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Let's give it a few more before we crown them. 2 of those players are still unproven.
Training Camp Thread...
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fortsbest
DCC 4Life
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If the Cowboys are better this year and run for more yardage, I wanna hear all of them say how wrong they were. Think it'll happen?
townsend
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I feel like Brandon Weeden negates one of them.
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Cowlishaw: With Jeremy Mincey's holdout over, this Cowboys camp feels different than any other under Jerry Jones
By Tim Cowlishaw
OXNARD, Calif. — For the last 26 years with Jerry Jones in charge of the Cowboys, distractions have been the order of the day. Something about 2015 feels different.
Actually everything about 2015 feels different.
Not to say the start of training camp was exactly overshadowed by the holdout of Jeremy Mincey, but the defensive end showed up Saturday night after the team’s first padded practice and was on hand for Sunday’s afternoon workout, even helping settle down Dez Bryant after a long altercation with cornerback Tyler Patmon.
No new terms were announced, but it’s believed Mincey will be able to make up for a $500,000 bonus he barely missed in 2014. Give the Cowboys credit for a willingness to restructure contracts. In the NFL, where players are routinely cut with millions left on their deals, it’s only fair. And give Mincey credit for playing the Greg Hardy card to gain the leverage he needed.
Here’s the situation Mincey used to his advantage:
Hardy is suspended by the NFL for the first four games.
Randy Gregory is an undersized rookie who is more suited to playing in spots, particularly pass-rush situations.
Demarcus Lawrence, last year’s second-round pick who finished the season strong with sacks in the Detroit and Green Bay playoff games, has never started an NFL game.
Throw in the possibility of an injury, and the Cowboys could very easily run out of quality depth at both defensive end positions early this season.
“If I can get out here and fight for my teammates, it’s a no-brainer to fight for my family,” Mincey said. “We got good results, and it’s great to be back.”
Cowboys Vice President Stephen Jones had taken a hardline stance in the opening news conference, saying that the club certainly wasn’t going to negotiate with him while he wasn’t here and that Mincey could be fined $30,000 a day for missing camp.
But some teams maintain that tough-guy stance and end up losing either valuable players or critical practice time. The Cowboys’ softer approach serves them well.
Cornerback Orlando Scandrick wasn’t happy with his renegotiated deal and skipped an OTA in May. Scandrick got a new deal. Needless to say, Dez Bryant wasn’t happy with having the franchise tag applied to him for the 2015 season and expressed that displeasure any number of ways. He signed a five-year, $70 million contract in July.
You would put Mincey on a lower contribution level than those two, but that doesn’t mean he lacks value. By the season’s second half, Hardy and Lawrence might be starting and Gregory could be productive in pass-rush situations, but Mincey will still find a way onto the field. He has the ability to move inside as well.
Mincey came up just 11 snaps short of earning a $500,000 playing-time bonus in 2014. That’s less than one snap per game. It would take a cold heart to be upset with him for getting a little extra on his deal for — who knows? — what might be his final season in Dallas if the Cowboys get production from Hardy that leads to an extension for him.
When Mincey signed a two-year, $3 million deal with Dallas a year ago, he was a 30-year-old defensive end coming off a two-sack season in which Jacksonville had released him, apparently for team violations, in December. Not exactly a strong hand to play.
Last season Mincey was a key component in a defense that played beyond expectations. He led the team with six sacks and emerged as a team leader.
Now no one around here is thinking of anyone leading the club with six sacks in 2015, not even Hardy, who is limited for now to 12 games. But this is a year for having all hands on deck right from the start, and so the Cowboys found a way to get Mincey back in camp and on the field.
“Jeremy’s been a good player for a number of years,” coach Jason Garrett said of the slimmed-down defensive end. “You can see the cheekbones in his face, the muscle in his arms. He’s a good-looking guy, and it’s great to have him in Oxnard.”
One could argue that except for DeMarco Murray, that’s been the mantra for everyone connected to this team since the end of last season.
By Tim Cowlishaw
OXNARD, Calif. — For the last 26 years with Jerry Jones in charge of the Cowboys, distractions have been the order of the day. Something about 2015 feels different.
Actually everything about 2015 feels different.
Not to say the start of training camp was exactly overshadowed by the holdout of Jeremy Mincey, but the defensive end showed up Saturday night after the team’s first padded practice and was on hand for Sunday’s afternoon workout, even helping settle down Dez Bryant after a long altercation with cornerback Tyler Patmon.
