2008 Cowboys Off-season Thread

[Underdog]

Cowboys Agree To Terms With Fifth-Round Pick

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IRVING, Texas - Signing a draft pick a full week before the team departs for training camp might not be that early for some teams, but it's rather unusual for the Cowboys, who normally wait until the last few days to ink all of their rookies under contract.

But the Cowboys got an early jump on the process, agreeing to terms Thursday with fifth-round draft pick Orlando Scandrick, a cornerback from Boise State.

Scandrick is expected to sign his four-year, $1.85 million deal on Friday, that includes a $185,000 signing bonus.

The speedy cornerback joins a crowded position that includes returning starters Terence Newman and Anthony Henry, not to mention newly-acquired Adam Jones and first-round pick Mike Jenkins.

With his top-rate speed, Scandrick might be in position to contribute right away on special teams, seeing that the Cowboys lost several key coverage players last year in Keith Davis, Nate Jones and Jacques Reeves, who all signed with other clubs in free agency.

With a relatively small draft class of only six players, the Cowboys now are down to just five players left to sign, although two are first-round draft picks.

However, the Cowboys do have one advantage in signing both running back Felix Jones (22nd overall) and Jenkins (25th) in that they both have the same agent in Eugene Parker.

Other draft picks left to sign include second-round tight end Martellus Bennett, fourth-round running Tashard Choice and outside linebacker Erik Walden, who was selected in the sixth round.

The Cowboys' team charter leaves for Oxnard, Calif. on Thursday, July 24 with the first practice slated for the following day. The team will conduct its first two-a-day practice session on Saturday, July 26.