Cowboys Corner

Jerry Jones wants Dez Bryant to gain a sense of when to go for punts and when not to

Dez Bryant spent part of Wednesday’s OTA working on punt returns, which is fine with owner Jerry Jones.

He just wants his receiver to get a feel for when to go for the ball and when not to, perhaps as a chance to reduce the risk of injury. Bryant suffered a thigh bruise returning a punt in Week 1 last year at the New York Jets.

“I have no issue with us making business decisions relative to him returning punts,” Jones said to reporters watching the practice at Cowboys Stadium. “What I do want him to do is to get enough repetitions so he can have a sense of fielding them and when to field them and when not to field them and make those kinds of judgments. But I like him back there to use him when we’ve got a long field or a chance for a return. He’s quite a weapon and I’m for using him.”

Bryant said last week that the early-season injury a year ago limited him all year.

Jones said he knew it did, but he still wants Bryant to get chances to make an impact in every game possible.

“I know that he did deal with that throughout the year,” Jones said. “I don’t know that it impacted some of the things that he needs to work on, and we need to work on as a coaching staff, to get him the ball and get him into plays."

Bryant averaged 14.3 yards on 15 punt returns as a rookie and 6.9 yards on 15 returns last year.

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

 

Jones: Cowboys, Bryant working on him being more impactful late in games

 

Wide receiver Dez Bryant only missed one game last year but everyone knows he was limited throughout the season because of a deep thigh bruise he suffered in the season opener.

Bryant has admitted as much and owner Jerry Jones understands as much.

Still, according to Jones that doesn't fully explain Bryant's penchant for disappearing late in games. Whether it was because of a lack of conditioning or lack of concentration, Jones said those are things Bryant and the Cowboys are working on this offseason because he needs to be a factor when it matters most late in games.

“Well, I know that he did deal with that throughout the year," Jones said of the thigh bruise. "I don’t know that it impacted some of the things that he needs to work on, and we need to work on as a coaching staff, to get him the ball and get him into plays. When he would lose concentration in the last part of the game, I don’t know if that was because of conditioning. I suspect it could’ve been. That’s not be critical, but I suspect that, rather the injury had anything to do with that or not, those are the things that we’re working on so he can be more impactful in the latter part of the game and we can do the kinds of things we need to do to get him the ball. Now, Miles Austin being out there is going to help that tremendously.”

Clarence Hill 

 

Rob Ryan: Free Agent CB Brandon Carr is better than expected, can cover anybody and is truly special

 

Forget the fuss about cornerback Mike Jenkins' holdout and first round pick Morris Claiborne, considering that neither are currently healthy and on the field.

Free agent signee Brandon Carr is out there for OTA workouts and he is the one turning heads. Carr, who signed a five-year/$50.1 million contract, has defensive coordinator Rob Ryan gushing with praise cause he's better than expected. 

"He’s actually better," Ryan said of Carr. "He’s outstanding. I knew he was great, but the guy is special."

Why?

"Just because he shuts down everybody," Ryan said. "He can cover anybody. He’s got long arms, great length and he’s a great person who works his tail off. He takes coaching, and I’m really impressed with him."

Ryan said he likes all of his cornerbacks but he said if they need to shut somebody down, he will go with Carr. He will be the one who takes on the top receiver on the opposing team. 
 "I would think so," Ryan said. "But obviously we’ve got several corners that can play. so we’ll see how it goes, but if we need to shut somebody down, or put him on a bigger guy, I’m sure brandon will be up to the challenge."

Clarence Hill 

 

Rob Ryan on Morris Claiborne: We didn't move up in the draft to get a guy who's not going to play

The Cowboys have yet to see Morris Claiborne in action. He still is recovering from left wrist surgery and is not expected to be practicing until training camp in July. Still, the Cowboys like what they have seen enough to all but hand him the starting job.

They drafted Claiborne sixth overall to shore up their secondary. The Cowboys have been among the team's all-time worst pass defenses the past two seasons. They gave up 3,906 passing yards in 2011 after allowing 3,891 in 2010.

"In my opinion, everybody earns however many reps they get or their starting spot," Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said. "Obviously, this guy’s a unique talent. We didn’t move up in the draft to get a guy that’s not going to play. We’ve got an outstanding guy here."

That leaves Mike Jenkins as the odd man out, considering the Cowboys signed Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50.1 million deal. Orlando Scandrick, whom Dallas signed to a five-year, $20.5 million extension last summer, is the nickel back.

"The biggest thing with Mike is, he’s a fine football player, but he’s got to get well," Ryan said referring to Jenkins' shoulder injury. "To compete with this young man, he’s going to have to get better, to get healthy and then go out and play against Morris Claiborne."

It could be that the Cowboys' refusal to trade Jenkins has to do with Claiborne not being healthy yet. The Cowboys had injuries to Jenkins, Scandrick and Terence Newman last season that got Alan Ball and Frank Walker on the field far too much.

