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IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys held the first of four organized team activities that will be open to the media at Valley Ranch on Wednesday, so we bring you some observations from the two-hour workout:

** Maybe it’s the product of not seeing him throw in four months, but Tony Romo was throwing the ball with a tremendous amount of velocity. Romo went 8-of-11 in team and seven-on-seven drills Wednesday with one drop by TE John Phillips.

** LB Sean Lee looked in midseason form by snuffing out a pass to the flat to FB Lawrence Vickers for what would have been no gain or a short pickup.

** QB Stephen McGee and rookie Tyrone Navikoff had a difficult time with the snap, muffing three before Navikoff was pulled in favor of Bill Nagy. And Nagy’s first snap with McGee went to the ground.

** WR Raymond Radway, who missed his rookie year with a broken ankle, was knocked out of practice briefly after getting poked in the eye.

** Dez Bryant, Kevin Ogletree, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah and Dwayne Harris worked as punt returners. Tim Benford, Radway and Lance Dunbar handled kick returns.

** With OLB DeMarcus Ware missing the workout, Victor Butler was with the starters and showed good awareness on a reverse by Harris by not allowing the wide receiver to get outside. Anthony Spencer did the same later in practice on a reverse to Miles Austin.

** WR Andre Holmes made a nice grab on a Kyle Orton throw in seven-on-seven drills while crossing the middle. Earlier, Holmes snared a Romo pass that was a little ahead of him.

** Rookie Saalim Hakin struggled in the rookie minicamp with drops and he struggled Wednesday. Unofficially he had three and the last brought receivers coach Jimmy Robinson over with some encouragement.

** Undrafted rookie CB Lionel Smith intercepted a McGee pass along the sideline.

** Rookie S Eddie Whitley ended practice with a nice breakup of a McGee throw to James Hanna. Whitley broke on Hanna’s route perfectly to bat the pass away.

** RB Phillip Tanner did not look any different after being put on injured reserve last year with a hamstring injury. He was quick and decisive with his cuts.

The Dallas Cowboys begin three weeks of organized team activities today at Valley Ranch. It's the first time the entire team will be available to the Cowboys coaches on the field since the 2011 season ended.

We tell you what's going on.

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Jean-Jacques Taylor gives us the latest on Mike Jenkins' desire to be traded. The Cowboys' star doesn't mean as much to players as it used to. Listen

Jenkins won't be here: Cornerback Mike Jenkins will not attend the three days of organized team activities. Yes, the OTAs are voluntary, but most, if not all, the players are expected to show up for the three-day teaching sessions. Jenkins, who is seeking a trade from the Cowboys, is irked somewhat by what's going on at the cornerback position. Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne are the projected starters at corner, with Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick battling for the No. 3 cornerback position. Most of the people that matter at Valley Ranch have praised Jenkins' play last season, when he was tied for the team lead with 10 pass breakups while playing through shoulder, neck and knee issues. Without attending the sessions, it will be difficult to know far Jenkins has progressed from offseason shoulder surgery. Jenkins has attended only a handful of voluntary workouts at Valley Ranch.

Rookies will be here, too: If a rookie is not here, it's because school is still in session. One rookie who will attend the sessions but not participate is first-round pick Morris Claiborne. Claiborne is still recovering from left wrist surgery. He got three pins taken out recently and will wear a soft cast. He said he wants to be ready for the veteran minicamp, but it's doubtful if the team will allow that. Expect Claiborne to get a majority of practice reps when training camp starts in late July.

Who is injured? Let's see, Jenkins and Claiborne won't get any work in. DeMarco Murray (ankle) said he's 100 percent and should be a full participant in the sessions, though it wouldn't surprise any if he was limited. Bill Nagy (ankle), Raymond Radway (leg), Barry Church (shoulder), and Phillip Tanner (hamstring) finished the season on injured reserve and will get a chance to work out fully. Newly-signed guard Mackenzy Bernadeau (hip) will not be available to work out because of his recent surgery. Bernadeau won't be around until the second week of training camp. Also, fourth-round pick Kyle Wilber (finger) will not be around due to his surgery. He should be ready for training camp.

