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If you're waiting on drafting a quarterback this year for your fantasy team, would you rather wind up with Tony Romo or Matthew Stafford? ESPN fantasy analysts debate which QB is the safer pick.

Fantasy Roundtable: Dez Bryant vs. A.J. Green

June, 18, 2013
Jun 18
2:30
PM CT
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Both Dez Bryant and A.J. Green have the potential to be a top fantasy wide receiver in 2013. Which one would you rather have on your team? ESPN's fantasy analysts debate ...

Cowboys, Terrance Williams agree to deal

June, 18, 2013
Jun 18
2:12
PM CT
IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys have three more agreements to reach with their draft picks after securing third-round wide receiver Terrance Williams to a four-year deal.

Williams, the No. 74 pick overall, will receive a signing bonus of roughly $619,500.

The Cowboys got Williams with the extra pick they acquired in their draft-day trade with San Francisco, moving from No. 18 in the first round to No. 31 where they picked Travis Frederick.

A Dallas native, Williams caught 97 passes for 1,832 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior at Baylor. He finished his collegiate career with 202 catches for 3,334 yards and 27 touchdowns.

The Cowboys expect Williams to be their No. 3 receiver behind Dez Bryant and Miles Austin. After a slow start at the rookie minicamp, Williams’ play improved and had a productive minicamp, which ended last week.

The Cowboys have yet to sign Frederick, second-round tight end Gavin Escobar and third-round safety J.J. Wilcox, but expect deals to be completed quickly.
IRVING, Texas – When Tyrone Crawford played at Boise State, he wore No. 40, a number usually reserved for a safety. As a rookie last year for the Cowboys, he wore No. 70, which is more for an offensive lineman.

Entering his second season, Crawford finally has a number of a defensive lineman: No. 98.

“The number doesn’t really matter to me,” Crawford said.

The number might not matter to Crawford, but the position might. In the Cowboys’ 3-4 scheme last season, he was asked to gain weight -- getting up close to 300 pounds -- and be more of a plugger than playmaker.

He played in every game but he did not have a sack. He was credited with 33 tackles and five quarterback pressures.

“I felt like I had more in me,” Crawford said. “I could’ve made a lot more plays and helped this team out a lot more.”

With the move to the 4-3 this year, Crawford figures to be in position to help more. He is also back to 285 pounds. He is playing behind Anthony Spencer at defensive end, but because of Spencer’s knee injury, spent a lot of time working with the first-team defense.

He showed the ability to rush the passer, something he did not get a chance to do as much last year. Now he’s back to doing what he did at Boise State, where he had 13.5 sacks in two seasons.

“I loved it in college, loved paying on the outside in college,” Crawford said. “I’m happy we got into it this year and doing it.”
IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys don’t take to the field again until July 21 in Oxnard, Calif., but 5 Wonders is back before its summer vacation.

Off we go:

PODCAST
Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss this week's minicamp and Dez Bryant. Claiborne will join the show to discuss the latest Cowboys news all season.

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  • The contractual future of Anthony Spencer has been a hot topic this offseason, as has the future of Sean Lee. Personally, I don’t see a deal for Spencer before the July 15 deadline, but I can see Lee signed to a long-term deal before the season opener. What about Dan Bailey? I wonder if the Cowboys would look at tying up their kicker to a new deal. He is set to make $555,000 this year and become a restricted free agent after this season. The Cowboys have shown a willingness to get deals done on players before they become restricted free agents (Jermey Parnell and Phil Costa come to mind), so why not take care of Bailey? Considering how close games are every week, having a reliable kicker is a must. Bailey is just about as good as there is in the league.

  • Center Travis Frederick worked with the starters from his first day of practice. Terrance Williams was with the first-team when the Cowboys went to their three-wide receiver set. Gavin Escobar did not knock James Hanna off his perch as the No. 2 tight end behind Jason Witten. I wonder if Hanna will hold on to that job longer than we think. Escobar got more work in the regular offense later in the minicamp, but Hanna has made it difficult for the second-round pick. That’s a good thing, not a bad thing. Escobar raised his level of play as camp went on, making a nice sliding catch for a touchdown. Too many times the Cowboys seem to hand people jobs, but Escobar will have to earn this one.

