Vinny, Please Retire....

The Cowboys beat the Redskins 13-10, so we goto 6-9 with one game to go. We are officially out of playoff contention.

Now that we are mathematically elimanated from the playoffs, will we see Romo or Henson? Who knows. What we do no is that Vinny did NOT get the job done, he cannot drive the bus. Vinny, please call it a day and retire.

Vinny, offers best cbance to win? Really?

Another loss, and same old- same old, but wait...Vinny offers the Cowboys the best chance to win doesn't he? I think I can guess your answer to this...All I have to say, is that we need a QB in 2005, and its going to be anyone expect for Vinny. Vinny, don't Vinny the snap......Vinny, please don't throw another Vinnyception. We're not going to be an old horse to death, but you can refer to the previous editorial.

My gameplan for the next (3) games:
We travel to Philly, let's have Vinny start his last game in the NFL here. I'm guessing we lose here, Philly is just too much for us to handle right now. So, that will drop us to 5-9, virtually out of the playoffs. Last two games, we have the Redskins at home, and on the road in NY - here is were we need to look at Drew Henson closer, that's it and that's that!

I truly hope we can make a run and go 8-8 and make a WildCard, but with Vinny I'm not holding my breath.

Parcells, Please Keep Them Benched

Deep in our hearts we knew the Cowboys were probably going to lose against the Ravens on the road. Surprisingly enough though, the Cowboys played very well on defense and had the lead 3-0 at the half. Unfortunately the season's dreaded play would rear its ugly head again, the main culprit - Vinny Testaverde. Testaverde single handedly brought the Cowboys back down with his two INTS for TDs, can you play anyworse, this is just icy on the cake. Vinny has thrown a whole lot of COSTLY INTS over the last 3 games.

Bringing in Henson may have been too little too late, but you know what? Henson looked pretty good considering the circumstances - hostile environment, down 30-3, highly rated defense. Not only did Henson replace Vinny, but he was 6 for 6 with deadon accuracy, he ran for a key first down, and he threw for a TD. Its just common sense to bench your struggling QB, and added to that, Henson will earn some valuable playing time - very key for his development.

We knew the results, we knew what was going to happen, so why did Die Hard fans alike watch the game? Simple, we're all Die Hard to the bone, and we want to win, but morever, we wanted to "see" what Julius Jones would do since his injury in week 2. Julius Jones looked pretty good against the highly rated Ravens defense. In addition, we got a bonus when Drew entered the game.

Perhaps, its too early to praise these two rookies, but its better than what we've been playing with for about 9 weeks....Backups in the starting rotation. Its hard to win with backups in the starting lineup in very key positions like QB & RB.

That being said....Coach Parcells, please keep the backups Vinny and George on the bench.

Another Meltdown, Surprised?

The Cowboys struggles continue, and one staple of this struggling play is that of QB Vinny Testaverde. In the last (2) Games Vinny has thrown 6 INTS! His throws have been inconsistent, and thrown without any whip on them. I watched in agony as he threw more INTS in a game we desperately needed to win.

Fans alike have hoped that Vinny would lead the team on offense, but this simply has not manifested through the 1st half of the season. Now comes the decision that Parcells will need to make very-very soon....Is it time to work in Henson? With another convincing loss, the Cowboys drop to (3-5) on the year. With (3) games in the next 11 days, this team will face a huge challenge. If the Cowboys can sweep those game, we're sill in the hunt, if we lose all three, its over - you can turn out the lights. What's the outlook? Looking at how we have performed at home and on the road, the latter seems more realistic, unfortunately. Can we beat the Eagles, Ravens and Bears in that 11 day stretch?

Die Hards will no doubtally conitinue to support our Cowboys, we still bleed blue, but right now fans everywhere are crying blue...

Can't Win at Home? Now what?

Yet another very disappointing lose at HOME, two straight home loses. What is going on you say? Well, were could you begin? Is it the defense, the offense, special teams, coaches? I think so, this is a complete breakdown. The Cowboys cannot get on track, and the scary thing is that we cannot win at home! This begs the question, if we can't win at home, how can we win in hostile away games?

We play the Packers next, and guess what its not looking so good. Its not one person, its not "someone has to step up" ITS the WHOLE team has to step it up and they better pick it up right now.

Sure the season is early, but how many loses can we take before players moral heads south and the 5-11 mindset rears its ugly head.

Buckle your seatbelt this could be a bumpy ride. God I hope not, but we have not done much to suggest otherwise.

Cowboys Lose to Vikings Again...

The Vikings have had the Cowboys number over the last couple of years. Moss is virtually unstoppable. He did not get many yards but the TDs are the ones that count and Moss made TD catches that hurt us. More offensive penalties killed several key drives. We lost 35-17, it could have been closer, but the Vikings were just the better team on Sunday.

Postives:
ReShard Lee is a playmaker type running back - he looked great.
Antonio Bryant made several catches in traffic and looked pretty good

Negatives:
Tony Dixon cannot tackle
Hunter continues to struggle
Overall defense looked horrible
No pass rush from the front four
Secondary coverage was suspect - blown coverages
Offensive line penalties
Muffed field goal
We can keep going....

Next:
Cleveland @ Dallas
3:15 CST

Cowboys @ Vikings Prediction

The Vikings have dominated the Cowboys in recent years, but that was before the Bill Parcells came aboard. The big talk has been centered around the Vikings Moss...can we stop him, how do we stop him, can we win at Minnesota? Many questions, with many possibilities.

The media has overshadowed our potential to light it up on offense as well. With an accurate QB in Vinny and a pretty good core of receivers we could very well go toe-to-toe against the Vikes offensively. Remember at the beginning of the year, the Cowboys were actually ranked #1 in total offense for the first couple of weeks - not the Rams, not the Vikes, it was the Cowboys. All of this without Vinny, George, or Keyshawn.

The Vikings defense is mediocre and is very capable of giving up a lot of points.

I predict that we will see a pretty good showing by our offense. The Vikings cannot shutdown our various array of weapons. Can they cover Glenn, and can they stop Keyshawn, what about AB? Can they stop Witten from making key 3rd down conversions? How about slowing down our DEEP backfield. You think the Vikings have a deep RB core, maybe, but I like our depth better.

We'll shove Richie Anderson down their throat, along with George, we'll use Julius to make people miss, and Lee will hit the line and leave their D looking back at a dust cloud - that's how good our depth is at RB. Ball control and time control is Parcells type football, and we definitely have the personnel to run on them all day long.

Don't count our receivers out either, we are capable of making plays through the air with playmakers like Keyshawn and Jason Witten with the clutch city catches.

On defense, we will retain the #1 Defense in the league again this year. Expect to see a lot of different looks from our defense. stunts, blitzes, zone blitzes, safety blitz, nickel and dime packages, we'll see a 3-4 set to throw them off, we could see Bradie James and Kalen Thornton making plays in a 3-4 lineup. Trust me, the Vikings will have their hands full on the line of scrimmage with Glover, Ellis, Wiley and Eaton. You want speed and muscle on defense, well, we have it.

Moss will make some catches, but its going to take more than Moss to beat us this time around. We are a team to be reckoned with.

Cowboys 27 Vikings 24

Football is here!!!

Hunting For A Cornerback!

When there's a weakness in our starting lineup it sticks out like a sore thumb. For example, last year it was Quarterback and Running Back. It would appear that those to holes have been filled with some real talent, only time will tell. Defensive End was addressed as well when the Cowboys signed Marcellus Wiley. Cornerback and Defensive Tackle are two other spots that needed help. We've added some depth at DT with the emergence of Leo Carson and the addition of Chad Eaton.

Only thing left on defense is the RCB spot. Pete Hunter is the favorite to win out the spot, but his play in the preseason has been very suspect and of concern. The other two players have less experience than Hunter ; like, Powell and Thornton. Powell has been severely burnt more than once, and Thornton has not played as much.

The concerns are mounting, Parcells has stated, "someone has to step up" Parcells has even commented that if needed he could "pinch" someone and get a guy. Who? I'm not sure, could be Ty Law, McKenzie or someone else.

One thing is for sure, we're still in the hunt for decent CB, if anything Hunter and Co. will be the stop gappers for this year and you can bet that we'll be in great position for next years draft. There will be a couple of pretty good CBs coming out next year. Eventually someone will step up or someone will showup via the draft.

From Conditioning to Clinching

The media has pegged the Eagles to win out in the NFC East...again, and that is not a far fetched prediction, will it happen? That's another question. The East could be one of the most competitive divisions in the league and the East promises to be an all out rumble this year and players better be well coached and conditioned if they want to make that run to the playoffs.

What's it going to take to clinch the NFC East this year? Without a doubt the Eagles have dominated the East for several years, but the Cowboys are gaining ground and will be right on their tails if not better in 2004, not to mention, its only a matter of time before Gibbs whips the Skins back into shape. The Eagles know this, and are running out of time - the window is closing on them. So, what do the Eagles do this offseason? They sign Terrell Owens and injury prone DE Jevon Kearse. Signing these two marquee names does not guarantee anything, lets not forget that the Eagles lost some core leaders like CBs Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor, RB Duce Staley also jumped ship.

One key to victory this year will be conditioning, and the Cowboys have one of the best, if not THE best conditioning coach in Joe Jurasek. Under Jurasek the Cowboys have had less injuries than the rest of the East. With a better head coach and retooling of the starting lineups the Cowboys will rely on Jurasek's conditioning program to enable our guys to outlast the rest of the division.

Its early in the preseason, and teams like the Redskins and Eagles have already incurred major injuries to key players that will have them out for the year.

In Washington, they lost OT Jansen to a season ending injury, this will only hurt the Skins already weak offensive line, do not expect newly acquired RB Clinton Portis to have the same level of success in Washington as he did in Denver. Talent at RB does make a difference and there's no doubt that Portis will be dangerous, but he will only be as good as his line is this year.

The Eagles have already lost key players like ND Kalu, Grasmanis, Buckhalter, Ike Reese, and Trotter to name a few.

The Cowboys have a lot of positives that could help them make a serious run at clinching the East and another trip into the playoffs, the key could come down to conditioning.

