NFL Draft 2009 Round 3 #75 – Dallas Cowboys- OT Robert Brewster

Now that they’ve finally started drafting, the picks are coming hot and heavy.  With the 11th pick in the third round, the Cowboys took Robert Brewster, who played offensive tackle at Ball State but is expected to move to guard in the NFL.

Goose Gosselin ranked him 81st, so another pick where the Cowboys didn’t take the best available player.

Here’s what NFL.com has to say:

Pick Analysis: The Cowboys pick up a hulking interior prospect with the selection of Brewster. Though he spent his college career as an offensive tackle, Brewster will likely move inside to guard for the Cowboys.

Overview

Ball State’s national ranking in 2008 was the first in school history. With Brewster providing stellar blocking in the trenches, the Cardinals scored 33 of 48 times in the red zone, including 27 touchdowns and six field goals.

Brewster had 13 touchdown-resulting blocks through 14 games. That performance by Brewster earned him consideration for the Lombardi and Outland trophy, given to the best interior lineman in college football.

At Wyoming High School, Brewster lettered three times in football and also competed for the basketball team. He was named the Cincinnati Hills League Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, leading the team to a 7-3 record. He also garnered All-State, All-City and “Tremendous 26″ Division III Player of the Year accolades. The team would compile a 34-11 record during his prep playing days.

As a true freshman, Brewster immediately earned a starting job. He lined up at right offensive tackle for the first four games, shifting to right guard for the final seven contests. He provided solid pass protection as quarterback Joey Lynch set a school season-record with 18 touchdown tosses. The lineman would go on to post 65 knockdown blocks, helping the Cardinals average 299.0 yards per game.

Ball State allowed 43 quarterback sacks in 2005 and Brewster graded 82.7% for blocking consistency, delivering nine touchdown-resulting blocks. His play up front saw the Cardinals reduce their sacks allowed total to 28, as the offense gained 4,215 yards, an average of 351.2 yards per game.

Brewster continued his dominance in 2007. He was a first-team All-Mid-American Conference pick, collected 105 knockdowns and 13 touchdown-resulting blocks in 13 games. The team averaged 433.8 yards per game, including 284.9 yards via their aerial attack, finishing the year with an 82.54% grade.

Brewster earned All-American midseason honors from Sports Illustrated and was a unanimous All-MAC first-team choice in 2008. He allowed just 2.5 quarterback sacks on 405 pass plays and led the conference down linemen with 100 knockdowns, while ranking second in the league with 14 touchdown-resulting blocks.
High School

Attended Wyoming (Cincinnati, Oh.) High School, playing football for head coach Bernie Barre…Lettered three times in football and also competed for the basketball team…Was named the Cincinnati Hills League Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, leading the team to a 7-3 record…Also garnered All-State, All-City and “Tremendous 26″ Division III Player of the Year accolades…The team would compile a 34-11 record during his prep playing days.

Analysis

Positives: Good initial quickness off the snap, lateral agility and flexibility for the cut block. Can get out and run to make blocks at the second level. Good initial pop. Can turn the defender and seal. Flashes some nastiness and looks to finish his opponent when he feels vulnerability. Bends naturally at the knees and eases out of his stance fluidly with the balance to mirror defenders.

Negatives: Operates out of the spread and is rarely asked to block out of a three-point stance. Inconsistent hand punch. Only marginal hand quickness. Will allow his hands to get outside the chest-plate when run blocking. Lacks the strength to consistently sustain.

Scouts, Inc. gives him very mixed reviews and a grade of 52.

Overall Football Traits
Production	1	Brewster started all 11 games during his true freshman season in 2005. He lined up at right tackle during the first four games and then moved to right guard for the final seven games. 2006-’08: Brewster makes 39 consecutive starts at right tackle and earns first team All-Mac selections in 2007 and 2008.
Height-Weight-Speed	2	Adequate height, adequate top-end speed and above-average bulk.
Durability	1	Started all 50 games of four-year collegiate career.
Character	2	Known as a self-starter. Majors in criminal justice.

