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OCT 19 5:24 PM CT
IRVING, Texas -- Because Terence Newman and Dez Bryant play so much on defense and offense, Kevin Ogletree is likely to handle most of the punt return duties Sunday against St. Louis.
Ogletree has one return in his career for no yards.
"What we'd like to be able to do is be able to use each of those guys when we need to use them," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "That's why they'll continue to be back there working in practice and be ready to do it in the game. Terence is a starter as well [as Bryant], and you've just got to manage that situation as best you can. Kevin Ogletree has done a nice job back there in practice catching the punts. He’s been doing it since the start of training camp. We just want to maximize that opportunity and at the same time make sure we're securing the football."
The job opened up after the Cowboys cut rookie Dwayne Harris to make room for guard Daniel Loper. Harris averaged 6.6 yards per punt return. Bryant had two returned punts for touchdowns as a rookie last year but was injured on his only return this season against the New York Jets.
"Dez wasn't a full-time starting player last year at receiver, so we felt we could give him some more return opportunities," Garrett said. "We feel he's a dynamic returner. At the same time, he's our starting X receiver, so you've got to be selective in how you use those guys in the return game. He has to continue to catch punts and even catch some kickoffs as well and if he's needed to do that, he has to be ready to do that. But you try to get some of your starting players off of some of those special teams as much as they can, because they're playing so many plays on offense and defense."
IRVING, Texas -- Because Terence Newman and Dez Bryant play so much on defense and offense, Kevin Ogletree is likely to handle most of the punt return duties Sunday against St. Louis.
Ogletree has one return in his career for no yards.
"What we'd like to be able to do is be able to use each of those guys when we need to use them," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "That's why they'll continue to be back there working in practice and be ready to do it in the game. Terence is a starter as well [as Bryant], and you've just got to manage that situation as best you can. Kevin Ogletree has done a nice job back there in practice catching the punts. He’s been doing it since the start of training camp. We just want to maximize that opportunity and at the same time make sure we're securing the football."
The job opened up after the Cowboys cut rookie Dwayne Harris to make room for guard Daniel Loper. Harris averaged 6.6 yards per punt return. Bryant had two returned punts for touchdowns as a rookie last year but was injured on his only return this season against the New York Jets.
"Dez wasn't a full-time starting player last year at receiver, so we felt we could give him some more return opportunities," Garrett said. "We feel he's a dynamic returner. At the same time, he's our starting X receiver, so you've got to be selective in how you use those guys in the return game. He has to continue to catch punts and even catch some kickoffs as well and if he's needed to do that, he has to be ready to do that. But you try to get some of your starting players off of some of those special teams as much as they can, because they're playing so many plays on offense and defense."
