he was dismissed.  (An Onion headline dryly wrote, “Tom Coughlin Scores Two Touchdowns in Season-Ending Speech to Giants Defense.”)

Washington will have offensive guru Mike Shanahan back in the game, but he’s a coach Wade Phillips knows well from his days in San Diego.  Garrett is probably breathing easier because Greg Blache, the Redskins DC, has retired.  He was the elder statesman of divisional DCs and gave Garrett’s offense the most trouble. 

With stability comes seniority.  Garrett is now an NFC East greybeard, with more on every one of his opposing DCs.  Phillips has three years of game plans and is 8-6 against Gilbride and Morhinweg.  He split his six Chargers matchups with Shanahan’s Redskins, so he should not be caught off-guard by a “new” Washington look.

The East is often won by the smallest of margins and any edge, no matter how small, can make a huge difference.  Dallas enters 2010 with an experience advantage.

DeMarcus Ware named to NFL’s All-Decade Team. In five seasons (2005-09), Ware has 64.5 sacks and…

DeMarcus Ware named to NFL’s All-Decade Team.



In five seasons (2005-09), Ware has 64.5 sacks and four Pro Bowl selections.

The NFL All-Decade teams are chosen every 10 years by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee members. The 2000s will mark the ninth All-Decade team to be selected in NFL history.

Last Offseason, the Cowboys Overhauled the Defense…Is it the Offense’s Turn Now?

Going from 2008 to 2009, the Cowboys overhauled their defensive starting lineup. Free agents Keith Brooking, Gerald Sensabaugh, and Igor Olshansky took over at their respective positions. Former first-rounders Anthony Spencer, Mike Jenkins, and Bobby Carpenter injected their youth into the lineup and were three of the team’s most improved players.

The plan worked. Over the course of the regular season, the unit gave up just 15.6 points per game - good enough for second in the league. Throw out the two meltdowns against the Giants, and the Cowboys lost their three other games with the defense allowing just 17 points to Denver, 17 to Green Bay, and 20 to San Diego. It’s hard to blame those three losses on the defense.

What happened to the offense in those three games? Well, Miles Austin had yet to “emerge” in Denver, so Tony Romo and Sam Hurd came up short when trying to tie the game late. In Green Bay, Romo was sacked five times and the fact that the running backs totaled a combined 11 carries had all of BTB in an uproar. At home against San Diego, Jason Garrett stuck with the run at the goalline and we all watched Marion Barber come up short.

The defense played well enough to keep these games within the offense’s reach, but the offense just couldn’t get over that hump to get those needed points. And in Minnesota, the offense’s weaknesses were truly exposed. They moved the ball early, but came up empty in the points department. Next season, they will have to get over that hump.

Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips were extremely aggressive - both in free agency and the draft - on the defensive side of the ball last offseason. In the end of the year press conference, Jones stated that they will again be “aggressive” in finding talented players. Right after that, he began his little spiel on “stacking” and “unstacking” the running back position. Sometimes, it’s tough to read between his words; nevertheless, he had offense on the mind.

This offseason, how much change can we expect to see in Dallas’ starting offense? Do they need the same kind of overhaul the defense had last year?

If you dissect the offense in an aggressive manner, there certainly are adjustments that can be made to the starting lineup.

First, let’s look at the running back position. Felix Jones has proven enough to start in place of Marion Barber. Sure, injuries have been a concern with Felix. Although, the same can be said of Barber. In so many words, Jerry Jones recently expressed his concern about Barber’s injury history.

“We have had an injury issue there at the end of each of the last two seasons,” Jones said. “That may have something to do with the amount of time we can give the other backs. That could impact that decision.”

Calvin Watkins heard some of the same concerns about Barber.

There’s a hot rumor the Cowboys are shopping Barber, but I was told that’s not true. But the Cowboys owe Barber a $4 million roster bonus this spring, and he’s scheduled to make a base salary of $3.8 million. Jones said money isn’t a factor in determining whether Barber will be back in 2010.

“He had various nicks but not as bad at the end as the year before,” Jones said. “I like where we are at the running back position. We still got him, and his injury is in the categories of nicks. But he was still able to get in there and help us at the end [of the year]. And we weren’t in that situation the year before, and that’s progress.”

Quincyyyyy put up a FanPost for us to list players that the Cowboys have been seen talking to during the Senior Bowl. Yesterday, draftbreakdown.com blogged that they spotted the team speaking with Auburn RB Ben Tate.

Tate (5′11″, 218) is a guy who is projected to be a mid-round pick. According to this profile, he seems more in the mold of Barber rather than Felix or Tashard Choice.

