Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on July 3, 2009 8:22 PM

The Cowboys may lack a proven wide receiver group, but they have a wealth of riches at running back.

To take advantage, they are working on ways to get Marion Barber and Felix Jones on the field at the same time.

Jones has the flexibility to line up wide or go in motion. (There is talk he may start.) Barber is also a versatile receiver and runner. Throw in Tashard Choice, who was excellent in three starts last year, and Dallas arguably has the best backfield in the NFL.

Pro Football Weekly also points out that rapper/blogger/tight end Martellus Bennett has impressed this offseason.

With two pass-catching tight ends and three quality backs, there should be plenty of weapons available to replace Terrell Owens' production.

Now it's on offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to use them correctly and make sure his scheme doesn't get "exposed" again.

Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com
July 3 11:24 AM

IRVING, Texas - The "C" patch Leonard Davis jokingly stitched on DeMarcus Ware's jersey last month stood for "Company Man," though it easily could signify "Captain" (his co-role on the defense) or "Cash" (for whenever he signs that expected mega-extension).

Maybe head coach Wade Phillips should have "V" for "Versatility" emblazoned on the jerseys of his young defensive backs, particularly Alan Ball's.

Ball, a seventh-round draft pick in 2007, has played backup cornerback his first two seasons with the Cowboys. This summer Phillips and his defensive coaches have given him extensive reps at free safety, yet another example of the flexibility they want to establish in the secondary.

Fifth-round rookie DeAngelo Smith is converting from cornerback to safety. Courtney Brown, another '07 draft pick, is doing just the opposite of Ball - trying corner after two seasons at safety. Orlando Scandrick was considered for a little work there as well, but now he's competing for the starting right corner job.

Even Gerald Sensabaugh, the projected starter at strong safety, has corner experience and is believed to be an upgrade in coverage over his predecessor, Roy Williams.

Versatility is indeed the goal, and the Cowboys believe Ball in particular can help them at one or both spots if needed. He showed the right range and instincts with the first-team defense when starting free safety Ken Hamlin (personal business) missed a week of OTA practices.

"Alan's got a knack, I think, at safety," Phillips said. "I think he's a good corner; he can go out and play corner and fill in at corner. But he's got some skills at safety we want to look at."

Phillips also admires Ball's competitive spirit, a trait he showed last October in a 13-9 win over Tampa Bay. Without starting corners Terence Newman and Anthony Henry, Ball and fellow backups Brown and Mike Jenkins helped limit the Bucs to three points in the second half.

Safety isn't new territory for Ball, either. He played it all through high school and some as a freshman for Illinois. The biggest adjustment, he said, is monitoring the entire field instead of matching up with a single receiver near the sideline. Secondary coaches Dave Campo and Brett Maxie have helped with the transition.

"It's a different kind of feeling coming from the corner spot," Ball said. "At corner you pretty much know what you've got. You've got a particular area. But at free safety it's overwhelming at first because you're back there and you see everything.

"You've got to know the defense really well and you've got to know what everybody else is doing around you, not just you. At corner, you know your role and you can focus on that. But at safety you have to know where everyone else is going."

Like Brown and Scandrick, Ball (6-1, 186) is a good tackler but doesn't have prototypical size for run support at safety.

Phillips still thinks his tenacity, coverage and ball skills are a good fit for the position. The Cowboys want more takeaways from their DBs next season, as evidenced by the interception drills they run before each practice.

"He's such a competitor," Phillips said. "He's going to give it everything he's got. We'll see what he has. I've had smaller guys that have played safety before. Not many of them can do it. I think he's one that can."

Last year only Hamlin and Henry played all 16 games; Newman missed six and Williams missed 13. Multiple DBs that can play multiple positions will help Phillips sleep better this fall if one or more starters get injured.

"The light's gone on. They're all making plays," Newman said. "Ball's been super consistent and Courtney's been learning two positions and he's doing good at both of them. For those guys to play corner and safety they have to learn the knowledge of the corner and safety positions as well as the nickel. They're playing three different positions and they're not making any mental errors."

Ball is expected to contribute primarily on special teams again next season. He also just wants an opportunity on defense, no matter where he lines up.
"Just playing wherever I can," he said. "Wherever I can fit into the scheme and learn everything I can learn so our secondary can be better."

