- Messages
- 4,604
- Reaction score
- 2
Hairopoulos: Five Cowboys I'll be keeping a close eye on in training camp
By Kate Hairopoulos
Kate Hairopoulos, Cowboys beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, hosted a chat this week. Here are some of the highlights.
Question: Is there anything specific you'll be looking for with the defense once the team gets out to California?
Hairopoulos: Well, what won't we be looking for on the defense?! What rotation are they going to come up with at defensive end? Who will start at middle linebacker with Rolando McClain out for at least the first 10 games? How does Orlando Scandrick look in his return from injury? The list goes on and on ...
Question: Can you pinpoint five Cowboys you'll be keeping a particularly close eye on during training camp, and why?
Hairopoulos: Orlando Scandrick. Will he be able to pick up where he left off before the injury at training camp a year ago? Dallas sure needs him to. Some interceptions from a cornerback sure would be nice.
Ezekiel Elliott. He's got the offseason and his first months as a pro behind him. How will he handle the grind and pressure with so much expected of him immediately?
Dez Bryant. I don't know if receivers coach Derek Dooley is saying it just to motivate Dez, but Dooley pointed out that Bryant just needs time to get back out there and work fully, day in, day out, as a receiver and with Tony Romo. It's been a long time since they've really worked on the field together (in public at least).
Kellen Moore. Romo is an obvious answer. But will Moore have the chance to show progress from last season as the backup? Will there be anything to back up why the Cowboys are making him their backup again despite what happened in going 1-11 without Romo last season?
Ryan Russell. He got yelled at a lot last season, by all accounts. The Cowboys may need him to emerge at defensive end big-time. Does he have it in him?
Question: Who would you say is the biggest loss to suspension for the defense: [Rolando] McClain/[DeMarcus] Lawrence/ [Randy] Gregory?
Hairopoulos: It has to be Lawrence, right? He's the one who led the Cowboys with eight sacks and was second in QB pressures. For a team that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in sacks, who is going to step up to provide the pass rush Dallas already struggled to produce? The cumulative effect of losing three playmakers on a unit desperate for them is still the biggest thing to me. And all self-inflicted.
Question: Could Cedric Thornton end up playing some DE with everyone being suspended/hurt?
Hairopoulos: The Cowboys signed the former Philadelphia Eagle in part because of his ability to play end and tackle, but I would guess he would only play end in spot duty. He's excelled at being a run stopper more than a fierce pass rusher. They brought him with plans to mostly play the one-technique in Rod Marinelli's 4-3 scheme, trying to set up pass-rush situations on long third downs for the opponents. He did have four sacks for the Eagles over the last four seasons.
With DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory out for the first four games, I think end will have to be handled by some combo of Benson Mayowa, Jack Crawford, Ryan Russell, David Irving and rookie Charles Tapper.
Question: Does it matter who Dallas brings in to reinforce LB corps as long as they do just that?
Hairopoulos: Yes, I just think adding some security there makes a lot of sense, whomever it is. Right now, you figure Anthony Hitchens, Andrew Gachkar and Mark Nzeocha will likely compete for McClain's starting middle linebacker spot during training camp.
Hitchens started nine games last season. Gachkar took a lot of first-team reps at middle during the offseason practices that we were able to watch. We don't know much about Nzeocha because of his knee injury last season.
Click here to view the entire chat.
By Kate Hairopoulos
Kate Hairopoulos, Cowboys beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, hosted a chat this week. Here are some of the highlights.
Question: Is there anything specific you'll be looking for with the defense once the team gets out to California?
Hairopoulos: Well, what won't we be looking for on the defense?! What rotation are they going to come up with at defensive end? Who will start at middle linebacker with Rolando McClain out for at least the first 10 games? How does Orlando Scandrick look in his return from injury? The list goes on and on ...
Question: Can you pinpoint five Cowboys you'll be keeping a particularly close eye on during training camp, and why?
Hairopoulos: Orlando Scandrick. Will he be able to pick up where he left off before the injury at training camp a year ago? Dallas sure needs him to. Some interceptions from a cornerback sure would be nice.
Ezekiel Elliott. He's got the offseason and his first months as a pro behind him. How will he handle the grind and pressure with so much expected of him immediately?
Dez Bryant. I don't know if receivers coach Derek Dooley is saying it just to motivate Dez, but Dooley pointed out that Bryant just needs time to get back out there and work fully, day in, day out, as a receiver and with Tony Romo. It's been a long time since they've really worked on the field together (in public at least).
Kellen Moore. Romo is an obvious answer. But will Moore have the chance to show progress from last season as the backup? Will there be anything to back up why the Cowboys are making him their backup again despite what happened in going 1-11 without Romo last season?
Ryan Russell. He got yelled at a lot last season, by all accounts. The Cowboys may need him to emerge at defensive end big-time. Does he have it in him?
Question: Who would you say is the biggest loss to suspension for the defense: [Rolando] McClain/[DeMarcus] Lawrence/ [Randy] Gregory?
Hairopoulos: It has to be Lawrence, right? He's the one who led the Cowboys with eight sacks and was second in QB pressures. For a team that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in sacks, who is going to step up to provide the pass rush Dallas already struggled to produce? The cumulative effect of losing three playmakers on a unit desperate for them is still the biggest thing to me. And all self-inflicted.
Question: Could Cedric Thornton end up playing some DE with everyone being suspended/hurt?
Hairopoulos: The Cowboys signed the former Philadelphia Eagle in part because of his ability to play end and tackle, but I would guess he would only play end in spot duty. He's excelled at being a run stopper more than a fierce pass rusher. They brought him with plans to mostly play the one-technique in Rod Marinelli's 4-3 scheme, trying to set up pass-rush situations on long third downs for the opponents. He did have four sacks for the Eagles over the last four seasons.
With DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory out for the first four games, I think end will have to be handled by some combo of Benson Mayowa, Jack Crawford, Ryan Russell, David Irving and rookie Charles Tapper.
Question: Does it matter who Dallas brings in to reinforce LB corps as long as they do just that?
Hairopoulos: Yes, I just think adding some security there makes a lot of sense, whomever it is. Right now, you figure Anthony Hitchens, Andrew Gachkar and Mark Nzeocha will likely compete for McClain's starting middle linebacker spot during training camp.
Hitchens started nine games last season. Gachkar took a lot of first-team reps at middle during the offseason practices that we were able to watch. We don't know much about Nzeocha because of his knee injury last season.
Click here to view the entire chat.