Cowboys/Texans Postgame Views

Well, I was way off on my prediction, lol. I know it was a preseason game, but the Cowboys stunk it up bigtime. I saw the game, and the whole time I was hoping to catch a camera shot of Parcells, I'm sure he was fuming and angered by the poor-poor performance. Redzone penalties, holding, offsides, dropped balls, overthrows, and INTS stopped the Cowboys from doing anything postive as a unit.

Now, what do we know from last nights game?

Let's look at the good and bad news here:
1) Pete Hunter did not do good at all - the Texans threw at him all day, the spot opposite Newman is still open.
2) Eddie George looked slow
3) Dixon played sufficiently
4) ReShard Lee WILL make this team, he ran very well, good speed and fluid, hit the line like a bullet.
5) Henson looks very good, quick release, high velocity and moved the offense pretty accurate except for the endzone INT
6) Julius Jones is the real deal, forget about George taking the bulk of the carries, Julius runs like a veteran Cowboy of yesteryear. Bounce outs, quick cuts and jukes all made pretty good chunks of yards.
7) Patrick Crayton looks good and I expect him to make the team, Zuriel will be out.
8) The Oline held up most of the game, very good protection for our QBs, sure there was some pressure, but much improved from last year. For the rookies - Peterman played well but did get beat a few times and pushed around, he held his own and will improve. Jacob Rogers is a huge OT, and he did a good job last night. The battle for RT will come down to the end as Tucker played pretty good as well.
9)Plays of the game was a semi-deep pass from Henson to Randal Williams and a sideline pass from Henson to Crayton.
10) I liked the play of backups Bradie James and rookie Ryan Fowler, they played well - both were all over the field making tackles.

I have to give the Texans sooome credit though, they played very well, and their two first rounder rookies Dunta Robinson and Jason Babin made some plays - they are going to be immediate impact players for that team.

I'm Parcells and Co. will be chewing some ass this week. We need more work.

Cowboys vs. Texans Prediction

First preseason game at Reliant Stadium for the Governors Cup. I predict a victory. Cowboys 27 Texans 24

Parcells Making His Team

The Cowboys kick off the preseason today at Houston, and man has this team been overhauled or upgraded in comparisons to this time last year. Parcells is clearly making HIS team his way. We started out slow in free agency, but historically Parcells has done the same with his previous teams, so we can expect the same thing for 2005 and beyond.

Moreover, Parcells has removed "weaklinks" from this team since his arrival. Notable starters that have been cut from last years team are RB Troy Hambrick and QB Quincy Carter, both were given the opportunity to shine, but both ended up being failing and ultimately shown the door. What we didn't know is that QC had a substance abuse issue, so all the planning and manuvering by the Cowboys this offseason were planned from the get-go. As soon as we lost our Wild Card game to the Panthers, we knew there was going to be change. Deep in your heart you know QC was not going to get it done - sure he seemed like a nice guy, but that will not get it done in the NFL. So, who could we get to replace QC? The Cowboys scout team knew the good QBs from this years class would be long gone by our #22 pick and this was true - some fan favorites Philip Rivers, and Ben Rothlisberger were long gone. Knowing that these guys would probably be gone, the Cowboys made a move before the draft and traded for former blue chipper QB Drew Henson whom the Texans drafted in hopes that he would return to football. The wheels were in motion, so Parcells knew he would need a viable mentor and someone who can add depth at QB. Vinny Testaverde's name was being rumored from the end of the regular season, so as soon as he was released from the Jets, he was in Dallas. This would be the final piece in getting rid of Quincy Carter a second round bust....

Now looking ahead, we know Vinny will start this year, BUT will our Oline hold up for the classic drop back quarterback, if not Vinny (40) could take some hits and could very well get injured. An injury to Vinny would most likely throw Henson into the Lions den sooner that expected. Whether its the 2004 or 2005 season, Henson is the heir apparent to Aikman, and he better be ready.

Early reports have Henson doing very well in camp, showing laser sharp accuracy, high velocity, and NFL arm. The plan from the get go was to get these two guys aboard and phase out QC - another relic from a dismal offensive era.

The new era is here, and Parcells continues to mold his team.

Training Camp is Here!

Well Cowboys Training Camp is in full swing, and the big names have already made some impressions. Eddie George has the focus of a wide-eyed rookie showing durability, strength and experience. George has been making people miss, breaking tackles, and finding the holes in the Oline.

Antonio Bryant is being watched closely by everyone, and AB early on has been making big time catches downfield.

Larry Allen is well conditioned, well alot better than previous seasons. LA is exhibiting a much improved work ethic and looks good so far.

Parcells has stated that Julius will be tested in training camp and will get many carries and opportunities to show what he can bring to the team.

Early on, the only disappointing play is coming from WR Randal Williams. Williams is liked by many fans and many have hoped he would have the breakout year, usually Randal has had great camps and pretty good preseasons, is he unmotivated? We hope he can be an asset in the offensive scheme, but he will need to be consistent in camp and beyond.

In other news, Woodson is recovering from his disc surgery, and the team is reporting that he will miss the team opener and should be ready between weeks 2-3 depending on how his rehab comes along.

All drafted rookies have indeed been signed - now they will need to earn that Star.

Pre-Training Camp Positional Grades

With training camp looming less than 4 weeks away, I'll take a look at our pre-training camp positional grades, once camp has completed, we'll revisit and see if we have improved by position.

Quarterbacks
Let's be honest here, We have some "potential", but potential does not win games. Quincy Carter has been under Parcells system for a year now, so he should have a better season, the key will be his ball throwing decisions - will he get flushed out of the pocket and throw a senseless INT? or will he clutch it out? Then we have Veteran QB Vinny Testaverde...Testaverde was brought into Dallas to Mentor the heir apparent Drew Henson, BUT should QC fail to be productive early, we could see Vinny in the game. Vinny will mentor all our young QBs, along with Sean Payton the QB corps should be better improved. Vinny has been productive everywhere he has played, so his presence will be valuable this season. Drew Henson is the next guy on the depth chart. He hasn't played football in years, but that didn't stop several NFL clubs from taking a look at Henson at the Texans private workouts. He has the prototype NFL build, and NFL arm. For now, Henson is a season project - we all know this. Romo is a fans favorite, and although he has not played in any regular season games, he has a strong arm, and his style of play is reminiscint of Brett Farve, Romo qualifies to be on the practice squad this year, after that he will probably make the move into our lineup after Vinny Retires in 2005. Hutch will be gone.
Overall Pre-Training Camp Grade: C+

Running Backs
Are running back are young a raw. Rookie RB Julius Jones will be penciled in as the starter, but we can expect the rookie to share the load for now with Veteran RB Richie Anderson. Parcells has moved Richie to the running spot, so the 1 - 2 punch could be lethal this year. Julius is shifty, well balanced and elusive. I expect to see some Emmitt-like runs from Julius this year. RaShard Lee is another young back to look out for this season. Lee will probably battle it out with Cason for the backup spot, more now since Bickerstaff is out for the year. Expect to see multiple backfield formations, with Julius as the featured back, and Richie coming in on third down plays.
Overall Pre-Training Camp Grade: B+

Fullbacks
Fullbacks is an interesting position this year, since Parcells is moving Richie from FB to RB. Training camp will be very pivotal for the FBs that we have. Jamar Martin is reportedly in Parcells doghouse for showing up out of shape and overweight. Parcells is looking for "his guy" at FB. Parcells brought rookie Lousaka Polite who has good ball catching skills along with blocking skills - his scouting report sounds similar to Richie. Parcells likes FB to catch from the backfield and Polite will make a serious run. We also acquired Barnes from Tampa Bay, who is mainly a Special Teams specialist, but he will be in the hunt as well. Overall the FB spot is totally open, and really is a question mark for us. Inexperience and youth make the FB spot weak right now. Again, there is potential, but we'll have to see if that will manifest into solid quality play this year.
Overall Pre-Training Camp Grade: C-

Tight Ends
It's been a very long time since Cowboys fans have been excited and confident in the TEs position. Well this year we have some great expectations, and we have some great guys in the TE corps. Jason Witten...one word "Tough" this was one of the bright spots in last years stagnant offense. Witten exhibited he could follow his routes through, catch the ball, block, and take big hits... all of this while playing with wires in his jaw. Witten has had a solid offseason workout and has been hard at work. Fans are awaiting his dominating year this year. In addition, Campbell will be back, and he is another solid TE with good catching hands and great blocking. We also have Robinson, who's only job is to snap, and he's been rock solid thus far. Cowboys drafted a true monster type TE in Sean Ryan from Boston College, expect Ryan to be involved in SPecial Teams play and in the offensive blocking schemes, this guy is huge. We also have James Whalen who has been plagued with nagging injuries, but when he is healthy he is a star on Special Teams, Whalen could be on the bubble this time around though.
Overall Pre-Training Camp Grade: A

Wide Receivers
Early last season there was talk that we had one of the best Trios in the league with Galloway, Glenn, and Bryant...Well, that talk quickly faded after we got out to a fast start, but quickly faded. Galloway is gone, in his place with have "The Key" - Keyshawn Johnson. Keyshawn will be an immediate boost to player moral/motivation and leadership, especially playing for Parcells again. We have Terry Glenn who was very-very streaky, you just never knew which Glenn was going to show up. Glenn had some great games, but then he had some lameduck games. Then we have the volatile Antonio Bryant who had one good game in NY, but quickly faded into the distance. Dropped balls plagued AB the entire season, and fans question his play - was the dropped balls caused by off-the-field issues; drugs, women, partying or was it a depth perception issues - a visual impairment? Well, this offseason we came to learn that AB infact DID HAVE and visual problem, he had blurred vision. AB had lasik surgery, so this should be a nonissue this year. This is make or break for AB, he needs to shutup and be the playmaker he thinks he is. Another notable WR in our depth chart is another fan favored hopefull in Randall Williams. Williams reportedly runs a 4.3-4.2/40, that is just blazing speed. Williams has always shined in the preseason, but has never been given the real opportunity to shine in the starting three. Williams is a big receiver, with a solid build. Williams will probably have a bigger role this season. Two other rookie WRs to watch this camp will be James Newson and Brandon Middleton. Newson has good size, the only knock on Newson is his speed - kinda slow/average. Middleton the other interesting WR to watch, coming out of college Middleton was ranked in the top 15 for WRs in the NCAA, makes plays after the catch and has stated his style of play is similar to Carolina's Steve Smith, both similar builds in size.We have some options this year at WR, but Keyshawn and Glenn are not getting any younger.
Overall Pre-Training Camp Grade: B

