witten, jenkins practicing.

[Theebs]

interesting.
http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowb...-witten-mike-jenkins-to-return-no-jay-ratliff

Jason Witten, Mike Jenkins to practice; no Jay Ratliff
September, 1, 2012
Sep 110:17AM CTBy Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com Recommend2Tweet11Comments0EmailPrintIRVING, Texas -- While he still needs to be cleared to play in Wednesday’s regular-season opener at the New York Giants, Cowboys tight end Jason Witten will practice Saturday for the first time since suffering a lacerated spleen against Oakland on Aug. 13, according to a source.

Cornerback Mike Jenkins will make his on-field debut after missing the offseason and training camp while recovering from right shoulder surgery. However, like Witten, Jenkins will be limited in what he will do in practice.

Nose tackle Jay Ratliff, who took part in Thursday’s walkthrough, will not practice because of a high left ankle sprain suffered Aug. 25 vs. St. Louis.

A scan of Witten’s spleen Aug. 28 revealed the injury was healing but he was not cleared by the specialist for contact. The Cowboys will be in pads, but Witten will likely be kept out of the running game portion of practice. In the last week, he has increased his on-field activity with resistance training, running routes and catching passes after being forced to be “idle” for a week following the hit from Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain.

On his weekly show on KRLD-FM Friday, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the team is measuring the benefit of keeping Witten out of the Giants’ game with an 11-day break before the Week 2 game at Seattle.

Witten has missed one game in his career because of a broken jaw in 2003 and has played through numerous other injuries from a broken rib to sprained knees.

If Witten cannot play, then the Cowboys would start John Phillips and have rookie James Hanna as the backup.

Jenkins was cleared from the physically unable to perform list on Wednesday after passing his physical but the likelihood of him being ready to play against the Giants after an eight-month layoff is remote at best. The Cowboys are prepared to go with Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne and Orlando Scandrick as their top three cornerbacks vs. the Giants and hope Jenkins will be able to play against Seattle.

 

[Bonecrusher#31]

I'd be happier if it was Jenkins and Rat practicing..Witten probably still won't play.

 

[Theebs]

I'd be happier if it was Jenkins and Rat practicing..Witten probably still won't play.

I dont think witten plays either and maybe shouldnt for sure....

I also dont think ratliff has to practice. I dont care what they say all week. If he is on the plane tuesday I think he plays and we wont know until wednesday at about 5 central when they are getting stretched on the field.

 

[Theebs]

how big of a signing would Kellen Davis have been now? what a bummer.

 

[Theebs]

David Moore ‏@DavidMooreDMN
CB Mike Jenkins is about to go through his first practice since surgery on his shoulder in Jan. Jason Witten will move & catch. No Ratliff.

 

[dbair1967]

how big of a signing would Kellen Davis have been now? what a bummer.

I would have liked to had him, but we might not have drafted Hanna if we had signed Davis. And I'm liking Hanna's upside alot, looks like he could be a serious weapon in the passing game for a long time.

 

[Theebs]

Josh Ellis ‏@DCStarJEllis
Jason Witten is out to the practice field in full pads.

 

[Theebs]

Josh Ellis ‏@DCStarJEllis
Kyle Wilber (thumb) is back, suited out in full pads.

 

[Hoofbite]

By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- Cornerback Mike Jenkins was supposed to practice for the first time this season Saturday.

But Jenkins, who was cleared by doctors for contact after his recovery from shoulder surgery, was excused because of a migraine.

Jenkins was at Valley Ranch and might practice Sunday.

This guy is a fucking chump.

Seriously, just be a man and do your job.

 

[Sheik]

Witten is practicing with a shitty spleen, Jenkins has a headache and sits out.

Id cut the MFer, and that's coming from someone who was against trading Jenkins away this offseason.

 

[Hoofbite]

Witten is practicing with a shitty spleen, Jenkins has a headache and sits out.

Id cut the MFer, and that's coming from someone who was against trading Jenkins away this offseason.

I don't know if I would cut him, but I'd sure as hell just relegate his as to #4 or #5 just so he can't get enough playing time to boost his payday he's looking for next offseason.

Seriously though, if someone has internal injuries and is practicing, pulling out the migraine just makes you look like a bitch.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Witten is practicing with a shitty spleen, Jenkins has a headache and sits out.

Id cut the MFer, and that's coming from someone who was against trading Jenkins away this offseason.

A migraine can be very debillitating. You wouldn't be so casual about it if you ever suffered one.

 

[bbgun]

A migraine can be very debillitating. You wouldn't be so casual about it if you ever suffered one.

Assuming he's not faking. Has he ever sat out with migraines before? Not that I can remember. This might be another ploy to get shipped out of town.

 

[Sheik]

Assuming he's not faking. Has he ever sat out with migraines before? Not that I can remember. This might be another ploy to get shipped out of town.

That's exactly what it is.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

TE Jason Witten tries to fast track return, but will doctors let him?
By David Moore / Reporter
3:48 pm on September 2, 2012

The mystery surrounding Jason Witten’s status for Wednesday night’s opener continues.

From what he has seen in practice, quarterback Tony Romo believes the Pro Bowl tight end will play. Jerry Jones isn’t willing to go that far, but concedes that Witten has shown tremendous progress since he lacerated his spleen on Aug. 13. The Cowboys owner awaits the results of the scan Witten will take Tuesday before the team departs for New York.