Strengths:
Very good size and bulk — Decisive, powerful, downhill runner — Has a little wiggle in the hole — Good receiver out of the backfield — Tough and durable — Great  program pedigree — May still have some upside.

Weaknesses:
Does not have great vision or instincts — Lacks explosion — Isn’t very shifty or elusive— Struggles to get outside and turn the corner — Not a big play threat — Just  an  average  blocker — Ball protection issues.

Read into that what you will. This is, of course, all speculation…for now.

The rest of the Dallas backfield could remain the same. Obviously, there would not be any change at starting quarterback for the Cowboys. There could be a change at fullback if the team chooses to play John Phillips more there than Deon Anderson. Should such a change occur, then the Cowboys may need another tight end. And remember, Jerry Jones recently remarked that he would like to see Martellus Bennett get down to business.

“I think focus would be the word,” Jones said of Bennett. “He will get a lot more tweets if he’s a big-time ballplayer than he will off his creative ability.”

Low and behold, the Cowboys were spotted talking to Garrett Graham, a TE from Wisconsin. From his profile, Graham (6-3, 234) looks to be a receiving TE and a potential red zone threat (tied for 5th in school history with 16 career receiving TDs).

Marty B had just 15 receptions on the year while “Cricket” had just one. Neither caught a TD pass.

Thanks to Miles Austin, the offense is set at one WR spot. Expect an open competition for the other one come training camp. If Roy Williams can’t improve upon his performance from this season, there will be a new starter at the #2 spot. Patrick Crayton, Kevin Ogletree, and Sam Hurd are the incumbent backups that will compete.

The team recently worked out former Florida WR Chad Jackson and signed CFL WR Titus Ryan from the Calgary Stampeders. He is no lock to make the team, but brings a dynamic presence in the kick return game.

Here is Ryan’s CFL profile.

It would be a surprise for the Cowboys to draft a WR with their first pick, but Jerry Jones has expressed wanting to get a more explosive return game. Nick Eatman thinks the Cowboys could use some more juice at PR/KR as well.

If a receiver is sitting there late in the first round, and he’s got return skills to boot, why not. Same goes with a safety or cornerback. So you don’t necessarily have to go out and draft a player specifically to return kicks. But it could be a great tiebreaker if you’ve got a War Room debate.

Most mock drafts have the Cowboys selecting an offensive lineman with their top pick. That makes sense considering both the age of the starters and how dominated they were by the Vikings.

In regards to offensive linemen, Idaho G Mike Iupati seems to be the star of the Senior Bowl practices. The DMN made it known that “the Cowboys contingent perked up” when Iupati weighed in. Scott Wright of Draft Countdown has the Cowboys taking Iupati in the first round.

A mountain of a man at 6-6 and 330 pounds, Iupati is a mauler in the run game but also pretty athletic and still has considerable upside. With the ability to play either guard or tackle at the next level Iupati would certainly be able to find a home and provide an upgrade somewhere along the Cowboy’s offensive line.

Safety continues to be a perennial problem in “Big D” so that is a possibility as well and don’t rule out a five-technique defensive end to groom in case they lose Marcus Spears as a free agent a year from now. As a darkhorse don’t completely rule out a wide receiver either.

He interviews Mike Iupati of Idaho here.

Mel Kiper projected the Cowboys will take Maryland OT Bruce Campbell. Here is Mocking Dan’s profile on the 6′7″, 310-lb. Campbell.

In Bucky Brooks’ Mock draft 1.0, he has them selecting Iowa’s OT Bryan Bulaga.

Flozell Adams‘ declining skills make it necessary for Jerry Jones to find a replacement at left tackle.

Matt Mosely thinks that the Cowboys already have their plan for the future set at LT: Doug Free.

The Cowboys will select Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, according to Brooks. He thinks the Cowboys need to find someone to replace left tackle Flozell Adams. But I believe the Cowboys have already identified Doug Free as the player who will replace Adams, perhaps as early as next season.

When looking at the needs of the Cowboys, those on offense look to be priorities. Sure, they can use another defensive back (they were seen speaking with Virginia DB Chris Cook) or defensive lineman. But the defense is arguably the most improved unit on this team. If Jerry Jones is not aggressive with the offense in free agency, he and Tom Ciskowki will be in the draft. If the Cowboys stick with the 27th pick, it could very well be used on offense.

Jones left open the possibility of taking an offensive player in the opening round for only the second time since 1998. Last year’s draft will affect the process. The 2009 class was heavy on defense. That included the only two players who spent the season on injured reserve: defensive end Brandon Williams and safety Stephen Hodge. If they return as expected, Jones said, the Cowboys would have a glut on defense.

