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Updated: May 24, 2010, 6:30 PM
Progress Report
"Redshirt" Class Using OTAs To Improve
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Email | Follow robphillips3 on Twitter
IRVING, Texas - It's still late May, not late July. Jobs aren't won and lost just yet.
Think of the Cowboys' Organized Team Activities (OTAs) as an appetizer for the main course: training camp and preseason in San Antonio and Oxnard, with a brief Dallas stop in between.
The team is installing new plays. The veterans are working their way back into the scheme. The rookies are adjusting to a new program and a new coaching staff.
There's also a "redshirt" 2009 class hoping to make a bigger impact.
The Cowboys kept 10 of their 12 draft picks for the entire '09 season. Kicker David Buehler, tight end John Phillips and linebacker Victor Butler appeared in every game. Wide receiver Manuel Johnson spent the year on the practice squad.
The rest dealt with injuries of varying degrees. Linebackers Stephen Hodge and Brandon Williams and offensive lineman Robert Brewster missed the entire season. Linebacker Jason Williams, safety Michael Hamlin and quarterback Stephen McGee recovered from preseason injuries but rarely got on the field.
In some ways, the Cowboys feel they have two draft classes this spring. One is headed by Dez Bryant and Sean Lee. The other had some bad luck on campus last fall.
Here is a progress report on several '09 members:
Jason Williams (third round): Williams was inactive for the first three games last year with a high ankle sprain suffered in the third preseason game against San Francisco. He appeared in only five games, primarily on special teams, while learning the inside linebacker position in Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense.
Williams and Lee, this year's second-round pick, are getting extra reps while starter Keith Brooking recovers from a knee scope. They're expected to compete for nickel linebacker reps.
Robert Brewster (third round): OTAs and minicamp were the extent of Brewster's practice reps last year. He tore a pectoral muscle before training camp and spent the year on injured reserve.
Brewster has worked hard to reshape his body under strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek's program. Having lost some 30 pounds, he doesn't look like the same player. With veteran Alex Barron arriving in the Bobby Carpenter trade, Brewster has been working at right tackle in practice.
Stephen McGee (fourth round): Although he missed the final two preseason games with a sprained MCL, opportunity, not injury, kept McGee on the sidelines during the regular season. He served as the scout-team quarterback behind Tony Romo and Jon Kitna.
McGee has had ample time to learn in meetings, but there's no substitute for on-field experience. He needs as many reps as possible to become comfortable in the system. Not only do quarterbacks take time to adjust to the NFL's speed, McGee also spent only one injury-plagued season in a pro-style offense at Texas A&M. He mostly ran an option scheme.
"That's the thing is processing information and reacting, and it needs to happen naturally," quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson said. "Last year it was a little bit slower and getting the reps this year is really helping him out."
Wilson said McGee is constantly working on his mechanics, elevating his throwing motion to improve his accuracy.
Brandon Williams (fourth round): This time last year, Williams impressed head coach Wade Phillips with his quick first step. But he never got a chance to contribute as possibly a third-down pass rusher, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in the second preseason game against Tennessee.
Monday's practice marked Williams' biggest on-field workload since last fall's surgery. Phillips was impressed.
"It's the first day he's really let it loose more," Phillips said. "He got a feel last week. In fact, I went to the trainer and said, 'Is he OK?' the first day, and Jim (Maurer) said he's going to feel his way for a little while but then he's going to get more and more confidence.
"And then today he was coming off the ball like he did last year in his pass rush."
Michael Hamlin (fifth round): A broken wrist sidelined Hamlin for the first five games of the regular season, and he appeared on defense for a few plays after starter Ken Hamlin hurt his ankle late in the year.
Now, with Ken Hamlin released in April, Hamlin could challenge Alan Ball for the starting free safety job.
The Cowboys' coaches like both players' instincts back there, and Hamlin has made several plays on the ball in practice. He's also worked on adding strength - a main improvement his coaches said was needed during January's exit interviews.
Hamlin said his weight fluctuated during the season, but now he's added 10-12 pounds to get to around 212.
Stephen Hodge (sixth round): Hodge is "working his butt off" to get back on the field after having microfracture knee surgery last September. Phillips said Hodge's tentative goal is to return for training camp, but the Cowboys will continue to be very diligent and cautious with his rehab.
Depending on the player and the sport, microfracture procedures can require at least a year-long recovery time.
"We just want to be real careful with it," Phillips said. "That microfracture is a real touchy surgery and they say the longer you can stay off of it the better off you are. They're monitoring how it's healing and all that stuff, but even after it heals they want to make sure."
The Cowboys drafted Hodge, a TCU standout, with plans to convert him to weak inside linebacker and use him on every special teams unit.
