News: BTB: First Coaching Change For Cowboys; New Players Signed To Futures Contracts

NewsBot · Jan 8, 2014

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There is finally coaching news out of Dallas, but it is not someone anyone was calling a problem. And some more players were added for the offseason.

Mike Fisher is reporting that Dallas Cowboys kicking coach Chris Boniol is leaving the team.

"Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and Jason Garrett all made great cases on behalf of me staying, and they've all been tremendous to work with,'' Boniol says. "But we've mutually agreed to move on, with me having some of the best memories and best accomplishments of my life being part of the Cowboys.''

If there was one coach that no one had any complaints about this year, it is the guy who oversaw punter Chris Jones and the extremely reliable placekicker Dan Bailey, or, as KD Drummond prefers to refer to him, "Split 'em". No matter how you look at it, his contributions to the team were tremendously successful. The article does not really give any reasons for the departure, but you have to suspect that Boniol wants to test the market for his services elsewhere, perhaps as a special teams coordinator.

Fisher goes on to say that this is an indication that special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, another coach who is almost universally seen as having been very successful in 2013, is not likely to be leaving. Bisaccia has a couple of interviews for head coaching positions set up, and his loss would almost certainly have been a negative for Dallas. It looks like Fisher is reading between the lines that the Cowboys would not need to keep Boniol as a possible replacement. He also may have some other information he is not putting in his article.

In other news, Dallas has signed four more players to futures contracts. (If you need a quick review of what a futures contract is, you can check it here, and catch Dawn Macelli's report on the other players already signed.) The players are:

Chris DeGeare, guard. 2010 fifth round draft choice from Wake Forest. Played with Minnesota Vikings, spent time on practice squads there and with the Tennessee Titans, and was also with the New York Giants briefly.

Tristan Okpalaugo, defensive end. 2013 UDFA from Fresno State. Signed with Miami Dolphins and spent a week with Minnesota's practice squad, on the street since September.

Quinton Spears, linebacker. 2011 UDFA from Prairie View A&M. Signed with Miami, then played most of the season with the Cleveland Browns. Out of the league in 2012, and then was signed by the Indianapolis Colts in 2013. Wound up on IR in August.

Jabara Williams, linebacker. 2011 seventh round pick from Stephen F. Austin by the St. Louis Rams. Played two games with them, then was released and played a few games with the Chicago Bears. Spent 2012 on the Rams practice squad, and was out of the league last season.

I am interested to see two Texas small school products showing up. Not that it means anything. I just like Texas kids.

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News: BTB: First Coaching Change For Cowboys; New Players Signed To Futures Contracts

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