"We know in this league you need guys who can cover, and you need a lot of them," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "Anybody who watched our team last year understood the injury situations that we had, and we were getting down to our third, fourth and fifth corner really quickly. So when teams are putting three receivers out there, four receivers out there and sometimes five receivers out there, you have to have an arsenal of guys who can cover. We think that’s an important thing. We think we made a lot of moves to help us in that area. The specifics of how we use those guys is yet to be determined."

-- Charean Williams

 

 

QB Rudy Carpenter has an oblique strain that is keeping him from throwing

Rudy Carpenter's bid for the No. 3 quarterback job has become a pain in his side. Carpenter strained an oblique muscle and has not been able to throw much during OTAs.

Carpenter said he was injured during one of the quarterbacks' throwing sessions before the organzied team activities started.

"It was kind of random," Carpenter said. "I've never done it before."

Carpenter, who will compete with Stephen McGee for the third spot behind Tony Romo and Kyle Orton, hopes to be 100 percent -- and participating fully in the OTAs -- next week.

"They just want me to be 100 percent before I throw," Carpenter said.

The Cowboys signed Carpenter as an undrafted free agent in 2009, the same year they drafted McGee in the fourth round. In the end, Dallas kept McGee over Carpenter on the active roster, even though Carpenter outplayed McGee. The Cowboys signed Carpenter to the practice squad that season before Tampa Bay signed him to its active roster.

Having been here before, Carpenter said he is very comfortable in the Cowboys' offense.

"When I was here before, I felt like really comfortable as far as knowing what's expected of me, and I felt really comfortable in knowing the offense and knowing how to execute the offense, which is why in the only chance I got to play I was able to play pretty well," Carpenter said. "But I just think the circumstances were different then. So I feel like this time around, I really know what I'm doing. I think the learning curve is a lot less. I feel like I can run the offense when I go in there now."

Carpenter, 26, got into one regular-season game with the Bucs last season, although he didn't throw a pass. In the 2011 preseason, Carpenter completed 24 of 42 passes for 388 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 104.1 passer rating.

-- Charean Williams

 

Mike Jenkins' agent says he'll be at mandatory mini-camp, according to Jerry Jones

Mike Jenkins hasn’t made an OTA workout yet, but Jerry Jones said the veteran cornerback will be at the mandatory mini-camp in two weeks.

At least that’s what he’s heard.

“I haven’t talked to him about those kinds of things, but I do know his agent said he will be here, for sure,” Jones said Wednesday at Cowboys Stadium, where the Cowboys conducted their fifth OTA practice of the offseason. “And he’s never not been to anything mandatory.”

Jenkins is in Florida rehabbing from shoulder surgery. The Star-Telegram reported last week that he requested a trade following the Cowboys’ moves to acquire free agent cornerback Brandon Carr and draft LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.

Jones said Jenkins’ absence from the voluntary OTAs is not an issue.

“I understand why it would be an issue,” Jones said. “But there is nothing that I can see – no draft pick that I am interested in, no draft pick that I am interested in – that could help our team more than Jenkins can.”

Asked if he is afraid Jenkins is pouting, Jones said no.

“I just think he’s probably getting in shape, getting ready to play,” Jones said. “There is no question that he wants to play. And he can come in here and maybe be a part  of something very special, a concept that is very special. We have that kind of talent, that kind of size in corners. And he could have a year that would put him in great shape for his future, and certainly done what he was contracted and paid to do and what he should be doing. And that’s help the Dallas Cowboys win a world championship.”

Jones said he is not listening to offers for Jenkins.

And he said he hasn’t shopped him.

“Not at all,” Jones said. “There is nobody who can need Jenkins more than the Cowboys.”

Cowboys QB Tony Romo on Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett and Terrell Owens

Tony Romo met with reporters after throwing out the first pitch at Rangers Ballpark. He addressed a variety of topics, including playing for Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett wanting to get better and Terrell Owens getting released.

Romo on Jerry Jones wanting to win: "As badly as I want to win and I feel like sometimes I need to -- it’s hard because I’m so competitive -- feel like you want to do anything possible to get there. I love Jerry just for the fact he has the same approach. I think every owner wants to win, but Jerry’s decisions are going to do whatever gives us the best chance to win right now, right at this moment and I love that. That’s all that you play for, what’s going to happen right now? And this upcoming season is the most important season we’ve ever had, and that’s the approach that you take."

On Jerry Jones' passion: "I’ve always felt it from him and I love the passion that he has because usally the same stuff he feels or says is the exact same way I feel. That sense of urgency is absolutely there and I love having an owner like that who knows it’s about right now. To me, that makes it fun to know that our team is going to be better this year. And I really firmly believe that we’re going to be an improved ball club, and that’s exciting for me. The way the guys have come to work and way the OTAs and the offseason have gone, it’s been great to see."

