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DeMarco Murray wasn't going to miss Pro Bowl - Dallas Cowboys Blog - ESPN
While some people may have disinterested groins, DeMarco Murray was not about to miss his chance to show up for the all star game.
DeMarco Murray is a month removed from surgery to repair a broken left hand, but the Dallas Cowboys running back did not consider pulling out of the Pro Bowl.
"I love playing, so I'm not going to (sit out)," Murray said. "The hand's all right so I'm excited to just go out there have fun and compete."
Cowboys Executives Still Hopeful 2014 Wasn’t Murray’s Final Season With The Team | Dallas Cowboys
While the concern continues that Murray will wind up outside of the Cowboys' price range, Jerry Jones has not given up hope of finding a way to keep him.
"I wouldn't attest to the accuracy of those reports. The circumstances that those reports sometimes are portrayed can be misleading," he said. "I'm not going to get into what we're doing with these guys, but we certainly felt at the beginning of the season that DeMarco had a longer career than this season with the Cowboys and we hope he still does."
Cowboys Dez OR DeMarco? No, Not How It Works - CowboysHQ
Mike Fisher points out that it is possible for Dallas to pay both Murray and Dez Bryant. The question is not an either/or scenario.
But "could'' isn't "will.'' And "can'' isn't "should.'' And one more thing: The plan -- which features the retention of Dez with an eventually "Cowboy For Life'' deal and also features some acceptance that Murray's desire for a market-value contract figures to see him in another uniform next year -- isn't a "vote'' for one and an "indictment'' of the other.
While Jones was rather noncommittal about the team picking up the high-dollar option on Henry Melton, he was rather positive about picking up the guaranteed, roughly $11 million fifth year option on Morris Claiborne. (Note: Hold your fire. I am just the messenger.)
Jones was asked if he believes Claiborne has done enough to justify the club picking up his fifth-year option.
"Yes," Jones responded quickly from the Senior Bowl. "Yes, I do."
Dallas Cowboys' 2014 free-agency review - ESPN Dallas
Meanwhile, Todd Archer offers a look at how effective the relatively inexpensive group of free agents brought in last year did. His top rated player:
DE Jeremy Mincey: He started every game and quickly developed into one of the Cowboys' defensive leaders. When Justin Durant was lost for the season with a biceps injury, Mincey joined Barry Church as a captain. Mincey led the Cowboys with six sacks to go with a team-high 39 pressures. He spent most of the offseason and training camp re-shaping his body to be quicker in order to play right defensive end. By all accounts, this was the Cowboys' best signing.
New OC Linehan Says "Close" Locker Room Could Help Cowboys Take Next Step | Dallas Cowboys
Add one more name to the list of those bought into the Way of the Rooster, as our Dawn Macelli has labeled it. Scott Linehan was asked about the Cowboys being close to winning it all, but he changed the focus with his answer.
"There's probably some truth to that, but I do believe in teams being close from a chemistry standpoint. That doesn't hurt your ability to win games," Linehan said. "I think that's one of the things I'm most proud of with our team and I think Jason (Garrett) has done a great job in developing the communication to have the team chemistry we had this year. That's not something you can bottle up. It's something the players bought in and created."
And it didn't sound like it ended with the players either. Linehan said if there are changes in his offensive approach now as he takes over for departed offensive coordinator Bill Callahan, it will be with the same collaborative effort it was all of last year.
It is always sad to see Super Bowl coverage without the Cowboys being involved. But it turns out that Dallas has cropped up in some of the articles on the big game between that one team and that other team, as well as in other places outside the Dallas area media.
Bill Belichick compares Russell Wilson's ability to Roger Staubach's - ESPN Dallas
I don't particularly like or respect Bill Belichick, but I have to give some grudging acknowledgement to this quote from him when he discussed what he saw when he watched Russell Wilson on video.
"He kind of reminds me of watching [Roger] Staubach," Belichick said during a Tuesday morning conference call. "I remember a lot of Staubach's spectacular running plays where it looked like he was about to get tackled by three or four guys, and he would Houdini it out of there somehow. You see Wilson doing some of the same things."
Logically, FO takes a look at the four Seattle Seahawks losses to find keys to beating the team.
Week 6: Dallas 30, Seattle 23 (Seattle DVOA: -37.5%): Russell Wilson had his worst day of the year (well, until the playoffs), going 14-of-28 for only 126 yards with no touchdowns, one interception, and two sacks. The Seahawks also struggled on the ground, gaining 80 yards on only 18 carries; it was one of two games this season where their offense had a negative DVOA on rushing plays. On defense, they played very well against DeMarco Murray, but struggled to slow down Tony Romo, who went 21-of-32 for 250 yards, with two touchdowns, no interceptions, and just one sack.
A surprising bit of support for changing the rules that led to the Overturn, from one of our most hated figures.
The competition committee is to revisit the issue this offseason. One committee member, Giants co-owner John Mara, said during an ESPN Radio interview last week that he was "very uncomfortable" watching the Bryant play called an incompletion even though the ruling was, in his view, "probably the right call technically, according to the language that was in the rule book."
The Senior Bowl is upon us. Here is some stuff for you draftniks to pig out on.
Broaddus: Defensive Ends, Big Ten RBs Take Center Stage On Day 1 Of Senior Bowl | Dallas Cowboys
Bryan Broaddus reminds us that the team doesn't lock itself into any particular set of priorities.
The Cowboys could be in the market for an offensive tackle in this draft if both Doug Free and Jermey Parnell depart in free agency. I am already hearing that I need to keep an eye on T.J. Clemmings of Pittsburgh. Clemmings will get plenty of opportunities to work against some quality edge rushers. If you remember this time last season, it was Zack Martin handling of Aaron Donald during Senior Bowl week that opened more than a few eyes, helping his draft stock.
Meanwhile, here is a profile for the defensive line first crowd.
What I liked: He is clearly a sight to behold with very long arms and a slender build that makes you think Aldon Smith as a possibility on the edge just ruining plays. He can be a very active pass rush guy and when he sees something in front of him, he has this explosive gear that is uncommon.
In a second article on the day, Sturm drops some wisdom.
I thought about assembling a list of draft premises that have bothered me over the years. I am not sure I have 10 of these, and maybe you would care to add to the list, but allow me to periodically share some things I have been told or learned from experience that are quite helpful. Here is today's.
NEVER ALLOW THE SCHOOL TO CONTROL YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE PLAYER.
Senior Bowl: Pauline's 20 To Watch
2015 Senior Bowl Weigh In Results
I'll just leave these links for everyone who is interested.
I don't pretend to get the attraction here, but I don't judge.
Cowboys players take in WWE RAW ringside at American Airlines Center | Dallas Morning News
Ben Gardner, Nick Hayden, and George Selvie were there. And will probably be interested in the next event coming to the Dallas area.
WrestleMania coming to home of Dallas Cowboys - ESPN Dallas
Jerry Jones knows how to make a buck. Of course, there may be more to it than that.
John Cena, "I once believed Vince McMahon and Jerry Jones were the same person" #WrestleMania32 pic.twitter.com/ac0RI9DCN8
— Troy Hughes™ (@TommySledge) January 20, 2015