Parcells press conference 8/19/06 (Owens won't play)

by Dave Halprin on Aug 19, 2006 3:53 PM CDT in Dallas Cowboys News

Bledsoe will start this week, some of the front-line players will play the whole half.

Drew Bledsoe and Terrell Owens won't make their preseason debut together Monday night against the New Orleans Saints.

Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells said Bledsoe will start Monday in Shreveport, La., but that he won't play Owens, who returned to practice Wednesday after missing 14 consecutive sessions with a sore left hamstring.

"Well he got some pretty good work in this week," Parcells said of Owens, who will have practiced six times since returning by the time the Cowboys break camp Sunday. "I just don't want to start over next week. So hopefully his first real game action will be next weekend.

"It's just a natural course of events. I don't think you can get ready to play football practicing four or five days. I think you need more than that."

Back to the press conference:

Couple of backup WR's developing pretty well, but we still need to look at the landscape.

Montavious Stanley? Like any young player playing a foreign defense, 1-gap to 2-gap, it's tough. He has the right body type, physical strength, good worker. Got himself in shape, got his weight down 20-pounds, see some development, not lazy. He's not a cinch, though.

Bobby Carpenter? Slowed down a little by getting stepped on last week. Try to get him going, he'll play Monday.

Next week practices will focus on the guys who are going to play. Baseline personnel sheet will be at 45-47 this week. Just 4 or 5 spots to go.

Al Singleton? That's one of the things I'm happy about, we have quality depth, I think he can help us, I would expect Al to be Greg's backup, if Ellis starts.

Bobby Carpenter is an inside guy now, but I don't know if it's permanent.

I might keep 6 WR's, I don't know. Skyler and Jamaica are the options at punt returner.

Bradie James should be an improved player this year, he had a methodical development, he's learning how to play the right way.

3 or 4 unexpected rookies might be contributors. Elam is in that category. He takes copious notes, he studies hard, very conscientious, tough, willingness to tackle. But he turned a guy loose this morning for a TD, but he's definitely in the mix.

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