By Eric Edholm
Source: www.profootballweekly.com

Part of an offensive coordinator’s challenge is to get his playmakers on the field and get them all the ball. At least we know the first part of the equation should be doable for Jason Garrett. Although receiving is still being sorted out, the Cowboys' good depth at running back and tight end allows him to put some interesting formations to work. First, in the backfield, the team is playing around with using Marion Barber and Felix Jones — something it did sparingly last season when the two were healthy — on the field at the same time. It doesn’t have to be in traditional, two-back sets, either; Jones has the flexibility to split out and motion into or out of the backfield. And at tight end, the team has two plus pass catchers in Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett. Don’t overlook Bennett, who is said to have matured a great deal in his first year with the team. In limited duty, Bennett gained more than 14 yards per catch and had four TD catches, most of them in the second half of his rookie season.

by Aaron Novinger (Bigrigga31) on Jul 3, 2009 5:14 PM CDT

Mike Jenkins is the number two player listed on Matt Bowen's article at NFP, "Five defensive players who may surprise".

Jenkins will start opposite fellow cornerback Terence Newman in his first year as a full-time player, and although I expect Newman to draw most of the tougher match-ups in the NFC East, expect Jenkins to see plenty of action on his side of the field.

One thing we have to remember about the Cowboys is that they’re a pressure team that sends players after the quarterback, and in return, they count on their secondary to play a lot of man-to-man coverage in blitz packages. The Cowboys totaled 59 sacks in 2008, and they should continue to be a defense that relies on pressure to create plays. Because of this, Jenkins will have plenty of opportunities to make some plays on the ball, and if Newman can continue to play at a top level, opposing offenses will look to try and exploit Jenkins. Lots of opportunities for Jenkins, and I believe he has the talent to get it done.

Hat tip to APerfectStar for the FanShot.

Bowen also lists Patrick Crayton as his number two surprise offensive player.

I have always liked Crayton’s game at the wide receiver position, and with the departure of Terrell Owens, I expect him to play a major role in the passing game for the Cowboys and quarterback Tony Romo. Yes, we can all agree that Romo’s No. 1 target in any down-and-distance situation will be TE Jason Witten, but the ‘Boys still need a receiver who can make plays down the field on first and second downs.

Crayton averaged more than 14 yards a catch in ’08, and although WR Miles Austin might be the ultimate deep threat for this Cowboys team, he’s still a No. 3. Crayton should fit nicely into the No. 2 role and might even be more productive by season’s end than expected No. 1 Roy Williams.

So each week between now and the regular season Football Jabber is going to do a fantasy football mock draft and throw some observations back at you. We will be trying some different strategies and pass along to you how they worked and maybe what would have worked better. For an extensive look at comparing Two Running Backs, Triplets, and Best Available theories you can check out one of the classic posts HERE.

When I arrived at Fantasy Football Calculator I had about five minutes to pick my spot (took the number 6 pick) and pre-rank some players.  Didn’t have much to work off of but I did have an idea in mind.  The last mock I did I made a pick out of my own fantasy character and took Peyton Manning in the second round.  I have never really been a Manning guy but thought I should take him later on in the second.  Although my team came out pretty good I had an uneasy feeling when I didn’t get some of the people I would have loved to have that fell before my third rounder.  SO ANYWAY, this time I wanted to see how long I could go without a QB and wanted to do the old fashioned two RB in the first two rounds.

I was extremely pleased with how my two first picks panned out at the #6, Steven Jackson and Brian Westbrook.  I had a feeling of satisfaction at RB I did not have in the past Mock but things got weird in the next two rounds.   Ten WRs had went off the board by the time I was ready to pick in the 3rd.  Anquan Boldin is a stud, we know, but you still have an uneasy feeling with the whole thing in Arizona for the guy to be your #1 WR.  Then in the second the best WR available was Braylon Edwards.  Braylon and I did not get along last season.  Had Kurt Warner not been picked just before me I may have taken my QB then.  But this is for science anyway, we will wait!

I was able to add Antonio Gates in the 5th to round out my core starters outside of QB.  I would really like to see Gates pick it back up.  I had a really hard time between Gates and Gonzo.  I think Gonzo can be a big target for Matt Ryan.

So let’s get to that QB thing, shall we?  I almost took Donovan McNabb instead of Gates…but I was testing things, right?  Well, he went off the board three picks before my next pick.  Next target…Tony Romo.  Nope…he went the pick after McNabb.  I decided to hold off a round.  Matt Ryan and Jay Cutler go off before my next pick.  I was feeling good when it looked like Carson Palmer was going to fall to me in the 8th round but he went off two picks before me.  I pulled the trigger in the 8th round on Eli Manning.  Not really the guy I want leading my fantasy team.  Two rounds later I added David Garrard, who I was big on last year…until the season played out.

Moral of the story…if I had it to do over again (and I will next week) I would not wait past the 7th round, at least not where I was picking in the middle.  There were five QB’s taken in the 8th round so you could beat a run going in the 7th.   I’m really noticing that you cannot wait on WR these days either.  It was nice getting those two RB but I would have felt better getting a sure thing catcher.

