Training Camp Thread...

1bigfan13

Your favorite player's favorite player
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
27,145
I saw where a couple of people who are at camp are calling it a bad camera angle. They say Romo isn't anywhere near that big.
 

jsmith6919

Honored Member - RIP
Joined
Aug 26, 2013
Messages
28,407
I saw where a couple of people who are at camp are calling it a bad camera angle. They say Romo isn't anywhere near that big.
 

VA Cowboy

Brand New Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
4,710
 

Rev

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
19,474
Kellen Moore with first team snaps. QB controversy!!!!!
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
122,448
Sore Back Will Keep Tyrone Crawford Out Of First Camp Practice In Pads


Monday, August 01, 2016 2:51 PM CDT

By Rob Phillips



@robphillips3


OXNARD, Calif. – Defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford will not participate in Monday’s first padded practice due to a sore back, head coach Jason Garrett said.

Crawford also sat out Sunday’s practice and had an MRI on his back, though it's not believed to be serious. He has dealt with the back flaring up before, Garrett said.

“We’ll take his situation day-by-day," Garrett said.

Crawford had shoulder surgery in January following the 2015 season. Starting all 16 games, he had a career-high 44 tackles and finished third on defense with a career-high five sacks to go along with 27 quarterback pressures.

The Cowboys are a little thin at defensive tackle at the moment, with rookie defensive tackle Maliek Collins currently on Active/PUP following foot surgery at the end of May.
-------

Figures.
 

Cowboysrock55

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
52,639
Sore Back Will Keep Tyrone Crawford Out Of First Camp Practice In Pads


Monday, August 01, 2016 2:51 PM CDT

By Rob Phillips



@robphillips3


OXNARD, Calif. – Defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford will not participate in Monday’s first padded practice due to a sore back, head coach Jason Garrett said.

Crawford also sat out Sunday’s practice and had an MRI on his back, though it's not believed to be serious. He has dealt with the back flaring up before, Garrett said.

“We’ll take his situation day-by-day," Garrett said.

Crawford had shoulder surgery in January following the 2015 season. Starting all 16 games, he had a career-high 44 tackles and finished third on defense with a career-high five sacks to go along with 27 quarterback pressures.

The Cowboys are a little thin at defensive tackle at the moment, with rookie defensive tackle Maliek Collins currently on Active/PUP following foot surgery at the end of May.
-------

Figures.
Typical veteran sandbagging.
 

Simpleton

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
17,479
Crawford played in the trenches against 300-350 lb linemen for all 16 games of a 4-12 season where everybody knew we had no hope without Romo despite not being able to bench 225.

I can bench 225.

Think about that.

Maybe some of these other guys are sandbagging, who knows, but I doubt Crawford is. At any rate, I'm sure he'll be back in the next few days.
 

mcnuttz

Senior Junior Mod
Staff member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
15,777
Crawford played in the trenches against 300-350 lb linemen for all 16 games of a 4-12 season where everybody knew we had no hope without Romo despite not being able to bench 225.

I can bench 225.

Think about that.


Maybe some of these other guys are sandbagging, who knows, but I doubt Crawford is. At any rate, I'm sure he'll be back in the next few days.
You're a mountain of a man.
 

mcnuttz

Senior Junior Mod
Staff member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
15,777
Scout's Notebook: Russell Holds His Own, Tapper Shines; Other Thoughts

Monday, August 01, 2016 10:42 PM CDT

By Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout

OXNARD, Calif. –
The pads finally came on, and I wasn’t disappointed by what we got to see.

It was a physical, hard-fought practice to start off our venture through 2016 training camp, and I came away with quite a few impressions – particularly about this defense.

Here’s a few big thoughts I had while I was watching practice this afternoon:


  • The player with the most difficult job in camp has to be Ryan Russell. No matter how hard he tries, there are going to be snaps where he just isn’t going to look good going against Tyron Smith. I thought Russell did a much better job of getting off the ball in this practice than I had seen in the previous two, and if he was working against anyone but Smith he would have had more pressure. I like what he was able to do against Smith by holding the point of attack in the running game. It took every ounce of strength he had but he did not allow Smith to maul him off the ball.