Offensive Line
The big story this offseason was centered around Pro-Bowl Guard Larry Allen. Parcells, Jones, and LA have seemingly diffused the impasse for now. LA has been hard at work at the Cowboys facility working out with teammates. We know Allen and Flozell will have the leftside anchored down. Center should be very competitive this camp. Al Johnson will probably end up taking over at Center after being out last year from injury, but Matt Lehr will challenge and will make Johnson earn his spot. RT is up in the air right now as well with Torrin Tucker and Rogers in the thick of it, but second rounder Jacob Rogers is expected to make his way into the staring rotation as well. RG will be battled out between Andre Gurode and rookie third rounder Stephen Peterman. Its forseeable that we could have the right side played by two rookies, training camp will be interesting to see this year. We do have depth on the Oline as well.
Overall Pre-Training Camp Grade: B

Secondary
Little by little our secondary is shaping up to be one of the most dominating in the league. Here we go - the bright spots at our secondary are: LCB Terence Newman, SS Darren Woodson, and FS Roy Williams...RCB is the only missing link right now. Who will play opposite TNew? Right now, we're hearing Pete Hunter is the favored CB, Hunter has great height, and very speedy for his size. Alot of fans remember the bad play of Hunter last year, but he was playing out of position caused by Mitchells injury for that nickel slot. Hunter was inconsistent and burnt several times, but in 2004 Hunter returns to his natural spot at RCB. Hunter will be closely looked at by EVERYONE, and if there is any hesitation or inconsistent play, look for rookie CB Bruce Thorton to take his place. Thorton played very well for the Bulldogs and was their team captain for the #8 defense in NCAA. Thorton has great leadership and cover skills. Thorton made some noise during minicamps while he brokeup several passes, we'll see how he does against the veterans in camp with pads. Either way, Thorton will add solid depth at RCB,maybe in the nickel slot later. Parcells also added some depth in drafting Nate Jones and Jacquees Reeves.
Overall Pre-Training Camp Grade: B+

Linebackers
Our linebacker corps have always been solid for years, and this year is no exception. We will continue to see probowl play from MLB Dat Nguyen, Strongside LB will be played by AL Singleton, and perhaps one of this years most competitive spots at Weakside LB will be between Dexter Coakley and 2nd year player Bradie James. During minicamp, we got a preview of the LB lineup when James started over Coakley, which lit a LB contraversy by the media. Fans alike had James pegged to replace Singelton who is older and slower. We'll all watch how this plays out. Either way, LB will be solid once again. Hopefully Dat will his his deserved Pro-Bowl Nod this year!
Overall Pre-Training Camp Grade: A

Defensive Line
Another area of excited anticipation from fans comes because of the arrival of LE Marcellus Wiley. The past few years LE has been played by Greg Ellis who was playing out of position. With the arrival of Wiley, we'll see Ellis playing at his natural RE spot. Wiley could be what Haley was for us in the 90s. Wiley plays hard on every play, and has bigtime playing capabilities. Parcells has praised Wiley's offseason workouts and dedication to the team. Wiley will help add pressure, and allow someone two make plays in the backfield and visa/versa. With the addition of Wiley, we will see more sacks from Glover, and Ellis, in turn these sames players will help Wiley regain his confidence now that he's around quality defensive players. The only question mark in the Dlineup is the DT spot next to Glover, will it be Blade or Stewart, and will that person stay consistent the whole year. The only knock I had on Blade last year, was that he played fiercely early on, but he quickly faded and we saw more and more rotation in his spot. We'll see who comes to play this year.
Overall Pre-Training Camp Grade: A-

The 2004 Offseason has been very exciting and interesting thus far, and I'm sure we'll have some more surprises during camp and the preseason.

Our outlook for this season should be positive, We'll be under Parcells 2nd year rebuilding plan, so realistically we should make the playoffs again, BUT year 3+ is where the domination will be in full gear. The master of the draft made some noise by skipping out on Jackson, but what the mainstream media does not understand is that Parcells does his homework, and is very calculating in his decision making.

Bryant on Thin Ice!

Well, well-well, just when Antonio seemed to turn it around he goes off on the head coach, Bill Parcells. Maybe the reason AB does not get the ball is because he is not cerebral! Are you insanely stupid as to throw a childish tirade in your coach's face?!!

From a fans point of view we have hoped to see AB evolve into that #1 WR role, but he seems to be self destructing, With a poor outing last season, and now this....Do not be surprised if AB is released or traded out.

Parcells does not mess around, look at former CB Ross. Had that "potential", but made some very poor judgments while in Dallas, AB is taking the same flight. Coincidently, AB is friends with Ross - makes you wonder.

We have options for WR this year and for next years draft, so losing AB would not hurt us.

Can you remember what AB has done for us since he has been here?

AB will be a RFA at the end of the season, and the way its going I wonder if we'd even re-sign him.

Antonio Bryant, get your shit together man! Shut up and play.

Memorial Day - Day of Remembering

Well, it's Memorial Day Weekend now. Its really good to take a moment to define the real meaning of our Memorial Day holiday. Its not just another day where we have off from work or school, its a day of remembrance. Remember your family, friends abroad alive or deceased. For me I have a great respect for the men and women that serve in the armed forces of our great nation. For me I will be remembering all our soldiers that are giving it all overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, Haiti, Bosnia, Korea, and all the other parts of the world. The site owner of thedallascowboys.net also has the same gratitude that I hold for vets current and retired, its a great site to be associated with, and I'd like to thank Joe for this opportunity to write for his site on a daily basis.

With Memorial day so close to the 60th Anniversary of D-Day, I'd like to remember all our fallen soldiers that gave it all on June 6th, 1944. That was the bravest generation. Without them and their bravery our world may have been dominated by tyranny. Remember your World War II Vets.

And from me to all vets in the service now or in the past - THANK YOU!

A Pre-Season Outlook For 2004

With the lose to the Carolina Panthers in the playoffs still fresh in many players' minds, the goals for this young team are high. The appetite for domination, the swagger, the hunger is what will keep the Cowboys rolling in 2004.

The players believe in Parcells, and they believe in his system - his style of football. So, what is "Parcells Football?" Parcells Football is your classic throwback type style. Its smashmouth, its domination on both sides of the ball,, its discipline, its game control...and this year will mark the true return of the "Doomsday Defense", the offensive side of the ball is still in rebuilding mode, but the defense will return to the field with great intimidation, and the swagger from days past.

When we look at the defense we have a collective squad of young players that are looking to repeat what they did last season. The Cowboys have upgraded the DE spot vacated by Ekubust, by signing Marcellus Wiley. Wiley will lineup on LE, and Greg Ellis, will move back to his natural RE spot where he dominates. We should see some great front four play - which should cause havoc on QBs around the league. With this new pass rush, we should see hurried throws, underthrown/overthrown balls, which will lead to some big hits in the secondary from our two hitmen Woodson & Williams lurking around. In addition, we should expect to see more interceptions and forced turnovers by our defensive squad.

For training camp, we should see fierce competition from LB Bradie James and the CB spot where Pete Hunter is tentatively penciled in at the starting spot opposite of Terence Newman. Hunter will be battling it out with rookie CB Bruce Thorton.

Now for the offensive side of the ball, we have some changes. RT Ryan Young is gone, and RB Troy Hambrick was recently shown the door. Thus far, the biggest news this offseason has been the status of Pro-Bowl Guard Larry Allen, well as of right now the Parcells/Allen impasse seems to have been layed to rest...for now. The main issue was LA's conditioning. Reports state that Allen was asked to workout on his own before the draft, so Allen was working out at a local YMCA; however, Parcells and Allen recently had a "sit down" and seemingly have resolved some issues at hand. Allen is now working out with the team at the team's facilities. Hambrick is out - reports state that Hambrick did not want to be a backup to rookie Julius Jones, so his agent asked for his release...he is gone.

So, how is the O-Line going to shape up? Well, with the re-emergence of Allen, he will be back at LG, and could have a true Pro-Bowl year, we'll see. We know this: Flozell, Allen, and Johnson are penciled in as the starters. The competition on the right side will be fierce, We'll see Torrin Tucker, Kurt Vollers, and rookie Jacob Rogers battle it out at Right Tackle. Third year player RG Andre Gurode will get one final chance play upto team expectations, but look for the 3rd round steal Stephen Peterman to possibly leapfrog into the starting lineup, the same could apply for Jacob Rogers in the RT battles.

In Summation, the Cowboys have made very wise decisions this offseason: a couple of good quality free agents, and a pretty good addition of rookies drafted and undrafted. If you look at what Parcells has done in the past and right now, you will see he builds his teams up young via the draft. Free Agency is not a high staple in rebuilding, but it is still a viable outlet for adding a starting playing here and there, but mainly for depth purposes.

Impact players to watch:
The emergence of Jason Witten - he could have a big year.

Terence Newman WILL see more wounded ducks fly his way, and he as well as the rest of the secondary will have more INTS.

Keyshawn Johnson will bring that sideline fire and will be a playmaker for us.

Rookie running back Julius Jones should be a very welcomed addition to the offense as well.

Roy Williams we be knocking players out because the upfront rush will force the ball to be thrown early, thus leaving some receivers out to dry. BAM! you just got knocked out...

Rookies Big Day Out

All Cowboy Rookies and Undrafted Free Agents had their first big taste of being part of America's Team - The Dallas Cowboys. It's a boyhood dream that many young athletes dream about, playing for one of the most prestigous professional sports teams in the world. Making it this far is a dream come true in itself, but these young ones have a far-far way to go before they can say they are official Cowboys. To Parcells its all about performance on the field NOT their potential. The journey for these young kids begins now. Time to earn that star gentlemen.

Here's how the rookie clinic went:

" Quarterback Drew Henson took almost all the snaps during his first practice Friday. Of course, the only other quarterback in Friday’s rookie mini-camp was Brett Mitchell.

