CAMP COWBOYS By Clarence E. Hill Jr.

[CrazyCowboy]

CAMP COWBOYS

By Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Star-Telegram Staff Writer


STAR-TELEGRAM/RON JENKINS
Rookie Bobby Carpenter has been moved to inside linebacker, where he is backing up Akin Ayodele.
More photos

THE T.O. SHOW
Wide receiver Terrell Owens may not be getting in sync with his teammates on the field because he remains sidelined with a sore hamstring, but he is doing his best to be a good teammate off the field. Owens sponsored a barbecue for the players Sunday in Camarillo, Calif.
THE BUZZ
Off day
Cowboys coach Bill Parcells gave the players Sunday off. It was their first free day since the start of training camp.
A group of players spent Saturday night in Santa Barbara, where they ran into Michael Jordan at the restaurant/bar Tonic. On Sunday, several played golf, including quarterback Tony Romo.
Carpenter's list
Rookie linebacker Bobby Carpenter planned to spend Sunday at the beach. The Ohio native said he's never seen the Pacific Ocean and wanted to check that off of his to-do list.
On the move
Because the Cowboys are pleased with Greg Ellis' switch to linebacker, they decided to move rookie first-round pick Bobby Carpenter from the outside to the inside. He is now backing up Akin Ayodele at weakside inside linebacker.
The move is fine with the Ohio State rookie, who said that, heading into the draft, most 3-4 teams pegged him as a weakside inside linebacker. The Cowboys drafted him with the intention of playing him at strongside outside linebacker because that's where they had a need. With Ellis, Al Singleton and Rocky Boiman there now, the need is not as great as it once was.
Rooting for Ellis
Greg Ellis admittedly remains uncomfortable at linebacker. But he is comforted by the support he's getting from the players and coaches.
"People seem like they want me to get it and do well," Ellis said. "It seems like you guys [the media] do. I don't know, maybe some of you all want me out of here. [But] it seems like everybody is supportive...Bill [Parcells], the defensive coaches, even the offensive coaches. It seems like they are trying to aid me in getting better at it."
Basic instincts
Bill Parcells is an advocate for player safety. But he is not a fan of the horse collar rule -- not the previous one nor the updated version.
Thanks largely to Cowboys safety Roy Williams, the NFL last year outlawed tackling a player by pulling on the back of his shoulder pads and yanking him to the ground. This year it's illegal to do the same act by grabbing the jersey.
"I've never been too fond of trying to legislate against a player's instincts," Parcells said. "There are just things that happen. You grab something. It's not that you are trying to be malicious or commit a foul or do anything. You're just instinctively trying to tackle a guy. I think sometimes we get a little too cute, so to speak, on what we are trying to do, with the intention of being good all the time. I just think it's hard to legislate against something that is pretty instinctive for a guy who's been playing this game his whole life."
COWBOYS EXTRA
Get the inside scoop on life at camp in CampConfidential, view daily slide shows narrated by our beat writers and watch live Webcasts featuring reporters from NBC5 and the Star-Telegram. Check it all out at www.star-telegram.com/cowboys.

[Big Dakota]

Wouldn't that be something if Greg goes on to become a bigger impact player at OLB than he was at DE? Considering we have him locked up for several more years, i'm rooting for him.

[AsthmaField]

So we're faced with either our free agent pickup, Ayodele or our #1 pick sitting on the bench... one of the two. I liked Bobby at ILB too, but IMO we need a full time SOLB and I'd be surprised if Ellis is that player.

Oh well... I'll trust Parcells on it. He might be going to play a combo of Ellis and Burnett at SOLB... who knows. Perhaps Bobby is simply much more suited to playing WILB.

[Waffle]

Originally Posted by Big Dakota

Wouldn't that be something if Greg goes on to become a bigger impact player at OLB than he was at DE? Considering we have him locked up for several more years, i'm rooting for him.

I totally agree. After 8 years in the league, Ellis has never proven to be an "elite" DE. He's been "very good" or even "above average" for most of his career, but let's face facts...he's probably peaked as a player at that particular position. But who knows, at least with the switch to LB he has a chance to be an elite player.

Based on camp reports, so far, so good. Can't wait to see him play LB in some games!!!

[Hostile]

I like the sound of this LB corps.

SOLB.....SILB....WILB........WOLB
Burnett, James, Carpenter, Ware

[wileedog]

Originally Posted by AsthmaField

So we're faced with either our free agent pickup, Ayodele or our #1 pick sitting on the bench... one of the two.

This is what's called a Good Problem.

Beats the heck out of the Campo years looking at the roster and wondering who was actually starting material.

[EMMITTnROY]

man, our second team LB corps could be as good as some teams' first group of LBs..

First Team (as of now):
Ellis, James, Ayodele, Ware

Second Team (as of now):
Burnett, Boiman, Carpenter, Singleton

[JackMagist]

Originally Posted by AsthmaField

So we're faced with either our free agent pickup, Ayodele or our #1 pick sitting on the bench... one of the two. I liked Bobby at ILB too, but IMO we need a full time SOLB and I'd be surprised if Ellis is that player.

Oh well... I'll trust Parcells on it. He might be going to play a combo of Ellis and Burnett at SOLB... who knows. Perhaps Bobby is simply much more suited to playing WILB.

Or he might be going to paly a combination of Ellis and Singleton at SOLB and leave Burnett behind Ware where he has had him so far. Ware will need some relief in there occasionally and it will be good to have a solid backup in that position.

[speedkilz88]

I always thought Carpenter was a better fit on the inside, thats why I preferred Lawson or Wimbley in the draft. I hope Ellis can be the guy on the outside.(wow, a de transition to SOLB, I thought that only happened on the WOLB spot. )