Training Camp/OTA's Chatter Thread...

[Cotton]

Morris Claiborne lands hard on his right shoulder

Posted Wednesday, Aug. 13, 20140 comments

BY CHAREAN WILLIAMS
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com

OXNARD, Calif. — Cornerback Morris Claiborne has had both bad luck and bad health since the Cowboys made him the sixth overall pick in 2012. He has had hamstring, shoulder and knee injuries as well as a concussion, missing seven regular-season games in his first two seasons.

Claiborne has yet to make it through a training camp unscathed.

He had just returned to practice this week when Claiborne landed hard on his right shoulder Wednesday.

"I just landed on it," said Claiborne, who had been out with tendinitis in his knee since July 30. "It was kind of an awkward land."

Claiborne and Raiders receiver Andre Holmes got tangled on a ball thrown by Matt Schaub. To add insult to the injury, Claiborne drew a flag as he hit the ground hard.

"I felt like he took me down, but I’m going to leave that for somebody else," he said. "I just landed on it wrong."

Claiborne had offseason surgery on his left shoulder after injuring it in the 2013 season opener. He said he does not fear missing any more time, even though he sat out the rest of Wednesday’s team drills.

"It’s not like it came out or anything," Claiborne said. "It was just one of those freaky lands. It’s good."

 

[L.T. Fan]

Whatever. Will believe it when I see it on the field.

So now you are gonna wait and see.

 

[boozeman]

So now you are gonna wait and see.

I used to give you shit for this, but dammit. It gets more relevant each passing year.

 

[boozeman]

Wed. Recap: Injury Issues Return In Physical Practice

Posted 34 minutes ago



Nick Eatman

DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer



OXNARD, Calif. – The second day of practices with the Raiders was another day of physical altercations between the two teams.

There weren’t as many fistfights but a few scrums in the team periods. But unlike Tuesday’s practice, it wasn’t the theme of the day for the Cowboys, who unfortunately had a few injured players that had to leave the field.

Cornerback Morris Claiborne injured his shoulder and might have been able to return, but was held out for the remainder of practice.

Tackle Jermey Parnell limped off with a knee injury while safety Jeff Heath also left practice with an ankle injury. Tim Benford had a hard fall in the end zone and slowly walked off the field with a hip injury.

Terrance Williams also had a similar fall where his head hit the ground, forcing his helmet to come off. He was immediately tended to by the training staff. Williams was eventually cleared to return to the offense during the two-minute drill.

Safety J.J. Wilcox had a lower leg injury that had him limping off the field at one point, but he said after practice it didn’t seem too serious. Wilcox was the only projected starter in the secondary who played last week in San Diego.



Quick Hits:
•With Sterling Moore held out of 1-on-1 drills with a groin injury, along with Korey Lindsey getting banged up, the Cowboys had just four players rotating in the 1-on-1 drills against the Raiders. Orlando Scandrick, Terrance Mitchell, B.W. Webb and Claiborne, before he banged up his shoulder.

•The Cowboys are bringing in a pair of players to camp Wednesday night. Both are coming from the New England area as former Patriots. The club traded for cornerback Justin Green on Tuesday, sending Ben Bass to New England. On Wednesday the Cowboys also brought in tight end Asa Waston, who was cut by the Pats on Aug. 11.

•Former Raiders assistant Tony Sparano, who is currently Oakland’s assistant head coach/offensive line coach, had a lengthy pre-practice visit with Jason Witten before Wednesday’s practice. Sparano was Witten’s first tight ends coach back in 2003. Since then, Sparano has held various jobs, including head coach of the Dolphins from 2008-11.


Notable Standouts:

•Justin Durant – The starting middle linebacker was active in team drills, meeting Raiders’ runners in the hole on consecutive plays. Durant smashed Darren McFadden twice in the middle of the field, halting a Raiders’ run in the team drills. In an earlier drill, Durant’s tipped pass over the middle led to an interception by rookie safety Ryan Smith.

•Rolando McClain – The former Raiders linebacker probably had his best practice of camp as well. Playing mostly with No. 2 defense in the middle, McClain showed more than just awareness in the middle. He was powerful at the point of attack with ball-carriers and pushed the pocket well on blitzes. It seemed like one of those “light bulb-coming-on” type of days for him.

•Terrance Mitchell – Despite the chants of “30 sucks” from the large group of Raiders fans on field No. 2, Terrance Mitchell showed a lot of compete Wednesday. In the 1-on-1 drills, where only four cornerbacks were rotating, Mitchell more than held his own against the Raiders receivers. He was breaking passes, both long and short. He even came down with an impressive interception on a deep ball intended for Andre Holmes. Mitchell enticed the crowd by dancing through their constant jeers, which only ignited the Raider Nation even more. All in all, Mitchell continues to improve with each rep he gets.



