What I wanted to write about was a few players that I have been watching this preseason. I’m not going to throw a much of stats into my post or breakdown their positions. I’m just going to write about my gut feelings about a couple of players.

Victor Butler, Going back to late last season there seems to be something special about him. And that has continued into this preseason. Almost like he has opened his eyes and is ready for that next level. Similar to Anthony Spencer who came on strong last season. With Butler he always seems to be around the ball and that includes being in the backfield for the big play. I like what I’m seeing from Butler and have no problem with him in the game when Ware or Spencer need a break.

Sean Lee, I will be the first to admit that I looked at my television funny on draft day when the Cowboys traded up to select Sean Lee. I watched the Cowboys war room as they were all excited about Lee being part of the Cowboys. Against the Chargers I saw a player that still needs a lot of work. but who better to learn from than Keith Brooking and Bradie James. I also see a player who knows how to blow up a play. He explodes to the ball and makes the play. I get the feeling that when he was on the field against the Chargers that he felt like he really belonged out there and wants to prove that. With Lee I think the Cowboys have the full package and as the season moves on he will continue to get better and stronger at his position.

Cletis Gordon, There is just something about this player. He is a veteran and he is hungry to prove himself. It amazes me that he is only talked about as the fourth cornerback in a Cowboys training camp where the word has been competition from day one. I think he should be talked about as someone who is challenging for the third cornerback spot. I’m not a huge fan of Orlando Scandrick. Maybe it’s because he seems to be beat a lot and his tackling isn’t the greatest. That’s my opinion of course. I like Gordon as the third cornerback on the Cowboys and I think he should have the opportunity to beat out Scandrick.

Barry Church, He did very well in replacing Gerald Sensabaugh against the Chargers. No, I don’t believe he should replace Sensabaugh, but when it comes to depth on the team, I like what Church brings to the table. He is a big,  physical safety and he will also add to the strength of the special teams.

Danny McCray, He could make the team because of his special teams play just like Bill Bates in 1983. Coincidence that McCray is also wearing Bates’ old number 40? He seems to be unblockable on special teams and is always around to make the tackle or assist with it. I would like to see what he can do at the safety position in the final two preseason games.

So those are just some of my thoughts on a few players. No stats, numbers or analyzing their play. Just my gut feelings on a few players that just might start making a name for themselves as the season moves forward.

The Cowboys first team offense is like a machine. They drive the ball up and down the field. I understand that they have not produced a touchdown yet through two games, but it’s not something I’m worried about. This offense will score touchdowns. They are too talented and have too many weapons.

Against the Bengals in the Hall of Fame game the first team offense produced a field goal by new kicker David Buehler on their first drive. The drive was 14 plays gaining 63 yards. Against the Raiders the first drive also produced a Buehler field goal on a 12 play, 45 yard drive.

Hopefully by the next game against the Chargers the first team offense can be on the field for at least the first half to see what they can do.

Kevin Ogletree

Last preseason Kevin Ogletree made a name for himself in a good way. This preseason he has been dropping a lot of passes. With Dez Bryant out with an injury it was a golden opportunity for Ogletree to show he still belonged. As reported by the Dallas Morning news, when the offense went to four wide receivers in the morning practice yesterday Ogletree was not one of the four. In the loss to the Raiders Ogletree caught one pass for eight yards and dropped two others. One of the drops was on a 3rd and 2 from the Raiders 9 yard line. The play could have produced a first and goal from inside the five yard line.

“He’s a good football player,” Sherman said. “We’ve got to keep bringing him along, keep working with him where he can be consistent.”

I still think Olgetee is a good receiver that can help the Cowboys in many different ways. I hope the Cowboys can help him get through whatever he is going through.

Dez Bryant

After wearing a protective boot on his right ankle for two weeks, yesterday it was removed so that Bryant could start his rehabilitation program. It is still doubtful that he will play in the last three preseason games. It has been reported that since the injury occurred, Bryant has been in good spirits and focused in team meetings and watching game films. Wade Phillips is hopeful that Bryant will be ready for the season opener in Washington on Sept. 12th.

David Buehler

With no competition in game this preseason David Buehler still knows the pressure is on to produce as the Cowboys new field goal kicker. Through two games Buehler is 6 of 7 on his field goals. His one miss was from 49 yards.

“I feel like I’ve transitioned night and day from where I was last year,” Buehler said. “I wasn’t that confident in my field goals and was kind of all over the place.”

“Now, I’m consistent and getting in a nice little groove and my confidence is more than it’s ever been right now.”

I would like to see Buehler start hitting from longer distances in game situations. His six field goals were from 20, 34 , 23, 42, 27 and 28 yards out. Special Teams coach Joe DeCamillis is also looking for more as the preseason moves on.

