Not much going on in the world of the Cowboys except waiting on the Jason Garrett situation to get sorted out. There appears to be some confusion over Garrett being the leading candidate for head coach of the Lions. Meanwhile, out in Denver things should start to clear up after the weekend.

The search committee will spend the next two or three days thoroughly discussing each candidate. By Monday, the committee will bring back one to three finalists for a second interview or present an offer to the top choice.

One interesting note is that if Garrett became the head coach in Denver, he would actually end up taking a pay cut.

Ray Sherman is still waiting for his interview with the Rams. 

Team chemistry is a hot topic for the Cowboys. 

Over at The National Football Post, the Cowboys get slammed for not just one, but two of the worst signings of 2008. And they're both WR's - T.O. and RW2.

Someone sent me this list of offseason dates for the NFL. I can't confirm its accuracy but it looks about right. Let me know if you find different information.

January 15: Deadline for underclassmen to apply for early entry to NFL draft
January 17: East West Shrine Game
January 18: Deadline for underclassmen to withdraw application for early entry to NFL draft
January 19-24: Senior Bowl Week
February 15: NFL signing period for CFL players under contract ends
February 22: Deadline for NFL teams to designate franchise and transition players
February 18-24: NFL Scouting Combine
February 27: Free Agency begins
March 1: NFL teams must be under salary cap
March 3: NFL trading and veteran free agent signing periods begin
April 15: NFL restricted free agent signing period ends
April 25-26: NFL Draft, New York
June 1: Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned unrestricted free agents to receive exclusive negotiating rights for rest of season if player is not signed by another club by July 22; Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned restricted free agents or to extend qualifying offer to retain exclusive negotiating rights.
June 15: Deadline for old clubs to withdraw original qualifying offer to unsigned restricted free agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting tender of 110 percent of previous year's salary.

The Florida Gators and the Oklahoma Sooners get it on for the NCAA Championship.

This is an open thread for the game.

The Adam ‘Pacman' Jones era is over. I'm not going to dwell too long on the subject except to say I think this was the right move regardless of the supposed new allegations of his involvement in another shooting. I still think he did a good job in pass coverage when he actually played but was a disappointment on special teams. More than any of that, the Cowboys need a clean break from their recent past which is littered with the carcasses of expectations unfulfilled and questionable athletes who have talent but not the character to actually help a team. As far as I'm concerned, they still have work to do in this area. Addition by subtraction is the buzzword associated with the Cowboys and in this case I'm a believer. The Cowboys need to worry less about headlines, Hard Knocks, who's getting the ball and who's ratting on whom in the locker room and remember what really wins football games. Dedication, execution and a belief in team unity where disagreements are handled in the locker room in a professional manner. The Cowboys have always been a circus under Jerry Jones but they may want to limit it to a one-ring circus instead of the three-ring circus we currently have with clowns spilling out into the parking lot.

Enough of that, let's get caught up on some other news surrounding the Cowboys.

Joe DeCamillis has been hired to coach the special teams. This should be good news to any Cowboys fan because the guy comes with a history of success and is a more vocal and aggressive coach than Bruce Read.  He seems like the kind of coach that will not only teach but will demand responsibility from the players. Nice move by the front-office.

Lost in all the Pacman and coaching news was the fact that two players had to have ankle surgery. 

[Terence] Newman had surgery on his left ankle, and [Patrick] Crayton had surgery on his right ankle. Both players are expected to be healthy enough to participate in the off-season program that starts in March.

There was some misinformation about Jason Garrett interviewing, or really not interviewing, with the Detroit Lions. The stories that he turned down the interview request weren't true and that he did interview with them on Monday. 

[Jason] Garrett interviewed with the Detroit Lions on Monday night about their head coaching vacancy. It had been widely reported that Garrett had turned down an opportunity to interview with the Lions.

You can read a little more on the interview and the other candidates the Lions are interested in here and here.

In addition, Garrett had his interview with the Denver Broncos on Tuesday and praised QB Jay Cutler.

In an under-the-radar move, the Cowboys re-signed FB Julius Crosslin to the practice squad.

Bob Hayes is on the ballot for the Hall of Fame because the seniors committee put him on it along with DE Claude Humphrey from the Falcons. Charles Haley, who made the list of 25 finalists, didn't make the final list of 15 players for this year. Let's hope they finally get it right and put Bullet Bob in the Hall.

