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Dallas Cowboys News

Cowboys must address secondary needs through free agency, not draft
February 9
Dallas Morning News
 columnist David Moore
"Assuming the right player is there when the Cowboys pick, I think their first priority should be someone who can rush the QB and second improving the interior of the offensive line. What do you think? A strong argument can be made that is what the Cowboys should do with the first pick. There is a bigger falloff in talent from the pass rusher you get at No. 14 and the one you pick up in the second round than from the corner you pick at No. 14 to the one you pick in the second round. But if you have an offensive linemen or cornerback that ranks above all other players on your board at that spot, I wouldn't have a problem turning there."
Former Cowboys WR Terrell Owens on his exit from Dallas: 'It was very disappointing'
February 9
Dallas Morning News
 
"On Wednesday, when Terrell Owens received a hero's welcome by his new club, the Indoor Football League's Allen Wranglers, the former NFL receiver reflected on his departure from a much-more famous team headquartered about 28 miles southwest in Irving. To this day, Owens said he still doesn't understand why he was released by the Cowboys in March 2009, less than a year after he signed a $34 million contract extension that at the time he thought would keep him in Dallas an additional four seasons."
Eagles, Giants have better odds than Cowboys for 2013 Super Bowl
February 8
Dallas Morning News
 
"The new NFL champs have barely been crowned for three days, but that doesn't mean the oddsmakers in Vegas are taking a break from football. Early odds for Super Bowl XLVII have already been released, and according to betting website Bovada.lv, the Cowboys fall somewhere in the middle of the pack when it comes to title hopes. Bovada pegs the Cowboys' odds at 18/1, the rough equivalent of about a 5% chance to take home the Lombary Trophy in 2013. Those odds tie the Cowboys for 11th in the league with the Detroit Lions and New York Jets."
Tiger Woods: Tony Romo has been sending me video of his golf swing
February 8
Dallas Morning News
 
"Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is partnering with Tiger Woods this week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in California. Woods was asked a few questions about his partner during a Tuesday press conference. "As we all know, he's a hell of an athlete," Woods said of Romo, according to USAToday.com. "He can play just about any sport he wants. He's one of those gifted athletes. Whatever he picks up he can do.""
For convenience sake, you can't beat Fort Worth for the next Super Bowl
February 7
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 columnist Mac Engel
"The New York Giants have yet another Lombardi Trophy but, by all accounts, Indianapolis won the Super Bowl. This may be the greatest upset of 'em all: Indianapolis, Ind., crushed North Texas in Super Bowl party planning and execution. This development is rich with irony, and not the good kind of rich. It was North Texas that originally defeated Indianapolis to host the 2011 Super Bowl. When the NFL gave Indy the Super Bowl, it did so for the season that was threatened by a prolonged lockout. It really, however, came down to this: one NFL executive bemoaned to me several years ago at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, "What the hell is there to do here? We already have to come here for the"
Tim Tebow: As a kid, I imagined I was playing for the Dallas Cowboys
February 7
Dallas Morning News
 
"It's not a huge surprise, but during a recent radio interview, Tim Tebow said that the Dallas Cowboys were the team he rooted for as a youth. And it makes sense. The former Florida Gators quarterback was a fan of Emmitt Smith, who also attended the university in Gainesville, Florida. So why not root for him as a professional? Tebow was a guest on FOX Sports Radio's The Dan Patrick Show when he was asked what team he pretended to play for when he was throwing the football in the backyard."
Has an identity crisis contributed to Cowboys' struggles to land second tight end in draft?
February 7
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Rainer Sabin
"When the Cowboys selected tight end Martellus Bennett in the second round of 2008 draft, the Cowboys hedged their bets on a player viewed as a project. At 6-7, Bennett was an intriguing prospect who flashed raw athleticism that seemed well-suited for a position requiring such a versatile skill-set . Based on physical talent alone, Bennett was believed to have tremendous "upside" - a buzz word used by draft gurus to characterize players with potential. The Cowboys felt so strongly about Bennett's future with the club that on the eve of the draft they dealt former 2006 second-round pick Anthony Fasano to Miami."
DeMarco Murray: Ankle is ahead of schedule; 'great things' coming for Cowboys
February 7
Dallas Morning News
 