No new terms were announced, but it’s believed Mincey will be able to make up for a $500,000 bonus he barely missed in 2014. Give the Cowboys credit for a willingness to restructure contracts. In the NFL, where players are routinely cut with millions left on their deals, it’s only fair. And give Mincey credit for playing the Greg Hardy card to gain the leverage he needed.
Here’s the situation Mincey used to his advantage:
Hardy is suspended by the NFL for the first four games.
Randy Gregory is an undersized rookie who is more suited to playing in spots, particularly pass-rush situations.
Demarcus Lawrence, last year’s second-round pick who finished the season strong with sacks in the Detroit and Green Bay playoff games, has never started an NFL game.
Throw in the possibility of an injury, and the Cowboys could very easily run out of quality depth at both defensive end positions early this season.
“If I can get out here and fight for my teammates, it’s a no-brainer to fight for my family,” Mincey said. “We got good results, and it’s great to be back.”
Cowboys Vice President Stephen Jones had taken a hardline stance in the opening news conference, saying that the club certainly wasn’t going to negotiate with him while he wasn’t here and that Mincey could be fined $30,000 a day for missing camp.
But some teams maintain that tough-guy stance and end up losing either valuable players or critical practice time. The Cowboys’ softer approach serves them well.
Cornerback Orlando Scandrick wasn’t happy with his renegotiated deal and skipped an OTA in May. Scandrick got a new deal. Needless to say, Dez Bryant wasn’t happy with having the franchise tag applied to him for the 2015 season and expressed that displeasure any number of ways. He signed a five-year, $70 million contract in July.
You would put Mincey on a lower contribution level than those two, but that doesn’t mean he lacks value. By the season’s second half, Hardy and Lawrence might be starting and Gregory could be productive in pass-rush situations, but Mincey will still find a way onto the field. He has the ability to move inside as well.
Mincey came up just 11 snaps short of earning a $500,000 playing-time bonus in 2014. That’s less than one snap per game. It would take a cold heart to be upset with him for getting a little extra on his deal for — who knows? — what might be his final season in Dallas if the Cowboys get production from Hardy that leads to an extension for him.
When Mincey signed a two-year, $3 million deal with Dallas a year ago, he was a 30-year-old defensive end coming off a two-sack season in which Jacksonville had released him, apparently for team violations, in December. Not exactly a strong hand to play.
Last season Mincey was a key component in a defense that played beyond expectations. He led the team with six sacks and emerged as a team leader.
Now no one around here is thinking of anyone leading the club with six sacks in 2015, not even Hardy, who is limited for now to 12 games. But this is a year for having all hands on deck right from the start, and so the Cowboys found a way to get Mincey back in camp and on the field.
“Jeremy’s been a good player for a number of years,” coach Jason Garrett said of the slimmed-down defensive end. “You can see the cheekbones in his face, the muscle in his arms. He’s a good-looking guy, and it’s great to have him in Oxnard.”
One could argue that except for DeMarco Murray, that’s been the mantra for everyone connected to this team since the end of last season.
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Randle could as well as far as we know right now.
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Cowboys playing it smart with Sean Lee early in camp
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- The Dallas Cowboys are keeping the big picture in mind when it comes to Sean Lee.
Before training camp started, the Cowboys learned Keith Rivers did not want to play football anymore, so they had to place him on the reserve/retired list. Before the first practice, they placed Rolando McClain and rookie Mark Nzeocha on the physically unable to perform and non-football injury lists with knee injuries.
They added linebackers Keith Smith and Will Smith to make up for the slack, but during Saturday’s special teams walk-through they lost Justin Jackson to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Instead of turning Lee loose in practice as he returns from missing last year with a torn ACL of his own, the Cowboys have gone to their organized team activity and minicamp progression plan with Lee. Through two days of full pads, Lee has been kept out of team and 7-on-7 drills.
“As Sean gets older, and Sean’s been through some adversity, I think he’s learning and I’m learning to have the ability to understand what the final product needs to look like and also understand the process to get there,” linebackers coach Matt Eberflus said. “I think he’s understanding of that and I’m doing a better job, I hope, of understanding as well. It’s a work in progress. We’re going to work to the final product.”