“I think you’ve got to go through the rest of the preseason,” DeCamillis said. “We’ve played two games. He’s just like everybody else on the roster. It’s a young player and we’re going to evaluate him all the way up until it’s time to make a decision. That’s the way you’ve got to handle it, in my opinion.”

With Buehler’s confidence building with his field goal kicking, it has been lost as far as his kickoffs. Buehler led the lead in touchbacks in 2009 and plans to keep it going in 2010.

“My goal is to lead the NFL again and beat my mark of 29,” Buehler said. “The way I’m hitting the ball these days, I should blow that out of the water.”

Martellus Bennett

Any chances of Martellus Bennett playing in his first preseason game against the Chargers ended with a setback from his sprained ankle this week. Wade Phillips does not believe he will be cleared to play next week.

“I don’t think he’ll play this game,” Phillips said. “I think he’ll play the next two games for sure, but I don’t know about this one.”

Newly signed tight end DajLeon Farr got his first action with the Cowboys against the Raiders and caught one pass for 18 yards.

Montrae Holland

Montrae Holland returned to practice Sunday after being out with a hamstring strain. He hopes to play in the next game in San Diego. The Cowboys plan for Holland is for him to backup both guard spots.

“I want to get out there,” Holland said. “I’ve been out for too long as it is.”

The next game for the Cowboys is Saturday night in San Diego at 9pm est.

I also wanted to share this new shirt I found yesterday that I thought was really nice with all the Cowboys helmets through their 50 years.

Vote for the best Dallas Cowboys player here.

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NFL Analyst Vic Carucci has the Cowboys winning the division:

The case for the Cowboys: They should be even stronger than the team that won the division in 2009. Tony Romo continues to make strides as a top-notch quarterback. He’s more mature and focused, and was able to blossom last season as the unquestioned leader of the team. Much of the offseason discussion has dealt with the expected game-breaking complement that first-round pick Dez Bryant will provide established receiving star Miles Austin and tight end Jason Witten. But the Cowboys have much more than an explosive passing attack. Their running game is among the best in the league and they have a championship-caliber defense.

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Ex- Cowboy Flozell Adams worked out with the Steelers yesterday. The Steelers lost their starting right tackle Willie Colon after he suffered an Achilles injury on Monday. However there is no deal and according to NFL.com:

The Steelers got the impression Adams is not ready to make a decision, and money could be an issue as well. Adams, who was scheduled to earn over $7 million with Dallas prior to his release, is looking to earn $4 million for 2010, according to the source. The Steelers were hesitant to go that high.

Umm, Flozell give it up buddy you aren’t worth the big bucks anymore.

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If you love the Cowboys and enjoy writing, consider blogging for one of the best Cowboys fan sites on the net, Lone Star Struck. We have plenty of roles available and all you need is your passion for the Cowboys and basic writing skills. For more information click here.

According to Nick Eatman’s blog at dallascowboys.com:

Since being drafted in late April, Bryant has experienced minor ankle and hip injuries, missed an entire day of OTA practice and meetings with a stomach virus and now the hamstring has kept him out for two practices.

Bryant says its not frustrating, and I’m not sure its time to worry about minor injuries, but it certainly makes one wonder.

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It was uncovered by running back coach Skip Peete that Marion Barber played last season with a torn left quad. The injury occurred in Week 2 last season and Barber only missed one game.

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Keith Brooking could return to practice as soon as Thursday after being held out because of offseason arthroscopic knee surgery.

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Patrick Crayton returned to OTAs yesterday. He agent says Crayton is looking to compete and doesn’t want to be a distraction, its rather hard to do that if you aren’t with the team on the field.

His teammates were happy to see him back with the team.

Kevin Ogletree: “There is a lot more wisdom out there. He has been around a long time. He is just more help for the young guys and more leadership. He is a good player, so obviously we missed him and it’s just good to see him back out there.”

Roy Williams: “He’s not the flashy guy. He is just a guy that comes in and gets the job done. I call him Mr. Consistency. He just plays the same way every time.”

Dez Bryant: “He is a vet. It is nice to have a guy like that. Not only him, but Roy (Williams) and Miles (Austin), who have been through everything. Younger guys (like me) want that. They need someone to follow and it’s great that they are all here.”

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Training Camp will be split this year between Texas and California. This is great news for our friends on the West Coast who will get a chance to see America’s Team live in action getting ready for the upcoming season.

San Antonio, Texas: July 23rd – August 6th

Oxnard, California: August 14th – August 27th

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I know at least a handful of people who will be happy to hear this news…

The Cowboys have released Cory Procter. The 27-year old backup offensive lineman has been with in Dallas since 2005, though didn’t debut in the NFL until 2007. He only started in 13 career games, 11 of those in 2008 while filling in for the injured Kyle Kosier. How dare they break up the band, eh, who needs offensive line depth anyway?

