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They sat out the second round after trading up to take cornerback Morris Claiborne in the first, and when the Dallas Cowboys came back on the clock they were still thinking defense. With the 19th pick of the third round of the draft (81st overall), the Cowboys picked Boise State defensive end Tyrone Crawford.

Crawford is a project pick. Most of the scouting reports had 4-3 defensive end as his best fit, with potential to develop into a good 3-4 end. He's not an impact pass-rusher, at least not right away, and is better against the run. But he's got long arms and a big frame and potential to grow into a better pro player as time goes along and he's coached by Rob Ryan and the rest of the Dallas defensive staff.

I don't see this as a move that would allow them to part with Kenyon Coleman or Marcus Spears for salary cap relief, but assuming it's a player in whom they see big potential, the Cowboys are wise to be stocking up on depth in their defensive front. There are decisions and potential changes looming on the defensive line in Dallas in the coming years, and this is a player who could be major asset if he takes the next step he needs to take as a pro.

It was my opinion that the Cowboys needed to find three defensive starters in the first three rounds. After they made the deal to move up to get Claiborne, the best they could do was two. Crawford may not be a starter right away, but he's certainly got a chance to be down the road. Good depth move.

As for that second round, the obvious pick the Cowboys could have made had they not traded up and kept pick No. 45 was not a defensive player but rather Wisconsin's Peter Konz, the draft's best center, who lasted until Atlanta at No. 55. Konz would have solidified the Dallas offensive line at their biggest position of need there, but to stay in position to take him they would have had to sit tight at 14 in the first round and be content with a defensive lineman such as Michael Brockers. I still contend that this would have been a wiser way to go, but the Cowboys believe Claiborne is an elite talent, and if he turns out to be, they'll be happy with the deal they made.

Things didn't work out exactly the way I planned for the Dallas Cowboys in the ESPN blogger mock draft Monday. Yes, the Eagles traded up to No. 7 to take Fletcher Cox, a player the Cowboys like a lot. But for the Cowboys I decided not to get into such excitement. First of all, they don't have the cushion the Eagles have with two second-round picks. And second of all, they need to add depth all along the roster, so I decided that if they traded they'd come away with more picks rather than fewer.

As the draft wound on into the middle of the first round, I was thinking my top Cowboys target, Alabama safety Mark Barron, would be there at No. 14. So when James Walker of the AFC East blog called on behalf of the Patriots and offered a first-round pick (No. 27 overall) and a second-round pick (No. 48), I said no. James pointed out that each side of the deal added up to exactly 1,100 points on the NFL draft trade value chart, and for a second I thought we should make the deal just based on that coincidence alone. But I held off, thinking Barron would fall to 14.

Little did I know, James was also talking to Mike Sando about the Seahawks' No. 12 overall pick. James offered Mike both of the Patriots' first-round picks (No. 27 and No. 31) for the No. 12 pick and a fourth-rounder (N0. 106). Guess I should have asked James for more, because that's a steal for Sando, who happily gave up the No. 12 and began making plans for what to do with his two first-rounders. James moved up to 12 and took Barron for the Patriots, and I started fielding offers for the No. 14 pick.

No one was interested, though, so when 14 rolled around, I took the player I believed would be the highest on the Cowboys' board at that point -- LSU defensive lineman Michael Brockers. What I like about Brockers for the Cowboys is that he's a more polished, NFL-ready prospect than is Dontari Poe (who would fall all the way to the Steelers at No. 24!) and that he's versatile enough to play any spot on the Cowboys' defensive line. He can play inside as a defensive tackle alongside Jay Ratliff when they line up in 4-3 sets. He can play end in a 3-4 (and allow them to move on from Kenyon Coleman or Marcus Spears if they so choose). He can spell Ratliff at the nose when and if they decide to move Ratliff outside. I just felt as though he'd appeal to Rob Ryan as a guy who could do a lot for him -- and do it right away -- in a defense that relies on constantly changing looks and fronts.

I thought about Poe, and Quenton Coples, and Stephon Gilmore, and Dre Kirkpatrick, and Courtney Upshaw. But in the end, I believe that, of the post-Barron choices, Brockers was the one that fit the Cowboys the best.

(NOTE: Stanford guard David DeCastro was also gone, at 11 to the Chiefs, but as you know I believe the Cowboys should be focused on defense in this round. And probably all of them.)

So what do you think, Cowboys fans? Did I get it right? Did I pick the wrong guy? Was I wrong to turn down the Patriots' offer? I eagerly await your feedback.

The inimitable Calvin Watkins, who spends his summer nights at baseball games but still writes about the Dallas Cowboys by day, has a piece on ESPNDallas.com about five Cowboys players whose roster spots could be negatively affected by the draft. One of those players is running back Felix Jones, who lost the starter's job to rookie DeMarco Murray last year and, Calvin thinks, could lose his spot on the team to another rookie depending on how the draft goes:

The Cowboys were interested in Boise State running back Doug Martin, but the storms of last week prevented him from visiting Valley Ranch for a predraft visit. Jones isn't an elite running back, or that matter a No. 1 back. His coach, Jason Garrett, continues to call him a complementary running back, and the team had internal discussions about trading him. If the Cowboys find a younger version, it wouldn't surprise anyone if he's let go. DeMarco Murray, Phillip Tanner and quite possibly a draft doesn't make the Cowboys younger, but gives them some fresh legs.