On coach Jason Garrett wanting to improve: "If you’re not improving, you’re getting worse so I feel like that’s just part of being good at your job. You have to want to improve. If you think you’ve arrived or gotten there, then you’re just waiting to be obsolete and move on. ... Its’ exactly the approach that everyone should have on our football team. Everyone has to get better and I think guys have done a good job of that this year."

On Terrell Owens getting released: "No comment on that stuff."

On Rangers/ Mavericks success: "It’s great. I think it’s exciting. Hopefully we can follow suit with what the Mavericks and Rangers have been able to eaccomplished, continuing to raise the bar around here. Hopefully it’s our turn going forward."

On pressure to perform: "There’s always pressure to perform. That’s part of playing in the NFL and at the highest level. You’ve just got to go out and be committed to being the best you can be and you’ve just got to do it."

-- Drew Davison

Fourth-round pick Kyle Wilber has pins removed from his finger

Outside linebacker Kyle Wilber had the pins removed from his right index finger Wednesday. He now can start conditioning, even though he will wear his plastic cast for another week.

Wilber, a fourth-round draft pick, was injured during the rookie minicamp earlier this month. He said he could return for the team's mandatory minicamp in two weeks while wearing a club on his hand to protect his finger. Veteran linebacker Sean Lee played part of last season while wearing a club to protect his dislocated left wrist.

Wilber said he has experience playing with a club on his hand, having briefly done it in high school.

"It's definitely frustrating," Wilber said. "All I can do is get mental reps, but phsyical reps are the most important things. You get muscle memory from it and get in condition. Just knowing different things on the field when it happens. So it really hurts not to be out there." 

Wilber said the hardest part has been trying to take notes in meetings. He is right-handed.

"I've been getting my left-handed signature down," Wilber said. "Eating is pretty easy. The hardest thing actually is just taking notes during meetings and stuff, because everybody is writing fast,and I'm just kind of scribbling words down on paper. They just gave us these Ipads, so now I can just use my fingers."

Wilber, who played 2 1/2 seasons at defensive end at Wake Forest before moving to outside linebacker, will compete for time at strongside linebacker behind Anthony Spencer. He also is expected to play special teams.

-- Charean Williams

Cowboys won't fight their $10 million cap penalty

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn't believe his team did anything wrong in 2010 when they signed receiver Miles Austin to a six-year, $54 million deal that included $17.078 million in base salary for that season. The NFL and then an arbitrator ruled differently, and Jones said the fight is over.

The Cowboys will take a $10 million cap hit, with the deduction split over the next two seasons.

"We were very emphatic that there was no deal among the owners about anything to do with a cap, and that was our position," Jones said during Wednesday's OTA at Cowboys Stadium. "We honor the arbitrator. The ruling was that the place to hear this was not in his jurisdiction, the place to hear it was over in federal court, which we're not interested in getting involved like that."

Arbitrator Stephen Burbank upheld the league’s penalties against the Cowboys and the Redskins, who lost $36 million in cap space for overloading contracts during the uncapped season of 2010.

Jones would not elaborate on why the Cowboys won't take the league to court, though the NFLPA filed a collusion case last week.

"I just don't want to," Jones said of not pursuing the fight.

But it could be that the Cowboys would love to see another Super Bowl at Cowboys Stadium. A Cowboys' suit against the league probably wouldn't make owners inclined to vote for a North Texas' Super Bowl bid.

-- Charean Williams

 

 

 

Jerry Jones: Nobody needs Mike Jenkins more than the Cowboys

Repeat after Jerry: The Cowboys are not trading Mike Jenkins.

At least not for now.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reiterated what he and coach Jason Garrett have said since they traded up to nab LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick. Jones went so far as to say he's not even listening to trade offers for Jenkins, despite reports that several teams, including the Colts, have called the Cowboys expressing interest in acquiring the former Pro Bowler.

"Nobody needs Mike Jenkins more than the Cowboys," Jones said during Wednesday's OTA practice at Cowboys Stadium. "He's a part of the team – very much – and I'm real excited about having his skill along with the other corners we have. We really have a chance to do something exceptional in the secondary and I want to give us every chance to do that." 

Jenkins has not been around Valley Ranch, rehabbing from shoulder surgery on his own in Florida. He requested a trade after the Cowboys signed free agent Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50.1 million deal and then drafted Claiborne.

Still, the Cowboys see Jenkins as a valuable asset. They believe he can help them despite being unhappy.

"Look, Mike's a professional," Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said. "He loves his teammates. I think the old line that players are only happy when they're playing. What is that old Fleetwood Mac line? Hell, that happens. But at the end of the day, players are players, and they want to play. Mike loves his teammates, so when he's ready to play, I'm sure he'll help us."

Jenkins is in the final year of his five-year contract that he signed as a rookie. He is scheduled to make $1.052 million and count $1.672 million against the cap. That is less than nickel back Orlando Scandrick, who signed a five-year, $20.5 million extension last August.

-- Charean Williams