No media access until Wednesday: The media has access only one day, Wednesday, so please don't ask how certain players are doing today because we won't know. The media will speak with certain players and coaches once a week for the next three weeks during OTAs.

Notes: There were no OTAs last year because of the lockout and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said that led to rushed teachings of his defensive scheme once the players were allowed to attend training camp. With OTAs and minicamps, Ryan can take a more measured approach to teaching his 3-4 scheme. ... Much has been made about leadership this offseason. It will be interesting to see who is the most vocal on the practice fields among the players. ... With Jenkins and Claiborne out, reps at corner will start with Carr and Scandrick.

We’re about to finally get a glimpse to see why there’s all this buzz about Andre Holmes.

Wednesday’s OTA session, which will be the first one this offseason open to the Valley Ranch media, will be the first time any of us have seen Holmes actually run a pass route. But there will be a lot of eyes on the second-year undrafted receiver because the coaches and front office are so high on him.

Holmes was the first name out of Jerry Jones’ mouth at the scouting combine in February when the Cowboys’ owner/general manager discussed the possibility of losing Laurent Robinson in free agency. With Robinson taking a rich deal from Jacksonville, Holmes has as good a shot as anyone at claiming the No. 3 receiver role.

Scoff if you dare, but just remember that Miles Austin and Victor Cruz are NFC East examples of receivers who have soared from the obscurity of being a small-school guy passed over in the draft to stardom in the last few years.

Here is what we know about Holmes, who signed with the Cowboys after being cut by the Vikings at the end of preseason and spent most of 2011 on the practice squad:

*He is 6-foot-5, 208 pounds, was timed at 4.51 in the 40 at the combine and measured with a vertical leap of 35 inches.

*Much like Austin at Monmouth, Holmes was a late bloomer at Division II Hillsdale College after playing receiver only one year in high school. After redshirting, he caught only 38 passes for 648 yards and four touchdowns in his first two seasons. He had a breakout year as a junior (77 catches, 1,076 yards, six TD) and the most productive season in school history as a senior (104 catches, 1,368 yards, 11 TD).

*Holmes’ mix of size, athleticism, ball skills and competitiveness impressed the Cowboys’ coaches and front office enough that they promoted him from the practice squad to the 53-man roster late last season to prevent another team from claiming him. They did so despite the fact that Holmes had a hamstring injury because they considered him a valuable prospect.

*He’s part of a pack of receivers who will be competing to replace Robinson. Kevin Ogletree is the only one of the bunch with NFL experience, but he was handed the job last year and failed, opening the door for Robinson to emerge. Others in the mix are Raymond Radway, the former Abilene Christian track star who would have made the team as an undrafted free agent last year if not for a gruesome broken leg suffered in the final seconds of the preseason finale; 2012 fifth-round pick Danny Coale; 2011 sixth-round pick Dwayne Harris; and a handful of undrafted rookies.

IRVING, Texas -- The comparisons started from the moment fifth-round pick Danny Coale was drafted.

Wes Welker of the New England Patriots is a speedy receiver who does damage from the slot. In four of his five seasons in New England, Welker has gained at least 1,000 receiving yards. Last year, Welker caught 122 passes for 1,569 yards and nine touchdowns.

"It’s nice to be mentioned in the same sentence as him, but at the same time he’s Wes Welker for a reason," said Coale, who finished his career at Virginia Tech second in receptions and receiving yards. "He's been there and he's done it and I haven’t. I'm nowhere near that level of play. I hope some day I can have a sliver of success as he's had. He's an incredible player and I admire his style of play. The way he plays the position, he's someone I try to be like."

Coale will compete with Andre Holmes, Dwayne Harris, Kevin Ogletree and Raymond Radway for three roster spots at wideout behind Miles Austin and Dez Bryant.

The other day, first-round pick Morris Claiborne talked about possibly getting some reps at wide receiver.

PODCAST
Cowboys first-round pick Morris Claiborne recaps his draft experience and talks about growing up a Cowboys fan and his expectations playing in Dallas. Listen

"I would love to be a two-way player," Claiborne told Galloway and Company on Monday afternoon. "If they gave me that chance to be able to go both sides of the ball, I'll love it and I won't turn it down. I'd get in and give it 100 percent."