Would be quite a fall for Jones, from starter in September 2011 to looking for a job in the summer of 2012. But it gives you some idea what the Cowboys think about him. He did an okay job filling in for Murray after Murray got hurt last year, but the offense tailed off considerably with Jones as the lead back. It may be that they believe they need someone or something different in that role -- or that they'd like to give Tanner more carries. Certainly, if you see them draft a running back in the top half of the draft, you have to think Jones is at least in trouble.

The other four players Calvin lists are defensive ends Kenyon Coleman and Marcus Spears, center Phil Costa and receiver Kevin Ogletree, though I don't think it comes as any kind of surprise to think their spots could be in danger. The Cowboys still have a number of areas they can reasonably address in the draft, and veterans do tend to hold their breath until all seven rounds are complete.

We all know that if the San Diego Chargers had hired Rex Ryan instead of Norv Turner to be their head coach in 2007, they'd have two Super Bowl rings by now. This is headline news today, in large part because Ryan has become a prominent head coach at a time when no one in the NFL can seem to take a joke.

But the hubbub over all of this got me thinking about another Ryan -- Rex's brother, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, and whether the Philadelphia Eagles might have been better off hiring him as their defensive coordinator last winter instead of promoting offensive line coach Juan Castillo to the position.

Now, up front, let me say that I don't know that this was possible. Rob Ryan was officially hired by the Cowboys 10 days after the Eagles' playoff loss to the Packers, so it's likely his deal with Dallas was done before the Eagles ever knew they'd be firing defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. So this isn't a column that says the Eagles made a mistake by not getting Rob Ryan. I don't know if they ever could have.

But there's a point to be made here about the value and importance of coaching in the NFL, and the difference between the way the Cowboys' defense and the Eagles' defense have played this season helps make it.

Both defenses needed help. Both underachieved in 2010 -- the Cowboys to devastating levels and the Eagles just enough to cost them down the stretch. Both teams needed to overhaul things on the defensive side of the ball, and they went in different directions to do it. The Cowboys believed they had the player personnel in place to have a good defense if they could just get 2009 stars, such as Anthony Spencer and Mike Jenkins, to play the way they'd played in 2009. Add a safety here, a 3-4 defensive end there, promote Sean Lee to starter, and they felt like they weren't far off. What they needed was somebody who could bring it all together, and so they brought in Rob Ryan, who'd coached the Cleveland Browns' defense to respectability in 2009 and 2010 and clearly knew what he was doing.

The Eagles needed to change personnel, so they decided to overhaul everything. Not only did they switch Castillo from offensive line to defensive coordinator, they brought in respected defensive line coach Jim Washburn. They decided they would play a completely different style of defense, built on linemen who get upfield and harass quarterbacks. They went out into the trade and free-agent markets and brought in two new cornerbacks and two new defensive linemen and built it all up from scratch, and they gave all of this responsibility to a guy who'd been coaching the offensive line for the previous 13 years.

The results? Well, the Eagles have struggled, and the scheme and its administration have come under fire. Washburn's "Wide-9" defensive front appeared to leave the Eagles vulnerable to the run through the first five games, especially because they underspent at linebacker and don't have the players at that position to support the hyper-aggressive line in run defense. For some reason, they're playing their new cornerbacks in zone coverage when they've excelled in the past as man-to-man cover guys. Castillo has shown an ability to adjust and fix things during games, but the Eagles' defense often seems unprepared at the start of games, getting run over early by everybody from Steven Jackson to Fred Jackson to Victor Cruz.

There was a lot to bring together here in a short period of time, and they took a big risk by handing that responsibility to a first-year defensive coordinator. The results are mixed. The Eagles rank 14th in the league in total defense as measured by yards allowed per game, but their struggles in the run game prior to last week and their susceptibility to big plays early in games has cost them dearly.

The Cowboys, who were one of the league's worst defenses in 2010, currently rank fifth in the NFL in total defense. Only the Steelers, Bengals, Ravens and Chargers have allowed fewer yards per game. No team has been tougher against the run. And Dallas has played two of the league's highest scoring teams in its past two games. The Cowboys added Abram Elam at safety and Kenyon Coleman at defensive end -- two guys who'd played for Ryan in Cleveland -- and they let Ryan at the holdovers. The result is that guys such as Lee, Jenkins, Spencer and Terence Newman are playing lights-out. The Cowboys eschewed major personnel changes in favor of a new, stronger voice -- an experienced and accomplished defensive coordinator -- and it appears to be paying off. They're 2-3, but most of that is on the late-game failings of the offense. And with the schedule about to soften up, Dallas' improved defense could be a key to a huge second half.

Two different approaches to similar problems. And the year isn't even halfway over yet, so it's too early to say for sure whose solution was the better one. But the early returns indicate that the Cowboys' decision to emphasize coaching as a way of improving on defense was a smart one, and that the risk the Eagles took by underemphasizing it may prove costly.

When training camp began last month, inside linebacker Sean Lee wasn't even a sure thing to start for the Dallas Cowboys. But after three eye-popping games as their starter, the Cowboys announced Wednesday, Lee has been named the NFC's Defensive Player of the Month. Lee is the first Cowboys player to win this award since it was established in 1986.

The numbers that accompanied the release of this announcement are impressive. The Cowboys have credited Lee with a team-leading 36 tackles through three games. He also has two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, a tackle for a loss and three pass breakups. He's been a revelation at inside linebacker, reducing veteran Keith Brooking to something like an afterthought and symbolizing the effect new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has had on the team.

