Wulfman
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The Wulf Den: Training Camp 2009 – Week 1
August 4, 2009
Well, folks, after one week of training camp for our Dallas Cowboys, it’s hard to make any quick judgments. Over the last eight months, we have seen a couple of players leave via free agency, some veteran replacements signed, a trade, watched dumbfounded through twelve picks in the draft, and a couple of coaches shown the door. In addition, we’ve seen anyone who has been considered a potential problem, from Pacman to the “mouth that Roared” cut from the team, and an additional youth movement that saw three veterans released or left unsigned—including two of the team’s former #1 draft picks and the captain of last year’s special teams. The bottom of the roster has been churned, and, as usual, the media has leapt on every potential story with a tenacity and ferocity that only comes from covering America’s Team.
I think coming into this camp, it’s safe to say that the Cowboys are flying under the radar a bit. I hear a lot of folks talking about Philly and the Giants and the Falcons and even the Cardinals in the NFC….but very little about the ‘Boys. To my mind, that’s not a bad thing—especially coming off of a disappointing year that saw the Cowboys miss the playoffs after a media circus training camp that included everything from Super Bowl predictions to Hard Knocks cameras. But for those who are paying attention, there seems to be something stirring in Big D. As such, I thought I’d come out of retirement to take a look at how training camp is going, and what we can look for as the weeks progress. So read on, and enjoy!
Coaching Staff
Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett are each on the hot seat in many respects. The national media has said that Phillips has been there since about 5 minutes after he got off the plane in Dallas, of course. But this year, the defense—his forte—is really his baby. No Defensive Coordinator, no middle man. So the defense will directly reflect Wade in a way that hasn’t happened since his arrival. If they don’t do well, he’s in trouble.
As for Garrett, last year he went from being the wunderkind of offensive football the previous year to the guy that ran the “predictable” offense last year. How much of that is better defensive scheming, how much related to injuries, and how much is actually true? I think all three contributed, so we’ll call it a sophomore slump. After all, remember this guy had barely coached at all before being given the keys to the offense in Dallas. There’s bound to be some growing pains. And let’s not forget that the Cowboys’ offense wasn’t exactly bad last year. For all that Ray Lewis talked about how predictable it was, it was the defense that blew it at the end of the game. And let’s face it, NO ONE came to play in Philly. But with the weapons the Cowboys have this year (and barring injury, of course), Garrett will either show that last year was an anomaly….or he’ll have to forget being the “heir apparent” in Dallas.
Of the other coaches, I think two will play a significant role this year. Hudson Houck, back for his second year of his second stint with the Cowboys, will play a huge role as he tries to mold the offensive line into a more dominant unit. After all, the Cowboys can have as many great RBs as they can fit on the roster…but they can’t run anywhere without some push up front.
The other coach is a new face, and that’s Special Teams Coach Joe DeCamillis. This guy has already had an impact, both in the way he booms his expectations on the practice field, as well as the strength and determination he’s shown in returning from a serious injury in the practice dome collapse. He expects nothing less than perfection from himself, and that kind of attitude rubs off.
Offense: Quarterback
Tony Romo is the starter, and everyone seems to want to talk about how they’ve suddenly made this offense “Romo-friendly”. I hate to tell people, but the offense has been plenty friendly to Romo already. He’s set records in his first two years as a starter that Aikman and Staubach didn’t in their entire careers. So while he hasn’t come close to living up to the remarkable careers of either of those predecessors as of yet, the talk about making the team “Romo-friendly” is a crock, in my opinion. What they really did was got rid of the “Mouth that Roared” so that Romo could step up and be the leader of the offense that he needs to be. Whether he gets that done in the locker room and in the huddle will go a lot further towards determining his success this season than whether or not the scheme has been altered to better accommodate his skill set.
The back-up position is in much better hands this year. While Brad Johnson was the perfect back-up on paper, his arm could no longer make the plays necessary to get the job done. He was a great guy, but his time was simply past. The acquisition of Jon Kitna as his replacement was a really solid move. Kitna, although still an older guy, has more than enough arm strength to run the offense full speed if needed, and has started enough that he could fill in for a game or two (let’s pray it’s not longer) without any great difficulty. What’s more, he’s a competitive guy, so despite knowing his role, he’s going to push Romo to be a better QB and leader. The Cowboys got criticized heavily for trading CB Anthony Henry to get Kitna. But given the obvious need to upgrade the position, and with the young depth at CB, I think it was a very solid offseason move.
The third QB will be Stephen McGee, and he’ll wear a ball cap and carry a clipboard unless Romo or Kitna are out with injury. If he actually has to play for any length of time this season, the Cowboys are in big trouble. Given what he’s shown in camp and OTAs thus far, though, he could easily replace Kitna in two or three years.
Rudy Carpenter is a camp body to help keep the others’ arms fresh. His only chance of sticking around on the roster is with an injury to one of the others, and even then I think they’d bring in a veteran to compete with him. He’s a long shot for the practice squad, since there really aren’t enough reps for four QBs during the regular season.
Offense: Running Back/Fullback
After ending the year with two of the Cowboys’ top three RBs injured, the group returns healthy and ready to go. The “Smash, Dash, and Tash” trio are expected to highlight a transition to a more run-centered offense, although the Cowboys will still pass more than they run, and each will be involved in the passing game as well. If there was one big positive to come out of last year’s injuries, it was to assure the Cowboys that even their third-string RB was good enough to be a starter in the league. Barring injuries, expect this group to be devastating. Barber is going to get the majority of the carries, and will be spelled at times by Choice in that role. Felix is going to be in the game a lot, either alone or with one of the others, and will do everything from run the ball to splitting out wide.
