September

Sept. 5, 2008   

Cowboys’ Stanback able to step up while Austin, Hurd are out

The Cowboys had feared they might have to make some serious roster adjustments with WRs Sam Hurd and Miles Austin missing the Week One game against the Browns, but the fact that Isaiah Stanback — who dislocated his shoulder last week — will be available was a huge lift. Stanback will play with a shoulder harness and has adapted well to it in practice, even to the point where head coach Wade Phillips commented on how well Stanback played. Stanback also helps replace Austin on kickoff returns, which makes him doubly valuable. With Austin (sprained medial collateral ligament) and Hurd (high ankle sprain) expected to miss at least a game, however, the Cowboys might have to add another receiver to the roster. Likely candidates include practice squad WRs Mike Jefferson and Danny Amendola, and those players’ special-teams value almost certainly will play into whether they earn a call-up.

August

Aug. 29, 2008   

Cowboys’ Bennett starting to catch on

Viewers of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” had seen the immature side of rookie TE Martellus Bennett, who not only was struggling to make a consistent impact in early training-camp practices but also was seen mocking TE coach John Garrett and arguing with him over the little details it takes to be a good pro. But our sources say — and even the most recent “Hard Knocks” confirms — that Bennett has made considerable progress since the end of camp. He has looked good during preseason games and appears to have begun harnessing his immense physical abilities and applying them on the field. The mental part of the game has given Bennett the most trouble to date, but he has shown enough recently for the coaching to believe he can contribute right away. Bennett has credited starter Jason Witten for giving the rookie a heavy dose of tough love, getting on him to learn the playbook better and stay focused. Witten has credited former Cowboys TE Dan Campbell for being tough on him early on, and that the treatment helped make Witten a better player down the line.

Aug. 22, 2008   

Cowboys’ LB depth suddenly comes into question

The injuries to OLB Anthony Spencer and ILB Kevin Burnett suddenly have crippled the Cowboys’ LB depth for at least the regular-season opener, perhaps longer. Both players are trying to get back for the Week One game against the Browns. But there is a chance neither will be available, which would leave only Bobby Carpenter and Justin Rogers as the experienced backups at linebacker and could push sixth-round OLB Erik Walden onto the roster for a week or two. One big effect it could have is really messing with the nickel and dime defensive packages. Burnett moves to the inside, and Spencer often goes into a three-point stance on the four-man front. It remains to be seen if the remaining players could fit in there; they haven't stood out in preseason action to date.

Aug. 13, 2008   

Cowboys might be looking to upgrade backup QB

Updated 4:55 p.m. ET, Sunday, Aug. 17

The preseason-opening loss to the Chargers was revealing on many fronts, mostly about the poor performances by the second-team players. And that was especially clear at quarterback, where Brad Johnson confirmed what many have said for a while. Despite Johnson’s experience and Super Bowl-winning pedigree, his lack of arm strength has been painfully obvious. Johnson got more first-team reps in practice last week and played fairly well in the loss to the Broncos last Saturday. But we hear that the team already has done its homework on Buccaneers QB Chris Simms, who is expected to be playing elsewhere this season, and has done some scouting on Dolphins QBs John Beck and Josh McCown, at least one of whom will be cut. Despite reports that the Cowboys liked Beck coming out of Brigham Young in 2006, we hear the scouting staff — headed at the time by current Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland — wasn’t all that wild about him.

Aug. 6, 2008   

Oglesby — who? — stealing the show at Cowboys camp

The Cowboys have incredible depth and name value at cornerback. There are returning starters Terence Newman, a Pro Bowler, and Anthony Henry, plus newcomers Adam Jones and first-rounder Mike Jenkins. All four have worked with the first-team defense, and what has been a thin spot in the past appears to be a deep and talented position. Add one more name to the list — Evan Oglesby, who was thought to be in a serious numbers crunch at corner with the previously mentioned players, plus Orlando Scandrick and Alan Ball. Oglesby, who barely got a chance to play last season, has been mostly outstanding, consistently earning mention as one of the better players in Oxnard. He has gone head to head with each of the Cowboys’ top wideouts and has fared well, leading the team in interceptions this camp. Scandrick has shown up well, too, especially on special teams, but at this point it would be a surprise if Oglesby didn’t make the team and force the coaches to consider keeping as many as seven cornerbacks on the roster, but certainly six is a strong possibility.

