Dez Bryant

Rookie hazing is basically a time-honored tradition in the NFL. Every player experiences it and then moves on. That is, every player except Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant.

Bryant, who has shined in the first two days of Cowboys training camp, refused to carry the shoulder pads of fellow receiver Roy Williams. Bryant thinks every player can carry their own pads.

“I’m not doing it,” Bryant said. “I feel like I was drafted to play football, not carry another player’s pads.”

“If I was a free agent, it would still be the same thing. I just feel like I’m here to play football. I’m here to try to help win a championship, not carry someone’s pads. I’m saying that out of no disrespect to [anyone].”

Williams, who’s entering his seventh season (third with Cowboys), disagrees with Dallas’ 24th overall pick. In fact, he even threatened to go to “step-two”, meaning:

“We’ll find out. Definitely going to find out,” Williams said. “I don’t know. I’ve seen guys take people’s credit cards and go fill up their cards and wife’s cards and everything. There’s a lot of dirt that goes on in that locker room.”

Personally, I think Bryant should’ve just gone through with it. It’s a tradition that goes on in every NFL training camp year after year. This heap of press over something so minuscule won’t do him any favors in the locker room. Though I bet it’ll push him harder to try and beat out Williams for that starting spot opposite Miles Austin.

Nevertheless, the 21-year old Bryant didn’t need this distraction after getting off to such a hot start early on in Cowboys camp.

Marcus Spears

Defensive end Marcus Spears isn’t going anywhere.

In light of recent speculation, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told Alex Marvez, of FOX Sports, that the team has no interest in trading Spears.

The Dolphins were linked to Spears after losing Phillip Merling (torn Achilles tendon) for the season, but that has no chance of happening now. Knowing that, Miami went out and signed former Jets DE Marques Douglas today to a two-year deal.

Spears has been on the trade block since April, when the Cowboys were shopping him and a handful of other players right before the draft. It’s no surprise Jones wanted to unload him pre-draft, now he’ll just hold onto the former first-round pick and hope the light flips on for him in 2010.

Since being selected 20th overall in 2005, Spears has battled injuries and heavy criticism following his lackluster production. In five seasons, he has accumulated only 107 tackles and 8 sacks.

O.J. Atogwe

With Rams safety O.J. Atogwe scheduled to become a free-agent at midnight, there are a handful of teams that could be fighting over who lands the talented young defensive back.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, there’s a possibility that Atogwe could stay with the Rams, but teams such as the Dolphins, Vikings, and Cowboys could be interested in signing him.

Miami and Dallas’ interest has been noted previously, but this is the first time the Vikes have been linked to Atogwe. Safety is an area of need for them, and they’re only a couple of pieces away from making a serious push at a championship. Especially if Brett Favre returns for another season, which is looking likely.

It will be worth watching what O.J’s priorities are. Does he go for the cash? Does winning mean more to him? A little of both? I can’t imagine he’ll last long on the open market, so we should get some clarity within the next 24-48 hours.

UPDATE: Well, it’s 15 minutes past midnight. Per La Canfora, there’s no new agreement on a deal or tender between the Rams and Atogwe, officially making him an unrestricted free agent. Let the bidding begin.

UPDATE #2: Looks like the Dolphins, 49ers and Cowboys are out. Minnesota it is? Stay tuned.

UPDATE #3: Schefter reiterates that the Cowboys, Eagles, 49ers and Lions aren’t in play for Atogwe. He mentions the Vikings, Dolphins, and Rams as teams that are in the mix.

Patrick Crayton

Looks like skipping voluntary OTA’s didn’t do the trick, so now wide receiver Patrick Crayton is stepping up his efforts to get out of Big D.

According to Tim MacMahon, of ESPNDallas.com, Crayton, due to the fact that the team is “messing with people’s careers and people’s lives“, has requested that the Cowboys release him.

That’s all well and good but Dallas apparently has other plans.

According to Crayton, they’re holding onto him as the “insurance guy” and plan on cutting him after training camp is finished. The problem with that is, even if he would sign with another team as soon as he’s released, he’d have basically no shot at learning the offense in time for the start of the season.

Crayton’s agent, Fred Lyles, has made it clear to Dallas that his client wants a chance to join another team ASAP, but because he’s currently under contract, the team has all of the leverage in this case.

Though owner Jerry Jones has said recently he still values Crayton, that tune could change quickly as he already has three capable receivers – Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, & Roy Williams – locked into starting positions.

I suspect Patrick will get his wish eventually, just not in the very near future.

UPDATE: This is what a Cowboys official told La Canfora:

“We are not releasing him!”

Marion Barber

Tim MacMahon, writing for ESPN Dallas, put up a very nice article detailing the Dallas Cowboys running back situation.

One thing, I, and everyone else, took out of it was this: Unless things change dramatically, Marion Barber is still the Cowboys starting running back.