There likely isn’t room for keeping a fourth RB on this roster. There’s simply too much talent and/or depth at other positions to go deep here. The player who has the best chance is Alonzo Coleman, whose speed has intrigued the Cowboys for a couple of years now. But he is dinged up early in camp, so his best hope is to be on the practice squad again as he has been each of the past two years. Keon Lattimore, while he has some skills, simply can’t break into that group, and is largely auditioning for another team’s roster.
As for fullback, I doubt there’s any way short of injury for anyone to overtake Deon Anderson. He did a solid job last year, and is a very good special teams player—a necessity for being on the gameday roster.
First-year player Julius Crosslin has an outside chance of making the practice squad, and Schwapp is likely a camp body only.
Offense: Wide Receiver
The most scrutinized position for the Cowboys this offseason, wide receiver is on a lot of national media’s short list of positions in trouble for Dallas. The problem, as Micky Spagnola and Rob Phillips have pointed out a time or two, is that those “experts” in the national media—like ESPN’s John Clayton—aren’t actually at the practices or around Valley Ranch, so they are clueless about what is actually occurring. I actually laughed out loud recently when Brad Sham, a guest on Talkin’ Cowboys, said that he couldn’t remember the last time that Clayton was actually right about something. I don’t think this is going to be one of those times either.
The “Mouth that Roared” is gone—I refuse to even mention his name or initials anymore—and good riddance. Not to the talent…to the drama. He was a human media circus from the day he walked into Valley Ranch, and that kind of distraction is incredibly hard for anyone to ignore. There’s no arguing with his production, and I wish him well in Buffalo. But for all that the individual players say he was a great teammate here, there IS such a thing as addition by subtraction. This team is not more talented without him than they were with him…but they’ll be a better TEAM.
Of course, they do have to account for his production. A lot of people want to drop that onus on Roy Williams, and talk about what a poor season he had last year after being acquired from Detroit. I’m sorry, but that sampling is too small to make any kind of judgments—especially considering he was learning a new system and was battling an injury. He has shown that he can be a #1 receiver, and on a team in Detroit where he was the ONLY weapon they had. He likely won’t put up the numbers of the guy he is replacing, but he doesn’t really have to do that to be successful this season.
Patrick Crayton will likely start opposite Williams, and is having his best camp thus far. For those worried about him, go back and look at what he did as the #2 guy over the last few years. He is as solid as they come, and may have a career year this season.
Two of the back-up positions will be filled by Miles Austin and Sam Hurd, both of whom are having very good camps thus far. Hurd, in particular, has been fantastic, and they are both expected to contribute significantly this season.
As for the fifth—and likely last—WR spot, it’s going to be a war. Isaiah Stanback may have been the incumbent, but his injury problem has already reared its head, and the Cowboys simply can’t give him a roster spot while waiting for him to be ready to go—especially if they’re not sure they can depend on him.
Competing with him are seventh-round draft pick Manuel Johnson, undrafted rookies Kevin Ogletree and Julian Hawkins, veterans Willie Reid and Mike Jefferson, and 4th and Long winner Jesse Holley. And while Reid and Jefferson have been around the NFL for a couple of years, it’s Ogletree who has been stealing the show thus far. There have also been some positive comments about Holley, and he may well be able to push the Cowboys enough to stay around on the practice squad. At this point, I’d say Ogletree would get the nod for the 5th spot, so Stanback and the rest better kick it into high gear.
Offense: Tight End
A large part of the production in the passing game will be picked up by this group. Jason Witten is a perennial Pro-Bowler, and Martellus Bennett has stepped it up significantly this year. There are going to be a lot of two tight end sets, and I anticipate both of these guys getting a lot of looks.
The only real battle here is for the third TE position. Draft pick John Phillips and holdover Rodney Hannah are likely competing for the spot, with Scott Chandler being nothing more than a camp body. If all other things are equal, Phillips’ draft status and his previous knowledge of the position coach should give him the nod.
Offense: Offensive Line
We saw firsthand last year what happens when one of the starters goes down for an extended period of time….and it’s not pretty. Kyle Kosier is back and healthy, as is the primary back-up at guard, Montrae Holland. Unfortunately, the competition at offensive tackle took a hit when third-round pick Robert Brewster tore his pectoral muscle, likely putting him on IR for the year.
It now falls on veterans Doug Free and Pat McQuistan to pick up the slack and prove they can handle the job. On the inside, Cory Procter was retained—although many wish he hadn’t been. In all fairness, he’s a decent back-up at center. But he gets pushed around too easily to be a quality back-up at guard. As such, if either Ryan Gibbons or Holland shows they can be effective at center, Procter could well be a late camp cut. It is unlikely the Cowboys will be able to keep ten O-linemen…so either Gibbons or Procter is history.
The rest of the guys that are currently on the roster are undrafted rookies—namely Travis Bright, Greg Isdaner, and recently-signed Andre Douglas—and their best hope is to show enough to make the practice squad.