Is Witten optimistic that test will clear him to play?

“I mean, I wouldn’t say optimistic because as of right now, it’s been a tough challenge to get to this point,’’ Witten said Sunday afternoon after going through his second, consecutive practice in a limited capacity. “So I wouldn’t say I was optimistic.

“Optimistic would be if it was in my hands and my control.’’

Here’s the issue: the type of injury Witten suffered would normally keep an athlete out of action until mid to late September. The opener on Sept. 5 doesn’t fit that timeframe.

What Witten has done is push the envelop as much as he can physically with his conditioning to convince the trainers and doctors he’s showing no ill effects.

“I think it’s healed quicker than people thought,’’ Witten said. “But ultimately, medically, it’s a quick turnaround.

“You look it up a lot of times. Those injuries are a lot longer than this (three-plus weeks).

“I think it’s just they’ve got to feel comfortable on seeing what I’ve done. That’s why I’ve really tried to push it myself to try to speed up and I don’t want to say convince, but put myself in every position to get it done.

“That’s it. We’ve got to get the right guy to look at it and evaluate it and ultimately they’re going to handle that the right way.’’

Romo is convinced that Witten will be there against the Giants.

“As of what I know, I think he’s going to, yeah,’’ Romo said. “He’s been out here, he’s been practicing. He’s in my ear about all the plays.’’

He’s been in the ears of the trainers and doctors as well.

“I’m doing everything I can,’’Witten said. “If I get that call, don’t worry. I’ll be out there.’’

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Jason Witten’s Tuesday CT scan will determine if he plays on Wednesday
Paul Jackiewicz

According to Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Cowboys tight end Jason Witten will undergo a CT scan on Tuesday to check his spleen and determine whether he can play in Wednesday’s season opener.

“Tight end Jason Witten will have a scan of his spleen on Tuesday before the Cowboys leave for New York to see if he has a chance of playing.

“If the scan shows he can play, Witten said he will play – no ifs, ands or buts,” wrote Mendez.

“If I get cleared, I’m playing,” he said Sunday at Valley Ranch. “It’s the only way, I believe, you can approach the game. I think people know that’s the only way I’m playing. This is what you play for. It’s an opportunity, especially where we’re at and how much work we’ve put into this situation.”

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Dallas Cowboys: Jason Witten May Be Out Longer Than Expected
September 02, 2012 3:32 pm

Saturday morning, the Cowboys picked up tight end Colin Cochart after they trimmed their roster to 53. He was cut by the Bengals as part of their final roster cut down.

Cochart is more of a blocking tight end than a pass-catching TE (an article on the Cowboys' official site describes him as being more like John Phillips than Jason Witten).

That blocking is actually why the Cowboys picked him up.

However, in order to grab him, they had to cut a player, and they chose former fourth-round pick, quarterback Stephen McGee, to take the fall.

And now only have two quarterbacks on their roster.

This unheralded move is a sign of two larger news stories that will break over the next year:

1. The Cowboys could be without Jason Witten for longer than we thought.

Most teams only carry three tight ends on their roster. The only team that comes to mind as carrying more is the New England Patriots, who have two starting TEs. It also helps that the backups have shown potential, with Visanthe Shiancoe being a favored target of Brett Favre in Minnesota and Daniel Fells showing potential with Sam Bradford.

On top of that, the Patriots have two more on IR, including Jake Ballard, who they snatched from the Giants on waivers.

If the Cowboys go out and get a fourth tight end after targeting an upgrade at fullback this past offseason, it has to point to a problem with Witten. His lacerated spleen is almost healed, and most people expected Witten to miss no more than one game.

If they are stocking up, either Witten will sit longer just to be safe, or else the spleen is not healing as quickly as we were told.

2. The Cowboys will be drafting a young quarterback next year.

Stephen McGee was supposed to be the quarterback of the future. With a strong arm and good mobility, the Cowboys believed he would be the successor to Tony Romo. However, he never lived up to the promise, and the writing was on the wall when they signed Kyle Orton in the offseason to be Romo's backup instead of letting McGee do the job and getting a rookie or a cheap veteran to develop.

Kyle Orton is a good quarterback that could start for a couple of teams, and the Cowboys have him signed for the next three years. However, he has had his shot at becoming an elite QB, and he is not quite that good. Even if Jason Garrett is willing to keep the quarterback situation the way it is, Jerry Jones won't be.

Next year's quarterback prospects are headlined by Matt Barkley, but if the Cowboys have a shot at Landry Jones next year, expect them to take him to develop behind Romo. They could go as high as a late second round choice to get him.

Who knows? Maybe Witten getting hurt will lead to the next Tony Romo, just as the Colts had a horrendous 2-14 season that gave them their next great quarterback.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

if the Cowboys have a shot at Landry Jones next year, expect them to take him to develop behind Romo. They could go as high as a late second round choice to get him.
.

:towel

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Unless he has some terrible year, Jones will go a lot higher than late second.

 

[cmd34]

Unless he has some terrible year, Jones will go a lot higher than late second.

Landry Jones is overrated. 2nd round seems about right for him.