"When it comes to rehabilitating his injured right ankle, DeMarco Murray says he's ahead of schedule. The Cowboys star rookie running back had his season ended on Dec. 11 after fracturing his ankle in a 37-34 loss to the visiting New York Giants. "I've been working hard to strengthen my ankle," Murray said recently in an interview with FOXSports.com. "I'm definitely ahead of schedule. I think I start running on [Feb. 6] actually, so I'm excited to get back there." Murray, who was in Indianapolis for the Super Bowl, said he has stayed in Dallas since having surgery in December, working on getting back to full strength."
'Frustrated' Cowboys QB Tony Romo tweets during Super Bowl
February 7
Dallas Morning News
 
"Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo tweeted during Sunday's Super Bowl via @StarterBrand. The face of the sports apparel franchise gave his football insight during the Giants' 21-17 victory over the Patriots while also letting his fans know that he was "frustrated" by the Cowboys not being on the big stage. "Frustrated I'm not playing, watching w/ fam in Dallas," was Romo's first offering before the contest got underway. He then used three tweets to give his opinion on what was unfolding on the field."
Are the Cowboys in line for another Week 1 date in New York? Why not?
February 6
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Could the Cowboys be headed back to New York for the season opener again? Sure. The NFL usually rewards the Super Bowl champion with the home opener on the first Thursday night of the season. That's a big prime-time game. It's going to get lots of viewers. But who better than the Cowboys to drive up the ratings potential even more? Don't be surprised. Television loves the Cowboys in prime time, and wouldn't it make for great television to see the defending Super Bowl champs celebrate in front of one of its biggest rivals? But still, it's probably a longshot."
Charles Haley, Bill Parcells have to wait for spot in Canton
February 5
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"For Charles Haley, Saturday was a first. He didn't make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but the former Dallas Cowboys defensive end made the cut to 10. It was another step toward induction. Both Haley and Bill Parcells were eliminated in the cut from 10 to five. Thus, for only the second time in seven years the Cowboys will not have anyone with ties to the team inducted. Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin and Willie Roaf were the modern-era candidates elected to the Class of 2012. Seniors candidate Jack Butler will be enshrined alongside them Aug. 4 in Canton, Ohio. The Cowboys have had six players with ties to the team enshrined in the past seven years,"
Hall passed: Parcells, Brown and Carter snubbed
February 5
NFL.com
 columnist Pat Kirwan
"For the past seven years, I've had the privilege of doing the live radio show during the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions in Canton, Ohio. When the ceremony comes to an end, I always feel like the selection committee got it right. The voters have a very tough job. I feel that way tonight, after the announcement of the Hall of Fame Class of 2012. Those six men all deserve the honor. But it's still hard to look at some of the men who didn't make the cut and think they don't belong, as well. The snubs » I really thought Bill Parcells would get into the Hall of Fame on his first attempt. There may have been a sentiment in the voting room that Parcells might work in the NFL again as a team"
NFL expands Thursday schedule
February 4
New York Post
 
"Are you ready for a lot more prime-time football? NFL commissioner Roger Goodell used his annual Super Bowl news conference yesterday to reveal the league is dramatically expanding the Thursday night package on its own network starting this fall. In what appeared to be a way to up the pressure in its long-running dispute with Time Warner Cable and Cablevision over New York-area carriage of the NFL Network, the league said that channel will now show Thursday games from Week 2 through Week 15. The NFL Network previously broadcast Thursday games the final eight weeks of the season, but Goodell said the expansion resulted from a desire to guarantee every team in the league at least one"
In DeMarco Murray, Cowboys finally find a pick that clicks at running back
February 3
Dallas Morning News
 
"When DeMarco Murray burst on the scene last October, beginning a remarkable stretch when he rushed for 601 yards in four games, it appeared that the Cowboys had finally found the transcendent running back that they had been searching for since the days when Emmitt Smith galloped across the turf at Texas Stadium. Murray flashed a unique combination of speed, power and vision. Teammates marveled at the rookie's ability to set up blocks and finish runs. Until he fractured his right ankle Dec. 11 in a game against the New York Giants , the Cowboys' 2011 third-round pick seemed destined to become the first Dallas running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season since Julius Jones"
Tyron Smith, DeMarco Murray make list of top 20 rookies
February 3
Dallas Morning News
 
