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OXNARD, Calif. – The site of fellow second-year defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford writhing on the field in pain Sunday after tearing his Achilles tendon was almost too much for the Dallas Cowboys’ Ben Bass to bear.
“Man, when he went down, I almost cried,” the Texas A&M alum said. “He’s like a brother to me.”
But that bond won’t stop Bass from trying to make the most of the opportunity that arose with Crawford’s season-ending injury as well injuries to two veteran defensive linemen.
In addition to Crawford, four-time Pro Bowl tackle Jay Ratliff is sidelined with a sore hamstring and end Anthony Spencer learned Tuesday he will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery this week that could sideline him for as long as a month.
While 2012 fourth-round pick Kyle Wilber immediately stepped into Crawford’s role as the No. 3 end behind DeMarcus Ware and Spencer, the Cowboys want to give Bass increased reps at end and tackle, where he impressed throughout the offseason.
On Tuesday, with Spencer gone, Bass was at end with the first team.
“It allows me a chance to show what I can,” Bass said. “I know I can play different positions. Now I have a shot to.”
But given his friendship with Crawford, it’s understandable Bass has mixed feelings about his opportunity.
“I even said last year, I never want to get a chance to play because someone goes down,” the Plano West High School graduate said. “I want to play because of my ability.”
The 6-foot-5, 294-pound Bass played in two games last season as an undrafted rookie after landing a spot on the practice squad following a try out during rookie camp. His improbable journey is a feel-good story for the Cowboys, who pride themselves in turning undrafted players – think Tony Romo and Miles Austin – into stars.
“He is one of those guys that seem to make a lot of plays,” coach Jason Garrett said of Bass, 23. “He is one of those guys who you have a lot of optimism about because of how young you feel like he is physically. He can get so much bigger and stronger to tap into those instincts he has displayed. We are excited about his progress.”
Bass, who started only one game as a senior for the Aggies, credits a fortuitous change in NFL rules with him getting a foot in the door at Valley Ranch.
“I’m almost playing with nothing to lose because I wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place,” he said. “If (the NFL) had never expanded the offseason roster from 80 guys to 90 (in April 2012), I wouldn’t be here.”
Regardless of how he got his job, he’s shown he belongs. And after a year in the league, he said his confidence has “skyrocketed”
“I am so much more confident in my ability, so much more confident in the scheme,” Bass said. “I feel like I am built to play the 4-3 defense. That’s kind of what my skill set is for.
“I feel like I am on the right track. I feel like I am doing the right things. It’s just a matter of doing the right things every single day. That’s what I’m trying to strive toward.”
And he’s doing it relentlessly.
“I try to take so many reps,” Bass said, “and some of the older guys are saying, ‘You need to stop. It’s a marathon, not a race.’ So that’s probably something I need to learn: to throttle back in practice the amount of reps I take. But I feel like my passion is there, my want is there.”
What’s also there is a high football IQ.
“He is a really smart young man, smart player,” assistant defensive line assistant coach Leon Lett said. “He picks things up fast. We are impressed with him.”
And the coaches felt that way long before Crawford was injured.
“If you wait for somebody to go down in order to play your best, you are already behind,” Bass said. “I have been playing like I am going to get on the field since last year. Every day in practice, that’s what I work toward: to get on the field, to become a playmaker.”
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“Man, when he went down, I almost cried,” the Texas A&M alum said. “He’s like a brother to me.”
But that bond won’t stop Bass from trying to make the most of the opportunity that arose with Crawford’s season-ending injury as well injuries to two veteran defensive linemen.
In addition to Crawford, four-time Pro Bowl tackle Jay Ratliff is sidelined with a sore hamstring and end Anthony Spencer learned Tuesday he will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery this week that could sideline him for as long as a month.
While 2012 fourth-round pick Kyle Wilber immediately stepped into Crawford’s role as the No. 3 end behind DeMarcus Ware and Spencer, the Cowboys want to give Bass increased reps at end and tackle, where he impressed throughout the offseason.
On Tuesday, with Spencer gone, Bass was at end with the first team.
“It allows me a chance to show what I can,” Bass said. “I know I can play different positions. Now I have a shot to.”
But given his friendship with Crawford, it’s understandable Bass has mixed feelings about his opportunity.
“I even said last year, I never want to get a chance to play because someone goes down,” the Plano West High School graduate said. “I want to play because of my ability.”
The 6-foot-5, 294-pound Bass played in two games last season as an undrafted rookie after landing a spot on the practice squad following a try out during rookie camp. His improbable journey is a feel-good story for the Cowboys, who pride themselves in turning undrafted players – think Tony Romo and Miles Austin – into stars.
“He is one of those guys that seem to make a lot of plays,” coach Jason Garrett said of Bass, 23. “He is one of those guys who you have a lot of optimism about because of how young you feel like he is physically. He can get so much bigger and stronger to tap into those instincts he has displayed. We are excited about his progress.”
Bass, who started only one game as a senior for the Aggies, credits a fortuitous change in NFL rules with him getting a foot in the door at Valley Ranch.
“I’m almost playing with nothing to lose because I wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place,” he said. “If (the NFL) had never expanded the offseason roster from 80 guys to 90 (in April 2012), I wouldn’t be here.”
Regardless of how he got his job, he’s shown he belongs. And after a year in the league, he said his confidence has “skyrocketed”
“I am so much more confident in my ability, so much more confident in the scheme,” Bass said. “I feel like I am built to play the 4-3 defense. That’s kind of what my skill set is for.
“I feel like I am on the right track. I feel like I am doing the right things. It’s just a matter of doing the right things every single day. That’s what I’m trying to strive toward.”
And he’s doing it relentlessly.
“I try to take so many reps,” Bass said, “and some of the older guys are saying, ‘You need to stop. It’s a marathon, not a race.’ So that’s probably something I need to learn: to throttle back in practice the amount of reps I take. But I feel like my passion is there, my want is there.”
What’s also there is a high football IQ.
“He is a really smart young man, smart player,” assistant defensive line assistant coach Leon Lett said. “He picks things up fast. We are impressed with him.”
And the coaches felt that way long before Crawford was injured.
“If you wait for somebody to go down in order to play your best, you are already behind,” Bass said. “I have been playing like I am going to get on the field since last year. Every day in practice, that’s what I work toward: to get on the field, to become a playmaker.”
Continue reading...