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IRVING, Texas -- Having lost Martellus Bennett to the New York Giants in free agency and facing a thin draft class, the Cowboys are looking at veteran tight end Joey Haynos.

Haynos worked out for the Cowboys last week on their Dallas Day tryouts for local draftable prospects.

Haynos, 6-8, 270 pounds, did not play last year after he was released in training camp by Jacksonville. He entered the league with Green Bay in 2008 and spent parts of the next three seasons with Miami, catching 21 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns.

The Cowboys have only two tight ends on the roster in Jason Witten and John Phillips. With coach Jason Garrett liking to use multiple tight end sets, the Cowboys have kept up to four tight ends on the 53-man roster in recent years.

The Cowboys signed Witten to an extension last season through 2017 and Phillips is signed through this season. The Cowboys have not drafted a tight end since taking Phillips in the sixth round in 2009.

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Dallas Cowboys

Key additions: CB Brandon Carr, S Brodney Pool, QB Kyle Orton, FB Lawrence Vickers, LB Dan Connor, G Nate Livings, G Mackenzy Bernadeau

Key losses: WR Laurent Robinson, TE Martellus Bennett, FB Tony Fiammetta, CB Terence Newman, G Kyle Kosier (cut)

"You ain't a beauty, but hey, you're all right": Rather than go big for the biggest names out there, the Cowboys took a more directed, focused approach to free agency this year. They did spend a lot to bring in Carr, but they had a glaring need at cornerback and they believed Carr was the best one on the market. The two guards were specifically targeted by Cowboys' scouts and new offensive line coach Bill Callahan, and Connor was brought in to address a need at inside linebacker while 2011 draft pick Bruce Carter continues to develop.

The only loss that they didn't upgrade is that of Robinson, who signed with the Jaguars after coming out of nowhere to catch 11 touchdown passes from Tony Romo in 2011. The Cowboys will hope that one of the young receivers on their roster fills that No. 3 wide receiver role, or that they can catch lightning in a bottle again this year as they did with Robinson last year. They could miss Kosier's leadership on the offensive line, but he was getting old and injured and they needed to keep getting younger on the line.

What's next: While they'll keep an eye out for a bargain-bin receiver to replace Robinson, and they could try and find another tight end to replace Bennett, the Cowboys' main focus the rest of this offseason is likely to be on defense. They could add to the safety or cornerback mix in the draft or with another free agent. They'll keep looking to upgrade the pass rush, either with another outside linebacker or a defensive lineman. Those are the likely areas in which the Cowboys will focus their efforts in the draft.

Otherwise, it's going to be about sorting things out, especially on the offensive line. They need to find a pair of starting guards from a group that includes the two newcomers and the two youngsters -- David Arkin and Bill Nagy -- they drafted last year. Training camp should help sort out what needs to be sorted out on the offensive side of the ball. The draft will be for adding more pieces to Rob Ryan's defense.

IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys did not expect to retain Martellus Bennett as a free agent nor were they trying very hard to do so, but now they have to prepare to play him twice in 2012.

Bennett has joined the New York Giants with a one-year, $2.5 million deal, viewing the Cowboys’ NFC East rival as the best spot to become a No. 1 tight end after spending the last four seasons as Jason Witten’s backup.

The Giants had a need with Travis Beckum and Jake Ballard suffering major knee injuries in Super Bowl XLVI and Bennett moved to the top of the tight end list after a number of players were re-signed before free agency began.

In four seasons, Bennett, a second-round pick in 2008, caught 85 passes for 846 yards with four touchdowns, all of which came in his rookie year. A solid blocker, Bennett was never able to become a regular part of the passing game and he was unable to take advantage of the limited opportunities he received.

The Cowboys were ready to move on from Bennett and have spent part of the day visiting with free agent Kellen Davis, who had five touchdown catches last year for Chicago. Another possible target, John Carlson, was signed by Minnesota earlier in the day.

It's the second time in four years the Giants have signed a Dallas free agent. They signed defensive end Chris Canty in 2009 to a seven-year, $42 million deal.

