Dallas Cowboys Update: The New Coaching Staff Takes Shape

The sports wagering sites have been monitoring the Dallas Cowboys front office ever since Jason Garrett was hired as the new Cowboys head coach. The NFL football betting crowd is wondering who Garrett will choose for his defensive coordinator and what other changes will be made to the Cowboys coaching staff. After a couple of weeks, the sportsbook promo crowd got their answers, and it is a very interesting story brewing in Valley Ranch.

The Dallas Cowboys have announced that Rob Ryan, brother of New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan and son to legendary defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, has taken the defensive coordinator’s job in Dallas. The betting services consider this a curious move by Ryan because, for all intents and purposes, it is a lateral move.

Rob Ryan taking the job in Dallas has two immediate effects. It puts a bit of a dent in the notion that Mike Holmgren is going to attract top flight coaching talent just by being in Cleveland. It is possible that Holmgren allowed Ryan to leave the Browns because Holmgren does not feel that Ryan is the right guy for the job in Cleveland. But neither side is saying much about the move. The other effect of this Rob Ryan move is to elevate the feeling that a coaching job in Dallas is the job that every NFL coach wants. It adds a bit of muster to that Cowboys mystique that owner Jerry Jones is so fond of.

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Dallas Cowboys Update: Crayton Finally Moved

Dallas Cowboys Update: Crayton Finally Moved

In a move that the betting world was expecting for some time, the Dallas Cowboys moved wide receiver Patrick Crayton. It was originally thought that the Cowboys       would simply cut Crayton prior to the start of the regular season, but in a move of respect the Cowboys traded Crayton to the San Diego Chargers.

The NFL betting experts are calling San Diego a Super Bowl contender this year, and with the status of superstar receiver Vincent Jackson up in the air, acquiring Crayton makes sense for the Chargers. If Jackson does come back this season for the Chargers, then San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers will have two good targets to throw to.

The move helps solidify the places of rookie receivers Dez Bryant and Kevin Ogletree on the Cowboys’ roster. Bryant was a huge factor in the NCAA football betting that went on last season, and now that he is cleared to play in the opening game against the Washington Redskins, Bryant looks to make an impact at the pro level as well. Ogletree is a developing rookie that is making a name for himself on special teams.

The Cowboys look to be beaten up on the offensive line as they enter the opening week of the season. Most notable is the injury to starting right tackle Marc Colombo who has been sidelined for weeks with a bad knee. Also on the shelf is guard Kyle Kosier who has been fighting a knee injury all training camp.

Neither offensive lineman practiced early this week, and Colombo’s status for the opening game has been in doubt for at least two weeks. Without two of their starting five offensive linemen in place for the season opener, and the guard spot left open by the release of Flozell Adams still a sore spot for the Cowboys, that could leave a huge door open for the Washington Redskins on opening day.

The football betting world is familiar with final cut-down day in the NFL preseason. It is the single most brutal day in training camp as teams have to cut down from 75 players to 53 in one day. One of the players the Cowboys let go was nose tackle Junior Saivii. Some observers of the team thought Saivii was a lock to make the team because he is the only other true nose tackle on the team besides starter Jay Ratliff. As Ratliff’s back-up last season, Saivii would come in on third down and special teams plays to help give Ratliff a rest. But with Saivii gone, the Cowboys now need to get creative.

Defensive lineman Marcus Spears could be called in to play nose tackle from time to time as well as rookie Josh Brent. Spears has very little experience at nose tackle and almost none at the pro level. If Ratliff gets injured this season, it is doubtful that the Cowboys would turn the nose tackle position over to Brent, or permanently move Spears to the middle. In that scenario, Saivii could find himself back on the Cowboys roster playing nose tackle.

Dallas Cowboys Update: Austin Move has Crayton Closer to the Door

The World Cup betting has really started to heat up, and so has the competition for wide receiver roster positions with the Dallas Cowboys. Over the past few weeks the sports betting world has been trying to figure out what head coach Wade Phillips will do with his over-stocked corps of receivers. At practice last week, he may have finally tipped his hand.

For those betting on NFL final rosters, the question with the Cowboys has been revolving around the future of receiver Patrick Crayton. Last season, Crayton played the slot position in a three receiver set and wound up catching 37 passes. In practice last week, Wade Phillips started to give a little indication as to his final three receiver look and Crayton was not involved. The formation had rookie Dez Bryant and veteran Roy Williams on the outside, and Miles Austin in the slot.