It sounds nice to see if Claiborne can get a few snaps at wideout, but this isn't a good idea. The Cowboys have two solid wide receivers in Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. Bryant needs as many reps as possible at the position.

There are younger receivers who also need to get practice and game reps in Raymond Radway, Andre Holmes, Dwayne Harris and now rookie Danny Coale.

We don't believe coach Jason Garrett wants to see Claiborne at wideout. If he plays another spot, it'll be on special teams as a returner.

The Cowboys don't need to entertain this.

The secondary is where the Cowboys had their biggest problems in 2011 -- some would even say 2010 as well. And if that's the case, let Claiborne learn how to play the position in the NFL.

He was a standout at LSU -- even called the best defensive player in the draft -- so don't switch him to the other side when he needs to get the time in on defense.

Coming off an 8-8 season and consecutive seasons of missing the postseason, this is not the time to experiment.

"I'm very excited to get right in and get around those guys," Claiborne said of defending Bryant and Austin in practice. "Try to learn as much as I can learn from the receiver standpoint to the cornerback standpoint. And both of those guys are great, big receivers. I'm looking forward to getting some work in with them so they can make me better."

It's not time to get cute. Just play the position you're drafted to play and keep it moving.

One good thing about Cowboys coach Jason Garrett is that he's not afraid to stir things up.

Garrett has preached competition at various positions and that's what he's getting with Virginia Tech wide receiver Danny Coale, who was selected in the fifth-round selection Saturday.

PODCAST
Cowboys fifth-round pick Danny Coale talks about his road to the NFL and his chances of competing for a starting wide receiver spot in training camp. Listen

As it stands, Coale will battle Kevin Ogletree, Andre Holmes, Dwayne Harris and Raymond Radway for the two open receiver spots. The Cowboys could use five receivers in 2012 if needed. (We don't believe Dez Bryant and Miles Austin are in danger of not making the roster).

Coale has been described as a slot receiver who is fast with the ability to run good routes.

"He’s in the mix," Garrett said of Coale. "He’s a guy that we like physically; we like him intangibly; he’s got some position versatility and flexibility and we feel like he can be a special teams contributor. One of the really good things that we see when we pick these seven players is it creates a tremendous amount of competition on our football team."

Coale can play slot and outside receiver for the Cowboys. It was interesting to watch the war room in the fourth round and see receivers coach Jimmy Robinson talking to the decision makers. The Cowboys took two defensive players in Round 4 -- Kyle Wilber and Matt Johnson -- but it was clear they hoped Coale was still on the board in the fifth.

"Somebody asked earlier about needs versus taking the best player on the board," Garrett said. "I think if we look at this draft, we consistently took the best player or close to the best player on our board and that as evaluators makes you feel good, and the fact that they kind of crossed over to our perceived needs is really good for our football team because we’re getting the most quality player in terms of our evaluation. We bring him into the mix and create competition and we think that’s a real positive for everybody."

IRVING, Texas – The award-winning 5 Wonders is back for a post-draft look. Today we talk about Morris Claiborne, Bruce Carter, Mike Jenkins and the missing nose tackle?

** The Cowboys traded up for Claiborne because he was the second player on their draft board and they could not believe he slipped out of the top five. In 2003 the Cowboys drafted Terence Newman with the fifth overall pick and said part of the decision was based on Newman’s return abilities. In nine seasons, Newman had 38 punt returns for a 7.5-yard average and one touchdown. They never really let him do it. I wonder if the Cowboys will let Claiborne return punts and/or kicks. He averaged 25 yards per kick return last year at LSU and had a 99-yard touchdown. He’s not Patrick Peterson as a returner, but he could be a good one and the Cowboys’ return games need to improve in 2012. Here’s a bonus wonder: I wonder if Dez Bryant actually becomes more of a full-time returner this season. It’s Year 3 for him and I wonder if the team will sign him to a second contract down the road.