  • I wonder if people are sleeping on Lance Dunbar a little bit. While Joseph Randle is the presumed backup to DeMarco Murray, Dunbar had a terrific offseason and has the trust of the guy who matters most in the offense. No, not Jason Garrett. Not Bill Callahan either. But Tony Romo. Dunbar can be elusive out of the backfield and give linebackers some trouble. Getting the ball to him on a screen or two a game is not out of the question. Defenses might try to take advantage of his lack of size with pass protections, but he is a willing blocker.

  • I was the first person to kind of chuckle when I heard the Cowboys go on forever about the defensive line being their strength, but I wonder if it will be. Seriously. I don’t want to get too carried away and I want to see the work in the preseason against other teams, but there looks to be quality depth with guys like Tyrone Crawford, Sean Lissemore, Kyle Wilber and Ben Bass. Heck, I even had Nick Hayden on my most recent 53-man roster projection. The key will be Jay Ratliff and if he can find the form that led him to the Pro Bowls. He didn’t practice much this offseason, but when he did, he did a nice job. Same with Jason Hatcher. Add that to a healthy DeMarcus Ware and Spencer and there might be something here.

  • I wonder about how the Cowboys will be calling the plays this year. Even when Garrett was calling the plays, getting in and out of the huddle had been an issue. Now with Callahan calling them from the coaches’ booth to quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson, who then will relay them to Romo, it just seems like they have created another layer to delay the process. Callahan likes to be up high to get a good view of the game, which I understand. During training camp and in the preseason games the Cowboys will have to pick up the pace. They had a delay of game and were forced to call a timeout in one practice because it took too long for the play to get in. The situation work Garrett has used in practice is as much for the coaches as it is the players.
  • IRVING, Texas – On the list of concerns entering the 2013 season for the Cowboys, Dan Bailey would rank at the bottom.

    In two seasons he has made 61 of 68 field goal attempts with a number of clutch kicks to either win or tie games late in the fourth quarter or overtime.

    In the offseason work open to the media, Bailey missed one kick against narrow goal posts that would have been good with the normal width between the posts.

    As Bailey gets ready for his third season, he continues to search for the perfect swing, the way a golfer would. The core of his technique remains the same, but he is looking at different ways to attack the ball.

    “You’re just trying to fine tune or tweak this or that,” Bailey said. “Just a half step here or there, a little different angle into the ball. But at the same time, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

    At one point in Bailey’s rookie training camp, the Cowboys had four kickers on the active roster - David Buehler, Dave Rayner, Shayne Graham and Bailey – and one hurt (Kai Forbath).

    Now Bailey is the only kicker on the roster.

    “What helped me mentally in that area was my first year here and it was like every man for himself, so you just had to go,” Bailey said. “It was, ‘Here’s your opportunity and this is what you need to do.’ I think that helped me a lot now where I just try to focus on myself.”

    Post minicamp look at 53-man roster

    June, 17, 2013
    Jun 17
    10:10
    AM CT
    IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys are in the “off” part of the offseason now that the mandatory minicamp is over.

    As a result, we offer up another look at the 53-man roster before the team heads to Oxnard, Calif., next month for training camp.

    PODCAST
    Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss this week's minicamp and Dez Bryant. Claiborne will join the show to discuss the latest Cowboys news all season.

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    QUARTERBACKS (2)

    Tony Romo
    Kyle Orton

    There’s no change here, but I can see the Cowboys adding a quarterback for training camp with a better resume than Nick Stephens and Dalton Williams.

    RUNNING BACKS (4)

    DeMarco Murray
    Joseph Randle
    Lance Dunbar
    Phillip Tanner

    [+] EnlargeJoseph Randle
    Tim Heitman/USA TODAY SportsRookie Joseph Randle could serve as a true backup to DeMarco Murray with Lance Dunbar as the third-down back.
    No change here either. I will be interested to see how Randle works into the mix. If the Cowboys go with a true third-down back, then I think Dunbar gets that role and Randle will work mostly as Murray’s true backup.

    TIGHT ENDS (4)

    Jason Witten
    James Hanna
    Gavin Escobar
    Dante Rosario

    No change here either, although Colin Cochart bears some watching in the battle with Rosario. He did some good things in the offseason and can play some special teams, too. I reiterate my point on the need for a more blocking-oriented tight end behind Witten.

