My Camp Observations...

[CoCo]

Just got back from a week in Cali with some of the family. Beaches, Disneyland and Cowboys Camp. Here’s a rundown on my observations. Overall, they’re worth as much as they cost – nothing. Most of this is corroborating what you’ve already read elsewhere if you’re reading the right sources.

The Right Sources IMO – starts with Rafael Vela. He’s knowledgeable and balanced IMO. He shares informed observations while maintaining neutrality. He’s knowledgeable but fair knowing that one day or one moment does not etch the future in stone. I love his approach. It’s the kind I long to see from posters on this site but is all too rare on both sides of the coin. Read him at cowboyszone.net. (I probably just did him a disservice knowing that some here are offended when others are lauded).

My time there: Saw the Blue-White scrimmage (from terrible “seats&#8221 and then practices on 8/7, 8/8 & 8/11. Below are my bulleted impressions. They’re a point in time, that day(s). Things change. Take it all with a large grain of salt.

• DeMarco Murray. Been a big fan of his since last year but moreso now. Fluid & explosive. Like Dez, you sense they are playing at a slightly higher level than others. Like Dorsett, you hold your breath a bit when he gets the ball to see what’s going to happen. He was very impressive catching the ball. Very impressive.
• Dez. Impressive physical presence that few can match. Was great fun watching he and Carr battle. Sometimes I think Dez gets unnecessarily acrobatic. Contorts and risks injury when he could perhaps adjust and be just as effective. I sense his immaturity watching him practice. He can be easily distracted. He gets disproportionate attention from coaches as if to keep him focused. He puts forth great effort on plays but then has some fun in between. Maybe I’m picking nits. He’s obviously a beast, but he is young.
• Brandon Carr. You sense this guy will be a foundational player for this team because of his talent, effort, dedication, and approach. Don’t know what style he’ll use but I fully expect he’ll be a team leader. I hate big, big contracts like his but he has me excited about his possibility to be worth it. He strikes me as THE Garrett approach poster boy.
• Romo. Much has been made about his leadership or lack thereof. He looks every bit the leader to me. Players watch and respond to him. This team looks to be his team more than ever before though admittedly I can’t compare camp to camp since this is my first.
• Ware. I’ll mention him because of his obvious stature but honestly I didn’t see much of him other than a classic play where he chased down Romo. Both had some fun with it. I got to watch way more offense than defense.
• Best drill. WR’s and DB’s in press coverage. 1-on-1. This drill revealed exactly what you’d suspect. The contenders from the pretenders in subtle ways. Carr & Dez shown. Beasley undressed AOA. M.Butler showed promise.
• Beasley. We’ll all see what he can do in a game soon. Again, this is my first time in camp, but color me VERY intrigued by this kid. He more than any WR but Dez looks to be part of the offense. He got more targets than anyone but Dez because he was open. And then he delivered. Not sure I saw a drop. His quickness presents very real problems for some DB’s. Maybe physicality will eventually override that. Personally, I doubt it. I think he’s going to make this team and have a role unless some other larger WR (Holmes) steps up to do some things Beasley can’t.
• Holmes. Was not impressive to me the 1st three days. Just part of the crowd. But the big catch and pop from Church almost seemed to wake him up. Sounds like he has started to trend up. Where he is, is not good enough. He needs to get better. We shall see.
• Coale. Still looks to be shaking off rust. Some have called him the same player as Beasley. I’m not sure he is Beasley quick though, in part because a 6’1” body can’t coil and strike as quickly as 5’8” (or whatever he is). I am intrigued by him but its way too early given his injury.
• Ogletree. He’s treated as #3 currently. He made a real nice catch on Friday I think but to me he doesn’t flash much. He ought to be ahead of the competition since this is camp #4 for him. He’s probably the 2012 safest bet but if seems like he’s already near his ceiling. I’d hate to see Beasley or Coale cut in this guys favor but it could happen.
• Benford, Harris, Kemp, Radway. All these guys can flash but do not necessarily sustain at this point.
• Hanna. This guy seemed to be getting some deliberate opportunities from coaches & QB’s. He looked solid enough. Witnessed no problems catching the ball. Didn’t see much of him blocking but read mixed reviews. I wonder if Garrett doesn’t see some uniqueness he’s probing.[/FONT]
• I tried to get some O-line insight but honestly didn’t get to see enough meaningful drills to gain much. No one was dreadful. No one was a standout though Tyron’s athleticism is certainly apparent. I was surprised to see Free the aggressor in a fight. Doesn’t seem his nature. I don’t think O-line will start clearing up until we get deeper into camp. Very unsettled because of injuries and youth. If you wanted production and clarity right now, you are extremely concerned. I will say it is comforting to see Callahan hands on the entire practice and beyond teaching. I don’t think he’s going to allow this unit to fail. They likely won’t be great but I don’t think they’ll be disaster either though some will claim it to be.
• Geathers is a mountain of a man but looked slow and plodding to me. He did not impress. Rat was out until my last day and then was limited. Spears too. No Hatcher.
• Victor flashes on pass rush drills. Didn’t see anything of note from Hamilton though I did see him working with Ware after practice.
• Dan Bailey’s leg strength does not stand-out but he has a consistency that is comforting. He just looks steady, like last year.
• Chris Jones is up and down. Most of his down is during brisk winds IMO. He doesn’t leave you feeling he’s strong enough to cut through extreme elements.
• Here’s a weird comment. Many players if fans persisted would come sign some autographs. I saw groups twice try to get Costa to sign. He declined. Total perception on my part but he looked wary of fans. Given how many on this site criticize him beyond what’s fair I wonder if he’s not well aware of that and as a result just stays away. I probably would.
• Again, my only camp, but there seems to be a cohesiveness to this team. The leaders lead. Romo, Murray, Witten, Lee, Ware, etc. Others stay in line behind them (not literally). Dez is the exception as he is often the fans focus which he seems to enjoy, maybe even bask in a bit. Not a big deal, just a perception on my part. Very business-like through the whole practice moving from station to station but light-hearted at appropriate times too. Barry Church danced briefly during stretching just to lighten the mood without being disrespectful.
• Lots of players stay after practice for extra work. O-line everyday from what I saw. TE’s one day, some LB’s another etc. I see nothing to support any feeling that this team lacks leadership or commitment. There is always room for player A or B to do more. Not everyone stays. But there is no shortage there.
• Overall I came away feeling like the atmosphere and culture here is building something as opposed to treading water, lacking direction, or leaving potential untapped. It just feels like we’re moving in the right direction. Lose to the Raiders tomorrow night though and many will scream long and loud. But this will be journey not a sprint.
• I'll try to post some pictures later tonight. My son has them all and I need him to e-mail them to me.