Bill Parcells and Jerry Jones seemed pleased by what they saw from Henson, although Parcells admitted to getting Henson and Mitchell’s numbers mixed up early in the almost two-hour practice.

The Cowboys’ eight rookies were all in attendance as well as 13 free-agent rookies who were signed over the past few days. An NFL rule doesn’t allow any veterans to participate in rookie camp, but plenty of veterans showed up to watch the practice.

Quarterback Quincy Carter watched with great interest as Henson threw passes to the likes of Northwestern Oklahoma’s Patrick Crayton and Houston’s Brandon Middleton.

Parcells and his coaching staff took the players through a typical training camp-type practice, which included individual and team drills.

Here are the high and lows from Friday’s rookie camp:

The Henson report: Drew Henson was 22-of-36 in 1-on-1 and team drills Friday. He looked sharp on middle screens and out passes, especially since he was throwing into a 10-15 mph wind. Henson had plenty of arm on deep routes, but overthrew his receivers several times. He did connect with receiver Patrick Crayton on a deep pass.

On several crossing routes, Henson led his receivers perfectly. He lost some of the zip on the ball late in Friday’s practice.

Catch of the day: Tight end and fifth-round pick Sean Ryan made the best catch of the day when he dove to make a fingertip grab of a Henson pass. Ryan made several tough catches, but he did let one slide through his hands.

Brandon Middleton, a free-agent rookie receiver out of Houston, reached back across his body to haul in a pass from Mitchell. Several receivers trapped balls against their chests, but Middleton did a nice job of catching the ball away from his body.

Who was watching practice: Carter arrived just in time to watch Henson complete a deep pass in the end zone. When Crayton made a nice grab, running back Aveion Cason (who has added 15 pounds of muscle) and receiver Zuriel Smith grabbed a roster to see who made the catch…Cornerback Terence Newman, offensive tackle Torrin Tucker, offensive tackle Javiar Collins, cornerback Jemeel Powell, cornerback Andrew Davidson and right guard Andre Gurode all watched practice from the sidelines.

Jones is Parcells’ water boy: Second-round draft pick and running back Julius Jones retrieved cups of water for Parcells during Friday’s practice. Last season, first-round pick Terence Newman was in charge of taking care of Parcells. After the first break Friday, Jones showed nice acceleration toward the water bucket. Parcells took the cup of water without a word.

Jones looks sharp in first workout: Jones showed his 4.38 speed on several running plays Friday. The Cowboys also worked at getting Jones the ball on middle screens. He shared time with ReShard Lee, who was on his way to making the team in training camp last season when he injured his right knee.

Rogers and Peterman work on the right side: Second-round pick Jacob Rogers worked at right tackle and third-round pick Stephen Peterman worked at right guard. Incumbent starter Andre Gurode watched each play with interest from the sidelines.

Quick hits: Seventh-round pick Nate Jones of Rutgers picked off Henson during the 7-on-7 drill. Jones showed nice closing speed before snagging the pass…Free-agent rookie fullback Lousaka Polite of Pittsburgh looked caught several passes out of the backfield. He was one of the best fullbacks that didn’t get drafted…Free-agent rookie receiver James Newson made a great move before catching a pass from Henson."

Thanks to Eleven50nine for these tidbits.

Grading The Draft Graders...

I've been looking around the net at various popular mainstream and independent football sites, and a few have been giving the Cowboys low grades, and denounced the Cowboys as losers on draft day.

You know who we're talking about, and the fact is that these guys have no clue what they are talking about. As a true football fan, and a true fan of the Dallas Cowboys. I know the Cowboys had a pretty good draft - no way I'm I saying we had a A+ draft, but I sure the hell am not saying we had a subpar draft.

These so called experts have no true sense of what "Parcells Football" is and what in entails. A good point was made by one our our site contributors on thedallascowboys.net radio, David Lord states, "If you look at what Parcells is doing, he is stock piling, we picked up Keyshawn a blocking receiver, Tight end Sean Ryan, drafted Rogers, Drafted Peterman" ...."We're going to see smash mouth football" and I could not have said it better. As a contributor to the site, I just laugh when I see these ridiculous post draft grades!!

Experts get a clue! Research Parcells football!

Furthermore, I came across this interesting article about these so called draft experts:

As one league insider explained to us on Monday, the media generally doesn't know what it's talking about when it comes to the evaluating NFL talent.

"I don't remember the last time a sports writer spent millions on scouting a football player," the source said. "They spend $15.95 on draft books by [Mel] Kiper or Pro Football Weekly and think they have all the answers. What they fail to realize is Kiper and the kid from Pro Football Weekly have never scouted a game in their lives. They get info from scouts and the only info they get is what scouts want to tell them. They have no idea about medical information or character information, which is huge in the evaluation process.



"It always amuses me when I read their reports because they know less than 25 percent of what the average scout knows. Yet the press use their books as expert opinions and even steal some of those reports when they give an opinion about a player. In short, they have no clue and never will."

In summary, I'm grading the draft graders, and I give them a F- for (expletive here) idiots!! Get a clue.

Quick Cowboys Draft Review

Jackson and Jones dropped into our laps and we traded out, for all intents and purposes we made a huge deal in the trade. The Bills grossly overpaid. By FAR, we got the best end on this deal, and the icing on the cake is that the Cowboys were looking at drafting Julius all along. We take the Bills 1st rounder next year, we got the early pick in the second from them and took Julius, and a 5th rounder which allowed us to garner (3) more picks in the 7th round. Parcells had this planned, just waited for the best suitor, and that team was the Bills. We are stock piled!


In the 2nd Round we take our first draft pick with Running Back Julius Jones of Notre Dame. Expect Julius Jones to be an immediate starter -no brainer. Jones will bring a different running type back in comparison to Hambrick. Jones runs well between the guards and tackles. This is important, Jones also has the quick burst to bounce and skip outside.

Later in the 2nd, we take OT Jacob Rogers, to me this pick is questionable because of all the back to back injuries from 2001-2003, Will he get injured this year in training camp, pre-season...He's a big solid player, and dominating when he plays, but the injury prone qualities worry me with this pick. If Rogers can improve his durability and stay healthy, then Rogers could crack into the starting lineup, If anything Rogers will add DEEP depth for the tackles area.

In the 3rd, the Cowboys take Offensive Guard Stephen Peterman. What a complete steal for us in the 3rd round. Peterman was highly rated coming into the draft and was expected to be gone by the mid to late 2nd round. Peterman slipped down, and we took the brutal blocker out of LSU. LSU had a very solid Oline for the last 2 years or so, and Peterman was part of that reason. Peterman is strong, plays with some mean streak in him, and will push you around. Great steal with the 3rd pick.

In the 4th we took Cornerback Bruce Thorton, a converted RB. Thorton as special teams experience, and could battle it out with Pete Hunter for that other Corner spot, will add good depth at corner.

In the 5th, many guys were hoping we draft DT or CB here, and we may have, but the player Parcells wanted was on the board so we took Tight End Sean Ryan. Many fans could not understand this selection. But if you have any sense of what "Parcells" football is, its old school smash mouth. Parcells likes the throwback type guys, and Ryan in the 4th was an interesting pick, but look at the kid....he's huge, and a hardnosed blocker out of Boston College. 6-4 270lbs. this guys adds a big body that will be utilized in the Cowboys blocking schemes. Ryan was brought in to help out, and help pull and block for Julius and the other RBs.

In the 7th Round Parcells is looking for a solid Return specialist, and the last (3) picks in the 7th Round were ALL calculated picks to find that return guy. Last season, Zuriel Smith showed some flashed, but was ultimately benched in favor of Galloway. Zuriel's days may be numbered with these picks. The Cowboys took CB Nathan Jones from Rtutgers who had very-very impressive return numbers there, had speed, and good field vision, and good hands. The Cowboys also too WR Patrick Crayton who is very versatile and Parcells really likes him, could draw comparison the former player Woody Danztler -he will also compete for a special teams spot. And with the final pick the Cowboys took a Purdue track star in CB Jacques Reeves. Reeves has bigtime gamebreaking speed, an all star for Purdue's Track and Field Program. Reeves is another guy who will battle it out on special teams, could add depth at corner as well.

NFL Draft 2004

The 1st day is behind us, and I'm sure fans are going crazy with what has occurred, but Parcells knows what he's doing. We are rebuilding for a serious run at the SuperBowl by 2005, and this year we will improve more.

Here's a recap of the NFL 1st round:

1 Chargers* - QB Philip Rivers
#2 Raiders - OT Robert Gallery
#3 Cardinals - WR Larry Fitzgerald
#4 NY Giants* - QB Eli Manning
#5 Redskins - S Sean Taylor
#6 Browns* - TE Kellen Winslow
#7 Detroit* - WR Roy Williams
#8 Atlanta - DeAngelo Hall
#9 Jackonsville - WR Reggie Williams
#10 Houston - CB Dunta Robinson
#11 Pittsburgh - QB Ben Roethlisberger
#12 NY Jets - LB Jonathen Vilma
#13 Bills - WR Lee Evans
#14 Chicago - DT Tommie Harris
#15 Tampa Bay - WR Michael Clayton
#16 Eagles* - OT Shawn Andrews
#17 Broncos - LB DJ Williams
#18 New Orleans - DE Will Smith
#19 Miami* - OG Vernon Carey
#20 Minnesota* - DE Kenechi Udeze
#21 New England - DT Vince Wilfork
#22 Buffalo* - QB JP Losman
#23 Seattle - DT Marcuss Tubbs
#24 St. Louis - RB Steven Jackson
#25 Packers - CB Ahmad Carroll
#26 Cincinnati - RB Chris Perry
#27 Texans* - DE Jason Babin
#28 Carolina* - CB Chris Gamble
#29 Atlanta* - WR Michael Jenkins
#30 Detroit* - RB Kevin Jones
#31 San Francisco* - WR Rashaun Woods
#32 Patriots - TE Ben Watson
*Trade occurred

LA Rumors Come To An End

In an interview conducted last night, Owner Jerry Jones indicated that Larry Allen would most likely return as a Cowboy and believes it is highly unlikely that he would be traded on draft day....Jones went on to say, "At this juncture I don't see (a trade) happening. I don't think it's a stretch at all to see Larry in Dallas Cowboys colors this season."

