Cowboys Corner

Dat Nugyen's departure seems fishy

There is something not being said in the Dat Nguyen story.
It's one thing to want to pursue a job as a full-time position coach. It's another to leave the Cowboys staff without a job in hand.

Maybe one is forthcoming but, according to the Cowboys coaches, Nguyen quit without securing another job first. He is not headed to USC as some internet reports suggested a couple of days ago.

No one knows what his plans are. That doesn't make sense.

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Nguyen will not be back

Assistant coach Dat Nguyen will not be back with the Cowboys next season, a source said Tuesday night.

Nguyen's office has been cleaned out and he is not with the rest of the staff at the Pro Bowl.

Where he is headed is not yet known. Internet reports have linked Nguyen to USC as linebackers coach. But that has not been verified.

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Nguyen to USC?

Jerry Jones said last week that he wanted to re-sign all three assistant coaches whose contracts expire at the end of the league year. But apparently Dat Nguyen has other plans. Internet coaching rumors suggest the Cowboys assistant linebackers coach is headed to USC to join Lane Kiffin's staff as the linebackers coach. It would be a promotion for Nguyen, who played at Texas A&M and for the Cowboys. Reggie Herring is the Cowboys linebackers coach.

-- Charean Williams

Romo and Jenkins added to the Pro Bowl

Quarterback Tony Romo and cornerback Mike Jenkins have been added to the Pro Bowl roster as injury replacements.

It brings the total of Cowboys at the all-star game to eight to go along with Wade Phillips and the coaching staff in what will be a silver star reunion.

Romo replaced Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. It his third career selection to the Pro Bowl.

Jenkins, who had a breakout season at cornerback for the Cowboys, earned his first selection. He replaced Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield.

 

The two join tight end Jason Witten, guard Leonard Davis, receiver Miles Austin, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, nose tackle Jay Ratliff and cornerback Terence Newman in the game. Center Andre Gurode was originally selected as a starter but pulled out because of minor knee surgery.  

Clarence E . Hill Jr.

JUST CHILL: Tony Romo and Mike Jenkins have not yet been added to the Pro Bowl roster.

Donovan McNabb has replaced Drew Brews. Romo will likely be added if and when Brett Favre pulls out.

No one expected Favre to play even before he got beat up by the Saints. Can't see him playing now.

Regarding Jenkins, Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield has no yet pulled out of the game. He was injured for much of the year. It will be a surprise if he plays, likely paving the way for Jenkins.

Of course, that's assuming Jenkins is the next alternate up on the list. He should be because no one else is more deserving.

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Cowboys tryout kicker

The Cowboys tried out CFL kicker Sandro DeAngelis on Friday, according to the Calgary Sun.

"I'm pleased with [the audition], but you really have no idea what they're thinking," DeAngelis told the newspaper. "They don't exactly jump up and down or anything, so you don't have a gauge of where you stand. I'll keep my fingers crossed."

DeAngelis made 42 of 49 field goals last season for the Stampeders.

The Cowboys are not expected to re-sign Shaun Suisham, who is a restricted free agent. It is a good year for free agent kickers, and Nick Folk still is on the street, too.

-- Charean Williams

More signings

The Cowboys have also announced that they have signed wide receiver eide receiver Titus Ryan to the reserve/future list. Ryan played at Concordia College and after not being drafted, he signed with the Chiefs 2007. Ryan, who worked out for the team today, spent parts of the 2007 and 2008 seasons with the Saints and Panthers before playing for the Calgary Stampeders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League in 2009.

 The reserve/future list now includes Ryan, linebacker Donovan Woods guard Travis Bright, defensive end Marcus Dixon, running back Herb Donaldson, defensive back Marquis Floyd and wide receiver Jesse Holley.

 -- Jan Hubbard

 

Cowboys sign three more practice squad players

The Cowboys have signed defensive end Marcus Dixon, receiver Jesse Holley and receiver Manuel Johnson to their reserve/future list. All three spent the season on the Cowboys' practice squad. Holley was the winner of Michael Irvin's "4th and Long" reality TV show and showed enough in training camp to earn a practice squad spot.

-- Charean Williams

Jerry not ruling out free agency

Because the Cowboys made the divisional round of the playoffs, they will be limited in what they can do in free agency. In an uncapped year, which 2010 is expected to be, there is a “final eight rule.” The final eight teams are allowed to sign only one player with a salary of $4.925 million or more. They can sign as many free agents they want for a first-year base salary of $3.275 million or less. (The final four teams are even more restricted.)

But Jerry Jones said not to rule the Cowboys out of the free agent market.

"We'll take advantage of every opportunity we have to improve our talent," he said. "I say that with all due good feeling about the young players we've got."

Three of the Cowboys' draft picks from last year ended up on injured reserve before the season started, including tackle Robert Brewster, a third-round pick. Linebacker Jason Williams' development was set back by an injury in the third preseason game. He never caught up and played in only five games, on special teams.

"We've got those players that didn't even get to the field last year," Jones said. "...They've got a lot of work to do to get better."

-- Charean Williams

Punt returner upgrade

Patrick Crayton returned two punts for touchdowns and was close on several others. But Jerry Jones admitted the Cowboys wouldn't mind finding an upgrade there in the draft or free agency.

"You'd love to have some juice there," Jones said. "I'm a lot more encouraged and pleased by how [Crayton] returned kicks this year than I have been at any time of his career. That could mitigate that. In other words, would I go reaching for that with Patrick Crayton [on the roster]? That wouldn't be wise."

Jones said depth in the offensive line is a priority. He also said that even though the Cowboys feel good about their linebacker corps, it isn't out of the question that they will draft a linebacker.

"If given the opportunity to get a warhorse there, I'm not saying we'd pass on that," Jones said.

-- Charean Williams