Simpleton
DCC 4Life
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Or the guy we inevitably pick up at some point during the season once McFadden is injured, Dunbar disappoints or both.
Training Camp Thread...
- Thread starter Cotton
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That's my stance as well.
For years I wished they'd just address the lines. Now that they have, we don't need superstars. We just need a RB who can follow his blocks.
Would it have been nice to get Adrian Peterson? Hell yeah, and I kind of feel that Jerry was sure he was gonna get him.
But this team can win with a RB committee, as they've built a strong foundation on the OL and have the complimentary pieces at QB, TE, and WR.
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Scout’s Notebook: Assessing The Position Movement At LB, OT And DE
Thursday, July 30, 2015 8:36 PM CDT
By Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
@BryanBroaddus
OXNARD, Calif. – Thursday’s practice hardly qualified as a heavy workload. The pads don’t go on until Saturday for the Cowboys, as coach Jason Garrett wants to let his players acclimate before gearing up.
Despite that, we’ve still had two chances to watch this team get situated – at a morning walkthrough and a light afternoon practice.
Here are some notes from my early impressions of the work:
•Thought it was interesting to see Anthony Hitchens line up at middle linebacker, with Kyle Wilber at the strong side in the morning practice -- but not surprising. Through the majority of OTAs and minicamps it was Jasper Brinkley filling in for Rolando McClain inside and Hitchens on the outside. But just listening to the coaches talk about Hitchens, the feeling was that he was always better suited to play either at Mike or Will due to his lack of length. The one thing that we all understand about Hitchens is that when he is asked to play, regardless of the position, he is super productive. You also might get the feeling that the coaches would like to see what they have in Damien Wilson, who ran with the second defense at strong side today.
•We need to figure out the practice plans for guys like Doug Free and Morris Claiborne, but it was good to see them both back on the field after working through some injuries that cut their seasons short just a year ago. Free was back at his normal right tackle spot and appeared to have no limitations in his movements. What I also noticed was that Darrion Weems, who lined up at right tackle for the entirety of OTAs and minicamps practices in place of Free, played left tackle next to La'el Collins -- which created a nice combination of power and athletic ability to that side. On the opposite side, rookie Laurence Gibson was paired with John Wetzel, who in my opinion just doesn’t look natural or comfortable at guard. Knowing the toughness of Free, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he fights the medical staff and jumps right back into full practices.
•We might see this change from practice to practice, but keep an eye on where Jack Crawford lines up. I know post-draft, Rod Marinelli was very high on the fact that Crawford could play all of the positions along the defensive line. In the morning practice, Crawford lined up at the under-tackle or three-technique with the second defense. Just watching him play lining up at tackle might be his best position where he can use his quickness shooting the gap. There was a snap where he was on the outside shoulder of Laurence Gibson and he beat him so fast that he had little time to react. With this coaching staff looking for a backup to Tyrone Crawford now with Jeremy Mincey holding out, this could be a solid fit.
Thursday, July 30, 2015 8:36 PM CDT
By Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
@BryanBroaddus
OXNARD, Calif. – Thursday’s practice hardly qualified as a heavy workload. The pads don’t go on until Saturday for the Cowboys, as coach Jason Garrett wants to let his players acclimate before gearing up.
Despite that, we’ve still had two chances to watch this team get situated – at a morning walkthrough and a light afternoon practice.
Here are some notes from my early impressions of the work:
•Thought it was interesting to see Anthony Hitchens line up at middle linebacker, with Kyle Wilber at the strong side in the morning practice -- but not surprising. Through the majority of OTAs and minicamps it was Jasper Brinkley filling in for Rolando McClain inside and Hitchens on the outside. But just listening to the coaches talk about Hitchens, the feeling was that he was always better suited to play either at Mike or Will due to his lack of length. The one thing that we all understand about Hitchens is that when he is asked to play, regardless of the position, he is super productive. You also might get the feeling that the coaches would like to see what they have in Damien Wilson, who ran with the second defense at strong side today.