IRVING, Texas – While the Cowboys are actively shopping in the free-agent market, so are two of their own free agents.

PODCAST
Galloway & Company discuss who the Cowboys need to get in free agency and who they need to let go. Is Laurent Robinson worth keeping? Should we worry about Marty B visiting the Giants? Listen

Tight end Martellus Bennett will visit the New York Giants on Tuesday night. Also, wide receiver Laurent Robinson is visiting with Jacksonville, according to sources.

The Cowboys would like to keep Robinson, who led the team with 11 touchdown catches last year, but the price tag might get too high, especially with Miles Austin and Dez Bryant on the roster.

The Arizona Cardinals have also expressed interest in Robinson among other teams.

The Giants’ need for a tight end arose after Travis Beckum and Jake Ballard suffered major knee injuries in Super Bowl XLVI. The Giants have enough familiarity with Bennett over the years and Bennett has made it clear he wants the chance to be a starter.

Bennett confirmed the visit to New York on Twitter: "Headed to NY tonight. excited!"

In 2008 the Giants signed defensive end Chris Canty away from the Cowboys with a lucrative offer.

The Cowboys met with free agent tight end Martellus Bennett at Valley Ranch on Monday.

Bennett, drafted in the second round in 2008, said last week he doesn't expect to return to the Cowboys, but a source said the talks between the sides were productive.

Bennett said he wants to be "the man" in the offense, but that won't be the case with the Cowboys, where Jason Witten is the lead tight end.

"I want to be the No. 1 guy," Bennett said during a Friday appearance on PFT Live. "I feel like I'm a 60-catch-plus guy on a team, so I want to be in a system where I could do (that). I think a lot of people say the hybrid tight ends or the new type of tight ends are the ones to catch the ball, but I think the perfect tight ends are the ones who could actually block and do things with the ball after they catch it."

Last season, Bennett finished with just 17 catches for 144 yards and no touchdowns. In four NFL seasons, he has scored only four touchdowns, all coming during the 2008 season.

There seems to be a market for the athletic and underachieving tight end from Texas A&M, but with the Cowboys' recent salary cap issues developing, it appears unlikely he will return.

IRVING, Texas – Martellus Bennett made it pretty clear last week that he does not intend to return to Dallas, and the Cowboys are not about to stand in his way by making some lucrative offer to keep him.

Bennett might want to be a No. 1 tight end, but there does not seem to be a lot of teams in need at the moment. You might be able to come up with five - Cleveland, Denver, Chicago, St. Louis and Indianapolis – so Bennett’s market might not be too large.

But Bennett’s impending departure does create a void in talent and also sheer numbers, and filling that hole could be somewhat difficult in free agency.

When players hit the open market, their top concerns are money, opportunity and winning. Depending on the player, you can put those three things in any kind of order you want.

Let’s focus on the opportunity part for this discussion.

In Jason Witten the Cowboys have one of the best tight ends in the NFL. He will not come off the field unless he loses a limb. He will catch around 80 passes on the season, average around 12 yards a reception and score about five touchdowns a year.

When the Cowboys drafted Anthony Fasano in 2006 and Bennett in 2008, they were ahead of this two-tight end thought many teams have now. They traded Fasano to Miami in 2008 and took Bennett to be the guy. It never happened for Bennett for reasons that will depend on your loyalty: the coaches never utilized Bennett correctly or Bennett never took advantage of the opportunities he got in order to receive more opportunities.

It doesn’t matter how it happened. It did. Now the Cowboys have to move on to the next guy.

Maybe that next guy is John Phillips. It’s doubtful that guy will be in the draft because most of the draft experts call this one of the worst tight end classes ever.

So what to do in free agency. The Cowboys would like more of an in-line blocker, like Bennett, but also somebody who can be something of a pass threat.

John Carlson missed last year with a shoulder injury and will be available. If healthy, he can produce, but he might want a bigger opportunity elsewhere. Cleveland’s Alex Smith’s season ended because of an injury too. Other options could be Cincinnati’s Donald Lee or Chicago’s Kellen Davis.

