Dallas
Cowboys

Cowboys Team Report

Updated: May 25, 2012 04:20 EST

The Cowboys as a team are motivated this offseason because of the bitter feelings from last season's disappointment.

"It crushes you," tight end Jason Witten said. "You don't need a loss like that (against the Giants) to motivate you. That's for sure. Every year you're more and more motivated. You realize that time is now for a lot of key players. You need to take advantage of that. But, hey, give them credit. They made the plays they needed to make and got in the playoffs and went on a run. For us, we need to learn from that and not feel sorry for ourselves from that standpoint but allow that to be a game-changer for us to realize that every minute matters and you can't let an opportunity like that slip."

The Cowboys know they let a golden opportunity slip away when they lost five games after taking leads in the fourth quarter, including an NFL record three of 12 points or more.

The Cowboys finished out of the playoffs at 8-8, one game behind the Giants who went on to win the Super Bowl in what owner Jerry Jones calls one of the most disappointing seasons of his career because they wasted a career year by quarterback Tony Romo.

"We have experienced at least a couple of the most disappointing seasons that I've ever had because we had great play from Tony and we still didn't get it done," Jones said. "What we've got to do is, while we've still got him on the job, we've got to come with the rest of it and position us to better compete for a Super Bowl. I have a lot of confidence in Tony."

Romo will be 32 next season and the Cowboys can't afford to waste too many more opportunities, which is another part of the offseason motivation. They are realistic and understand that their window to get it done with Romo, Witten, linebacker DeMarcus Ware and nose tackle Jay Ratliff is closing.

"Well, my window is getting shorter. Time goes by," Jones said. "I do feel real pressure because we do have players not only in (quarterback) Tony Romo, but (tight end) Jason Witten (and outside linebacker) DeMarcus Ware, to leave out several that are (also) in the prime of their career. And we need to strike and strike soon with those guys.

"(Coach) Jason Garrett feels exactly the same way about it and understands how urgent it is. Candidly, you're looking through rose-colored glasses if we all don't realize that now is the time to compete on the field."

Witten feels exactly the same way.

"You try not to think about the window," Witten said. "But obviously, we're realists. We understand where it's at. I feel great and we're playing great. But it's about now. I think that's how this whole organization thinks, from owner to head coach to veteran players to rookie players. That's the way this league works."

Everybody feels that way and understands as much except for Romo who says he has a sense of urgency every year.

"It's not closing," Romo said. "I think there's a sense of urgency every year that you play, whether it's your first year in the league or your 22nd. You never know when all that stuff is going to happen, so you just play every year as if it's an urgent day. Forget about thinking about the end of the year or two months away. You've got to get better today. Whether you're a rookie or an 11-year veteran around here, you've got to do that same approach.

"It's the same. If it increases, then you didn't do what you needed to do when you were younger."

--Wide receiver Dez Bryant said a thigh injury he suffered in the season opener last year against the Jets hampered him all season and limited his production.

Bryant recorded 63 receptions for 928 yards and nine touchdowns in his second season, but he didn't have the breakout season he hoped.

"I don't think I was ever where I wanted to be," Bryant said. "It was very frustrating. But you've just got to get through things, get to the end the best way you can and try your best to get back on the field. Some of the game tape that I watched from last year, I really wasn't too proud of myself (because I was hindered by the injury). I know it's because of the injuries, but I feel like this year, I'm spending more time focusing on my body and making sure everything is right."

--Running back DeMarco Murray said is back on the field and ready to go for OTAS. He is 100 percent healed from the fractured ankle that ended his rookie season in Week 13 against the Giants.

"I have been doing everything in the past month and a half 100 percent," he said Wednesday (May 23). "No limitations. I'm feeling good out there."

Murray was on pace for a 1,000-yard year as a rookie before the injury. He said he prefers to look forward and not look back about what might have been.

Murray said, "You always have would-have, could-have and should-haves and all that stuff, but I am just one guy. Felix (Jones) is a great running back and he did good the last couple games I was out. You definitely want all of your pieces in when you're playing top teams. And unfortunately I wasn't there. But they did good."

--The Cowboys' rookie draft class has been decimated by injuries and medical conditions with cornerback Morris Claiborne (wrist surgery), linebacker Kyle Wilber (broken finger) and receiver Danny Coale (foot fracture). All are out until training camp. Defensive end Tyrone Crawford is sidelined in OTAs with a calf injury. This list doesn't include safety Matt Johnson, who can't participate until his school (Eastern Washington) gets out. That's five of the seven rookie draft picks not participating.

Only tight end James Hanna, a sixth-round pick, and inside linebacker Caleb McSurdy, a seventh-round pick, are on the field right now.