•We need to figure out the practice plans for guys like Doug Free and Morris Claiborne, but it was good to see them both back on the field after working through some injuries that cut their seasons short just a year ago. Free was back at his normal right tackle spot and appeared to have no limitations in his movements. What I also noticed was that Darrion Weems, who lined up at right tackle for the entirety of OTAs and minicamps practices in place of Free, played left tackle next to La'el Collins -- which created a nice combination of power and athletic ability to that side. On the opposite side, rookie Laurence Gibson was paired with John Wetzel, who in my opinion just doesn’t look natural or comfortable at guard. Knowing the toughness of Free, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he fights the medical staff and jumps right back into full practices.
•We might see this change from practice to practice, but keep an eye on where Jack Crawford lines up. I know post-draft, Rod Marinelli was very high on the fact that Crawford could play all of the positions along the defensive line. In the morning practice, Crawford lined up at the under-tackle or three-technique with the second defense. Just watching him play lining up at tackle might be his best position where he can use his quickness shooting the gap. There was a snap where he was on the outside shoulder of Laurence Gibson and he beat him so fast that he had little time to react. With this coaching staff looking for a backup to Tyrone Crawford now with Jeremy Mincey holding out, this could be a solid fit.
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If you haven't listened to the Dez PC from yesterday, check it out.
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2015/07/30/dez-new-contract-adds-no-pressure-still-not-worried-about-critics
Didn't think it was possible to admire the guy any more.
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2015/07/30/dez-new-contract-adds-no-pressure-still-not-worried-about-critics
Didn't think it was possible to admire the guy any more.
p1_
DCC 4Life
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We didn't draft Jack Crawford. Is the writer thinking Tyrone, but saying Jack?
Last edited:
Chocolate Lab
Mere Commoner
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Unfortunately, everything is setting up for us to not run the ball the way we were able to last year and go back to Tony slinging it around 50 times a game.
Jiggyfly
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Just because the running game is not as effective as last year does not mean we have to sling it 50 times a game, there is some middle ground.
Chocolate Lab
Mere Commoner
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Well I wasn't being completely literal there with the 50 number. But I think you knew what I meant -- Tony having to do way too much and the defense being on the field too long.
Jiggyfly
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Even so this team can still be balanced without having a top 5 running game. throwing a little more would not be a terrible thing we have the weapons to do it effectivley.
Unless we lose 2 starters on the 0-line this offense will still be top 5 in scoring IMO.
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The key part to last year's success was taking the weight of the game off of Romo's shoulders.
In years past Witten was the go-to guy in short yardage and last year they relied on the run game in more of those situations.
Save Romo's juice for when it's needed in the clutch. When he's been slinging the ball all game it's not fair to expect him to come through in the 4th qtr for the win.
Keeping his arm and mind fresh for the 4th quarter, I believe, is what enabled him to have the best year of his career in 2014.
Their dedication to the run, even when it's not getting much, is going to be the key again this year. It's refreshing to hear Linehan preaching about that dedication.
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Mailbag: Why Stand Pat At Running Back? Can Mo Claiborne Win A Starting Job?
Friday, July 31, 2015 11:36 AM CDT
Dwayne H.
Greensboro, NC
Could there be an underlying battle at corner for the entire season betweenBrandon Carr and Morris Claiborne? There were rumors of cutting Carr for different reasons in the offseason and the fifth-year option wasn't picked up on Claiborne. What happens if Claiborne finally stays healthy and plays to his potential this year?
Bryan: Then this front office is going to have to make a decision whether to attempt to re-sign him. There is a side of me that believes if he plays well that he might look elsewhere for a fresh start. He might feel that it’s time to move on after the beating that he has taken from the fans.
David: Claiborne’s health can only be a good thing for this secondary, as it gives them additional depth and talent in a unit that has needed it in recent seasons. Does that mean he’d unseat Carr? I doubt it. If anything, the Cowboys will use Orlando Scandrick in the slot often, which would open the door for Claiborne to get some work on the outside. The real question, in my opinion, is whether Claiborne can fend off Byron Jones and Corey White?