    WIDE RECEIVERS (5)

    Dez Bryant
    Miles Austin
    Terrance Williams
    Dwayne Harris
    Cole Beasley

    I debated going with a sixth wide receiver again, but I just don’t see the need with how I expect the offense to be structured this year. That’s not good news for Anthony Armstrong, Danny Coale and whoever else gets in the mix here.

    [+] EnlargeKevin Kowalski
    AP Photo/Brandon WadeKevin Kowalski could be the odd man out on the offensive line.
    OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

    Tyron Smith
    Nate Livings
    Travis Frederick
    Mackenzy Bernadeau
    Doug Free
    Jermey Parnell
    Phil Costa
    Ronald Leary
    Darrion Weems

    Finally a change on offense. I knocked Kevin Kowalski from the list and did so with hesitation, but he brings a lot of duplication with Costa. And Bernadeau can play center in a pinch. The Cowboys usually go heavy on the offensive line, so I would expect this to go back to 10 during training camp. You’ll see later as to why I dropped down to nine guys.

    DEFENSIVE LINE (9)

    DeMarcus Ware
    Jay Ratliff
    Jason Hatcher
    Anthony Spencer
    Tyrone Crawford
    Sean Lissemore
    Kyle Wilber
    Ben Bass
    Nick Hayden

    I took Anthony Hargrove off the list and added Ben Bass, who had an excellent minicamp, and Hayden, who has done a nice job on the interior. It’s a little heavy, but Rod Marinelli will have a lot of say on the roster. Bass has the ability to be that “quick-twitch” guy on the interior, but I still think he will have to fight for a job. Hayden’s experience helps him.

    [+] EnlargeErnie Sims
    Tim Heitman/USA TODAY SportsThe Cowboys called on Ernie Sims after losing Sean Lee last season, but his spot is up in the air this year.
    LINEBACKERS (6)

    Bruce Carter
    Sean Lee
    Justin Durant
    Alex Albright
    DeVonte Holloman
    Brandon Magee

    Ernie Sims loses the final spot here, but carrying six linebackers isn’t the smartest of moves. Think of it this way: With the way teams use their nickel defense, the Cowboys will have three linebackers on the field for 45 percent of the snaps, so do they need to have a seventh linebacker who will likely be inactive on game day? I think they can cover themselves from injury by carrying two or three linebackers on the practice squad.

    CORNERBACKS (5)

    Brandon Carr
    Morris Claiborne
    Orlando Scandrick
    B.W. Webb
    Sterling Moore

    No change here and if there aren’t any surprise additions, I don’t think this will change during camp, although Brandon Underwood made some plays the final couple of days of minicamp.

    SAFETIES (6)

    Barry Church
    Will Allen
    Matt Johnson
    J.J. Wilcox
    Danny McCray
    Jakar Hamilton

    McCray is on the bubble for me only because of his price tag. Could they go with four safeties? Seems risky. By going light at linebacker, they’ll need some special teams’ bodies. Hamilton’s chances weren’t helped by a hamstring injury that forced him to miss most of the OTAs and minicamp, but he got the benefit of the doubt.

    SPECIALISTS (3)

    Dan Bailey
    Chris Jones
    L.P. Ladouceur

    No change here.
    video

    It was on July 16 of last year that Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge involving his mother. I bring this up not to call attention to a negative but rather to point out the extent to which perception of Bryant has changed in the past 11 months. In the wake of that arrest (still the only one of Bryant's life, by the way), there were people calling for the Cowboys to rid themselves of their talented young star. Didn't matter that he was the 23-year-old product of a family situation so inadequate as to defy his critics' comprehension. He was a headache, the story went, and the Cowboys would be better off without him.

    PODCAST
    Cowboys wide receivers coach Derek Dooley joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to talk about Dez Bryant's talent and potential.

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    Oh, but now... now it's all different, isn't it? Now, Bryant is a guy who put up 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns on 92 catches and played the final few games of the season with a broken finger. Now, you don't hear anything about headaches. The discussion about Bryant now is whether he can break records. And his teammates, who like the Cowboys' organization itself, were unfailingly supportive throughout last summer, are talking up big possibilities. Better than 92 for 1,382 and 12? Oh, it's possible. Bryant's talent, his quarterback, the offense in which he plays, the quality of the receiver on the other side of the field... all of these things line up to create an ideal situation in which he can be as great as he decides to be. Health is tricky, as it is for almost everyone in this league, but at 24 Bryant is still learning all aspects of the game, including how to take care of himself on the field. It's possible that improves along with his numbers as he enters his prime.

