Aug 29 12:41PM CT
By Calvin Watkins
IRVING -- When Montrae Holland began training camp, he was slotted as the starting right guard but his back injury kept him out nearly two weeks of practices and it allowed younger players, to move past him on the depth chart.
Jason Garrett most likely will go with Doug Free, Bill Nagy, Phil Costa, Kyle Kosier and Tyron Smith as his starting offensive line to open the season against the New York Jets on Sept. 11.
Kosier moves from left guard to right guard to help in the development of Smith. Arkin surpassed Holland on the depth chart with his solid work.
"It's an anxious time," said Holland who returned to practice on Monday. "There's competition and as a veteran player you want to be out there going through camp and learning with your new guys and being there for the guys."
The Cowboys most likely will not release Holland, mainly due to a $500,000 roster bonus he received when the league year started. So, keeping a veteran player such as Holland around to backup Kosier, Nagy and David Arkin at the guard spots is important.
"He's a guy that we feel really good about in the role that he's been in for the last couple of years for us," coach Jason Garrett said. "A veteran backup, an interior lineman who can go into games, who has a lot of starts in this league. His injury obviously has been a factor in the opportunities these young linemen have gotten."
Monday, Kosier missed practice on Monday with a sore back and that pushed Holland into first-team reps at right guard in practice.
In some ways if Holland didn't get hurt during training camp he might be in the starting lineup, because it would have minimized the snaps younger players received.
"Whatever I have I will give it to them," Holland said in terms of talking to the younger linemen. "Whenever they have questions, I'll help them out. It's up to them if they have questions, I will give them the answer."
By Calvin Watkins
IRVING -- When Montrae Holland began training camp, he was slotted as the starting right guard but his back injury kept him out nearly two weeks of practices and it allowed younger players, to move past him on the depth chart.
Jason Garrett most likely will go with Doug Free, Bill Nagy, Phil Costa, Kyle Kosier and Tyron Smith as his starting offensive line to open the season against the New York Jets on Sept. 11.
Kosier moves from left guard to right guard to help in the development of Smith. Arkin surpassed Holland on the depth chart with his solid work.
"It's an anxious time," said Holland who returned to practice on Monday. "There's competition and as a veteran player you want to be out there going through camp and learning with your new guys and being there for the guys."
The Cowboys most likely will not release Holland, mainly due to a $500,000 roster bonus he received when the league year started. So, keeping a veteran player such as Holland around to backup Kosier, Nagy and David Arkin at the guard spots is important.
"He's a guy that we feel really good about in the role that he's been in for the last couple of years for us," coach Jason Garrett said. "A veteran backup, an interior lineman who can go into games, who has a lot of starts in this league. His injury obviously has been a factor in the opportunities these young linemen have gotten."
Monday, Kosier missed practice on Monday with a sore back and that pushed Holland into first-team reps at right guard in practice.
In some ways if Holland didn't get hurt during training camp he might be in the starting lineup, because it would have minimized the snaps younger players received.
"Whatever I have I will give it to them," Holland said in terms of talking to the younger linemen. "Whenever they have questions, I'll help them out. It's up to them if they have questions, I will give them the answer."