Offensive Tackle specific Traits
Strength/Toughness	4	Showed adequate upper body strength at the Combine but it doesn’t show up on film enough. Doesn’t jar defenders with a violent initial punch and though blocks from the snap until the whistle needs to be more aggressive at times.
Agility	2	Quick, moves well and does a nice job of adjusting to moving targets in space. Makes a smooth transition to the second level and shows good lateral quickness.
Awareness	2	Shows good pre-snap awareness, quickly recognizes blitzes and gets into sound position to pick up assignment. Does a nice job of staying at home when sees line stunts unfolding and waits for inside rusher to loop around when defensive end shoots inside.
Pass Protection	3	Gets set quickly. Light on his feet, maintains balance and does a nice job of shuffling feet. However, he has a tendency to catch pass rushers and needs to develop a stronger initial punch. Doesn’t do a good job of sinking hips and gives too much ground to bull rushers despite size.
Run Blocking	3	Gets into sound initial position and uses hands well. Capable of reaching five-techniques and sealing the edge. However, is more of a finesse blocker than a road grader and doesn’t get enough push.

NFL Draft 2009 Round 3 #69 – Dallas Cowboys- LB Jason Williams

After trading away their first for Roy Williams and their second for more picks, this was the Cowboys’ first choice in the draft.  If Goose Gosselin’s Top 100 is any indication — and it usually is — it wasn’t a very auspicious start.   He was rated the 84th best player in the draft.

Scout.com only publishes a Top 50 and Williams didn’t make it.  Indeed, he was only the 11th ranked outside linebacker on their list.

NFL.com is more enthusiastic:

Pick Analysis: The Cowboys pick up an athletic linebacker with outstanding speed and quickness. Williams has the ability to rush off the edge and is a potential playmaker as an outside linebacker/special teams player.

Overview

One of the most underrated players in the 2009 NFL Draft, Williams was a terror in opposing backfields since shifting to weak-side linebacker from strong safety as a sophomore. In each of his last three seasons, he ranked among the nation’s leaders in forced fumbles and tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

As a sophomore, he tied for 10th in the country with three forced fumbles and ranked second in the Gateway Conference with 10.5 stops for loss. In 2007, he placed fourth in the Football Championship Subdivision with five forced fumbles, tying the school and league record. His 16.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage led the team and conference. He would capture the forced fumble title in the FCS with six in 2008, as he also finished second in the league with 17.0 stops for loss.

Williams’ 14 forced fumbles set the NCAA FSC career-record and is tied with Adam McGurk of Division II Adams State (2002-05), Kenechi Udeze of Southern California (2001-03), Terrell Suggs of Arizona State (2000-02) and Antwan Peek of Cincinnati (2000-02) for the overall collegiate record. His 42.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage rank seventh in school history, fourth in Gateway Conference annals and 21st in the NCAA FCS ranks.

At DuSable High School, Williams was recognized more for his rushing and passing exploits than that as a linebacker. He led his team to an undefeated mark in the Chicago Public League’s Intra-City Central Conference as a senior and was a two-time All-City and All-Section pick. He rushed for 2,988 yards, threw for 3,015 and tallied 71 total touchdowns (35 rushing and 36 passing) in his career.

Williams enrolled as a 200-pound athlete at Western Illinois in 2004, redshirting that season as a scout team strong safety. In 2005, he appeared in 10 games, seeing limited action early in the year while being listed third on the depth chart at strong safety. His special teams play helped earn him a starting position for the team’s final two games, as he posted 23 tackles (14 solos) with a stop for a loss and one blocked kick.

Williams continued to excel on special teams in 2006. The All-Gateway Conference honorable mention shifted to weak-side linebacker. He was the only defender to start all 11 games for WIU. He was the recipient of the team’s Green Beret Award for his significant contributions to the kicking game. He ranked second on the team with 92 tackles (41 solo), including three sacks and 10.5 stops for loss. He also caused three fumbles.

Williams was fourth nationally with a school single-season record tying five forced fumbles in 2007. The All-American and All-Gateway Conference first-team choice finished second in the voting for league Defensive Player of the Year honors. He led the Leathernecks with 107 tackles (42 solo) and eight sacks. His 16.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage led the conference, as he also recovered two fumbles.

As a senior, Williams was named a consensus All-American and unanimous All-Gateway Conference first-team selection. He finished fourth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS ranks. He started every game at weak-side linebacker, leading the nation with a school season-record six forced fumbles, the second-best total by a Gateway player. He finished second in the league with a team-high 17.0 stops for loss and had four sacks among his 67 tackles (39 solos).

High School

Attended DuSable (Chicago, Ill.) High School, where he was recognized more for his rushing and passing exploits than that as a linebacker…Led his team to an undefeated mark in the Chicago Public League’s Intra-City Central Conference as a senior and was a two-time All-City and All-Section pick…Rushed for 2,988 yards, threw for 3,015 and tallied 71 total touchdowns (35 rushing and 36 passing) in his career.