** Claiborne’s arrival has Jenkins’ future in question. Jenkins is in the last year of his contract and is scheduled to make a little more than $1 million. He is also coming off shoulder surgery and as I wrote on Friday, the team is a little concerned at how much rehab time he’s spending in Florida and not at Valley Ranch. But I wonder what you could get for Jenkins. The money is palatable but he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2013. And he’s coming off major surgery and won’t be ready until training camp. Jerry Jones likes to say a player’s value is lowest at the draft, so they could not get equal value for Jenkins or close to it. I wonder if the Cowboys let Jenkins play out the year, hope he does well, signs a big contract elsewhere and then hope they can get a compensatory back in 2014. The team doesn’t wonder about this (they say) but I wonder if they would like a do-over on Orlando Scandrick’s contract.

** I have to take Jones’ word for it that Bobby Wagner would’ve been the Cowboys’ pick in the second round had the team not made the move up for Claiborne. But I wonder what that means about Carter, last year’s second rounder. At every opportunity the Cowboys have said they liked how Carter progressed last season off a torn anterior cruciate ligament, that he met every goal they planned knowing that he was injured. Well, now he’s healthy and I wonder if he’s really a fit. The Cowboys added Dan Connor in free agency to a two-year deal and Jones said they would’ve taken Wagner, an inside linebacker. That would seem to be a little redundant, unless Rob Ryan is drawing up some sort of special scheme or maybe Wagner could play outside. There will be a lot of eyes on Carter during the organized team activities and minicamp.

** Where’s the true 3-4 nose tackle? As good as Jay Ratliff has been, many of you want the Cowboys to grab a huge nose tackle and slide Ratliff to defensive end. That’s why some fans wanted Dontari Poe in the first round or even Alameda Ta’Amu in the third round. I wonder if the need for that type of plugger is as important nowadays. Think about it. The NFL is a passing league and if you have a 330-pound nose tackle to stop the run, he will play about 30 percent of the snaps. Is it worth it? I don’t know, but it looks like the Cowboys don’t believe so. The good nose tackles in 3-4 defenses now also have some pass rush and flexibility, like Vince Wilfork or Haloti Ngata. Those guys aren’t available all the time and run defense was not the Cowboys’ downfall last year. I also wonder this: The Cowboys might be higher on Josh Brent than many people know.

** I wonder how many undrafted players make this roster. You can almost lock up Ronald Leary, the Memphis guard, after how Jones talked about him Saturday. Heck, you wonder if Leary could be a candidate to start. Last year four undrafted players made the 53-man roster and a fifth, Raymond Radway, would have if not for an injury.

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys like versatile players and Virginia Tech’s Danny Coale is versatile.

He played outside wide receiver and excelled in the slot. He had four carries. He returned punts. He was on the Hokies’ punt block team and also was on the kick return and punt return teams.

He even punted as a senior, averaging 43.5 yards per punt.

“I want an opportunity to contribute to a team and it seems like a great fit,” Coale said.

Coale was the Cowboys’ fifth round pick and their first offensive selection. He left Virginia Tech with 165 catches for 2,658 yards and eight touchdowns. His receptions and yards are second-most in school history.

Coale did not come to Valley Ranch for a pre-draft visit, but he met with coach Jason Garrett and assistants John Garrett and Jimmy Robinson at the NFL scouting combine.

“I like to challenge myself to make tough catches over the middle and I really enjoy playing the middle of the field, seeing it from the slot,” Coale said.

The Cowboys have an opening for Tony Romo’s No. 3 wide receiver spot after losing Laurent Robinson. However, owner and general manager Jerry Jones has expressed his belief that Andre Holmes, Raymond Radway, Kevin Ogletree or Dwayne Harris can be playmakers. Coale will be in a competition

“He does a lot of exciting things,” Coale said of Romo. “I’m really thrilled to have an opportunity to catch from him.”

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys' fifth-round pick is wide receiver Danny Coale.

Pros: He's pretty quick, 4.5 40, and has the ability to play all three wide receiver spots. He's not afraid to go over the middle or try and run deep. He was a team captain at Virginia Tech and that's a big thing with coach Jason Garrett, who wants players who are respected in the locker room. He can also punt. He did some of it in high school and college, on a limited basis, and can be used in that area in case of an injury. He's a scrappy receiver who is dependable.