Some other observations…

• The first round played out like:  Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte, Maurice Jones-Drew, L. Tomlinson, Michael Turner, Steven Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton, Chris Johnson, Randy Moss, DeAngelo Williams.
• How often do you see two texans in the first round?
• Some Michael Turner fans are going to love seeing him still around at #5.
• Tom Brady (#14) and Drew Brees (#15) were the top passers taken.  None in the first round this time around.
• Greg Jennings went at #17, before the middle of the second round.
• Watching Joseph Addai, Willie Parker, and Larry Johnson fall to the 5th round makes you realize how much things can change within a couple years.  How far off are we before we see L.T. going in the 6th while he is playing for the Lions or something?
• Mentioned above, there were five QB’s taken in the 8th round.  Making the 7th round the latest you wait might make you the start of a run.
• I like to take note of when the first Defense was taken.  The Steelers went with the first pick in the 9th.

As we discussed in previous posts, FootballGuys.com has a FREE Rate My Team application that is pretty much awesome.  For the record they pretty much agreed that I was set with RB but lacked at QB and WR.

So kids, tune in next week as we do it again trying some other ideas on a whim.  You can always go do a Mock yourself at Fantasy Football Calculator and let us know how yours came out!

It’s been highly reported that Jerry Jones wants to see more of last years first round pick - Felix Jones, on the field more in 2009. ProFootballWeekly reports that both Jones and fellow RB Marion Barber could both be on the field at the same time this upcoming season:

First, in the backfield, the team is playing around with using Cowboys RB’s Marion Barber and Felix Jones — something it did sparingly last season when the two were healthy — on the field at the same time. It doesn’t have to be in traditional, two-back sets, either; Jones has the flexibility to split out and motion into or out of the backfield.

Because of all the talk that’s been going on about my last blog, let me say this: I don’t think the starting job is mine because of the round and pick I was drafted, and I don’t think it’s going to be given to me because there’s favoritism.

That’s not my way.

I’m far from my peak, I have not played or showed any comparison to what I did at South Florida and a lot of fans, writers, coaches don’t know that. Me and Orlando are two totally different players. You can’t coach me the same way you coach him. Just like Nnamdi and Asante Samuel, we have two totally different styles.

Click HERE to read the rest

Source: http://www.nfl.com

There are a variety of ways to build a top defense, but one common denominator exists on fearsome units: the presence of a ferocious pass rush.

Whereas most teams would love for that rush to be generated from a balanced defensive front that features multiple pass rushers along the line, the vast majority of teams build around one special rusher who can single-handedly dominate the game off the edge. An elite rusher's ability to create pressure from the backside quickens the clock in the quarterback's head and forces the opposition to revamp its blocking schemes to prevent disruption.

However, schematic adjustments are unable to account for the special skills that these pass-rushing phenoms possess, as most continue to thrive despite facing a steady diet of chips and double teams off the edge. Blessed with superior athleticism or exceptional strength and power, these game-changers excel at getting to the quarterback and creating havoc upon their arrival.

Whether operating as 3-4 hybrids or 4-3 situational rushers, the elite at this position are the pivotal players on their respective squads, and every defensive coordinator in the league covets having one of these playmakers at their disposal.

With production and game-changing ability used as critical factors, here is one man's look at the league's top edge rushers:

1. DeMarcus Ware, LB, Cowboys
The three-time Pro Bowler has been a terror off the edge in the Cowboys' ultra-aggressive 3-4 scheme. Using an explosive first step and a dazzling array of pass-rush moves, Ware has amassed 53.5 sacks in a four-year span, including a league-best 20 last season. With an ever-improving set of rush skills that have made him seemingly impossible to block, Ware has become the standard by which pass rushers are measured.

2. Jared Allen, DE, Vikings
The skillful technician with a non-stop motor has repeatedly outworked opponents off the edge on his way to 30 sacks over the past two seasons. Whereas other rushers might possess more natural ability, Allen's relentlessness has enabled him to tally more sacks (57.5) than any other player in the league since 2004.

3. Julius Peppers, DE, Panthers
The Panthers' franchise player has been a pass-rushing marvel during his first seven seasons in the league. He has recorded double-digit sack totals five times, and he set a new career high with 14.5 in 2008. Though some view the four-time Pro Bowler as an enigmatic talent who fails to consistently deliver big games, Peppers' 70.5 career sacks are an accurate reflection of his dominance since entering the league in 2002.

4. Mario Williams, DE, Texans
After enduring an injury-plagued rookie season, Williams has quickly ascended to the ranks of the elite in just three seasons. As a big, athletic rusher with an expanding repertoire of pass-rush moves, Williams has tallied 22 sacks in his past 23 games and developed into the dominant force that the Texans envisioned when they surprisingly selected him with the first overall draft pick in 2006.

