2008 Cowboys Off-season Thread

[snoop]

Atlanta doesn't want to pay Joe Horn's $2.5 million base salary, which has a skill/injury guarantee. But Dallas might. In the event that it cannot reach a compromise deal with wide receiver Terry Glenn, Dallas already is eyeing Horn. He now has become Plan 1A. Should Dallas trade a late-round pick for Horn, he would be the latest big-name acquisition for a Cowboys team that this offseason already has acquired linebacker Zach Thomas, cornerback Adam Jones, running back Felix Jones and cornerback Mike Jenkins. Horn could help the Cowboys on and off the field. -- NFL Network

[ty]

Wowww. If only people wanted to come to the Mavs like they want to come to the Cowboys.

[Dirkgreatness]

Dallas Cowboys' Ware adds power to pass-rush package

12:21 AM CDT on Saturday, June 21, 2008


IRVING – DeMarcus Ware came to the Dallas Cowboys three years ago as a 245-pound defensive end making the transition to outside linebacker. Entering his fourth season, he now weighs 263 pounds and is coming off two consecutive Pro Bowl appearances.

"I just look sexy like this," Ware joked.

Ware, who turns 26 in July, said he plans to play the season at 257 pounds and bulk up to a max of 265 pounds as he gets older.

Ware said he was initially worried about the weight gain for fear of losing his speed and quickness off the edge in rushing the quarterback, but his worries have been relieved since putting up 25½ sacks the last two seasons.

"I feel stronger and faster, especially when it comes to power and doing a lot of power stuff," Ware said. "It's helping out a lot. You know when you can push a tackle around and sometimes they hold you and you can throw them out of the way to get to the quarterback. When in their mind they know you can power them, it's when they'll open up for more stuff you can do."

Ware's increased size is not mere bulk. Because of his job description, he cannot become too stiff, especially with his upper body. Despite powerful hands, Ware's best asset is his ability to get off the ball. Sometimes it appears he gets too early of a jump, but most of the time the coaches said Ware's anticipation was perfect timing and not an off-side penalty.

If Ware ever got too big, he would not be able to twist and turn and dip coming off the edge to keep larger offensive tackles from connecting on punches in pass sets.

"I've had to stretch a little more," Ware said. "You've got to do more squat work. You've got to get your body stronger so you can carry that weight."

In addition to adding muscle, Ware has spent the off-season improving his craft. He and former linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni would practice hand placement constantly in breaks in practice. Now Ware and Greg Ellis do it. Ware has become more of a student of the game and has found Flozell Adams to be one of his best teachers.

"Going against probably one of the best tackles in the league and him telling me exactly what I'm doing wrong," Ware said. "If I'm on the sideline looking at him, I'll tell him what he did wrong. Just having a guy like that is a good thing."

Ware should benefit from being in Wade Phillips' defense for a second year. The familiarity goes the other way with defensive coordinator Brian Stewart, who knows Ware's game better and can add more to the scheme.

"I know what to expect in certain situations, certain plays," Ware said. "Now I know exactly what the offenses are going to do and they know that I can counter that."

[ty]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSERD_IFUDQ&NR=1

...to get you pumped up for 2008.

[mkat]

Ware is my absolute favorite player in the league. I'm hoping to get some autographs at the charity beisbol game tomorrow.

[mkat]

Originally Posted by ty

Wowww. If only people wanted to come to the Mavs like they want to come to the Cowboys.

haha...hell, the mavs even went to the championship and no one wanted to come here...

[wmbwinn]

"Ware has become more of a student of the game and has found Flozell Adams to be one of his best teachers.

"Going against probably one of the best tackles in the league and him telling me exactly what I'm doing wrong," Ware said. "If I'm on the sideline looking at him, I'll tell him what he did wrong. Just having a guy like that is a good thing." "

see article above.

This should absolutely be a horror thread/statement for every other team...

[Underdog]

Joe Horn: not now, not ever

link


Forget the media speculation about the Cowboys' showing interest in Falcons disgruntled wide receiver Joe Horn.

It was never a consideration at the team's Valley Ranch headquarters. Horn's agent called to see if there was interest. The Cowboys took 30 seconds to say, hell no. They believe Horn is washed up as a player.

They also believe Horn would be a bad fit in the lockerroom. So the Cowboys never had any interest in Horn.

That's why we at the Star-Telegram never reported it because there was never anything to it.

It was a non story. It takes two sides to show interest, not one.

The Cowboys were never in the Joe Horn race in the first place..