Analysis

Positives: Good speed and hustle to chase down plays down the line or from behind. Comes downhill in a hurry, but can change direction if the runner makes a move. Takes on fullback blocks in the hole so others can make plays. Often played as a stand-up rusher. Solid wrap-up tackler in space. Will try to get under the pads of guards to hold his position. Forces turnovers by attacking the ball with his hands after securing the tackle. Active in coverage, with the quickness to stay with tight ends and running backs.

Negatives: Has a strong safety build, thin in the legs and only adequate upper-body strength. May be a classic inside-outside linebacker “tweener.” Played inside quite a bit for but is better on the edge because he lacks the strength to hold up versus NFL interior lineman. Has tight hips. Could get off blocks better to make plays. Inconsistent getting through trash inside. Must learn not to overrun plays.

Compares To: JAMES HARRISON, Pittsburgh — This is high praise for an unknown player, but the more film scouts watch on Williams, the more they will notice he has the “it” factor. With patient coaching and in the right system, he could turn into one of the better finds in this draft. He plays with excellent field vision and awareness. Williams demonstrates the instincts to quickly track down the ball. He has the change-of-direction agility and lateral movement to string plays wide and hits ballcarriers with force, driving with his legs to push the opponent back through the rush lane.

Dallas Cowboys 2009 Draft – Day 1

The Cowboys traded their 2009 1st, 3rd, and 6th round picks to the Detroit Lions for WR Roy Williams and a 2010 7th rounder.  Thus far, it has been an awful trade but Williams was hurt and didn’t have the benefit of an offseason working with Tony Romo and the Cowboys’ system.  Those excuses will be gone this season.

The trade meant that the Cowboys’ first chance to pick came at the #51 spot but they traded that pick to the Buffalo Bills for their 3rd and 4th round picks.  Indeed, those of us watching on television thought the Cowboys had “passed” on the pick entirely!   Apparently, they had their sights set on Oregon center Max Unger but the Seattle Seahawks traded up and grabbed him two spots earlier.  Thinking there were no players left worth spending a 2nd rounder on, they pulled the trigger on the trade.

So, Day 1 of the draft was a complete bust for Cowboys fans.  With a whopping twelve picks on day 2, though, Jean Jacques Taylor says there are no excuses for not dominating today.

There will be no acceptable excuses today for the Cowboys failing to obtain every single player they covet because they will control the draft. That’s what having two picks in the third round and three picks in the fourth and fifth rounds does for them.

They can target specific players and, with the bevy of picks they’ve accumulated, easily move up and down the board to scoop them up.

The Cowboys entered this draft needing to shore up their secondary since Roy Williams and Adam Jones have been released, backup Keith Davis is a free agent and so many teams use formations with three and four receivers.  The Cowboys also need to improve their depth at receiver since Miles Austin and Sam Hurd have combined to catch 42 NFL passes. While the Cowboys love Austin and they like Hurd, neither has proved anything yet.

The Cowboys entered the second round with several potential candidates, but five of the 21 players they brought in for predraft visits were selected with the first 17 picks of the round.

But he also makes a good point:

Jerry [Jones] didn’t seem to think there were many players in the draft who could help this team right away aside from contributing on special teams or third downs.

Well, this team didn’t make the playoffs. It has holes. It’s not flawless.

It’s just hard to believe none of the draft’s top 64 players can have an impact on this team. It almost sounds like the philosophy the Cowboys espoused during the 1995 draft. The Cowboys drafted backup players that year because they were so talented, they didn’t believe anyone could break the starting lineup and didn’t want to pay players to sit on the bench.

It’s too early to evaluate this draft, obviously.  But every single other team in the division — the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Washington Redskins — got significantly better yesterday.  The Cowboys didn’t.   They’ve got some serious catching up to do today.

Redskins Fan Steals Cowboys Flag, Gets Whomped Upside Head

According to a song popular in my youth, it is inadvisable to tug on Superman’s cape, spit into the wind, pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger, and mess around with Jim. We might need to expand that list:

A man who grabbed a Dallas Cowboys flag from a car in downtown Washington [D.C.] was punched in the face yesterday, startling passersby in an area that is home to lawyers, lobbyists and expensive shops and restaurants.

[...]

One witness said she saw a “big tall man walk up to this guy and hit him across the head.” Then, she said, the tall man “got back in his car and drove off.” She said that the motorist “just hit the man and walked off” and that he picked up an object from the ground, which might have been the flag.

