Cowboys News

"The Dallas Cowboys won’t be in San Antonio for training camp this summer, but they’ll be right at home next to “Best of Cathouse.” HBO and the Cowboys announced Wednesday that the Cowboys are this season’s featured team on HBO’s training camp reality show, “Hard Knocks.” A worldwide search couldn’t come up with a better reality show cast than this team. There’s the fun-loving quarterback in Tony Romo, attention-loving receiver in Terrell Owens and the cornerback with a sketchy past with Adam “Pacman” Jones. This reality is much better than any surreal lives. "

" Dallas Cowboys safety Roy Williams has doubts about whether he fits into Coach Wade Phillips’ scheme and has been isolating himself from his teammates, defensive end Greg Ellis said Thursday. Ellis told Sirius NFL Radio that Williams’ concerns about his place in Phillips’ version of the 3-4 defense surfaced last summer at training camp in San Antonio. "

" When St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan granted his tight ends coach, Judd Garrett, a paid leave of absence for the 2008 season, he said it was about doing the right thing. Similarly, Linehan thinks Garrett is doing right by his family in accepting the position of assistant director of pro scouting with the Dallas Cowboys. Garrett's wife, Kathy, passed away last August, leaving Judd to take care of four school-aged children. The move to Dallas will allow Garrett, 40, to be close to his brothers, Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason and tight ends coach John. "

"The Dallas Cowboys have not tried to hide the fact they were looking for a big-name, highly productive veteran wide receiver this off-season. They were interested in Javon Walker before Oakland guaranteed him $16 million. They have been linked to Chad Johnson, Roy Williams and Anquan Boldin even though their teams have repeatedly said none would be dealt. And if something were to happen now, executive vice president Stephen Jones admits it would likely be a player-for-player deal. "

" Greg Ellis is tired of the criticism directed at Cowboys teammate Roy Williams. Ellis, the veteran outside linebacker, said he's heard the perception of fans and media that Williams, a strong safety, is a liability in pass coverage and the team should cut or trade him. "As a teammate, I feel bad that people are saying Dallas needs to do something to Roy," Ellis said Thursday. "Is some of this stuff getting back to Roy? I don't know. My job is to defend him. I want Roy on this team. I know he wants to be on this team.""

" Tony Romo knew he was in for a long day in attempting to make it to the sectional stage of the U.S. Open qualifying when a one-foot bogey putt lipped out on the first hole. The Cowboys quarterback shot a 5-over 75 at the Golf Club of Dallas on Wednesday, four shots short of making a playoff that could have earned him one of the eight spots available for sectional qualifying."

"Another Garrett is coming to Dallas. Judd Garrett, the younger brother of Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and tight ends coach John Garrett, will be named the team's assistant director of pro scouting, owner Jerry Jones confirmed Wednesday. Garrett replaces Brian Gaine, who was hired as assistant director of player personnel with the Miami Dolphins in December."

" The Dallas Cowboys have requested that Arlington change the names of two streets near the team’s $1.1 billion stadium to Cowboys Way and Legends Way. Baird Farm Road between Interstate 30 and Division Street would be temporarily changed to Legends Way and eventually renamed for the company that purchases the stadium naming rights."

"Jerry Jones said the questions regarding NFL Films documenting Cowboys training camp for the HBO reality series, Hard Knocks, are legitimate. But the Cowboys owner said it won't hurt his team in its goal of trying to win a Super Bowl. On Wednesday, HBO announced plans to feature the Cowboys on its fourth installment of the Hard Knocks series, starting Aug. 6. The weekly show will end Sept. 3. NFL Films will send a 24-person crew to Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, Calif. "

" Former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry on Wednesday became the latest troubled player to seek refuge with the Dallas Cowboys. Henry is awaiting trial for misdemeanor charges of assault and a ruling from the NFL on whether he will be able to play in 2008. On Tuesday, an Ohio judge ruled Henry be released from electronic monitoring and house arrest to travel for tryouts. No visits have been scheduled, but Henry told ESPN.com the Cowboys and New Orleans top his list of teams. "

" Fear not, Dallas Cowboys fans. Officials from HBO and NFL Films promised Wednesday this summer's “Hard Knocks” won't turn into “The Tony & Jessica Show.” Speaking at a news conference in Irving to announce the Cowboys will make a second appearance on the docu-reality series that chronicles a team's training camp journey, HBO sports president Ross Greenburg scoffed when asked if Tony Romo's romance with Jessica Simpson could dominate the weekly series. “This is not the E! Television Network,” Greenburg said. “This is HBO and HBO Sports."