The Denver Broncos are expected to interview Jason Garrett today for their head coaching position. While I have some criticism of Garrett's play-calling and in-season adjustments this year, I still believe that retaining him as offensive coordinator would be important to the Cowboys. He's a young coach still gaining experience and the offensive numbers he put up in 2007 were amazing. Granted, there was a drop-off in 2008 but it wasn't like we were terrible. In the games that Tony Romo played we still averaged 24 points a game. But the overall production on offense was less than what it should have been given the amount of talent and playmakers we have on that side of the ball. The offense also joined the rest of the team in their annual December collapse.

A lot of that drop-off can be attributed to an offensive line that clearly regressed. Since Garrett is the offensive coordinator that position falls under his jurisdiction but Hudson Houck is the guy I'm looking at specifically. He was the coach who was supposed to take our maulers and mold them into the prefect unit for Garrett's vertical offense that uses the power running game. This was supposed to be a return to the 90's for the offense but something went askew along the way.

Garrett has to accept some of that responsibility. Why do we line up in the shotgun so much? Any play-action passes are basically ruined from that formation. The only running play we used regularly from that formation was the draw and teams began to recognize that and stuff it regularly. In general, teams seemed to recognize our formations and the plays that were coming all too often. Garrett needs to use a little more deception in the formations and play-calling. On the other hand, when it's third and one, forget deception and just run the ball between the tackles. If our mammoth offensive line can't pick that up we don't deserve to win ball games.

The thing that would benefit the Cowboys offense the most in 2009 is using the three-headed monster at the running back position. Whenever Garrett gets nervous in a game he resorts to the pass. With the protection the line was providing and Romo's cavalier attitude towards ball security, it wasn't the best idea. I'm a fan of Garrett's and a fan of the vertical passing scheme he runs, but he needs to remember the running game and not be so quick to give up on it.

I want at least one more year for the Redhead to find out if he can make the proper adjustments and return to the explosive offense that caught our fancy in 2007. And yes, I do believe that one day he will be a successful head coach and that just might be in Dallas unless another team takes the plunge with him this year.

Montrae Holland, who played at Denver last year, gives high-marks to Garrett in a Denver newspaper. He also offers his take on the whole Romo/Witten/WR's controversy from the end of the season.

"Jason let them be men and talk it out," Holland said. "He went up to them and said, 'What's going on? What can we do to get past this so we can get back to football?' He's a communicator. He listens to the players when the players come off the field."

Wide receivers coach Ray Sherman is expected to interview for the St. Louis head coach position sometime this week.

Sherman, reached by phone Monday in Dallas, said it was a career goal of his to be a head coach in the NFL and that he was looking forward to the Rams interview.

"I just think it'll be an excellent opportunity," Sherman said. "It's a team that has some exciting players and has a chance to turn it around."

The Cowboys are almost assuredly heading back to San Antonio for training camp in 2009.  There are even some tentative dates planned, July 31st through August 22^nd.

Today the Ravens tangle with the Dolphins then the Eagles travel to visit the Vikings.

This is an open thread for both playoff games.

The Falcons visit the Cardinals and the Colts visit the Chargers. Since I live in Atlanta, I guess I'll adopt the Falcons as my playoff team.

This is an open thread for both playoff games.

An update on the coaching searches around the NFL involving Cowboys assistants. The Rams are interested in receivers coach Ray Sherman.

According to a source, Dallas Cowboys wide receivers coach Ray Sherman will be asked to interview for the St. Louis Rams head coaching vacancy.

Meanwhile, Jason Garrett, despite any misgivings Cowboys fans might have about his 2008 performance, is still a hot commodity, at least for interviews. The Rams might be considering him in addition to Sherman. 

In addition, the Rams are considering former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel and have talked to the agents of Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Dallas assistant head coach-offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

Also, the Broncos have him on their list of candidates.

The Broncos have also sought - but not yet been given - permission to interview offensive coordinator Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys.

So by my count that's the Rams, Broncos and Lions who want to talk to Garrett.

After the firing of special teams coach Bruce Read, the name that keeps popping up as a successor is Joe DeCamillis.

Sources said the team is interested in Jacksonville special teams coach Joe DeCamillis, who coached with Phillips when Phillips was defensive coordinator at Denver and Atlanta.

DeCamillis, whose two-year contract with the Jaguars ended after the season, was not available for comment.

