In part one of this series we discussed how we see things shaking down amongst the over populated line backing corps.

This next group some might say is the most critical to the Cowboys success, and I would be one of those people. As far as the defense goes this unit holds all the keys to success!

This very potent and powerful defense cannot do the things it wants without solid secondary play. The Cowboys have spent a lot of time and draft picks on shoring up the secondary, from first on the depth chart down to the last man on the chart.

So let’s take a look at what they have going to camp!

Corners:

Terrence Newman – Will be the starting Left Corner (barring Injury)

Mike Jenkins – Heading into camp as the leading candidate to start at Right Corner, but will have to battle to keep the spot.

Orlando Scandrick – The leading candidate to replace Jenkins if he stumbles, and most assuredly the best Nickel corner on the team.

Alan Ball – Alan has a leg up on the rest of the competition heading into camp based off of the solid year he had in 2008 with the boys.

Mike Mickens – By most accounts the steal of the draft, thought by many to be a top of the 2^nd round guy the Cowboys were able to wait and pick him up in the middle of the 7^th. Should be able to contribute in special teams right away.

Safeties:

Ken Hamlin – Will be the starting Free Safety again this year for the Cowboys, and thanks to an upgrade at Strong safety Hamlin should be able to get back to his 2007 Pro Bowl form.

Gerald Sensebaugh – One of the Cowboys top free agents acquisitions this year should add a much needed dimension to the Cowboys secondary.

Courtney Brown – Originally a Corner but made the switch to Safety at the start of 2007. Brown has the ability to be a ball hawking safety, this being his third year with the team and at safety means that this is a make or break year for him. Could also see some time at corner.

Pat Watkins – Is a big athletic, rangy player the Cowboys had high hopes for this young man, unfortunately that has not come to fruition just yet. Pat is a solid special teams player (has gotten lost a few times however) Special teams play will not keep him on the team this year, he must prove his worth as a safety.

Jerome Carter – Former 4^th round selection of the St.Louis Rams in 2005 and spent all of last year out of work, was signed to a futures contract by the Cowboys in January.

DeAngelo Smith – The Cowboys used the first of two 5th round picks on Mike Mickens collegiate teammate. DeAngelo was a top cornerback in college but the Cowboys have moved him over to safety, giving themselves more options at the position. In the early stages of his career could see some opportunities at corner as well.

Michael Hamlin – The second of two 5^th round selections Hamlin is a pure Free Safety, while lacking a little in the pure speed department he makes up for in instincts and awareness, hard hitting safety that has a nose for the ball and an exceptional leader.

Last year the Cowboys kept seven Cornerbacks and 4 Safeties, and I think those are probably pretty decent figures to go with this year. So with that in mind the coaching staff will have some major decisions to make.

With eleven spots available and 12 players vying for those spots the competition could get very heated in San Antonio.

My belief is that the Cowboys will end up releasing Jerome Carter, and then use DeAngelo Smith, and Courtney Brown as “Tweeners” leaving the secondary looking something like this.

Left Corner:

Terrence Newman , Orlando Scandrick

Right Corner:

Mike Jenkins , Alan Ball

Sub Packages:

Courtney Brown , DeAngelo Smith

Free Safety:

Ken Hamlin , Courtney Brown , DeAngelo Smith

Strong Safety:

Gerald Sensebaugh , Michael Hamlin , Pat Watkins

I would however like to say that I would not be a bit surprised if Pat Watkins was released as well. Pat has gotten several opportunities to claim a spot on this team and has simply not capitalized on those opportunities.

Who stays and who goes in your view?

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I’ve got just a couple of points to discuss right now, and the first is Bill Parcels. It’s been what, a few weeks since the sale of the Dolphins became final, and I’m still seeing a bunch of news articles and blogs about his option to leave being extended? Bill Parcels wasn’t worth that much media attention in New York, Dallas, and damn sure not in Miami. Let’s get over the very boring news that the Tuna got some more control … please.