Cons: He had limited work on returns, and the Cowboys wanted to get a receiver in the draft who possessed the abilities to return punts and kicks. He's got average height, 5-11 and size, 201 pounds with short arms, measured at 30 1/2, inches which could present a problem. He's not a very good blocker and averaged just one touchdown for every 20 catches.

Cowboy fit: He will compete for the fifth wide receiver spot with Andre Holmes and Raymond Radway. Coale does have speed and size to be a slot receiver but is considered small by some scouts. His positive attitude allows the Cowboys to move him into special teams, he worked on kickoff coverage in college but is willing to play all the units. He can also help out on punts, and anytime you get position flexibility you take advantage of it.

Could have had: Marv Jones, WR, Cal; Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa; James Brown, G, Troy; James Hanna, TE, Oklahoma.

IRVING, Texas -- A couple of notes from two days of news conferences at Valley Ranch.

* There are no new talks involving the team and outside linebacker Anthony Spencer. He signed his $8.8 million franchise tag Monday and reported to the voluntary workouts at Valley Ranch. However, team executive vice president Stephen Jones did say of any contract talks, " No, but they can happen fast."

* Running back DeMarco Murray (ankle) and wide receiver Raymond Radway (leg) are progressing in their recovery from surgeries. Coach Jason Garrett said he expects to see Murray and Radway work out with the team for the veteran minicamps in June, though it hasn't been determined if those two players will be limited in any way.

* In the last two drafts, the Cowboys picked up starters from the first round in Dez Bryant (2010) and Tyron Smith (2011). Sean Lee (second-round pick in 2010) moved into the starting lineup last season and Bruce Carter (2011 second rounder) is expected to compete for a starting role this year. Can it happen again? "But your expectations are certainly first-and second-round players are starters for you sooner rather than later," Garrett said.

* Nice retirement ceremony for tackle Marc Colombo on Wednesday. He rarely spoke with reporters but was polite and always had time to talk Red Sox and Celtics. "He's inspirational," Garrett said, adding later, "A damn good football player." You hope a similar thing can be done for former center Andre Gurode and inside linebacker Bradie James whenever they decide to retire, if they want to retire as Cowboys, which was the case for Colombo.

* Tom Ciskowski, assistant director of player personnel, said the Cowboys don't have any holes and when asked to expound on it said, "Well, I look at our team and what we’re hopefully going to draft over the next three days to upgrade, like I mentioned earlier. But we’ve got some depth at some positions and I just think even we’re not drafting today we can go play tomorrow. And I think Jerry [Jones] alluded to that that we’re just going to try and find the best football players that we can regardless of the position to help us."

The Dallas Cowboys re-signed wide receiver Kevin Ogletree on Friday.

Ogletree, a New York native, visited the New York Giants on Wednesday.

It's a surprise in some ways considering Ogletree lost the No. 3 receiver spot to Laurent Robinson last year and didn't play in the regular-season finale despite being active.

Ogletree will compete with Dwayne Harris, Andre Holmes and Raymond Radway for the No. 3 receiver spot.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was asked about the receiving corps during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday and spoke about Ogletree challenging the younger receivers if he made the roster in 2012.

Ogletree finished the 2011 season with just 15 catches for 164 yards and no touchdowns. He also returned two punts for 35 yards and fielded six kick returns for 114 yards.

The Cowboys most likely will include Ogletree in the return game rotation in 2012 as another way for him to make the team.

IRVING, Texas – At 3:01 p.m. Tuesday, free agency begins.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has promised to be aggressive in pursuit of upgrading a roster that has missed the playoffs the last two seasons and three of the last four.

In order to do so, the Cowboys will have to re-work some contracts to create enough room under the $120.6 million salary cap, but it is feasible the team can add two starters and a veteran backup quarterback and re-sign wide receiver Laurent Robinson.