Defense: Defensive Line
One of my biggest complaints about the Cowboys’ offseason was that they didn’t secure a veteran back-up for Jay Ratliff at the NT position. Sure, they re-signed Junior Siavii, and they brought in Jonas Seawright and Tim Anderson. But really, do any of those guys excite you? They don’t do it for me. In all fairness to the front office, I’m not really sure there was much to choose from in free agency after Albert Haynesworth—and I’m just as glad he and his over-priced contract aren’t in Dallas. And as a draft follower and sometime mock guru, I know that there was very little available at the position when the Cowboys made their first draft pick. But still, none of the guys listed as NTs behind Ratliff give me any confidence going into the preseason. We’ll see how they do when the games start.
As for who will make the line-up, I think the biggest question is not who but how many. Marcus Spears and newcomer Igor Olshansky will start at DE, with Ratliff in the middle. The back-ups the last couple of years at DE, Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher, likely make the squad as well. But what about Marcus Dixon? The team really liked what they saw last year, and were able to stash him on the practice squad. He took advantage of the opportunity, as well as the offseason program, and came back in much better shape. As such, he’s put himself into position to make this squad.
Unfortunately, it may be a numbers game here. Keeping seven D-linemen may be very difficult considering some of the other positions that will need depth, so Dixon is going to have to do enough to make the coaching staff consider it. One possibility that I think has a real chance is keeping only six D-linemen, but not keeping a “true” back-up at NT. They have used Spears in that role in training camp last year and this year, as well as Bowen. And one look is enough to tell you that, size-wise, Olshansky should be able to do it as well. Add in that there will be some times when the Cowboys go with a 4-man front—meaning Ratliff could get a breather with DEs sliding inside—and I think they could keep Dixon as a fifth DE and still only keep six total D-linemen. Anderson is going to have to get healthy fast, and Siavii or Seawright are going to have to show up in the games, in my opinion, for the Cowboys not to at least consider it if they think Dixon is worthwhile. After all, they may not be able to stash him on the practice squad for a second year.
Defense: Linebacker
DeMarcus Ware is the best defensive player in the league, bar none. The fact that he didn’t get the Defensive Player of the Year award last year was a product of the team’s flat finish and failure to make the playoffs, not any lack on Ware’s part. And he’s only going to improve. The real questions lie with the rest of the position.
On the opposite side, where veteran Greg Ellis and his annual worry-wart moaning are now gone, we find former first-round pick Anthony Spencer. The Cowboys drafted him to fill this role, and according to the coaching staff, he was ready to claim the starting position last year before suffering an injury late in camp that lingered into the season. Based on the fact that he plays on the side where his run defense is of crucial importance, along with playing opposite a guy who demands a double-team on every play, and I anticipate a very strong season for Spencer.
In the middle, Zach Thomas is gone. He’s a nice guy and a solid football player, and he was very active last year. But he was not a great fit for the scheme. In his place, the Cowboys signed veteran Keith Brooking, a player who is not only familiar with Phillips’ defense, but had his best seasons as a pro while playing under Phillips in Atlanta. He’s not a huge youth movement when compared to Thomas, but as a two-down starter, he should be an excellent fit. The other inside spot, of course, belongs to Bradie James. He is the captain of the defense, and as solid as just about any inside LB in the league.
If there’s an area of concern with this position, it’s depth. Eventually, those starters are going to have to come off the field, whether because of injury or simply to get a breather, and someone’s going to have to go in and be successful enough not to lose the game. On the inside, it looks like the guys most likely to claim the back-up spots are third-round pick Jason Williams and former first-round pick, Bobby Carpenter. The jury is still out on Williams, although that’s to be expected with any rookie switching to an unfamiliar position. As for Carpenter, this is his chance. With the free agent departure of former nickel linebacker Kevin Burnett, the job is Carpenter’s to lose. A lot of people have already labeled him a bust, and it’s true he has not yet lived up to a first round pedigree (I will not go into this further, save to say that I had him rated as a third-round prospect and was incensed when Parcells and company picked him in the first round that year). But all of his excuses of being moved from inside to outside and back again are gone. This is his shot. And based on the early returns in camp, he’s taking advantage of it.
There’s even less quality depth on the outside. One thing having Ellis as the starter did last year was give us the flexibility of having Spencer as a primary back-up to provide depth. That depth this year will have to be filled by unproven players. Fourth-round draft picks Victor Butler and Brandon Williams are both making the transition from college DE to pro OLB, and Butler is further behind the curve because of his school’s late graduation preventing his attendance in much of the OTAs. Still, listening to Ware—a guy who knows a thing or two about making that transition—you have to feel pretty good about B. Williams. He’s going to have to show it in the preseason, but the reports early are very promising. There’s also been some noise made early in camp by first-year player Steve Octavien. Again, he’s unproven…but it looks like the depth at the LB position is going to be unproven as a unit going into the year.
As for the rest of the position, I think it’s a scramble to force the coaching staff to keep additional roster spots at the position. This means that special teams will play a huge role in the decision. Matt Stewart was brought in not only as a LB, but also as some competition for the long-snapping job. What has been seen of him, however, has not been impressive, so his odds are very long. Justin Rogers has been on the team for a couple of years now, and the fact that he hasn’t stepped up to the point that he’s even in contention for a primary back-up role likely means he’s history. The last guy at the position is sixth-round pick Stephen Hodge, and former safety from TCU who is being converted to inside linebacker. He had a slight injury that kept him out of the first week of practices, so he’s off to a slow start in camp. But you hear the coaching staff talking about his athletic ability, and it sounds like they really hope he shows enough to stick. I don’t know that the Cowboys can keep ten linebackers on the squad, though, so how the fringe guys do on special teams is going to play a huge role. Anyone who makes it to the final roster cuts at that tenth LB position and is eligible for the practice squad may find themselves there.