" A deal between HBO and the Dallas Cowboys that will allow NFL Films to film training camp in Oxnard, Calif., and air it on “Hard Knocks” is in the works, according to published reports. The Cowboys were on “Hard Knocks” in 2002. The show gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at an NFL team’s training camp. "

" The Dallas Cowboys plan to announce how many of the 15,000 club seats have been sold at the new stadium and the pricing structure for the remaining seats within the next two weeks, team vice president Stephen Jones said Tuesday. Team officials have said they would have a variety of ticket prices, but only the high-dollar seats have gone on sale. The team started selling personal seat licenses – ranging from $16,000 to $150,000 each – in November for the best seats at the $1.1 billion stadium in Arlington. Although these are the most expensive seat licenses in the NFL, Cowboys officials have repeatedly said that sales have been strong. "

"According to multiple sources, today the Cowboys will officially announce their return to the HBO documentary Hard Knocks, which chronicles life at an NFL training camp. NFL Films will document the Cowboys for about five to six weeks during training camp at Oxnard, Calif. Officials for the Cowboys, HBO and NFL Films will be at Valley Ranch today for a media-only event. "

" Here's what we know after the Cowboys' first rookie minicamp last week: If Danny Amendola makes it, he should remember Wes Welker in his will; Jerry Jones offers more second chances than a tent revival; and the Steelers may wish Dallas had drafted Rashard Mendenhall, too. Hope you took the daily updates from minicamp in the spirit offered. Figuring out if a guy can play from watching these affairs is like picking a wife from a swimsuit catalogue. Everyone looks good, but it's probably not grounds for a long-term relationship. Consider Felix Jones. No doubt you hoped for confirmation that the Cowboys made the right choice when they selected him ahead of Mendenhall, who was rated higher on most draft boards."

" While driving from San Antonio to Dallas the day before the draft, I caught an interview Sirius NFL Radio’s Pat Kerwin and Tim Ryan did with Boise State cornerback Orlando Scandrick. Scandrick was pleasant enough, but he came off as a guy with a lot of pride. Kerwin and Ryan even noted he sounded like he had a “chip on his shoulder.” Last weekend, it was apparent from the way he performed at the Cowboys rookie camp the chip remains. And for that, Dallas should be thankful. "

"Second-round pick Martellus Bennett has all the makings of a go-to guy as a pro — in the locker room for reporters and in the red zone for the Dallas Cowboys. The loquacious tight end from Texas A&M filled up notebooks and tape recorders at rookie camp last weekend with such gems as: “Football is my wife, and basketball will always be my mistress.” “The Cowboys star is kind of like the North Star in that it gives people direction.” “Nah, man, I got hit in the kids.” Bennett issued that last quote after being asked why he limped after making a catch on a seam route. "

" The Dallas Cowboys are not only going back to California for training camp, they are expected to once again invite HBO to broadcast their every move. A deal is "imminent" that will allow NFL Films to film five to six weeks of training camp in Oxnard, Calif. and air it on the HBO show Hard Knocks, according to a source. Training camp opens in late July. Last season, the Cowboys held training camp in San Antonio. The last time the Cowboys were on Hard Knocks was 2002, when they finished 5-11. It was Dave Campo's last season as coach. "

"First-round pick Felix Jones wasn't the only player whose footwork was a topic of discussion at the Dallas Cowboys' rookie minicamp. With his drop-back time quickened by a nearly 30-pound reduction from last season's listed weight of 246 pounds, practice-squad quarterback Richard Bartel has emerged as a viable candidate for the 53-man roster even as the Cowboys ponder whether to add another veteran passer. "

"Late last season, Richard Bartel faced a difficult decision. He had spent the year on the Cowboys' practice squad, seeing a little work as the scout team quarterback during practices, but Kansas City offered him a chance to move up to its active roster. "It was nice to know you're wanted," said Bartel, a Grapevine High School graduate. "You want to compete, and they were offering that, but what made the decision easy was the organization kind of affirming me and telling me I'm doing a good job here, and if I do the things I'd been doing, I may have a shot to stay." Once the Cowboys' season ended against the New York Giants, Bartel went to work."

