Cowboys Corner

Cowboys rookie guard Ronald Leary says he has 'a lot of stuff to work on'

Rookie guard Ronald Leary is glad to be practicing.

But he’s not happy about where he is so far.

“I still have a lot of stuff to work on,” he said Friday after the last of the pre-camp practices this week at Valley Ranch. “My pass blocking, just technique-wise. I just need to pull it all together.”

Leary is the most prized of the Cowboys’ undrafted free agent signings. The former Memphis guard went undrafted in part because of concerns about a degenerative condition in his knee that could cut his career short.

He said he feels 100 percent and had a good week of practice. He just wasn’t satisfied.

“I’m a real competitive person. I hold myself to a real high standard,” he said. “I just want to get out here and compete with some of the best in the world. This team is full of some of the greatest players that have ever played the game, so just to get out here on the same field and compete, better my game, hopefully I can contribute to the team.”

Leary was one of only seven linemen in the workouts, but one of only five practicing. Kevin Kowalski and Mackenzy Bernadeau spent the week rehabbing.

So the five linemen who were practicing – Leary, guard Harland Gunn and tackles Levy Adcock, Jeff Adams, Tyrone Novikoff – got a lot of attention from line coach Bill Callahan.

“Since it’s just the rookies out here, he can focus on us a lot more instead of the vets,” Leary said. “Small groups, you get more attention. So it just helps us on little things we need to better our game.”

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

Bernadeau working on reistance cords in rehab, feeling "great" about progress

Cowboys right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau, who is coming of hip surgery, said he “felt fluid” in workouts Friday with a resistance cord and is experiencing no pain in his leg. Bernadeau, a free-agent signee, is expected to start at guard and also work at center this season.

He will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list but indicated Friday that he does not expect to remain there much longer.

“I’m getting closer every day. I’m getting better every day,” Bernadeau said. “The leg’s a little stronger. I’m pushing it more and being more active. I’m feeling good. I can’t wait to get in pads and go at it. When that will be, we don’t know. But I’m feeling great. ”

Bernadeau said he has been working on the resistance cords for roughly a week. That usually is one of the final steps in the rehab process.

“Being with the cords is a lot different than being in pads. But it’s a step closer,” Bernadeau said.

_ Jimmy Burch

Coale optimistic he will return "sooner, rather than later" from PUP list

Cowboys receiver Danny Coale, a fifth-round pick from Virginia Tech who underwent surgery on his right foot in April, ran during Friday’s workout and made his first cuts to test the repairs. He deemed it a success, although Coale said the change-of-direction work was not “real wide receiver cutting or anything like that.”

Still, he expressed optimism that he can be back to full-speed “sooner, rather than later” once the Cowboys being training camp workouts Monday in Oxnard, Calif.

“I think it will,” said Coale, who will open camp on the physically unable to perform list but estimated he is at “about 70 percent, maybe 75” of full speed when running sprints.

“It’s coming along. I started running a couple of weeks ago,” said Coale, who wore a protective boot on his foot during OTA drills in May. “I’m adding more each day and seeing how it responds. We’ll keep giving it more stress and see how it responds ... If it keeps building, it shouldn’t be too long.”

_ Jimmy Burch

Cowboys DE Sean Lissemore says he's healthy, stronger, improved on technique

Defensive end Sean Lissemore’s recovery from a strained oblique wasn’t complicated.

He did nothing.

“That’s what was so frustrating about it. I couldn’t do much to get better,” he said. “I just had to do nothing. That’s tough. Especially when guys are out there practicing and doing everything. I had to sit myself down, do rehab, ice, heat, whatever until I started feeling good enough to do things.

“It’s a frustrating injury.”

But it’s healed now. Lissemore, who is among the selected veterans working in practice this week at Valley Ranch ahead of the start of training camp, said he feels 100 percent, has more leg strength and has gotten better in his technique.

“I’ve gained a lot of strength,” he said. “Especially lower body-wise. We did a heck of a lot of training this offseason, tests and stuff. I know it’s a lot of games. So I really attribute that to Coach Woicik and his staff, the things that they did. It really helped me out a lot.”

Lissemore said he came to Valley Ranch every day, at least to watch film.