I had thought that the Cowboys would struggle on defense early in the season as they worked to learn Ryan's complex new scheme -- that the Dallas defense, while talented, would be better in November than it was in September. But the Cowboys have been a very good defensive team so far -- particularly in the second halves of their past two games -- and Lee and the seamless way he seems to fit in with what Ryan is teaching are a big reason why.

Ryan's defense relies on ever-shifting looks and deception. A player like Lee is given an assignment -- be it cover the tight end, spy the running back, rush the passer, play a certain zone, whatever -- but is allowed freedom to determine how he wants to accomplish that assignment. He can line up wherever he wants, for instance, assuming he can get to where he needs to be in time to do his job. The player becomes part of the deception, doing his part to confuse the offense before the snap. And a player like Lee, who plays with speed and intensity and has the ability to put himself around the ball seemingly at all times, can thrive in that kind of a scheme.

Lee isn't the only one thriving. Defensive end Kenyon Coleman and safety Abram Elam, who played for Ryan last year in Cleveland, also have shined. Linebacker Anthony Spencer and cornerback Mike Jenkins, two talented players who regressed last year after strong 2009 campaigns, have rebounded. And DeMarcus Ware, likely the best player Ryan has ever had on one of his defenses, remains an unparalleled pass-rushing force. But Lee has been the battery, the spark plug, the main cog in the Cowboys' defensive machine so far this year, patrolling the middle of the field with unrelenting energy and disrupting offenses at every turn. A well-deserved award, to be sure.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Michael Vick. That's two games in a row the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has failed to finish because of injury, and he's now 1-4 since the big Week 15 comeback against the Giants last year. He may have all kinds of good points about how late guys are hitting him, and his protection is obviously an issue the Eagles need to resolve if he's going to give them anything resembling what he gave them last year. But the facts are these: While Vick is missing fourth quarters and complaining about officials, Eli Manning and Tony Romo are out there winning games in far more difficult circumstances. Vick and the Eagles are going to have to find a way to overcome their challenges, because so far the other teams in the division are doing a better job of it.

2. Redskins offense. The fundamental problem with Washington's offense showed up in a loss to Dallas on Monday night. It's all well and good to lean on the run and work the clock and focus your play calling on avoiding mistakes. And with mistake-prone Rex Grossman as quarterback, it's even wise to do that. For the most part this season, it has worked, and in many games to come it should continue to work. But when the Redskins need somebody to make a big play on offense, they're short on options. The Cowboys severely limited the run game -- Tim Hightower and Roy Helu combined for 56 yards on 19 carries -- and the Redskins couldn't make a play to extend a fourth-quarter drive that could have put the game away. This is what it's going to be this year for this offense -- steady and reliable but nothing special. Their defense is good enough that, most weeks, it should be enough. But the lack of truly explosive talent on offense will show up and cost them at big times.

3. Patience in Philadelphia. Big things were expected of these Eagles, and in the wake of Sunday's loss to the Giants there were calls for the heads of Andy Reid, Juan Castillo, Casey Matthews ... you name him, they're down on him right now in Philadelphia. The Eagles could use one of these feel-good wins like the Giants and Cowboys had this week to make their fans feel good about the team while they work out their issues. The 49ers are no pushovers, but if the Eagles can toughen up against the run and keep Vick (or whoever plays quarterback) clean, they could earn some much-needed good vibes in the City of Brotherly Love.

RISING

1. Eli Manning. He gets ripped for his mistakes, so he deserves praise for a game in which he didn't make any -- especially considering he was throwing mainly to backup receivers, still doesn't have a tight end to speak of and was going up against the Eagles' multimillion-dollar secondary. Manning was cool and calm and patient, waiting for his chances and hitting the big pass when he got it. For the first time since Nov. 28, 2010, he didn't throw an interception. You wanted Manning to be more steady and reliable, and on Sunday, you got it. We'll see if it's the springboard into a steadier season.

2. Cowboys defense. My expectation was, with their starting cornerbacks banged-up and only a month's worth of practices under new coordinator Rob Ryan, the Dallas defense would start the season slowly and improve as it got more comfortable with the new scheme. Instead, the Cowboys have come out firing on defense. Players such as Sean Lee, Anthony Spencer, Kenyon Coleman and of course DeMarcus Ware are thriving in a system that trusts them and allows them the freedom to make the kinds of plays they like to make. They're enjoying themselves, playing like a cohesive unit and were instrumental in making sure the Redskins weren't able to put Monday's game away. A defense that gave up the second most points in the league last year may just be turning back into the Cowboys' strength.

3. Parity. After three weeks, three NFC East teams are 2-1 and the Eagles are 1-2. With the Redskins a real factor and the out-of-division schedules looking soft, it appears the division has a real chance at a four-way race for the top. Both division games were decided in the fourth quarter this week, and that's the kind of tough, hard-fought football I expect to see from the NFC East as the season rolls along. The Cowboys and Giants are feeling good right now, the Eagles and Redskins less so, but I think those temperatures are going to change week-to-week, and all year long.

I don't completely understand the phenomenon that is NFL cutdown day. More specifically, I don't understand the fans' fascination with it. But I recognize that said fascination exists, and that it's awkward for you all to be discussing this on yesterday's post. So here's a new post, written expressly for the purpose of providing you with a fresh comments section in which to discuss things like Kellen Clemens' release from the Washington Redskins. I hope you enjoy it.