  • There is no question that Ezekiel Elliott shows a willingness to be a factor in blitz pickup. He got a face full of Sean Lee and was no worse for wear. Where Elliott has to be careful is when he crosses in front of Romo in the pocket. I noticed that it happened on the first day of practice and again today in the Team Compete Period. Elliott drifted into Romo as he tried to deliver the ball to the outside. The rookie will get a better feel with snaps where he needs to set up, which will allow Romo a clear path to deliver the ball.
  • Before you roll your eyes as you read these words – Morris Claiborne had a really nice day at the office. He was on a mission and it started from the opening snap that he took against Terrance Williams during 1-on-1. Williams tried to push off Claiborne to get inside, but Claiborne never allowed him to separate across the field. As Romo let the ball fly, Claiborne had worked his hand under Williams’ right arm and between his hands. The ball never made it to Williams, as Claiborne was able to knock it to the turf. Later in the same period, Claiborne was in a battle down the field with Dez Bryant with both players trying to hold each other off. Claiborne once again was in outstanding position as the ball landed too far up the field for Bryant to catch.
  • Without Tyrone Crawford in the lineup, Terrell McClain lined up at the under-tackle while Cedric Thornton was at nose. I thought this was a pretty nice combination, especially from what I observed during the Inside Run Period. The defense knows that every play is going to be some type of a run, so they can pin their ears back and get up the field. McClain and Thornton were able to do just that -- but what made it impressive was that they were able to accomplish that against Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and La’el Collins. McClain and Thornton were difficult to handle each snap they took -- maybe a better word is disruptive. Frederick had a hard time moving Thornton, who was able to match him power for power.
  • Charles Tapper looked like an edge rusher in this practice. There were several snaps in 1-on-1 where he was off the ball before the tackle had a chance to react. What was even more impressive was the way Tapper was able to finish his rush. He showed power, along with pass rush moves (spin) in order to free himself to get to the level of the quarterback. Tapper was also able to get up the field in the running game, where he had a tackle for loss during Team Period and was able to later retrace his steps in order to get back to the ball.
  • Here’s a player that I knew little about but jumped out at me during practice:Isaiah Frey. Todd Archer from ESPN and I were talking about him this morning during the walkthrough and to his credit, he showed up. Frey is listed as a cornerback, but it appears that they are trying him as a safety right now. At 6-0, 205 pounds, he has good size, so that is not a reach for the position. Where I first noticed him was in coverage during the 1-on-1 with the tight ends, where he finished well on a play. But where he really stood out was in the Blue Period for the younger guys, where he was in coverage on Austin Traylor. Traylor tried to run to the flat but couldn’t get separation on Frey.Dak Prescott tried his best to fit the ball into him, but Frey was able to extend his left arm and knock it away






 

mcnuttz

Senior Junior Mod
Staff member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
15,777
Mon. Practice Recap: Zeke Takes His First NFL Hits; Rookies Impress

Monday, August 01, 2016 9:26 PM CDT

By DallasCowboys.com Report

OXNARD, Calif. – After months of hearing about Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys’ defenders got a chance to hit him on Monday – and they did.

Monday marked the first padded practice of Elliott’s NFL career, and it became apparent early on that things would be physical. The rookie running back took several carries during the full-team portion of the afternoon practice, and he got popped on virtually every one.

Sean Lee met him in the hole on his first carry of the afternoon. Moments later,Kyle Wilber lowered his shoulder and put Elliott on the ground.

Barry Church perhaps drew the biggest reaction when he flipped Elliott into the air on a tackle in the hole.

“I got a little pop on him,” Church said. “I saw him in the hole, I saw him kind of lower his shoulder, so I took the challenge on there.”

