Dallas Cowboys news & notes

Time to drop some links on you while things are slow.

A good article about the draft board from a Cowboys perspective by Todd Archer. 

The Cowboys started to shrink their draft board around 2002, according to Lacewell, after receiving some ideas from Tom Ciskowski, the Cowboys' current director of college and pro scouting; Jeff Ireland, now Miami's general manager; and Bryan Broaddus, who was part of Green Bay and Jacksonville's scouting departments and was assistant pro personnel director for the Cowboys.

"Bryan brought with him some old Green Bay draft boards, and they might not have 13 guys in the first round," Lacewell said. "And if you're drafting 18, it makes you nervous, but it also makes you realistic. It kind of tells you maybe you need to trade up or maybe you need to trade out. It gives you a new viewpoint."

Hopefully Raf will have much more on the Cowboys draft board in the coming weeks.

More links after the jump.

Little blurb about RW working out at the Ranch and also the offseason schedule. 

Offseason program -- March 30
Teaching sessions -- April 7
Dallas Day (for local draft prospects) -- April 13
Rookie minicamp -- May 1-3
OTAs -- May 19-21; 26-28; June 2-4; June 8-10
Minicamp -- June 16-18

Some Cowboys players picked up bonuses for playing more than expected, led by Orlando Scandrick. 

Suddenly the interview I referenced last week from Terence Newman is a hot topic. Newman is now trying to walk back the comments he made about Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo.

"The thing they don't see is he might go [out of town] but at the same time he comes back and works out," Newman said. "He's been in there the past couple of weeks with the rest of us. Roy Williams and me and a bunch of guys are in there busting our butts, and he's right there with us. They don't see him working out. They don't see what he puts into the preparation."

Note to Newman, just don't talk about another man's wife/girlfriend. It's a bad idea. At least we have another confirmation that RW is working out hard in the offseason and trying to get chemistry with Romo.

Hat tip to thebigham and cowboy78.

Julius Peppers to Dallas? 

The Dallas Cowboys and two other unidentified NFC teams [plus New England] also are on Peppers' four-team wish list, according to the same person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the trade talks were supposed to remain confidential.

OK, I agree, that's pretty thin.

From an interview with OLB/DE Connor Barwin by SBN blog Big Cat Country. 

Collin Streetman: What teams do you feel have expressed interest in you?

Connor Barwin: I was in Buffalo, I have a trip to Jacksonville scheduled in April, and St. Louis and Miami has shown interest. New England hasn't shown interest, but I've heard they are intrigued. Denver and Tampa bay are two other teams that seem to like me as well.

No Dallas?

Useless draft speculation of the week. 

The Cowboys have no way of knowing who and what will be available when they are on the clock with their first draft pick, No. 51 overall. But we hear there's a decent chance they could be focusing on a defensive lineman, should the right player be available. The Cowboys filled a need by signing DE Igor Olshansky, who should be the favorite to fill Chris Canty's vacated DRE spot, but there are depth issues at every spot and the team has yet to re-sign DE Marcus Spears, whose contract ends after this coming season.

Eh, it better be a nose tackle. I can't see them drafting a defensive end, at least that early.