The man who was hit fell and struck his head on the sidewalk, she said. Ringed by the concerned and the curious, the man lay facedown on the pavement.” He was out cold for a good five minutes or so,” the witness said. Police said a man was taken from the scene for treatment of a bruised forehead.

Thus endeth the lesson.

via Tim MacMahon. Crossposted from OTB.

Shuffle off to Buffalo- WR Terrell Owens has a new home

Does Bills management honestly think TO will make them a playoff team? From AP-

Terrell Owens needed only two days to find another place to play. The Buffalo Bills decided to take a chance on the talented but high-maintenance receiver, signing Owens to a $6.5 million, one-year deal Saturday.

The 35-year-old Owens caught 69 passes for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns last season with Dallas. But the Cowboys were looking to improve the atmosphere in the locker room and decided they would be better off without him.

“I’m leaving America’s team (for) North America’s team,” Owens said at a news conference.

The Bills will be Owens’ fourth stop. He started with San Francisco, bounced to Philadelphia — where he helped the Eagles get to a Super Bowl — and then to Dallas.

As I am a Miami Dolphin follower, I will get to see a lot more of Owens now. He will certainly bring Buffalo lots of attention, some of it unwanted, but the Bills need a lot more than one All-Pro Wide receiver added to the roster before they can be seriously considered a Super Bowl contender.

Dallas Cowboys release WR Terrell Owens

The drama level for America’s team has to be considered cut by at least a third. From AP-

Jerry Jones made it clear, both in action and words: Getting rid of Terrell Owens means a fresh start for the Dallas Cowboys.

T.O. was released Thursday, ending a three-year run that produced as many big headlines as big plays. Many of those headlines were about ego and attitude, and Jones has decided enough is enough. He wants the focus on winning, something the Cowboys haven’t done in the playoffs since 1996.

“In the aftermath of the season, we talked about change,” Jones said in a statement. “Some of what is changing involves the process and some of it involves people. This is a decision that was made based upon consideration for an entire team.

“We will move on now with a new team — a new attitude — and into a new stadium. The evaluation process and the prospect for change will continue at every level of the organization.”

Owens released a statement on his Web site thanking Jones, coach Wade Phillips and the organization “for the opportunity to be a member of the team for the past three years.”

“A big thanks to the fans — you’ve been awesome! I look forward to the upcoming season and continuing to play in the NFL,” Owens added.

Owens caught more touchdown passes than any NFL receiver over the last three years and was a big part of Tony Romo’s emergence from an unknown backup to a starlet-dating Pro Bowl quarterback with a $67 million contract.

Yet the Cowboys went 0-for-2 in the playoffs with Owens, and didn’t even make it this past season. Dallas’ late-season collapse — capped by a lackluster effort in a win-and-you’re-in finale in Philadelphia — emphasized that a new approach was needed.

Jones was slow to go along. Just a few weeks ago, he indicated Owens wasn’t going anywhere and firmly said the idea of locker-room problems were “a figment of the result. You didn’t hear about those things when we were winning.”

Dallas also released safety Roy Williams on Thursday. Despite his reputation as a hard-hitter, teams never hesitated throwing his way in recent years because he struggled in coverage. After Owens, Williams likely was the second divisive figure among Cowboys fans — especially after Dallas already got rid of Adam “Pacman” Jones and Tank Johnson.

“Roy has been a wonderful representative of this organization since coming to Dallas,” Jones said. “Unfortunately we have reached a crossroad with his time here in Dallas and the difficult decision was made to allow him to explore other opportunities in the NFL.”

Cutting Owens and Williams will cost the Cowboys about $14 million against the salary cap. There’s no telling how much more Dallas will lose in jersey sales and other publicity Owens generated. Then again, the $1.1 billion stadium that’s opening next season should generate plenty of interest and souvenir sales.

Owens learned he was being cut Wednesday night and sent text messages to his friends. Cowboys receiver Sam Hurd said Owens’ reaction was “more shock than anger.”

“He didn’t give me an explanation. He just said, `Wow,’” Hurd said Thursday. “I really didn’t believe that he seen that coming. … He said it’s tough, but it’s a business.”

What’s next for T.O.?

It remains to be seen what kind of market there is for a 35-year-old with a proven track record — good and bad.

Owens is among the NFL’s career leaders in catches, yards and touchdowns. Over the last three years, his 38 touchdowns are one more than Randy Moss and he’s among the league’s best in catches, yards, yard per catch and yards per game.