[BGMaverick9]

With TO and Adam Jones...if Joe Horn is considered bad for the locker room, he really must have some issues.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

With TO and Adam Jones...if Joe Horn is considered bad for the locker room, he really must have some issues.

I think it's more of a chemistry thing. If Horn has issues (besides being a spare who doesn't realize he's a spare, that is), they are similar to TO's. And that's why it's a bad fit. You can have only one alpha dog...

[me770706]

Did see anyone see Terrence Newman on ESPN say the Cowboys are "the greatest team on paper" this season? and also explain that a key reason they lost against the Giants last year was because they were too overconfident going into that game..makes a lot of sense right

[BGMaverick9]

That was a dumb thing to say, "the greatest team on paper" comment.

And you're right chum, I was just trying to make a silly joke.

[alby]

3 weeks until training camp

[ty]

Originally Posted by me770706

Did see anyone see Terrence Newman on ESPN say the Cowboys are "the greatest team on paper" this season? and also explain that a key reason they lost against the Giants last year was because they were too overconfident going into that game..makes a lot of sense right

I'm still sticking with my reasoning for why we lost that game:

If Patrick Crayton had caught the d*mn ball, we would have been in the Super Bowl. He would have either had a touchdown or had a huge gainer. On second thought, he definitely would have had a touchdown. I know he's not the fastest on the Boys, but for sure TO would have caught up to him and thrown in a few blocks

Freakin "Best Hands on the Cowboys" Craython.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

I think it's more of a chemistry thing. If Horn has issues (besides being a spare who doesn't realize he's a spare, that is), they are similar to TO's. And that's why it's a bad fit. You can have only one alpha dog...

Unfortunately, Horn doesn't realize that he hasn't been "alpha dog" status since 2004...

To paraphrase a great line from an awful movie: his ego's writing checks his body can't cash...

[Underdog]

With questions at receiver, Cowboys consider Horn
Dallas Morning News
Published on: 06/28/08


DALLAS — Wide receiver Terry Glenn is speaking with Cowboys officials again in the hopes of returning.

Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones said he's spoken to Glenn and his agent, James Gould.

"Terry is someone I have a lot of interest in," Jones said Friday night. "We worked well together last year. We will sit down here and look at how he fits and what we can do with him as a player this year."

Glenn has refused to sign an injury waiver that would give him $500,000 if he re-injures his right knee, so Glenn has missed all mandatory and voluntary on-field practices this off-season. The Cowboys told him he could not practice with the team without the waiver.

Gould was fired by a frustrated Glenn, who didn't return phone and text messages from team officials the last few weeks. Gould has been since rehired.

Glenn lashed out at team officials, even asking the team to release him. But Glenn has changed his mind and said he doesn't want to get into a confrontation with Jones.

Glenn, who is scheduled to make $1.74 million in base salary this season, has reached out to Jones and spoken with wide receivers coach Ray Sherman.

"It isn't my will against Terry's," Jones said. "That's ridiculous."

The Cowboys hope to settle the Glenn situation by training camp in late July, so Jones said it ends any search for a veteran wide out.

A source told ESPN.com that acquiring Joe Horn from the Atlanta Falcons was a possibility to fill the position if Glenn did not return.

Glenn played in one regular-season game last season because of two knee surgeries. Doctors told Glenn he needs microfracture surgery, but the receiver said an MRI taken a few weeks ago revealed his knee is fine.

[alby]

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d807b3148

rep me now, thank me later


I love me some Cowboys

[Ninkobei]

oh man, I forgot how awesome that barber run was.

[Underdog]

This thread is too optimistic - here's some venomous fluff to pass the time:

Has America's Team become the NFL's nightmare?
by Michael Rosenberg

link


Excuse me for asking, but I haven't checked the newswires lately. Have the Dallas Cowboys signed Cedric Benson? Are they bringing back Michael Irvin? Did they sign Michael Vick, then declare that Vick needs a "family support system," so they will sign his brother Marcus, too?

The Cowboys have been America's Team for three decades. Now it seems like they're building America's Most Wanted's team.

It wasn't enough for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to bring in Terrell Owens when Owens was considered the most selfish player in the NFL. He had to bring in serial gun nut Tank Johnson. Then this spring, he acquired cornerback Adam (nee Pacman) Jones, who has been arrested six times. Clearly, Jones is a man who believes in seventh chances.

The Cowboys are not the only team to employ players with questionable backgrounds. Every team does it. And I'm not saying the Cowboys have more designated Problem Guys on the roster than the average NFL team. What makes the Cowboys different is that these are all high-profile players — their question marks are in big, bold type.