Now that’s out of the way, I found a blog offering a top 30 free agents list, including predictions of where each will go, or stay as the case may be for some. What caught my eye was number 16, go check it out and you tell me, what exactly do you think they’re smoking over there at Sports2Debate.com?

I guess everyone has their own opinion, and it does fit the Cowboys MO the past few years to pick up older players, but come on, DE Bertrand Berry? If, like me, you aren’t very familiar with him anymore, click his name to see his NFL.com player profile.

He started his career with the Colts in 1997, went to the broncos a few years later, including one full year out of the league in 2000, before landing in Arizona in 2004. He has had some decent years but hasn’t managed to start a full season since 2004, whether because of injury, which he’s had some pretty big problems with in 05, 06, and 07, or because of performance.

According to Joe Berger at Sports2Debate.com, the Cowboys will pick him up this off-season. I can’t say that I know with any degree of certainty that they will or will not sign him, but I’m guessing that the Cowboys are going to play it a little safer this year.

Berry, besides his age, has been far too injury prone missing more than 20 games since 2005. Does anyone have the Cowboys making a smart move in free agency? I haven’t seen any yet is why I’m asking.

And one more note, as a bonus, I love how so many sources are saying that the Cowboys and Ray Lewis are already talking, even now after the Ravens have all but said they will pay to keep him. John Harbaugh went so far as to say that they’d likely be willing to pay him more than any other team. What’s really odd about it is that people still think Jerry Jones is stupid enough to tamper with a player. I know Jerry has made some poor decisions in recent years, but player tampering is hardly one of them.

What fun is a circus if you don’t stop to laugh every now and again?

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The frenzy has officially begun. Today marks the first day that teams are allowed to release players, and while the Cowboys made their intentions clear a month ago regarding Adam Jones, today is when he officially got the boot.

There are more players than just Pacman that the Cowboys have to consider cutting ties with, and all indications are that they could save enough money by doing so to afford the free agent moves necessary to replace the cut players.

Greg Ellis is one of the ones to consider, and while he has predicted his own demise in Dallas for the fourth consecutive off-season now, this year just may be the time to prove him right. The talent at linebacker in free agency begins and ends with basically one man, Julius Peppers.

My standing opinion is that Peppers is not needed on this team, but that’s not to say that he couldn’t be useful without Greg Ellis around. The Cowboys have a chance to bring in a strong and proven player, instead of waiting to see if Spencer really can be a starter on this team. We got a small peek at what can happen with Peppers and Ware on the outside, and Ratliff in the middle during the Pro Bowl, and it has got to be enough to warrant a look from Jerry and Wade.

Another selling point may just be the more than $5 million that would be spared under the cap by cutting Ellis. Given that this team likely needs a lot of help at linebacker, depending on what free agents Kevin Burnett and Zach Thomas do, it may even be enough to make everyone happy by bringing in Peppers and Lewis. Okay, maybe they’d want too much cash, but it’s worth a look, right?

Brad Johnson is very doubtful to be in a Cowboys uniform next year after his sub-par play in 2008. Add to it that the Cowboys get an extra $2 million by releasing him, and it’s expected that he will be officially released as early as today.

SS Roy Williams gave an interview last night to Newy Scruggs of NBC’s Out of Bounds, and in that interview he stated that he felt out of place in the 3-4 defensive scheme. It’s something many fans would agree with that he has been less than stellar since the switch was made a few years ago.

It would save the Cowboys over $4 million this year to cut Williams, but given his history in Dallas, it’s possible they’ll go another route with him. He’s offered to restructure his contract, and even to accept a move to linebacker, all so he can stay in Dallas. Many feel he is just too small to be a linebacker in a 3-4 defense, but that’s what everyone said about Dat Nguyen too. So ruling that out wouldn’t be smart.

It’s about time to see what the Cowboys are going to do to initiate the change they talked so adamantly about a month ago. Changing two coaches isn’t enough, especially when they haven’t even announced who the new DC will be. Though I suspect Todd Grantham will be the coordinator in Dallas for 2009, you still need a good line coach to take over for him.

More to come …

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