Cowboys cut Brodney Pool

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OXNARD, Calif. -- Safety Brodney Pool, who was signed during the offseason to help the Dallas Cowboys' struggling secondary, was released by the team Monday -- just one week after he failed his conditioning test.

Rookie cornerback Isaac Madison also was released Monday. Wide receiver David Little and running back Javarris Williams signed contracts and should practice this week.

The Cowboys' decision to cut Pool, who was entering his eighth NFL season, sends a significant message to the team.

"As we went forward with the offseason and the early part of camp, we just didn't think it was a good fit for our team right now," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Monday. "We feel good about how the young guys have stepped up into roles. We like the competition we have there. We'll see how it goes once we play in the preseason games."

When asked Monday if he believed the failed conditioning test hurt him, Pool said, "You have to ask the coaches."

He said he was disappointed, "but I will move on though."

Pool said last week that he wasn't "embarrassed, I was just disappointed," after failing the initial conditioning test. "I had run the previous Friday and did pass it, but when I got here I didn't pass it, so you live and you learn."

Pool eventually passed his conditioning test but worked with the second-team defense while Barry Church got snaps with the first team.

"I can control what I can control and that's going out there and making plays when I'm out there and that's what I hope when I'm out there," Pool said.

During offseason workouts, Pool received snaps with the first-team defense, but things changed after Pool failed the test.

Pool signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys with a $100,000 signing bonus, with the hope he would become the starter alongside Gerald Sensabaugh.

Little attended the Cowboys' rookie minicamp this summer. While at Midwestern State, Little was named the Lone Star Conference's receiver of the year and was a first-team all-conference player in 2010 and 2011.

Williams spent last season with the Houston Texans practice squad before being released. He was a seventh-round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009.

The Cowboys have depth issues at wide receiver and running back because of injuries.

Phillip Tanner (hand) and Lance Dunbar (hamstring) are out with injuries for an undetermined length of time. The Cowboys came to training camp with eight running backs, and injuries to Tanner and Dunbar forced the team to give Ed Wesley and Jamize Olawale more snaps.

The wide receiver corps has three players out because of injuries: Miles Austin (hamstring), Saalim Hakim (finger) and Danny Coale (broken toe), though Coale could return this week.

The Cowboys also missed Cole Beasley, who left the team for a day to deal with a personal issue. He returned to the team Sunday and participated in the Blue and White scrimmage, getting at least two catches and drawing a pass interference penalty.

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Calvin Watkins

ESPNDallas.com

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Calvin Watkins joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He's covered the Cowboys since 2006 and also has covered colleges, boxing and high school sports.