In fact, owner Jerry Jones had this to say about Barber (from the article):

“I know this: He looks quicker,” Jones said at the NFL owners’ meetings. “I think that is going to make him even more effective. He’s just in great shape. He looks as good out here just in these initial practices as I’ve seen him look in his career. You could easily go from there and look at what his role might be, and it’d certainly be on par with anything he’s done.”

Yeah, I think Marion’s got what we all want: job security.

Now, there’s no question ‘backup’ Felix Jones will get his touches, and he can probably count on Barber missing some game time. Should he shows he’s wearing down, or on the verge of injury, Jones and Tashard Choice would fill-in; probably without a drop-off in production.

If MBIII can stay healthy, I like his chances at notching his first 1,000+ (rushing) yard season, including a nice amount of TD’s. Something like 1120 yards, with twelve touchdowns.

Then again, that’s a big if.

Patrick Crayton

Fresh off of the news that wide receiver Patrick Crayton is holding out of OTA’s for the second week in a row, Dallas is starting to make calls to see if they can find a trade partner. They’ve apparently started with the Fins.

The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson is reporting that the Dallas Cowboys have contacted Miami about a possible trade for Crayton.

Unfortunately for Crayton, and the ‘Boys, the Dolphins interest is described as “noncommittal”, as the furthest it went was seeing just how interested, if at all, they were.

Jackson goes on to speculate that talks could heat up should one of Miami’s receivers gets injured, but to this point a trade is nowhere close to happening.

On to the next one for Big D.

Patrick Crayton

For the second straight week, Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton will try to send a message to the Dallas’ front-office: play me or trade me.

In doing so, Crayton will be skipping the team’s voluntary organized team activities this week, according to ESPNDallas. As noted above, Crayton also sat out of OTA’s last week.

While the Cowboys are trying to give him what he wants most, a trade, they haven’t had much luck finding an interested party. Shocker.

Unless another team loses a WR to injury this summer, no club will be rushing to acquire Crayton, especially when they know Dallas is trying to unload him. They’re better off just releasing the former starter.

Patrick Crayton

With no shot at becoming a starter for the Cowboys, WR Patrick Crayton’s future with the team looks bleak as a fourth or fifth-stringer. Realizing that, he’s going to send a message to the coaching staff that he wants out.

Per ESPNDallas, Crayton will be skipping all three days of Dallas’ organized team activities, which begin tomorrow. While he won’t show up to this voluntary work, his agent, Fred Lyles, states that Crayton will attend all future mandatory OTAs/minicamps.

“The Cowboys organization was notified on Wednesday that Patrick will not attend voluntary workouts,” Lyles said. “Patrick is excited and preparing himself for the 2010 season. We are confident that the uncertainties regarding his immediate future with the organization will be resolved in time.”

Crayton, who has requested a trade along with WR Sam Hurd, knew the writing was on the wall as soon as the team drafted Dez Bryant last month. Bryant and Miles Austin will make a formidable starting duo and Roy Williams should fill-in the slot nicely.

Given the opportunity to step up and shine, Crayton has put up decent numbers, but not worth the $14 million he has received since signing an extension in 2007.

Look for Dallas to shop him around, but should they find no takers, Crayton (along with Hurd) will just have to suck it up and honor the contract that was signed.

Much like Pacman signing with Cincy, the world knew this was coming.

The trade between the Dallas Cowboys and St. Louis Rams is now official. The Cowboys have acquired offensive tackle Alex Barron, while the Rams receive linebacker Bobby Carpenter.

Barron, the 6′7 302 lb FSU product, was the nineteenth overall pick in 2005 for St. Louis. In those five seasons, he started every game except two and held his own, considering the (lack of) talent around him. In Dallas, he’ll likely compete for the open left tackle position after the team released Flozell Adams early last month.

The Rams got a new starter in Carpenter, who is likely penciled in at weak-side linebacker. Their 4-3 scheme should suit Carpenter better than Dallas’ 3-4 did as he wasn’t really built for that. Spags will find a way to productively use him.

Both teams fill critical needs with this trade.

Darren Sharper

Though safety Darren Sharper rejuvenated his career last season with the Saints, no team showed interest in the Pro Bowler on the free-agent market.

Until now, as he’ll be making a stop in northern Florida.

ESPN reports Sharper will visit with the Jacksonville Jaguars today; his first, and only, visit since free-agency started almost two months ago. After failing to draft a safety in last week’s draft, Jacksonville has an obvious need on a defense full of them.

The article states that if the Jags don’t sign him, the Dallas Cowboys might. They’ve been reportedly “eyeing” Sharper and they, too, didn’t draft a safety. Big D has a giant hole at the position after Ken Hamlin’s release.

The 35-year old Sharper hopes to return to ‘Nawlins, but is exploring all of his options – like a good free-agent does.