*****

The Cowboys signed Owens in March 2006, despite the bitterness some fans had for him having celebrated on the team’s star logo while playing for the 49ers. At his introductory news conference, Owens declared, “Getcha popcorn ready” and he certainly kept things interesting.

His first season included an accidental overdose that police initially called a possible suicide attempt and an obviously strained relationship with coach Bill Parcells. Yet it also included the most TD catches in the NFL and the birth of Romo’s stardom.

With a new coach and coordinator in 2007, Owens set a club record with 15 TD catches and Dallas tied the best record in franchise history at 13-3, only to lose its first playoff game. He tearfully supported Romo afterward, then a few months later received a $34 million contract extension at a news conference that featured a humongous bowl of popcorn.

The Romo-Owens relationship appeared to fray late this past season, with Owens upset about everything from game plans to pass distribution. He had 213 yards in one game, but cracked 100 yards in only one other game, the otherwise forgettable finale.

Dallas already has a replacement as the top receiver in Roy Williams, who led the NFC in yards receiving in 2006. The Cowboys gave up a first-, third- and sixth-round pick in the upcoming draft to get him from Detroit midway through last season.

In addition to Williams and Hurd, the Cowboys also have receivers Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin, plus Jason Witten, among the best receiving tight ends in the NFL.

Will the Cowboys be better off without Owens? Talent wise, absolutely not. He’s a problem child to say the least, but the Cowboys have more than a few of those. Starting with the owner. Wade Phillips is not a championship quality coach. Dallas won’t be going to the Super Bowl unless Jones stops meddling and hires someone who knows how to coach.

Cowboys Cut Pacman

The Pacman Jones experiment is over in Dallas.

After just one season with the team, the Cowboys are cutting ties with Adam “Pacman” Jones, releasing the cornerback late Wednesday afternoon.

Jones, who joined the Cowboys last spring through a trade with the Titans, seemed to make as many off-the-field headlines as he did with his play.  Even with three years remaining on Jones’ contract, the Cowboys apparently felt the need to move on from the often-troubled cornerback, who served a six-game NFL suspension this season for his involvement in a scuffle with his own personal bodyguard at a Dallas hotel back in early October.

Although the Cowboys inherited Jones’ original contract with the Titans, which expires after the 2011 season, they will not take a salary cap hit, considering his bonus hit Tennessee’s books last season when he was dealt to the Cowboys for a fourth-round pick in 2008. The trade also included the Cowboys giving Tennessee a sixth-round pick in 2009. However, because of Jones’ suspension, it not only nullified that pick, which goes back to Dallas, but the Titans then had to give the Cowboys an additional fifth-round pick next season.

This guy’s a tremendous athlete and some other team will almost surely sign him. But the Cowboys have too many knuckleheads and not enough discipline. Pacman had to go.

DMN’s Jean-Jacques Taylor agrees.

[T]he Cowboys are a better team without him. Sometimes, subtraction – not addition – is the key to improvement.

But let’s not act like Jones was this team’s biggest problem, because he wasn’t. We should consider getting rid of Jones the start of an off-season of change.

So is letting a guy like Tank Johnson, as overrated as they come, seek his fortune in free agency. Few things are worse than an average player who thinks he’s an All-Pro.

If we’re honest, ridding the team of [former special teams coach Bruce] Read and Jones required no sacrifice. Or sleepless nights. Or any angst. They were easy decisions.

For the Cowboys to become an elite team again, they will have to make much tougher decisions.

Like whether to release Terrell Owens, because there’s not a player or coach on this team with a strong enough personality to bring out the best in him while limiting his charismatic influence in the locker room. And whether it’s better to release Greg Ellis if he can’t handle Anthony Spencer’s increased role without griping.

And whether Jerry should fire Phillips now and hire Mike Shanahan instead of wasting a year hoping against hope that the 61-year-old coach with a reputation for being a softie can become a drill sergeant.

Agreed all around. T.O. is the wildcard, in that he’s not only a productive player but would represent a major cap hit if he were cut. Certainly, though, it’s something that needs to be strongly considered.

Cowboys Embarrass Franchise in Texas Stadium Finale

The Dallas Cowboys played one of the most embarrassing games in franchise history tonight, in a game that was supposed to honor the legacy of a franchise that has won five Super Bowls and been to two more since Texas Stadium opened its doors in 1971.   Never has a team with so much talent achieved so little. Thankfully, the game was on the NFL Network, which most fans don’t get.

