Rookie Minicamp/OTAs Thread
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Genghis Khan
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L.T. Fan
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What player doesn’t bitch when they are taken out? Witten is still a warrior and can still play. His last two years he wasn’t really used as a TE. He was a primary blocker and relief valve reciever. I think he will surprise a lot of people.
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This is good news. The more looks we can show, and plays we can run that get the ball to different people on occasion (see Tony Pollard), the harder it will be to prepare for us.
Also, who the hell is Jake Campos?
bbgun
please don't "dur" me
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Cowboys OTA observations: TDs galore; Hill and Quinn disruptive; where’s Iloka?
By Clarence E. Hill Jr.
May 29, 2019 07:47 PM,Updated May 29, 2019 07:47 PM
The Cowboys started work on red-zone offense during OTA practice Wednesday.
It is a huge area of focus heading into the 2019 season after their well-chronicled woes in that area last season.
Dallas scored touchdowns on just 51.7 trips inside the red zone in 2018, ranking 26th in the league.
It’s a big reason the Cowboys scored a mediocre 21.1 points per game in what has become a scoring league.
“It’s definitely a bigger focus,” quarterback Dak Prescott said. “But we’ve changed some things up, for one, so we’re not going to sit here and beat our heads against the wall worried about what we did last year.”
“We know we are going to be better. We are going to have bigger plays from outside the red zone and score in the red zone. It was a good start today.”
Prescott believes that because they believe they will be more explosive on offense with the additions receiver Randall Cobb and speedy rookie running back Tony Pollard, to go with receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup and running back Ezekiel Elliott.
The return of veteran tight end Jason Witten and his knack for getting open should also help.
And then there was the change in offensive coordinator with Kellen Moore replacing Scott Linehan.
Moore plans to be creative by using more packages and pre-snap movement.
But Wednesday was the first day for him to put it all together, calling plays in the red zone and two-minute situations for the first time.
“It gives you an opportunity to put some stuff out there that maybe you haven’t done before — see what you like, see what you don’t like and tweak things,” Moore said. “We’ve got to get better, we’ve go to execute, we’ve got to run the football. Take advantage of 21 and 4 and we’ll have some opportunities outside, as well.”
Here are some other observations from Wednesday OTA practice open to the media:
* Moore said he will call plays from the sideline with quarterbacks coach Jon Kitna manning the booth. “I like the sideline, just being able to interact with the players and talk to Dak,” Moore said. “I think it will be perfect. It’ll be good.”
* I asked Dak Prescott if he and the players understand that coach Jason Garrett is in the final year of his contract and coaching for his job in 2019.
“So am I. So is Amari Cooper,” Prescott said. “There’s no difference. We’re both in our last year. It’s not talked about. It’s not discussed.”
* Touchdowns in practice. A huge storyline in training camp last year was the lack of touchdowns in practice, which spoke to the lack of explosion at receiver. The Cowboys traded for Cooper during the season and have made a point to add speed at receiver this off-season. And what do you know, they scoring touchdowns on deep balls in practice. Reggie Davis, Cedrick Wilson and Jon’vea Johnson all scored on Wednesday.
* Tackle Cam Fleming returned to practice after missing last week. He played left tackle for the resting Tyron Smith. Connor Williams moved inside to left guard. Defensive Robert Quinn had his way with Fleming just as he did Williams the week before, even drawing a holding penalty. Quinn can get around the edge.
* It was Mike White’s day to take reps at backup quarterback behind Prescott. He is alternating with Cooper Rush in what is an open competition for the No. 2 spot. White’s day started badly as he took a tongue-lashing from Garrett for not leading the team and having them ready.
* Defensive tackle Trysten Hill, the rookie second-round pick, flashed his disruptive ability by blowing up a running play with quick penetration in the backfield.
* Darius Jackson is running second at running back behind Elliott and he had a good day. He caught a wide open swing pass for a touchdown in the red zone. Mike Weber ran third and seems to be handling the knee injury that bothered him in rookie camp just fine. There was nothing big from Pollard but the excitement from the coaches is palpable. Running back coach Gary Brown said Pollard is going to be special.