Randy Seedle
Wake Village, TX
Now that Ryan Williams has been released and Darren McFadden is on PUP, how much longer before we start to see the Cowboys bringing in running backs for workouts? Are the price tags for Chris Johnson and Ray Rice just too high, would the Cowboys rather have someone younger, or do they just really want to see what Joseph Randle has? Personally I hope he can be the man, but I question the "depth" at the position. What do you guys think?
Bryan: I have said this since day one – if they make a move it's going to be on a trade. They are in a position with their own selections and potential high compensatory picks to make a deal that can handle how they need to address the position.
David: They’re not going to look around until they’re more convinced that McFadden can’t stay healthy. The company line right now is that McFadden will be back in a week or so, and if that’s true, then this shouldn’t be an issue. If his injury problems persist into the preseason, then I’d expect you’ll see some movement. But that’s still a week or two away.
Friday, July 31, 2015 11:36 AM CDT
Dwayne H.
Greensboro, NC
Could there be an underlying battle at corner for the entire season betweenBrandon Carr and Morris Claiborne? There were rumors of cutting Carr for different reasons in the offseason and the fifth-year option wasn't picked up on Claiborne. What happens if Claiborne finally stays healthy and plays to his potential this year?
Bryan: Then this front office is going to have to make a decision whether to attempt to re-sign him. There is a side of me that believes if he plays well that he might look elsewhere for a fresh start. He might feel that it’s time to move on after the beating that he has taken from the fans.
David: Claiborne’s health can only be a good thing for this secondary, as it gives them additional depth and talent in a unit that has needed it in recent seasons. Does that mean he’d unseat Carr? I doubt it. If anything, the Cowboys will use Orlando Scandrick in the slot often, which would open the door for Claiborne to get some work on the outside. The real question, in my opinion, is whether Claiborne can fend off Byron Jones and Corey White?
Wake Village, TX
Now that Ryan Williams has been released and Darren McFadden is on PUP, how much longer before we start to see the Cowboys bringing in running backs for workouts? Are the price tags for Chris Johnson and Ray Rice just too high, would the Cowboys rather have someone younger, or do they just really want to see what Joseph Randle has? Personally I hope he can be the man, but I question the "depth" at the position. What do you guys think?
Bryan: I have said this since day one – if they make a move it's going to be on a trade. They are in a position with their own selections and potential high compensatory picks to make a deal that can handle how they need to address the position.
David: They’re not going to look around until they’re more convinced that McFadden can’t stay healthy. The company line right now is that McFadden will be back in a week or so, and if that’s true, then this shouldn’t be an issue. If his injury problems persist into the preseason, then I’d expect you’ll see some movement. But that’s still a week or two away.
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Greg Hardy suffers minor rib strain
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy suffered a minor rib strain early on the first day of practice Thursday, according to sources, but finished the session.
The Cowboys could limit Hardy's work to make sure the injury doesn't worsen. Because of their stated goal to make it through camp without serious injuries, the Cowboys will be conservative with how much they allow injured players to work. To start camp, running back Darren McFadden was placed on the physically unable to perform list with a hamstring strain that would not keep him off the field in the regular season. McFadden went through resistance training during practice, and the team hopes he will be on the field in a week.
"To be honest with you, with Greg right from the start, he was actually going too hard," coach Jason Garrett said. "He was going too hard in the weight room and too hard on the field early on in the offseason. So he's a guy that is really committed to being the best that he can be. And I think he wants to be a part of something special. And I think he wants to come to work every day and show his teammates what he's all about in terms of his work ethic and what he can bring to our football team. I think he's shown us that right from the start, and he's someone that we really believe in that can be a real contributing factor for our football team."
Hardy has yet to decide whether to seek a further reduction of his suspension through the courts. Earlier this month, Hardy's suspension for multiple violations of the league's personal conduct policy was reduced from 10 games to four. Hardy was involved in a domestic violence incident with a former girlfriend in spring 2014, but the legal case was eventually dismissed.