From the outsider’s perspective, it was easy to think that the Dallas defense was sending a message to their vaunted new running back: welcome to the NFL, rook. Church said that wasn’t the case – just the results of a competitive practice.

“You’re reading a little bit too much into that,” he said. “We were just playing the game. He came up to the hole a couple times and we just gave him a little pop.”

Elliott is undoubtedly due for more pops – both during training camp and in the long NFL season to come. True to his head coach’s mantra, Church said going against Elliott can only help the defense improve ahead of the approaching season.

“He’s a hefty guy, so we’re going to go against hefty backs like that all throughout the season,” he said. “It’s a great warmup for us just going against a guy like that. He’s dynamic and he’s going to help our team and help our defense improve.”

Quick Hits


  • Byron Jones has gained notoriety in the last year for his practice battles against Jason Witten. With Jones moving to free safety, it’s Church who has drawn that duty so far in camp. Church and Witten gave fans a good laugh on Monday when Witten barked at Church for holding – a claim which the safety vehemently denied. “Man, this dude – they all talk about the hold, but they don’t see the extended arm push off,” Church said. “I got a little pro tug on him – a little tug. He’s going to complain about that all day, every day, but it just makes me better.”
  • It’s expected that Alfred Morris would get overshadowed by Elliott’s selection at No. 4 overall in the draft, but the veteran running back did his best to re-insert himself into the conversation on Monday. Morris ran exclusively with the second-team offense, but he burst into the second level on every carry he took.
  • The vast majority of the Cowboys’ roster is healthy enough to practice, but they did limit several of their injury concerns. DeMarcus Lawrence, Orlando Scandrick and Gavin Escobar all suited up and went through portions of the afternoon, but they were held out of full-team reps.
  • After Darius Eubanks’ departure from camp on Sunday, the Cowboys will hold several more workouts on Tuesday morning. Linebackers Emmanuel Acho, James Morris and Quayshawn Nealy will work out in hopes of filling the open roster spot.
  • Morris Claiborne is getting a look at kick returner alongside Lucky Whitehead, as was written about earlier Monday. The Cowboys also worked on punt returns on Monday afternoon, and it was rookie receiver Ed Eagan – not Cole Beasley – who split the reps with Whitehead.

Notable Standouts
Darius Jackson – The rookie running back generated some buzz when he was drafted in the sixth round in May, and he showed why in his debut practice. Running with the third team offense, Jackson showed some impressive speed and elusiveness, stopping and starting on a dime and reversing field several times to pick up extra yardage.

Charles Tapper – The rookie defensive end had a strong first day with the pads on, not only showing that speed, but some power, too. Tapper had three nice bull-rushes in the 1-on-1 drills but more than held his own against starters Doug Free and Tyron Smith, beating the veterans off the edge a couple of times.

Andy Jones – Every year it seems like an undrafted receiver has a solid camp and Jones could be the early favorite this season. The rookie from Jacksonville State had three nice catches in the 1-on-1 drills, including a leaping grab on a deep ball where he jumped over Dax Swanson to make the catch before hitting the ground.

Play Of The Day
It wasn’t the most amazing play we’ll see during this training camp, but why not give Anthony Brown some recognition? The coaching staff threw the rookie onto the field for full-team reps with the first-team defense – likely becauseOrlando Scandrick sat out the period. Working in the slot, Brown was in the right place at the right time when Tony Romo and Cole Beasleymiscommunicated on a short curl. The ball went wide on Beasley and wound up right in Brown’s arms, where he fell to the ground to make sure he held on for the interception. Not bad for a sixth-round pick during his first day of practice.