Once the cuts are in, I will have a post for each team, breaking it all down. Meantime, based on various reports, we've heard:

• That the Eagles have cut defensive tackles Derek Landri and Anthony Hargrove, meaning they'll go with four defensive tackles -- Cullen Jenkins, Mike Patterson, Antonio Dixon and Trevor Laws. Guess they expect Dixon to be healthy.
• That the Cowboys are cutting Igor Olshansky, which we'd seen coming because of the addition/emergence of Kenyon Coleman.
• That the Giants have picked Steve Weatherford over Matt Dodge as their punter.
• That the Redskins have cut Keiland Williams, over whom several running backs jumped in line this offseason, and defensive lineman Doug Worthington, which could mean they're looking to add at that position.

And more, of course, as most of you know who are tracking these same reports. More later. I promise.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys' coaches don't just announce drills during training camp practices, hollering out "9-on-7s!" as the horn blows and players shift from one field to the other. They're calling out situations. Two minutes to go, one timeout left, second-and-6 on your own 35. The players either huddle or hustle between plays, depending on what the called-out situation calls for. While these are drills only, they're intended to simulate game conditions as closely as they possibly can.

"Will we ever be able to completely recreate a game situation? No," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "But we're going to try our best in practice, and I think all these situational periods had been really good for us. Not only have we created initial situations, but stuff comes up that isn't scripted, and I think our team has handled those well also."

What strikes you when you spend a few days in Cowboys camp is how normal things seem, how businesslike. Sure, they were in San Antonio for a while and now are splitting practice time between the steamy outdoor fields at Valley Ranch and the air-conditioned luxury of Cowboys Stadium. But it's nothing like last year, when they spent August bouncing between those places as well as Canton and California, brimming with the highest possible expectations, proclaiming with confidence the goal of being the first team to play a Super Bowl in its home stadium.

A 6-10 record and a new coach can humble you, for sure, after a summer like that, and there's no doubt these Cowboys are humbled by the way things went in 2010. But if the end result is the atmosphere Garrett has created in his first training camp as head coach, there are worse things.

"We certainly want an atmosphere where guys like to coach and play football, but we absolutely want to be organized and prepared," Garrett said after Friday morning's workout at the stadium. "We want it to be businesslike when we're out there doing our work, out there on the field and also in the meeting rooms. We want to create a nice, professional atmosphere where we feel like we can function the best."

Garrett exudes both confidence and competence. He has waited his whole life for this chance, but he doesn't seem over-eager or phony about the way he's putting his long-held ideas about how to be a head coach into practice. He is smart, knowledgeable and self-assured, and it's emanating throughout the building. Around a team that often, throughout its history, has been known for something of a circus atmosphere, the mentality this August is straight lunch pail.

"Everybody here knows, whatever we get, we're going to have to work for it," right guard Kyle Kosier said. "Whether it's your spot on the roster or in the starting lineup or a Week 1 win or a playoff spot, it's about putting in this time right here and working. And that's all that's on anybody's mind right now."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Can the defense learn Rob Ryan's scheme in time? The Cowboys brought in Ryan to be their new defensive coordinator. And while they signed free-agent safety Abram Elam and free-agent defensive end Kenyon Coleman -- both played under Ryan in Cleveland the past two seasons -- the group they're bringing back on defense is otherwise the same as the one that allowed the second-most points in the league last season. Ryan is charged with fixing that, but of course the lockout denied him the opportunity to use spring minicamps and organized team activities as part of his installation process. The defense is trying to cram a whole offseason's worth of learning into one month, and there's a lot to learn. Ryan's defense is based on multiple and ever-changing looks, and a complexity designed to make things as confusing as possible for opposing offenses. But Garrett said he has faith in the quality of his defensive personnel and the ability of his flamboyant new coordinator to teach.

"It's difficult. There are a lot of looks," Garrett admitted. "But the other part to that, too, is that I think he grew up in a very fundamentally sound system in the NFL -- linebacker coach for New England for four years during their Super Bowl era in the early 2000s. So he has a very good feel for base defensive football, and then he has an ability to evolve in different situations and make it more difficult for opposing offenses. So we feel excited about that, and we're excited to see our players play within this system."

2. Can they put together an offensive line? There are some new and inexperienced pieces here. Rookie Tyron Smith, the ninth overall pick in this past draft, will start at right tackle. Every day Smith gets an extra tutoring session with offensive line coach Hudson Houck and a series of rotating instructors that has included Kosier, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, left tackle Doug Free and others. Smith is ultra-talented but needs work on his footwork and learning the schemes. And as with the players learning the new defense, he has to cram. The Cowboys moved Kosier from left guard to right so he could work more closely with the rookie, but now they need a left guard. And while that still has a good chance to be Montrae Holland or Phil Costa, later-round rookies David Arkin and Bill Nagy have been getting first-team reps lately and one of them could end up starting Week 1.

3. Who is the No. 3 wide receiver? One of the first things the Cowboys did when the lockout ended and free agency began was cut receiver Roy Williams to help create cap room. That also created a vacancy at the No. 3 wide receiver spot behind Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. Kevin Ogletree appears first in line to grab the opportunity, though Raymond Radway and Dwayne Harris have shown flashes. Some have suggested the Cowboys need to go out and get a veteran to fill the spot, but with tight end Jason Witten a near-lock for 90-plus catches, running backs Felix Jones and DeMarco Murray potential factors in the passing game and depth at both of those positions, the Cowboys feel as though the No. 3 wide receiver might be the No. 5 target for Tony Romo for most of the season.

