DMN Blog: Pittsburgh also had interest in Cowboys' kick-return candidate

[WoodysGirl]

11:19 AM Tue, Mar 16, 2010 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
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Titus Ryan, the sprinter turned footballer, also worked out for Pittsburgh before signing with the Cowboys in January.

Ryan will be worth watching in the organized team activities because of his speed. He was a champion in the 100 and 200 meters at the high-school and collegiate levels but lost a football scholarship to Alabama because of a failure to qualifiy academically.

Ryan spent last year in the Canadian League and finished among the top 10 in punt and kickoff returns in addition to playing wide receiver. He had a league-best 104-yard kickoff return.

Ryan is a longshot because of his limited experience, but the Cowboys must consider every possibility to improve their kickoff-return game. They were 20th in the league during the regular season with an average return of 22 yards and managed only 14.7 yards on 10 returns in the postseason.

 

[JBS]

There were 12 teams WORSE than us at kick returns? Holy smokes, that is crazy.

 

[Illini88228]

I tend to not get to wound up about CFL or (used to) AFL or NFLE guys because no matter how much they are hyped it seems like 99% of them never make a difference. Long shots are long shots for a reason, heck even guys like Romo and Austin were at least snapped up right after the draft. Guys like this are available for a reason. Teams are built through the draft and free agency.

 

[juck]

Just draft a quality WR/KR jesus christ its not rocket science!

 

[EPL0c0]

Johnny Lee higgins!

 

[juck]

Id prefer Jordan Shipley he is the type of guy Belechick would draft.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Hmmm.... Why can't the Cowboys get this right?????

 

[big dog cowboy]

Hmmm.... Why can't the Cowboys get this right?????

They said the same thing about the QB position for the longest time after Aikman retired.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Just draft a quality WR/KR jesus christ its not rocket science!

Tell that to Parcells 2003-2006.

 

[CowboyMike]

There were 12 teams WORSE than us at kick returns? Holy smokes, that is crazy.

I think it might have had to do with the wedge being banned too.

 

[casmith07]

Id prefer Jordan Shipley he is the type of guy Belechick would draft.

Please tell me what Jordan Shipley would do in the return game with a 4.57 40-yard dash. Please.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Id prefer Jordan Shipley he is the type of guy Belechick would draft.

Yeah, love those UT players with reps that precede them. As for Belichick, maybe he would draft shipley, but he'd sit for 3-4 years to season him before playing, but unfortunately the Cowboys do not have that much time till they start losing their talent and other teams could surpass them.

 

[gimmesix]

Just draft a quality WR/KR jesus christ its not rocket science!

No, it's draft science, which is worse.

It's the type of science that sometimes results in a Skyler Green.

 

[Four]

bring back tyson thompson!

27ish yard average per return was pretty nice.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

How bout' Golden Tate in the 1st.

 

[juck]

Please tell me what Jordan Shipley would do in the return game with a 4.57 40-yard dash. Please.

I guess u never watched texas football. They punted away from the dude. he is also a legitimate WR that runs routes like Terry Glenn and actually catches everything in traffic as well.

 

[JBell]

Please tell me what Jordan Shipley would do in the return game with a 4.57 40-yard dash. Please.

Please tell me what Patrick Crayton did last year in the return game with a 4.58 40-yard dash.

Oh wait.

It's not all about straight line speed for returns. I'm curious to know what Joshua Cribb's 40 time is, because he's not a burner yet is the most dangerous return man in the game.

 

[AKATheRake]

Well, regarding kickoffs it doesn't get any better than The Cat himself but he's too important to the offense. Plus he doesn't return punts. Sooooooo......... Other options I guess.

 

[pgreptom]

I tend to not get to wound up about CFL or (used to) AFL or NFLE guys because no matter how much they are hyped it seems like 99% of them never make a difference. Long shots are long shots for a reason, heck even guys like Romo and Austin were at least snapped up right after the draft. Guys like this are available for a reason. Teams are built through the draft and free agency.

Outside of "trades" - how else can your team be "built" ? I'd say 99% of rosters are built through free agency and the draft..

This guy was added to our roster via free agency as well?

 

[pgreptom]

Well, regarding kickoffs it doesn't get any better than The Cat himself but he's too important to the offense. Plus he doesn't return punts. Sooooooo......... Other options I guess.

Felix was garbage on returns last year.. he looked scared of taking a big hit.