To be sure, the Baltimore Ravens are a good team.  And the blowout loss against the hapless St. Louis Rams earlier this season was more pathetic on paper.  But the season wasn’t on the line and we had the excuse of Tony Romo being out with an injury.  There was no excusing the complete collapse of the offense, defense, and special teams tonight at home in a must-win game.

Romo was awful, giving up two picks, taking unnecessary sacks, and overthrowing receivers all night long.  The play calling was worse.  Even though Rashard Choice was running surprisingly well and Romo was off — yet again — Jason Garrett continued to call for long bombs and passes into traffic that his QB clearly didn’t have in his bag tonight.  So much for the Head Coach in Waiting.   It appears that the real genius behind last year’s offense was Tony Sparano, who’s helped engineer an amazing turnaround of the Miami Dolphins.

The vaunted Wade Phillips Defense was a joke.  Sure, they held the Ravens to field goals most of the night and got a bunch of sacks on rookie Joe Flacco. But they gave the game away with not one but two long touchdown runs in the closing minutes.  They should be ashamed.

The special teams have been a joke all season, with the exception of Nick Folk’s field goals.  (And Folk has been less than mediocre on kickoffs.)  The coverage is embarrassingly bad and the return teams are awful.  Why Bruce Read still has a job, I’ll never know.

Phillips should never have been hired. He’s a solid defensive coordinator but the Staypuff Marshmallow Man simply doesn’t have what it takes to be a head coach.  And everybody but Jerry Jones has known that for years.  He’d won precisely zero playoff games in four previous  stops as a head coach.  The fifth time wasn’t the charm.

One hopes he’s embarrassed the star for the last time.

Romo Out 4 Weeks with Broken Pinkie

The underperforming Dallas Cowboys’ prospects of quickly fixing their problems just took a dramatic downward turn with news that two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo has a broken finger in his throwing hand and will miss up to four weeks.

Romo, who had started 30 straight games since replacing Drew Bledsoe in 2006, broke his right pinkie on the first play of overtime in a 30-24 loss at Arizona on Sunday, according to a posting on the team’s official Web site. The injury will not require surgery, a member of the Cowboys’ medical staff told ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley.

Veteran quarterback Brad Johnson, the Cowboys’ holder on kicks, is Romo’s backup. The 40-year-old Johnson, who won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay, hasn’t started a game since 2006 in Minnesota.

Romo missed on three straight passes to start the overtime. He passed for 321 yards and three touchdowns despite heavy pressure. He was sacked three times and hit several other times.

Frankly, given Romo’s dismal performance the last two weeks — and, especially, yesterday — it was hard to tell the difference. But there’s simply no question that Romo’s leaps and bounds the best QB on the Cowboys’ roster.

Through Sunday’s games, Romo ranks second in NFC passing with a 103.5 rating. He has thrown for 14 touchdowns and been intercepted five times.

The Cowboys.com report is aptly titled “Bad Gets Worse.”

For now, the Cowboys will go as is at the quarterback position, turning the 4-2 Cowboys over to veteran backup Brad Johnson, with third quarterback Brooks Bollinger serving as the No. 2 guy in Romo’s absence. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips will update the situation at his 1:30 (CDT) Monday press conference carried live on DallasCowboys.com.

The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, and certainly the Cowboys will canvass the league for any available candidates, but sensed desperation certainly would drive up the price if the Cowboys are even thinking about bringing in another quarterback for the time being.

And with Johnson and Bollinger having to spend their time preparing to run the Cowboys’ offense, the Cowboys might be forced to sign a practice squad quarterback to run the scout team. Richard Bartel, last year’s practice squad quarterback, has worked out for several teams since being released when the club signed Bollinger to the 53-man roster but hasn’t been signed and would be available for emergency practice squad duty.

The silver lining is that the team has three games, and only one divisional game, during the four weeks, followed with a bye.

Sun, Oct 19 @ St. Louis (FOX) NOON
Sun, Oct 26 TAMPA BAY (FOX) NOON
Sun, Nov 2 @ New York Giants (FOX) 3:15 PM
Sun, Nov 9 BYE

The Rams just beat the Redskins, so it’s not a gimme, but even a Johnson-led Cowboys team ought to be able to win it. Tampa will be the favorite but, again, it’s a winnable game. Presuming the Giants stay healthy, though, they’ll be heavy favorites at home on November 2 and have a chance to all but wrap up the division title very early.