DeCamillis has had a successful career as a special teams coach and would be a welcomed addition if the Cowboys go in that direction.

In the "yeah, I remember that" department, Mike Holmgren at his final press conference for the Seahawks was asked about his greatest achievements as GM of Seattle. His answer:

(On what his proudest achievements were as general manager) I felt pretty good after we got two No. 1s for Joey Galloway (from the Dallas Cowboys in 2000). I was dealing with Jerry Jones, and Jerry's a pretty shrewd guy but a dealmaker. That worked out well for us, that particular trade.

Ugh.

Todd Archer posted the list of UFA's, RFA's and ERFA's in an article on Tuesday. I'll take my shot at their future then you do the same in the comments.

Unrestricted free agents

OG Joe Berger: Not worth it. We could use upgrades for backups in the middle of the line, someone better can surely be found.
QB Brooks Bollinger: Depends on how much he wants. He could be a stop-gap backup but the Cowboys need to look at developing a future QB who could push Romo and come in during injury. One thing is for sure, Brad Johnson has got to go.
LB Kevin Burnett: Tough call only because I think he'll get some good offers from other teams. Can definitely play on third downs but could he play consistently against the run? With Zach saying he's leaving ILB is a position of need so that might push the franchise to keep him.
DE Chris Canty: Another tough one because he should also get other offers. Physically, he's just want you want in a 3-4 DE but he's never produced the way we hoped.
S Keith Davis: Love his effort but he's not the solution as a starting safety. We can only keep him if he comes very cheap.
DT Tank Johnson: Hasn't produced and screamed "I'm a free agent" immediately upon entering the locker room after the Eagles game. Buh-bye.
LB Carlos Polk: Actually made plays on special teams, I would like to see them keep him.
LB Zach Thomas: He sounds like he doesn't want to be here and the one-year experiment wasn't exactly successful. I don't see it.

Restricted free agents

WR Miles Austin: They should keep this kid. I thought they should have used him more at the end of the year at receiver. He finally learned to catch the ball and has size and speed.
DE Stephen Bowen: Occasionally made plays when given a chance. Good guy to have as a backup.
TE Tony Curtis: Time to go.
WR Sam Hurd: Don't know if he really will have a chance, he's buried on the depth chart. Might be time for new blood.
OG Cory Procter: No way!

Exclusive rights free agents

TE Rodney Hannah: Could at least replace Curtis as the third TE.
P Sam Paulescu: Welcome back Mat McBriar, goodbye Sam.
RB Alonzo Coleman: Just don't see room for him on the active roster.

According the team website, the Cowboys opponents in 2009 line up this way.

We'll play the NFC South and AFC West. Also, because we came in third in our division, we'll match-up with the third-place teams in the NFC North and NFC West. Those teams are Green Bay and Seattle.

So our opponents for 2009 shake out like this:

Home  - Washington, Philadelphia, New York, Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Oakland and San Diego.

Away - Washington, Philadelphia, New York, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Denver, Kansas City and Green Bay.

So after last night's debacle Wade Phillips stepped to the mic today. I've already stated that I'm unhappy with the job Wade Phillips is doing as coach, but that's hardly the point because Big Jerry has stated that Big Wade is here to stay. It is what it is. So while I was so busy today I didn't have time to tune into Wade's presser live, I did go back and watch the archive. Here's my take on Wade's PC mixed in with some news of the day.

Wade is putting together a plan but he's not ready to share it yet. I wonder if he had a plan for the Philly game and didn't share that with anyone either? I kid! Why so serious? Anyway, Wade says things will need to change and that starts with himself. Uh, I don't know but somehow I'm not reassured. He'll analyze everything including the way they run practices, training camp, etc. and Wade might just have to get tougher and more demanding. He will transform himself from the cuddly Pillsbury Dough Boy into the much-feared Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man. I'm not bitter, really. I expressed skepticism that he could make the transformation at this stage in his career today on the DCFanatic Show and wondered if he did how some of the players might take to the new approach. Enter Bradie James.

"If you know a person to be a certain way and then all of a sudden you have an extreme change, I don't know how well that's going to be taken," James said. "I don't know what he means by that. Like I said, he didn't address us, so I don't know."

Granted James did say that Wade already can be tough and that he would be a team-player no matter what Wade's new approach is, but it underlines the point that a sudden change in personality could cause some static in the locker room.

Whatever, we'll see what happens when the time comes.

There's much more after the jump.

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