One of the worst-kept secrets at Valley Ranch this year was that it would be Martellus Bennett’s last season with the Cowboys.

Days before the soon-to-be 25-year-old tight end hits the free-agency market, he didn’t go so far as to rule out a return to the Cowboys. But he left the lines wide open to read between, saying he was “ready to branch out and become my own entity” after serving as an “apprentice” to Jason Witten for the last four years.

"I want to be the No. 1 guy," Bennett said during a Friday appearance on PFT Live. "I feel like I'm a 60-catch-plus guy on a team, so I want to be in a system where I could do (that). I think a lot of people say the hybrid tight ends or the new type of tight ends are the ones to catch the ball, but I think the perfect tight ends are the ones who could actually block and do things with the ball after they catch it."

The Cowboys used a second-round pick on Bennett in 2008, planning to use him as a weapon in the passing game, but he never developed into anything more than a good blocker as Witten’s backup. The athletic Texas A&M product’s talent has been a tease as he caught only 85 passes for 846 yards and four touchdowns in four seasons.

There’s a chicken-and-egg debate about whether the Cowboys didn’t give Bennett, who hasn’t scored a touchdown since his rookie season, enough opportunities or if he didn’t earn any more opportunities. He’s clearly hoping to land with a team that will feature him in game plans, plus pay him like a starter, and he's arguably the most attractive tight end on the market after Green Bay's Jermichael Finley signed a two-year deal with the Packers and the Redskins used the franchise tag on Fred Davis.

"I want a team that believes in me and the things I'm capable of doing," Bennett said. "I still believe I haven't yet scratched the surface of my potential, and I'm only getting better and better daily, even now. So, I think the sky is the limit for me and really I just want to be in a good organization that believes in the things that I can do and what I bring and what I have to offer."

INDIANAPOLIS -- With Green Bay re-signing Jermichael Finley to a two-year contract this week, Martellus Bennett moves up a spot in the pecking order of free agent tight ends.

The thinking is that Bennett wants a chance to start and play more elsewhere, but coach Jason Garrett has not closed the door on a possible return for Bennett, the team’s second-round pick in 2008.

“We have to see what happens with Martellus and what kind of opportunity he has elsewhere compared to what we would give him here and evaluate that situation,” Garrett said. “We value tight ends and Martellus has been a guy sometimes people have beaten up on but has been an effective player for us. He’s one of the best blocking tight ends in the league and we feel he can still grow as a receiver.”

If Bennett leaves, the Cowboys will have to address the tight end spot in free agency and/or the draft with only Jason Witten and John Phillips on the roster. The Cowboys have carried four tight ends on the 53-man roster at different times in the last few years.

This is the fourth installment of a 12-part series breaking down the Cowboys roster. Today we look at tight ends.


Players: Jason Witten (signed through 2017), Martellus Bennett (free agent), John Phillips (signed through 2012)

Top free agents: Martellus Bennett, Dallas Cowboys; John Carlson, Seattle Seahawks; Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers; Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars; Visanthe Shiancoe, Minnesota Vikings

Top draft prospects: Coby Fleener, Stanford; Dwayne Allen, Clemson; Orson Charles, Georgia; Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Layayette; Michael Egnew, Missouri

2011 review: First the good news: Bennett will not return. He didn't like how he was being used in the offense and his locker room and off-the-field antics rubbed some in the organization the wrong way. Now the bad news: Bennett was the Cowboys' best blocking tight end and most athletic. He will find a home. More good news: Witten returns for his 10th season and is in line to have the longest tenure on the team if Bradie James and Terence Newman don't return. He's a professional and despite not making the Pro Bowl last season, led the team in catches (79) and receiving yards (942). Phillips was average last season, after coming off knee surgery.

Offseason preview: Free agency isn't the way to go here because the class is top heavy with world-class talent. The draft is a possibility and a mid-to-late round pick could be the answer. Green might be around on the third day and he's worth looking at. The Cowboys want tight ends who can block well and are not afraid to mix it up. Witten is the perfect example of how to do that.