Sam Hurd is the other wide receiver that seems to be left out of the picture, but Hurd has not made a spectacle of himself during OTAs and mini-camp by demanding a trade and sitting out to protest a lack of playing time. With Austin playing the slot, it looks like Crayton’s days in Dallas are truly numbered. It is doubtful the Cowboys will even want him back as a third or fourth receiver on the depth chart.

Wide Receiver Miles Austin has finally agreed to sign his tender offer of $3.168 million for the 2010 season under the premise that a long-term deal will be discussed before the end of the season. Head coach Wade Phillips and Cowboys’s owner Jerry Jones have both indicated the desire to get a deal done with Austin that will keep him in Dallas for a long time.

Rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant is already raising some concerns for the coming 2010 season. Bryant has performed beyond expectations during OTAs and mini-camp, but he has been nursing a bad hamstring for a week now. He expects to be back in action in time for training camp, but the Cowboys are taking their time on getting their star rookie receiver healthy.

During the Celtics Lakers betting that is going on, people choose the most focused team to win it all. In Dallas, it looks like Tony Romo still has not learned what it means to be a focused champion. Romo has been playing in the Wisconsin State Golf Association Match Play Championship this week, and shot a 71 to keep him in contention. Wisconsin is a long way from Valley Ranch, TX and the rest of his hard working teammates.

The Cowboys may have the best problem in the league at running back. There is the power of Marion Barber, the sure hands of Felix Jones and the all-around ability of Tashard Choice. It is doubtful that the Cowboys will be able to keep this trio together beyond the 2010 season as all three will want, and deserve, more playing time. But while the Cowboys have such a potent backfield, look for the team to be at the top of the rushing stats all season long.

Dallas Cowboys Update: Crayton Says it is a Misunderstanding

As the World Cup betting forges on, so does the drama surrounding Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton. With mini-camp looking to open soon, Crayton still refuses to report to Valley Ranch for conditioning and work-outs. He is betting that he will be able to find a trade before full training camp opens in July. In the meantime, Crayton has asked to be released by the Cowboys as soon as possible.

But Crayton wants it understood that he is not holding out for more money, he is holding out for more playing time. When the Cowboys drafted wide receiver Dez Bryant in the first round, it became obvious that the top two receiver spots would be taken by Bryant and Miles Austin. That left the third and fourth receiver spots on the roster open for Sam Hurd and Patrick Crayton. Crayton says he wants more playing time than just special teams and a four receiver set.

Only time will tell if Crayton finds a trade, if the Cowboys offer him more playing time or if Crayton chooses to sit out the season wait to be released or traded. Either way, Crayton’s status will not have a large effect on the NFL betting that will be surrounding the Dallas Cowboys in the 2010 season.

The NBA final betting is heating up, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has thrown his 10-gallon hat into the LeBron James sweepstakes. Jones was recently quoted as saying that he has never “felt any better about being asked to do something” when Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban asked Jones to help lure LeBron James to Dallas. It is unclear what Cuban has asked Jones to do, but it is possible we may hear more about this after the NBA season is over.

Dallas wide receiver Miles Austin still has not signed his tender offer that the team put on the table for $3.168 million for one year. If Austin does not sign by June 15, then the Cowboys can pay Austin $1.65 million for one year and he would have to play out that year before he could look at other offers. Austin is expected to sign his tender before June 15.

Former Cowboy offensive lineman Flozell Adams and cornerback Ken Hamlin are still waiting to see if they will be playing in the NFL in 2010. Neither player has signed a contract with an NFL team, and offers are reported to be few. Flozell Adams may have found a home in Denver, and to this point Ken Hamlin has yet to have any substantial contact from any NFL team.

Last week safety Gerald Sensabaugh signed a tender offer worth $1.8 million a year, and now he thinks he may want to call Dallas home for a long time to come. Sensabaugh has expressed a desire to sign a long-term deal with the Cowboys, and Jerry Jones has expressed a desire to offer Sensabaugh a long-term deal. The two sides remain in contract talks as minicamp and training camp approach. It is unclear whether there will be a deal in place before the season starts.

Dallas Cowboys: Is Patrick Crayton Hurting Himself?