Play of the Day:

It was more of a sequence of plays as the Cowboys marched the ball down the field on the Raiders in the 2-minute offense. Tony Romo methodically led the offense down the field with short passes to DeMarco Murray, followed by a strike to both Jason Witten and Dez Bryant to get the ball around the 20. Romo then fired a pass to Witten over the middle on a play that appeared to be a touchdown. The officials marked the ball at the 1 but the Cowboys hurried to the line of scrimmage and Romo fired a perfect back-shoulder throw to Bryant, who hauled in the score, prompting an intense celebration from the offense and the expected “X” thrown by the emotional receiver.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I used to give you shit for this, but dammit. It gets more relevant each passing year.

You are growing up. It happens.

 

[Cotton]

You are growing up. It happens.

Or the team has gotten so bad, we have no other choice.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Or the team has gotten so bad, we have no other choice.

Bingo. Its been that way for sometime now.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

Or the team has gotten so bad, we have no other choice.

This is the first year in a while where coming into the season I just think they might be really bad. The past few years I at least had confidence that they'd be mediocre. Don't see it in the cards this year. A step backwards is more likely than a step forward this season, IMO. I'm just having a hard time picturing this D stopping anyone.

 

[Cotton]

This is the first year in a while where coming into the season I just think they might be really bad. The past few years I at least had confidence that they'd be mediocre. Don't see it in the cards this year. A step backwards is more likely than a step forward this season, IMO. I'm just having a hard time picturing this D stopping anyone.

I think this will be a year where I get to enjoy the games for once. I have zero expectations, and not even the slightest optimism. Years past I have at least had a little. This year I have zero. It's gonna be a fun ride.

 

[jsmith6919]

I think this will be a year where I get to enjoy the games for once. I have zero expectations, and not even the slightest optimism. Years past I have at least had a little. This year I have zero. It's gonna be a fun ride.

So you're saying it's back to the Campo years huh?

 

[Cotton]

So you're saying it's back to the Campo years huh?

Feels like it.

 

[p1_]

I think this will be a year where I get to enjoy the games for once. I have zero expectations, and not even the slightest optimism. Years past I have at least had a little. This year I have zero. It's gonna be a fun ride.

You say that now, but can you sustain that neutral Switzerland no expectation approach should there be a chance to win the division as we swirl once again toward 8-8? This will be somewhat interesting to see, I agree.

 

[Smitty]

Gotta hand it to Iamtdg on Zack Martin. He was really behind that pick a lot more than others, where I felt that the pick was more like a single or a double than a home run... It's looking like it might be the latter.

Seems from reports that he may be a multiple year pro bowler and all pro, based on how he's practicing. I certainly didn't see that coming this quick. And I did not hate the pick at all.

 

[Smitty]

Like his potential. IR him.

 

[boozeman]

Tony Romo taking Thursday off, set to play Saturday

Posted Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014

By Clarence E. Hill Jr.

chill@star-telegram.com

OXNARD, Calif. — Quarterback Tony Romo is being held out of practice Thursday as the Dallas Cowboys continue their training camp regimen of giving him a day off after every two days of work.

The off day has no bearing on Romo’s status for Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Romo is still expected to see action in the game for the first time since undergoing back surgery last December.

Romo got a good dose of scrimmage work in practices against the Oakland Raiders Tuesday and Wednesday.

Coach Jason Garrett said Romo continued to progress in his rehab and responded well to the rest he got last week, including sitting out the preseason opener against the San Diego Chargers.

Garrett said the communication with Romo and the trainers has been good and they decided to stick with the two days on, one day off plan.

“I think it’s the feedback and communication from him,” Garrett said. “We gave him some time off last week coming out of that practice leading into our San Diego game, and he responded really well over the weekend. He’s had a lot of good work here over the last four or five days.

“We’re kind of sticking to that plan a little bit. Today is going to be a very light practice. It’s going to happen fast. We won’t be in pads. We won’t be doing one-on-ones or a lot of the competitive stuff. It’s a carded practice for Baltimore, so we feel like this is a good day for him to kind of get away from it after a good couple of days.”

 

[Cotton]

Gotta hand it to Iamtdg on Zack Martin. He was really behind that pick a lot more than others, where I felt that the pick was more like a single or a double than a home run... It's looking like it might be the latter.

Seems from reports that he may be a multiple year pro bowler and all pro, based on how he's practicing. I certainly didn't see that coming this quick. And I did not hate the pick at all.

I think he, Smith and Frederick have our line anchored for a long long time.

 

[Cotton]

 

[Cotton]

 

[boozeman]

Wait...are we supposed to give a shit?

 

[boozeman]

The entertainment/intrigue or his play.

It better be the first. Romo has had good and bad days in camp.