 

[CyberB0b]

Fixed it for you.

Just got back from a week in Cali with some of the family. Beaches, Disneyland and Cowboys Camp. Here’s a rundown on my observations. Overall, they’re worth as much as they cost – nothing. Most of this is corroborating what you’ve already read elsewhere if you’re reading the right sources.

The Right Sources IMO – starts with Rafael Vela. He’s knowledgeable and balanced IMO. He shares informed observations while maintaining neutrality. He’s knowledgeable but fair knowing that one day or one moment does not etch the future in stone. I love his approach. It’s the kind I long to see from posters on this site but is all too rare on both sides of the coin. Read him at cowboyszone.net. (I probably just did him a disservice knowing that some here are offended when others are lauded).

My time there: Saw the Blue-White scrimmage (from terrible “seats”) and then practices on 8/7, 8/8 & 8/11. Below are my bulleted impressions. They’re a point in time, that day(s). Things change. Take it all with a large grain of salt.

• DeMarco Murray. Been a big fan of his since last year but moreso now. Fluid & explosive. Like Dez, you sense they are playing at a slightly higher level than others. Like Dorsett, you hold your breath a bit when he gets the ball to see what’s going to happen. He was very impressive catching the ball. Very impressive.
• Dez. Impressive physical presence that few can match. Was great fun watching he and Carr battle. Sometimes I think Dez gets unnecessarily acrobatic. Contorts and risks injury when he could perhaps adjust and be just as effective. I sense his immaturity watching him practice. He can be easily distracted. He gets disproportionate attention from coaches as if to keep him focused. He puts forth great effort on plays but then has some fun in between. Maybe I’m picking nits. He’s obviously a beast, but he is young.
• Brandon Carr. You sense this guy will be a foundational player for this team because of his talent, effort, dedication, and approach. Don’t know what style he’ll use but I fully expect he’ll be a team leader. I hate big, big contracts like his but he has me excited about his possibility to be worth it. He strikes me as THE Garrett approach poster boy.
• Romo. Much has been made about his leadership or lack thereof. He looks every bit the leader to me. Players watch and respond to him. This team looks to be his team more than ever before though admittedly I can’t compare camp to camp since this is my first.
• Ware. I’ll mention him because of his obvious stature but honestly I didn’t see much of him other than a classic play where he chased down Romo. Both had some fun with it. I got to watch way more offense than defense.
• Best drill. WR’s and DB’s in press coverage. 1-on-1. This drill revealed exactly what you’d suspect. The contenders from the pretenders in subtle ways. Carr & Dez shown. Beasley undressed AOA. M.Butler showed promise.
• Beasley. We’ll all see what he can do in a game soon. Again, this is my first time in camp, but color me VERY intrigued by this kid. He more than any WR but Dez looks to be part of the offense. He got more targets than anyone but Dez because he was open. And then he delivered. Not sure I saw a drop. His quickness presents very real problems for some DB’s. Maybe physicality will eventually override that. Personally, I doubt it. I think he’s going to make this team and have a role unless some other larger WR (Holmes) steps up to do some things Beasley can’t.
• Holmes. Was not impressive to me the 1st three days. Just part of the crowd. But the big catch and pop from Church almost seemed to wake him up. Sounds like he has started to trend up. Where he is, is not good enough. He needs to get better. We shall see.
• Coale. Still looks to be shaking off rust. Some have called him the same player as Beasley. I’m not sure he is Beasley quick though, in part because a 6’1” body can’t coil and strike as quickly as 5’8” (or whatever he is). I am intrigued by him but its way too early given his injury.
• Ogletree. He’s treated as #3 currently. He made a real nice catch on Friday I think but to me he doesn’t flash much. He ought to be ahead of the competition since this is camp #4 for him. He’s probably the 2012 safest bet but if seems like he’s already near his ceiling. I’d hate to see Beasley or Coale cut in this guys favor but it could happen.
• Benford, Harris, Kemp, Radway. All these guys can flash but do not necessarily sustain at this point.