* Prescott looked sharp and comfortable if not Warren Moon-like. He and Cooper continue to make magic on comebacks, outs, and crosses. Cooper’s footwork left more than one defensive back in the dust. Prescott is continuing to grow with Cobb, who is doing more stuff down the field out of the slot than Cole Beasley did last year.
* Undrafted rookie receiver Jon’Vea Johnson continues to flash and impress. He used his speed to make a nice catch in the back of the end zone against cornerback Treston DeCloud but he also made a tough catch in traffic. The Cowboys are going to give him a chance to make the team.
* Stop if you have heard this before: Jeff Heath remains with the first team at strong safety opposite Xavier Woods. What was the purpose of signing George Iloka if he can’t unseat Heath? You don’t need a veteran safety to play special teams. That is what rookie Donovan Wilson is for. This bears watching in training camp.
May 29, 2019 07:47 PM,Updated May 29, 2019 07:47 PM
The Cowboys started work on red-zone offense during OTA practice Wednesday.
It is a huge area of focus heading into the 2019 season after their well-chronicled woes in that area last season.
Dallas scored touchdowns on just 51.7 trips inside the red zone in 2018, ranking 26th in the league.
It’s a big reason the Cowboys scored a mediocre 21.1 points per game in what has become a scoring league.
“It’s definitely a bigger focus,” quarterback Dak Prescott said. “But we’ve changed some things up, for one, so we’re not going to sit here and beat our heads against the wall worried about what we did last year.”
“We know we are going to be better. We are going to have bigger plays from outside the red zone and score in the red zone. It was a good start today.”
Prescott believes that because they believe they will be more explosive on offense with the additions receiver Randall Cobb and speedy rookie running back Tony Pollard, to go with receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup and running back Ezekiel Elliott.
The return of veteran tight end Jason Witten and his knack for getting open should also help.
And then there was the change in offensive coordinator with Kellen Moore replacing Scott Linehan.
Moore plans to be creative by using more packages and pre-snap movement.
But Wednesday was the first day for him to put it all together, calling plays in the red zone and two-minute situations for the first time.
“It gives you an opportunity to put some stuff out there that maybe you haven’t done before — see what you like, see what you don’t like and tweak things,” Moore said. “We’ve got to get better, we’ve go to execute, we’ve got to run the football. Take advantage of 21 and 4 and we’ll have some opportunities outside, as well.”
Here are some other observations from Wednesday OTA practice open to the media:
* Moore said he will call plays from the sideline with quarterbacks coach Jon Kitna manning the booth. “I like the sideline, just being able to interact with the players and talk to Dak,” Moore said. “I think it will be perfect. It’ll be good.”
* I asked Dak Prescott if he and the players understand that coach Jason Garrett is in the final year of his contract and coaching for his job in 2019.
“So am I. So is Amari Cooper,” Prescott said. “There’s no difference. We’re both in our last year. It’s not talked about. It’s not discussed.”
* Touchdowns in practice. A huge storyline in training camp last year was the lack of touchdowns in practice, which spoke to the lack of explosion at receiver. The Cowboys traded for Cooper during the season and have made a point to add speed at receiver this off-season. And what do you know, they scoring touchdowns on deep balls in practice. Reggie Davis, Cedrick Wilson and Jon’vea Johnson all scored on Wednesday.
* Tackle Cam Fleming returned to practice after missing last week. He played left tackle for the resting Tyron Smith. Connor Williams moved inside to left guard. Defensive Robert Quinn had his way with Fleming just as he did Williams the week before, even drawing a holding penalty. Quinn can get around the edge.
* It was Mike White’s day to take reps at backup quarterback behind Prescott. He is alternating with Cooper Rush in what is an open competition for the No. 2 spot. White’s day started badly as he took a tongue-lashing from Garrett for not leading the team and having them ready.