Until all of Hardy's legal options have been exhausted, the team will not make him available to the media.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the team has not had any conversations with Hardy about its preference as to whether he should accept the penalty or seek a smaller one.
"Everybody out here wants every player out here to spend as much time on the field as he possibly can in the right sort of way," Jones said Wednesday. "And so automatically you just say, 'Anything that gets a player more of a chance to play, well, that's what we're in the business of doing. Getting them out there to play.' As we know, there are a lot of other extenuating circumstances. He's a player we're proud to have. We're glad it has evolved to a point where we're going to have him on the field this year and have him on the field right off the bat [in training camp and preseason] to help build this team immediately."
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy suffered a minor rib strain early on the first day of practice Thursday, according to sources, but finished the session.
The Cowboys could limit Hardy's work to make sure the injury doesn't worsen. Because of their stated goal to make it through camp without serious injuries, the Cowboys will be conservative with how much they allow injured players to work. To start camp, running back Darren McFadden was placed on the physically unable to perform list with a hamstring strain that would not keep him off the field in the regular season. McFadden went through resistance training during practice, and the team hopes he will be on the field in a week.
"To be honest with you, with Greg right from the start, he was actually going too hard," coach Jason Garrett said. "He was going too hard in the weight room and too hard on the field early on in the offseason. So he's a guy that is really committed to being the best that he can be. And I think he wants to be a part of something special. And I think he wants to come to work every day and show his teammates what he's all about in terms of his work ethic and what he can bring to our football team. I think he's shown us that right from the start, and he's someone that we really believe in that can be a real contributing factor for our football team."
Hardy has yet to decide whether to seek a further reduction of his suspension through the courts. Earlier this month, Hardy's suspension for multiple violations of the league's personal conduct policy was reduced from 10 games to four. Hardy was involved in a domestic violence incident with a former girlfriend in spring 2014, but the legal case was eventually dismissed.
Until all of Hardy's legal options have been exhausted, the team will not make him available to the media.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the team has not had any conversations with Hardy about its preference as to whether he should accept the penalty or seek a smaller one.
"Everybody out here wants every player out here to spend as much time on the field as he possibly can in the right sort of way," Jones said Wednesday. "And so automatically you just say, 'Anything that gets a player more of a chance to play, well, that's what we're in the business of doing. Getting them out there to play.' As we know, there are a lot of other extenuating circumstances. He's a player we're proud to have. We're glad it has evolved to a point where we're going to have him on the field this year and have him on the field right off the bat [in training camp and preseason] to help build this team immediately."
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A more comfortable Rolando McClain planning for big year
BY CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
chill@star-telegram.com
Middle linebacker Rolando McClain is starting training camp on the physically unable to perform list because of offseason knee surgery.
It’s a setback considering that he is already going to miss the first four games of the 2015 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
But what’s also true is that McClain is beginning his second year with the Cowboys more comfortable than ever and focused on having a big year.
“It’s life. I ain’t perfect,” McClain said of failing a drug test and being suspended by the NFL. “Nobody else is. I am working on perfecting my flaws and getting back and being healthy and doing my best to put it behind me. When I do I come back, I will try to improve the defense and build on the success they are having.”
Executive vice president Stephen Jones and coach Jason Garrett both said McClain apologized to the team and expressed remorse for the suspension.
“He felt like he let his teammates down,” Jones said. “Obviously he’s hated that he let his teammates down. We were aware of what was going on there when we signed him. At the same time, we felt like if we can get Ro healthy and back out on the field, he’s a difference-maker and worth working through these issues with him.”
That the Cowboys embraced him and his issues is what has McClain feeling good about being even better in his second year back in the league after sitting out the 2013 season.
Being welcomed back by the entire organization meant a lot to the former 2010 first-round pick, who was labeled as a bust during a disappointing first four years in Oakland. It has him as excited about football since his days in college at Alabama.
“The best thing about it was the warm welcome I got _ not only from Mr. Jones and the coaching staff but all of my teammates,” McClain said. “I didn’t know what the expectations were for me last year. But now that I see the ability that I have and not only that but the love and the passion I have for the game. Honestly it feels like I’m back in college. It feels about right.”