Could this be another of Jerry Jones diplomatic speeches? Who knows, but by the sounds of it, Allen will probably return for this season.

So, how will this news effect the draft? Well, with Allen returning it would be hard to see us drafting O-line at #22, but more likely RB/DT/CB

RB is back on the radar in the 1st because the Patriots traded a 2nd rounder to the Bengals to acquire Corey Dillon. The Patriots were projected by many including us, to draft RB Steven Jackson. With the Pats getting Dillon, this could lead both Steven Jackson and Kevin Jones to drop in our laps...but wait, word out of Philly is that they are in talk to trade up to #16 to possibly acquire Jackson.

We will have to see, we could very well luck out and land Jackson, and Kevin Jones may be another RB to watch. -if neither are available or we opt out, then look for us to take D-line or CB.

Latest Rumors - Fact or Fiction?

Well, when news was released that Allen was on tour in an attempt to broker a deal the crazy rumors could not come any faster!

The most absurd rumor came from John Clayton, were he suggest the Cowboys would offer the Raiders: Larry Allen, Dexter Coakley and the #22 pick for their #2 pick overall. This rumor is so off base and lopsided it would be the biggest draft coup next to the Hershel deal. - This rumor is fiction. Would be nice, but no way this would happen!

The second rumor belted out today is more plausible. Some Detroit Media Outlets are indicating that the Lions are prepared to make a deal for Allen which would send Allen to Detroit for the Lions 2nd round pick upping the anty and Oaklands supposed 3rd round offer.... Again, nothing is set in stone, but this makes more sense for both clubs. The Cowboys are looking to get a 2nd rounder for Allen, and the Lions may be the team to deal.

One thing is for sure, if we do infact land Detroits 2nd round pick, this will be bigtime aid for the Cowboys. Many starting positions remain up in the air, this is why the 1st day of the draft will bring in some rookies to start immediately. Whomever is drafted Rounds 1-3 WILL be expected to play at a high level and be expected to contribute early.

Let's wait for the murkey waters to clear up before we start going crazy with more draft scenarios. Don't you love the offseason?

Larry Allen On The Move?

The Cowboys AND Larry Allen are wasting no time in finding a trade partner that will ship LA for a 3rd rounder. Allen just flew to Oakland, and is on his way to meet with Detroit. Trading LA to one of those two teams would be draft gold considering the depth in this year's draft. We could be looking at (2) 3rd rounders if a trade can be made. Don't be fooled that the 3rd round is nothing good to talk about, on the contrary, this year's talent pool is deep, so we're getting 2nd round talent poored over into the 3rd round. So, if we can get that EARLY 3rd round, plus the one we already have, we will be looking good for the draft.

What To do - What To Do?...

Strong indications sound like the Cowboys are looking to trade Larry Allen for a draft day pick this year. It's no news that we only have (5) picks this year, Rounds 1-5..and that's it.
If the Cowboys could trade Allen for a draft pick this year, it would be of great value.

Speaking of "value" what would Larry Allen's Draft Pick value be worth at 31yrs old and with questionable health, mainly his knees? Some believe we could get a 2nd rounder for Allen, but this is really pushing the envelope on a player who has been projected to have at LEAST 2 yrs left of playing time. A 2nd rounder for 2yrs of play is just to much to give up, with not much return. You can forget a 1st rounder. It's more likely that the Cowboys could seek out a 3rd-4th rounder this year, which is not bad at all, considering how deep this year's draft is with talent.

Another scenario is that the Cowboys could use LA to trade up in a particular round, like the 2nd or 3rd round, plus a draft pick in 2005.

If the Cowboys are successful in trading out LA, then you can almost bet the bank that the Cowboys will be targeting the best Guards coming out this year. Vernon Carey, Chris Snee, or Justin Smiley.

Parcells is a draft guru, and a battle hardened draft day vet, so you can have some comfort that the pinpoint-calculated Parcells WILL have another good draft for the Cowboys.

Latest News

Well, looks like Larry Allen is on another collision course with Parcells again. Although team workouts/conditioning programs are voluntary, Larry Allen has been the most notable no-show. Last year LA showed up to camp overweight and out of shape, and it appears that he will have a repeat season all-around. It's usually important that offensive linemen participate in team workouts since they are the most likely to bulk up and get out of shape faster.

Well, what about those that argue, its not a big deal, after all the workouts are voluntary aren't they? Yes, this is true, but this is like any other job atmosphere - if your bosses say something is voluntary, it is most likely in your best interest to volunteer, if you don't it just looks bad. It's not good for team cohesion and coach/player cohesion. If Allen has another repeat season, we can expect DeMingo Graham to step it up in his place.

Mario Edwards continues to work out daily at the Cowboys facilities and with the CB spot still open and unresolved, we could see the Cowboys re-signing Edwards to another 1yr deal for insurance purposes soon. If not, we are probably looking to draft a CB in the 1-2 rounds.

The Draft: With the NFL draft just 3 weeks away, the Cowboys will have their work cut out for themselves come draft day. As it is today, our top priorites are RB,CB, OLine, any of which could be drafted in the 1st round. I do see these positions going 1,2,3 - pick your shuffle. Our 1st day picks are going to be expected to start and contribute. Let's see what unfolds.

A Slow Week

Well, nothing major in the past week or two, with the exception of the signing of OT/OG Demingo Graham. The Cowboys had hoped to sign Texans FA Greg Randall, but apparently he is shopping himself around for the best pay day -he probably won't sign here...

Other than that old news, the Cowboys are in Florida attending the annual NFL Team meetings, which will wrap up April 1st. News is that Parcells is hard at work studying some film and taped interviews of potential draftees. We should expect the Cowboys to begin flying in a couple of guys that they may draft April24th-25th.

The Offseason Thus Far

Who said the Cowboys were not doing anything to improve the team. Let's take a quick look back at what we've done thus far in the offseason.

For starters, we almost lost DC Mike Zimmerman. Jones/Parcells convinced him stay with the Cowboys rather than take the Huskers job that no one wanted.

Payton was to be the new Raiders Head Coach, but in the strangest twists of events, Payton bowed out, and decided to stay on with the Cowboys.

In addition, the Cowboys, fired their wide receiver coach McNulty, and hired WR Coach Todd Haley, who coincidently work for Parcells, and helped mold our Keyshawn into a ProBowl receiver. Utter brilliance by Parcells - I think he planned to get all three reunited - Parcells, Haley and now Keyshawn from the get-go.

The release of Toby Gowin :)

The release of Ryan Young - too many injuries and inconsistencies, he just didn't work out.

There was no question that DE was a need that should be addressed in the offseason, and the Cowboys had us sweating bullets, but ended up getting a player for a good deal and a lot of upside in Marcellus Wiley, formally of the Chargers. Wiley will be an immediate impact starter, and his presence will alleviate the double teams on Glover and Eliss. Great Pickup.

Then we have the Keyshawn for Galloway Trade. Did we ever think this deal was ever going to get done? It seemed dead, but Galloway manned up and decided to make some concessions to leave Dallas for Tampa. So, now we that "personality" in our WR core that should rev up the other receivers. Experience and team leadership under Parcells will make Keyshawn a well valued pick up.

Finally, we have the Drew Henson trade...we traded our 2005 3rd rounder to the Texans, and now we have a legitimate QB prospect who was highly rated coming out of Michigan, and if he would have re-entered the draft, he was rated as a late 1st to late 2nd rounder - not bad, BUT he will have a lot of work ahead of him. He is not penciled in as our starter, and we should realistically see him understudy this year, and then be fully ready by next season. Then again, you never know :) Let's see what happens here.

So, in retrospect, we have done ALOT to improve the team by keeping our coaching staff, and making calculated/pin-pointed player acquisitions w/Wiley,Keyshawn, and Drew Henson.

What's left to address? With out a doubt its the RB position - and lets be real about this, the players that are floating around out there are few and probably not worth being our undisputed workhorse. Draft 2004 will definitely address RB - count on it!

OT, could be shored up with some FA guys or cap casualty guys later, but could also be filled via the draft.

CB, is still a question mark. We need someone decent on the other side of our shutdown guy Newman. CB FA's are pretty much depleted of such talent. Don't be surprised if we re-sign Mario to another 1yr deal for insurance incase we don't get our guy via the Draft.

DT, is another position that will probably be looked at in the draft, along with WRs.

The New Gun, Drew Henson - Armed & Dangerous!

So, we picked up Drew Henson, what does this mean?

It means Quincy is skating on thin ice, and if he continues to be make bad decisions, then you can bet the house that Henson will be ready to jump into action and show his stuff.

Henson is your typical prototype QB, great size, build and accurate!

Henson is about 6-4.5 235 lbs. and physically fit to play in the big leagues.

In summary, Henson is big, strong, and athlectic quarterback that exhibited his ability to lead the team downfield with accuracy and that field general leadership that is needed to run the soldiers downfield into enemy territory.

Henson, is a healthy-stout player that was never injured and never missed a game from any type of injury. He is quick off the snap, and knows how far to drop back. He won't hold the ball low, so we shouldn't see the ball come out - he has great hands and great quarterback mechanics.

If Henson gets in trouble, like a strong pass rush or blitz, Henson has the mobility to elude the unblocked pass rusher. Overall, we can expect Henson to have good awareness in the pocket. He's not known to throw those illadvised passes, so that is a big plus - he is smart and very coachable.

Henson has NFL arm strength, and can throw the bullet, dumpoff, deep ball and the light feather pass with accuracy.

Some reports I have found say that Henson's only weakness may be with timing patterns and look for other open receivers other than the primary WR. We will see...I'm sure Parcells and Payton will do a great job in preparing him for the next level.


OVERALL: Henson was highly sought after by many other NFL teams, because they scouted him before and knew what he was made of. Henson's strong arm and size are what NFL scouts like, and the Cowboys have made a wise decision. Henson has been playing sports since he left Michigan, so he is in great shape and has built some muscle mass to add to his build, so for a rookie, he has already progressed physically.

The Aikman comparisons have begun, and rightfully so...they both have that "look" and the build. Henson is just turned 24 Feb. 13...