* Defensive tackle Trysten Hill, the rookie second-round pick, flashed his disruptive ability by blowing up a running play with quick penetration in the backfield.
* Darius Jackson is running second at running back behind Elliott and he had a good day. He caught a wide open swing pass for a touchdown in the red zone. Mike Weber ran third and seems to be handling the knee injury that bothered him in rookie camp just fine. There was nothing big from Pollard but the excitement from the coaches is palpable. Running back coach Gary Brown said Pollard is going to be special.
* Prescott looked sharp and comfortable if not Warren Moon-like. He and Cooper continue to make magic on comebacks, outs, and crosses. Cooper’s footwork left more than one defensive back in the dust. Prescott is continuing to grow with Cobb, who is doing more stuff down the field out of the slot than Cole Beasley did last year.
* Undrafted rookie receiver Jon’Vea Johnson continues to flash and impress. He used his speed to make a nice catch in the back of the end zone against cornerback Treston DeCloud but he also made a tough catch in traffic. The Cowboys are going to give him a chance to make the team.
* Stop if you have heard this before: Jeff Heath remains with the first team at strong safety opposite Xavier Woods. What was the purpose of signing George Iloka if he can’t unseat Heath? You don’t need a veteran safety to play special teams. That is what rookie Donovan Wilson is for. This bears watching in training camp.
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Dave's sons.
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No he is joking. He is a camp body OT from last year.
p1_
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deadrise
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Ahh, springtime. It's that time of year when state-run media, led by Clarence Hill, hears the siren song of love and becomes enraptured by this or that draft pick or this or that free agent. They gush and they coo, and get all goo-goo.
Happens every pre-season.
Happens every pre-season.
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wake me when training camp's over.
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We are all getting old.
Dad jokes are now acceptable. And whether we all want to admit it, we are getting older and thinking older.
Shit I found myself giving to L.T. Fan a decade ago is what the fuck I am doing now.
My God, it sucks.
L.T. Fan
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With new faces and young stars, OTAs have been significant for Cowboys in setting a strong foundation
By Saad Yousuf Jun 1, 2019
To the common eye, OTAs might seem like a pretty mundane part of the NFL calendar. Players don’t put on pads, there’s no live contact and attendance is voluntary. How a player looks during this time is hardly indicative of what’s to come in the fall.
So, what’s the point?
OTAs hold a different level of importance based on the player and team. In New England, Tom Brady has been skipping OTAs this offseason, just as he did last year as well. The Patriots are reigning Super Bowl champions. However, that’s Brady and that’s the Patriots. For the Cowboys, OTAs are beneficial in setting a strong foundation, and that holds true perhaps more this summer than any other time in recent history.
This is Dak Prescott’s first time working with Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator and Jon Kitna as the quarterback coach. There’s no doubt Prescott is very comfortable with Moore from the time he’s spent on the roster and as the quarterback coach. But offensive coordinator is a different beast. Prescott and Moore are feeling out the plays Prescott is most comfortable with, while also discussing how to approach pressure situations and more.
“Me and Kellen talk often about things we like and where this offense is going,” Prescott said. “It’s great. I can say, right now, I’m probably as confident and comfortable as I’ve been.”
Prescott is also getting used to Moore’s voice. Talking in meeting rooms and coaching on the field are different from when a quarterback has somebody in his ear telling him the play calls.
“Just a sense of calmness and confidence,” Prescott said on what he likes to hear from his offensive coordinator. “I get that from Kellen. I’ve gotten that from him every year. You got that when he was playing the game. … Now to have him as a coach, you know when he’s calling the plays, he believes in it, he’s very convicted about it, and you could feel it.”
On the field, this is the first time Prescott is able to develop a focused rapport with receivers Amari Cooper and Randall Cobb. Prescott and Cooper did a good job hitting the ground running when Cooper arrived in a midseason trade, but there were games to be won at that time so the focus was split. Now, the two have a chance to get a feel for each other’s tendencies and take the connection to a different level. Cobb is a veteran receiver with a quarterback background, so his adjustment into the Cowboys’ offense has been seamless. He’s the primary receiver expected to fill the void left by Cole Beasley, who signed with the Bills this offseason.