And it makes you wonder: If the Cowboys win the Super Bowl, will commissioner Roger Goodell wince when he hands Jerry Jones the trophy?

Goodell has presented himself as the Law-And-Order Commish. He is the guy who gave Pacman and Tank lengthy suspensions; former commissioner Paul Tagliabue never would have done that.

A few years ago, Ray Lewis went from murder suspect to Super Bowl MVP in a 12-month span. But that was different. Lewis was only technically a murder suspect; it was a legal tactic to get him to say what he knew. And Tagliabue never made Lewis a public example.

You just know that Goodell would rather say his favorite sporting event is the World Series than congratulate Adam Jones on winning the Super Bowl. America is a land of redemption, but it is also a place where image is everything. And that would be a tough image for Goodell to swallow.

If the Cowboys think they can win with some questionable characters, maybe that's because they have done it before. Their 1990s dynasty was well known for having a raucous, and sometimes illegal, time off the field. For that matter, Al Davis' Raiders always took pride in being on the wrong side of prison bars.

Anyway, the most interesting part of the Cowboys' experiment is not that they don't care about off-field issues. We're used to that. The most interesting part is that they don't care about if you think they don't care about off-field issues.

They don't care about the image. And maybe that's where they differ most from Goodell, because the commissioner is clearly worried about his league's image.

The Cowboys realize that if they win, all will be forgiven. That is generally true in sports, especially true in professional sports, and really, really true in pro football.

If an NBA contender signed the equivalent of Tank Johnson and Adam Jones, that team would be ridiculed around the country. But when the Cowboys do it, the team's reputation stays mostly intact. Sure, people wonder if it will work. But the heat is focused on the player, not the team.

Can this work? Can Wade Phillips — who has never won a playoff game in six seasons coaching three franchises — guide this team all the way to the Super Bowl?

Stranger things have happened. But I know this much: From the moment training camp opens, the Cowboys will be one of the most compelling stories in recent NFL history.

T.O. was right: Getcha popcorn ready.

And if you're the commissioner, cover your eyes.

[ty]

Originally Posted by alby

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d807b3148

rep me now, thank me later


I love me some Cowboys

I'm surprised Folk Hero was #7.

Considering the circumstances, that was one top 3 for me.

[alby]

If only Witt made it to the end zone, that woulda been the NFL's #1 play IMHO.

[ty]

TO Interview

Source: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cf...1CD9936B5E0B4F

IRVING, Texas - Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens always has something to say.
Never short on opinions and never one to shy away from the cameras or microphones, the superstar receiver took time from a vacation that included Cabo, Mexico and Milan, Italy, to chat with a local radio show about the upcoming season.

As a guest of BAD Radio on "The Ticket" (KTCK 1310-AM) in Dallas, Owens took the opportunity to promote his upcoming football camp, which will take place July 9-10 in nearby Duncanville, just south of Dallas.

Owens said he is expecting several high-profile guests to attend his camp, including former Olympic sprinter Maurice Greene, Cowboys Hall-of-Fame receiver Michael Irvin and several current teammates, including Adam Jones.

T.O. also commented on the upcoming season, stating he doesn't feel much pressure despite the Cowboys falling short of their goals last season and entering this year once again as a Super Bowl contender.

Owens spoke on the addition of Adam Jones, the Cowboys' need to stay healthy, especially at wide receiver and the possibility of breaking Jerry Rice's career touchdown record. He even relived the infamous "Star" celebration when he was a member of the 49ers back in 2000.

Here's the complete transcription of Owens' radio interview from Monday afternoon:

Terrell, we understand you've got a football camp coming up here next week in Duncanville?

OWENS: Yeah, it's for ages 7 to 17, we're going to have a lot of fun. We're going to have a couple of celebrity guests coming, if you go to my website, terrellowens.com, you'll see that I have a three-time gold medalist, Maurice Greene, coming in. When you're talking about competitive sports these days, and you're trying to get the top athletes, the No. 1 thing a lot of coaches and scouts are looking for is speed, as well as the skill part of it. Who else better to have in attendance than Maurice Greene? Obviously, Michael Irvin and a lot of my teammates will be on hand. It's going to be very educational. At the same time, especially with the personalities we have, we're going to teach them obviously the game of football and sometimes that relates to the game of life.

Can you talk about this upcoming season and how high the optimism is this year?

