Cowboys Corner

Michael Huff makes perfect sense for Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys could use a veteran safety. Michael Huff, an Irving native, is a free safety and a free agent to be. He makes perfect sense for the Cowboys.

"That's home, but you never know what's going to happen," Huff said last week at the University of Texas' Pro Day. "I've got to want to go there, but they've got to want me. There are a bunch of things that go into the process."

The Cowboys' starting strong safety, Gerald Sensabaugh, will be a free agent. Their free safety, Alan Ball, is a converted cornerback who struggled at times last season. Dallas did not get in on the bidding for veteran safeties Bob Sanders or O.J. Atogwe, who were free agents before the collective bargaining agreement expired.

But with a weak class of safeties in the draft, Huff could be the Cowboys' best option to improve at the position. Rob Ryan, the Cowboys' new defensive coordinator, was the Raiders' defensive coordinator in 2006 when Oakland made Huff the seventh overall pick.

Huff was benched, booed and thought to be on the trading block before having the light come on in 2009. In 2010, he made 94 tackles and forced six turnovers.

Now, he's likely headed for free agency.

"It's tough," Huff said. "In a normal year, I'd have a team by now. I'd know where I would be, so I could buy a house if I was going to be in another place. So it's definitely tough, but it's the business side of the thing. I have to be patient and wait it out."

The one thing Huff is looking forward to is winning. The Raiders were 24-56 in Huff's five seasons.

"That's the only thing," Huff said. "Being here [at Texas], you get spoiled. You win all the time here and then you go there and have some tough years. Getting that Super Bowl ring is something they can never take away from you, like they can't take away the national championship ring. That's the next step, and I look forward to it."

Read more of Charean Williams' NFL Insider.

Jerry Jones says he has already received two offers to trade down at No. 9

Owner Jerry Jones said the Cowboys still are putting together their board and have not decided what they are going to do with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. But Jones acknowledges that he already has options. He said he has received interest from two teams who want to move up in the draft. Again the Cowboys are still in the evaluation mode. But they do have options, Jones said. Most pundits have them selecting Nebraska cornerback Prince Amakamura with the ninth pick. Clarence Hill

Jerry Jones said he didn't try to intimidate players and didn't walk out

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was fingered as a symbol of the perceived disrespect of the owners by the players when he was accused of trying to intimidate the players and walking out of a mediation session two weeks ago. Jones talked about the issue for the first time last night at a reception to open the NFL owners meetings in New Orleans. He doesn't deny making gestures with his hands because that's how he talks nor walking away. But Jones said the sources who reported his actions to Sports Illustrated for a story published last week had their timing wrong. He said he didn't up and walk away until at least 15 minutes after he finished talking. So there was no truth to the report that he challenged the players and then walked out. Furthermore,Jones said he never left the room. He said walked down to talk someone and stood for the remainder of the mediation session. He said it's unfortunate that it was perceived that way because that wasn't his intention. Jones declined to talk about the arrest of cornerback Bryan McCann early Saturday morning in Dallas for public intoxication. Jones also said the meetings over the next two days will be streamlined compared to the past because of the NFL lockout. He said owners would be briefed on the state of negotiations,but there was not much they could do. Clarence Hill

Rob Ryan video: "You gotta come in here with the right frame of mind"

Tough-talking Rob Ryan held court at Valley Ranch on Thursday, and he's already making his unique presence felt.

-- Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Martellus Bennett: I'm pretty frustrated

Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett had seven catches for 45 yards in the loss to the Bears. His post-game comments:

"I'm pretty frustrated. A lot of people make fun of me because I am an outgoing guy, but it is all about living in the moment. You can't think about tomorrow, the play after that, or the play before. It is all about living in the moment, and once everyone starts doing that and they realize what we are doing at that time, we will eliminate a lot of mistakes.

"I don't take anything for granted. When you are out there, you have to enjoy it and make the most out of every single play you get."

On turnovers (the Cowboys had three):

"When you lose the turnover battle, 80 percent of the teams that do, will lose the game. I don't care how good of a team you are or who you are playing against. You can bring Baylor out here and they would beat you if you had three turnovers.

"It's about taking care of the ball, which is the number one priority. And the outcome of the game is judged by hat happens to the ball."

Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett's post-game comments

Do you agree with Jerry criticizing the execution?

"Absolutely. Our guys are playing hard, but it's not as clean as it needs to be right now in all areas. We are going to work to get that rectified. There were some good things that happened in this game. Obviously, there were too many things that were not good. On individual plays and throughout the ballgame. We are going to look at it and go back and address it on an individual basis and try to look at some other things to make us better. But the approach and the effort has been good by our players. We just have to clean things up and execute better."

Keith Brooking: We need positive reinforcement

Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking, one of the spiritual leaders of the team, had this to say to the media after Sunday's loss to the Bears:

"It's not a good thing at all. You guys will probably make it seem like it's the end of the world and that the season is over, but none of that really matters. We have to have positive reinforcement. We have to be accountable for our mistakes."

What Jerry Jones said after Sunday's loss ...

On the impact of an 0-2 start ...

"You can't anticipate it, and you've got to realize that it's quite a setback. Everything in me is about being optimistic. I know at the end of the day, these losses ... if we can have a season that gets us into the playoffs, these losses can be mitigated. But right now they're everything."

On the lack of offensive scoring despite good yardage ...

"The point is, at the end of the day, we don't have the one thing that counts. You can look at all the stats, and I like to do that, and you can look at it on an individual basis or otherwise. But this is across the board. This isn't just the offense."

On concerns about the kicking position ...

"... Certainly ... there have been some field goals that have been missed, but my intuition is to be real patient there."

On his criticisms after the game ...

"The execution; the basic stuff. You want to call a turnover a mistake; I'll call it with you there on that. We just weren't able to get up on them, so to speak, or get what you call the momentum."

Crayton's effort rewarded

Of all ironies, Patrick Crayton, demoted as punt returner when the Cowboys acquired specialist Allen Rossum during the bye week, was selected the NFC special teams player of the week.

 

Crayton returned an Atlanta fourth-quarter punt 73 yards for a touchdown, the first of his career.

Rossum tore his hamstring on his first kickoff return, putting Crayton back in business.

 

It was the first punt return for a touchdown for the Cowboys since Terence Newman returned one 56 yards against Detroit on Dec. 31, 2006, and the longest since Deion Sanders took one back 76 yards at Indianapolis on Oct. 31, 1999.

 

Jeff Caplan

Cowboys wrap up D-Ware

The Cowboys have called a news conference for around 4:30 this afternoon to make a player personnel announcement. That player would be defensive end DeMarcus Ware. The announcement is the finalization of a long-term contract. Ware's rookie deal expires at the end of this season and the Cowboys and Ware's representatives have been in talks for months. Break out your calculators and stay tuned for further details.

Jeff Caplan