OTAs also allow for a more relaxed approach from the coaches, relative to what happens in training camp and during the season. This helps distinguish the leadership voices on the team. While the Cowboys are an overall young team, they have leaders at pretty much every position group.
“We’re fortunate. If you look at every position on our team, we’ve got great leadership at every spot,” head coach Jason Garrett said. “Some guys have played a long time, some guys haven’t played quite as long, but we have an outstanding leadership, and we really try to build our team that way with those kinds of guys.”
Running through the roster, it’s easy to see what Garrett is talking about: Prescott for the quarterbacks; Ezekiel Elliott for the running backs; Cooper and Cobb for wide receivers; Jason Witten for tight ends; Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and Tyron Smith on the offensive line; a strong linebacking core led by Sean Lee; DeMarcus Lawrence and Tyrone Crawford on the defensive line. The secondary might be the spot with the least clear situation, but Byron Jones is a quality leader and Kris Richard’s leadership might be the strongest of any position coach on the team. His approach is one that’s also preached throughout the organization.
“We’re all in it together, but ultimately, at the end of the day, the coaches are responsible for the necessities of it all,” Richard said. “The more our guys start to see that and understand that, eventually they start to police themselves. More and more, as you start to see that as a coach, you start to step back and step back and step back and allow those guys to walk forward and take that leadership role.”
Wins and losses aren’t at stake during OTAs, so there is more leeway in allowing players to demonstrate their leadership within a group. With as many returning players as the Cowboys have, leaders evolve in their approach, even in some of the subtle ways that come with experience.
“I’ve always been vocal,” Prescott said. “I could probably say this year, I’ve been more stern. Not necessarily mean or whatever, I’m not nagging, but I expect a lot from these guys, especially guys that have been here.
“I want them to expect the same from me, and I’d be pissed if they weren’t calling me out for it or if a guy blows a route or something like that. I’d be mad as hell if they don’t call me out for it, so shit like that, maybe back in the day I’d just be kind of, ‘Hey, come on now.’ Maybe it’s because I know my teammates better where a certain guy, yeah, I still might do that, and some guys like, ‘Hey, what are you doing? You all right? What the hell is going on? You don’t do that; you’re better than that.’ It’s as simple as that and it’s been great — a great response from it.”
There has been a lot to take away from OTAs the past few weeks, from new relationships on the field and the sideline to leadership and general team camaraderie. It’s worth it to note that while there are a number of star players awaiting contract resolutions, everybody has been present and doing what they can or what is being asked.
Maybe what basically amounts to indoor touch football seems insignificant right now, but the little things add up. This is the first step to what the Cowboys hope is a season that extends far into 2020.
By Saad Yousuf Jun 1, 2019
To the common eye, OTAs might seem like a pretty mundane part of the NFL calendar. Players don’t put on pads, there’s no live contact and attendance is voluntary. How a player looks during this time is hardly indicative of what’s to come in the fall.
So, what’s the point?
OTAs hold a different level of importance based on the player and team. In New England, Tom Brady has been skipping OTAs this offseason, just as he did last year as well. The Patriots are reigning Super Bowl champions. However, that’s Brady and that’s the Patriots. For the Cowboys, OTAs are beneficial in setting a strong foundation, and that holds true perhaps more this summer than any other time in recent history.
This is Dak Prescott’s first time working with Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator and Jon Kitna as the quarterback coach. There’s no doubt Prescott is very comfortable with Moore from the time he’s spent on the roster and as the quarterback coach. But offensive coordinator is a different beast. Prescott and Moore are feeling out the plays Prescott is most comfortable with, while also discussing how to approach pressure situations and more.
“Me and Kellen talk often about things we like and where this offense is going,” Prescott said. “It’s great. I can say, right now, I’m probably as confident and comfortable as I’ve been.”