OTA’s are voluntary, but still help everyone get better. But Patrick has decided to sit this one out, and find a better deal. So far, no takers. Word is, apparently Crayton is not sending a message by skipping now according to his agent Fred Lyles. The reality of the situation is this, the Cowboys, and Crayton, might find it difficult in finding a trading partner as Crayton’s two years into a $14 million, four-year contract (with a base salary of $2 million for 2010). Unless a team is willing to trade for him and plans to start him, that’s a fair bit to be paying a backup.

Still today, Crayton remains one of the most reliable wide receivers since moving into the spotlight when Terry Glenn went down in 2007 (ending the year with career highs in catches (50), yards (697) and touchdowns (7)). That December Crayton signed a five-year contract extension and entered the 2008 season as the starting wide out opposite T.O. With the arrival of Roy Williams, Crayton dropped back on the depth chart to the 3rd option ending with 39 receptions, 550 yards and 4 TDs.  In 2009, Crayton racked up 37 receptions, 626 yards, and 5 TDs.

In 2010, the Cowboys are obliviously stacked at wide receiver, but that isn’t always the worst problem to have. After all, show me a recent high profile first round wide out, just turned multi-millionaire (with a little bit of an attitude) — that turned into an impact player in year one. Certainly, Dez has talent, and Roy Williams has something to prove. But to date, Crayton remains the most reliable wide out on the Cowboys – certainly capable of helping some team this season, but his best opportunity might be here in Dallas.

Play on Crayton.

Dallas Cowboys Update: Dallas Wide Receiver Drama Continues

When you place a bet online on the Dallas Cowboys for this upcoming season, you will be betting on a team that is a pre-season 12 to 1 favorite to win Super Bowl XLV. You will also be betting on a team in transition at a position that has been unstable for a couple of years now.

Wide receiver Patrick Crayton did not report to OTAs last week at the Dallas Cowboys Valley Ranch facilities, and receiver Sam Hurd was inactive during the workouts. Crayton is unhappy with his contract and his situation in Dallas, which adds more fuel to the NFL betting fire that Crayton was going to be the odd man out in the Cowboys’ wide receiver sweepstakes.

The Cowboys have tried a barrage of receivers in the past few seasons including Terry Glenn, Terrell Owens and Roy Williams. None of them have worked out to the satisfaction of Jerry Jones, and some of that has to do with Tony Romo. Just like with Stanley Cup betting, you can only count on a player that is comfortable in their team situation. Romo has not been comfortable with his receivers to this point, and that is why the Cowboys drafted Dez Bryant.

The speculation now is that Dez Bryant and Miles Austin will be the feature receivers on the outside with Roy Williams taking the beating in the slot. That would leave Sam Hurd and Patrick Crayton as fourth and fifth wide receivers. Hurd is sitting out these workouts because of a bad thumb, and says he is not unhappy with his situation in Dallas.

While Kobe Bryant is taking all of the mystery out of the Suns Lakers betting with 40-point games, Dallas Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck is starting to take the guessing out of who will be the Cowboys offensive right tackle to replace Flozell Adams. Even though Marc Colombo is penciled in on the Cowboys’ website as the starter on the depth chart, it looks like fourth year man Doug Free could get the chance to win the job in training camp. Free had an impressive pre-season last year that saw him move up to the starting unit by the last pre-season game. He was inactive for 13 of the 16 games last season, but the Cowboys have big plans for Free and he could be the heir-apparent at right tackle.

After taking a beating in the media last season about going to Las Vegas during the playoffs and looking like he lost his focus on football, quarterback Tony Romo decided to participate in the team’s voluntary workouts rather than make his tee time to the PGA Tour’s Byron Nelson Championship. Dallas fans and teammates began to question Romo’s dedication to the team and the game when he developed a habit of partying rather than working, so Romo decided to show his new-found desire to play football by stepping on to the practice field rather than the first tee. According to Romo, it was not much of a decision at all.

What was that Emmitt Smith? 7 and 9?

The Cowboys gave more reasons why Emmitt Smith is not in the broadcast seat anymore. First let me start off by stating that Emmitt Smith is hands down the best Cowboys running back of all time. I will follow that up by saying that he really needs to keep his mouth shut. Not only has he been laughed out of every broadcasting job that he has held, but at the beginning of this season he called out his former team the Dallas Cowboys. In case you need a refresher or just a good laugh here are some of my favorite quotes from the former Dallas Cowboys running back:

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