THE BUTLER CAN DO IT

Third-year linebacker Victor Butler has been an eye-opener in camp, and some have suggested he might be a threat to Anthony Spencer's starting spot on the side opposite Ware. More likely, he's a guy to add to the pass-rush mix and give them depth and the ability to vary those looks even more. If anything, the camp Butler is having could serve to motivate Spencer to return to his 2009 form after a disappointing 2010.

"You can never have too many pass-rushers on one team," Ware said. "When the Giants won against the Patriots, they had several really great pass-rushers. Pressure is what gets things going. So to be able to develop another third-down guy will really help us out a lot."

TURNING UP A CORNER

The Cowboys did not sign free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, though they tried, and they'll go with Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman as starting cornerbacks again. The problem is, injuries have kept both Jenkins and Newman sidelined so far in camp, and Newman is out until at least the regular-season opener. This is a spot where the Cowboys struggled mightily in 2010, and they're not going to have their defense the way they want it until they get Jenkins and Newman back on the field. The one positive to come out of this is that backup corner Orlando Scandrick has looked very good in a starter's role so far in camp, so maybe they have some quality depth there that they didn't know they had.

OBSERVATION DECK

• The Cowboys might have more at defensive end than we thought immediately post-free agency. Coleman looks as if he's poised to steal Igor Olshansky's starting spot from him, and Jason Hatcher has looked rejuvenated and been an asset in the pass rush. Letting Stephen Bowen go to the Redskins felt like a loss at first, but re-signing Marcus Spears and Hatcher and bringing in Coleman might have made them deeper than they'd have been if they'd stayed pat.
• The kicking competition looks miserable, with neither David Buehler nor Dan Bailey having seized the opportunity and Kai Forbath unable to get on the field because of injury. Don't rule out the possibility that the kicker the Cowboys go with this season isn't on the roster yet.
• Jones and Romo aren't new or exciting names around here, but they look as good as anyone in camp on offense. When I watched them practice against the Chargers on Thursday, the Cowboys were using Jones around end a lot, and he looks like he has great burst. The offensive linemen I spoke with all hope he gets a chance at full-time carries, because they believe he and Bryant can be "spark plug" guys.
• Elam was a critical signing, as he'll be responsible for the secondary calls and has been vitally important in helping the holdover players understand the language Ryan is speaking. I'm interested to see if the secondary looks more organized Sunday night having had an additional week-plus practicing with Elam.
• The Cowboys are serious about Nagy, who was a seventh-round pick after not playing much in his senior season at Wisconsin. He was seriously hurt in a moped accident as a junior and then was passed on the depth chart by a few other guys, so much of the action he got as a senior was actually at tight end. But the Cowboys love his athleticism and maturity. They could start him at guard early in the season, and there are some who think he could eventually start at center for them down the road.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- If you watched the Dallas Cowboys' preseason opener last week, you saw some issues in the secondary. Communication issues. Confusion. Couple of mistakes that looked as though they were the result of people not knowing exactly where they were supposed to be in certain situations. Much of this can be attributed to the absence of starting cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman. But some can be attributed to the fact that, at that point, they'd only had five or six practices with newly signed safety Abram Elam.

"He's the quarterback of the secondary back there, and we didn't have him for the first five days of practice because of the rules," Cowboys player personnel director Stephen Jones told me Thursday. "But man, when he got in there, it did wonders. You can really see what a difference it makes, having a guy back there who can answer questions. Because there's a lot when it comes to learning [defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's] scheme. And to have a guy out there who can help guys out and quarterback them is real important."

That was part of the appeal of Elam as a free-agent signing for the Cowboys -- not only his talent at a position of need, but the fact that he can "speak Rob Ryan" to players unfamiliar with Ryan's complex scheme. Elam and defensive end Kenyon Coleman both played in Cleveland the past two years when Ryan was defensive coordinator there.

"I think it's big, because I'm familiar with what he's looking for and familiar with the system," Elam said Friday after the Cowboys' morning walk-through. "So when guys have questions about what we used to do and how we do certain things, I can elaborate on that for him. I guess I have a nice comfort with the system and an understanding of what's going on, so I can be more detailed to some of the guys."

Because of that, the longer the defense practices with Elam at safety, the better the communication and results are likely to be in the secondary. And while it will help once Jenkins (who's out at least one more preseason game) and Newman (who's out for the entire preseason) are back and healthy, you're likely to see a difference Sunday night against the Chargers, even with backups Orlando Scandrick and Alan Ball getting the starts in their place.

"I think we all are learning together," Elam said. "We're learning the system as well as learning each other, how to play with each other. And I think, the more all of us can grasp the scheme and communicate it, it'll make us better as a secondary."

DALLAS -- Flight was good, thanks for asking. Would have fired up a blog post or two when I got in, but I got sidetracked by the Blue Goose Cantina. Figured there'd be plenty with which to fill up the blog today. And there is! Starting, of course, with the links.

Dallas Cowboys

Miles Austin has a hamstring injury and looks as though he'll miss Thursday's scrimmage (and possibly Sunday's game) against the Chargers. While it does not sound as if the injury is serious enough to threaten Austin's availability for the season, his absence should offer plenty of opportunities for people like Kevin Ogletree, Dwayne Harris, Raymond Radway and the like to show what they can do as the Cowboys continue to hunt for a No. 3 receiver. They'd like to find that on their roster rather than have to go out on the market to get one.