Unofficial Injury Report

Missed Practice:
DT Tyrone Crawford (back)
DT Maliek Collins (foot)
DE Benson Mayowa (knee)
RB Darren McFadden (elbow)
RB Lance Dunbar (knee)
LB Jaylon Smith (knee)
LB Damien Wilson (eye)
TE James Hanna (knee)




 

mcnuttz

Senior Junior Mod
Staff member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
15,777
Camp Sights: Staff Writers Offer Daily Hot Takes, Including Street & Claiborne

Monday, August 01, 2016 9:15 PM CDT

By DallasCowboys.com Report

(Editor’s Note: At the end of each day here at training camp in Oxnard, the staff writers will each provide their own personal observation, ranging anywhere from a particular player who is standing out, a position that needs an upgrade, or even their own personal experiences regarding the daily rigors of camp.)

Nick Eatman: I’ve been on record to say Morris Claiborne would have the best camp of any player here, so naturally, my eyes were on him on the first day of a padded practice. And in the 1-on-1 drills, I thought he was especially good, and physical when he went up against the likes of Bryant and Williams. He wasn’t alone. Other corners such as Carr and Josh Thomas were very physical in their coverage. It’s not easy to do without a pass rush but I thought the defensive backs won the drill, and they did with an aggressive nature at the line of scrimmage. Nice start for the DBs.

Bryan Broaddus: If there was anyone that needed a good start to his camp, it had to be Devin Street. When we talked about the potential receivers on the roster for the upcoming season, Street’s name is only used as a footnote – a wasted pick that rarely had any productive moments. For one practice when the pads came on, Street was a bright spot of a receiving crew that had to fight for every ball thrown in their direction. These cornerbacks made it tough today. But Street was able executed two nice slants with separation and a vertical route down the sideline where he was able to go high and finish with an adjusting catch to finish the drill.

Rob Phillips: The defensive backs, led by Mo Claiborne, really stood out on the first day of pads. Claiborne was terrific. He had three pass breakups in the one-on-one session – including one against Dez Bryant and one against Terrance Williams – and another against Devin Street in team drills. Brandon Carradded a couple breakups in one-on-ones – a drill that’s difficult for the defense because there’s no pass rush and the receiver has the entire field to work with. Overall, the group was aggressive and really challenged the receivers. RookieAnthony Brown made a play he’ll never forget in his first NFL padded practice: he intercepted a low-thrown pass by Tony Romo.

David Helman: I came away slightly depressed by my biggest impression from Monday’s first practice at camp. One pass rusher stood out to me all day – and that was DeMarcus Lawrence. The third-year defensive end told reporters Sunday that he needed to get his football legs under him, but he certainly looks ready to go. He exploded through all his reps, and he beat Tyron Smith multiple times in one-on-ones. I’d hate to overreact, but he certainly looks like he’s ready to maintain his momentum from 2015. Right around the time I realized that, I remembered that Lawrence won’t be available until Week 5. It’s a disappointing Catch-22 for a defense that needs playmakers in the worst way.



 

mcnuttz

Senior Junior Mod
Staff member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
15,777
Dez Motivated To Get Veteran "Family Members" A Ring

If coming off a season in which he scored just three touchdowns isn’t reason enough to be motivated, Dez Bryant has other reasons to try and have a bounce back season in 2016, both individually and as a team.

“I think 2015 was a year of adversity,” said Bryant, who missed seven games due to a broken foot injury. “I know for myself, I just have to get better and use it as motivation.”ReadHe’s also motivated by the closing window of veterans Tony Romo andJason Witten to win a Super Bowl ring.

“My appreciation level for them is extremely high. I love those two guys like my own family members,” Bryant said. “I’m learning a lot from both of those guys. I just want to see them in that big dance. I want them to win one. That’s one of my reasons (of motivation)."


- Nick Eatman

Cowboys Not Impressed By Zeke's Singing Abilities


OXNARD, Calif. – Ezekiel Elliott might be great at carrying the ball, but it’s become quite clear that he can’t carry a tune.

Elliott’s singing chops have become a topic of much discussion in recent days, as he has apparently struggled in his mandatory performances in front of the Cowboys’ team meeting room
“I did have to sing last night. I didn’t pass the test, so I’ve got to go again tonight,” Elliott said on Sunday evening.