“That could affect our thinking,” Jones said.

In summation, we can suspect that there will be some new faces on the starting offense to open the 2010 season. If the Cowboys aggressively approach the offensive side of the ball this offseason, there is the potential that five new starters will line up on opening day.

Possible new names at RB, FB, WR, OT, and OG could match the number of starters changed over on defense from the ‘08 to ‘09 season. Five new starters sounds improbable, but it’s not impossible.

Last Offseason, the Cowboys Overhauled the Defense…Is it the Offense’s Turn Now?

Going from 2008 to 2009, the Cowboys overhauled their defensive starting lineup. Free agents Keith Brooking, Gerald Sensabaugh, and Igor Olshansky took over at their respective positions. Former first-rounders Anthony Spencer, Mike Jenkins, and Bobby Carpenter injected their youth into the lineup and were three of the team’s most improved players.

The plan worked. Over the course of the regular season, the unit gave up just 15.6 points per game - good enough for second in the league. Throw out the two meltdowns against the Giants, and the Cowboys lost their three other games with the defense allowing just 17 points to Denver, 17 to Green Bay, and 20 to San Diego. It’s hard to blame those three losses on the defense.

What happened to the offense in those three games? Well, Miles Austin had yet to “emerge” in Denver, so Tony Romo and Sam Hurd came up short when trying to tie the game late. In Green Bay, Romo was sacked five times and the fact that the running backs totaled a combined 11 carries had all of BTB in an uproar. At home against San Diego, Jason Garrett stuck with the run at the goalline and we all watched Marion Barber come up short.

The defense played well enough to keep these games within the offense’s reach, but the offense just couldn’t get over that hump to get those needed points. And in Minnesota, the offense’s weaknesses were truly exposed. They moved the ball early, but came up empty in the points department. Next season, they will have to get over that hump.

Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips were extremely aggressive - both in free agency and the draft - on the defensive side of the ball last offseason. In the end of the year press conference, Jones stated that they will again be “aggressive” in finding talented players. Right after that, he began his little spiel on “stacking” and “unstacking” the running back position. Sometimes, it’s tough to read between his words; nevertheless, he had offense on the mind.

This offseason, how much change can we expect to see in Dallas’ starting offense? Do they need the same kind of overhaul the defense had last year?

If you dissect the offense in an aggressive manner, there certainly are adjustments that can be made to the starting lineup.

First, let’s look at the running back position. Felix Jones has proven enough to start in place of Marion Barber. Sure, injuries have been a concern with Felix. Although, the same can be said of Barber. In so many words, Jerry Jones recently expressed his concern about Barber’s injury history.

“We have had an injury issue there at the end of each of the last two seasons,” Jones said. “That may have something to do with the amount of time we can give the other backs. That could impact that decision.”

Calvin Watkins heard some of the same concerns about Barber.

There’s a hot rumor the Cowboys are shopping Barber, but I was told that’s not true. But the Cowboys owe Barber a $4 million roster bonus this spring, and he’s scheduled to make a base salary of $3.8 million. Jones said money isn’t a factor in determining whether Barber will be back in 2010.

“He had various nicks but not as bad at the end as the year before,” Jones said. “I like where we are at the running back position. We still got him, and his injury is in the categories of nicks. But he was still able to get in there and help us at the end [of the year]. And we weren’t in that situation the year before, and that’s progress.”

Quincyyyyy put up a FanPost for us to list players that the Cowboys have been seen talking to during the Senior Bowl. Yesterday, draftbreakdown.com blogged that they spotted the team speaking with Auburn RB Ben Tate.

Tate (5′11″, 218) is a guy who is projected to be a mid-round pick. According to this profile, he seems more in the mold of Barber rather than Felix or Tashard Choice.

Strengths:
Very good size and bulk — Decisive, powerful, downhill runner — Has a little wiggle in the hole — Good receiver out of the backfield — Tough and durable — Great  program pedigree — May still have some upside.

Weaknesses:
Does not have great vision or instincts — Lacks explosion — Isn’t very shifty or elusive— Struggles to get outside and turn the corner — Not a big play threat — Just  an  average  blocker — Ball protection issues.

Read into that what you will. This is, of course, all speculation…for now.

The rest of the Dallas backfield could remain the same. Obviously, there would not be any change at starting quarterback for the Cowboys. There could be a change at fullback if the team chooses to play John Phillips more there than Deon Anderson. Should such a change occur, then the Cowboys may need another tight end. And remember, Jerry Jones recently remarked that he would like to see Martellus Bennett get down to business.