Bryan Broaddus' Scout's Eye: It's hard to believe that Witten will be playing in his 10th season for the Cowboys. The Cowboys need to work on finding the next tight end who will be reliable and productive like Witten has been. I am not saying that Witten is done, but it would be a nice time to start finding a replacement. It's a shame that Bennett played at a higher level toward the end of the season so other teams would have decent film to watch when he becomes a free agent. Don't fool yourself into thinking that Bennett was this great run blocker because he wasn't. There were times he was good but not as good as he could have been. His career in Dallas will always have me wondering "what if." Phillips should be better than he was in 2011 coming off knee surgery. He is a productive player run or pass. Shaun Chapas was drafted last season, but I don't see the necessary skills. If the Cowboys get an extra pick in the middle of the draft, it could be a good time to look at tight ends.

Need meter (0-5): 4

IRVING, Texas -- For the sixth straight year the Cowboys had more than 100 penalties in a season, matching the longest streak in team history.

The Cowboys’ 114 penalties were fifth-most in the NFL and Jason Garrett was unable to correct a problem that has plagued predecessors Bill Parcells and Wade Phillips.

Doug Free and DeMarcus Ware led the Cowboys with 10 penalties called, although Ware had one penalty declined during the year. Free had five holding penalties and five false starts. Ware had seven offside penalties, two roughing the passer penalties and a neutral zone infraction.

Tyron Smith, Anthony Spencer and Orlando Scandrick had eight penalties called against them this year. Scandrick had two declined, Smith had one.

Spencer had four neutral zone infractions, which means the Cowboys’ best pass rushers had 12 penalties in which they could not time the snap properly. Spencer’s other penalties were an unnecessary roughness, roughing the passer, running into the kicker and face mask.

An interesting note: three backup secondary players combined for 20 penalties. Scandrick had eight. Alan Ball had seven. Frank Walker had five. Fourteen of those were on defense. Scandrick was a quasi-starter as the nickel back, but Ball and Walker were flagged far too often given the amount of snaps they played. Guard Montrae Holland had six penalties in 10 games.

Another interesting note: Mike Jenkins was not penalized all year. Yes, he missed four games, but he was flagged nine times last year with six pass interference penalties. He was a much improved player all around in 2011.

Here’s the player-by-player breakdown of penalties

10 – Doug Free, DeMarcus Ware
8 – Anthony Spencer, Tyron Smith, Orlando Scandrick
7 – Alan Ball
6 – Montrae Holland
5 – Terence Newman, Tony Romo, Frank Walker
4 – Jason Hatcher
3 – Martellus Bennett, John Phillips, Jason Witten, Phillip Tanner, Kyle Kosier
2 – Keith Brooking, Jesse Holley, Kevin Ogletree, Tony Fiammetta, Barry Chruch, Josh Brent, Derrick Dockery, Jay Ratliff, Dez Bryant
1 – Bradie James, Sean Lee, Laurent Robinson, Gerald Sensabaugh, Victor Butler, Kenyon Coleman, Phil Costa, Abram Elam, Kevin Kowalski, L.P. Ladouceur, Stephen McGee, Miles Austin, Sean Lissemore

Quite simply, the 10 plays that shaped the Cowboys' season added up to less than what was necessary for a trip to the postseason. Jean-Jacques Taylor broke down his top-10 list -- which you can view here.

We also know that you sometimes have different views, and we'd like to hear your list. And to help, here are an extra 10 plays that didn't make the cut.

Plays 11-20 (in no particular order):
* Tony Romo's 76-yard pass to Jesse Holley to beat San Francisco.
* Dez Bryant's catch on third-and-21 vs. the Washington Redskins.
* Tashard Choice run on third-and-18 with 2:47 left vs. New England.
* Tony Romo suffers thumb injury on second play of game vs. Philly.
* Martellus Bennett's drop leads to an interception as Eagles rout Cowboys.
* Anthony Spencer gets sack, forces fumble with 38 seconds left vs. Redskins.
* Tony Romo's 65-yard TD pass to Jason Witten in win vs. Dolphins.
* Romo misses Miles Austin on "lost in lights" play vs. Giants.
* Tony Romo avoids rush, bumps into Montrae Holland and throw TD vs. Bucs.
* Lions' Bobby Carpenter intercepts Romo and returns it for touchdown.
* Anthony Spencer forces fumble, Bradie James recovers on Bucs' first possession.