It’s long been a hallmark of Cowboys coach Jason Garrett’s training camps to have rookies sing in front of the team. Travis Frederick performed “I’m A Little Tea Pot” during his rookie year, and former safety Jakar Hamilton famously showed off an impressive voice.

Given that Elliott is about to have to sing for the third consecutive night, it doesn’t seem like he can say the same. The rookie running back sang his Ohio State alma mater on Saturday night, which wasn’t up to snuff.

He reportedly came back with a rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” on Sunday night. To hear it from fellow rookie Jaylon Smith, that wasn’t too impressive, either.

“Average – not better than what my singing will be,” Smith said.

Smith said he expects he’ll have to sing at Monday night’s session – but he might not be alone. Garrett didn’t want to disclose much, but it doesn’t sound like the first-round pick has finished the job just yet.

“He’ll keep singing,” Garrett said. “He’s not done yet.”


-- David Helman


Claiborne Getting A Look As Kick Returner


OXNARD, Calif. – Special teams walkthroughs are typically about as uneventful as training camp gets – but some things will occasionally catch the eye.

That was the case Monday, when Morris Claiborne lined up alongside Lucky Whitehead as one of the Cowboys’ primary kick returners. It’s hard to judge too much from walkthrough repetitions, but Claiborne said the coaching staff wants to see him try that role.

“I’m thinking they actually want to look at me returning kicks and other parts of special teams,” he said. “Wherever I can fit in, wherever I can help – I’m up for it.”

It’s not a surprising development if you’re familiar with Claiborne’s college career. He served as the primary kick returner during his final season at LSU, averaging 25 yards per attempt with one touchdown.

“I just want a chance to know the ball is going to be in my hand, and -- like I said – I’ve done it in college, so I’m pretty comfortable with doing it,” Claiborne said.

Claiborne said he’s bee imploring special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia to let him return kicks for a while, and Bisaccia finally relented during the offseason.

“It’s a big part of the game,” Claiborne said. “You can change the game, change field position, and I feel like I’m capable and able to do that. I’m comfortable with the ball in my hand.”

Claiborne said he doesn’t know yet what kind of plans the coaching staff has for him in the preseason, but it’s something worth keeping an eye on in the coming month.


-- David Helman





 

dallen

Senior Tech
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
8,466
Crawford played in the trenches against 300-350 lb linemen for all 16 games of a 4-12 season where everybody knew we had no hope without Romo despite not being able to bench 225.

I can bench 225.

Think about that.

Maybe some of these other guys are sandbagging, who knows, but I doubt Crawford is. At any rate, I'm sure he'll be back in the next few days.
:bowie
 

mcnuttz

Senior Junior Mod
Staff member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
15,777
Could Simp be picked up as an UDFA or would he have to sign up for the Supplemental Draft?

We need help on the DL in the worst way, but we need someone stout.
 

ravidubey

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
20,204
Sore Back Will Keep Tyrone Crawford Out Of First Camp Practice In Pads
-------
Figures.
In Dallas, sore backs requiring MRI's usually signal imminent retirement. Hope this is nothing, but it underscores the need for guys like Collins and T. McClain to rotate with this guy.
 

jsmith6919

Honored Member - RIP
Joined
Aug 26, 2013
Messages
28,407

:picard
 

Simpleton

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
17,479
Could Simp be picked up as an UDFA or would he have to sign up for the Supplemental Draft?

We need help on the DL in the worst way, but we need someone stout.
I'm only about 6-1, 200, sorry, maybe I can replace Heath or Church but I'm nowhere near fast enough.

225 isn't anything crazy though, I saw a video where Scandrick was putting up probably 235-245 easily and he's about 190. WR's and DB's at the Combine put it up 10-15 times before they're even in an NFL program, I'm just making a point that it's ridiculous to question Crawford's commitment when he played all 16 games going up against 325 lb men despite not being anywhere near 100%.
 

Smitty

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
22,522


:picard

But no need to go after a guy who has had success in this league like Foles.
 
Top Bottom