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Bob Sturm’s camp observations: Secondary ‘pretty loaded’; impressions of Randy Gregory
It’s been said that this camp has a different feel, maybe more positive, than any camp during the Jerry Jones regime? What’s your take?
Bob Sturm: I would say this about this Cowboys camp. There’s definitely a perception that this team is a contender. I don’t know what that is worth, considering what we thought about this team last year at this time. This team, from the top of their roster to the bottom, it looks like they’ve got a lot of good competitions going. It looks like there’s a lot of depth. There have been years that the Cowboys had to get down to 53, but they didn’t have 53 NFL players to select. I don’t think that’ll happen this year. I think the Cowboys will cut guys in the final round of cuts and they’ll get scooped up by other teams.
What’s the positional battle you’ve been keeping an eye on?
Bob Sturm: The one that comes quickly to me is the linebacker battle. We saw this last year, it’s tough to keep three linebackers healthy. Linebacker is kind of the running back of the defense; you don’t need one, you need lots of ‘em. We know (Rolando) McClain will miss September. We know injuries are coming. That’s why I’ve been watching Jasper Brinkley, Kyle Wilber, Damien Wilson. They’ve got a group of about six linebackers that we really have to know and study because they’re probably all going to play a bunch of snaps.
What are your impressions of the secondary thus far?
Bob Sturm: I think the secondary is pretty loaded right now. They’ve got four or five corners they feel really good about. Safety is a little thinner. As a group, they’re far more fortified than they’ve been in other years. Obviously, drafting (Byron) Jones in the first round changes the depth in the entire group. They seem to have a far more populated roster, talent wise, than I’ve seen in a while.
Are the Cowboys doing a good job of balancing the need to be physical in camp with the need to keep everybody healthy?
Bob Sturm: That’s something they attempt to do every single year, with a limited amount of success. You really can’t prepare for an NFL season without contact. That’s what every team in the league right now is trying to develop. I would say overall that Cowboys practices feel like they have an edge to them, a competitiveness to them, but overall, their physicality seems about right for first week in August. You really gotta pace yourself this time of year.
Heard a report that Randy Gregory is at about 240 pounds? Is there a concern that he’s too light?
Bob Sturm: Randy Gregory’s weight question is one of the great mysteries in camp. I’ve seen him listed at 255. I’ve seen him say that he weighs around 250. Looking at him right now, he looks bigger than he did at the combine, bigger than he did at Nebraska. But I’ll tell you this. In his uniform and standing next to his colleagues, he looks the part of a very athletic edge rusher. Wearing that 94 jersey, he certainly wears it well and looks in some ways like DeMarcus Ware.
It’s been said that this camp has a different feel, maybe more positive, than any camp during the Jerry Jones regime? What’s your take?
Bob Sturm: I would say this about this Cowboys camp. There’s definitely a perception that this team is a contender. I don’t know what that is worth, considering what we thought about this team last year at this time. This team, from the top of their roster to the bottom, it looks like they’ve got a lot of good competitions going. It looks like there’s a lot of depth. There have been years that the Cowboys had to get down to 53, but they didn’t have 53 NFL players to select. I don’t think that’ll happen this year. I think the Cowboys will cut guys in the final round of cuts and they’ll get scooped up by other teams.
What’s the positional battle you’ve been keeping an eye on?
Bob Sturm: The one that comes quickly to me is the linebacker battle. We saw this last year, it’s tough to keep three linebackers healthy. Linebacker is kind of the running back of the defense; you don’t need one, you need lots of ‘em. We know (Rolando) McClain will miss September. We know injuries are coming. That’s why I’ve been watching Jasper Brinkley, Kyle Wilber, Damien Wilson. They’ve got a group of about six linebackers that we really have to know and study because they’re probably all going to play a bunch of snaps.
What are your impressions of the secondary thus far?
Bob Sturm: I think the secondary is pretty loaded right now. They’ve got four or five corners they feel really good about. Safety is a little thinner. As a group, they’re far more fortified than they’ve been in other years. Obviously, drafting (Byron) Jones in the first round changes the depth in the entire group. They seem to have a far more populated roster, talent wise, than I’ve seen in a while.
Are the Cowboys doing a good job of balancing the need to be physical in camp with the need to keep everybody healthy?
Bob Sturm: That’s something they attempt to do every single year, with a limited amount of success. You really can’t prepare for an NFL season without contact. That’s what every team in the league right now is trying to develop. I would say overall that Cowboys practices feel like they have an edge to them, a competitiveness to them, but overall, their physicality seems about right for first week in August. You really gotta pace yourself this time of year.
Heard a report that Randy Gregory is at about 240 pounds? Is there a concern that he’s too light?
Bob Sturm: Randy Gregory’s weight question is one of the great mysteries in camp. I’ve seen him listed at 255. I’ve seen him say that he weighs around 250. Looking at him right now, he looks bigger than he did at the combine, bigger than he did at Nebraska. But I’ll tell you this. In his uniform and standing next to his colleagues, he looks the part of a very athletic edge rusher. Wearing that 94 jersey, he certainly wears it well and looks in some ways like DeMarcus Ware.