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View Full Version : ESPN NFCE: Abram Elam critical to Cowboys' secondary


WoodysGirl
08-20-2011, 11:44 AM
Aug 19
2:50
PM ET

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Comments (http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/29761/abram-elam-critical-to-cowboys-secondary#comments)492 (http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/29761/abram-elam-critical-to-cowboys-secondary#comments)By Dan Graziano

ARLINGTON, Texas -- If you watched the Dallas Cowboys (http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/dal/dallas-cowboys)' preseason opener last week, you saw some issues in the secondary. Communication issues. Confusion. Couple of mistakes that looked as though they were the result of people not knowing exactly where they were supposed to be in certain situations. Much of this can be attributed to the absence of starting cornerbacks Mike Jenkins (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11259/mike-jenkins) and Terence Newman (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4463/terence-newman). But some can be attributed to the fact that, at that point, they'd only had five or six practices with newly signed safety Abram Elam (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10174/abram-elam).

"He's the quarterback of the secondary back there, and we didn't have him for the first five days of practice because of the rules," Cowboys player personnel director Stephen Jones told me Thursday. "But man, when he got in there, it did wonders. You can really see what a difference it makes, having a guy back there who can answer questions. Because there's a lot when it comes to learning [defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's] scheme. And to have a guy out there who can help guys out and quarterback them is real important."

Read the rest: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/29761/abram-elam-critical-to-cowboys-secondary

Joshmvii
08-20-2011, 01:02 PM
Hah, I misread the title as "Elam critical of Cowboys' secondary," and I kept reading it looking for where he called Ball a scrub or something. I was pleasantly surprised to not see it after all. :laugh2:

LeonDixson
08-20-2011, 02:36 PM
Hah, I misread the title as "Elam critical of Cowboys' secondary," and I kept reading it looking for where he called Ball a scrub or something. I was pleasantly surprised to not see it after all. :laugh2:
I read it that way too at first, but I did a double take.:o:

Chocolate Lab
08-20-2011, 02:44 PM
"He's the quarterback of the secondary back there, and we didn't have him for the first five days of practice because of the rules," The rules about you waiting to sign him? ;)

arglebargle
08-20-2011, 03:06 PM
And that's my beef with Sensabaugh. He had a chance to be the QB of the secondary last year, but I don't think it's in his skill set. One of the younger safeties is going to have the chance to step up.

Elam may not be the bestest of the safeties available this year, but he does have a good head on his shoulders and was good enough to call this style of defense last year.

LeonDixson
08-20-2011, 03:45 PM
The rules about you waiting to sign him? ;)
I believe it was ALL free agents who couldn't start practice per the new CBA, but I wouldn't swear to it.

big dog cowboy
08-20-2011, 07:42 PM
"He's the quarterback of the secondary back there, and we didn't have him for the first five days of practice because of the rules," Cowboys player personnel director Stephen Jones told me Thursday. "But man, when he got in there, it did wonders. You can really see what a difference it makes, having a guy back there who can answer questions. Because there's a lot when it comes to learning [defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's] scheme. And to have a guy out there who can help guys out and quarterback them is real important."


If he is that important, why did it take so long to sign him? One would have thought he was a high priority day one signing.

Chocolate Lab
08-20-2011, 07:54 PM
I believe it was ALL free agents who couldn't start practice per the new CBA, but I wouldn't swear to it.

It was. :) But we also didn't sign him for several days after that IIRC.