Aug. 1, 2008   

Cowboys experimenting with defensive front

The Cowboys appeared to find a terrific solution at nose tackle last season when Jay Ratliff emerged as a strong starter. They bolstered the position with the midseason acquisition of Tank Johnson. But now they are tinkering with some position flexibility in training camp. Ratliff has taken snaps at left end, and Marcus Spears — last year’s LDE starter — has moved inside to Ratliff’s NT spot. The moves are not permanent, but they do offer the team some flexibility up front. Johnson has had a terrific offseason and appears to have carved out a regular role in one way or another, but he’s best on the nose. Ratliff doesn’t sound too pleased with moving, having previously shifted positions prior to finding a home at nose, but sources believe it could be Spears who loses the most snaps with this new arrangement.

July

July 16, 2008   

Hamlin deal took time but handled well by Cowboys

When the Raiders signed former Giants FS Gibril Wilson to a six-year, $39 million deal back in March, the Cowboys knew what they were up against when it came to keeping their own free-agent safety, Ken Hamlin. The team decided that the wise move was to franchise Hamlin first and then take care of would-be free-agent OLT Flozell Adams, along with getting key extensions for CB Terence Newman, WR Terrell Owens and RB Marion Barber. On Tuesday, Hamlin got what he was looking for — an extension that nearly mirrored Wilson’s deal (though Hamlin, it appears, accepted slightly less in guaranteed money: $15 million, including a $9 million signing bonus, to Wilson’s $16 million). The Cowboys’ next orders of business include finishing off the signings of draft picks, along with considering an extension for DE Chris Canty, the next-most logical player the team would like to lock up. Canty, who signed his restricted free-agent tender this offseason, might be on the verge of a breakout season and a big payday.

July 12, 2008   

Johnson could spark new looks on Cowboys' D-line

Tank Johnson

Jerry Jones recently echoed what we have heard since May: that NT Tank Johnson is the most improved returning Cowboy since the end of last season. The defensive staff quietly, then openly, raved about Johnson’s improvement following a so-so half season after arriving from Chicago. Johnson might not be a classic fit on the nose in a 3-4, but he’s understanding the scheme and how he fits much better, we are told, after an offseason of development and could push his way into receiving major snaps. The team has used Jay Ratliff, last season’s breakout D-lineman and starting nose tackle, at end, hoping to use the two together. We also hear that DE Jason Hatcher has made enough improvement to warrant more snaps. So, who loses out? It could be Marcus Spears, who has made surprisingly few big plays since coming to the team as a first-round draft pick in 2005.

July 4, 2008   

Thomas could be difference between good and great defense

Zach Thomas

There is a growing sense that ILB Zach Thomas will be the biggest addition the Cowboys made this offseason and that he has the capability to elevate a talented defensive unit from being a good one to a great one despite his size and injury limitations. Why? Thomas already has come in and set a tone of professionalism, we are told, and has begun to let his performance on the field and in the film room dictate how important he’s going to be. The Cowboys’ coaches never had a big issue with the play of Akin Ayodele, the man Thomas is replacing, but he wasn’t the big-play threat that the “Jack” LB spot dictates. Thomas’ best skill is avoiding contact from massive linemen, taking smart angles to the ball and being one of the surest tacklers in recent NFL history. Those skills should translate exceptionally well on a unit whose talent rarely is questioned but which sometimes was a little sloppy with technique last season.