Prescott is also getting used to Moore’s voice. Talking in meeting rooms and coaching on the field are different from when a quarterback has somebody in his ear telling him the play calls.
“Just a sense of calmness and confidence,” Prescott said on what he likes to hear from his offensive coordinator. “I get that from Kellen. I’ve gotten that from him every year. You got that when he was playing the game. … Now to have him as a coach, you know when he’s calling the plays, he believes in it, he’s very convicted about it, and you could feel it.”
On the field, this is the first time Prescott is able to develop a focused rapport with receivers Amari Cooper and Randall Cobb. Prescott and Cooper did a good job hitting the ground running when Cooper arrived in a midseason trade, but there were games to be won at that time so the focus was split. Now, the two have a chance to get a feel for each other’s tendencies and take the connection to a different level. Cobb is a veteran receiver with a quarterback background, so his adjustment into the Cowboys’ offense has been seamless. He’s the primary receiver expected to fill the void left by Cole Beasley, who signed with the Bills this offseason.
OTAs also allow for a more relaxed approach from the coaches, relative to what happens in training camp and during the season. This helps distinguish the leadership voices on the team. While the Cowboys are an overall young team, they have leaders at pretty much every position group.
“We’re fortunate. If you look at every position on our team, we’ve got great leadership at every spot,” head coach Jason Garrett said. “Some guys have played a long time, some guys haven’t played quite as long, but we have an outstanding leadership, and we really try to build our team that way with those kinds of guys.”
Running through the roster, it’s easy to see what Garrett is talking about: Prescott for the quarterbacks; Ezekiel Elliott for the running backs; Cooper and Cobb for wide receivers; Jason Witten for tight ends; Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and Tyron Smith on the offensive line; a strong linebacking core led by Sean Lee; DeMarcus Lawrence and Tyrone Crawford on the defensive line. The secondary might be the spot with the least clear situation, but Byron Jones is a quality leader and Kris Richard’s leadership might be the strongest of any position coach on the team. His approach is one that’s also preached throughout the organization.
“We’re all in it together, but ultimately, at the end of the day, the coaches are responsible for the necessities of it all,” Richard said. “The more our guys start to see that and understand that, eventually they start to police themselves. More and more, as you start to see that as a coach, you start to step back and step back and step back and allow those guys to walk forward and take that leadership role.”
Wins and losses aren’t at stake during OTAs, so there is more leeway in allowing players to demonstrate their leadership within a group. With as many returning players as the Cowboys have, leaders evolve in their approach, even in some of the subtle ways that come with experience.
“I’ve always been vocal,” Prescott said. “I could probably say this year, I’ve been more stern. Not necessarily mean or whatever, I’m not nagging, but I expect a lot from these guys, especially guys that have been here.
“I want them to expect the same from me, and I’d be pissed if they weren’t calling me out for it or if a guy blows a route or something like that. I’d be mad as hell if they don’t call me out for it, so shit like that, maybe back in the day I’d just be kind of, ‘Hey, come on now.’ Maybe it’s because I know my teammates better where a certain guy, yeah, I still might do that, and some guys like, ‘Hey, what are you doing? You all right? What the hell is going on? You don’t do that; you’re better than that.’ It’s as simple as that and it’s been great — a great response from it.”
There has been a lot to take away from OTAs the past few weeks, from new relationships on the field and the sideline to leadership and general team camaraderie. It’s worth it to note that while there are a number of star players awaiting contract resolutions, everybody has been present and doing what they can or what is being asked.
Maybe what basically amounts to indoor touch football seems insignificant right now, but the little things add up. This is the first step to what the Cowboys hope is a season that extends far into 2020.
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The Cowboys start their final week of organized team activities today at The Star. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is expected to go through some limited work throughout the week for the first time. A pelvic issue has limited him to rehab work off to the side.
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer3h ago
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer3h ago
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"He took every snap today with the first team."
p1_
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Today.