    [+] EnlargeDez Bryant
    Tim Heitman/USA TODAY SportsMy how a year changes things, as the talk surrounding Dez Bryant in June 2013 is about his on-field play instead of the June 2012 talk on his off-field activities.
    It's the off-the-field stuff that has always been the concern with Bryant, which is why the five weeks between now and the start of Cowboys training camp are his most important five weeks of the year. What you as a Cowboys fan want from Bryant for these next five weeks is complete radio silence. You don't want to hear his name in any other context than "In which round of your fantasy draft should you pick him?"

    People in the Cowboys' building will tell you Bryant's never caused them a problem on the field or in the locker room and that their concern with him has always been what happens when he's away from the team and on his own. This was the impetus, post-arrest, for the "Dez rules" that established a round-the-clock security setup for Bryant during the season last year and established parameters for where he could and could not go in his free time. These were an object of ridicule when they were discovered and reported, but in retrospect they serve as evidence that Bryant wants to set and keep the proper priorities and isn't content with a life in which his off-field issues keep him from becoming the player he wants to be on the field.

    A reputation is a mustard stain. It won't come out, no matter how much you scrub it. Bryant can behave himself flawlessly for the next five years but if he gets in trouble again in 2019 everyone will say, "See? Same old Dez." The only way for Bryant to keep his old reputation from being thrown back in his face is for him to avoid all off-field issues completely, or to control them so they don't flare up in a public way, for the rest of his career. That's not fair, and it's a tall task, and it's impossible to say with confidence whether it's something he can or will do.

    I'll say this, though: Last July, I wrote that people who were calling for Bryant to be released were off-base and that the Cowboys' responsibility was to help Bryant manage his issues. It was also Bryant's responsibility to identify those issues and find ways to keep them from affecting him negatively. It appears that, over the past 11 months, those things have happened and that Bryant is in a better place in his life. He himself has indicated as much in interviews, and obviously with his on-field performance. The next five weeks are the next big test of whether Bryant has turned a corner in his off-field life and can continue to look with optimism at a blindingly bright football future. The key is to make sure his name stays out of the news. And while no one can predict whether he can pull it off, at this point it wouldn't be fair to be surprised if he did.

    Tony Romo doesn't feel pressure

    June, 17, 2013
    Jun 17
    9:00
    AM CT
    video

    The Cowboys have failed to make the postseason the past three seasons.

    PODCAST
    Ed Werder joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett for his weekly visit and you won't believe who he says is the Cowboys' best player.

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    The quarterback, Tony Romo, has endured criticism from the fans and some media members regarding his new six-year contract extension worth $108 million.

    Pressure to produce because of the new contract this season?

    Romo said he doesn't feel it.

    "Pressure and fear are all just in your own brain," he said. "To me, it's nothing more than you going out and your competing you're butt off every day and trying to win everyday. So I don't allow what outside influences affect my psyche or what my mental makeup is. It's about this room, this team and how I'm going to get myself and my teammates ready to play. Outside influences don’t directly affect how your emotional state is."

    When you think about the 2012 season for Romo, you smile about the final eight games of the season during which he went 5-3 with 18 touchdown passes and six interceptions. But there's the loss in the regular season finale at Washington that stings. You also look at consecutive losses to the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons in which he threw just two touchdown passes and four interceptions. There was the four-interception game against the Giants in which Romo threw for 437 yards on 62 pass attempts.

    Of course, when the season ended, Romo ranked in the top ten in quarterback rating (10th), yards (third), touchdowns (sixth), completion percentage (fifth) and attempts (third). But the other Romo had him finished tied for the league lead in interceptions at 19, and he's now 1-6 in win-or-go-home games.

    Pressure is mounting on Romo to push his team on a deep playoff run, yet with his new contract, which guarantees him $55 million, it gives him the comfort he'll be around awhile.