Defense: Defensive Backs
I’ve already expressed my thoughts about trading CB Anthony Henry for QB Jon Kitna. I think the reason you were able to do that is because of what last year’s first-round pick, Mike Jenkins, and fifth-round pick, Orlando Scandrick, showed in their rookie campaigns. They are competing for the starting job opposite former Pro-Bowler Terence Newman. Regardless who gets the nod for the starting job, the other is going to play a lot, and by all indications, play well.
Beyond those three, the best player thus far in camp that is playing only CB is seventh-round pick Mike Mickens. He has made big play after big play, snagging interceptions and breaking up passes. Of course, he’s going to make some mistakes as a rookie. But he seems to be playing much closer to the first-day draft grade I and many others gave him before the recurring knee injury that hurt his season.
At safety, the other Roy Williams is now gone, as is Davis, who started at SS as well as his special team duties. To fill the void in the starting line-up, the Cowboys signed free agent Gerald Sensabaugh, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has looked very solid in camp thus far, and has shown that the Cowboys may finally have found a SS that can play against the pass.
The depth at safety is going to be an interesting battle. Pat Watkins has had one of those roles for a few years now, but he has made more of an impact with his special teams play than anything else, leading the team in special teams tackles last year. Two former seventh-round picks, Alan Ball and Courtney Brown, have done a bit of role reversal this year. Previously, Brown, who played CB in college, had been asked to play safety, while Ball had been playing CB. This year, they’ve moved Brown back to CB, and Ball has been asked to play some safety. The key, of course, is flexibility, and right now it appears that Ball could play either position better than Brown. If it comes down to one or the other of them at the bottom of the line-up, I think the spot goes to Ball.
There are a couple of rookies that could make this interesting as well. The Cowboys drafted DeAngelo Smith and Michael Hamlin in the fifth round of this year’s draft, and both are expected to compete for a roster spot. Thus far, Hamlin has looked very promising, while Smith, who is switching to safety after playing primarily CB at Cincinnati, hasn’t really shown anything of note.
The other two players vying for positions on the depth chart are veterans; CB Michael Hawkins and S Jerome Carter. Neither has much chance to make the squad, barring significant improvement or injuries.
Ultimately, I think the Cowboys are cross-training so many guys because they can’t afford to keep more than nine DBs on the 53-man roster. That likely means that Watkins, Brown, and Smith are fighting for two positions.
Special Teams
Mat McBriar is back and booming punts after his season-ending foot injury, so this position is solid. The same can be said about long-snapper, where Ladouceur really hasn’t been challenged at all. In fact, there’s no reason to think Nick Folk won’t be back in his normal Pro Bowl shape, despite having offseason surgery that could have slowed him entering training camp.
The real discussion at this position, aside from the coaching change, is the fact that the Cowboys drafted another kicker, David Buehler from USC, in the fifth round for the express purpose of handling kickoffs and giving the Cowboys better field position. Of course, using up a gameday spot on an extra kicker means potentially going short at another position, so that will have to be a week-by-week decision. But thus far, his kickoffs have left no one disappointed, consistently booming them to the goal-line or into the endzone—something Folk has struggled to do in his career and didn’t manage to do a single time last year.
What makes this more interesting, though, is the fact that Buehler is not just a kicker—he’s an athlete. He had 25 reps on the bench press and ran a very respectable 4.57 40-yard dash. With that size and strength combination, he could potentially fill other special teams roles as well, and has been seen practicing any number of things. If nothing else, it should prove interesting to watch.
All four of these guys will make the roster, barring a severe injury.
Closing Thoughts
I thought I would end this article with an early look at the potential 53-man roster. This is, of course, without contending with injuries, preseason games, or the routine churning of the bottom of the roster that one expects in training camp. But for what it’s worth, here it is:
QB: Tony Romo, Jon Kitna, Stephen McGee
RB: Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice
FB: Deon Anderson
WR: Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd, Miles Austin, Kevin Ogletree
TE: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, John Phillips
OL: Flozell Adams, Marc Colombo, Kyle Kosier, Leonard Davis, Andre Gurode, Pat McQuistan, Montrae Holland, Cory Procter, Doug Free
DL: Marcus Spears, Igor Olshansky, Jay Ratliff, Jason Hatcher, Stephen Bowen, Marcus Dixon
LB: DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Keith Brooking, Bradie James, Bobby Carpenter, Jason Williams, Brandon Williams, Victor Butler, Stephen Hodge
CB: Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick, Alan Ball, Mike Mickens
S: Ken Hamlin, Gerald Sensabaugh, Pat Watkins, Michael Hamlin
ST: Nick Folk, Mat McBriar, J. P. Ladouceur, David Buehler
This leaves one spot on the roster, and it will go to either a) Steve Octavien (if he continues to show promise on the outside), b) Courtney Brown or DeAngelo Smith (if they can show the Cowboys need to keep a 10th DB), or c) a back-up NT. This will likely come down to who can contribute the most on special teams if they were needed on gameday.
If the roster were to fall this way, I think the Cowboys would try to get those who are eligible on the practice squad. Among those I think they’d like to get placed there—depending on who gets that last roster spot—would include RB Alonzo Coleman, WR Jesse Holley, G Ryan Gibbons, TE Rodney Hannah, LB Steve Octavien, S DeAngelo Smith (if he didn’t get the last spot), and WR Mike Jefferson, with the remaining spot or two being filled from those cut from other teams as they are needed to provide depth at specific positions.