Drew, Welcome to Dallas baby!

What happened?

I'm sure virtually every Cowboys fan is in utter dismay as to why we have not done anything to improve the team via Free Agency, not even "midrange guys." All the Upper Tier and Mid Tier guys are gone.

So, what can we logically deduce from this inactivity?

1. RB WILL be addressed via draft (1st Round)
2. OT Will be addressed via draft (3-5 rounds)
3. CB Will be addressed via draft (2-3 rounds)
4. QB could/might be addressed via draft (1-2rounds)
5. DE may be addressed via draft if we fail to sign Wiley (1-2 rounds)

Where do we stand on Keyshawn? With the Galloway trade all but dead, the Bucs will cut Keyshawn in the next (2) weeks, before the April 1st deadline for his roster hit. Then we will sign him - In the meantime, the Cowboys will continue to feel out any trade ops for Galloway, but they will ultimately cut him if there are no takers.

The David Boston RUMOR: Forget about it, do you really want to sign another injury prone WR? We are'nt going to go after Boston - we could keep Galloway if that's the case.

Free Agency Thin On Talent

At the beginning of the year there were a lot of big names out there that would become free agents, but as suspected, many of those big named players were given the Franchise Tag or Traded.

So are the Cowboys going to really battle it out to sign some of the tops guys remaining like Jevon Kearse, Grant Wistrom, or Duce Staley?

So far, it's expected that the 'Skins will blow more money and get Kearse, and Wistrom is leaning towards reuniting w/Vermeil in K.C.,...

At this time Staley is still out there, but probably not for much longer there are going to be other offers from Atlanta, Detroit, and Tampa.

Normally, the Cowboys don't rush into signing players, but this year they may need to bump it up a notch if they want to fill some key spots.

It's apparent that we are still in the market for a QB, keep your eye on a Henson trade, and we should also expect Garcia to workout with the Cowboys.

OT is another position that will be another priority, since we released Young, and the line is already thin as it is.

RB will need to be addressed with Garner or Staley, but Garner is likely to end up in Tampa, since Tampa lost Thomas Jones to the Bears today. Garner will likely sign with Chucky & Co. Staley would be the last viable RB out there, unless we were to trade for Dillon, which is looking bleak at this time.

DE should be addressed, but the talent pool will take a hit with Kearse and Wistrom if they sign elsewhere.

CB will be addressed, there are more players out there right now, so we should be able to land a legitimate CB.

Overall though, this Free Agency season is thin, and the Draft 2004 will be key for the Cowboys, in regards to filling thin player positions.

Jerry Jones on Quincy, QB Rookies and Running Backs

Jerry Jones continues to make interesting statements that are sometimes vague, but at the sametime could be taken as hints of what the Cowboys may do in the draft.

For the most part, fans know the QB free agency market took a hit when the 'Skins took him out of the running - and what's left are very mediocre vets, that are equal or below Qunicy's play. This being said, its looking more and more that Quincy will indeed be our starter in 2004. Jerry Jones further reinforced this by stating "From the standpoint of free agency, I don't see [us signing a veteran quarterback]," and Jones went on to say, "It could [change] but, from whom I see out here, who could become available, I don't see it."

So probably No from the Standpoint of Free Agency, so it would appear the other more viable standpoint would be through the Draft...

"We got a couple in this draft that are right up there in terms of [Troy] Aikman in terms of what these grades are going to be," Jones said.

So, if not FA and rather the draft, who could the Cowboys be pondering on? Philip Rivers, that's who and the way certain teams are shoring up their own QB concerns -its looking like Rivers will be there at 22, unless someone like Green Bay moves up and snatches him up.

Speaking of running backs, Jones has stated that getting a top FA RB or rookie RB is a top priority this offseason. "We had an opportunity (S.Davis) last year, and we thought we were in better shape than we were," owner Jerry Jones said. "Obviously, now, we need a running back."

With the strong rumors that the 'Skins are looking to close out a trade with Denver to obtain Portis, this will up the ante on what we do in the FA RB market.

From what Jones is saying and what our hated rival may get with Portis (instant-impact offensive upgrade) I would see us making a strong run at signing Dillon, once he's released. Then we draft a RB in the second, Turner may be the best pick if he is still there in the 2nd round. He has turned heads and is looking impressive at the combines, and is free from injuries. Turner's coach has also given a strong recommendation to Parcells.

The Key is what position players we shore up before the draft. The favorable scenario would be that we pickup DE Grant Wistrom who will hit the market since the Rams tagged OT Pace instead; and if we get a player like Dillon, Staley or even Garner then we will have a greater flexibility come draft day.

Of course, Free Agent & Draft scenarios are a volatile inexact science, so we will have to continue to wait and see. The Torture continues...

The Latest NFL Acquisitions, and Combine News

Although trade and FA season don't officially begin until March 3, there are some movers, and everything will be finalized that day.

We'll update you on some recent news that are of importance to the Cowboys.

- The Miami Dolphins have traded their 2005 2nd Rounder to acquire the Eagles QB A.J. Feely, now this may mean they are out of the market to get Henson or Rivers via the Draft or not, but still an interesting development.

- Very interesting news came out of St. Louis when they opted to Franchise tag OT Orlando Pace instead of DE Grant Wistrom. It's on now - time to make our move and get a quality DE.

- The Raiders have Franchise Tagged Charles Woodson, and the Ravens are probably going to do the same with McAlister, so the top 3 CBs will most likely be out of the market, probably to high for our tastes anyway; however they are still some other quality CBs out there: Jags Fernando Bryant, Eagles Bobby Taylor, and Bills Antoine Winifield are going to test the FA market.

- QB Mark Brunell finalized a deal with the 'Skins, this stretches out the 'Skins cap hits further in the coming years, in addition, the 'Skins are still trying to shop an outrageous trade (a 1st rounder, 2nd rounder and player of their choice) for Bailey who has been tagged at 6.8 million, this could also take them out of the running to get Staley or Dillon.

- Draft coin toss: the Browns won the toss and will draft the #7 pick overall and Atlanta will draft #8.

Speaking of running backs, Jones has stated that getting a top FA RB or rookie RB is a top priority this offseason. "We had an opportunity (S.Davis) last year, and we thought we were in better shape than we were," owner Jerry Jones said. "Obviously, now, we need a running back."

Now lets examine some NFL Combine News. As you know the Combines are being televised on the NFL network, but the actual live coverage has been light and honestly disappointing - too much talking, and not enough real coverage.

- Clarett had his first interview with the Cowboys and there should be nothing to read into this. The fact remains that Clarett has "potential," but he still has some growing up to do in order to play with the big boys. Clarett came into the Combines overweight and puffy, and declined to workout. Clarett has also stated that he will hold his own private workout session in early April. Clarett is dropping quickly on many mock boards and probably the same on NFL GM boards as well. It would not surprise us if Clarett gets bumped down to a 3rd rounder, and then holds out throughout camp. We could be wrong, but the negativities continue to overshadow the "potential."

- DT Randy Starks (Maryland) had a disappointing bench workout...
- DT Vince Wilfork (Miami, FL) has trimmed down from 340 to 323, 36 reps.
- DT Isaac Sopoaga (Hawaii) benched 550 lbs at 42 reps!
- DT Dwan Edwards no numbers yet, but will do all drills at combine.

- RB Chris Perry will hold workouts at Michigan
- RB Kevin Jones will hold workout at Virginia
- RB Steven Jackson will hold own workout on ProDay Oregon St.
- RB Michael Turner looked impressive and chiseled
- RB Greg Jones stated he is still not 100%, rather 95% and did not work due to right hamstring pull
- RB Cedric Cobbs very slow 40 @ 4.7
- RB Tatum Bell ran 4.42 on 40 yrd. dash

- OT Nat Dorsey somewhat disappointing, showed up flat no muscle tone.


This is all we have seen and are able to report at this time, we will continue to update breaking Combine News.

Gibbs To Be Very Formidable Opponent

Redskins' coach Joe Gibbs is looking to return his team to prominence sooner than later. In fact, we should expect that the Parcells vs. Gibbs rivalry to be the best league rivalry again. Although Parcells has beaten Gibbs Redskin's more than Gibbs has beaten Parcells that doesn't mean one is better than the other. This year will bring another year of great games, especially when we face the 'Skins - look out!

Gibbs has been busy trying to rebuild his team, and this years draft could be a goldmine for Gibbs. Could Gibbs walk away with a whopping (3) First Round picks in this years draft? If some of the rumors become a reality - you can count on it..

Overall, the 'Skins have the #5 pick overall,

BUT if they trade Bailey, they would have another 1st rounder possibly via Detriot #6 or Chiefs #30 - two teams that have shown interest in Bailey.

AND if Ramsey gets traded, they would get yet another 1st rounder via Dolphins #20 -who have stated they would part with their pick to acquire Ramsey.

(3) First rounders for the 'Skins would be an amazing draft coup. With a deep draft drenched with talented players, the 'Skins could walk away with (3) immediate impact starters.

#5 Overall
#6 via Detriot?? (Bailey) or #30 via Chiefs?? (Bailey)
#20 via Dolphins?? (Ramsey)


This is why Gibbs will be a very formidable opponent for years to come.

One Less Option At QB

Various reports state that the Redskins are in the final stages of closing out a trade with Jacksonville by this week. Terms of the Trade have not been disclosed yet, but it looks like we can scratch Brunell of the list of possible vet QBs to bring into Dallas, if we chose to go that route.

So while many wanted Brunell to be a Cowboys it is not to be. At 33, Brunell would have been a short term gap stopper, and he has a history of getting injured in is late age.

So, are people talking about Kurt Warner yet? I sure hope not. Warner is definitely not going to be the answer at QB. So who then?... Griese, Fielder? no way. Even though they are both expected to be released by the 'Fins, they are mediocre Qbs at best.

Well, what about CFL's Ricky Ray? or Drew Henson? No, I doubt it.

We do know that the Steelers, Packers, and Bills are interested in Both.

I think the removal of Brunell from the QB market is somewhat pivotal for the Cowboys. The Cowboys are probably going to focus their attention on upgrading other positions via Free Agency.

We need to go after DE Grant Wistrom, maybe a CB, and maybe a WR like Darrell Jackson or Dennis Northcutt.