“I think focus would be the word,” Jones said of Bennett. “He will get a lot more tweets if he’s a big-time ballplayer than he will off his creative ability.”

Low and behold, the Cowboys were spotted talking to Garrett Graham, a TE from Wisconsin. From his profile, Graham (6-3, 234) looks to be a receiving TE and a potential red zone threat (tied for 5th in school history with 16 career receiving TDs).

Marty B had just 15 receptions on the year while “Cricket” had just one. Neither caught a TD pass.

Thanks to Miles Austin, the offense is set at one WR spot. Expect an open competition for the other one come training camp. If Roy Williams can’t improve upon his performance from this season, there will be a new starter at the #2 spot. Patrick Crayton, Kevin Ogletree, and Sam Hurd are the incumbent backups that will compete.

The team recently worked out former Florida WR Chad Jackson and signed CFL WR Titus Ryan from the Calgary Stampeders. He is no lock to make the team, but brings a dynamic presence in the kick return game.

Here is Ryan’s CFL profile.

It would be a surprise for the Cowboys to draft a WR with their first pick, but Jerry Jones has expressed wanting to get a more explosive return game. Nick Eatman thinks the Cowboys could use some more juice at PR/KR as well.

If a receiver is sitting there late in the first round, and he’s got return skills to boot, why not. Same goes with a safety or cornerback. So you don’t necessarily have to go out and draft a player specifically to return kicks. But it could be a great tiebreaker if you’ve got a War Room debate.

Most mock drafts have the Cowboys selecting an offensive lineman with their top pick. That makes sense considering both the age of the starters and how dominated they were by the Vikings.

In regards to offensive linemen, Idaho G Mike Iupati seems to be the star of the Senior Bowl practices. The DMN made it known that “the Cowboys contingent perked up” when Iupati weighed in. Scott Wright of Draft Countdown has the Cowboys taking Iupati in the first round.

A mountain of a man at 6-6 and 330 pounds, Iupati is a mauler in the run game but also pretty athletic and still has considerable upside. With the ability to play either guard or tackle at the next level Iupati would certainly be able to find a home and provide an upgrade somewhere along the Cowboy’s offensive line.

Safety continues to be a perennial problem in “Big D” so that is a possibility as well and don’t rule out a five-technique defensive end to groom in case they lose Marcus Spears as a free agent a year from now. As a darkhorse don’t completely rule out a wide receiver either.

He interviews Mike Iupati of Idaho here.

Mel Kiper projected the Cowboys will take Maryland OT Bruce Campbell. Here is Mocking Dan’s profile on the 6′7″, 310-lb. Campbell.

In Bucky Brooks’ Mock draft 1.0, he has them selecting Iowa’s OT Bryan Bulaga.

Flozell Adams‘ declining skills make it necessary for Jerry Jones to find a replacement at left tackle.

Matt Mosely thinks that the Cowboys already have their plan for the future set at LT: Doug Free.

The Cowboys will select Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, according to Brooks. He thinks the Cowboys need to find someone to replace left tackle Flozell Adams. But I believe the Cowboys have already identified Doug Free as the player who will replace Adams, perhaps as early as next season.

When looking at the needs of the Cowboys, those on offense look to be priorities. Sure, they can use another defensive back (they were seen speaking with Virginia DB Chris Cook) or defensive lineman. But the defense is arguably the most improved unit on this team. If Jerry Jones is not aggressive with the offense in free agency, he and Tom Ciskowki will be in the draft. If the Cowboys stick with the 27th pick, it could very well be used on offense.

Jones left open the possibility of taking an offensive player in the opening round for only the second time since 1998. Last year’s draft will affect the process. The 2009 class was heavy on defense. That included the only two players who spent the season on injured reserve: defensive end Brandon Williams and safety Stephen Hodge. If they return as expected, Jones said, the Cowboys would have a glut on defense.

“That could affect our thinking,” Jones said.

In summation, we can suspect that there will be some new faces on the starting offense to open the 2010 season. If the Cowboys aggressively approach the offensive side of the ball this offseason, there is the potential that five new starters will line up on opening day.

Possible new names at RB, FB, WR, OT, and OG could match the number of starters changed over on defense from the ‘08 to ‘09 season. Five new starters sounds improbable, but it’s not impossible.

NFL Network to air NFC Pro Bowl Practice at 10:30 AM (EST)

NFL Network to air NFC Pro Bowl Practice at 10:30 AM (EST)

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