June

June 27, 2008   

Cowboys looking at Marten at guard also

Second-year OL James Marten was the 67th player selected in the 2007 draft and spent his rookie season mostly watching starting OTs Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo, while being on the inactive list for all 16 games. Now, it appears Marten might be tried at guard, too. When Colombo was injured late last season, the coaches felt more comfortable with Pat McQuistan or Doug Free (a fourth-rounder in ’07) as potential replacements. Marten received some snaps at guard during OTAs and might continue to get looks there in training camp. Following the addition in May of Cory Lekkerkerker, there is an abundance of talent and depth at tackle, whereas guard is a little thinner. As of now, the only other interior backups of note are Cowboys veterans Cory Procter and Joe Berger, who were both on the roster last season, plus recently added Adam Stenavich.

June 20, 2008   

Canty still could sign long-term deal with Cowboys

DE Chris Canty got the first hurdle out of the way, and that was signing the team’s one-year restricted tender of $2.017 million last week. But the team and Canty are hopeful that a long-term deal can keep the emerging star in Dallas past 2009, when he would become an unrestricted free agent. The Cowboys have handed out more than $130 million worth of extensions and multi-year deals for Terence Newman, Marion Barber and Terrell Owens this spring and still have Canty and FS Ken Hamlin left as major players to deal with past this season. Canty blossomed as a run stopper and even showed a little pass-rush prowess last season and is viewed by the staff as a critical piece of the team’s front seven, likely more so than Marcus Spears, who was drafted three rounds before Canty in 2005. Canty also has participated fully in the team’s offseason activities, which team sources say might give him a slight advantage over Hamlin — who has remained away from the facility and has not signed his franchise tender — in terms of getting a deal done first.

June 6, 2008   

Owens, Pacman are highlights, but all is not ideal with Cowboys

The good and bad news ebbs and flows quite dramatically at Valley Ranch these days. On the positive side for the Cowboys, WR Terrell Owens just received a four-year, $34 million contract that appeared to make both team and player happy, and CB-RS Pacman Jones has returned to the practice field following his partial reinstatement and started off with a bang, returning an interception for a touchdown during each of his first two days at practice, to the delight of his teammates. But there are more serious matters, as well. WR Terry Glenn has been asked to sign a $500,000 injury settlement to protect the team against having to pay his entire $1.7 million salary should he reinjure the right knee that he is currently rehabbing. Glenn isn’t practicing and has yet to sign the settlement, reportedly angry over the situation, but owner Jerry Jones said he felt confident Glenn and the team could find some common ground. Another unhappy minicamper is OLB Greg Ellis, who is practicing but not talking to the media — other than on Michael Irvin’s Dallas radio show — after it was reported that he was not thrilled with second-year Anthony Spencer getting some first-team reps and watching his own time decline some. The team has said it wants to keep fresh Ellis, who is coming off a career high in sacks (12½) in 2007, while also taking a longer look at their ’07 first-rounder.

May

May 28, 2008   

Safety feeling a bit bare without Hamlin, Williams

Much has been made of SS Roy Williams’ absence from organized team activities, plus his admission that he wasn’t entirely comfortable in last season’s defensive scheme, but there also has been a little bit of dismay by the staff that FS Ken Hamlin has missed the same workouts as a minor protest to his one-year franchise tender and the lack of a long-term deal. That said, the expectations are that Hamlin and Williams will show up without issue when the workouts no longer are “voluntary.” In the meantime, the Cowboys have temporarily promoted Patrick Watkins and Courtney Brown to the starting lineup, and the pair have looked relatively comfortable running the defensive schemes in shorts and helmets. There’s less concern about third-year man Watkins, obviously, who was thrown into the fire and started nine games as a rookie, than there is over Brown, who moved from cornerback last season. Spies say Brown clearly has the ball skills for the position but has a long way to go before he’s ready to contribute in a major way.