The Cowboys need Lee to be at his final product for the Sept. 13 opener against the New York Giants, not the first week of full-padded practices in training camp. The Cowboys know that Lee approaches practices with game-like intensity and they almost want to protect Lee from himself.
So even with the dearth of linebackers available to practice and the addition of new players, the Cowboys have not altered their plan with Lee.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” coach Jason Garrett said. “We don’t want big setbacks so we’ll kind of incrementally up his work and hopefully he can handle it and we’ll just keep making progress.”
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- The Dallas Cowboys are keeping the big picture in mind when it comes to Sean Lee.
Before training camp started, the Cowboys learned Keith Rivers did not want to play football anymore, so they had to place him on the reserve/retired list. Before the first practice, they placed Rolando McClain and rookie Mark Nzeocha on the physically unable to perform and non-football injury lists with knee injuries.
They added linebackers Keith Smith and Will Smith to make up for the slack, but during Saturday’s special teams walk-through they lost Justin Jackson to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Instead of turning Lee loose in practice as he returns from missing last year with a torn ACL of his own, the Cowboys have gone to their organized team activity and minicamp progression plan with Lee. Through two days of full pads, Lee has been kept out of team and 7-on-7 drills.
“As Sean gets older, and Sean’s been through some adversity, I think he’s learning and I’m learning to have the ability to understand what the final product needs to look like and also understand the process to get there,” linebackers coach Matt Eberflus said. “I think he’s understanding of that and I’m doing a better job, I hope, of understanding as well. It’s a work in progress. We’re going to work to the final product.”
The Cowboys need Lee to be at his final product for the Sept. 13 opener against the New York Giants, not the first week of full-padded practices in training camp. The Cowboys know that Lee approaches practices with game-like intensity and they almost want to protect Lee from himself.
So even with the dearth of linebackers available to practice and the addition of new players, the Cowboys have not altered their plan with Lee.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” coach Jason Garrett said. “We don’t want big setbacks so we’ll kind of incrementally up his work and hopefully he can handle it and we’ll just keep making progress.”
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Dez Bryant Fight Shows He Still Needs To Grow Up
Posted on August 3, 2015 by Ben Grimaldi
Altercations are nothing new in training camp but usually it takes a little time for guys to lose their temper with a teammate. For the Dallas Cowboys and Dez Bryant, it took less than a week before their first fight.
The Cowboys were in just their second padded practice of the summer when Bryant and cornerback Tyler Patmon got into fight during a play where they appeared to rip each other’s helmets off. It didn’t end there, though, as Bryant followed the second-year corner to the sideline where he took a swipe (wasn’t really a swing) at Patmon.
Both parties were quickly separated and cooler heads prevailed but it shows that despite all the progress he’s made in the past few years, Dez Bryant still has some growing up to do. It also provides ammunition for those who believe Dallas’ front office worries about Bryant’s behavior and that’s why there was such trepidation giving him a long-term deal.
Dez Bryant Tyler PatmonContract aside though; it wasn’t a good look for Dez. It’s one thing to have passion for the game, but it’s another to have altercations with your teammates. This is the second year in a row Bryant has gotten into a fight in camp and it’s clear that his temper sometimes gets the best of him.
The entirety of the of the incident may have been started by Patmon, some video does show he could be pegged as the aggressor, but Bryant has to be smarter. Dez has much more to lose and he cannot be swayed into these types of situations so easily.
There won’t be any flags in training camp but if a teammate can get under his skin in at practice, it’s fair to wonder if something like this could happen in the regular season? Remember, there was a pre-game incident with Eagles safety Malcom Jenkins last year and Dez came onto the field displaying his passion during the ‘call/no call’ in the playoff game against the Lions. Both of those situations could’ve turned ugly and cost the Cowboys, so the last thing the team needs is to worry about what might happen if Bryant can’t control himself in a game.
Dallas can’t afford to have their best play maker ejected or suspended. Passion is good, Jason Witten has an enormous amount of it, but it could only be a matter of time until it shows up at the wrong time.
To both players’ credit, they hugged it out and said the right things afterwards but the bigger issue is Bryant’s maturity. Losing your cool and getting in a teammates face is one thing, however, following the player to the sideline and taking it to another level is a whole new ballgame.
We can defend Dez or explain the incident as something that “just happens” in training camp, but what the purpose of taking a shot at Patmon? What kind of passion does it show to swing at a teammate?