OWENS: What I realized, any time you're talking about the Cowboys, obviously the optimism is always going to be high. Since I've been there, the expectations have been nothing short of the Super Bowl. Obviously, we had the addition of Tank Johnson last year. He's going to be much better in the defense actually, having a year under his belt and learning the system. Obviously, everyone knows about Pacman, the new addition this year. We have a lot of new acquisitions with our draft picks, some of them are going to play right away. We have some talented guys, especially on the defensive side of the ball at that corner position, leading with Terence Newman, Anthony Henry and now, Adam "Pacman" Jones coming to our squad. He's going to help us in the defensive backfield and with his special teams skills in returns, we should be very solid. We're going to be looking forward to everyone stepping up their play and that's where those young guys come in when you're talking about special teams. If there is an area to bolster up, it would be our special teams. We're looking forward to a great year.

When the Cowboys first talked about signing Adam Jones, were you on board with it?

OWENS: Well, I think Jerry Jones has been successful over the years doing things his way. It wasn't a matter of whether I had a hand in it or not. He's had a lot of great players come through this organization and I don't think if they haven't had any say-so on who comes or who goes, I didn't see me having any hand in this.

OK, but were you on board from the start or had to come around on it?

OWENS: It doesn't matter to me. As long as the guy comes in and is great for the team. In this day and age, it's all about winning and all about X's and O's. I think Jerry has done an admirable thing giving Adam another chance, as well as Roger Goodell. Pacman has had a year off from football and I'm sure he's put life in perspective as well as his career. I think the thing for him now is to concentrate on football now that he's on his way to having his football life back and he's headed in the right direction.

Do you feel added pressure as a team to win this year?

OWENS: I don't think it's any pressure, I think everyone knows what is expected of them, especially the guys coming back from last year. If there is any pressure to be felt, I'm sure it's the new guys trying to adjust to make the team. Other than that, it's just readjusting themselves to the professional ranks of football. It's not college anymore. You're not on scholarship. Everyone is gunning for a position. As far as pressure, there is none as far as the guys coming back from last year.

The wide receiver position looks a little thin, opposite you, but can this group get the job done?

OWENS: Yeah, definitely. I think obviously, when you're talking about football, you have to mention that injuries come into play. Sometimes it depends on when an injury occurs. If it happens early in the season, if it's something minor, guys can rehab and come back. But once you get on into the season, that's when injuries become key. You try to keep yourself as healthy as possible and hope for the best. That's one of the things about football, trying to stay healthy so you can get through the season and get to the playoffs. Once you get to the playoffs, it's any team's game. As you saw last year, the Giants came out of nowhere and won it all.

You're only 68 touchdowns away from breaking Jerry Rice's all-time touchdown record. Is that something you focus on?

OWENS: You know what, if it ever becomes an opportunity where it comes into play, then yeah. But at this time, I'm really not focused on any type of records. I'm a long ways away from that record. Jerry will always be No. 1 to me and No. 1 in my heart. That's a guy that I definitely patterned an aspect of my game around. He's been a great instrument for me, since I've been in San Francisco and playing my years there. I've always admired him from afar even when he left. The things I've done on the football field I can definitely contribute, just being around that guy and watching him play, and kind of picking his play from time to time, from the practice times and the games.
So, records are meant to be broken and some point and time, I'm 60-something touchdowns away, if I can score 20 touchdowns a year, then that'd be great, but I really don't think that's possible. But hey, anything is possible when you're dealing with me. I just going to go out and play hard and the thing for me is to focus on football and try to bring a championship to Dallas.

Are you still catching grief about running to the star back in 2000?

OWENS: I hear a few things every now and then. It was definitely a hot topic when I signed in Dallas. I had to convince a lot of Cowboys fans that it really wasn't meant to be out of spite. When that happened, it was me being competitive and trying to have fun with the game. At the time, a lot of people didn't see it that way, especially the players. But since then, they've adopted me well since then.

So at the time you're running to the star, you had no idea all of this would blow up like it did?

OWENS: Absolutely not.

And you had no idea that George Teague was coming after you?

OWENS: Honestly, I didn't. The thing is, it wasn't a matter . . . When Teague went after me, I'm telling you right now, listen to me close. It wasn't the fact that I scored and I ran to that star, if you actually get that tape out and review the tape - a play or two before that happened, there was a run play down in the red zone - and I blocked him and I pancaked him. And he didn't like that. That was an opportunity for him to get back at me. I guarantee you it had nothing to do with the fact that I ran to that star.

We would go back and review the tape, but that (2000) season was so bad, we burned all the tapes.

OWENS: (Laughs). They got burned with the spy-gate tapes?

Hahah, TO is such a joker.