May 23, 2008   

Jones knows he has a lot to learn right away

Even with RB Marion Barber’s seven-year contract extension, which likely will keep him in Dallas a long time, the Cowboys are very excited about the potential of first-round RB Felix Jones as an immediate contributor. For his part, Jones says he just wants to get a better feel for Jason Garrett’s offense before he starts thinking about all the ways he can be utilized. “It’s a nice playbook,” Jones told PFW. “It has some great things in it. I am just ready to learn some more.” Though Jones is reluctant to speculate as to how he’ll be used, he expects to be used as a runner, a receiver and possibly as a returner too. He knows that only increases his responsibility to know the system well. “I think they could put me in different positions once I learn the offense,” he said. “I think I can do more of the motion stuff and contribute more at different positions. I feel like once I learn the playbook more, I can do that. … I believe they’ll use me more as a receiver type. But I won’t know more until I learn more of the offense. … We haven’t had a sit-down talk with (special-teams coach Bruce Read) yet. Once I get back into Dallas, I am sure I’ll learn more about special teams and what they’ll have me do.”

May 14, 2008   

Can Williams, Cowboys mend fences?

The Cowboys met with Roy Williams last week after there had been signs that their high-profile safety appeared to be on a different page from the rest of his teammates. Williams skipped a couple of teaching sessions with the coaching staff to prepare for his Roy Williams Safety Net Mother’s Day function, and that was coupled with comments from respected leader Greg Ellis, who said Williams tends to isolate himself from his defensive teammates. Williams and some of his defensive coaches have since met, and the talks reportedly went well. Williams says he feels better about his role in the defense, which decreased last season when he began being removed in certain passing situations. Cowboys sources say the waters are likely to be calmed, at least as the season approaches. Although this could be Williams’ final season as a Cowboy, he is not expected to be a distraction.

May 2, 2008   

Cowboys don’t add young quarterback, but help could be on way

The Cowboys didn’t add a quarterback to the team last weekend, either through the draft itself or the free-agent free-for-all that followed, even though that had appeared to be a possibility. The Cowboys do like Richard Bartel, the only young QB on the roster last season, and Tony Romo once rose from practice squad to fame, but they’d like to have some competition at the No. 3 spot. Jerry Jones hinted that the team will look at the veteran options on the market — which include familiar names such as Tim Rattay, Tim Hasselbeck, Kelly Holcomb and others — not as a replacement for backup Brad Johnson but as a potentially more experienced third option in case disaster strikes and both Romo and Johnson get injured.

April

April 25, 2008   

Cowboys have plans for Pacman but will be patient

The first order of business for the Cowboys will be to hear what the commissioner’s office rules on CB-RS Pacman Jones and whether he’ll be eligible to play for the Cowboys this season. Another factor is when he might be able to join the team. DT Tank Johnson, for instance, was allowed to practice with the team before joining the Cowboys' active roster coming off a suspension; a similar situation might be allowed for Jones, though there has been no word yet. But if he’s cleared, the Cowboys won’t just turn Jones loose. They know he hasn’t played in more than a year, so they will work him into the rotation slowly. But they think he has the potential, at some point, to be an impact player on defense — either as a right corner or as a nickel back to start — and on special teams, as a kickoff and punt returner. He also might be tried, as he had been occasionally in Tennessee, on offense as a trick-play specialist.

April 11, 2008   

Compensation remains hang-up in Pacman deal

The Cowboys apparently are holding firm with their offer of a sixth-round pick for suspended CB-RS Pacman Jones, while the Titans are asking for more: a fourth-rounder this season and a second-day pick in the 2009 draft. The Cowboys’ fourth-round pick is their own, No. 126 overall; their only sixth-rounder is the one they acquired from Dolphins, No. 167, the top pick in that round. They also own their own choice in Round Five, No. 163 overall. One source familiar with the trade negotiations said he thought the Cowboys might be willing to bump their end of the deal up to that fifth-rounder, but that they weren’t likely to go beyond that, knowing that they are really the only serious suitors right now for Jones' services. The beauty of the trade talks is that they could last into draft weekend and still happen if the teams can agree on terms of compensation.