No one knows what was said or done to set either player off, or it could have been building, but they’ve only been practicing for a few days. It doesn’t seem like the monotony of camp should have affected either player enough to get under one another’s skin to this extent.
Heck, it could’ve been Patmon’s fault but did Bryant have to react the way he did? His passion for the game is unparalleled and it serves Dez well on the field most of the time. The reality is the altercation isn’t that big of a deal, but it underscores a bigger issue; Bryant still needs to control his emotions better.
Dez Bryant has grown as a player during his five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, but Bryant the person still has some maturing to do.
Posted on August 3, 2015 by Ben Grimaldi
Altercations are nothing new in training camp but usually it takes a little time for guys to lose their temper with a teammate. For the Dallas Cowboys and Dez Bryant, it took less than a week before their first fight.
The Cowboys were in just their second padded practice of the summer when Bryant and cornerback Tyler Patmon got into fight during a play where they appeared to rip each other’s helmets off. It didn’t end there, though, as Bryant followed the second-year corner to the sideline where he took a swipe (wasn’t really a swing) at Patmon.
Both parties were quickly separated and cooler heads prevailed but it shows that despite all the progress he’s made in the past few years, Dez Bryant still has some growing up to do. It also provides ammunition for those who believe Dallas’ front office worries about Bryant’s behavior and that’s why there was such trepidation giving him a long-term deal.
Dez Bryant Tyler PatmonContract aside though; it wasn’t a good look for Dez. It’s one thing to have passion for the game, but it’s another to have altercations with your teammates. This is the second year in a row Bryant has gotten into a fight in camp and it’s clear that his temper sometimes gets the best of him.
The entirety of the of the incident may have been started by Patmon, some video does show he could be pegged as the aggressor, but Bryant has to be smarter. Dez has much more to lose and he cannot be swayed into these types of situations so easily.
There won’t be any flags in training camp but if a teammate can get under his skin in at practice, it’s fair to wonder if something like this could happen in the regular season? Remember, there was a pre-game incident with Eagles safety Malcom Jenkins last year and Dez came onto the field displaying his passion during the ‘call/no call’ in the playoff game against the Lions. Both of those situations could’ve turned ugly and cost the Cowboys, so the last thing the team needs is to worry about what might happen if Bryant can’t control himself in a game.
Dallas can’t afford to have their best play maker ejected or suspended. Passion is good, Jason Witten has an enormous amount of it, but it could only be a matter of time until it shows up at the wrong time.
To both players’ credit, they hugged it out and said the right things afterwards but the bigger issue is Bryant’s maturity. Losing your cool and getting in a teammates face is one thing, however, following the player to the sideline and taking it to another level is a whole new ballgame.
We can defend Dez or explain the incident as something that “just happens” in training camp, but what the purpose of taking a shot at Patmon? What kind of passion does it show to swing at a teammate?
No one knows what was said or done to set either player off, or it could have been building, but they’ve only been practicing for a few days. It doesn’t seem like the monotony of camp should have affected either player enough to get under one another’s skin to this extent.
Heck, it could’ve been Patmon’s fault but did Bryant have to react the way he did? His passion for the game is unparalleled and it serves Dez well on the field most of the time. The reality is the altercation isn’t that big of a deal, but it underscores a bigger issue; Bryant still needs to control his emotions better.
Dez Bryant has grown as a player during his five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, but Bryant the person still has some maturing to do.
dallen
Senior Tech
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Pretty much.
Genghis Khan
The worst version of myself
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Exactly.
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by Rafael Vela
Rookie Role Revision
From the time Byron Jones was drafted, Cowboys observers have wondered what role he might play in the defense? Would he be a corner? Would he be a safety?
Today, the coaching staff offered a strong hint of the role they see for Jones in 2015, and it’s probably bigger than even the most creative fan considered. In the practice’s first 15 minutes, when the offense and defense move through the day’s script of planned offensive and defensive plays, Jones lined up next to Sean Lee in the nickel as a “linebacker.”
I put the role in quotes because Jones was more of a big safety, the third in a 4-1-6 that featured three cornerbacks and three safeties. Jones played man-to-man in every play, shadowing Jason Witten whereever he went. This tipped that Jones might indeed play the coverage role that’s become necessary against modern flex tight ends like Jimmy Graham. Jones is big enough to ride the faster tight ends and fast enough to keep them in his back pocket.
