News: SAEN: Garrett downplays offensive line shuffle

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After a month of training camp in Oxnard, Calif., the Dallas Cowboys sport a different look back at Valley Ranch.

Cool ocean breezes, cheering fans and late afternoon practices are out. Sweat, privacy and early morning workouts are in.

On Wednesday, there was another change: A re-shuffled offensive line.

With the left guard spot ravaged by injuries, the Cowboys slid right tackle Doug Free to right guard, positioned Jermey Parnell at right tackle and moved right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau to left guard.

Per the norm, the rest of the first-team wall consisted of rookie Travis Frederick at center and Tyron Smith at left tackle.

The team’s web site reported Free also played right tackle later in the practice, but it’s clear that the club is trying out contingency plans while starting left guard Nate Livings and backup Ron Leary recover from arthroscopic knee surgery that threatens to sideline them for the season opener against the New York Giants on Sept. 8.

But Jason Garrett downplayed the new look, but that’s nothing unusual for the coach, who is loathe to give opponents any kind of an edge from an intelligence standpoint.

“When you’re low on numbers, you’ve got to mix guys in at different spots,” Garrett said at a news conference in Irving. “I wouldn’t read too much into anything about what we’re doing with our offensive line.

Free carries 325 pounds on a 6-foot-6 frame, ideal size for playing on the outside. But Garrett believes the he can also play guard.

“He’s tall and long, so he’s probably best suited to play tackle,” Garrett said. “But those aren’t bad traits to have when you’re a guard, either.”

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