Regarding the knee injury and being on the PUP list, McClain said it’s a just a matter of the Cowboys trying to make sure he’s fully healthy and ready to go for the long haul.
He played through the injury all of last season and they don’t want any setbacks.
“We’re not putting a target (date) on it,” McClain said. “So the most important thing is being comfortable and not just me being comfortable but them comfortable with where my knee is and the plan to make sure that it’s at a great percentage for the whole year, not just training camp or a specific game.
So the best thing is taking it day by day, making sure we don’t have any setbacks and having a good day and keep stacking good days on top of each other.”
The biggest obstacle for McClain will be handling the four-game suspension once the season starts. Training won’t be a problem. Staying mentally engaged will be a challenge.
“To miss a game and four games, it’s going to be tough,” McClain said. “I’m going to do my best to keep my mind in it. I know I will be working hard to stay ready for it. The toughest thing will be to keep my mind right during.”
When he does return, McClain said he will be raring to go and ready to build on a 2014 season when he finished with a career-high 108 tackles.
“I always think highly of myself,” McClain said. “Don’t matter what you guys or anybody else expected of me. I have my own expectations for myself. At the end of the day, whatever the outcome is, as long as you can look yourself in the mirror and say ‘hey, I gave 100 percent,’ I can live with that. That’s what I want to do. Get my knee healthy. Keep my mind right throughout the suspension and throughout training camp and be able to go out and play good football for my teammates.”
He’s especially excited about the prospect of playing next to weakside linebacker Sean Lee, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. They are arguably the most talented linebacker tandem the team has had in years.
“I think about it all of the time. All of the time,” a smiling McClain said of playing with Lee. “Y’all will have to wait and see, but it will be fun.”
chill@star-telegram.com
It’s a setback considering that he is already going to miss the first four games of the 2015 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
But what’s also true is that McClain is beginning his second year with the Cowboys more comfortable than ever and focused on having a big year.
“It’s life. I ain’t perfect,” McClain said of failing a drug test and being suspended by the NFL. “Nobody else is. I am working on perfecting my flaws and getting back and being healthy and doing my best to put it behind me. When I do I come back, I will try to improve the defense and build on the success they are having.”
Executive vice president Stephen Jones and coach Jason Garrett both said McClain apologized to the team and expressed remorse for the suspension.
“He felt like he let his teammates down,” Jones said. “Obviously he’s hated that he let his teammates down. We were aware of what was going on there when we signed him. At the same time, we felt like if we can get Ro healthy and back out on the field, he’s a difference-maker and worth working through these issues with him.”
That the Cowboys embraced him and his issues is what has McClain feeling good about being even better in his second year back in the league after sitting out the 2013 season.
Being welcomed back by the entire organization meant a lot to the former 2010 first-round pick, who was labeled as a bust during a disappointing first four years in Oakland. It has him as excited about football since his days in college at Alabama.
“The best thing about it was the warm welcome I got _ not only from Mr. Jones and the coaching staff but all of my teammates,” McClain said. “I didn’t know what the expectations were for me last year. But now that I see the ability that I have and not only that but the love and the passion I have for the game. Honestly it feels like I’m back in college. It feels about right.”
Regarding the knee injury and being on the PUP list, McClain said it’s a just a matter of the Cowboys trying to make sure he’s fully healthy and ready to go for the long haul.
He played through the injury all of last season and they don’t want any setbacks.
“We’re not putting a target (date) on it,” McClain said. “So the most important thing is being comfortable and not just me being comfortable but them comfortable with where my knee is and the plan to make sure that it’s at a great percentage for the whole year, not just training camp or a specific game.
So the best thing is taking it day by day, making sure we don’t have any setbacks and having a good day and keep stacking good days on top of each other.”
The biggest obstacle for McClain will be handling the four-game suspension once the season starts. Training won’t be a problem. Staying mentally engaged will be a challenge.
