The Cowboys have been training camp just a little over a week, though it seems like it has been a lot longer.
Just ask rookie receiver Dez Bryant who has gone from giddy first day camper to angry rookie pledge to frustrated with the media attention to dejected injured player to sidelined bystander.
It has seemingly been a full camp already for Bryant, who by the way has looked very good when he was on the field.
But contrary to media coverage, Bryant is not the only player in camp.
So here are a few tidbits from a Cowboys insider on the first week of practice.
* It's going to be a real battle at left tackle between Doug Free and Alex Barron. Free has looked good and been everything the Cowboys expected. But he is still unproven and will have to produce in games to hold off Barron, the former first round pick who came over in a trade with the Rams. Barron was considered a disappointment in St. Louis. But he has looked anything but a bust so far in Dallas. According to a source, "he is performing a lot better in practice than he did last year on tape."
* Tight end John Phillips is looking a lot better after being one year in the system. He took advantage of Martellus Bennett's injury to show that he can be a complete tight end.
* Rookie nose tackle Josh Brent has missed time and is behind because of a fractured hand. But keep an eye on him. He caught the attention of the coaches and scouts by "flashing a lot of ability" in the brief time he was on the field.
* The battle for the fourth cornerback is just beginning but veteran holdover Cletus Gordon has had the best camp so far of the backups. Rookie Jamar Wall and Bryan McCann are still swimming mentally.
* Free safety Alan Ball has played so well and made such a smooth transition into the starting lineup that there is no competition with Mike Hamlin. Hamlin has been solid but this is like a rookie year for him since he was injured most of last year. But the Cowboys are very excited about Ball, "as long as that kid stays healthy, we will have a better secondary.''
Clearly there is still some natural concern about Ball because of his slight build. But as he says, he has played football his whole life. He's never had any major injuries and it's not a problem for him, only for the critics who are looking for something to question.
*Running back Marion Barber is lighter and looking good, real good. So what if he's not lighter than Felix Jones as Wade Phillips said he was. He did weigh less at one point off season. The bottom line for Barber is that he is at the same weight he was at in 2007 when he made the Pro Bowl. He is around 220 pounds. So any concerns about him being too light and not being the Barbarian anymore are unfounded.
*LB Brandon Williams, who missed last year with a knee injury, has drawn raves from the coaching staff to fellow linebacker DeMarcus Ware. He looks to be the answer as the third passer rusher behind Ware and Anthony Spencer. "He has looked good in practice," the source said."You see what you were missing last year. He has the ability to step in and help out."
*LB Jason Williams still has not put it all together. The 2009 third round pick continues to be up and down in practice, thus he has not taken advantage of rookie Sean Lee's injury absence. Both are competing for a nickel linebacker spot. Lee has impressed the coaches from Day 1 of rookie mini camp with his knowledge and grasp of the game.
*Backup quarterback Jon Kitna has seemingly struggled in practice. But the Cowboys are not concerned that this is another Brad Johnson situation. "He is way ahead of Brad Johnson from a couple of years ago, it's not even close," the source said. "If he was in the game with the ones, he's could make the plays and make the throws."
The Cowboys believe they can win games with Kitna at quarterback.
*Wide Receiver Roy Williams had a solid camp but the Cowboys know what he is and what he is not.
"Roy is Roy," the source said. "He is up and down. He will do some good things. He will look uncoordinated on some others. You have to be smart. He is not a precise route runner. But he can be productive.
*This is brings us back to Bryant, who has looked like the best receiver on the team when he was on the field. That is not better than just Roy Williams. That includes Miles Austin too. That's why the Cowboys were just as devastated as he was with the high ankle sprain.
"You need Dez back cause he make plays," the source said. "He is still learning it all. But he makes plays. He has things to work on. But he has the most consistent hands and he has natural ability."
Clarence E. Hill Jr.
Just ask rookie receiver Dez Bryant who has gone from giddy first day camper to angry rookie pledge to frustrated with the media attention to dejected injured player to sidelined bystander.
It has seemingly been a full camp already for Bryant, who by the way has looked very good when he was on the field.
But contrary to media coverage, Bryant is not the only player in camp.
So here are a few tidbits from a Cowboys insider on the first week of practice.
* It's going to be a real battle at left tackle between Doug Free and Alex Barron. Free has looked good and been everything the Cowboys expected. But he is still unproven and will have to produce in games to hold off Barron, the former first round pick who came over in a trade with the Rams. Barron was considered a disappointment in St. Louis. But he has looked anything but a bust so far in Dallas. According to a source, "he is performing a lot better in practice than he did last year on tape."
* Tight end John Phillips is looking a lot better after being one year in the system. He took advantage of Martellus Bennett's injury to show that he can be a complete tight end.
* Rookie nose tackle Josh Brent has missed time and is behind because of a fractured hand. But keep an eye on him. He caught the attention of the coaches and scouts by "flashing a lot of ability" in the brief time he was on the field.
* The battle for the fourth cornerback is just beginning but veteran holdover Cletus Gordon has had the best camp so far of the backups. Rookie Jamar Wall and Bryan McCann are still swimming mentally.
* Free safety Alan Ball has played so well and made such a smooth transition into the starting lineup that there is no competition with Mike Hamlin. Hamlin has been solid but this is like a rookie year for him since he was injured most of last year. But the Cowboys are very excited about Ball, "as long as that kid stays healthy, we will have a better secondary.''
Clearly there is still some natural concern about Ball because of his slight build. But as he says, he has played football his whole life. He's never had any major injuries and it's not a problem for him, only for the critics who are looking for something to question.
*Running back Marion Barber is lighter and looking good, real good. So what if he's not lighter than Felix Jones as Wade Phillips said he was. He did weigh less at one point off season. The bottom line for Barber is that he is at the same weight he was at in 2007 when he made the Pro Bowl. He is around 220 pounds. So any concerns about him being too light and not being the Barbarian anymore are unfounded.
*LB Brandon Williams, who missed last year with a knee injury, has drawn raves from the coaching staff to fellow linebacker DeMarcus Ware. He looks to be the answer as the third passer rusher behind Ware and Anthony Spencer. "He has looked good in practice," the source said."You see what you were missing last year. He has the ability to step in and help out."
*LB Jason Williams still has not put it all together. The 2009 third round pick continues to be up and down in practice, thus he has not taken advantage of rookie Sean Lee's injury absence. Both are competing for a nickel linebacker spot. Lee has impressed the coaches from Day 1 of rookie mini camp with his knowledge and grasp of the game.
*Backup quarterback Jon Kitna has seemingly struggled in practice. But the Cowboys are not concerned that this is another Brad Johnson situation. "He is way ahead of Brad Johnson from a couple of years ago, it's not even close," the source said. "If he was in the game with the ones, he's could make the plays and make the throws."
The Cowboys believe they can win games with Kitna at quarterback.
*Wide Receiver Roy Williams had a solid camp but the Cowboys know what he is and what he is not.
"Roy is Roy," the source said. "He is up and down. He will do some good things. He will look uncoordinated on some others. You have to be smart. He is not a precise route runner. But he can be productive.
*This is brings us back to Bryant, who has looked like the best receiver on the team when he was on the field. That is not better than just Roy Williams. That includes Miles Austin too. That's why the Cowboys were just as devastated as he was with the high ankle sprain.
"You need Dez back cause he make plays," the source said. "He is still learning it all. But he makes plays. He has things to work on. But he has the most consistent hands and he has natural ability."
Clarence E. Hill Jr.