“I kind of took advantage of the situation since I couldn’t be in there training,” he said. “I watched a lot of film. I watched the OTAs that I was in about a thousand times. Watched game films. Watched other teams playing 3-4 defense. Watched other guys. Trying to pick up different things, trying to take it as an opportunity to get better mentally.”

So is he comfortable with where he is heading into camp next week?

“I’m comfortable,” he said. “I have a better sense of the defense right now. A little better sense of technique and how to play the position. So yeah, I feel great.”

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

 

Claiborne says second day in camp "a little easier" than debut

Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne, the team’s first-round draft pick, said Thursday’s second day of practice “was a little easier” than his initial workout Wednesday. Coaches did not target Claiborne for as many plays during the team session and he said he is comfortable with the brace he is wearing on his left wrist.

“I’m having no problems with it, so far,” Claiborne said.

The LSU product said wearing the brace will not limit his physicality in dealing with receivers while adjusting to NFL rules that do not allow contact after five yards.

“I know you can’t touch them past five (yards), so I try to get my work done early in the down,” Claiborne said. “Get it in at five yards and have the route under control at that point.”

_ Jimmy Burch

Beasley shows confiences, makes plays in workout #smu, #cowboys

Cole Beasley, a free-agent signee from SMU, made a handful of notable catches during Thursday’s session, including a deep route against cornerback Teddy Williams. Beasely (5-foot-8, 177 pounds), who grabbed a team-high 86 catches for 1,040 yards in college last season, acknowledged he will have to lean on intangibles to land a spot on the Cowboys’ roster.

“I always wanted to be 6-2 like everybody else, but I didn’t quite make it. So I have to make up for it with my quicks. I can jump a little bit,” Beasley said. “Any player in this league has to have confidence to play out here. You can’t go out there timid. You have to go out there like you can beat the man across from you. That’s how you win ball games. But you’ve got to do it, or else you aren’t going to make it.”

_ Jimmy Burch

Jenkins still lacks range of motion in his shoulder, still has ways to go in rehab

Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins is making progress in his rehab from shoulder surgery but he still has a ways to go before he will be cleared to play.

Jenkins will open training camp on the physically unable to perform list. He is at the Cowboys rookie minicamp working with the team's training staff.

That Jenkins could not throw the football overhand while playing coach with a strength coach is not alarming, according to a Cowboys trainer who said limited range of motion was normal with rotator cuff surgery.

Jenkins actually played with one arm and a lack of range motion in his right shoulder last year. The Cowboys don't want a repeat of that which is why he had the surgery and is going through the lengthy rehab process.

The trainer compared it to baseball pitcher undergoing rotator cuff surgery, usually sideling them for a year because they need a full range of motion to throw. Jenkins doesn't need a full range of motion but it is something that takes time to return.

Clarence Hill

 

Beasley says Welker is his favorite player, but doesn’t like the cliché comparison

Cowboys diminutive receiver Cole Beasley caused a stir recently when he said he didn’t like to be compared to Patriots receiver Wes Welker.

Welker is the poster boy for small, white receivers trying to overcome stereotypical odds for success in the NFL.

Beasley, 5-foot-8, 174 pounds, understands as much and says Welker was one his favorite players growing up.

But he doesn’t like the cliché comparison just because of his stature and racial makeup.

“Every small receiver gets compared to him,” Beasley said. “Even if my game was different they would compare me to him. Compare me if you mean it. That guy is a monster. I have been watching him for years. But it doesn’t mean much if you compare everybody to him.”

Beasley, an undrafted rookie free agent from SMU, says the biggest difference between him and Welker is they can play on the outside as well as in the slot.

He showed that a little on Thursday when he ran by cornerback Teddy Williams, a former NCAA sprint champion, to catch a deep ball from quarterback Kyle Orton.

“It’s just knowing how to run routes,” Beasley said. “I had a stutter move, making him think I was running a 12-yard yard. It made him stop his feet. If anybody stops their feet, no matter how fast they are, you can run buy them.”

It was one of several plays Beasley made in practice.  He knows it’s something he is going to have to continue do when the Cowboys begin the full squad training camp in Oxnard on Monday.