• Hanna. This guy seemed to be getting some deliberate opportunities from coaches & QB’s. He looked solid enough. Witnessed no problems catching the ball. Didn’t see much of him blocking but read mixed reviews. I wonder if Garrett doesn’t see some uniqueness he’s probing.
• I tried to get some O-line insight but honestly didn’t get to see enough meaningful drills to gain much. No one was dreadful. No one was a standout though Tyron’s athleticism is certainly apparent. I was surprised to see Free the aggressor in a fight. Doesn’t seem his nature. I don’t think O-line will start clearing up until we get deeper into camp. Very unsettled because of injuries and youth. If you wanted production and clarity right now, you are extremely concerned. I will say it is comforting to see Callahan hands on the entire practice and beyond teaching. I don’t think he’s going to allow this unit to fail. They likely won’t be great but I don’t think they’ll be disaster either though some will claim it to be.
• Geathers is a mountain of a man but looked slow and plodding to me. He did not impress. Rat was out until my last day and then was limited. Spears too. No Hatcher.
• Victor flashes on pass rush drills. Didn’t see anything of note from Hamilton though I did see him working with Ware after practice.
• Dan Bailey’s leg strength does not stand-out but he has a consistency that is comforting. He just looks steady, like last year.
• Chris Jones is up and down. Most of his down is during brisk winds IMO. He doesn’t leave you feeling he’s strong enough to cut through extreme elements.
• Here’s a weird comment. Many players if fans persisted would come sign some autographs. I saw groups twice try to get Costa to sign. He declined. Total perception on my part but he looked wary of fans. Given how many on this site criticize him beyond what’s fair I wonder if he’s not well aware of that and as a result just stays away. I probably would.
• Again, my only camp, but there seems to be a cohesiveness to this team. The leaders lead. Romo, Murray, Witten, Lee, Ware, etc. Others stay in line behind them (not literally). Dez is the exception as he is often the fans focus which he seems to enjoy, maybe even bask in a bit. Not a big deal, just a perception on my part. Very business-like through the whole practice moving from station to station but light-hearted at appropriate times too. Barry Church danced briefly during stretching just to lighten the mood without being disrespectful.
• Lots of players stay after practice for extra work. O-line everyday from what I saw. TE’s one day, some LB’s another etc. I see nothing to support any feeling that this team lacks leadership or commitment. There is always room for player A or B to do more. Not everyone stays. But there is no shortage there.
• Overall I came away feeling like the atmosphere and culture here is building something as opposed to treading water, lacking direction, or leaving potential untapped. It just feels like we’re moving in the right direction. Lose to the Raiders tomorrow night though and many will scream long and loud. But this will be journey not a sprint.
• I'll try to post some pictures later tonight. My son has them all and I need him to e-mail them to me.

 

[gmoney112]

Well, I'm blind.

 

[perrykemp]

Great Post. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

 

[JBS]

Great Post. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

Can you provide us with some Packers camp observations ?

 

[Eskimo]

Thanks for taking the time to give your perspective. I find most of your takes quite defendable and most likely accurate.

I am interested in Beasley but I just wonder how many smallish WRs we'll carry because of their limitations in STs. I think he'll have to stand a good bit above Harris and Coale to make this roster but Harris has the advantage of an extra year of experience and Coale has the benefit of being a 5th round draft pick. Right now I truly believe only Austin and Dez are definitely on the team at WR. I suspect we'll keep 3 more or 5 in total. My money right now is on Coale, Harris or Beasley, Holmes or Ogletree. I think we'll try and put 3 WRs on the PS who have upside but are not yet ready to be contributors. I am pretty sure Radway will be one guy we try to stash as he doesn't seem to be entirely recovered from his tibia fracture which is not entirely unexpected given its severity.