Wulfman
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August 4, 2009
Well, folks, after one week of training camp for our Dallas Cowboys, it’s hard to make any quick judgments. Over the last eight months, we have seen a couple of players leave via free agency, some veteran replacements signed, a trade, watched dumbfounded through twelve picks in the draft, and a couple of coaches shown the door. In addition, we’ve seen anyone who has been considered a potential problem, from Pacman to the “mouth that Roared” cut from the team, and an additional youth movement that saw three veterans released or left unsigned—including two of the team’s former #1 draft picks and the captain of last year’s special teams. The bottom of the roster has been churned, and, as usual, the media has leapt on every potential story with a tenacity and ferocity that only comes from covering America’s Team.
I think coming into this camp, it’s safe to say that the Cowboys are flying under the radar a bit. I hear a lot of folks talking about Philly and the Giants and the Falcons and even the Cardinals in the NFC….but very little about the ‘Boys. To my mind, that’s not a bad thing—especially coming off of a disappointing year that saw the Cowboys miss the playoffs after a media circus training camp that included everything from Super Bowl predictions to Hard Knocks cameras. But for those who are paying attention, there seems to be something stirring in Big D. As such, I thought I’d come out of retirement to take a look at how training camp is going, and what we can look for as the weeks progress. So read on, and enjoy!
Coaching Staff
Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett are each on the hot seat in many respects. The national media has said that Phillips has been there since about 5 minutes after he got off the plane in Dallas, of course. But this year, the defense—his forte—is really his baby. No Defensive Coordinator, no middle man. So the defense will directly reflect Wade in a way that hasn’t happened since his arrival. If they don’t do well, he’s in trouble.
As for Garrett, last year he went from being the wunderkind of offensive football the previous year to the guy that ran the “predictable” offense last year. How much of that is better defensive scheming, how much related to injuries, and how much is actually true? I think all three contributed, so we’ll call it a sophomore slump. After all, remember this guy had barely coached at all before being given the keys to the offense in Dallas. There’s bound to be some growing pains. And let’s not forget that the Cowboys’ offense wasn’t exactly bad last year. For all that Ray Lewis talked about how predictable it was, it was the defense that blew it at the end of the game. And let’s face it, NO ONE came to play in Philly. But with the weapons the Cowboys have this year (and barring injury, of course), Garrett will either show that last year was an anomaly….or he’ll have to forget being the “heir apparent” in Dallas.
Of the other coaches, I think two will play a significant role this year. Hudson Houck, back for his second year of his second stint with the Cowboys, will play a huge role as he tries to mold the offensive line into a more dominant unit. After all, the Cowboys can have as many great RBs as they can fit on the roster…but they can’t run anywhere without some push up front.
The other coach is a new face, and that’s Special Teams Coach Joe DeCamillis. This guy has already had an impact, both in the way he booms his expectations on the practice field, as well as the strength and determination he’s shown in returning from a serious injury in the practice dome collapse. He expects nothing less than perfection from himself, and that kind of attitude rubs off.
Offense: Quarterback
Tony Romo is the starter, and everyone seems to want to talk about how they’ve suddenly made this offense “Romo-friendly”. I hate to tell people, but the offense has been plenty friendly to Romo already. He’s set records in his first two years as a starter that Aikman and Staubach didn’t in their entire careers. So while he hasn’t come close to living up to the remarkable careers of either of those predecessors as of yet, the talk about making the team “Romo-friendly” is a crock, in my opinion. What they really did was got rid of the “Mouth that Roared” so that Romo could step up and be the leader of the offense that he needs to be. Whether he gets that done in the locker room and in the huddle will go a lot further towards determining his success this season than whether or not the scheme has been altered to better accommodate his skill set.
The back-up position is in much better hands this year. While Brad Johnson was the perfect back-up on paper, his arm could no longer make the plays necessary to get the job done. He was a great guy, but his time was simply past. The acquisition of Jon Kitna as his replacement was a really solid move. Kitna, although still an older guy, has more than enough arm strength to run the offense full speed if needed, and has started enough that he could fill in for a game or two (let’s pray it’s not longer) without any great difficulty. What’s more, he’s a competitive guy, so despite knowing his role, he’s going to push Romo to be a better QB and leader. The Cowboys got criticized heavily for trading CB Anthony Henry to get Kitna. But given the obvious need to upgrade the position, and with the young depth at CB, I think it was a very solid offseason move.
The third QB will be Stephen McGee, and he’ll wear a ball cap and carry a clipboard unless Romo or Kitna are out with injury. If he actually has to play for any length of time this season, the Cowboys are in big trouble. Given what he’s shown in camp and OTAs thus far, though, he could easily replace Kitna in two or three years.
Rudy Carpenter is a camp body to help keep the others’ arms fresh. His only chance of sticking around on the roster is with an injury to one of the others, and even then I think they’d bring in a veteran to compete with him. He’s a long shot for the practice squad, since there really aren’t enough reps for four QBs during the regular season.
Offense: Running Back/Fullback
After ending the year with two of the Cowboys’ top three RBs injured, the group returns healthy and ready to go. The “Smash, Dash, and Tash” trio are expected to highlight a transition to a more run-centered offense, although the Cowboys will still pass more than they run, and each will be involved in the passing game as well. If there was one big positive to come out of last year’s injuries, it was to assure the Cowboys that even their third-string RB was good enough to be a starter in the league. Barring injuries, expect this group to be devastating. Barber is going to get the majority of the carries, and will be spelled at times by Choice in that role. Felix is going to be in the game a lot, either alone or with one of the others, and will do everything from run the ball to splitting out wide.