Charean Williams raises the possibility of the Cowboys trading Igor Olshansky -- maybe to Houston, where Wade Phillips is the defensive coordinator -- if they're not going to use him. Olshansky, she says (yeah, try saying that 10 times fast), has slipped behind Kenyon Coleman in the rotation at defensive end. And while Olshansky is saying all the right things about learning the new defense from Coleman, who played for Rob Ryan in Cleveland, Charean think he may be a better fit with Phillips than with Ryan.

New York Giants

Mike Tanier takes a detailed look at the Giants' running-back tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Most interesting part for me was the Football Outsiders numbers that show that Bradshaw has a higher per-carry rushing average (by a full yard) when running between the tackles than he does when running to the outside and that Jacobs last year had one of the best per-carry averages in the league when running to the outside. Yeah, you'd think it'd be the opposite, given Jacobs' size. Point is, they're both really good and should be relied on heavily in a number of different ways this year.

Giants safety Antrel Rolle was one of the few University of Miami alumni now in the NFL who spoke Wednesday about the damning Yahoo! Sports report that exposed a massive extra-benefits scandal at the school. Rolle was defiant, sidestepped questions about his own involvement and seemed interested in doing what he could to impugn Nevin Shapiro, the jailed former booster whose information is behind the report. Those Miami guys think of themselves as an exclusive kind of club. They'll close ranks on this thing. Rolle won't be the last one you read saying this same stuff.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles' training staff says it believes Jeremy Maclin will be ready for the season opener Sept. 11 in St. Louis, now that his tests have come back clean and all that remains is his recovery from the surgery he had last week to remove lymph nodes so they could be checked for cancer. The plan is for Maclin to start rehabbing this weekend, following the Eagles' game tonight in Pittsburgh, and to begin practicing within a week to 10 days. It's not as though he has to learn a new offense or get used to a new quarterback, so at this point it's all about making sure Maclin is at full strength.

Somewhat short, super-fast former CFL star Phillip Hunt is trying to earn a spot on the roster amid the crowd of quality defensive linemen the Eagles have. He thinks his speed and quickness give him a chance in Jim Washburn's scheme, which emphasizes an ability to get into the backfield in a hurry.

Washington Redskins

Mike Shanahan said he doesn't think Rex Grossman's experience running the Redskins' offense gives him a significant edge over John Beck in the starting quarterback competition. Just remember who was giving you the straight dope on this stuff even while Grossman was getting everybody all fired up last Friday night. Just remember who's looking out for you. Beck would have to get injured or look completely incompetent over the next three weeks to not be the starter Sept. 11 against the Giants.

Tim Hightower was impressed by the Redskins offensive line he ran behind last week. "I didn't know those guys could move like that," he told Rich Campbell. The Redskins' zone-blocking scheme emphasizes quickness, movement and athleticism by the offensive linemen and, when Shanahan used it in Denver, made stars out of running backs. Hightower liked the way they moved Friday, which is good, because the back has to be able to work in relation to that movement. I personally was impressed by the lack of penalties for which the line got called in that game.

So yeah, it's off to Valley Ranch to see the Cowboys (and, apparently, the Chargers) this morning. Will keep you posted best I can. Not sure how much of the scrimmage we'll get to see. And of course, I'll be watching the Eagles game this evening and tweeting like a madman. In between? Who knows what awaits us on another day in the NFC East? It's only 85 degrees here now, but it's only 7 am. They say it's going to get a little warmer...

We were promised Jeremy Maclin news Tuesday and didn't get it. As of this morning, neither Maclin nor the Philadelphia Eagles have issued any kind of statement on the mysterious medical condition that has kept the star wide receiver from practicing in training camp. You won't get speculation here, and if I had any real information on it I'd tell you. But the longer this goes, the more it puts Maclin in jeopardy of missing the start of the season. And while his status as a football player obviously isn't as important as his personal health, we don't know anything about the latter except that it's not good enough to allow him to play. So that's all we can write about right now.

More Eagles

Rich Hoffman says protecting Michael Vick's blind side is the key to the Eagles' season. Right tackle Winston Justice is still hurt. Ryan Harris, his apparent replacement, is hurt. King Dunlap, one of the largest human beings I've ever seen, is slated to start there in Thursday night's preseason game. And they have a rookie, first-round draft pick Danny Watkins, in line to start at right guard. Hoffman's right. These are questions they need to answer.

Hall of Fame Eagles receiver Pete Pihos died Tuesday at the age of 87 after a long bout with Alzheimer's disease. The story of Pihos' final years is an achingly familiar one we've read before about the later lives of former NFL players. Dementia. Swindled out of a bunch of money. These guys get old and forgotten and suffer for having played NFL football. It's why retired players groups were working so hard to make sure they were taken care of in the recent labor negotiations.

Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones says that if Felix Jones has a good year, so will the Cowboys. With those other backs hurt, and based on a creeping suspicion, I was already sliding ol' Felix up my fantasy draft board a bit. Hope Jerry didn't let the secret out. What's that? He says this every year? Oh, right.

Igor Olshansky says he doesn't care whether he starts or not, which could be a good thing, since it looks as though he might not. The Cowboys believe they have a lot of defensive end depth now with Kenyon Coleman having joined the mix and Jason Hatcher freed from his elevator prison.