“To miss a game and four games, it’s going to be tough,” McClain said. “I’m going to do my best to keep my mind in it. I know I will be working hard to stay ready for it. The toughest thing will be to keep my mind right during.”
When he does return, McClain said he will be raring to go and ready to build on a 2014 season when he finished with a career-high 108 tackles.
“I always think highly of myself,” McClain said. “Don’t matter what you guys or anybody else expected of me. I have my own expectations for myself. At the end of the day, whatever the outcome is, as long as you can look yourself in the mirror and say ‘hey, I gave 100 percent,’ I can live with that. That’s what I want to do. Get my knee healthy. Keep my mind right throughout the suspension and throughout training camp and be able to go out and play good football for my teammates.”
He’s especially excited about the prospect of playing next to weakside linebacker Sean Lee, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. They are arguably the most talented linebacker tandem the team has had in years.
“I think about it all of the time. All of the time,” a smiling McClain said of playing with Lee. “Y’all will have to wait and see, but it will be fun.”
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Travis Frederick on replacing DeMarco Murray, if he could play RB, and which Cowboys lineman he’d take in a street fight
On how hard it is to move on from the Green Bay loss:
“I think it’s pretty easy because of the way that the season is segmented out. After the season is over, you kind of get a little bit of time to look over it, and whatnot. But then you have so much time away from the game that you really kind of just go and forget football in general, get some relaxation in and get your body back into shape. That’s a good time to build strength. Then you come back to minii camp and OTAs and kind of touch on it. But it’s also a fresh start there. And then you have a little more time. It really seems like forever ago that anything happened. At this point, you’re just so excited about the pieces that we have in place and what we’re doing now. There’s no sense in looking back.”
On how much downtime a player has after a season is over:
“It really varies by person. Nobody does the same thing. Oftentimes the older guys will take a little bit more time. It really is when your body is ready. I took two or three weeks in there where I wasn’t doing anything. No running, no lifting. Some guys only do a week, some guys don’t do any, some guys do a full month or six weeks. It really just depends. Luckily for me, I was able to participate in the Pro Bowl. That was a little bit later in two. So you might take a week before the Pro Bowl and a week after. Those are your two weeks. It just kind of depends on what the situation is.”
On replacing DeMarco Murray:
“It seems pretty easy to me, the way we are looking at it and what we’re going to do. Not necessarily in replacing DeMarco, but just moving forward in what we have. We have such a great group of guys especially in the running game, if we’re talking running game in the perimeter, with what we’re doing in the passing game and running game that make it work for people. The talent that I’ve seen out of the guys that are playing with us right now; it’s been really exciting seeing Darren [McFadden] doing what he’s done in a limited sense. And Joseph [Randle] is a guy where you see those flashes. You can see what he really can do. I’m excited to see him get those touches. Lance Dunbar is a guy who’s real exciting. When he gets the ball in his hands, you never really know what’s going to happen. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens. It’s going to flush out here in camp and it’s going to be fun.”
On if he could play running back:
“I think it’d be tough for me to fill that role. Speed is not one of my best attributes. I would think [I'd be hard to tackle], but, then again, I’m not sure that I want to get tackled by some of the Sean Lee’s or Bruce Carter’s. Those linebackers are pretty serious.”
On if he gets uncomfortable when people praise the line:
“I’d say that’s an uncomfortable thing for us because that’s not how we want to do things. That’s not who we want to be. We’re not looking for any sort of recognition. We just come out here and try to do what we do. We talk about our standard, what we want to do, how we want to get it done. What we do is come and work. It’s fun to see a guy like Tyron Smith. He’s arguably one of the best at his position in the game and he still works as hard as he’s ever worked. I didn’t get to see him during his rookie year. But when I came around, it’s always the same. It’s always been constant. And that’s the same across the board. It’s really fun to be a part of a group that wants to get better, that wants to lean on each other and use each others experience or attributes to get better as a group.”
On who the strongest offensive lineman is:
“We’ve got a couple pretty strong guys. I’d say Tyron is that guy. He’s kind of a monster. If you’ve ever seen him in person, he’s a large man. I’d say he probably takes the cake on that one.”
