Dallas Cowboys News & Notes: Wrapping Up Rookie Minicamp

Cowboys 2014 Rookie MiniCamp Review - Dave Halprin, Blogging The Boys
Dave Halprin summarizes some of the key impressions from Cowboys rookie mini-camp, includung a look at Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence and Anthony Hitchens.

Scout’s Eye: Grading The Offense From Rookie Minicamp
After reviewing tape from the weekend practices, Broaddus makes some initial observations about the offensive position players at rookie minicamp. Here's my interpretation of what Broaddus writes:

• Arrow up: WR Devin Street, RB Ben Malena, RB Josh Harris, OG Zack Martin, OT Jarrod Pughsley, OG Brian Clarke
• Arrow undecided: WR L'Damian Washington, TE Jordan Najvar, TE Evan Wilson, FB J.C. Copeland
• Arrow down: WR Chris Boyd, TE Kane Friel, RB Glasco Martin
  

And here's his summary of the defensive players:

• Standouts: DE DeMarcus Lawrence, DE Ben Gardner, DT Davon Coleman, DT Ken Bishop, CB Terrance Mitchell, CB Tyler Patmon, S Ryan Smith
• Worth mentioning: DT Dartwan Bush, LB Joe Windsor, LB Dontavis Sapp

J.J. Wilcox emerging as starter - Calvin Watkins, ESPN Dallas
Secondary coach Jerome Henderson talked shop and provided some insight into the depth chart at safety, where Barry Church is a lock for one spot, and J.J. Wilcox is penciled in as the second starter.

"I think they are going to be a really good [safety] group this year," secondary coach Jerome Henderson said. "Barry Church (leading tackler) is coming off a really good season after the year he had the year before when he started off really strong and then we lost him for the year, he came back and played really well.

"At the other spot we are looking someone to emerge and really take that spot. Right now Wilcox is in the driver's seat. He has the first opportunity to solidify [the spot] and we are hopeful that he does. But we know behind him we have some hungry guys."

Eberflus: Major Competition At Linebacker Spots - David Helman, DallasCowboys.com
When your linebackers fall like dominoes, one after the other, you have an issue.

"We lost our first one, second one, third one, had to play with our fourth one, which was Holloman, last year," said linebackers coach Matt Eberflus during the team’s rookie minicamp. "So that was really the issue. Durant was always the backup, and Ernie after him and Holloman after him."

Asked about the fact that a healthy Lee would undoubtedly be the top linebacker, Eberflus emphasized it for the other two spots: "So there’s a major competition there."

Morris Claiborne aims to bulk up, improve - Calvin Watkins, ESPN Dallas
Jerome Henderon still believes in Claiborne and Claiborne's potential.

"Obviously when you're drafted that high you want him to be your guy, right, again we hope he becomes that guy," secondary coach Jerome Henderson said of Claiborne. "We hope he becomes that guy; that you look out there no matter what guy it is he’s out there guarding somebody, locking them up."

Garrett excited to add Ryan Williams - Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas
The Cowboys liked Williams coming out of school, and they liked him when he worked out for them on Saturday.

"He was a guy that we regarded very highly coming out in the draft," Garrett said. "He was one of the best backs in the draft that year, and somebody we thought a lot of. He’s gone there, and he’s had some injuries, had injuries in ’11 and ’12. Then, he was injury-free last year but just didn’t play because of what their running-back situation was and their roster makeup. But he’s someone when we watched him on tape - he played mostly in 2012, before he hurt his shoulder - he looks like the back we saw coming out of school. We did our due diligence, and we feel like bringing in a guy like that in to compete at that running back spot is good for our team."

Cowboys release RB Glasco Martin to make room for Ryan Williams | Rainer Sabin, DMN
Former Baylor player Glasco Martin, who joined the team last week as an undrafted free agent, was released Monday.

Witten: New position coach is 'nit-picking' him, but that's OK because he's a tight ends guru - Carlos Mendez, Star Telegram
Provided they are receptive to coaching, even the best players will improve with good coaching. And new tight ends coach Mike Pope intends to do just that for Witten, Escobar and Hanna.

"I’m excited, and he’s excited – he says he is, anyway; I don’t know him to be anything but truthful – but there are some areas that he’s hoping, and I believe, we can help him, with the years that I’ve been doing this with all different types of players," Pope said. "So I’m looking forward to keeping him on an upward spiral and then bringing in Gavin Escobar and James Hanna along and fill in more of those spots with more production."

Witten's reply:

"There’s always room to improve," Witten said. "He’s nit-picking for sure, but that’s what I like about him."