Archive for June, 2010

Over the next few weeks, all of the NFL sites across the Fansided Network will be coming together and putting together an all-star squad for each division. This means we will have to put our hatred for the division rivals aside and come together to represent the best division in the NFL. We will be working with the Redskins, the Giants, and Eagles blogs to put together our NFC East team. If our lead bloggers cannot come to an agreement, a vote will be held to determine the player who earns the debated roster spot. Tie-breaker votes will be held [...]

Willie Colon suffered a season ending Achilles tendon tear and will be out for the entire 2010 season. Flozell Adams, a 12 year veteran at left tackle may switch to the right side to replace Colon. The Steelers have invited Adams for a visit. The Steelers have options, however, and can either start the backups, sign free agent Levi Jones, or move guard Trai Essex to the vacancy. As the matter relates to Adams, he has been a highly effective tackle with the Cowboys. He was known for his size, power, strength, and penalties. Improving greatly under the tutelage of [...]

A quick look at the 53-man team I see the Cowboys entering the season with. (I reserve the right to chance my mind post-training camp).

Quarterback:

Tony Romo

Jon Kitna

Stephen McGee

Romo gives the Cowboys the best chance to win any given game. Kitna is getting a little long in the tooth, but still has the arm to make all the throws in the playbook and accepts his role as the backup. McGee has the physical tools to become a successful quarterback; good arm strength, accuracy and mobility. Unfortunately the mental aspect of the game seems to be holding him back.

From Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com: *Cornerback Orlando Scandrick is doing finger therapy and said he plans on wearing a splint on his broken index finger once the regular season starts. Scandrick broke the finger during Organized Team Activities but expects to be ready for training camp. *Linebacker Stephen Hodge (microfracture surgery) is hopeful he can return for training camp, remember the first practice is July 24. Hodge did some work on the side during OTAs and the veteran minicamp, so that is a good sign. *Nose tackle Jay Ratliff (elbow surgery) practiced during the veteran minicamp and should be ready [...]

As it nears the end of June, most, if not all, NFL teams have shut up shop for the Summer break. The OTAs and mini camp practices were just enough for those football phenes to get a quick fix, but now comes the cold turkey stretch; practice for NFL teams will not resume until late July, when Training Camps around the nation will kick off. This stretch is usually the time when most writers and journalists will grab any rumour or tidbit they can find and try to run with it. Instead, I’ve gone back to basics, and organised myself [...]

By: Joe D. The Roy Williams trade has been a collosal failure.  The Dallas Cowboys paid too much for so little production in the past two years.  He was injured in the early part of his tenure with the Cowboys and he is not the #1 WR that Jerry Jones believed he was receiving.  Compound that with his difficulty getting on the same page as Tony Romo and his drops and fumbles and you will find one player who has been vilified justifiably by fans and the media. Now take a step back.  Take a deep breath.  Rethink Roy Williams for 2010.  If [...]

By: Joe D. As we all know, Flozell Adams was released on April 2, 2010.  Answers about who would replace Adams have ranged from Doug Free, Jared Gaither via trade, or via the draft (Anthony Davis, Bryan Bulaga, Rodger Saffold, Vladamir Ducasse, etc.).  Within the last week, it was presumed that the Cowboys were considering trading for Jammal Brown.  So certainly this raises questions about whether it was prudent to cut a player who was a known quantity in a salary cap free year. However, what is entirely ignored is that fact that Adams remains unsigned.  Entering Adam’s third month [...]

By: Joe D. Losing Jimmy Smith in the 90′s to the Jacksonville Jaguars still haunts me.  Smith was a 2nd round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1992 and had two injury plagued years while with the Cowboys.  In 1992 he suffered a broken leg.  In 1993 he underwent a near fatal emergency appendectomy. Jerry Jones had not morphed into a modern day version of Rich Uncle Pennybags giving huge contracts to players who have yet to earn it a la Roy Williams.  Jones did not wish to pay Smith for the 1993 season as the injury was not football [...]

NFL teams need to enter training camps in July with 80 players. The Dallas Cowboys released five players today leaving them with 81 on the roster. They will need to make one final cut before they start camp on July 24th in San Antonio, Texas. The five players Dallas cut were cornerback Marquis Floyd, wide receiver Rashaun Greer, guard Chet Teofilo, tight end Nick Tow-Arnett and kicker Connor Hughes. Out of the cuts, the release of Hughes made the biggest statement. Hughes was viewed as the biggest competition to David Buehler for the field goal kicking duties. It was previously [...]

By: Joe D. The future is uncertain; however, you do not have to be clairvoyant to see the NFL will undergo dramatic changes over the next few years. The NFL players association is considered one of the weakest unions among the professional sports (save for hockey). Essentially, what the owners want, they get. The players are well compensated, but as a whole, they have historically been pushed around at the negotiating table. It should be noted that Gene Upshaw was the head of the players union in previous negotiations. Presently that role is manned by DeMaurice Smith (a former trial [...]