Later in practice, Jones returned to the linebacker spot, playing inside with Anthony Hitchens, who spelled Sean Lee (more on him later). Most rookies get a short role to rush them onto the field, but Jones, who played exclusively at right corner the first two days, ran the secondary gamut today. He played on the right side early, but played on the left corner later. He also played a true cover two safety, playing a deep half with Jeff Heath.
Jones had his growing pains. He offered strong coverage on most plays but was shaken by James Hanna when he covered the tight end from the linebacker spot. Since this is only the fourth practice of Jones’ professional career, it appears the coaches have confidence in his ability to absorb the lessons and perform in his many assigned roles.
Sunday also saw a continuation of the tutorials that began on Friday, though the masters drilled with new pupils today. Rod Marinelli worked backup tackles Davin Coleman and Ken Bishop on rip moves and inside counters. Charles Haley and Leon Lett moved from rookie Randy Gregory to Greg Hardy, hoping to add polish to the top rusher’s repertoire.
Sunday also saw Sean Lee’s return to action. Lee missed the first full pads with a lower body injury but looked spry for the first hour. He participated in all the pass drils and mini scrimmages. He sat out the second half, but this appeared to be precautionary.
Rookie Role Revision
From the time Byron Jones was drafted, Cowboys observers have wondered what role he might play in the defense? Would he be a corner? Would he be a safety?
Today, the coaching staff offered a strong hint of the role they see for Jones in 2015, and it’s probably bigger than even the most creative fan considered. In the practice’s first 15 minutes, when the offense and defense move through the day’s script of planned offensive and defensive plays, Jones lined up next to Sean Lee in the nickel as a “linebacker.”
I put the role in quotes because Jones was more of a big safety, the third in a 4-1-6 that featured three cornerbacks and three safeties. Jones played man-to-man in every play, shadowing Jason Witten whereever he went. This tipped that Jones might indeed play the coverage role that’s become necessary against modern flex tight ends like Jimmy Graham. Jones is big enough to ride the faster tight ends and fast enough to keep them in his back pocket.
Later in practice, Jones returned to the linebacker spot, playing inside with Anthony Hitchens, who spelled Sean Lee (more on him later). Most rookies get a short role to rush them onto the field, but Jones, who played exclusively at right corner the first two days, ran the secondary gamut today. He played on the right side early, but played on the left corner later. He also played a true cover two safety, playing a deep half with Jeff Heath.
Jones had his growing pains. He offered strong coverage on most plays but was shaken by James Hanna when he covered the tight end from the linebacker spot. Since this is only the fourth practice of Jones’ professional career, it appears the coaches have confidence in his ability to absorb the lessons and perform in his many assigned roles.
Sunday also saw a continuation of the tutorials that began on Friday, though the masters drilled with new pupils today. Rod Marinelli worked backup tackles Davin Coleman and Ken Bishop on rip moves and inside counters. Charles Haley and Leon Lett moved from rookie Randy Gregory to Greg Hardy, hoping to add polish to the top rusher’s repertoire.
Sunday also saw Sean Lee’s return to action. Lee missed the first full pads with a lower body injury but looked spry for the first hour. He participated in all the pass drils and mini scrimmages. He sat out the second half, but this appeared to be precautionary.
L.T. Fan
I'm Easy If You Are
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I wasn't grading the players only commenting that the school is putting an increased number of prospects in the NFL rosters.
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You can say that about a lot of schools. They have to be successful first.
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Imagine Irvin giving a beatdown on that one. That's about the only thing that would happen there.
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By that criteria you could have already said that about OSU. They have had a lot of players on teams in the past. Even Tech has. It's just not that big an accomplishment just have people fighting to make teams. Let's get more successful people then you can say that school is an NFL hotbed.
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Babe Laufenberg: The best thing I saw at Cowboys training camp, as well as the most concerning
Special contributor Babe Laufenberg, a Dallas Cowboys radio color analyst and former NFL quarterback, took some time to answer a few questions about the first week of training camp. Here are some of the highlights:
Question: What was the best thing you saw at the first week of Cowboys training camp?
Laufenberg: The best thing I saw? My brother’s house in Manhattan Beach! After that? I thought the intensity was outstanding. Guys literally hit the ground running. The first two practices were glorified walkthroughs, the next two were full padded practices. After Saturday’s practice, head coach Jason Garrett said the practice was not physical enough. On Sunday, it was “message received,” as the hitting really picked up. Garrett constantly preaches “passion and intensity,” and I thought we saw both.