[alby]

I hate the Patriots

I can't believe they are asking TO about the touchdown record... come on now. I don't know how long popcorn lasts before it goes bad... but, come on.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by alby

I can't believe they are asking TO about the touchdown record... come on now.

Well, at least T.O. doesn't seem too concerned about it - his eye is on the prize that matters...

(but don't tell the media he's an "unselfish team player" - they'll have nothing to write about!)

[alby]

The media is always trying to get bulletin board material from this guy, it's sick.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by alby

The media is always trying to get bulletin board material from this guy, it's sick.

From the media's perspective, he's the Britney Spears of the NFL (except they couldn't break him...)

All he needs is a ring to get that monkey off his back...

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by alby

The media is always trying to get bulletin board material from this guy, it's sick.

Trust me, that's not what was going on in this interview.

[alby]

1024x768


1280x1024

[ty]

Adam gone fishin'

[alby]

Looks like the Jags are going to release/trade Matt Jones in favor of newly acquired Troy Williamson.

Could Jones (aka Longhorn killer) potentially be the answer to our WR depth?




PS: ocelot_ark should be loving this =]

[ty]

Without Matt Jones = Cowboys Superbowl

With Matt Jones = Cowboys Superbowl + 1 Touchdown

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by ty

Adam gone fishin'

Good enough, I suppose...

What else can a man do when the issue here is about what he shouldn't be doing? You can reinforce a negative with a negative, but the absence of a negative doesn't necessarily equate into a positive (not in nature, anyway...)

His fate is 100% in the hands of Goodell - as long as he doesn't reinforce negatives with negatives, then that's the best you can hope for at this point...

[TheKorean]

Am I the only one that Pacman- I mean Mr.Jones, is actually going to behave this year?

[MavsX]

19-0 should we trademark that sh*t or what?

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by TheKorean

Am I the only one that Pacman- I mean Mr.Jones, is actually going to behave this year?

hey korean, that doesn't really make any sense. Do you know horse?

[DirkFTW]

Cowboys hitting market to shop for backup QB
By MAC ENGEL

If in the process of cleaning out your attic, closet or basement you find a backup quarterback in need of a new gig, you may want to give the Dallas Cowboys a call. They’re in the market for one.

Multiple sources have said the Cowboys are looking for someone else to play immediately behind Tony Romo this season.

The current plan is to use veteran Brad Johnson for the second consecutive season to play behind Romo, with former Grapevine star Richard Bartel again returning to the practice squad for another year of grooming. But whereas last year, when the Cowboys liked their slotting of these three, there is more of an urgent feeling to upgrade behind Romo ... you know, just in case.

The name that continues to float around Valley Ranch is former Texas star Chris Simms. Simms, 26, is under contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and has told friends he would definitely be interested in signing with the Cowboys.

Johnson will be 40 in September, and in the one game he saw extensive time in last season — the regular-season finale in Washington — the team witnessed that his arm is no longer what it was when he was 30. They love his mind and professionalism, but should Romo go down for as much as one game the Cowboys want a passer who can keep defensive backs honest.

This is not, however, the Cowboys partaking in an "Anybody But Brad" campaign.

"Brad is a smart veteran who knows exactly what to do and how to prepare for any kind of situation," Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson said during the team’s minicamp back in June. "There isn’t a situation he hasn’t been in before."

Playing in the league for this long allows Johnson to know the team wants to bring in somebody, if for at least a look-see.

Unfortunately for the Cowboys, there is not exactly a flood of veteran free-agent quarterbacks on the market. If a passer is any good, he’s under contract with another team.

In three NFL seasons, Simms has played in 19 games, passed for 3,087 yards with 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

But Simms has not played in nearly two years since he ruptured his spleen in a loss against the Panthers on Sept. 25, 2006. The spleen was removed that afternoon. No one has any idea whether he will be "right" in game conditions. There is a good chance, however, he could be released by the Bucs sometime before the start of the regular season.

That is the likely scenario facing the Cowboys for any passer — wait until a veteran backup is released either during or after training camp and sign him then.

Until that day comes, however, and you have a veteran quarterback buried between the seat cushions of your couch, the Cowboys are interested.
Mac Engel, 817-390-7760

Link

Bucket of ice water down my sports pants.

[Underdog]

Nothing to worry about - Simms or Johnson, the fact is we're screwed if Romo goes down (to injury, not Jessica...)

[DirkFTW]

It just brings back too many painful UT memories.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by DirkFTW

It just brings back too many painful UT memories.

Are there any other kinds of UT memories???

[ty]

^ VINCE!!!!!!!!!!