As far as the OL is concerned, I am deeply concerned and will be until I see that we have a reliable Center and that Livings and Mack are healthy.

 

[Arch Stanton]

Thanks Coco. Much appreciated.

 

[cowboy_ron]

Thanks for sharing CoCo

 

[SDCowboy]

Thanks!

 

[a_minimalist]

Thanks, that was a really good read!

 

[CoCo]

Thanks for taking the time to give your perspective. I find most of your takes quite defendable and most likely accurate.

I am interested in Beasley but I just wonder how many smallish WRs we'll carry because of their limitations in STs. I think he'll have to stand a good bit above Harris and Coale to make this roster but Harris has the advantage of an extra year of experience and Coale has the benefit of being a 5th round draft pick. Right now I truly believe only Austin and Dez are definitely on the team at WR. I suspect we'll keep 3 more or 5 in total. My money right now is on Coale, Harris or Beasley, Holmes or Ogletree. I think we'll try and put 3 WRs on the PS who have upside but are not yet ready to be contributors. I am pretty sure Radway will be one guy we try to stash as he doesn't seem to be entirely recovered from his tibia fracture which is not entirely unexpected given its severity.

As far as the OL is concerned, I am deeply concerned and will be until I see that we have a reliable Center and that Livings and Mack are healthy.

Much like you, I suspect the Boys came into camp wanting to hold on to Coale & Holmes for their upside and Ogletree because he's a safe bet for some success albeit perhaps limited. But Beasley is complicating things because at this point he is clearly outproducing the field.

I agree Radway is likely odd man out at this point because he doesn't appear all the way back yet and maybe can be stashed on PS.

Benford & Kemp are just fighting odds that are too long IMO. I'm now thinking Harris will be cut because no one picked him up last year and while reports have him improved he doesn't stand out, he's not yet consistent and I'm not sure the ceiling is that high.

If Beasley holds up in preseason games he's going to be VERY difficult to cut. If he can return punts well, even moreso. But I don't see them cutting Coale after spending a pick on him and then having him slowed by the foot.

At this point I would bet 6 will stay: Dez, Miles, O-tree, Beasley, Coale, Holmes. But we've a long, long ways to go.

 

[5Stars]

:starspin :starspin :starspin

 

[Wulfman]

Thanks for the info, CoCo. If I had to make up the roster right now, it would still include 6 WRs, with Miles and Dez followed by Ogletree, Beasley, Holmes, and Coale. That's still going long at the position, but, as you said, I think Beasley is mucking up the works a bit. If Coale continues to recover and shows what I expect, he could be the guy that knocks Ogletree off the roster if they need a spot at another position.

 

[rash]

• Best drill. Beasley undressed AOA.

from what I hear AOAs been a bit nicked...

I still think he needs time.


How else did he look besides getting the worst of his matchup with Beasley?

 

[CoCo]

from what I hear AOAs been a bit nicked...

I still think he needs time.


How else did he look besides getting the worst of his matchup with Beasley?

Unimpressive. Can't recall him making a single play. Just kind of there. Not horrible but didn't flash at all. Doesn't carry himself with any confidence.

 

[CoCo]

Thanks for the info, CoCo. If I had to make up the roster right now, it would still include 6 WRs, with Miles and Dez followed by Ogletree, Beasley, Holmes, and Coale. That's still going long at the position, but, as you said, I think Beasley is mucking up the works a bit. If Coale continues to recover and shows what I expect, he could be the guy that knocks Ogletree off the roster if they need a spot at another position.

My take as well. O-Tree may be #3 or not on the roster. But again, it is way early.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Really good observations, Coco. It actually makes me even more anxious for tomorrow's preseason game.

 

[perrykemp]

Can you provide us with some Packers camp observations ?

GloryDaysBack:

You only response to this entire thread is take a portion of your life and slam me for thanking the OP for taking a lot of time to post his Cowboys training camp insights?

Not even a single comment re: the OP's post?

Some people just aren't happy unless they are putting others down. I guess you are one of those folks.

 

[jobberone]

Thanks. Doesn't count without pics though.

 

[JBS]

GloryDaysBack:

You only response to this entire thread is take a portion of your life and slam me for thanking the OP for taking a lot of time to post his Cowboys training camp insights?

Not even a single comment re: the OP's post?

Some people just aren't happy unless they are putting others down. I guess you are one of those folks.

What are you talking about? I didn't slam anyone..I asked you a simple question..