"Tyron Smith and DeMarco Murray were two of the top rookies in the NFL this year and ESPN's Mel Kiper recently agreed. The draft guru published a list of his top 20 rookies on Thursday. Not only were Murray and Smith included but both cracked the top 15. Not bad for the ninth overall pick (Smith) and the 71st overall selection (Murray). Smith, who was ranked 12th on Kiper's list , was the second offensive lineman on the list, landing behind Oakland Raiders center Stefen Wisniewski."
Comparing Tony Romo to Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach is unfair
February 3
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Brad Sham
"Do you think Spears and Lissemore can handle the middle? Do you think Rat and Hatcher can be good at DE? Lissemore played a lot in the middle this year. I think Spears is better at end, and I think Ratliff and Hatcher are good at DE if that's where you want to play Ratliff. Lissemore is an excellent complementary player. Tony Romo gets compared to Staubach and Aikman a lot, but he doesn't exactly have the same supporting cast. I think Romo is neither of those two, and he's not done yet. It's not Romo's problem that folks compare him to two Hall of Famers, it's the problem of people doing the comparing. He's good and getting better at being Romo. That's all you can ask him to be. It may yet"
Michael Irvin on Dez Bryant: he "will be the best receiver in the NFL''
February 3
Dallas Morning News
 
"Dez Bryant did not have a 100-yard game this season. He has produced only one in his first two seasons in the league. But Michael Irvin doesn't dwell on that. The Hall of Fame receiver, who periodically speaks to Bryant, has seen progress in how the young receiver runs his routes and adjusts to coverage. Bryant did catch 63 passes for 928 yards and nine touchdowns this past season."
Goodell: If NFL expands, it'll add two more teams
February 3
CBSSports.com
 
"It's no secret the NFL wants to expand to Los Angeles. And while so much of the attention has been focused on which franchise would relocate to L.A. -- whether it's the Chargers, Vikings, Jaguars or Rams -- we haven't discussed much the possibility of the NFL expanding. Apparently, that's an option. Commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday on Costas Live on the NBC Sports Network that if the league places a team in L.A., the NFL probably would add two more franchises to make it an even 34. Goodell said the league "doesn't want to move any of our teams" and "we probably don't want to go to 33" if the NFL decides expansion is a good choice."
Cowboys deny Raiders chance to interview DeCamillis
February 2
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"According to sources, the Cowboys have denied the Oakland Raiders permission to speak with special teams coach Joe DeCamillis about a position on their staff. DeCamillis is still under contract with the Cowboys and now appears will be back in Dallas for a fourth season."
A look at how the Cowboys have addressed their quarterback situation via the draft
February 2
Dallas Morning News
 
"After Jerry Jones surveyed the field of prospects at a Senior Bowl practice last week, the Cowboys owner and general manager quashed the notion that the team was considering expending one of their seven draft picks on a quarterback even though the team needs to fill the void left by retired backup Jon Kitna. "What you should probably be looking at more is would you bring in a veteran in free agency or some type of trade or something like that," Jones said."
Source: Raiders denied interview with Joe DeCamillis
February 1
ESPN.com
 