There likely isn’t room for keeping a fourth RB on this roster. There’s simply too much talent and/or depth at other positions to go deep here. The player who has the best chance is Alonzo Coleman, whose speed has intrigued the Cowboys for a couple of years now. But he is dinged up early in camp, so his best hope is to be on the practice squad again as he has been each of the past two years. Keon Lattimore, while he has some skills, simply can’t break into that group, and is largely auditioning for another team’s roster.
As for fullback, I doubt there’s any way short of injury for anyone to overtake Deon Anderson. He did a solid job last year, and is a very good special teams player—a necessity for being on the gameday roster.
First-year player Julius Crosslin has an outside chance of making the practice squad, and Schwapp is likely a camp body only.
Offense: Wide Receiver
The most scrutinized position for the Cowboys this offseason, wide receiver is on a lot of national media’s short list of positions in trouble for Dallas. The problem, as Micky Spagnola and Rob Phillips have pointed out a time or two, is that those “experts” in the national media—like ESPN’s John Clayton—aren’t actually at the practices or around Valley Ranch, so they are clueless about what is actually occurring. I actually laughed out loud recently when Brad Sham, a guest on Talkin’ Cowboys, said that he couldn’t remember the last time that Clayton was actually right about something. I don’t think this is going to be one of those times either.
The “Mouth that Roared” is gone—I refuse to even mention his name or initials anymore—and good riddance. Not to the talent…to the drama. He was a human media circus from the day he walked into Valley Ranch, and that kind of distraction is incredibly hard for anyone to ignore. There’s no arguing with his production, and I wish him well in Buffalo. But for all that the individual players say he was a great teammate here, there IS such a thing as addition by subtraction. This team is not more talented without him than they were with him…but they’ll be a better TEAM.
Of course, they do have to account for his production. A lot of people want to drop that onus on Roy Williams, and talk about what a poor season he had last year after being acquired from Detroit. I’m sorry, but that sampling is too small to make any kind of judgments—especially considering he was learning a new system and was battling an injury. He has shown that he can be a #1 receiver, and on a team in Detroit where he was the ONLY weapon they had. He likely won’t put up the numbers of the guy he is replacing, but he doesn’t really have to do that to be successful this season.
Patrick Crayton will likely start opposite Williams, and is having his best camp thus far. For those worried about him, go back and look at what he did as the #2 guy over the last few years. He is as solid as they come, and may have a career year this season.
Two of the back-up positions will be filled by Miles Austin and Sam Hurd, both of whom are having very good camps thus far. Hurd, in particular, has been fantastic, and they are both expected to contribute significantly this season.
As for the fifth—and likely last—WR spot, it’s going to be a war. Isaiah Stanback may have been the incumbent, but his injury problem has already reared its head, and the Cowboys simply can’t give him a roster spot while waiting for him to be ready to go—especially if they’re not sure they can depend on him.
Competing with him are seventh-round draft pick Manuel Johnson, undrafted rookies Kevin Ogletree and Julian Hawkins, veterans Willie Reid and Mike Jefferson, and 4th and Long winner Jesse Holley. And while Reid and Jefferson have been around the NFL for a couple of years, it’s Ogletree who has been stealing the show thus far. There have also been some positive comments about Holley, and he may well be able to push the Cowboys enough to stay around on the practice squad. At this point, I’d say Ogletree would get the nod for the 5th spot, so Stanback and the rest better kick it into high gear.
Offense: Tight End
A large part of the production in the passing game will be picked up by this group. Jason Witten is a perennial Pro-Bowler, and Martellus Bennett has stepped it up significantly this year. There are going to be a lot of two tight end sets, and I anticipate both of these guys getting a lot of looks.
The only real battle here is for the third TE position. Draft pick John Phillips and holdover Rodney Hannah are likely competing for the spot, with Scott Chandler being nothing more than a camp body. If all other things are equal, Phillips’ draft status and his previous knowledge of the position coach should give him the nod.
Offense: Offensive Line
We saw firsthand last year what happens when one of the starters goes down for an extended period of time….and it’s not pretty. Kyle Kosier is back and healthy, as is the primary back-up at guard, Montrae Holland. Unfortunately, the competition at offensive tackle took a hit when third-round pick Robert Brewster tore his pectoral muscle, likely putting him on IR for the year.
It now falls on veterans Doug Free and Pat McQuistan to pick up the slack and prove they can handle the job. On the inside, Cory Procter was retained—although many wish he hadn’t been. In all fairness, he’s a decent back-up at center. But he gets pushed around too easily to be a quality back-up at guard. As such, if either Ryan Gibbons or Holland shows they can be effective at center, Procter could well be a late camp cut. It is unlikely the Cowboys will be able to keep ten O-linemen…so either Gibbons or Procter is history.
The rest of the guys that are currently on the roster are undrafted rookies—namely Travis Bright, Greg Isdaner, and recently-signed Andre Douglas—and their best hope is to show enough to make the practice squad.
Defense: Defensive Line
One of my biggest complaints about the Cowboys’ offseason was that they didn’t secure a veteran back-up for Jay Ratliff at the NT position. Sure, they re-signed Junior Siavii, and they brought in Jonas Seawright and Tim Anderson. But really, do any of those guys excite you? They don’t do it for me. In all fairness to the front office, I’m not really sure there was much to choose from in free agency after Albert Haynesworth—and I’m just as glad he and his over-priced contract aren’t in Dallas. And as a draft follower and sometime mock guru, I know that there was very little available at the position when the Cowboys made their first draft pick. But still, none of the guys listed as NTs behind Ratliff give me any confidence going into the preseason. We’ll see how they do when the games start.
