12:27 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 10, 2010
By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
IRVING – The Cowboys launched an all-points search for tight end help Monday.
Three reserves at the position incurred significant injuries during Sunday's exhibition win against Cincinnati . John Phillips, who started four games as a rookie last year, will miss the season because of a torn ligament in the right knee. Newcomers Kevin Brock (possible high ankle sprain) and Scott Sicko (concussion) are also expected to miss time.
That leaves the Cowboys with only one healthy tight end: Jason Witten. His backup, Martellus Bennett (sprained ankle), is expected to return to practice today.
"We're going to have to pick up some tight ends," coach Wade Phillips said.
Phillips said he prefers keeping rookie Chris Gronkowski, a ferocious blocker, at fullback rather than ask him to learn another position. Gronkowski could handle the H-back blocking duties.
With more than 100 tight ends in NFL camps, there is little available talent. Indianapolis recently waived injured Tom Santi, who played for Cowboys coach John Garrett at Virginia . Philadelphia on Monday cut Martin Rucker, a fourth-round pick by Cleveland in the 2008 draft.
The Cowboys last season used multiple tight ends on nearly one-third of their plays. They had multiple tight ends for 323 snaps and gained 1,878 yards. It was the third-highest yardage total in the league for multiple-tight-end formations.
"We may have to have more fullbacks than tight ends," Phillips said.
Addressing a weakness: In its only series against Cincinnati, the first offense failed to get a touchdown from a first-and-goal at the 2. Quarterback Tony Romo, facing blitz pressure, had three incompletions.
This smacked of last season, when the Cowboys scored only 26 touchdowns in 50 series inside the red zone to rank a mediocre 14th in conversion rate. During training camp, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett talked about the need to run better in the red zone. Why, therefore, throw three passes in the first try of the season?
Phillips said the offense believed it could get into the end zone with three runs and wanted to focus on what needs work by throwing.
Briefly: Phillips was not happy with the blocking for place-kicks. He suggested pressure up the middle may have caused David Buehler to miss a 49-yard field-goal try. ... The Cowboys were so thin at corner because of injuries to Cletis Gordon (neck) and Bryan McCann (chest) that rookie Teddy Williams appeared for 30 plays in his first game since playing at Tyler John Tyler.
By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
IRVING – The Cowboys launched an all-points search for tight end help Monday.
Three reserves at the position incurred significant injuries during Sunday's exhibition win against Cincinnati . John Phillips, who started four games as a rookie last year, will miss the season because of a torn ligament in the right knee. Newcomers Kevin Brock (possible high ankle sprain) and Scott Sicko (concussion) are also expected to miss time.
That leaves the Cowboys with only one healthy tight end: Jason Witten. His backup, Martellus Bennett (sprained ankle), is expected to return to practice today.
"We're going to have to pick up some tight ends," coach Wade Phillips said.
Phillips said he prefers keeping rookie Chris Gronkowski, a ferocious blocker, at fullback rather than ask him to learn another position. Gronkowski could handle the H-back blocking duties.
With more than 100 tight ends in NFL camps, there is little available talent. Indianapolis recently waived injured Tom Santi, who played for Cowboys coach John Garrett at Virginia . Philadelphia on Monday cut Martin Rucker, a fourth-round pick by Cleveland in the 2008 draft.
The Cowboys last season used multiple tight ends on nearly one-third of their plays. They had multiple tight ends for 323 snaps and gained 1,878 yards. It was the third-highest yardage total in the league for multiple-tight-end formations.
"We may have to have more fullbacks than tight ends," Phillips said.
Addressing a weakness: In its only series against Cincinnati, the first offense failed to get a touchdown from a first-and-goal at the 2. Quarterback Tony Romo, facing blitz pressure, had three incompletions.
This smacked of last season, when the Cowboys scored only 26 touchdowns in 50 series inside the red zone to rank a mediocre 14th in conversion rate. During training camp, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett talked about the need to run better in the red zone. Why, therefore, throw three passes in the first try of the season?
Phillips said the offense believed it could get into the end zone with three runs and wanted to focus on what needs work by throwing.
Briefly: Phillips was not happy with the blocking for place-kicks. He suggested pressure up the middle may have caused David Buehler to miss a 49-yard field-goal try. ... The Cowboys were so thin at corner because of injuries to Cletis Gordon (neck) and Bryan McCann (chest) that rookie Teddy Williams appeared for 30 plays in his first game since playing at Tyler John Tyler.