"The Oakland Raiders were denied permission to interview Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis for an assistant head coaching position, according to a source. Cowboys assistant coaches are unavailable to speak with the media during the offseason. Recently hired Raiders coach Dennis Allen worked with DeCamillis in Atlanta from 2002-to-2005 where a good relationship formed. Dan Reeves, DeCamillis' father-in-law, was the head coach with the Falcons at that time. "Dan Reeves is another guy that, he brought me into this league and gave me my first opportunity to coach in the National Football League," Allen said at his introductory news conference with the Raiders regarding"
Cowboys in the Super Bowl? Ever again?
February 1
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"It's Super Bowl week and the North Texas weather is fine, unlike a year ago when the big game was at Cowboys Stadium. Galloway and Big Mac take on the unpleasant task of guessing whether the Cowboys will return to the Super Bowl before the Super Bowl returns to North Texas. Here are excerpts from this week's video: Mac Engel: We've debated this internally for the past couple of weeks ... how close are the Cowboys to getting to the Super Bowl, regardless of destination? Randy Galloway: Could I ask it this way? What's the difference between these two teams in this Super Bowl and the Cowboys? Big Mac: I think the first thing, on paper, from the Giants to the Cowboys is defense, and a front"
No way Cowboys pursue Peyton; 'Romo's not the problem'
February 1
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Kevin Sherrington
"On if the Cowboys could consider pursuing Peyton Manning if he's cut by the Colts: Sherrington : No, he's not going to do that, especially because Jerry doesn't want to pay anybody anyway and Peyton's going to cost a lot of money. Even on a one-year deal, he'll cost a lot. There's no way the Colts will bring him back — I wouldn't bring him back either for a $28 million bonus on top of everything for a guy that's clearly at the end of his career. He had an injury that was career threatening and may still be. You've got a chance to draft Andrew Luck, just hand that job to him. So do the Cowboys [go after Manning]? No. Tony Romo's not the problem here. The problem is the talent around Tony,"
Dallas an unlikely landing spot for Manning
January 31
Foxsports.com
 
"Peyton Manning in a Cowboys uniform? At first thought, that sounds like a pretty good idea. Who wouldn't want a future Hall of Famer quarterbacking their team? Then reality creeps in. First and foremost, it will never happen because of the salary cap. While trading Tony Romo to make room for Manning would be the optimal move, either trading or outright cutting Romo carries salary-cap implications and the hit would likely handcuff the Cowboys from making any other moves. And if you have Peyton Manning quarterbacking your team, you might want to upgrade that offensive line which got Romo sacked 36 times last season."
Could the move to extend Sensabaugh's contract inhibit the Cowboys?
January 31
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Rainer Sabin
"When the Cowboys agreed to a five-year, $22.5 million contract extension with Gerald Sensabaugh in December, they made a longstanding commitment to a safety they had previously deemed worthy of a short-term investment. The transaction invited skepticism, in part because there wasn't a marked spike in Sensabaugh's performance. In fact, by the time the Giants finished off the Cowboys on New Year's Day, Sensabuagh had fewer passes defended and interceptions than he had accumulated the year before. He was also a featured member of a secondary that seemed as incapable of making consequential plays as it was prone to allowing them."
What the Cowboys can't get enough of in this off-season
January 31
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Rick Gosselin
"In today's NFL, is it more important to have a a premier pass rusher or a 'shutdown' corner? Pass rusher. The 1985 Chicago Bears and 1986 New York Giants won Super Bowls and most football observers can't even name their starting corners. But you can name the Hall of Fame linebackers and pass rushers. They won with their front sevens. If you can build a ferocious pass rusher, you can get by with average corners. If you don't have a rush, you need great cornerback play. The Giants are in the Super Bowl this week. They finished third in the NFL in sacks but 29th in pass defense. If you don't have pass rushers, find them. If you can't find them, find corners."
Super Bowl bound to return to Dallas, but when?
January 30
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Weather forecasters call for a Chamber of Commerce week in North Texas. If only the Super Bowl were in Arlington this year instead of last... But North Texas will get another chance to shine, weather or not. Super Bowl XLV was marred by ice, snow and a seating fiasco. Despite that, North Texas' first time as host is not expected to be the last. "I think we'll definitely get another one here," Roger Staubach, chairman of the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, said. "I don't know when. The NFL is more involved now in telling the cities when they can get in. I'm not sure. The process has changed a little bit, but we'll get another one here. It turned out to be a great venue. We had a"
DeMarcus Ware: With another year under Rob Ryan, it will all 'pan out next season'
January 30
Dallas Morning News
 