Signing Wistrom will let us concentrate on some quality rookies in the top rounds, we would not need to rely on the draft to get someone to fill the DE position.

I think we could make a move to move up in the draft to get a RB (Jackson or Jones) or Philip Rivers in the 1st.

Cowboys Hall Of Famer Nominees Shutout, Again!

Well, well, well - can anyone smell bias in the air? How in the heck did two of our Cowboys Legends get shunned out from final induction into the NFL Hall Of Fame. The late "Bullet" Bob Hayes and Rayfield Wright made it to the final six, and it finally seemed like a deserving done deal... Not to be though, some how the 39 boy committee bumbled and fouled up one of the highest honors a football player can garner - an induction into the Hall Of Fame. Cowboys Fans are outraged, as well we should be - this is truly one of the biggest travesties to deal out to the Hayes and Wright families!

So who makes up this 39 man, I mean 39 boy committee? I have received many emails with the same guilty party names attached. Ladies and gentlemen, we present the partners in crime:

Arizona Andy Bagnato, Arizona Republic
Atlanta Furman Bisher, The Atlanta Journal
Baltimore Mike Preston, The Baltimore Sun
Buffalo Mark Gaughan, Buffalo News
Carolina Charles Chandler, Charlotte Observer
Chicago Don Pierson, Chicago Tribune*
Cincinnati Chick Ludwig, Dayton Daily News
Cleveland Tony Grossi, Cleveland Plain Dealer
Dallas Rick Gosselin, Dallas Morning News
Denver Woodrow Paige, Denver Post
Detroit Jerry Green, The Detroit News*
Green Bay Cliff Christl, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Houston John McClain, Houston Chronicle*
Indianapolis Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star
Jacksonville Sam Kouvaris, WJXT-TV
Kansas City Bob Gretz, KCFX Overland Park, KS
Miami Edwin Pope, Miami Herald*
Minnesota Sid Hartman, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune
New England Ron Borges, Boston Globe
New Orleans Pete Finney, Times-Picayune
New York (Giants) Vinny DiTrani, Bergen Record
New York (Jets) Paul Zimmerman, Sports Illustrated*
Oakland Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange
Philadelphia Paul Domowitch, Philadelphia Daily News
Pittsburgh Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
St. Louis Bernie Miklasz, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
San Diego Jerry Magee, San Diego Union Tribune*
San Francisco Ira Miller, San Francisco Chronicle*
Seattle John Clayton, ESPN/ESPN Magazine
Tampa Bay Tom McEwen, Tampa Tribune
Tennessee Jeff Legwold, The Tennessean
Washington Len Shapiro, Washington Post*
PFWA Adam Schefter, The Denver Post
At Large Jarrett Bell, USA Today
At Large Dave Goldberg, Associated Press*
At Large Peter King, Sports Illustrated
At Large Bob Oates, Los Angeles Times
At Large Len Pasquarelli, ESPN.com
At Large Mike Wilbon, Washington Post

This shunning of our players is becoming a regular letdown, and beginning to develop a sinister pattern - I think it's time for the NFL to step in and overhaul how players are voted in, otherwise this whole process will be without credit.

So what other Dallas Cowboys are getting the cold shoulder?

Cliff Harris
Charlie Waters
Drew Pearson
Chuck Howley
Harvey Martin
Ed "Too Tall" Jones
Lee Roy Jordan

This is utter insanity, can you believe it? What will the future hold for Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Moose Johnston... the way its going, don't be surprised if our most recent stars get kicked to the curb too.

Sure, we know not everyone can be inducted into the "Hall," but it sure seems like these people have something against great players - dallas cowboys...

To the 39 boy commitee: You should be deeply embarressed and ashamed. Now get your crap together and man up!

Scenarios For Improvement - OffSeason Wishlist Part I

Let's delve into some interesting offseason moves that we believe will significantly improve the Cowboys.

The two main positions that need a bigtime upgrades are at QB and RB.
Now, if we decide to keep QC as the starter, then let's give him a big time running back.
If we don't stick with Carter, then we need to upgrade via the draft. Here are some scenarios we came up with - take a look.

(If we stay with Carter)Here's what the Cowboys should do in the offseason.

-Sign DE Grant Wistrom
-Sign WR Dennis Northcutt or WR Darrell Jackson

Now on draft day, Trade Dexter Coakley & our 22nd pick to Atlanta and move up to the #7 pick. (Jim Mora Jr is a defensive guy and would love to add Coakley)
Trade Galloway for a 3rd or 4th Rounder

With the #7 Pick draft the best back this year - Steven Jackson

2. CB Keiwan Ratliff - Florida Gators (address our CB needs)
3. OT Carlos Joseph - Miami (address the OT needs)
4. WR Keary Colbert - USC (add quality depth with a slot possession WR)
5. OG Sean Locklear - N.C. State (future Larry Allen replacement)


(If we decide NOT to stay with QC)Here's what the Cowboys should do in the offseason.

-Sign DE Grant Wistrom
-Sign WR Dennis Northcutt or WR Darrell Jackson

Trade Galloway and 4th Rounder to Bengals for Corey Dillon.
OR
Sign Duce Staley to a 3yr deal.

Now on draft day, Trade Dexter Coakley & our 22nd pick to Atlanta and move up to the #7 pick.(Jim Mora Jr is a defensive guy and would love to add Coakley).

With the #7 pick overall we draft the best QB available probably - Philip Rivers.

2. OT Max Starks - Florida or OT Tony Pape - Mich. (address the OT needs)
3. RB Greg Jones or RB Cedric Cobbs (Parcells 3rd RB gem & future)
4. -traded to Bengals for Dillon- or if we sign Staley then WR Keary Colbert - USC
5. OG Sean Locklear - N.C. State (future Larry Allen replacement)


Historically, Parcells has been known to be very active on Draft day in regards to moving up in the draft or adding picks. The two most likely players to be used for draft trade will probably be Dexter Coakley and Joey Galloway.

It may be somewhat far-fetched, but we should seriously look into moving up somewhere in the draft this year.

Senior Bowl Favorites - Rivers & Jones Stock Rising

Rest assured the Cowboys scouting team was in full force at this year's Senior Bowl. Some key positions of interest for the Cowboys had some players that played well.

I gotta tell you. The new buzz is going to be N.C. State's QB Philip Rivers and I've liked this guy's play all year long and think he's been severely underrated as a top pick in this years draft. After watching Rivers take command and drive for 3 straight scores I like this QB more. River's stock may have skyrocketed after his leadership and commanding presence on the field.

Some people want to criticize the way he throws the ball, they call it a 3/4 throw. This is the silliest critique I've heard. Shoot, depending on what the Cowboys do in Free Agency, Rivers may have upped his rank on the Cowboys board. This guy will not go past the mid 2nd round.

Another player that showed amazing skills was Florida States RB Greg Jones, did you see this kid run? Jones suffered a knee injury in 2002 and has continued to recover from it, but wow! Jones pulled out all the moves - he ran over people, ran threw tackles with authority, bounced out and made some nice cuts upfield. I guarantee you, Greg Jones' stock has risen considerably. Very Physical runner. I could see Jones high on the Cowboys board, and probably higher now. Even though the Senior Bowl games are designed to showcase the passing game, Greg Jones took full advantage at every touch of the ball.

Other backs that did well all week and somewhat in today's game were Tatum Bell, Bell has a quick burst and can make cuts on the dime; Michael Turner continued to play well all week and in today's game he ran with power and kept his feet moving, it took 2-3 guys to bring him completely down; and Cedric Cobbs was the other back that played well and scored a TD. Jones ruled all in today's game. The only thing that may hurt Jones is the knee recovery factor, but then again, today's game may have dispelled those thoughts. The NFL combine will test Jones' physical endurance and more. The NFL combine may be the last thing to totally assure Jone's capability to play big time football.

Another possible interest for the Cowboys may be Darnell Dockett, but after this weeks monster dominating play and big time plays in today's game, he may not be available at the 22nd pick if that's what the Cowboys decide to do. Dockett's stock will surely up him in the draft boards of many teams. Dockett will be an immediate impact starter, you can guarantee it.

Some receivers that we liked in today's game where Ohio's WR Michael Jenkins. Jenkins played very well and showed big time clutch catch abilities. Impressive play.

Same thing for VTech's WR Ernest Wilford - great size and speed and sure hands will make Wilford a great addition for any team in need of a WR, including the Cowboys.

LSU's WR Devery Henderson, also has great size and runs his routes well. The Rivers to Henderson hookups were amazing plays, they were clicking on all cylinders.

USC's WR Keary Colbert known to be a smart and very physical player found his way into the endzone as well. Colbert's great ability to gain yardage after the catch will be a great asset to teams looking to upgrade the Slot position.

This year's draft is going to be very exciting, and I'm sure Parcells will make some draft moves to get the guys he wants. Is it possible that Parcells may be interested in drafting Rivers? I bet he moved up significantly on his board, the question is, will he be there at the 22nd pick. The draft hype has surrounded our immediate need to fill the RB or DE position, but what if QB Philip Rivers is available - do we draft him? I know we're going to see a lot of board activity surrounding Rivers as a possible pickup. I would feel good about picking him up - this kid has leadership presence all over him. It's going to be interesting.

Free Agent Rumors Continue

You see them everywhere, any fan that goes into any Cowboys Message Board will likely come across topics like "Dillon a Cowboy?" - "Duce a Cowboy?" - "Sign Kearse!" - "Bring In Brunell" - and so on and so on..


Let's look into the latest rumors and the chances of landing any of those names floating around.

Let's start with the most talked about rumor - "Dillon a Cowboy?"
First, lets be smart about this rumor. Dillon is coming off his worst season ever, and had nagging injuries all year long. In addition, Dillon will be 30 by the regular season. We ALL know what happens when a workhorse RB hits 30, its just a fact of life - the productivity declines drastically. If we are looking for a short term solution, then sure, lets take a look at making a deal with Dillon....but one thing that will stop the presses comes from NFL team executives stating that Dillon will go to the highest bidder. The teams in the running are the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Redskins. So wait, are we talking about a bidding war for a 30 y/o Dillon? Yes, so if this is going to be the case, forget it, Dillon will not be coming to Dallas. Jones is not in the market to have a bidding war on an aging player. Those hoping Dillon will just be released can count that out too. The Bengals will juice this out as best as possible. Dillon will count more than $3 million against the cap next season.