As for who will make the line-up, I think the biggest question is not who but how many. Marcus Spears and newcomer Igor Olshansky will start at DE, with Ratliff in the middle. The back-ups the last couple of years at DE, Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher, likely make the squad as well. But what about Marcus Dixon? The team really liked what they saw last year, and were able to stash him on the practice squad. He took advantage of the opportunity, as well as the offseason program, and came back in much better shape. As such, he’s put himself into position to make this squad.
Unfortunately, it may be a numbers game here. Keeping seven D-linemen may be very difficult considering some of the other positions that will need depth, so Dixon is going to have to do enough to make the coaching staff consider it. One possibility that I think has a real chance is keeping only six D-linemen, but not keeping a “true” back-up at NT. They have used Spears in that role in training camp last year and this year, as well as Bowen. And one look is enough to tell you that, size-wise, Olshansky should be able to do it as well. Add in that there will be some times when the Cowboys go with a 4-man front—meaning Ratliff could get a breather with DEs sliding inside—and I think they could keep Dixon as a fifth DE and still only keep six total D-linemen. Anderson is going to have to get healthy fast, and Siavii or Seawright are going to have to show up in the games, in my opinion, for the Cowboys not to at least consider it if they think Dixon is worthwhile. After all, they may not be able to stash him on the practice squad for a second year.
Defense: Linebacker
DeMarcus Ware is the best defensive player in the league, bar none. The fact that he didn’t get the Defensive Player of the Year award last year was a product of the team’s flat finish and failure to make the playoffs, not any lack on Ware’s part. And he’s only going to improve. The real questions lie with the rest of the position.
On the opposite side, where veteran Greg Ellis and his annual worry-wart moaning are now gone, we find former first-round pick Anthony Spencer. The Cowboys drafted him to fill this role, and according to the coaching staff, he was ready to claim the starting position last year before suffering an injury late in camp that lingered into the season. Based on the fact that he plays on the side where his run defense is of crucial importance, along with playing opposite a guy who demands a double-team on every play, and I anticipate a very strong season for Spencer.
In the middle, Zach Thomas is gone. He’s a nice guy and a solid football player, and he was very active last year. But he was not a great fit for the scheme. In his place, the Cowboys signed veteran Keith Brooking, a player who is not only familiar with Phillips’ defense, but had his best seasons as a pro while playing under Phillips in Atlanta. He’s not a huge youth movement when compared to Thomas, but as a two-down starter, he should be an excellent fit. The other inside spot, of course, belongs to Bradie James. He is the captain of the defense, and as solid as just about any inside LB in the league.
If there’s an area of concern with this position, it’s depth. Eventually, those starters are going to have to come off the field, whether because of injury or simply to get a breather, and someone’s going to have to go in and be successful enough not to lose the game. On the inside, it looks like the guys most likely to claim the back-up spots are third-round pick Jason Williams and former first-round pick, Bobby Carpenter. The jury is still out on Williams, although that’s to be expected with any rookie switching to an unfamiliar position. As for Carpenter, this is his chance. With the free agent departure of former nickel linebacker Kevin Burnett, the job is Carpenter’s to lose. A lot of people have already labeled him a bust, and it’s true he has not yet lived up to a first round pedigree (I will not go into this further, save to say that I had him rated as a third-round prospect and was incensed when Parcells and company picked him in the first round that year). But all of his excuses of being moved from inside to outside and back again are gone. This is his shot. And based on the early returns in camp, he’s taking advantage of it.
There’s even less quality depth on the outside. One thing having Ellis as the starter did last year was give us the flexibility of having Spencer as a primary back-up to provide depth. That depth this year will have to be filled by unproven players. Fourth-round draft picks Victor Butler and Brandon Williams are both making the transition from college DE to pro OLB, and Butler is further behind the curve because of his school’s late graduation preventing his attendance in much of the OTAs. Still, listening to Ware—a guy who knows a thing or two about making that transition—you have to feel pretty good about B. Williams. He’s going to have to show it in the preseason, but the reports early are very promising. There’s also been some noise made early in camp by first-year player Steve Octavien. Again, he’s unproven…but it looks like the depth at the LB position is going to be unproven as a unit going into the year.
As for the rest of the position, I think it’s a scramble to force the coaching staff to keep additional roster spots at the position. This means that special teams will play a huge role in the decision. Matt Stewart was brought in not only as a LB, but also as some competition for the long-snapping job. What has been seen of him, however, has not been impressive, so his odds are very long. Justin Rogers has been on the team for a couple of years now, and the fact that he hasn’t stepped up to the point that he’s even in contention for a primary back-up role likely means he’s history. The last guy at the position is sixth-round pick Stephen Hodge, and former safety from TCU who is being converted to inside linebacker. He had a slight injury that kept him out of the first week of practices, so he’s off to a slow start in camp. But you hear the coaching staff talking about his athletic ability, and it sounds like they really hope he shows enough to stick. I don’t know that the Cowboys can keep ten linebackers on the squad, though, so how the fringe guys do on special teams is going to play a huge role. Anyone who makes it to the final roster cuts at that tenth LB position and is eligible for the practice squad may find themselves there.