New York Giants

The Giants signed Rhys Lloyd, who's a kicker who only kicks off and never kicks field goals. My first thought was that they only did this because Lawrence Tynes has that thigh injury and they need someone who can kick off in their preseason game Monday night. Then I read that they tried to sign Lloyd last year, so I thought maybe there was more to it. Then I remembered that nobody's going to need a kickoff-only kicker anymore because every kicker in the league is going to be able to drill the ball through the back of the end zone now that kickoffs have been moved up to the 35-yard line. So I'm back to thinking it's that first thing I said.

Mike Vaccaro says the return of Osi Umenyiora isn't the only reason to feel good about the Giants' defense going into this year. Man, the narrative on the Giants has shifted in just one week, hasn't it?

Washington Redskins

Kevin Barnes is a guy who could play a big role in the Redskins' secondary this year. With Phillip Buchanon suspended for the first four games, Barnes will get a lot of chances to play, even if it's only as the nickel corner with DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson as the starters. Stephen Whyno takes a look at Barnes and what he's up to as he prepares for the season.

Roy Helu tells Brian Tinsman that he learned a lot in his first NFL preseason game and is looking forward to putting those lessons into practice in the next one. He also says Tim Hightower has been great working with the younger backs on the roster, which I found kind of funny because Hightower is only 25 years old. I mean, it's great he's working with the less experienced guys and all, but a veteran at 25? Gives you an idea why they were fired up to be able to get him.

Enjoy the day, folks. I'll have a few things up before my flight to Dallas. And who knows? Maybe we get that Maclin news ...

Up and at 'em, folks. It's a Tuesday, which means a chat and a variety of other fun stuff here in the NFC East. We begin, of course, with the links.

Dallas Cowboys

Newly signed defensive end Kenyon Coleman got first-team reps in practice Monday. Everybody says don't read anything into it, but what's the fun in that? Coleman played for Rob Ryan in Cleveland the past two years and is therefore one of those players, like Abe Elam on the back end, who can help other players understand what the new defensive coordinator is talking about. And this development, along with the encouraging early performance of Jason Hatcher, doesn't make things look real good for Igor Olshansky and his chances to remain a starting defensive end for long. Coaches are saying it's a rotation with those three and Marcus Spears, and that may be. For now, we'll try not to read too much into it.

Speaking of Hatcher, he got stuck in an elevator at some point Monday. Why is this significant? Only because Hatcher is listed at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, which means he barely fit in the elevator to begin with. If you're a normal-sized person, imagine being stuck in a really tiny elevator. There. Now you know how scared Hatcher must have been.

New York Giants

Dave D'Alessandro writes that Osi Umenyiora could still muck things up for the Giants because he hates his contract so much. I don't agree with Dave. I think Umenyiora's pushed this thing as far as it'll go this particular season and we won't hear about this again until next offseason. But Dave has a quote from Cornel West in there, and nothing else I'll link to this morning can make that claim.

Domenik Hixon was thrilled to be on the field again Saturday night, a year after wrecking his knee in a Giants practice. They're bringing him along slowly, but if he shows he's healthy, I make Hixon the favorite for that No. 3 receiver spot and to regain his place, as he says he intends to, on special teams.

Philadelphia Eagles

In this notebook, Tim McManus reports that DeSean Jackson will play Thursday night against the Steelers. I, for one, have my popcorn ready. Perhaps even more significantly, it sounds as though we will have news on Jeremy Maclin at some point today.

Paul Domowitch takes a look at the way the Eagles are employing a "wide nine" alignment of their defensive ends under new defensive line coach Jim Washburn. Click and learn about the "truth line."

Washington Redskins

Tight ends Fred Davis and Logan Paulsen earned high marks for their blocking efforts in Friday's preseason opener with Chris Cooley sidelined by injury, Rich Campbell writes. Tight end is one position on the roster at which the Redskins look very strong, and that has led some to wonder if they're planning to deploy multiple-tight end sets to take advantage of the receiving skills of both Cooley and Davis. But everything I've heard and read (including this) indicates that they plan to use their tight ends to block. Consider that free advice if you haven't had your fantasy draft yet.

Another position at which the Redskins are strong is safety, assuming starters LaRon Landry and O.J. Atogwe get healthy. Which it appears they are.

As I mentioned, we will chat at noon ET, as we do every Tuesday. So be there. Meanwhile, lots more to come today, including the Maclin stuff, some thoughts on Eli Manning interceptions and everything you ever wanted to know about John Beck and just what the Redskins coaches see in him.

Bit of a slow day on the free-agent front. Unless you're the Eagles, that is. But all of our teams are practicing now, and there are things happening. So we ask, as we have at the end of each night this week: How was your day ...

Dallas Cowboys?

"Patient." No, the fans aren't patient, but the Cowboys are. They still need those two safeties. But they began the day with the news that they were bringing in Kenyon Coleman for the defensive line, and they haven't reacted to the Eagles' spree by doing anything rash. No one could reasonably look back over this week and claim it's been a very good one for the Cowboys. And Saturday saw a bunch of lousy things happen that had nothing to do with the Eagles and all of their good fortune. They've got injuries all over the place, from running back (DeMarco Murray and Tashard Choice) to punter (Mat McBriar) to linebacker (Keith Brooking) to wide receivers coach (Jimmy Robinson, who was knocked unconscious during a special teams drill and briefly hospitalized). Their salary cap issues have forced them to go slower than they'd prefer to go in free agency. But Jerry Jones spoke Saturday about the mistakes of offseasons past, and listening to that, maybe it's not a bad idea to be a little bit patient for a change.

New York Giants?