On who he’d take in a street fight:
“I think I’m going to have to take Ron on that one. Ron Leary. He’s got kind of a killer instinct. We talk about how offensive line is a group position. Not only do we all have our positions, but everybody kind of has a role. Ron’s kind of that guy who takes care of everybody. He’s the enforcer, if you will.”
On how hard it is to move on from the Green Bay loss:
“I think it’s pretty easy because of the way that the season is segmented out. After the season is over, you kind of get a little bit of time to look over it, and whatnot. But then you have so much time away from the game that you really kind of just go and forget football in general, get some relaxation in and get your body back into shape. That’s a good time to build strength. Then you come back to minii camp and OTAs and kind of touch on it. But it’s also a fresh start there. And then you have a little more time. It really seems like forever ago that anything happened. At this point, you’re just so excited about the pieces that we have in place and what we’re doing now. There’s no sense in looking back.”
On how much downtime a player has after a season is over:
“It really varies by person. Nobody does the same thing. Oftentimes the older guys will take a little bit more time. It really is when your body is ready. I took two or three weeks in there where I wasn’t doing anything. No running, no lifting. Some guys only do a week, some guys don’t do any, some guys do a full month or six weeks. It really just depends. Luckily for me, I was able to participate in the Pro Bowl. That was a little bit later in two. So you might take a week before the Pro Bowl and a week after. Those are your two weeks. It just kind of depends on what the situation is.”
On replacing DeMarco Murray:
“It seems pretty easy to me, the way we are looking at it and what we’re going to do. Not necessarily in replacing DeMarco, but just moving forward in what we have. We have such a great group of guys especially in the running game, if we’re talking running game in the perimeter, with what we’re doing in the passing game and running game that make it work for people. The talent that I’ve seen out of the guys that are playing with us right now; it’s been really exciting seeing Darren [McFadden] doing what he’s done in a limited sense. And Joseph [Randle] is a guy where you see those flashes. You can see what he really can do. I’m excited to see him get those touches. Lance Dunbar is a guy who’s real exciting. When he gets the ball in his hands, you never really know what’s going to happen. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens. It’s going to flush out here in camp and it’s going to be fun.”
On if he could play running back:
“I think it’d be tough for me to fill that role. Speed is not one of my best attributes. I would think [I'd be hard to tackle], but, then again, I’m not sure that I want to get tackled by some of the Sean Lee’s or Bruce Carter’s. Those linebackers are pretty serious.”
On if he gets uncomfortable when people praise the line:
“I’d say that’s an uncomfortable thing for us because that’s not how we want to do things. That’s not who we want to be. We’re not looking for any sort of recognition. We just come out here and try to do what we do. We talk about our standard, what we want to do, how we want to get it done. What we do is come and work. It’s fun to see a guy like Tyron Smith. He’s arguably one of the best at his position in the game and he still works as hard as he’s ever worked. I didn’t get to see him during his rookie year. But when I came around, it’s always the same. It’s always been constant. And that’s the same across the board. It’s really fun to be a part of a group that wants to get better, that wants to lean on each other and use each others experience or attributes to get better as a group.”
On who the strongest offensive lineman is:
“We’ve got a couple pretty strong guys. I’d say Tyron is that guy. He’s kind of a monster. If you’ve ever seen him in person, he’s a large man. I’d say he probably takes the cake on that one.”
On who he’d take in a street fight:
“I think I’m going to have to take Ron on that one. Ron Leary. He’s got kind of a killer instinct. We talk about how offensive line is a group position. Not only do we all have our positions, but everybody kind of has a role. Ron’s kind of that guy who takes care of everybody. He’s the enforcer, if you will.”
D
Deuce
Guest
Interesting. That attitude is one thing he'll have going for him in a position fight with Collins.
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Yeah, I thought it was interesting as well. That's exactly what you need at guard. Someone that plays pissed off. That's partly what made Larry Allen so tough.