So what's your top-10 list?

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys have 13 players who will be unrestricted free agents in 2012, and there is a possibility none of them will return.

CB Alan Ball: He started off well in the No. 4 cornerback role, but his play tailed off late in the season when he had to play more. The Cowboys should target corners in the draft and free agency, which means a return is unlikely.

TE Martellus Bennett: He wants a chance to play more and that won’t happen here with Jason Witten ahead of him here. He was saddled with second-round pick expectations but he never lived up to the billing. We’ll see if he can produce elsewhere.

LB Keith Brooking: He knows his career is winding down but he wants to keep playing. With little depth behind Sean Lee and the Cowboys hoping Bruce Carter can be a starter in 2012, is it worth it to bring him back for another year?

OG Derrick Dockery: He did not play poorly in his two starts and given the lack of depth on the offensive line he could be back on a short-term deal.

S Abram Elam: When the Cowboys gave Gerald Sensabaugh $8 million in December that seemed to seal Elam’s fate as a one-year player here. He is a favorite of Rob Ryan and I think the Cowboys should have signed him to the long-term deal, not Sensabaugh.

OG Montrae Holland: He’s in the same boat as Dockery, but he did a good enough job in the 10-game stint at right guard. He will be coming off biceps surgery and teams weren’t knocking on his door last year. Again, a short-term deal could work.

LB Bradie James: He remained the starter but his playing time was cut way back in Rob Ryan’s scheme. To his credit, he never complained and remained the consummate pro. He will get a job somewhere in 2012, but the Cowboys want to get younger and faster.

QB Jon Kitna: He was likely to retire after this season anyway before a back injury ended his season. Maybe the injury fuels him to want to come back for another year, but that is doubtful. I believe he’s ready for his post-playing career.

P Mat McBriar: This is the most interesting case because of the foot injury. Time and rest will help the nerves regenerate but there is no time table on when he will be back. A healthy McBriar is among the best punters in the game. Internal politics will be interesting on this one.

RB Sammy Morris: He did a terrific job as a late-season find, but he was around on Week 15 for a reason. It would be a lot of money to pay a No. 3 running back, especially with Phillip Tanner coming back next year.

WR Laurent Robinson: He was the biggest surprise of the year, finishing with 11 touchdown catches. He proved he could be a starter with Miles Austin out. If a team makes a big-time offer to him, he won’t be back. The Cowboys cannot sign him to a new deal until the new league year begins even if they wanted to sign him now.

LB Anthony Spencer: He was OK but when you’re a first-round pick that’s just not good enough. He did not deliver as a pass rusher and they need help opposite DeMarcus Ware. What helps his cause is the Cowboys don’t have an every-down replacement.

CB Frank Walker: He did a nice job early but tailed off late. Like Ball, the more he played the more he was exposed. Defensive teammates loved him but he was inactive for the final game, which should tell you his future here.

(Note: This was updated to remove Chris Greisen, who will be a restricted free agent, and Daniel Loper, who was cut before the regular-season finale.)

Rabid Reaction: Our series of knee-jerk-styled, emotional overreactions from Ben Rogers of 103.3 FM ESPN's Ben and Skin Show. He's known to get way too excited over even the slightest of developments with the teams he grew up with in the DFW. Proceed with caution ...

We didn't have the pleasure of knowing a deep Cowboys playoff run this year, but I’ve spent some time following the adventures of Jerry, Stephen and Spalding Jones. I was raised on Cowboys football during the jewelry-producing Staubach and Aikman eras, so I have a very clear impression of the kind of glorious run that we’re here to bury today.

The 2011 Cowboys season started with such high hopes. Gone was Wade Phillips and his relaxed, friendly lemonade salesman style of leadership. In his place was a red-headed cyborg robot with the most coveted scantron in the classroom.