April 2, 2008   

Pacman’s timetable becomes a little more clear

Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that he will make a ruling on the status of suspended CB Pacman Jones — currently a Titan but heavily rumored to be headed to the Cowboys in a trade — some time before training camp, likely before mid-July. That’s encouraging news for the Cowboys, who remain interested in his services, but a source told PFW last night that the talks have hit a “temporary snag,” one that might not last too long. The Titans reportedly are asking for a little more — believed to be a fourth-round pick — than the Cowboys are willing to give up. The source would not say what the Cowboys were offering, but it’s believed to be a lower-round draft choice. The team owns its own picks in the fifth (No. 163 overall) and seventh rounds (No. 235), plus a sixth-rounder (No. 167) acquired from the Dolphins for NT Jason Ferguson. We hear that the talk about LB Bobby Carpenter being involved in a trade for Jones isn’t accurate.

March

March 28, 2008   

Pacman situation a tricky one for Cowboys

The Cowboys have had internal discussions about CB-RS Pacman Jones, a player whose talent is undeniable but also one who might be one strike away from a permanent NFL banishment. If he were to land in Dallas — something the NFL-suspended player has campaigned for openly this past week — he would provide help at two crucial spots: punt returner and cornerback. The team has acknowledged it needs reinforcements at both positions. However, Jones has yet to be reinstated by the NFL, and commissioner Roger Goodell, perhaps not the biggest fan of Jones’ behavior since the Titan received his indefinite suspension, apparently doesn’t intend to readdress the player’s status in the league until training camp. Will he be a Titan then? A Cowboy? A free agent? It’s a tricky situation for the Cowboys, who have the draft picks and likely the cap room (Jones is scheduled to earn a base salary of $1.25 million in 2008) to make a move, but patience is another matter. They might be willing to roll the dice on Jones’ behavior problems being a thing of the past, but if he were not free to play in ’08, they might have wasted time, value and effort in acquiring him.

March 21, 2008   

Cowboys will look at all WR possibilities closely

Stephen Jones and Wade Phillips both have said in the past few weeks that running back, cornerback and wide receiver are the team’s biggest needs with the draft approaching. And although the team likely will stand pat as far as any big moves are concerned before April 26, the Cowboys will keep their eyes on the wide receivers around the league — think Chad Johnson, Anquan Boldin, and the Lions’ Roy Williams — and whether they suddenly become available. If that were the case, team sources imagine that parting with a first-round pick to land the right wideout would not be a problem, especially with owner Jerry Jones having said he wants to add some "wow" to the offense. The team likes Patrick Crayton, who started most of last season and could be a No. 2 if needed, but the choice of adding a top veteran wide receiver over a rookie who might be two years away from developing fully is not much of a choice at all.

March 12, 2008   

Secondary becomes primary concern for Cowboys

The team lost S Keith Davis, as expected, to the Dolphins on Tuesday. The loss weakens both the special teams and the depth in the secondary, which quickly has become an area of need. Starting CBs Terence Newman and Anthony Henry have played well, and FS Ken Hamlin was franchised, ensuring that the unit is far from dire. But beyond those three players — and with the question of SS Roy Williams, who appears to be regressing — there is little left. The team also lost CB Jacques Reeves to the Texans. As it stands now, the Cowboys are spending a lot of time looking into the draft’s solid allotment of cornerbacks and should be checking all sources for depth at safety. The team reportedly has visits planned with two top corners, Kansas’ Aqib Talib and Arizona’s Antoine Cason, and met with several more at the Senior Bowl and Combine.

March 7, 2008   

Dunn could fit into Cowboys’ plans for one year

The release of RB Warrick Dunn by the Falcons has opened the door for the 33-year-old runner to join a Super Bowl-caliber club as a backup, and the Cowboys certainly would qualify with that. Dunn’s representatives contacted the Cowboys, who appear to be genuinely interested in adding him as a backup to Marion Barber. Of course, there might be bigger fish that the Cowboys are looking at to fill the spot — the Darren McFadden rumors won’t cease until the draft — but Dunn would provide a nice change of pace. He has been overused in recent years, especially given his age, and if he could get a diet of 8-12 touches per game, he might be a very productive back on a per-rep basis. Dunn has said he would like to play one more season before retiring.