Question: What was the most concerning thing you saw at the first week of Cowboys training camp?
Laufenberg: Probably the running back position. Hated that Ryan Williams’ knee had flared up on him again. Released before even getting on the plane. Thought he would contend for playing time. Then on the first day, Darren McFadden comes up with a bad hammy. Fortunately, he does not have a history of hamstring issues, so hopefully, he will be good to go ,but don’t want to rush back a player with a compromised hamstring. Better a week too late than a minute too early.
Question: How does Sean Lee look?
Laufenberg: They are being careful with him, as they should. No need for me to take a stroll down his “Injury Lane,” but Garrett said, “we will incrementally up his work.” Usually, you have to push a guy to fight through an injury, and especially a knee injury. With Sean Lee, you have to hold him back. The only target date that needs to be circled is Sept. 13, the opener against the Giants.
Question: How have Randy Gregory and Greg Hardy looked in the pass rush so far?
Laufenberg: Two players who play the same position who are built totally differently. Hardy has a massive lower body, and derives a lot of strength from those legs. Gregory looks like he is a guy who is about to ask you if you can point him to the basketball gym. That is not to say that he is a small man, but he is a small man by NFL standards. It will be all about technique for him as a pass rusher. As defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said, “the pass rush moves that are effective in college won’t work up here.” So let’s give him some time.
Special contributor Babe Laufenberg, a Dallas Cowboys radio color analyst and former NFL quarterback, took some time to answer a few questions about the first week of training camp. Here are some of the highlights:
Question: What was the best thing you saw at the first week of Cowboys training camp?
Laufenberg: The best thing I saw? My brother’s house in Manhattan Beach! After that? I thought the intensity was outstanding. Guys literally hit the ground running. The first two practices were glorified walkthroughs, the next two were full padded practices. After Saturday’s practice, head coach Jason Garrett said the practice was not physical enough. On Sunday, it was “message received,” as the hitting really picked up. Garrett constantly preaches “passion and intensity,” and I thought we saw both.
Question: What was the most concerning thing you saw at the first week of Cowboys training camp?
Laufenberg: Probably the running back position. Hated that Ryan Williams’ knee had flared up on him again. Released before even getting on the plane. Thought he would contend for playing time. Then on the first day, Darren McFadden comes up with a bad hammy. Fortunately, he does not have a history of hamstring issues, so hopefully, he will be good to go ,but don’t want to rush back a player with a compromised hamstring. Better a week too late than a minute too early.
Question: How does Sean Lee look?
Laufenberg: They are being careful with him, as they should. No need for me to take a stroll down his “Injury Lane,” but Garrett said, “we will incrementally up his work.” Usually, you have to push a guy to fight through an injury, and especially a knee injury. With Sean Lee, you have to hold him back. The only target date that needs to be circled is Sept. 13, the opener against the Giants.
Question: How have Randy Gregory and Greg Hardy looked in the pass rush so far?
Laufenberg: Two players who play the same position who are built totally differently. Hardy has a massive lower body, and derives a lot of strength from those legs. Gregory looks like he is a guy who is about to ask you if you can point him to the basketball gym. That is not to say that he is a small man, but he is a small man by NFL standards. It will be all about technique for him as a pass rusher. As defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said, “the pass rush moves that are effective in college won’t work up here.” So let’s give him some time.
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Cowboys stock watch: A look at who’s rising, falling entering Week 2 of camp
Rainer Sabin Follow @RainerSabinDMN Email rsabin@dallasnews.com
Published: August 3, 2015 12:46 pm
Stock Rising
Tyler Patmon, CB: Patmon’s name is now known across the nation after he took on Dez Bryant in a fight during practice Sunday. The two went at it for a while before things settled down. But the seeds for the altercation were sown when Patmon, a feisty second-year player, was given first-team snaps. In practice, Patmon has rarely ceded an inch and has been particularly good in one-on-one drills, where he has managed to make a few pass breakups. He is showing something, and the Cowboys have to like it.
Damien Wilson, LB: The Cowboys seem to feel pretty good about Damien Wilson, their rookie fourth-round pick. With Sean Lee not participating in team drills as he continues his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery, Wilson has benefited with additional reps. An active linebacker, he has shown flashes in practice and seems capable of making an impact just like second-year player Anthony Hitchens as a rookie. Hitchens, it should be noted, was a fourth-round choice, too.