    "I guess, to me that’s an easy way to say it's not real, pressure is," Romo said. "If you're telling yourself or saying you should be scared or that you're saying this is a lot of pressure, then you're losing already. That’s not the right frame of mind or thought."

    Cowboys moving toward more diversity

    June, 16, 2013
    Jun 16
    2:00
    PM CT
    The offseason was a bad one for NFL owners in terms of diversity with their head coaches.

    Of the eight vacancies, none were filled with minority candidates.

    Of the seven general manager positions that were empty, only one -- Doug Whaley to the Buffalo Bills -- went to a minority.

    Which brings us to the Dallas Cowboys.

    Late last week, the Cowboys promoted Will McClay to assistant director of player personnel to work alongside Tom Ciskowski, who changed his title to director of scouting.

    McClay is a key person in the Cowboys front office, along with Ciskowski and Judd Garrett in terms of finding players, college and pro.

    But what McClay represents is diversity. He moves towards the top at a very important position in the Cowboys front office, and he's African-American. McClay has a voice with Jerry and Stephen Jones, which is very important in terms of finding players.

    There are few African-American head coaches, just three in 2013, and the GM roles are held by few: Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore, Martin Mayhew in Detroit, Jerry Reese with the New York Giants, Reggie McKenzie in Oakland and Rick Smith in Houston are some of the names.

    Diversity is important in sports, especially in the front office, and the Cowboys should be commended for what they did for McClay. They didn't move him up because of the color of his skin, but rather for what he's done for the team.

    He helped find such players as Eric Frampton, Tony Fiammetta, Ernie Sims and Laurent Robinson. There was another player McClay found for the Cowboys, Jerry Brown, who passed away last December in a car crash.

    The Cowboys have always promoted diversity in a number of ways, and by pushing McClay to this role, he could one day become a general manager for another team in a league that needs more diversity.

    Cowboys random thoughts

    June, 16, 2013
    Jun 16
    10:00
    AM CT
    The Cowboys are off now until late July, when they'll start training camp.

    We have some random thoughts about what we've seen this offseason.

    •The best player this offseason was Dez Bryant. He seems unstoppable at times during practices, and we can count on one hand the number of times at which a pass was broken up by a defender. Bryant is stronger than he was last season and said he's becoming more of a student of the game. He wants to make sure his techniques are down, and, while he made plays on just his athletic ability in the past, he wants to beat defenders on the small things. That finger of his that was fractured last season? No problems. Bryant is catching the ball with no issues. When other veterans are getting a day off of rest, none is needed for Bryant, which is a positive thing.

    •The Cowboys' backup quarterbacks looked shaky in the offseason with Tony Romo out. Kyle Orton, Nick Stephens and Dalton Williams missed open receivers too many times. The Cowboys are expected to go with just two quarterbacks in the regular season, but if something happens to Romo, you should worry about Orton. Maybe a lack of snaps, or the heat, got to him, but his timing was off. The last time he got extensive snaps was in the loss to Chicago last season in which he completed nine of 10 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. After watching this offseason display, the Cowboys need to make drafting a quarterback a priority in 2014.

    •Drafting a defensive linemen seemed to be a priority for the Cowboys from people outside the organization, but nope, the team didn't do it. The age of the projected starting defensive linemen is at least 30, with the exception of Anthony Spencer, who is 29. However, the backups are all in their 20s. Kyle Wilber, Ben Bass, Sean Lissemore and Tyrone Crawford should make the roster in 2013. These players have a future for the Cowboys, which could be the reason the team didn't draft anybody.

    •There are two positions on the Cowboys' roster that could feature four players at each spot. Tight end could have four players: Dante Rosario, Jason Witten, James Hanna and Gavin Escobar make the 53, and the running back spot might have Lance Dunbar, DeMarco Murray, Phillip Tanner and Joseph Randle make the squad. Kendial Lawrence might be a practice squad candidate and there's a chance Colin Cochart will also hang around by upstaging someone for a roster spot. Where does this leave fullback Lawrence Vickers? He's coming off back surgery, and, while he's a valuable player, the numbers game and his recovery from the surgery are factors in his status.

    •Of all the draft picks from the 2013 class, J.J. Wilcox has been impressive. He's around the ball, whether it's making an interception or a knockdown. You can tell he's picked up the defensive scheme well. The favorites to start at safety are Barry Church and Will Allen, but Wilcox has made more plays than Matt Johnson, a draft pick from last year, who didn't play a snap because of hamstring and back issues. Wilcox has to continue his good work in training camp and the preseason to move up the depth chart.

