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Opportunities Aplenty
Other first-year-WR's stepping up
by Joseph Garcia
DC.com
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=2FF18F48-06D5-5580-CAAE7AC5DF4DCBCE
SAN ANTONIO - One man's misfortune is another man's gain.
With rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant sidelined by a high ankle sprain, the other young receivers in Cowboys training camp have gained the opportunity to impress coaches in his absence.
"It's a great opportunity for everybody," offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said after Sunday's morning practice. "All the receivers get a chance; they are going to get some more reps."
Garrett said Bryant was off to a very good start for the first eight or nine practices of training camp, but now the other guys will get some of his snaps.
"It's an opportunity for guys who have been with us," Garrett said. "And it's also an opportunity for guys who haven't been with us to show us what they can do."
Even though Bryant is sitting out, he is in no danger of being cut. A rookie like Terrell Hudgins is, along with first-year NFL wideouts Manuel Johnson, Jesse Holley and Titus Ryan. Even second-year guy Kevin Ogletree has to fight for his spot. Veterans such as Sam Hurd and Patrick Crayton are still forced to look over their shoulders to a certain extent.
By now, all of these guys are familiar with what being a professional athlete entails, including the business side. All they can really control is how they study, practice and perform.
"We just ask our guys to come in and be professionals," Garrett said. "We install plays during meetings, we ask them to be engaged in that process and then to come out here and practice as well as they can."
Garrett said both Hurd and Crayton have always done that and that is why they have improved as players.
"They have a role on this football team regardless," Garrett said. "We'll see what that role is as we go forward. Through the first 12 or so practices they are both playing very well. They are in to what we are doing, they understand what we are doing. They are playing well, they are making some plays for us, so it's fun to see that."
For Bryant, since he is not on the field to practice and work with coaches on the physical part of football, Garrett said he must remain focused on his mental approach and rehabbing.
"We focus on the process, we focus on the approach," Garrett said. "The approach for him right now is to make sure he gets all his treatments taken care of, takes it one day at a time. He's got to stay in it, he's got to get his treatment and be very dedicated to that. We got a great training staff here, so he's got to spend a lot of time with those guys.
"But, at the same time he has got to spend extra time with the football part of it. We are going to put some offense in that he has only seen once before. So, he has to be right with the coaches in the back, he has got to get mental reps every day, he's got to stay engaged in meeting, and he has been doing that so far."
Other first-year-WR's stepping up
by Joseph Garcia
DC.com
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=2FF18F48-06D5-5580-CAAE7AC5DF4DCBCE
SAN ANTONIO - One man's misfortune is another man's gain.
With rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant sidelined by a high ankle sprain, the other young receivers in Cowboys training camp have gained the opportunity to impress coaches in his absence.
"It's a great opportunity for everybody," offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said after Sunday's morning practice. "All the receivers get a chance; they are going to get some more reps."
Garrett said Bryant was off to a very good start for the first eight or nine practices of training camp, but now the other guys will get some of his snaps.
"It's an opportunity for guys who have been with us," Garrett said. "And it's also an opportunity for guys who haven't been with us to show us what they can do."
Even though Bryant is sitting out, he is in no danger of being cut. A rookie like Terrell Hudgins is, along with first-year NFL wideouts Manuel Johnson, Jesse Holley and Titus Ryan. Even second-year guy Kevin Ogletree has to fight for his spot. Veterans such as Sam Hurd and Patrick Crayton are still forced to look over their shoulders to a certain extent.
By now, all of these guys are familiar with what being a professional athlete entails, including the business side. All they can really control is how they study, practice and perform.
"We just ask our guys to come in and be professionals," Garrett said. "We install plays during meetings, we ask them to be engaged in that process and then to come out here and practice as well as they can."
Garrett said both Hurd and Crayton have always done that and that is why they have improved as players.
"They have a role on this football team regardless," Garrett said. "We'll see what that role is as we go forward. Through the first 12 or so practices they are both playing very well. They are in to what we are doing, they understand what we are doing. They are playing well, they are making some plays for us, so it's fun to see that."
For Bryant, since he is not on the field to practice and work with coaches on the physical part of football, Garrett said he must remain focused on his mental approach and rehabbing.
"We focus on the process, we focus on the approach," Garrett said. "The approach for him right now is to make sure he gets all his treatments taken care of, takes it one day at a time. He's got to stay in it, he's got to get his treatment and be very dedicated to that. We got a great training staff here, so he's got to spend a lot of time with those guys.
"But, at the same time he has got to spend extra time with the football part of it. We are going to put some offense in that he has only seen once before. So, he has to be right with the coaches in the back, he has got to get mental reps every day, he's got to stay engaged in meeting, and he has been doing that so far."