Progress Report
"Redshirt" Class Using OTAs To Improve
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Email | Follow robphillips3 on Twitter
IRVING, Texas - It's still late May, not late July. Jobs aren't won and lost just yet.
Think of the Cowboys' Organized Team Activities (OTAs) as an appetizer for the main course: training camp and preseason in San Antonio and Oxnard, with a brief Dallas stop in between.
The team is installing new plays. The veterans are working their way back into the scheme. The rookies are adjusting to a new program and a new coaching staff.
There's also a "redshirt" 2009 class hoping to make a bigger impact.
The Cowboys kept 10 of their 12 draft picks for the entire '09 season. Kicker David Buehler, tight end John Phillips and linebacker Victor Butler appeared in every game. Wide receiver Manuel Johnson spent the year on the practice squad.
The rest dealt with injuries of varying degrees. Linebackers Stephen Hodge and Brandon Williams and offensive lineman Robert Brewster missed the entire season. Linebacker Jason Williams, safety Michael Hamlin and quarterback Stephen McGee recovered from preseason injuries but rarely got on the field.
In some ways, the Cowboys feel they have two draft classes this spring. One is headed by Dez Bryant and Sean Lee. The other had some bad luck on campus last fall.
Here is a progress report on several '09 members:
Jason Williams (third round): Williams was inactive for the first three games last year with a high ankle sprain suffered in the third preseason game against San Francisco. He appeared in only five games, primarily on special teams, while learning the inside linebacker position in Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense.
Williams and Lee, this year's second-round pick, are getting extra reps while starter Keith Brooking recovers from a knee scope. They're expected to compete for nickel linebacker reps.
Robert Brewster (third round): OTAs and minicamp were the extent of Brewster's practice reps last year. He tore a pectoral muscle before training camp and spent the year on injured reserve.
Brewster has worked hard to reshape his body under strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek's program. Having lost some 30 pounds, he doesn't look like the same player. With veteran Alex Barron arriving in the Bobby Carpenter trade, Brewster has been working at right tackle in practice.
Stephen McGee (fourth round): Although he missed the final two preseason games with a sprained MCL, opportunity, not injury, kept McGee on the sidelines during the regular season. He served as the scout-team quarterback behind Tony Romo and Jon Kitna.
McGee has had ample time to learn in meetings, but there's no substitute for on-field experience. He needs as many reps as possible to become comfortable in the system. Not only do quarterbacks take time to adjust to the NFL's speed, McGee also spent only one injury-plagued season in a pro-style offense at Texas A&M. He mostly ran an option scheme.
"That's the thing is processing information and reacting, and it needs to happen naturally," quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson said. "Last year it was a little bit slower and getting the reps this year is really helping him out."
Wilson said McGee is constantly working on his mechanics, elevating his throwing motion to improve his accuracy.
Brandon Williams (fourth round): This time last year, Williams impressed head coach Wade Phillips with his quick first step. But he never got a chance to contribute as possibly a third-down pass rusher, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in the second preseason game against Tennessee.
Monday's practice marked Williams' biggest on-field workload since last fall's surgery. Phillips was impressed.
"It's the first day he's really let it loose more," Phillips said. "He got a feel last week. In fact, I went to the trainer and said, 'Is he OK?' the first day, and Jim (Maurer) said he's going to feel his way for a little while but then he's going to get more and more confidence.
"And then today he was coming off the ball like he did last year in his pass rush."
Michael Hamlin (fifth round): A broken wrist sidelined Hamlin for the first five games of the regular season, and he appeared on defense for a few plays after starter Ken Hamlin hurt his ankle late in the year.
Now, with Ken Hamlin released in April, Hamlin could challenge Alan Ball for the starting free safety job.
The Cowboys' coaches like both players' instincts back there, and Hamlin has made several plays on the ball in practice. He's also worked on adding strength - a main improvement his coaches said was needed during January's exit interviews.
Hamlin said his weight fluctuated during the season, but now he's added 10-12 pounds to get to around 212.
Stephen Hodge (sixth round): Hodge is "working his butt off" to get back on the field after having microfracture knee surgery last September. Phillips said Hodge's tentative goal is to return for training camp, but the Cowboys will continue to be very diligent and cautious with his rehab.
Depending on the player and the sport, microfracture procedures can require at least a year-long recovery time.
"We just want to be real careful with it," Phillips said. "That microfracture is a real touchy surgery and they say the longer you can stay off of it the better off you are. They're monitoring how it's healing and all that stuff, but even after it heals they want to make sure."
The Cowboys drafted Hodge, a TCU standout, with plans to convert him to weak inside linebacker and use him on every special teams unit.