Next we have Duce Staley - "Duce a Cowboy?"
If anything, Duce would be the most realistic pick up. Duce is a true Free Agent, so its his decision to where he wants to sign. If he's looking to bait teams into a bidding war, then he too will not be a Cowboy. BUT if he wants to win and wants a chance to advance in the playoffs then he could strike a deal with the Cowboys. Staley will be 29.

On the Defensive side, we have Jevon Kearse - "Sign Kearse!"
C'mon guys this is a no brainer, do you want to throw money at another aging player that wears a tshirt on the sideline every other week or more? Sure Kearse is awesome when he's healthy, and we emphasize when he's healthy. We need everydown production. Plus, the latest news as of today states that If the Titans are going to use the franchise tag, they must apply it by Feb. 24. There's also the possibility, of course, that the Titans choose not to re-sign Kearse. The Titans have begun talks and would like to resign Kearse asap.

''We have some work to do, but it's pretty simple: either we get it done before he becomes a free agent or they elect to franchise him,'' Rosenhaus said. ''That's where we're at. We're working on it.''

Don't get me wrong, if Kearse was a healthy horse, then sure - definitely, let's give it a shot.

Another Hot rumor is Mark Brunell - "Bring in Brunell!"
As of right now, this rumor is probably as hot as it is in Tampa and Miami. Miami has some interest in bringing in Brunell. Marino, the new VP of the Dolphins does not see Fielder or Griese as the future for the Dolphins. And then you have the rumblings in Tampa. Gruden wants to bring in Brunell, which would lead the door open for the Bucs to cut Brad Johnson. Now this opens another can of rumors - if Brunell is brought into Tampa, then Johnson would probably be cut, so this could be someone we would bring in to challenge QC for the starting job.

This has been one of the most interesting NFL seasons in years, so I'm sure the 2004 offseason will be full of surprises. Let's see what happens.

Raiders Head Coach Position Still Vacant!

As you should know by now. Sean Payton interviewed (3) times with Al Davis, and had basically accepted the job. In fact, an official team press conference to introduce Payton was supposedly to have happened sometime Thursday.... Davis offered Payton the job, and in a weird chain of events, Payton has now turned down the position after all. After much thought and inside recommendations from Jerry Jones and Parcells, Payton will remain the QB coach with the goals to complete a mission that he is dedicated to finishing.

With all the news of Zimmer, Carthon, and Payton interviewing for various coaching positions we seem to be overlooking the strong determination of Owner Jerry Jones' commitment to keeping his staff together for another strong run in 2004 and beyond. Jones knows what its going to take to get back to the big game and he has shown steadfast dedication to excellence, anything less would be inexcusable.

Parcells Upgrades Coaching Staff

Parcells wasted no time in upgrading his coaching staff by firing WR Coach, John McNulty. Parcells quickly hired former Jets/Bears assistant Todd Haley. Haley is a Parcells guy, and worked under Parcells while with the Jets. Haley helped mold Keyshawn Johnson into a pro bowler. In addition, Haley has been an integral part of his former teams wide receivers success.

The Cowboys are hoping to improve their wr's catching abilities. The talent is there, but the current WR core had a dismal season this year. 2nd year WR Antonio Bryant was the most visible disappointment with all his dropped balls and lack of concentration. Haley should be able to make Bryant harness his potential and improve his game next year.

Bringing on Haley should be a move in the right direction for our wide receivers.

Possible Draft Picks

Let't take a deeper look at some of the Rookie Prospects of interest at TheDallasCowboys.Net WarRoom.

The 1st round pick is going to be interesting. I believe what we do in free agency will sway what we pick up at the 22nd pick.

1Round
RB Michael Turner - Northern Illinois: While it would be nice to get a Steven Jackson or Kevin Jones, its highly unlikely they will be there at 22. So this brings us to what may be the secret gem for the Cowboys - The Portis type steal. Size, strength and speed will make Turner a great addition to the Cowboys offense. Turner has the burst speed to take it outside on a sweep, or sprint up the middle with power. Turner is also dangerous coming out of the backfield, he is very fluid and elusive, and can make people miss. It takes more than an arm tackle to bring this guy down.

1Round Alternate
DE Antwan Odom - Alabama: If available, Odom would be just the guy to bolster up our shallow DE position. Odom is ready to take it to the next level. This junior prospect has the size at 6'-5'' 280 to bring down the quarter back or bust up plays in the backfield. Bringing on Odom would add another weapon to our already strong defense, but it would also allow double teams to be ineffective - O lines would not be able to doubleup our defenders. Odom has an amazing burst off the line and quick feet to change directions to make a run down tackle.

If we go Offense with the 1st pick then the 2nd rounder would be defense-

2nd Round
DE Nathaniel Adibi - Virginia Tech: Adibi in the 2 round would be an exceptional pick up here. Adibi has a lot of playing time under his belt by playing all his games since he was a freshman. Adibi is slightly faster than Odom, and can come off the Line with some amazing speed, and could come around the corner to make the big hit sacks, and cause fumbles.

2nd Round Alternate
CB Will Poole - USC : The Cowboys will likely draft a CB somewhere in the draft, and Will Poole would be a good selection here. Poole has played early in college and this has paid big dividends. Poole is big, fast, and physical. He can shut you down, tackle RBs, and make some hits. A well rounded CB, Poole would probably crack into the starting rotation.

3rd Round
OT Carlos Joseph - Miami (FL.): Joseph may not be here at the 3rd round, but if his name is still on the board, this would be a pretty good selection. Joseph is a big, strong intimidating Tackle at 6'-6' 340lbs. Joseph is a scrapper and will knock you down on a regular basis. Joseph registered 41 pancakes his senior year. Equal abilities to Run Block and Pass Block.

3rd Round Alternate
WR B.J. Johnson - Texas: Not to be overshadowed by his team mate Roy Williams, a probable high 1st rounder, Johnson has made many clutch plays throughtout his career at Texas. This is a big time playmaker and if untaken by the 3rd round here, we need to pick him up. The Cowboys will need to upgrade the WR position somewhere in this years draft and Johnson would be a absolute steal pick here. Johnson could shore up the WR core with solid reliable hands. Something the Cowboys are missing. Johnson runs his routes and is known to be a great student of the game as well. Johnson's gameplan study has enabled him to make some big time plays and find spots to get the ball. Johnson is also physical and will take the big hits in the middle.

4th Round
DT Dwan Edwards - Oregon State: Edwards could be another hidden gem in this years draft. Edwards will probably be drafted anywhere from the 2-4 round. Edwards has a powerful lower body and is difficult to block out against the run. Edwards is a big time run stopper and is able to sniff out the run. Edwards could make strong competion to be in the starting rotation along side Glover, or at least in the DT rotation. Bring him in on run plays and the running game will be completely shutdown.

4th Round Alternate
OT Rodney Reed - LSU: Part of that viscious O-line at LSU, Reed is a well rounded Tackle. With great technique and feet/hand skills Reed could be a good addition at the OT position. At 6'-4'' 292 Reed could probably even be moved over to an OG position if needed. Reed is known for his greeat on & off the field leadrship. An all around smart player that could add some valued leadership and depth on the O-line.

5th Round
OLB Pasha Jackson - Oklahoma: This years OLB crop is not the best this year, but Jackson has played in a lot of big time games, and has game experience which could be molded in the NFL. Jackson can make some big hits, and may be considered for special teams play or backup to one of our OLB's.

5th Round Alternate:
CB Jabari Greer - Tennesse: I wouldn't be surprised if Parcells takes 2 CBs somewhere in the draft and with the Cowboys last pick in the 5th round, Greer could be another good pickup. Greer is a speedster, and even a track star for Tennesse's track & field team. Greer could also add some needed depth at CB, and could compete for a nickel/dime position.

Finally, let's look at some "sleeper picks" that could go anywhere from the 2nd-7th rounds.

OG Monrenko Crittenden - Auburn: Why Crittenden? Well, its possible that the Cowboys may want to look ahead for a solid replacement for Larry Allen. Allen has maybe 1-2yrs max left in him. Crittenden is a big OG at 6'-5'' 350lbs and will blow defenders off the line. Crittenden specializes in Run Blocking, but can also pass block as well. Crittenden has been a favorite blocker for their running backs Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams, so some of their success can be attributed to Crittenden.

OG Lamar Bryant - Maryland: Another OG possibility is Lamar Bryant. Bryant could be a strong choice in the 3rd Round. Another future replacement for Larry Allen. Bryant is a mauler off the line and has well rounded skills in run blocking and pass blocking. Very athlectic and nasty mean streak in the trenches make Bryant a sought after OG, that will be a starter.

SS Arnold Parker - Utah: Woodson does not have many years left in him, so looking to the future could land Parker as a selection by the Cowboys. Parker may be drafted anywhere from late 3rd- 5th round. Parker has good size, great closing speed, and Parker will lay the wood on you.

CB Ahmad "Batman" Carroll - Arkansas: Another possible prospect that me be on the Cowboys board. Carroll may be picked up in the late 2nd-late 3rd round. Carroll would be another great pickup. Carroll has blistering speed runs the 40 in 4.35. Great man on man coverage and valuable recovery speed when needed. Great vision and speed make him a possible pick up.

WR Keary Colbert - USC: Colbert could be a spark plug receiver that makes big plays, and after the catch yards by dishing out hits rather than receive them. Colbert is very physical with the TE/FB agressiveness. You won't see Colbert run out of bands that much. His sure hand and agressive nature could land him in Valley Ranch. Take your choice - we need Colbert or B.J. Johnson in our offensive schemes.

RB Jarrett Payton - Miami (FL.): Possibly one of the most underrated RBs in this years draft. Should be drafted anywhere from the 4th-5th Round. No negative off field baggage - Payton has size, strength, and heart to be a pretty good back in the NFL. Payton's high competiveness may have him competing for a RB rotation position. Depending on what the Cowboy's do in the offseason at RB, Payton could be a huge steal in this years draft.