Fuente: © Dallas Cowboys
http://www.dallascowboys.com/

NFL: Cowboys Add Safety; NFLE Camp Begins For Henson

/noticias.info/ Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
February 13, 2006 4:36 PM

IRVING, Texas - Knowing they must upgrade the entire safety position for the 2006 season, the Cowboys have signed free-agent safety Abram Elam to a one-year, futures contract.

Elam, a teammate of Cowboys running back Julius Jones at Notre Dame, went to training camp with the Miami Dolphins last year as a rookie free agent before getting released.

The 6-0, 205-pound safety from Riviera Beach, Fla., was red-shirted his first year at Notre Dame and played in 11 games in 2001, before off-the-field issues in the spring of 2002 forced the one-time top national recruit to be dismissed from the team.

Elam, who then returned home to Florida, spent time going to junior college before receiving a scholarship in 2004 to Kent State, where he started 11 games, registering 64 tackles and tying the team high with three interceptions for 105 yards. Elam went undrafted in 2005, but signed with the Dolphins after attending the team's rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis.

The former high school quarterback spent just four days in training camp with the Dolphins before getting released on July 28 when they signed veteran free-agent safety Lance Schulters.

The Cowboys certainly need some help at the safety position. Keith Davis started 15 games at free safety while Roy Williams started all 16 at strong safety, but Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells realizes he must upgrade the position from a coverage and depth standpoint. Elam, at the very least, will be competing with Davis, Justin Beriault and possibly Willie Pile, an exclusive rights free agent this off-season, for a spot on next season's roster.

But expect the Cowboys this off-season to also pursue a free-agent, possibly Pittsburgh's Chris Hope or Baltimore's Will Demps, and it wouldn't be surprising if they selected a safety in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.

NFL Europe Begins

While it's the off-season for most NFL players, training camp is just getting started for several others, including Cowboys quarterback Drew Henson, one of three players the club has allocated to NFL Europe this year.

Henson, along with Cowboys wide receiver Tom Crowder and cornerback Lenny Williams, arrived in Tampa, Fla., over the weekend and were to begin training camp practice with their respective NFL Europe teams on Monday.

Henson is playing for the Rhein Fire, while Crowder and Williams have been assigned to the Frankfort Galaxy. The Cowboys quarterback, who has played in just two games since signing with the club in March of 2003, said he needs to make the most of this three-week camp before the players take off for Europe.

"In camp you have a whole new team and a whole new offense to put in so we have these three weeks to get in sync," said Henson, who was the inactive third quarterback this entire past season for the Cowboys. "We have to get the running game and passing game to come together as a team as quickly as possible before we head over to Europe."

The three Cowboys players will square off in the NFL Europe season opener when Frankfurt travels to Rhein on March 18.

Start Signing

While the start of free agency doesn't officially begin until March 3, teams can start signing their own free agents if a deal can be worked out.

The Cowboys have nine unrestricted free agents, including tight end Dan Campbell, linebacker Scott Fujita and center/guard Andre Gurode, along with three restricted free agents and seven exclusive-rights free agents.

The Cowboys are expected to send out restricted tenders (expected to be $722,000) to safety Keith Davis, linebacker Scott Shanle and offensive tackle Torrin Tucker. All seven exclusive rights free agents will likely receive tenders as well.

In fact, the Cowboys are likely to begin signing some of those exclusive free agents this week, starting with third-year punter Mat McBriar, who signed his one-year minimum deal of $385,000 on Monday.

Here's a look at all of the Cowboys free agents heading into the off-season:

Unrestricted (9) :
TE Dan Campbell
G/C Andre Gurode
LB Mike Barrow
LB Quinton Caver
LB Scott Fujita
LB Eric Ogbogu
OT Marcus Price
S Lynn Scott
S Tony Dixon

Restircted (3)
S Keith Davis
LB Scott Shanle
OT Torrin Tucker

Exclusive Rights (7)
CB Jacques Reeves
P Mat McBriar (signed)
S Willie Pile
WR Patrick Crayton
WR Terrance Copper
FB Lousaka Polite
LS L.P. Ladouceur

Back To New York

Former Cowboys running back Richie Anderson, who played here two seasons (2003-04) before a neck injury forced him to retire this past off-season, has re-signed with the New York Jets as a procedural matter so he can retire as a Jet. Anderson spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Jets, his 305 career receptions and 2,449 receiving yards both ranking second all-time among Jets running backs.

Anderson, who signed with the Cowboys and reunited with head coach Bill Parcells in 2003, played in 27 games and started 12 for the Cowboys in his two seasons. He led the Cowboys with 69 catches in 2003, gaining 493 receiving yards and scoring four receiving touchdowns. His numbers dropped in 2004, catching only 26 passes for 206 yards. He rushed for 552 yards in his two seasons playing fullback or in a one-back set on third down.

While Anderson plans to retire as a Jets player, he may not be finished with the organization. Reports out of New York suggest the former running back could join the Jets' coaching staff this season.

Short Shots

Former Cowboys wide receiver Zuriel Smith, who has had two stints with the club, has signed a free-agent deal with the New England Patriots. Smith played for the Cowboys in 2003, but was released in training camp in 2004 and 2005.
notas_de_prensa_archivo