As the shopping hour approaches, here are some quick questions and answers:

** What are the Cowboys biggest needs?

We’ve talked about this all offseason, but they need help in the secondary (cornerback and safety) and on the interior of the offensive line. They also need a backup quarterback with Jon Kitna’s retirement, and those don’t come too cheaply. They could use a difference maker at defensive end, but those players aren’t flying around free agency. While the Cowboys like Bruce Carter, there is no way to be sold he is their starting inside linebacker next to Sean Lee in 2012. Add inside linebacker to the list. Also add a backup tight end. The goal of free agency should be to fill enough holes to help make the draft process better so you don’t overvalue certain positions in April.

** What to make of the Mario Williams talk?

I just don’t see that happening. In order to sign Williams, the Cowboys would likely have to fork over in the neighborhood of $40 million guaranteed. In other words: DeMarcus Ware money. If they do that, then that would take them out of upgrades elsewhere. Plus, the team placed the franchise tag on Anthony Spencer. This isn’t to debate who is better, Spencer or Williams, but to say who’s the better fit at the price and the chance to fill needs elsewhere. Williams is more dynamic but is just too costly.

** What to do with Laurent Robinson?

The Cowboys have said Robinson is a priority. Robinson, who had 11 touchdowns last year, has said he would love to stay. Both sides want it to happen but if another team wants to blow away Robinson with an offer the Cowboys will not get into a bidding war. It would, however, create the need for a No. 3 receiver. Despite Jones’ talk about Andre Holmes, the Cowboys cannot bank on untested receivers like Holmes, Raymond Radway and Dwayne Harris to pick up the slack.

** Will Jerry Jones make a splash?

In his tenure as owner and general manager, he has made three splashes in free agency in Deion Sanders, Terrell Owens and Leonard Davis. You can put La’Roi Glover in that mix to a degree if you want. That’s it. He had a big one-day signing spree in 2005 on Jason Ferguson, Anthony Henry and Marco Rivera but they weren’t stop-the-presses signings across the league. Jones’ most productive free-agent shopping might have come in 2003 when they added Richie Anderson, Dan Campbell, Toby Gowin and Al Singleton to the roster. Don’t hold your breath on a guy like Williams or New Orleans guard Carl Nicks.

** Will the Cowboys re-sign any of their free agents before the market opens?

Doubtful. League rules prevent them from re-signing Robinson before Tuesday. Mat McBriar’s recent surgery means the two-time Pro Bowl punter will hit the market. They have had some talks with the agent for Keith Brooking but nothing substantial. Abram Elam will be allowed to test the market too. Same with Montrae Holland, who did a nice job at left guard for 10 games.

INDIANAPOLIS -- With Miles Austin and Dez Bryant under contract through 2016 and 2014, respectively, the Cowboys have to figure out a way to pay free-agent-to-be wide receiver Laurent Robinson this offseason.

Austin and Bryant will cost $6.3 million against the salary cap in 2012, but Austin’s cap number shoots up to $8.3 million in 2013. Bryant’s cap numbers in 2013-14 are about $3.2 and $3.4 million.

Can the Cowboys afford to “pay” Robinson, too?

“You’ve got to put, ‘Pay them what?’ before you can really answer,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “We don’t have that today where we are.”

The Cowboys cannot sign Robinson, who led the team with 11 touchdowns in 2011, until free agency begins because he signed a “minimum salary benefit” contract last year.

“It’s a handicap, no question about it,” Robinson’s agent Harold Lewis said. “He loves being a Cowboy and would like to stay, but I really think there is going to be a good market for him.”

Jones and coach Jason Garrett view Robinson as a starting type of player because of how many snaps the No. 3 receiver plays in a game. Austin and Bryant have had health issues that have limited them the last two years, which makes the spot even more important.

“So he’s valuable,” Jones said of Robinson.

If Robinson signs elsewhere, the Cowboys would have to add a wide receiver either through the draft or in free agency. Jones heaped praise on Andre Holmes, who spent most of last season on the practice squad.

“We have a very good young receiver that we’re really proud of and he’s a factor in what we do here with Robinson, not to diminish what Robinson did for us this past year,” Jones said. “He has a real knack of keeping a play alive and that works real well with [Tony] Romo.”

To think the Cowboys could turn the No. 3 job to Holmes, who was undrafted out of Hillsdale, or any of their other receivers left, such as Jesse Holley, Dwayne Harris or Raymond Radway, who missed last year with a broken ankle, would seem to be too much of a gamble.