"DeMarcus Ware is arguably the most talented player on the Cowboys roster. On Sunday, the outside linebacker will participate in his sixth Pro Bowl in seven seasons. And while many analysts give the Cowboys credit for having a talented lineup, only Ware and nose tackle Jay Ratliff were selected for the all-star event. During a recent interview on the NFL Network, Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk asked Ware why the Cowboys struggled in 2011 despite being what Faulk called, "one of the most talented teams in the league.""
Cowboys players Ware, Ratliff set to start in Pro Bowl
January 29
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"The Dallas Cowboys have only two players in tonight's Pro Bowl, but both will start. Linebacker DeMarcus Ware will make his sixth appearance for the NFC in the annual all-star game in Honolulu's Aloha Stadium. He will be joined by defensive tackle Jay Ratliff, making his fourth appearance. Six rookies are among the 36 first-timers in the game, including quarterbacks Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers and former TCU star Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals, who are replacing Super Bowl quarterbacks Eli Manning and Tom Brady. Their selection makes this Pro Bowl the first that will feature two rookie quarterbacks."
Thanks to Jerry Jones and others for making this a dream job
January 29
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 columnist Randy Galloway
"In my business, if you want to light up the e-mail machine, or bring an instant text response onslaught doing local sports talk radio, here's the way you do it: Peyton Manning will soon be gone in Indy, kicked to the football curb to make way for Andrew Luck. So... The Cowboys should trade Romo for defensive- or offensive-line building blocks, and then sign Peyton. No, you don't do that. Tony Romo is not the problem. Peyton is also dealing with age and a bad injury. But if I did write that, I'm predicting 200 e-mails, running close to 50-50 pro-con in response. Even using the Peyton-Romo comment strictly as a hypothetical there will probably still be 200 e-mails running close to 50-50."
Are the Cowboys still America's Team?
January 29
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"It's inevitable: Somebody this week will argue that the New England Patriots have become America's Team. Meanwhile, about 200 miles down Interstate 95, somebody else will argue that the New York Giants have become America's Team. In addition to indignant cynicism and feigned passion, the arguments will have this in common: They'll insist that the Dallas Cowboys, who have borne the nickname for more than 30 years, are no longer America's Team. But, of course, such arguments, which seem to come around every other football season or so and to be pullulating this year because of a recent poll, are 24-karat flapdoodle, sterling nonsense, pure piffle. The Cowboys are America's Team forever. As"
Jerry Jones credits son Stephen for getting Cowboys out of salary cap 'Armageddon'
January 29
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"One more tidbit from Jerry Jones' conversation with reporters at the Senior Bowl this week: He said executive vice president Stephen Jones maneuvered the Cowboys into a good position on the salary cap for the offseason this year. "I give Stephen a lot of credit for taking a year we thought would be Armageddon for us, and we were able to do some things last year with the cap that puts us and gives us some viability," Jones said. "Stephen and a lot of the crew he works with regarding the caps, regarding the contracts, all of that has given us a chance to have some room to improve this team this year. "And we will use it.""
Cowboys backup picture hazy
January 28
San Antonio Express-News
 
"Jon Kitna has quietly slipped into retirement, Stephen McGee is fresh off bagging a big buck in South Texas and the Dallas Cowboys are preparing to search for a veteran backup quarterback. Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Wash., introduced Kitna as its football coach Thursday after he pulled the curtain on a 15-season NFL career, including the last three with the Cowboys. Kitna will also teach math at his alma mater, putting to use the math education degree he received from Central Washington. While Kitna was settling into his post-football career, Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett and the Cowboys' scouts were at the Senior Bowl studying draft prospects. Meeting with reporters in Mobile, Ala., this"
DeMarco Murray: It takes more than negative tweets to upset me
January 27
Dallas Morning News
 
"Shortly after leaving the University of Oklahoma , DeMarco Murray was convinced by a marketing expert to join Twitter. During a radio interview this week the Cowboys running back admitted that even though he was skeptical at first, he's enjoying his time on the social networking site. The only negative can be some unruly fans. San Francisco 49ers punt returner Kyle Williams witnessed the extreme side of sites like Twitter following Sunday's NFC Championship Game. Williams, whose two muffed punts led to the New York Giants scoring 10 points in the final quarter, received death threats because of his costly mistakes."
Jerry Jones on possibility of LB Bruce Carter will start next season: 'That's a jump or presumptuous'
January 27
Dallas Morning News
 