In other news, Sam Hurd and Patrick Crayton both missed OTAs on Monday. Hurd was on scene but out while recovering from offseason thumb surgery. Crayton is still demanding a trade, but no one seems to be interested. Have you Hurd Crayton wants out of the big D?

Marcus Spears also missed the practice because of a scheduling conflict according to several sources. Whatever that means?

Keith Brooking, Stephen Hodge and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah are all recovering from surgeries while Sean Lissemore and Scott Sicko are finishing up at college. Yes, okay they are excusable.

These workouts are voluntary but Coach Phillips made a good point saying… ”Your competitors at your position are all here.” Okay so he’s no philosopher but you understand what he’s saying.

You can argue either way, veterans can miss the practices because they know the drills but at the same time the new guys, younger guys are there practicing, busting ass to steal your place on the roster. Practice makes perfect!

That’s all for now. Only 117 days until the 2010 season kicks off!

The last thing I want to do is wish summer away before it even gets here, but the Hall of Fame Game between the Cowboys and Bengals is less than three months away. It’s not so much the game I’m excited for, it’s the excitement of seeing Emmitt Smith going into the HOF. Emmitt Smith is my all-time favorite player and I’m going to enjoy watching him enter the Hall. There’s going to be lot of tears on that stage because that is how Emmitt Smith is. He is every emotional about things. One of my favorite things to watch is the moment Emmitt Smith and Daryl Johnston shared on the sidelines after Smith broke the NFL rushing record in 2002.

As reported by ESPNDallas.com, Emmitt Smith has chosen Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to be his presenter on August 7th. If Emmitt Smith’s speech is anything like Michael Irvin’s then there won’t be a dry eye in the house. There will be more about Emmitt in the coming months because he deserves all the praise in the world for being the best running back of all time.

Doug Free

The Cowboys new left tackle Doug Free is ready for whatever is thrown his way as the OTA’s begin next week. Especially since the Cowboys traded for Alex Barron this week. What makes players better is competition and Free knows that. Free replaced right tackle Marc Colombo last season for ten games and played very well, but all the so-called experts remember is how Free played in the playoff loss to the Vikings. I tend look at the overall picture and not just the one game. I do not believe that all season the Cowboys offensive line played well and then because of one game they all of sudden became a bad line. Let’s face it, the Cowboys ran into a better team that day in Minnesota. Whatever they tried to do didn’t work and things just kept getting worse for them as the game went on. If anyone remembers the move “The Replacements”, the quote from Keanu Reeves sums up the Vikings game very well for the Cowboys.

“You’re playing and you think everything is going fine. Then one thing goes wrong (Adams getting hurt). And then another. And another. You try to fight back, but the harder you fight, the deeper you sink. Until you can’t move… you can’t breathe… because you’re in over your head. Like quicksand”

Now Doug Free will move from the right side to the left side and he is ready for the competition that he will be facing as reported on ESPNDallas.com.

“I got a lot of hard work to put in and I’m obviously excited,” Free said. “Last year, getting a chance to play and I think playing pretty well, most people thought stuff like that, they definitely have some faith in me. It’s the other side of the ball [going from right to left], but I think I’ve proven that I can play.”

“The more people we got in the better, the better the competition, the better the offensive line,” Free said. “Like last year, with Marc going down, the more confidence you have, the better it is for your team.”

“Until you get out on the field and in a game situation in the regular season, you really don’t know what you’re getting into,” Free said. “So, getting out there [with] a chance to play was definitely an advantage for me. I couldn’t be more excited. Nobody plays to sit the bench, nobody plays to watch the games, everybody plays. They are working hard to play.”

Keith Brooking

Keith Brooking underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee three weeks ago, but should be ready for training camp come July as reported by ESPNDallas.com. The Cowboys know what Brooking can do and what a leader he has become for the defense, so I wouldn’t think they are worried about him missing the teams OTA’s. This will give the rookies and other young players like Sean Lee and Jason Williams a chance to show their stuff.

Roy Williams

Roy Williams has been saying all the right things when it comes to Dez Bryant and what he will add to the Cowboys offense. Let’s face it, Bryant is the Cowboys future and maybe the competition will do Williams some good after a not so good 2009 season. Williams announced that his dropped passes will be a thing of the past this season. He dropped eight passes in 2009 (Why did it feel like he dropped a lot more than that?). If Williams turns into the receiver that he believes he is and what the Cowboys believe he is, then it will just make things better for the entire offense.

“I bet anybody in this world I won’t be close to that [in 2010],” said Williams about his dropped passes in 2009

Preseason

In another month what will all the preseason magazines say about the Cowboys in 2010? Will they be Super Bowl favorites? Will they be a struggling team in the NFC East in 2010 because of all the changes in Washington or because the Giants are back? All I know is that the Cowboys have put themselves in great position to challenge for a home game in Super Bowl XLV.