“Same kind of gamble we had with [Dan] Bailey,” Jones said. “Just any coach or anybody will say, ‘The guy has never played, how can you pencil him in?’ It is but you’ve got to take them … There’s no way you can put a team on the field and not play with players that haven’t played before in the NFL.”

Back in 1998, Dallas Cowboys general manager Jerry Jones bypassed on drafting wide receiver Randy Moss in the first round due to off-the-field issues.

The Cowboys drafted defensive end Greg Ellis.

Fast forward to 2012 and with Moss making his Sugar Ray Leonard return to the NFL, the Cowboys have another chance to get the veteran wideout.

A source said the Cowboys will pass on the wide receiver.

This shouldn't come as a surprise because the Cowboys have some talented and young wide receivers in Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. The team also wants to re-sign Laurent Robinson, who led the team with 11 touchdown receptions in 2011.

Dwayne Harris and Andre Holmes are young players who should compete for playing time in 2012, and if Raymond Radway fully recovers from his leg injury, suffered in the final preseason game, he will see snaps as well.

It's hard to believe any team wants to sign Moss. He missed the entire 2011 season and unlike Terrell Owens, who is coming off ACL surgery, Moss is healthy.

Moss took the Cowboys' decision to draft Ellis personally. In seven career games against the Cowboys, Moss has 10 touchdowns and an 18.9 yards-per-catch average.

This is the third in a 12-part series on the Cowboys roster.

Players: Miles Austin (signed through 2016), Dez Bryant (signed through 2014), Laurent Robinson (unrestricted free agent), Kevin Ogletree (restricted free agent), Dwayne Harris (signed through 2014), Andre Holmes (signed through 2013), Raymond Radway (signed through 2013), Teddy Williams (reserves/future contract)

Top free agents: Wes Welker, New England Patriots; Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints; DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles; Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers; Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs.

Top draft prospects: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State; Michael Floyd, Notre Dame; Kendall Wright, Baylor; Alshon Jeffrey, South Carolina; Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers.

2011 review: Robinson, who was signed in early September after being cut by the Chargers, ended up being the Cowboys’ most effective receiver. It took an injury to Austin and ineffectiveness by Ogletree for Robinson to get a significant role, but he led the Cowboys with 11 touchdown catches and was second among the team’s wideouts in catches (54) and receiving yards (858). Bryant didn’t have a 100-yard game all season, but he made significant progress, finishing his second year with 63 catches for 928 yards and nine touchdowns. Austin was a disappointment in the second year of a $54 million contract. He missed six games due to two hamstring strains, finishing the season with only 43 catches for 579 yards and seven touchdowns.

Offseason preview: The Cowboys’ biggest decision regarding the receiving corps will be whether to re-sign Robinson. He’s made it clear that he wants to return to Valley Ranch and has indicated that the Cowboys wouldn’t necessarily have to be the top bidders to keep him. What the Cowboys would be willing to pay for a No. 3 receiver who has proven he can be a quality fill-in starter isn’t clear. If the Cowboys don’t re-sign Robinson, they’ll need to find another third receiver, whether it’s in the draft or another free-agency bargain.

Bryan Broaddus’ Scout’s Eye: The Cowboys will be set at starters with Austin and Bryant. The biggest question will be if the club makes the effort to try and re-sign Robinson or if it allows him to leave via free agency. I would not be surprised if the front office allows Robinson to walk. If that is the case, then his numbers will need to be replaced. Let's be honest, Ogletree can't do the job as the third receiver. Ogletree has been given every opportunity to step up and take that job, but he can't do it. If not Robinson or Ogletree, there is Holley, Harris, Radway and Holmes. Holley had some productive snaps but mainly on special teams. Harris was off and on the practice squad. Radway is an interesting player because if he didn't get injured on the last play of the preseason game against the Dolphins, there was a great chance he was going to make the roster. The plan will be to try and find another Robinson in free agency with the available receivers. I don't see them using a high pick on a receiver but taking the approach of looking at a height-weight-speed player later.

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