"An elaborate tattoo stretches from the top of Marcus Dixon's left shoulder nearly to his elbow and contains a passage from Revelation 20:1-3. On the inside of Dixon's left forearm, Psalms 91 is tattooed in cursive. If you had been to hell and back like Dixon, you'd understand why he's permanently engraved religious passages on his body. "

"Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Dave Campo asked the defensive backs attending rookie minicamp to reach back, think, and name all of the truly outstanding receivers they faced in college. And "truly outstanding" loosely translates into legit NFL-caliber players. "There were probably about two," first-round draft pick Mike Jenkins said. "Tiquan Underwood from Rutgers and Harry Douglas from Louisville. That's really about it." Fifth-round pick Orlando Scandrick could think of one or two he played against on his own Boise State team, as well as Oklahoma's Malcolm Kelly in the Fiesta Bowl. So between these two defensive backs are roughly five "truly outstanding" receivers they faced. "Every guy they play against here is one of those five guys," Campo pointed out."

"Dallas Cowboys receivers coach Ray Sherman knows plenty about the team's recently acquired, suspended cornerback Pacman Jones. While coach Wade Phillips won't say anything about Jones until he is reinstated, Sherman offered some insight. Sherman was an assistant coach with the Tennessee Titans during Jones' first two years in the NFL. Sherman sees an impact player coming to the Cowboys who will rally the team and not divide the locker room, despite some players' concerns."

"It didn't take long for Dallas Cowboys' fourth-round pick Tashard Choice to have a memorable day in the NFL. And he has Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith to thank for it. The NFL's all-time leading rusher dropped by the team's rookie minicamp Saturday for an up-close look at Felix Jones, the Arkansas running back Dallas chose in the first round. Jones was excited to see Smith and receive some advice from the three-time Super Bowl champion, but the visit meant even more to Choice, who grew up idolizing Smith and wore No. 22 at Georgia Tech in honor of him. "

"If the Cowboys' young running backs hadn't already noticed Emmitt Smith at practice Saturday, position coach Skip Peete made sure they knew the NFL's all-time leading rusher was watching. "It still didn't hit me until he came over and talked to me," said first-round pick Felix Jones, the most well-known member of the group. Smith showed Jones how to give linebackers a smaller area to grab when running pass routes. "

"With the NFL draft in the books, the Cowboys know which pieces they'll be working with at running back in 2008. But how those pieces fit together remains to be seen. Last season, Julius Jones started all 16 regular-season games and alternated series with Marion Barber. Jones has since departed for Seattle, and Felix Jones and Tashard Choice were drafted in the first and fourth rounds, respectively. Because of the turnover, there's a ways to go before roles are carved out the way they were last season."

"He's small in stature, big in heart and was a standout slot receiver at Texas Tech. Given the above, comparisons between Danny Amendola and former Red Raiders star Wes Welker are only natural. “That's been happening since the day I stepped on campus,” Amendola said. “He's a great competitor and a great player, so it's a positive to be compared to him. I just hope I can emulate some of the stuff he's done.” "

" Isaiah Stanback wasn’t asked to participate in this weekend’s minicamp, but that doesn’t mean the Cowboys weren’t thinking about him when it kicked off Friday. Receivers coach Ray Sherman said the former University of Washington quarterback should contend for a position on the team’s 45-man game-day roster this season after essentially being redshirted in 2007. "

"Felix Jones and his new boss haven't compared “Woo, Pig! Sooie!” calls yet, but they did find time to discuss the heat the Dallas Cowboys caught after they drafted the Arkansas running back in the first round rather than Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall. “We spoke about that last night,” said owner Jerry Jones, another Arkansas alumnus. “Felix was appreciative of getting the nod here, so to speak. He earned it. He should have been the pick, and he will really have an opportunity here because of his skills to have a special career.” "

"Bobby Carpenter is entering his third season, and he will be playing his third position. Carpenter, the Cowboys' first-round draft choice in 2006, is moving to weakside inside linebacker behind Zach Thomas. He spent last season as Bradie James' backup at the strongside spot and his rookie season at outside linebacker. Carpenter said he and coach Wade Phillips had a talk recently about the move. "

"Pro Bowl strong safety Roy Williams said he's still trying to get comfortable in the Cowboys' defense and admitted he sometimes doesn't want opposing quarterbacks to throw the ball toward him. "I will admit at times, when I had one-on-one situations and you're head up on a tight end or a receiver that can go left or right, it's tough," Williams said Thursday on the Michael Irvin radio show."