    Will the Cowboys run more in 2013?

    June, 15, 2013
    Jun 15
    11:00
    PM CT
    Gary Horton's post on planned scheme changes for the Dallas Cowboys in 2013 is interesting throughout, and if you have the Insider subscription, I recommend reading it. If you don't, I recommend getting the Insider subscription and then reading it. I could do a whole post on the defensive side of Gary's post and his belief that the move to the Tampa 2 will naturally raise the takeaway total. But instead, I'm going to focus on the offensive portion of the post and Gary's belief that giving Bill Callahan play-calling duties will lead to more running:
    Dallas had its fewest rushing attempts ever in 2012, partly as a result of injuries at running back and the offensive line, and partly as a result of marginal blocking by the guys up front. Callahan is a proponent of a physical run game that can give this offense much needed balance and take some pressure off Romo to not become "pass-happy" every week.

    Perhaps. But as Gary goes on to point out, that all depends on the health of starting running back DeMarco Murray and the health and effectiveness of the interior offensive linemen. There are also strong indicators that the Cowboys plan to move away from a traditional fullback and use more "12" personnel formations, with multiple tight ends and a single running back, so a lot of this will depend on the way they adjust to that (as well as how the tight ends block).

    I guess I can see why the connection is made between Callahan's new role and a potential increase in rushing attempts. And I'm sure greater balance on offense is among Dallas' 2013 goals. But I wouldn't fret that the Cowboys are all of a sudden going to become a three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust running team. They did spend the early part of the draft adding passing-game weapons for Romo, and with guys like him, Dez Bryant, Miles Austin and Jason Witten on the team, it'd be foolish to move away from the downfield passing game. If the plan is to alleviate the extent to which they have to lean on that downfield passing game, fine. But I wouldn't assume the Cowboys offense is all of a sudden going to look like previous offenses Callahan has run just because he's now the playcaller. Head coach Jason Garrett will remain heavily involved in making game plans, and his influence is likely to remain stronger than Callahan's in the Cowboys' offensive philosophy and plans.
    The center position for the Cowboys was a mess last season.

    It started in training camp, when shotgun snaps were flying all over the place and the health of projected starter Phil Costa was jeopardized when he injured his back.

    During the season, quarterback Tony Romo had three centers: Ryan Cook, Mackenzy Bernadeau and Costa.

    A chemistry with all three was difficult for Romo, but he handled it well.

    With Romo missing the entire offseason work due to his recovery from back surgery, there was a thought he would have problems dealing with another new center in first-round pick Travis Frederick.

    Romo said he’s got no problems with the new center. Romo is working with Frederick during walk-through periods of the offseason practices to make sure of that.

    “To me, more than anything, it’s your voice,” Romo said. “Just doing walk-through today and other areas when I had the team, and they start hearing me and the way I do things. I do a little more stuff at the line and some other stuff. It just comes down to a point where they got to get used to your voice fluctuation. Just the different things you say and use. I think you can do that part in walk-through as the same as you can in the practices.”

    Frederick is getting first-team snaps in practices at center with Costa as the backup. Coach Jason Garrett said Frederick is mainly a center and will see work on the side at guard. So as we move closer to training camp, Frederick and Costa will be the main centers for Romo.
    Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr is hosting a celebrity softball game on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Reverchon Park in Dallas to raise awareness for domestic violence.

    Carr will be joined by Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings, who held a rally against domestic violence a few months ago.

    Fans can attend the event, which starts with a home run derby. Proceeds will be donated to the Carr Cares Foundation, Women Called Moses nonprofit and Elevate Life Church.

    "I remember growing up and not having the opportunity to learn from and interact with professional athletes and coaches," Carr said. "Therefore, I wanted to allow football camp participants and fans attending the softball game to receive an opportunity that I never had while growing up."

    Handing out Cowboys offseason awards

    June, 14, 2013
    Jun 14
    1:30
    PM CT
    video

    IRVING, Texas -- With the Cowboys’ on-field work done until they get to Oxnard, Calif., next month, let’s hand out some awards from the six practices that were open to the media.