Lance Dunbar, RB: Dunbar became a forgotten man last season, when DeMarco Murray was piling up yards on the way to becoming the NFL’s rushing champion. But the fourth-year veteran could reemerge this season. With Murray gone, the Cowboys should feature Dunbar more regularly in the passing game, as they have always intended. In Sunday’s practice, he showed what he could do on a nicely designed screen pass, where he ran free in open space for a big gain.
Stock Falling
Orlando Scandrick, CB: An argument can be made that Orlando Scandrick performed better than any player in training camp last season. This year, it’s a different story. Scandrick has been beaten regularly in the slot and on the outside while defending short, intermediate and long passes. At times, he’s shown his frustration, pointing to the safeties who he clearly believed did not provide enough support for him. It’s early, but Scandrick doesn’t look to be in top form. That could quickly change because Scandrick has shown throughout his career that he is resilient.
Terrance Williams, WR: Terrance Williams was the primary receiver during Dez Bryant’s holdout during the offseason. Williams was said to have benefited from that experience, but he’s looked inconsistent thus far. On Sunday, he committed a false start, dropped a pass and was the intended receiver on a throw intercepted by cornerback Brandon Carr. Williams had his ups and downs last season, too. So this is nothing new. But if Williams has designs on becoming a top player, he needs to perform better one day and one game to the next.
Gavin Escobar, TE: Escobar is entering his third season and has done little in his career thus far. That’s not always been his fault; he just hasn’t received many opportunities. But the former second-round pick hasn’t stood out. So far in training camp, he continues to hide in the background – making outsiders wonder if he will ever make an impact with the Cowboys.
Rainer Sabin Follow @RainerSabinDMN Email rsabin@dallasnews.com
Published: August 3, 2015 12:46 pm
Stock Rising
Tyler Patmon, CB: Patmon’s name is now known across the nation after he took on Dez Bryant in a fight during practice Sunday. The two went at it for a while before things settled down. But the seeds for the altercation were sown when Patmon, a feisty second-year player, was given first-team snaps. In practice, Patmon has rarely ceded an inch and has been particularly good in one-on-one drills, where he has managed to make a few pass breakups. He is showing something, and the Cowboys have to like it.
Damien Wilson, LB: The Cowboys seem to feel pretty good about Damien Wilson, their rookie fourth-round pick. With Sean Lee not participating in team drills as he continues his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery, Wilson has benefited with additional reps. An active linebacker, he has shown flashes in practice and seems capable of making an impact just like second-year player Anthony Hitchens as a rookie. Hitchens, it should be noted, was a fourth-round choice, too.
Lance Dunbar, RB: Dunbar became a forgotten man last season, when DeMarco Murray was piling up yards on the way to becoming the NFL’s rushing champion. But the fourth-year veteran could reemerge this season. With Murray gone, the Cowboys should feature Dunbar more regularly in the passing game, as they have always intended. In Sunday’s practice, he showed what he could do on a nicely designed screen pass, where he ran free in open space for a big gain.
Stock Falling
Orlando Scandrick, CB: An argument can be made that Orlando Scandrick performed better than any player in training camp last season. This year, it’s a different story. Scandrick has been beaten regularly in the slot and on the outside while defending short, intermediate and long passes. At times, he’s shown his frustration, pointing to the safeties who he clearly believed did not provide enough support for him. It’s early, but Scandrick doesn’t look to be in top form. That could quickly change because Scandrick has shown throughout his career that he is resilient.
Terrance Williams, WR: Terrance Williams was the primary receiver during Dez Bryant’s holdout during the offseason. Williams was said to have benefited from that experience, but he’s looked inconsistent thus far. On Sunday, he committed a false start, dropped a pass and was the intended receiver on a throw intercepted by cornerback Brandon Carr. Williams had his ups and downs last season, too. So this is nothing new. But if Williams has designs on becoming a top player, he needs to perform better one day and one game to the next.
Gavin Escobar, TE: Escobar is entering his third season and has done little in his career thus far. That’s not always been his fault; he just hasn’t received many opportunities. But the former second-round pick hasn’t stood out. So far in training camp, he continues to hide in the background – making outsiders wonder if he will ever make an impact with the Cowboys.