"You just try to do your best within the circumstance that they're in," coach Jason Garrett said. "We've talked about some of the guys being injured, and you try to get them as much information as you can get them and allow them to process that as well as they can, so when they are back and ready to go they can jump in at full speed. You can't allow them to get behind. If you're a backup player in this league, you have to do more. If you're a player who's hurt, you have to do more, because you're not getting the physical reps. So we make that point very clear to our players, and it's on them to prepare as best they can to be ready when they come back, and it's on our coaching staff to help them get ready."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Mike Jenkins, we believe, is a big part of our football team right now. He's making a business decision not to be here. But we're not going to trade him. We like Mike Jenkins. We feel like he can be a part of our team. We've got to get him healthy. We've got to get him back on the field." -- Coach Jason Garrett on disgruntled cornerback Mike Jenkins, who wants to be traded.

Cornerback Mike Jenkins is boycotting OTAs and the offseason program because he wants to be traded. A former 2008 first-round pick and former starter, Jenkins is expected to be the third cornerback after the team signed free agent Brandon Carr and drafted LSU standout Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick. Jenkins is rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery and has one year left on his contract.

"We want Mike Jenkins around our football team, just like we want everybody around our football team," coach Jason Garrett said. "We had 60 guys on our roster for most of the offseason, and we had 59 at the facility working out involved in our offseason program. We have 90 guys on our team now, and we pretty much had 89 guys around here doing everything we wanted them to do."

MEDICAL WATCH

--WR Danny Coale suffered a fractured foot on the first day of OTA practices. He underwent surgery on Thursday (May 17) and will be out until the start of training camp. The Cowboys are hopeful he will be ready to go when camp begins. "All indications are it is the kind of injury that should have a pretty clean recovery, and it seems like it's a simple surgery, and as I say that, everyone understands that there's no such thing as a simple surgery," coach Jason Garrett said. "But we're relatively optimistic about the doctors being able to go in and fix that thing and him being back fairly quickly and hopefully ready to go on Day 1 of training camp."

FRANCHISE PLAYER: LB Anthony Spencer (tendered at $8.856 million; signed April 23).

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

--CB Alan Ball will likely not be brought back and certainly won't be a priority. The Cowboys focused on cornerbacks in the draft and free agency.

--LB Keith Brooking wants to return for another season. Will only be brought back to mentor to the young linebackers and for leadership.

--OG Derrick Dockery was solid when he played last season. But he would only be brought back for depth purposes if at all.

--SS Abram Elam wants to return and the Cowboys are considering bringing him back. Yet they are trying to upgrade the position and Elam is more of a stop-gap answer than a long-term solution.

--OG Montrae Holland was solid when he played last year but the Cowboys are looking for upgrades.

--P Mat McBriar is coming off knee surgery and will not be ready until possibly minicamp. The Cowboys already have a potential replacement in Chris Jones. They will take a wait and see approach in regards to bringing McBriar back to compete in camp. He is not a top priority.

--RB Sammy Morris was only a stop-gap addition at the end of last season. Will not be pursued for a return.

--CB Frank Walker was a solid role player for the Cowboys last year. But they are looking for upgrades in the secondary. He will not be brought back.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers)

--QB Chris Greisen (not tendered as RFA) was a late season injury addition for practice purposes.

--WR Jesse Holley (not tendered as ERFA) has been solid on special teams and made plays in the regular offense when called upon.

--RB Chauncey Washington (not tendered as ERFA) was signed for depth purposes last year but came in overweight. Won't be brought to camp next season.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

--DE Clifton Geathers: ERFA; terms unknown.

--WR Kevin Ogletree: not tendered as RFA; 1 yr terms unknown.

--OT Jermey Parnell: ERFA; 3 yrs, terms unknown.

--LB Anthony Spencer: Franchise FA: $8.856M/1 yr.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

--C/G Mackenzy Bernadeau: UFA Panthers; $11M/4 yrs, $3.25M SB.

--QB Rudy Carpenter (waivers Buccaneers).

--CB Brandon Carr: UFA Chiefs; $50.1M/5 yrs, $10M SB/$25.5M guaranteed.

--LB Dan Connor: UFA Panthers; $6.5M/2 yrs.

--LB Isaiah Greenhouse: FA; terms unknown.

--OG Nate Livings: UFA Bengals; $19M/5 yrs, $6.2M guaranteed.

--QB Kyle Orton: UFA Chiefs; $10.5M/3 yrs, $5M SB (five-year deal that will void to three).

--S Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (waivers Jaguars).

--FS Brodney Pool: UFA Jets; $1.2M/1 yr, $100,000 SB.

--FB Lawrence Vickers: FA Texans; $2.4M/2 yrs, $230,000 SB.

PLAYERS LOST

--TE Martellus Bennett: UFA Giants; $1.8M/1 yr, $675,000SB/$100,000 RB.

--PK David Buehler (released/failed physical).

--FB Tony Fiammetta: Not tendered as RFA/Patriots; $615,000/1 yr.

--LB Bradie James: UFA Texans; $890,000/1 yr, $65,000 SB.

--QB Jon Kitna (UFA; retired).

--OG Kyle Kosier (released).

--CB Terence Newman (released/post-June 1 designation).

--WR Laurent Robinson: UFA Jaguars; $32.5M/5 yrs, $8M SB/$13.6M guaranteed.