5. Shawne Merriman, LB, Chargers
The three-time Pro Bowler must be included on this list based on his outstanding production during his first three seasons. Merriman has amassed 39.5 career sacks, including a league-leading 17 in 2006. As an explosive power rusher with strength, he routinely overwhelms blockers off the edge on the way to pummeling quarterbacks from the backside. Though Merriman missed most of 2008 because of a knee injury, few rushers rival his impact or production when he is on the field.

Posted by Josh Satler
Source: www.nflgridirongab.com

The NFC East features talented tight ends across the board, and it all starts with Jason Witten down in Big D.


1. Jason Witten

Witten might be the best all-around tight end in the game today, and he and Romo have developed an awesome rapport over the past two and a half years.

In 2008, Witten finished with 81 catches for over 900 yards and 4 TDs.

And this year, T.O. is gone. True, the extra attention given to Owens will probably shift over to Witten, but the Cowboys have enough weapons to isolate Witten on linebackers and safeties, and he’ll still find ways to produce.

Expect a 1,000-yard season with between eight and 10 touchdowns.

2. Chris Cooley

Cooley is a very talented tight end who appears to be a notch below the top fantasy tight ends in the game today.

Last year, he finished with over 80 catches for 849 yards, but only managed one touchdown as the team had to learn Jim Zorn’s offense, which wasn’t the smoothest process.

In year two, expect things to get smoother for Cooley and quarterback Jason Campbell. Over 800 yards receiving and between six and eight touchdowns certainly seems within reach.

3. Kevin Boss

By the end of the season, it could be Boss who sits in the second spot on the list.

The rapidly improving third-year tight end could have a much larger role in the Giants’ offense with the offseason departures of Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer.

In just his second year in the league, he more than filled the hole left by Jeremy Shockey by hauling in six touchdowns on just 33 catches.

This year, expect him to be more involved and finish with between 50-60 catches and six to eight touchdowns.

4. Brent Celek

Rookie Cornelius Ingram might end up being the starting tight end in Philly, but we think it’ll be Celek, who was a force late and caught 10 balls for 83 yards and two touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game.

In just his second year in the league, Celek showed that he was able to exploit mismatches over the middle of the field and make the tough catch in traffic.

And as he and McNabb developed a nice chemistry in the postseason, look for it to carry over in 2009 with 600 yards and at least five touchdowns.

Draft Tip

Witten, Cooley and Boss are all starters on fantasy teams, and look for Witten to come off the board as early as round three. Cooley and Boss should be around after round six, and Celek will be there for the pickings towards the end of the draft.

One potential fantasy sleeper, who was not mentioned in this edition is Dallas tight end Martellus Bennett. The talented second-year player could make some noise, so make sure to remember him late on draft day.

By Jay Henry

The NFL has always been a league defined by toughness.

To name a few, there's Jack Youngblood playing in the 1980 NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl XIV with a broken leg, Emmitt Smith rushing for 168 yards against the Giants with a separated shoulder, and Ronnie lot electing to cut his pinky finger off after it failed to heal properly.

Before his career is over, Marion Barber will be one of the toughest NFL players to ever play the game. Okay, that may be a little much. But he doesn't have the nickname "Marion the Barbarian" because he enjoys gladiator movies.

Last year, the Dallas Cowboys suffered due to Marion's absence. The team was able to supplement for a while with rookie Tashard Choice, but the 'Boys were never the same after Barber went down with an injury.

This season is make-it-or-break-it for the 'Boys of Valley Ranch. Romo is entering his third full season as quarterback and Marion Barber has help in the backfield with Tashard and Felix Jones.

The team cannot pin any offensive shortcomings on Terrell Owens anymore.

So, while Tony Romo receives the credit and the criticism for wins and losses, the team will only go as far as the Barbarian will take them.

In analyzing Barber's stats from 2007 and 2008, he tailed off a little in the fourth quarter last season due to injury.

However, unlike most backs, Barber sustains his production throughout the game.

In the fourth quarter last season, Marion had 53 rushing attempts and averaged 3.5 yards per carry. Compare that to 2007 when he was healthy, and Barber averaged a strong 4.9 yards per carry on 83 attempts.

Couple Barber's production with the speed and versatility of Choice and Jones, and the Cowboys could very well have the best offensive backfield in the league next season.

That's if they can all stay on the field and healthy.

With the offensive firepower the Cowboys have stockpiled in Witten, Jones, Barber, Choice, Romo, and Roy Williams, there is no excuse for failure this season.

The Cowboys also have a brand new stadium that has seats that will need to be filled, so the fans' expectations for the team isn't as high as team owner Jerry Jones.

If Tony Romo acts as the blood that flows through the Cowboys system, Marion Barber is the teams pulse. Without a pulse, you're dead.

-JH