OTAs: May 17-19, May 24-26, June 1-3, June 8-10

Mini Camps: April 30-May 2 (rookies), June 11-13

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With the recent signings of Montrae Holland and Alan Ball, the Cowboys have only Miles Austin and Gerald Sensabaugh left to sign their tenders by June 15 or have a long-term deal in place. Last week, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters that “both are in line for a long-term contract”.

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Miami Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland, has apologized to Cowboys first round pick Dez Bryant for asking whether his mother a prostitute. The apology came after it was learned that Ireland posed the question during a pre-draft interview with Bryant.

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In a complet about-face, undrafted tight end Scott Sicko reversed his position and has agreed to terms on a free-agent contract with the Cowboys, and will attend the team’s rookie minicamp this weekend. Sicko initially decided not to pursue any NFL offers when he failed to get selected in the NFL Draft, and was going to return to school. Jerry Jones can be very convincing when he wants something, huh?

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After the season DeMarcus Ware had surgery to remove a bone spur. When asked if he was 100% yet, he replied:

“I would never say 100 percent. I would say 94 percent. The surgery went well. I had a bone spur, and they just shaved it down. Now, everything is good.”

Gotta love Ware’s attitude and personality! We love you #94!

Robert Brewster has been cleared by the medical staff to return to football. The offensive lineman’s best position would be right tackle or guard. Brewster was drafted in the 3rd round of the ’09 draft but sat out the entire season due to a torn pectoral muscle.

The 2010 NFL Draft begins this Thursday, April 22nd at 6:30 p.m. CST. The first round will be held Thursday, the second and third rounds on Friday starting a 5 p.m. CST and rounds 4-7 on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. CST. We will have a live thread with continuous updates for the draft. See ya then!

The Dallas Cowboys official website has been redesigned. In my opinion its clean and bright, almost too white, and will take some getting used to as far as the layout. Check out the new design here.

The NFL will announce the complete 2010 schedules tomorrow at 6 p.m. CST on NFL Network and NFL.com.

Follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook.

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Cowboys Defensive line coach Todd Grantham has accepted a job as the defensive coordinator for the University of Georgia. The Cowboys have already found their replacement, former assistant coach Paul Pasqualoni. Pasqualoni, who was on the Dallas coaching staff from 2005-2007, was recently let go by the Miami Dolphins and was readily available. Both coaches are expected to travel to Minnesota this weekend.

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The Cowboys injured starting running back (knee) Marion Barber practiced Thursday and was expected to practice Friday as well. Coach Phillips was encouraged by Marion’s progress and will be monitoring him close up until game time to decide whether he will be effective enough to play in Sunday’s game.

Also, Pat Watkins who has been out for a month practiced fully this week and has a good chance to return to the field this week.

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The Cowboys practiced in Cowboys Stadium on Thursday due to the weather conditions, and I have to say it was a great idea to blast crowd noise to prepare the players for Minnesota. They overcame the noise in New Orleans and Minnesota will be just as loud, if not worse. I think the Cowboys and fans alike have learned a lot about the effect of crowd noise level this season.

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With all the trash talk going on lately, mostly from our opponents I’d like to through this at ya, from Gerald Sensabaugh in response to Favre saying he’d be shocked if Minnesota didn’t win:

“We’d have to beat ourselves to lose. The way we’re playing right now, I don’t think we can be beat.”

Personally I liked it better when our ‘Boys were keeping their mouths shut until the job was done, but hey we’ve heard worse things coming from cocky Dallas players in the past… ha ha.

On another note: Is anyone else sick and tired of hearing about Romo facing his childhood hero?

Head coach Wade Phillips said DeMarcus Ware’s sprained neck is “a lot better” today after injuring it in the fourth quarter against the Chargers, and he is now listed as day-to-day. That said, despite being closely monitored, it’s still unlikely that he will play on Sunday. Rookie Victor Butler will get plenty of playing time in his absence.

Starting safety Ken Hamlin (high ankle sprain) will try to work himself back to practice this week, but it’s still uncertain if he’ll be ready for Saturday’s game at the Big Easy.

Cowboys beat writer Josh Ellis tells us that the Cowboys will be without tight end Martellus Bennett again this week, as he has yet to pass the necessary tests to be cleared of concussion-like symptoms. Under the NFL’s new concussion guidelines, a player must wait one week to return after passing a brain injury test. Since he hadn’t been given the green light by Saturday, the Cowboys can already rule him out for the Saints game.

Pat Watkins suffered a sprained PCL while diving for a tackle on the Cowboys’ first kickoff of the game on Sunday. It’s a similar injury to the one running back Felix Jones had earlier this year. He will miss 2-3 weeks and could miss the rest of the season.