"With two draft picks Friday, the Cowboys changed the roles of insider linebacker Keith Brooking and running back Marion Barber.

Brooking will "unequivocally" be on the club for a 14th NFL season, as an unofficial player-coach, Cowboys owner-general manager Jerry Jones said. Brooking will play and help prepare his replacement - North Carolina's Bruce Carter, whom the Cowboys selected in the second round, even though he is rehabilitating from major knee surgery.

The Cowboys selected Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray in the third round with the intention of working him into the rotation at running back in place of Barber, who has a $4.25 million salary for next season. The club is expected to release Barber before training camp, avoiding a $500,000 roster bonus.

"We're going to create competition on our team," coach Jason Garrett said. "Bring [Murray] in and see where he stacks up against the other guys."

These picks fit into a renovation plan unveiled on Thursday, when the Cowboys selected USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith with the ninth overall choice. Smith is set to replace battle-scarred Marc Colombo at right tackle.

"These picks do really go right to areas that we're pretty satisfied that we're improving our team in terms of need and in terms of next year," Jones said."