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Romo, Austin Lead Rookie Free Agent Finds
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys' 2011 draft is incomplete.
The grade? Certainly no "A's, B's and C's" yet. It's too early to judge their eight selections, particularly before any have participated in an official team workout under league lockout restrictions.
No, the overall class is unfinished until the Cowboys can sign rookie free agents - a chancy but surprisingly successful venture for the organization after those seven rounds are complete each year.
The names "Tony Romo" and "Miles Austin" are proof enough. No other NFL team has two multi-time Pro Bowlers - Romo in 2003, Austin in 2006 - who slipped all the way past the "Mr. Irrelevant" pick.
Recruiting them to Dallas were separate home runs. But in recent years the Cowboys have also hit solid singles and doubles in post-draft free agency. Nine others finished the 2010 season on the roster: Safeties Barry Church and Danny McCray (2010), cornerback Bryan McCann, fullback Chris Gronkowski (2010), guard/center Phil Costa, wide receivers Teddy Williams (2010), Kevin Ogletree (2009) and Sam Hurd (2006), and defensive end Stephen Bowen (2006).
Hurd and Bowen have been dependable backups for five seasons - last year Hurd served as special teams captain and Bowen started eight games for an injured Marcus Spears. Church and McCray became fixtures on Joe DeCamillis' special teams units. McCann's two touchdowns (an interception return and a punt return) helped Jason Garrett win his first two games as interim head coach last November.
Another rookie free agent from 2006, safety Abram Elam, wound up becoming a starter for new Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan in Cleveland the past two seasons - and might be a wise free-agent target when the new league year begins.
It's hard to find a Romo or an Austin (or some of the league's best all-time undrafted players like James Harrison, Wes Welker, Warren Moon, Kurt Warner and Antonio Gates). But the league is filled with guys who beat the odds after 250 others heard their name called by the commissioner.
The lockout, reinstated on the second night of the April 28-30 draft, prohibited teams from contacting or signing undrafted players until operations resume. Once they do, the Cowboys will try to find the next Romo. Or Hurd. Or McCray.
"It'll be just like unrestricted free agency, I'm sure. When they turn us loose we'll go to work and we'll see how it turns out," executive vice president Stephen Jones said. "But that's been an important part of our acquisition of personnel is the college free agent process. It's something that we always focus on. I have a lot of confidence that we'll have another good class."
Why have the Cowboys been so successful attracting undrafted players with potential staying power in the league? It starts with the star.
"America's Team" is a marquee brand. The Cowboys have the history, the rings, the attractive venue (for the first time ever, the club held this year's pre-draft "Dallas Day" workouts for local prospects at new Cowboys Stadium) and now, the reputation for finding diamonds in the rough.
Sometimes it's opportunity. In 2003, Romo actually spurned the Denver Broncos and fellow Eastern Illinois alum Mike Shanahan for the Cowboys despite a $10,000 difference in signing bonus offers. The reason? Romo thought he had a better chance to make the Cowboys' roster, and he was right. His competition was Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson and Clint Stoerner.
Don't forget luck, too. The Cowboys liked Romo and Austin (Monmouth) but weren't sure they would transition from small-school competition. Neither did the other 31 teams. But the Cowboys were willing to be patient with their development.
Like always, there's no shortage of undrafted guys this year who might have a future in the league. Kentucky running back Derrick Locke, Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel, Fort Valley State wide receiver Ricardo Lockette, Oklahoma State linebacker Orie Lemon, Richmond defensive lineman Martin Parker and Southern Arkansas defensive lineman Cedric Thornton all easily could have been drafted.
Usually the Cowboys sign 12-15 rookie free agents. They already have approximately 80 players on the offseason roster, the limit for training camp, but can pare down the total through cuts and free agent losses.
Eventually, expect the 2011 rookie class to be complete.
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys' 2011 draft is incomplete.
The grade? Certainly no "A's, B's and C's" yet. It's too early to judge their eight selections, particularly before any have participated in an official team workout under league lockout restrictions.
No, the overall class is unfinished until the Cowboys can sign rookie free agents - a chancy but surprisingly successful venture for the organization after those seven rounds are complete each year.
The names "Tony Romo" and "Miles Austin" are proof enough. No other NFL team has two multi-time Pro Bowlers - Romo in 2003, Austin in 2006 - who slipped all the way past the "Mr. Irrelevant" pick.
Recruiting them to Dallas were separate home runs. But in recent years the Cowboys have also hit solid singles and doubles in post-draft free agency. Nine others finished the 2010 season on the roster: Safeties Barry Church and Danny McCray (2010), cornerback Bryan McCann, fullback Chris Gronkowski (2010), guard/center Phil Costa, wide receivers Teddy Williams (2010), Kevin Ogletree (2009) and Sam Hurd (2006), and defensive end Stephen Bowen (2006).
Hurd and Bowen have been dependable backups for five seasons - last year Hurd served as special teams captain and Bowen started eight games for an injured Marcus Spears. Church and McCray became fixtures on Joe DeCamillis' special teams units. McCann's two touchdowns (an interception return and a punt return) helped Jason Garrett win his first two games as interim head coach last November.
Another rookie free agent from 2006, safety Abram Elam, wound up becoming a starter for new Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan in Cleveland the past two seasons - and might be a wise free-agent target when the new league year begins.
It's hard to find a Romo or an Austin (or some of the league's best all-time undrafted players like James Harrison, Wes Welker, Warren Moon, Kurt Warner and Antonio Gates). But the league is filled with guys who beat the odds after 250 others heard their name called by the commissioner.
The lockout, reinstated on the second night of the April 28-30 draft, prohibited teams from contacting or signing undrafted players until operations resume. Once they do, the Cowboys will try to find the next Romo. Or Hurd. Or McCray.
"It'll be just like unrestricted free agency, I'm sure. When they turn us loose we'll go to work and we'll see how it turns out," executive vice president Stephen Jones said. "But that's been an important part of our acquisition of personnel is the college free agent process. It's something that we always focus on. I have a lot of confidence that we'll have another good class."
Why have the Cowboys been so successful attracting undrafted players with potential staying power in the league? It starts with the star.
"America's Team" is a marquee brand. The Cowboys have the history, the rings, the attractive venue (for the first time ever, the club held this year's pre-draft "Dallas Day" workouts for local prospects at new Cowboys Stadium) and now, the reputation for finding diamonds in the rough.
Sometimes it's opportunity. In 2003, Romo actually spurned the Denver Broncos and fellow Eastern Illinois alum Mike Shanahan for the Cowboys despite a $10,000 difference in signing bonus offers. The reason? Romo thought he had a better chance to make the Cowboys' roster, and he was right. His competition was Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson and Clint Stoerner.
Don't forget luck, too. The Cowboys liked Romo and Austin (Monmouth) but weren't sure they would transition from small-school competition. Neither did the other 31 teams. But the Cowboys were willing to be patient with their development.
Like always, there's no shortage of undrafted guys this year who might have a future in the league. Kentucky running back Derrick Locke, Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel, Fort Valley State wide receiver Ricardo Lockette, Oklahoma State linebacker Orie Lemon, Richmond defensive lineman Martin Parker and Southern Arkansas defensive lineman Cedric Thornton all easily could have been drafted.
Usually the Cowboys sign 12-15 rookie free agents. They already have approximately 80 players on the offseason roster, the limit for training camp, but can pare down the total through cuts and free agent losses.
Eventually, expect the 2011 rookie class to be complete.