February

Feb. 27, 2008   

Jones thinks team can add ‘wow’ factor to offense, maybe at RB

By all accounts, the Cowboys’ offense was a top-notch unit, ranking second in the NFL in points scored and third in yards. Owner Jerry Jones isn’t settling for second-best. Clearly blown away by what he saw firsthand on Oct. 14, when the high-flying Patriots blazed their way to a 48-27 win in Texas Stadium, and no doubt humbled by his own team’s 17-point output in the playoff loss to the Giants, Jones would like to inject even more juice to a pretty gaudy unit. “I think we have a chance to put some more ‘wow’ in this offense,” Jones told assembled media at the Indianapolis Combine. “That’s my No. 1 goal in this offseason. And that’s not to imply, with the third-best offense in the league, that I was disappointed in the ‘wow.’ ” The positions of need include running back, wideout and offensive tackle. RB Julius Jones and OLT Flozell Adams are free agents, and WR Terry Glenn might not play again. “Without Julius Jones signed, it’s obvious we need to look at running back,” Jones said. “How we get there might surprise you. It can be, but it’s not necessarily, drafting one.” It would surprise no one if Jones covets Arkansas RB Darren McFadden, who had impressive workouts in Indy, but you can almost rule out a deal with the Dolphins, who hold the No. 1 pick. Sources say Jones will not work a trade with Miami, which raided the Cowboys’ staff once Bill Parcells took over as executive vice president of football operations.

Feb. 20, 2008   

Thomas may visit Cowboys, but a match is not likely

Updated at 8:10 p.m. EST Saturday, Feb. 23

With the Cowboys' signing of ILB Zach Thomas, we hear that Thomas feels confident he can win a starting spot ahead of Akin Ayodele at the weak ILB position. Ayodele had a solid season in Wade Phillips' first year, but Ayodele oftentimes was replaced by Kevin Burnett in the team's nickel package. And team sources say that Ayodele didn't display the tackling ability the team had hoped. That said, there are some who feel that Thomas will need to be protected; matching up with offensive guards — who often are uncovered in "odd" fronts — is something that the undersized Thomas has struggled with at times. Still, he's one of the best run stoppers and tacklers of his generation, though most of that was done in a 4-3 scheme, where he played behind two defensive tackles. There also could be some turnover at the LB position. Rumors persist that Bobby Carpenter may not fit into the team’s future plans, and there isn’t a lot of depth inside. But Thomas' signing is a pretty clear indication that the coaches feel they can make an improvement over Ayodele.

Feb. 13, 2008   

With Capers out of picture, Cowboys' staff almost complete

The title of “defensive consultant” was murky enough, and sources say that Dom Capers reportedly didn’t want to step on the toes of Brian Stewart — who had coached with Capers in Houston — because Stewart might be under the gun a bit as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. But the long and short of it is that Capers, who was fired as Dolphins defensive coordinator when Cam Cameron was shown the door in Miami, passed on a chance to join a Cowboys staff he would have been familiar with, having worked previously with Stewart, new DL coach Todd Grantham and new LB coach Reggie Herring. Now, the team appears ready to move forward with one, possibly two more moves and finish off the coaching staff for next season. One more name that has been floated recently has been that of Brett Maxie, who could fill a role alongside new DB coach Dave Campo. Maxie and head coach Wade Phillips actually have ties going back to 1985, when Phillips was the Saints’ interim head coach for three games.

Feb. 1, 2008   

Williams will be pet project of Campo, perhaps Capers

Assuming Dom Capers joins the team as a defensive assistant, as has been rumored, he and new secondary coach Dave Campo will have many chores. The defense was a disappointing group in some regards down the stretch, but admirable in others. One of those disappointing areas included the pass defense. Coordinator Brian Stewart, who has a background in coaching defensive backs, wasn’t able to turn SS Roy Williams into the playmaker he has a reputation for being. So perhaps a fresh perspective from Campo — and maybe Capers — can help Williams be more effective than he was in 2007, when he frequently was out of position in coverage and often removed in passing situations. “The things we saw in Roy years ago, I saw some good things,” Campo said in his introductory speech “I think I can get with him and we can see if we can progress. I think Roy has skills and I think he can play better than he’s playing.”