    PODCAST
    Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss this week's minicamp and Dez Bryant. Claiborne will join the show to discuss the latest Cowboys news all season.

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    Best player, offense (not named Dez): Jason Witten

    It would have been easier to give the award to Dez Bryant, who was excellent throughout the offseason, but his effort was chronicled throughout. From the opening practice to the end, Witten was the best player. He was more of a factor in the red zone. He was able to get down the middle of the field for longer catches. He was as reliable as ever.

    Best player, defense: Sean Lee

    If Anthony Spencer did not hurt his knee, then he was getting this award because of how dominant he was. Lee showed no rust from a long layoff or worry from a toe injury that required surgery. He filled quickly in the run game and did a nice job in the passing game.

    Best rookie, offense: Terrance Williams

    He started slowly with too many drops in the rookie camp but the arrow kept going up for him the more he practiced. He has a chance to be really good after the catch. He can get up the field quickly. He will benefit from having Bryant and Miles Austin ahead of him so he can take his time to a degree in learning.

    PODCAST
    Cowboys wide receivers coach Derek Dooley joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to talk about Dez Bryant's talent and potential.

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    Best rookie, defense: J.J. Wilcox

    He has a lot of room to grow before he gets in the mix for a starting job but from the first day of rookie minicamp to the final day of the veteran minicamp, he was around the ball. You knew where he was. What has to make the Cowboys giddy, however, was the work they got from guys like B.W. Webb, DeVonte Holloman and Brandon Magee. Those guys could contribute this year.

    Most improved, offense: Phillip Tanner

    He’s not a lock to make the roster, but he ran much more decisively this spring than he did last season when he just lacked vision to make plays. He also did a nice job catching passes out of the backfield. He has the desire to play special teams, which is a must for a backup.

    Most improved, defense: Tyrone Crawford

    A number of candidates here too with guys like Ben Bass, Kyle Wilber and Matt Johnson, but Crawford took advantage of the extra work due to Spencer’s absence. He has dropped some weight down to 285 after getting up close to 300 pounds as a rookie. He showed some burst off the edge and plays with good leverage.

    Best guy I didn’t know about, offense: Eric Rogers

    Forgive me for not knowing my Cal Luthern receivers, but Rogers has terrific hands. I can’t recall a drop. He also made some nice catches. He does not have great speed, which will hurt him, but there might be a spot on the practice squad for him.

    Best guy I didn’t know about, defense: Nick Hayden

    He has experience from his days in Carolina and Cincinnati and showed he is pretty tough to move on the inside. He got added work because of injuries (Rob Callaway) or rest days (Jason Hatcher) but he could find his way into the 53-man mix.
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    Fitzsimmons & Durrett: Morris Claiborne

    Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss this week's minicamp and Dez Bryant. Claiborne will join the show to discuss the latest Cowboys news all season.

    Fitzsimmons & Durrett: Ed Werder

    Ed Werder joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett for his weekly visit and you won't believe who he says is the Cowboys' best player.

    Fitzsimmons & Durrett: Derek Dooley

    Cowboys wide receivers coach Derek Dooley joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to talk about Dez Bryant's talent and potential.

    Galloway & Company: Cowboys talk

    Glenn "Stretch" Smith and Matt Mosley talk about their time at Day 2 of Cowboys minicamp and discuss Monte Kiffin's defensive principles and his growing relationship with the players.

    Fitzsimmons & Durrett: John Clayton

    ESPN NFL insider John Clayton joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss the Cowboys and Tony Romo missing OTAs.

    Fitzsimmons & Durrett: Ed Werder

    ESPN senior NFL analyst Ed Werder joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss another busy week for the Cowboys at Valley Ranch.

    Fitzsimmons & Durrett: Mark Schlereth

    ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss how Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and others spend lots of time with their receivers and if it matters that Tony Romo is not participating in OTAs.

    Fitzsimmons & Durrett: Todd Archer

    Todd Archer joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss what he's looking for during the third session of OTAs, a potential Sean Lee contract extension and why people underestimate Miles Austin's value.

    DALLAS CALENDAR

    •    There are no games scheduled for today.
    •    There are no games scheduled for today.
    •    There are no games scheduled for today.
    •    There are no games scheduled for today.
    •    There are no games scheduled for today.