Cowboys Release S Brodney Pool and CB Isaac Madison

When the Cowboys announced the return of Cole Beasley as well as the signings of WR David Little and RB Javaris Williams on Sunday, the writing was on the wall that three players that had been in camp with the team would be sent packing. The first shoe to drop came yesterday; as OLB Aston Whiteside was let go in time for Beasley to take part in the Blue-White Scrimmage. Today, the other two shoes fell from the three-legged monster.

Safety Brodney Pool, a 2012 free agent signing who formerly played for defensive coordinator Rob Ryan while in Cleveland, was released today as well as UDFA CB Isaac Madison. This news is via several sources.

Pool is by far the biggest name of the three to be let go, as he was signed to a one-year, $1.2 million contract back in March. Only $100,000 of that money was paid to Pool as a signing bonus, so the Cowboys now have an additional $1.1 million of salary cap space to play with for 2012.

Pool, of course, upset plenty of folks in the Cowboys brass by failing the conditioning test at the start of training camp last week. That left the door wide open for Barry Church to continue to impress the coaching staff as he had done all offseason. Reports began to surface during the week that Pool was not impressive at all and some off-the-record quotes started circulating questioning Pool's ability to help the team going forward.

Church did nothing to reverse the momentum in yesterday's practice sessions and Pool was shown the door today.

More...

RT @nickeatman: Brodney Pool and Isaac Madison have been waived to make room for WR David Little & RB Javarris Williams

— Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) August 6, 2012

Madison was buried in the depth chart at cornerback competing with the likes of Mario Butler, Lionel Smith, CJ Wilson, Justin Taplin-Ross, Teddy Williams and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah for the fifth and six spots behind Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick. Apparently the team has seen something it likes in AOA, although reports from practice or the scrimmage have not put him in a good light. He gave up two touchdowns in the scrimmage to UDFA wideouts.

Per Clarence Hill Jr. of the Ft. Worth Star Telegram, the team likes AOA's speed/height potential and want to give it more time to develop.

For now, it looks like the starting safety job next to Gerald Sensabaugh is Church's to own; and the team will look to rookie Matt Johnson as well as special teams ace Danny McCray in the safety backup roles. Butler has also spent some time playing the safety position when the team transitions to the dime package and Church is rolled up to a linebacker position.