"It was interesting to hear Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Tuesday say on the NFL Network while at the Senior Bowl that it is his "dream" to see his young inside linebackers, Sean Lee and Bruce Carter, form an All-Pro combination such as the way San Francisco's Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman played together this season. Just the day before, I had asked Jones if he envisions Bruce Carter starting at inside linebacker for the Cowboys next season."
Cowboys liked Murray's power at Senior Bowl last year, and Jerry says it's what separates him from Felix Jones now
January 26
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"The NFL Network experts are giving DeMarco Murray credit for raising his stock at last year's Senior Bowl, and to the Cowboys for drafting him. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said it was Murray's strength inside the tackles that made a difference. "We knew he could be physical. We did not know he could run between the tackles," Jones said in an interview with the NFL Network this week. "We didn't see that a lot. But we knew he had the speed, could block, protect, and knew that he could really catch the ball.""
Cowboys' Garrett wants smart players with correct 'approach'
January 26
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett knows what he's looking for at the Senior Bowl practices, and anywhere he scouts players or talks to them in person. "In general, you want smart, tough football players who have a passion for playing," Garrett said. "That's something you want from every guy, regardless of what their position is." The Cowboys' staff completed their Senior Bowl evaluations on Wednesday."
Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray and Tyron Smith could become 'blue-chip players' in 2012
January 26
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Rick Gosselin
"On the talent level of the Cowboys' roster: I listed six guys – Romo, Witten, DeMarcus Ware , Jay Ratliff, Sean Lee and Dan Bailey – those six are as good any playing their positions in the NFL . And I think Dez Bryant , DeMarco Murray, Tyron Smith, there are a few others that could go into that group. That's nine guys next year that are potential blue-chip players on this team. We learned from Jimmy Johnson, you win with your blue-chip players. The Cowboys have an ample amount of blue-chip caliber players. The key is now you've got to fill in around them, you've got to find some guys that can cover against the pass, you've got to find another pass rusher, you've got to find some bigger"
Jason Garrett must 'divorce himself' from the Cowboys offense to be a great head coach
January 26
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Rick Gosselin
"I would prefer he be a head coach or an offensive coordinator, one of the two. I think he has a chance to be a very good head coach if he would focus on being a very good head coach. I think it's a full-time job, and right now, he spends about 40% of his time as a head coach. The other 60% of the time, he's worrying about what play to call next to make his offense one of the top offenses in football. I think a head coach needs to be a guy who can divorce himself from offense, divorce himself from defense, divorce himself from special teams, but is aware of what's going on in all three elements and can make game decisions based on what's going on. Right now, Jason's making a bulk of his"
Jerry Jones sees changes made in Cowboys secondary
January 25
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Owner Jerry Jones believes the Dallas Cowboys have the players to have a good team next season. But he promises there will be new faces on defense, particularly on a back end that gave up 13 pass plays of 30 yards or more in the final six games. "Over in the secondary, I do think we'll get better. We're very likely to have new faces over there," Jones said. "I can't tell you who. But we will have new faces. We all know we'll have new faces on the team, no matter what, player-wise." That'll mean a big change from the approach last year, when the Cowboys brought back 10 of the 11 starters from the 2010 defense that gave up the most points in team history. A year ago, the Cowboys opted to"
Garrett looking for smart players, but he allows for 'different degrees' of smart
January 25
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Cowboys coach Jason Garrett knows what he's looking for at the Senior Bowl practices, and anywhere he scouts players or talks to them in person. "In general, you want smart, tough football players who have a passion for playing," he said Tuesday after watching the North squad practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. "That's something you want from every guy, regardless of what their position is.""
Pro Bowl snub just another sign of dying Romo-mentum and Romo Mania
January 25
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"One day later, I still find it interesting that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, coming off the best season of his career, was passed over as an NFC Pro Bowl replacement for Super Bowl participant Eli Manning by rookie quarterback Cam Newton. Newton had a great rookie season, no doubt. He was the first rookie to throw for more than 4,000 yards, 4,051 to be exact. He set the single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 14. He also threw 21 touchdown passes with 17 interceptions. Newton did not have a better year than Romo who passed for 4,184 yards. He was also was more efficient and had fewer miscues."
Cowboys have already met with Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw at Senior Bowl
January 25
Dallas Morning News
 
