Dallas Cowboys News & Notes: Frederick Is "The Anchor", Miles Austin's Return To Form, More

Rookies to Watch: Travis Frederick, "The Anchor" - SI.com
The Cowboys' first-round pick of Travis Frederick raised eyebrows. But while it won't always be smooth, Frederick has what it takes to justify Dallas' faith, Chris Burke writes.

Can Miles Austin return to Pro Bowl form in 2013? - Jon Machota, DMN
Nobody can predict whether Miles Austin will get his third Pro Bowl nomination, particularly in light of the frequent injuries he's had to work through the last two years.

"I am going to try to play the best I can," Austin said. "I would love to lift every part of my game up."

"There’s not many things you can really control," Austin said. "You can control your effort, but other things are going to happen. I’ve always been working on my conditioning since I got here. I feel really good right now, hopefully it stays that way."

After another good spring, Ben Bass wants to be confident, not cocky, going into training camp - Carlos Mendez, Star-Telegram
Ben Bass, something of an underdog favorite here on BTB, isn't taking anything for granted even after last year's journey from a rookie minicamp invitation as a tryout player all the way to playing his first NFL snaps. And while he's built on last year - many reports see Bass as having had very good OTA practices - he says he's got to remember to prove himself all over again. Keep grinding, Ben.

Dez Bryant and other athletes audition for classic film roles - FoxsportsSouthwest.com
Ever wonder what Jerry Maguire would have been like had Dez Bryant played the title role instead of Cuba Gooding Jr.? Or Taxi Driver with Dez? Or Safe Haven? You didn't, of course, but that doesn't mean this video isn't worth watching as Dez teams up with Michael Crabtree, Dwight Howard, and Shawn Marion for a funny parody of 'When Athletes Audition.'

Photos from 2014 DCC Calendar Shoot - DallasCowboys.com
This is one slide show that is well worth clicking through, as the girls send their greetings from the sandy beaches of Cozumel. And for good measure, DC.com offer photos from last year's shoot as well.

Ranking the top 25 NFL edge rushers - NFL.com
The offseason is the time where top-something lists pop up at almost every corner. Today it's Gregg Rosenthal, who ranks the top 25 best edge rushers in the league. DeMarcus Ware is ranked fifth, Anthony Spencer 24th.

Celebrated pass rushers and their sack percentage - PreSnapReads.com
In a post about Cameron Wake, Cian Fahey lists the career sack percentages of some of the better known pass rushers in the league, and in contrast to Gregg Rosenthal's edge rusher ranking, DeMarcus Ware sits at the very top of this list.

Q&A: Vikings' Jared Allen on the sack record, future of the NFL - CBSSports.com
Jared Allen reveals that he's a fan of DeMarcus Ware and ruminates on the future of pass rushers in this interview. Asked if the sack record could fall this year, Allen answers:

"You have Clay Matthews, DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller. There's the evolution of that lighter, skinnier, faster guy ... so I don't think 25 is out of reach. Obviously, that's lofty, and if you look at the history of the NFL, no player ever had two 20-sack seasons. So I would like to say it's going to happen just because you're seeing more people with higher numbers. You look at this year, and you had 20.5, 19.5 and 18.5 at the top, and then the year I had 22 (2011) DeMarcus had 19.5, and then there was (Jason) Babin at 18. I remember when 15 led the league by two or three. So with more people pushing, someone will eventually get it."

Bill Barnwell asks whether a hot streak carries over to the next NFL season - Grantland
Bill Barnwell analyzes just how little a hot streak at the end of the year means for the following season in the NFL. Cowboys fans, whose team went 5-3 down the stretch, shrug; Redskins fans, whose team went 7-1 to end the season, close their eyes, put their hands over their ears and go "La la la la la ..."

Some dude said he is a Dallas Cowboys fan.
Some other dudes got worked up over it. That's it as far as this story goes.

More Cowboys Coverage:

• Cowboys Offseason Headscratcher: The State Of The Offensive Line
• Cowboys Offseason Headscratcher: Has Kyle Orton Become Brad Johnson?
• Which Dallas Cowboys Rookie Do You Think Will Have The Best Season?
• Dallas Cowboys News & Notes: Quality Depth On D-Line, Tony Romo A Championship QB?
• Continuity vs. Turnover On NFC East Rosters: How Much Is Too Much?