But in the end, Jason Garrett’s knack to finish other people’s complicated chalkboard formulas -- that only one or two others could -- ultimately gave credence to the theory that he is quite possibly little more than a very intelligent Valley Ranch janitor, potentially capable of being best friends with Ben Affleck.

But despite Garrett’s distinct ability to bore an entire room of reporters into medical grade comas with repeated monotone mentions of watching tape, all three phases and the process on a weekly basis, the Cowboys' offense racked up the second-most yards in franchise history with the worst offensive line in the history of organized football. So clearly the offense was not to blame here

When the season started, Rob Ryan’s enormous belly offered tremendous promise of big things to come. However, in the end, it proved to be little more than a human beer refrigerator and gas-powered balloon muffler. For it was truly nothing more than fruitless hot air coming from this Ryan, and all Ryans for that matter. Were it not for the intoxicating allure of his balsa wood-based bold talk, many of us would have wisely protected our fragile Jerry Jones trampled football hearts.

But because of his completely unsubstantiated and never-backed-up swagger, we believed. Rob Ryan sold us a box of disgusting rotten vegetables, and we couldn’t wait to eat them up as if it was the finest produce in the country. And for that mistake, we all feel tremendous sorrow today as the 2011 Cowboys season rests forever in the Jerryworld-sized coffin metaphor before us.

And so we say goodbye to Terence Newman, perhaps the worst cornerback in the history of the forward pass. Goodbye Anthony Spencer, master of ordinary. Goodbye Martellus Bennett, beacon of underachievement. Goodbye Bradie James, creator of the tackling piggyback ride. Goodbye Keith Brooking, linebacking Bill Bates.

The 2011 Dallas Cowboys season died a cold, wet, miserable death last night in the far-away Meadowlands. But in truth, this franchise has been on life support for a decade and a half. Jerry Jones is the worst GM in football, but he is going nowhere. And because of that, nothing will change.

Perhaps during this quiet time we can spare a special thought and offer our sympathy, our love and our support to Cowboys fans, their families and loved ones -- and most importantly, to Tony Romo. You, sir, are not to blame for any of this. This violent, bloody football death falls directly on the head of one Jerry Jones -- the all-time QB and we're-doing-it-my-way bully of this never-ending disaster called Jerry Jones-brand Dallas Cowboys football.

Rest in peace, 2011 Dallas Cowboys. You will not fool us again in 2012.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- For some Cowboys, tonight’s game against the New York Giants could be their final game with a star on the helmet.

Here’s a list of the team’s free agents -- unrestricted, restricted and exclusive rights -- going into 2012. This does not include players who could be cut for salary-cap purposes.

Unrestricted free agents
Alan Ball
Martellus Bennett
Keith Brooking
Derrick Dockery
Abram Elam
Montrae Holland
Jon Kitna
Daniel Loper
Mat McBriar
Sammy Morris
Laurent Robinson
Anthony Spencer
Frank Walker
Bradie James

Restricted free agents
Kevin Ogletree
Tony Fiammetta
Chauncey Washington

Exclusive rights free agents
Clifton Geathers
Jermey Parnell
Jesse Holley

IRVING, Texas -- Martellus Bennett is an easy target for critics, but the tight end had perhaps his best game of the season Saturday at Tampa Bay, matching his season high with three catches while also doing a good job in the running game.

“He was very decisive in the passing game,” coach Jason Garrett said. “He caught that 7 route on the sideline, and also when they pressured us, he handled the hot situations well and ran the ball after the catch. He’s consistently been a good blocker for us. I thought he did a good job moving people around. … He had good energy, a good demeanor and played well throughout the game.”

It came with his brother, Michael, a Tampa Bay defensive end, on the other side. Michael Bennett had a sack and three tackles for loss, but on Felix Jones’ 38-yard run, Martellus was able to seal off his brother to create a lane.

He admitted it was difficult to go against his brother.

“I was killing the other guys,” said Bennett, who returned from a one-game absence because of a rib strain. “Going against my brother, we’re just not those types of brothers. We love each other.”