He knows he can’t have a day off and can’t show weakness.

“My receiver coach in college told me I got to do more than everybody,” Beasley said. “I was mad at myself when started throwing up a little. I cant show no weakness out there. They will look for any excuse to get me out of here cause I m not the prototypical height. I just go to push and work harder than anybody out there.”

Beasley said its something he had to deal with going to back to high school and even in college at SMU. He uses the slights about height and stature as motivation to work harder.

"I have been doubted since high school since I started varsity at quarterback as a freshman," Beasley said. "Then coming into college nobody thought I was going to make it. We got a new coach he didn’t know I was on scholarship when they got there. I fought in practice and earned my way. I have always been motivated."

 

Clarence Hill

Former TCU RB Wesley joins Cowboys, calls it 'dream' to be on team

Former TCU running back Ed Wesley once lived in apartments across the street from the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility in Irving. He said he always dreamed of having an opportunity to join his hometown NFL team.

That opportunity arrived today, when Wesley took part in his first practice at Valley Ranch after agreeing to terms as an undrafted free agent. Wesley replaces Darrell Scott, who was released after failing a physical, on the Cowboys’ roster.

“It’s a blessing. It’s awesome. I’ve been a Cowboys fan all my life,” Wesley said. “It’s something that’s in our family’s blood.”

Wesley left TCU after his junior season, citing personal reasons, but went undrafted in the NFL supplemental draft. Wesley said he wanted to help his mother, who was battling health issues related to rheumatoid arthritis.

Ironically, it was his mother who broke the news to Wesley about the Cowboys’ interest because his cell phone was dead and he missed the initial call Tuesday from team officials. When he returned home, Wesley said his mother got “a little too hyped” while trying to relay the news.

“She’d come running down the hallway screaming. So I knew it was something good or something bad,” Wesley said. “She told me the Cowboys had called and I was ecstatic. They called back the very next day.”

Wesley passed a medical exam Wednesday and took part in this morning’s workout, where he also worked as an outside rusher on the punt block team. Although he did not see special teams duties in games for TCU, Wesley said he “did it in practice” and is willing to do whatever it takes to land a spot on the Cowboys’ roster.

He figures to battle Lance Dunbar and Phillip Tanner for the third running back job, behind DeMarco Murray and Felix Jones. Last season, Wesley rushed for 745 yards and six touchdowns at TCU, where he averaged 6.1 yards per carry.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure. For me to make the team, I have to work hard and not show any weaknesses,” Wesley said. “Just get it done. Don’t make any mistakes.”

Wesley said he worked out for 14 different NFL teams before getting a call to camp from the Cowboys. He said he was disappointed to go undrafted in the supplemental draft but acknowledged the “wasn’t in the shape I needed to be in at the time.”

After some high-intensity sessions at a training facility in Carrollton, Wesley said he hopes to follow in the footsteps of past undrafted Cowboys’ free agents like quarterback Tony Romo and receiver Miles Austin.

“Hopefully, I’ll reach where they’re at some day,” Wesley said.

_ Jimmy Burch

 

Terrell Owens is not getting interest but former Cowboys WR Roy Williams has a tryout with Texans

While Terrell Owens is still trying to draw up interest from NFL teams another former Cowboys receiver, Roy Williams, is in Houston for a tryout with the Texans on Thursday, his agent Ben Dogra confirmed.

A nine-year veteran, Williams caught 37 passes and two touchdowns for the Bears last season and could give the Texans a much needed veteran presence at third receiver.

Behind starters Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter, the Texans do not have a single receiver on the roster who has caught an NFL pass.

Third-round draft pick DeVier Posey and fourth-round pick Keshawn Martin have potential but are unproven and Posey struggled in minicamp.

Williams, a former Longhorn star and Odessa, is excited about a second opportunity to return to his home state and play pro football. He says he is healthy and in great shape after working out summer in Dallas and plans to make the most of his tryout with the Texas.

Williams was a disappointment in two plus seasons with the Cowboys, catching just 94 passes and 13 touchdowns after coming over from the Detroit in 2008 for a first, third and sixth round pick.

He was cut after the 2010 season.

Clarence Hill