"One of the first Senior Bowl players the Cowboys met with this week here was Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw. Upshaw, who is on the South Team, is projected as a first-round draft pick. Several mock drafts have Upshaw going in the middle of the first round, near where the Cowboys pick at 14th overall in April. Upshaw has impressed NFL scouts this week. He beat tackles and was in the backfield more than once during the South Team's 1 1/2-hour practice Tuesday afternoon. Upshaw has great size at 6-1 1/2 and 273 pounds (he was listed on the roster at 265 but weighed in eight pounds over that Monday morning). He's built to play near the line of scrimmage. He's also shown great speed"
Un-Super Cowboys will only sit, fume
January 24
San Antonio Express-News
 
"Bradie James took to Twitter to voice his frustration over the Cowboys' most-hated rival reaching the Super Bowl for the second time in five years. "Them dang Giants!" the linebacker wrote Sunday after New York won 20-17 in overtime at soggy San Francisco. In private, the language was likely much saltier. Torrents of trash talk from Brandon Jacobs, Justin Tuck and others make it easy for the Cowboys to despise the Giants, but beneath their bitterness there's likely something else at play: deep-seated envy."
Jerry Jones says Cowboys have 'viability' with salary-cap space to sign free agents and 'we will use it'
January 24
Dallas Morning News
 
"Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wouldn't get into prioritizing the team's off-season needs Monday -- the first day of Senior Bowl practices -- because he said it would create a competitive disadvantage for them in the draft and free agency. Jones did say, however, that by releasing five offensive players before last season, the Cowboys have put themselves in a competitive position this off-season to add players via free agency. Though the Cowboys' salary-cap number is always a moving target, the team could have about $20 million available to spend when free agency begins in March."
Steve Young: Making elite plays, Tony Romo equal to Brady, Brees
January 24
Dallas Morning News
 
"I'm intrigued when reading anything that involves a Super Bowl winning quarterback comparing Tony Romo to Tom Brady and Drew Brees. And Steve Young recently did just that. Young, an NFL analyst for ESPN , made the comparison last week during a conference call while discussing San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith being labeled as a "game manager." The Hall of Fame quarterback said Romo is as good as any QB when it comes to the elite level plays, however, he noted that the Cowboys quarterback struggles with the game-managing."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says there will be new faces in secondary next season
January 24
Dallas Morning News
 
"Cowboys owner Jerry Jones -- ever the optimist -- actually shed some realism about the state of his team Monday. On the first day of Senior Bowl practices, the unofficial start date of a very important off-season for the Cowboys, Jones said he had a hard time watching the NFC and AFC Championship games Sunday because his team wasn't involved. Jones laid out an off-season plan Monday that he said will involve several changes for the Cowboys. It was a refreshing gust of reality from Jones, who in previous seasons had talked about just how close the Cowboys were to a Super Bowl contender and just needed to make minor tweaks here and there."
Hurd changes lawyers, will plead not guilty
January 22
San Antonio Express-News
 
"San Antonio's Sam Hurd, who played for the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears, has changed lawyers and plans to plead not guilty in his federal drug-trafficking case this week, his new lead attorney said. On Friday, Hurd, 26, replaced David Elliott Kenner and Brett Allen Greenfield of California with Michael McCrum of San Antonio and Jay Ethington of Dallas. Both are former assistant U.S. attorneys — McCrum in the San Antonio-based Western District of Texas and Ethington in the Dallas-headquartered Northern District of Texas. "We filed a motion entering the case, and we'll be waiving (Hurd's) arraignment," McCrum said."
Excuses, revisionist history won't work for Dallas Cowboys
January 22
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 columnist Randy Galloway
"This morning's column will be another ongoing attempt at keeping 'em honest during the off-season at Valley Ranch. You can hold the thank-you cards and letters. Praise is not deserved here. I'm simply a lonely servant of the people, waging a one-man crusade against local football corruption and stupidity. On today's agenda are two items: (1) Excuses. (2) Revisionist history. Let us review the facts. Since the wrap-up of the Cowboys season, there has been an extensive campaign at Valley Ranch that centers on diverting the criticism aimed at head coach Jason Garrett and his handpicked defensive coordinator, Rob Ryan. Jason was in his first season as full-time HC. Rob came in brand new as the"