"Refreshing." The Giants got back to work on the practice field Saturday, holding their first practice of training camp. The Giants are having evening practices only this year. Tom Coughlin likes evening practices, so when they told him he couldn't have two-a-days anymore as a result of the new labor deal, he scrapped the morning practices and kept the evening ones. Said he wanted to use the daytime for meetings and film, since they were so far behind on installations due to the lockout. Coughlin likes to work, and getting the players on the field with the coaches at long last could help distract the Giants from the apparent fact that Plaxico Burress was only using them to drum up interest from other teams and that they still haven't come to agreements with Ahmad Bradshaw, Kevin Boss and Steve Smith, let alone the free-agent linebacker they need. They picked up veteran guard Chris White to add to their offensive line depth. And they did score a victory in their ongoing dispute with Osi Umenyiora over his contract, as Umenyiora decided to show up. Seems as though he'll keep expressing his displeasure, but that he's not going to actually do anything about it because he really can't. So that's a little victory, even if what was happening with the team down I-95 was a little bit more spectacular.

Philadelphia Eagles?

"Celebratory." The Eagles were already the talk of the league Saturday in the wake of their surprise Nnamdi Asomugha signing, and they surprised again with the announcement that they'd signed free-agent defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins. They traded Brodrick Bunkley to the Browns for a fifth-round pick and to save about $2 million in salary cap space so they could keep hunting for linebacker help, offensive line help, maybe Burress and possibly look into new deals for DeSean Jackson and/or Michael Vick. So in the past three days they've added Asomugha, Jason Babin, Jenkins, Vince Young, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a second-round pick, a fifth-round pick and a little bit of helpful cap room. No wonder the fans of the other three teams are jealous.

Washington Redskins?

"Quiet, again." Nothing, really, out of Ashburn for the second day in a row. The Redskins were having the busiest week of any team in the division until Friday, and now they have fallen silent. Nothing new on the hunt for a right guard. Some whispers that they're after Braylon Edwards, but nothing solid on that yet. (Though I do think it'd be a nice signing.) Just some calm, quiet practices where everybody's passed their conditioning tests and they're working on putting together a decent defense. The Redskins will make some news again this off-season, but remember -- they're rebuilding for the future, and are maybe the one team one this list for whom patience shouldn't be a frustrating attribute right now.

Me, my day was all right. Slept a little bit later than I had been, went for a nice five-mile run, lunch with the family, watched a little baseball. Busy, but not as all-hours, wall-to-wall busy as the week had been. More to come tomorrow, I'm sure, and then Monday I'll be on location from Redskins camp as I begin my training camp tour. So it was nice to get an hour here and an hour there to relax a bit Saturday.

How about you. How was your day?

When you bring in a new coach or coordinator and install a new system, it sometimes helps to bring with him players who've been playing for him and/or in his system. Such is the case with defensive end Kenyon Coleman, who played the past two seasons in Cleveland under defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Ryan is now the defensive coordinator of the Cowboys, and early this morning the Cowboys agreed to terms with Coleman on a two-year contract, according to Todd Archer.

Coleman, 32, was a backup lineman for the Cowboys from 2003-06. He spent two years as a productive starter for the New York Jets before moving in 2009 to Cleveland, where he blossomed under Ryan.

His is not the most exciting signing for which Cowboys fans could have hoped Friday. (You have to rearrange the letters in "Housing a madman" or "A mimosa handgun" in order to find that guy's name.) But along with fellow defensive end Marcus Spears, who signed Friday, he fills a need. Spears, Coleman and Igor Olshansky make up a fine defensive end rotation to go along with nose tackle Jay Ratliff, and now they can get to work on finding a couple of safeties.

In the meantime, in Coleman, they've added someone who can help the Cowboy defenders who aren't sure what Ryan is talking about figure it out.

Here's one we didn't see coming. The Washington Redskins, per the indefatigable Adam Schefter, have agreed to terms with former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Stephen Bowen on a five-year, $27.5 million contract that includes $12.5 million in guarantees. I have several thoughts on this.

1. Wow, that's a lot of money for Stephen Bowen, a nice 3-4 defensive end who wasn't really even guaranteed a starting role in Dallas this year if he'd stayed. He's a good athlete with great size, and he's only 27 years old. But the Redskins appear to have given starter money to a rotational defensive end whose specialty is rushing the passer. I wonder how much more Cullen Jenkins was asking for that they decided to move down the list and offer this much to Bowen.

2. Odd as it might seem, it appears to fit with a couple of the Redskins' other offseason moves. Cornerback Josh Wilson, for instance, is a young, still-emerging talent who's likely to get better with time, and the Redskins' coaches know they're in the middle of a rebuilding project. If you concede that Washington isn't likely to contend in 2011 and that they need pieces that can grow in their system so they can contend in the years beyond, you can make the case for Bowen as a guy like that. I just don't see why it had to be for so much money.

3. This also impacts the Cowboys, who had been talking to Bowen about re-signing. Dallas still needs two starting defensive ends. The Cowboys could still bring back Marcus Spears and might. And if this takes the Redskins out of the running for Jenkins, as I assume it does, it could improve the Cowboys' chances of getting Jenkins. But if Jenkins was asking a lot more than what Bowen got from Washington, how can the cap-strapped Cowboys afford him? They still need two safeties, remember. Names like Robaire Smith and Kenyon Coleman have come up for the Cowboys as defensive-end possibilities along with Jenkins and Spears, but the Bowen signing takes one of their targets out of play and likely moves the market upward for the remaining ones.