Defense: Defensive Backs
I’ve already expressed my thoughts about trading CB Anthony Henry for QB Jon Kitna. I think the reason you were able to do that is because of what last year’s first-round pick, Mike Jenkins, and fifth-round pick, Orlando Scandrick, showed in their rookie campaigns. They are competing for the starting job opposite former Pro-Bowler Terence Newman. Regardless who gets the nod for the starting job, the other is going to play a lot, and by all indications, play well.
Beyond those three, the best player thus far in camp that is playing only CB is seventh-round pick Mike Mickens. He has made big play after big play, snagging interceptions and breaking up passes. Of course, he’s going to make some mistakes as a rookie. But he seems to be playing much closer to the first-day draft grade I and many others gave him before the recurring knee injury that hurt his season.
At safety, the other Roy Williams is now gone, as is Davis, who started at SS as well as his special team duties. To fill the void in the starting line-up, the Cowboys signed free agent Gerald Sensabaugh, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has looked very solid in camp thus far, and has shown that the Cowboys may finally have found a SS that can play against the pass.
The depth at safety is going to be an interesting battle. Pat Watkins has had one of those roles for a few years now, but he has made more of an impact with his special teams play than anything else, leading the team in special teams tackles last year. Two former seventh-round picks, Alan Ball and Courtney Brown, have done a bit of role reversal this year. Previously, Brown, who played CB in college, had been asked to play safety, while Ball had been playing CB. This year, they’ve moved Brown back to CB, and Ball has been asked to play some safety. The key, of course, is flexibility, and right now it appears that Ball could play either position better than Brown. If it comes down to one or the other of them at the bottom of the line-up, I think the spot goes to Ball.
There are a couple of rookies that could make this interesting as well. The Cowboys drafted DeAngelo Smith and Michael Hamlin in the fifth round of this year’s draft, and both are expected to compete for a roster spot. Thus far, Hamlin has looked very promising, while Smith, who is switching to safety after playing primarily CB at Cincinnati, hasn’t really shown anything of note.
The other two players vying for positions on the depth chart are veterans; CB Michael Hawkins and S Jerome Carter. Neither has much chance to make the squad, barring significant improvement or injuries.
Ultimately, I think the Cowboys are cross-training so many guys because they can’t afford to keep more than nine DBs on the 53-man roster. That likely means that Watkins, Brown, and Smith are fighting for two positions.
Special Teams
Mat McBriar is back and booming punts after his season-ending foot injury, so this position is solid. The same can be said about long-snapper, where Ladouceur really hasn’t been challenged at all. In fact, there’s no reason to think Nick Folk won’t be back in his normal Pro Bowl shape, despite having offseason surgery that could have slowed him entering training camp.
The real discussion at this position, aside from the coaching change, is the fact that the Cowboys drafted another kicker, David Buehler from USC, in the fifth round for the express purpose of handling kickoffs and giving the Cowboys better field position. Of course, using up a gameday spot on an extra kicker means potentially going short at another position, so that will have to be a week-by-week decision. But thus far, his kickoffs have left no one disappointed, consistently booming them to the goal-line or into the endzone—something Folk has struggled to do in his career and didn’t manage to do a single time last year.
What makes this more interesting, though, is the fact that Buehler is not just a kicker—he’s an athlete. He had 25 reps on the bench press and ran a very respectable 4.57 40-yard dash. With that size and strength combination, he could potentially fill other special teams roles as well, and has been seen practicing any number of things. If nothing else, it should prove interesting to watch.
All four of these guys will make the roster, barring a severe injury.
Closing Thoughts
I thought I would end this article with an early look at the potential 53-man roster. This is, of course, without contending with injuries, preseason games, or the routine churning of the bottom of the roster that one expects in training camp. But for what it’s worth, here it is:
QB: Tony Romo, Jon Kitna, Stephen McGee
RB: Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice
FB: Deon Anderson
WR: Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd, Miles Austin, Kevin Ogletree
TE: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, John Phillips
OL: Flozell Adams, Marc Colombo, Kyle Kosier, Leonard Davis, Andre Gurode, Pat McQuistan, Montrae Holland, Cory Procter, Doug Free
DL: Marcus Spears, Igor Olshansky, Jay Ratliff, Jason Hatcher, Stephen Bowen, Marcus Dixon
LB: DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Keith Brooking, Bradie James, Bobby Carpenter, Jason Williams, Brandon Williams, Victor Butler, Stephen Hodge
CB: Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick, Alan Ball, Mike Mickens
S: Ken Hamlin, Gerald Sensabaugh, Pat Watkins, Michael Hamlin
ST: Nick Folk, Mat McBriar, J. P. Ladouceur, David Buehler
This leaves one spot on the roster, and it will go to either a) Steve Octavien (if he continues to show promise on the outside), b) Courtney Brown or DeAngelo Smith (if they can show the Cowboys need to keep a 10th DB), or c) a back-up NT. This will likely come down to who can contribute the most on special teams if they were needed on gameday.
If the roster were to fall this way, I think the Cowboys would try to get those who are eligible on the practice squad. Among those I think they’d like to get placed there—depending on who gets that last roster spot—would include RB Alonzo Coleman, WR Jesse Holley, G Ryan Gibbons, TE Rodney Hannah, LB Steve Octavien, S DeAngelo Smith (if he didn’t get the last spot), and WR Mike Jefferson, with the remaining spot or two being filled from those cut from other teams as they are needed to provide depth at specific positions.
Wulfman
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