Guarding The Line
Procter To Start Sunday; Holland Getting Ready
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IRVING, Texas - While the Cowboys acquired veteran Montrae Holland to potentially replace injured left guard Kyle Kosier, it looks like the club will have to go with another option, at least for a week.
Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said utility lineman Cory Procter would start at left guard in Sunday's season opener at Cleveland. He played center in last Thursday's preseason finale, while Pat McQuistan started at left guard and went three quarters against the Vikings. The Cowboys liked Joe Berger's work, but felt he was more of a right guard.
"I felt the other guys did well, but Cory seemed like the best fit," Phillips said. "He did well also, at guard and center. He's played there before and we have a lot of confidence in him."
Phillips said McQuistan played well against Minnesota, but was more comfortable at tackle, and had not played enough guard. The coach seemed to say Holland has a chance to take over for Procter in replacing Kosier, saying of Holland, "I think he'll be able to help us this year, maybe in the next few weeks."
"He's a bigger guy," Phillips said. "Procter I think is a good player and I think he'll do well for us, but Holland's a little more of an anchor - a bigger guy, he's 325 (pounds), and pretty strong guy. And that's why we got him, we think he can help us."
For now, though, the job is Procter's. The Montana product did not play a snap his first two years in the league, most of which he spent with the Cowboys. He played in all 16 games last year year, mostly on special teams, but started the final two at center for the injured Andre Gurode.
Holland, whom the Cowboys received in a trade with Denver, said he doesn't expect to be ready to play at all Sunday, so it would be a surprise if he were even on the 45-man active roster. Phillips did say he was on the fast track to learning the offense.
"It's the mental part of it you have to get down," Holland said. "You have to be able to communicate on the line. So I don't know about this week."
Holland said his playing weight and conditioning is not a problem. While he reportedly was nearly 20 pounds over his 325-pound playing weight when he arrived at Denver's training camp about a month ago, Holland said he is in playing shape now.
"I'm good . . . I'm at playing weight already," Holland said. "That's not the issue."
In fact, while the Broncos had him working on his conditioning for nearly two weeks of training camp before he returned to practice, Holland said he should easily fit in with this big offensive line, including the likes of Leonard Davis, Andre Gurode, Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo.
"I'm a big guy. This line is big and strong," Holland said. "Yeah, you look around, I feel like a midget. But it's a perfect opportunity for me. This team could go all the way. You're going to do everything you can to help the team. This team is very talented."
And Holland said he figures the Cowboys will be a much better fit to his playing style than in Denver, where he started all 16 games last season. Fortunately for Holland, his previous four years with the Saints should help him adjust to the Cowboys' line and blocking schemes.
"I've been in an offense similar to this when I was in New Orleans," he said. "I can try to relate back to that. It's nothing like what Denver was. That was all zone (blocking). And the terminology is different. But I can get familiar with it."
One thing Holland is already familiar with is the Texas heat, having grown up in nearby Jefferson, Texas, just east of Dallas.
"My whole family has been Cowboys fans since day one," he said. "Me coming back is a big deal to them. I always wanted to play for them. I thought they were going to draft me when I was coming out of Florida State but it didn't work out. But now I've got my chance to come here. So I'm going to make the most of it."
Even if that process doesn't start this week.