Cowboys football blog

Cowboys' CBs day to day after mild injuries

Projected starting cornerbacks Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins were injured on Saturday, bringing a scare to the Dallas Cowboys’ training camp less than one week before the preseason opener against the Oakland Raiders.

Neither injury is considered serious — Newman suffered a strained groin and Jenkins a sprained right ankle. Both are listed as day-to-day.

But considering Newman’s injury history and Jenkins’ bid to be a first-year starter, it is enough to cause some concern.

"Terence Newman has a slight groin sprain that is going to keep him out precautionary-wise," coach Wade Phillips said. "He’s had some problems in the past, not the same injury, but we want to be very careful with that. So we are holding him out." Continue

Phillips happy with camp early on

Fridays usually make a lot of people happy. Count coach Wade Phillips among them.

With the tempo getting faster and the physical nature more intense, Phillips was pleased with the Cowboys’ third day of training camp today at the Alamodome.

Actually, he had some pretty descriptive words of today’s session.

“Today’s practice was crisp and pretty violent in some respects, so I was glad to see that,” Phillips said. “The players are getting used to the pads and they’re ready to start hitting more than they did (Thursday). I think you progress when you have practices like that.”

Defense? Wide receivers? He was up on both. Roy Williams had a strong day, including a tip-toe catch along the sidelines that drew applause — and some good words — from Michael Irvin. Continue

Cowboys set to open camp

Wade Phillips is getting tough? Roy Williams isn’t talking? Martellus Bennett thinks he’s a comedian? Tony Romo, suddenly single, is emotionally drained?

Oh, boy, those are just the off-season story lines.

Everything ratchets up Tuesday when the widely anticipated make-or-break 2009 campaign, one that owner and general manager Jerry Jones has demanded must match the sparkling standard of the franchise’s new $1.15 billion home in Arlington, officially begins.

The Dallas Cowboys kick off training camp in San Antonio at 3 p.m. Tuesday with a state-of-the-union address from the eternally effervescent Jones along with the perpetually prosaic Phillips, the team’s third-year head coach whose seat is easily the hottest on the coaching circuit. Continue

Carpenter hammers away at rap with Dallas Cowboys

Bobby Carpenter finally bears some resemblance to the player the Cowboys thought they were getting when they picked him with the 18th selection of the first round two seasons ago.

Carpenter, working as a backup at both inside linebacker positions, has done a good job in the first two weeks of training camp. That's good for a guy who had to be considered a little bit on the bubble when training camp began. He has been aggressive against the run, which he has not done in the past, leading to criticism. And he has been active in the passing game. Continue

Dallas Cowboys' Spencer is key to the 'D'

The player who will determine whether the Cowboys' defense is good or great doesn't even start. His name: Anthony Spencer. Seriously. If he's the pass-rushing difference-maker Dallas believed he'd be when it took him with the 26th pick of the first round in 2007, the Cowboys' pass rush will be every bit as good as the Giants' pass rush was last season when they won the Super Bowl. Continue

Jenkins bringing a family feeling with him to his new football family

With the stroke of a pen, 17-year-old Mike Jenkins could have been on a plane flying to Lincoln, Neb. — or wherever — to go to school, play football and be away from the tough realities of his youth. He grew up with a mother who was fighting diabetes and high blood pressure, and a father who was in and out of jail. Jenkins easily could have left to pursue a more conventional college experience.

On the table were scholarship offers from Nebraska, Iowa and a handful of other attractive schools far away from his home in Bradenton, Fla. "It’s your life and you need to make the decision that is best for you," his mother told him. "I’ll back you 100 percent." Continue

Cowboys arrive in camp with no doubts about their goal

The Dallas Cowboys arrived for training camp Thursday, openly embracing enormous expectations of reaching their first Super Bowl since the 1995 season.

Never mind that the Cowboys haven’t won a playoff game since the 1996 season and might not have veteran Terry Glenn as an option at wide receiver. This team looks and acts the part of a Super Bowl favorite in 2008. However, the team appears to be on the verge of parting ways with Glenn, who missed 15 games last season after two surgeries on his right knee. Continue

2008 season looking good for Cowboys, but questions still remain

Many months have passed and millions of dollars have been spent since Tony Romo’s fourth-down pass was intercepted by the Giants’ R.W. McQuarters in the end zone, ending the Cowboys’ 2007 season in disappointment.

The painful wait to prove the playoff loss was a fluke is almost over. The Cowboys return to training camp Thursday to begin the last season at Texas Stadium. Despite last season’s regular-season success and the guarded enthusiasm surrounding this year’s team, there are still plenty of questions. Continue

Starting or relieving, Barber keeps believing

After rushing for 654 yards and scoring an NFC-high 16 touchdowns last season as the Cowboys' third down-and-short yardage running back, Marion Barber wants a bigger role. His goal is to be the Cowboys' starting running back now and in the future.

Don't misunderstand. Barber is content with his role as the cleanup man behind starter Julius Jones in the Cowboys' two-back system. He will continue to do whatever is asked of him by the coaches because his foremost priority is to help the team make a Super Bowl run in 2007. Continue

Cowboys' RB hopes to shake doubters

Julius Jones wants the Cowboys, his peers and critics to love him. The Cowboys' starting running back isn't angry, but he does have a chip on his shoulder. He's out to prove he's an elite back.

"This is my last year in my contract, and I do have a lot to prove," Jones said before practice Monday. "There are some doubts on me. You hear them not from inside the building but outside the building. So it's kind of my job to show the doubters what I can really do." Jones began this process in the offseason when his father, Thomas A., called to ask about trade rumors he was hearing and reading about. Continue