"When Mike Jenkins asked his uncle, Tracy Sanders, what it takes to become an elite cornerback, he was told one thing: Talk to Prime. Prime as in "Prime Time" – Deion Sanders, the former Cowboys All-Pro cornerback. Jenkins, from South Florida, was considered one of the top cornerbacks in last week's NFL draft. Jenkins figured he would be among the top 20 choices, but he fell and the Cowboys traded up to get him at No. 25. "

"A man charged with shooting three people outside a Las Vegas strip club denies he was involved and accused suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones of ordering the shooting and framing him to avoid identifying the real shooter. Arvin Kenti Edwards of Renton, Wash., is being held in a Washington state jail on $1 million bail pending extradition to Nevada. He talked with WTVF-TV in Nashville by phone for a report that aired Wednesday. "

"Now the fun starts for Stephen Jones. For the last month or so, the Dallas Cowboys' executive vice president was focused solely on the NFL draft and acquiring suspended cornerback Pacman Jones from Tennessee. It didn't leave a lot of time to sign players who have shown a thing or two on the field to long-term deals. With the construction of the new stadium, talks about naming rights, bringing events to the new place, his work in real estate and the oil business, Stephen Jones' days are pretty busy. "

" Making it to September is a long shot for the 14 undrafted free-agent signees reporting to Valley Ranch today for rookie minicamp. The way Danny Amendola sees it, he's at least got a pretty good example that it can be done. Four years ago, fellow Texas Tech-ex Wes Welker was in his shoes, an undrafted, undersized slot receiver with a slight hope of making the NFL. "

"If Pacman Jones is to be paid like one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, he will have to earn it. The four-year contract Jones signed with the Cowboys is worth $13.3 million, although he has a chance to earn more should he hit an escalator that would raise his 2011 base salary to the franchise tag for a cornerback. The 2008 tag is $9.465 million."

"Late in the night last September, deep under Chicago's Soldier Field, Ramiro Romo waited outside the Dallas Cowboys' locker room for his son. Earlier, he had watched Tony throw two touchdown passes as the Cowboys pounded the Bears, 34-10. The television cameras caught Tony's omnipresent smile and the high-fives he gave to the fans on the field. What they didn't see was a quiet moment between father and son. Earlier that week, Ramiro, 50, had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. "

" Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and his father, Ramiro, will be guest speakers at Baylor Health Care's EveryMan dinner, benefiting cancer research, technology and community outreach, tonight at the Ritz-Carlton. "

" As for this draft, let me clear up any erroneous thoughts about my position on Felix Jones. I think he'll be a good player who contributes quite a bit this year, but I wouldn't have picked him over Rashard Mendenhall."

"The Eagles' never-ending saga with wide receiver Terrell Owens now has another chapter. According to Bloomberg News, the team has sued the wide receiver in an attempt to recover the bonus money Owens never paid after being suspended for the final seven games of the 2005 season."

" While the Cowboys did not use a draft pick last weekend on Daniel Polk, who starred as a quarterback at Midwestern State after doing the same at South Oak Cliff, they made sure they signed him as a free agent in hopes of getting it right again."

"What are the chances off the Cowboys getting Roy Williams, Chad Johnson or Anquan Boldin in a trade?"

" The chatter about trading for Roy Williams, Anquan Boldin or Chad Johnson was just that – chatter. Same with drafting a receiver in the first round or possibly the second round."

"With the Dallas Cowboys unable to address their desire for a veteran receiver opposite Terrell Owens, they have turned to the hope that Terry Glenn can come back."

" The Cowboys drafted Georgia Tech RB Tashard Choice in the fourth round, a day after selecting Arkansas RB Felix Jones."

"A 273-mile pipeline from Irving to Fayetteville, Ark., is thought to have existed since No. 1 Hog Head Jerry Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys, but its existence has always been more myth than reality. Myth: He was so Hog-blind that he would mortgage his team's draft picks for the chance to select Darren McFadden."

"The Cowboys finally picked Georgia Tech running back Tashard Choice with the 23rd choice of the fourth round, 123rd overall, to continue with the business of talent acquisition. They also picked Boise State cornerback Orlando Scandrick in the fifth round and Middle Tennessee linebacker Erik Walden in the sixth round."

" By picking up cornerback Pacman Jones in a trade with Tennessee – with the hope he will be reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell – and moving up three spots from pick No. 28 in the first round to take cornerback Mike Jenkins on Saturday, the Cowboys can be much more aggressive on defense."

"The Cowboys went into Saturday saying they would draft for now, and they followed that plan almost to the letter. They passed on Illinois halfback Rashard Mendenhall to get Arkansas halfback Felix Jones because Jones has a style more complementary to the mauling Marion Barber. "

"Arkansas running back Felix Jones became the first offensive player taken in the first round by the Cowboys since tight end David LaFleur in 1997, who like Jones was the 22nd overall pick. They then took South Florida cornerback Mike Jenkins with the 25th pick of the first round and Texas A&M tight end Martellus Bennett with the 61st pick of the second round."