Jerry Jones backs Elliott, puts on pre-camp show
OXNARD » Jerry Jones interjected some bad-boy anecdotes from his youth, smiled at the thought of life before social media and even asked a couple of questions himself Sunday at his annual training camp opener with reporters .
When the topic is the multitude of off-field issues confronting the Dallas Cowboys — headlined by star running back Ezekiel Elliott — their owner, president and general manager can dance with the best of them.
“I can give you the same old excuses — young, aggressive, got a lot of energy,” Jones said. “Hard to paint that picture of the days when it won’t be this easy, they won’t be as pretty and they won’t have the money. Somehow you’ve got to paint the picture.”
Elliott is still waiting for clearance from the NFL on a year-old domestic violence case that prosecutors didn’t pursue. The NFL rushing leader last season as a rookie, Elliott didn’t help himself with his involvement in a bar fight a week before the Cowboys flew to California for camp.
Jones reiterated his belief that Elliott wasn’t guilty of domestic violence in a dispute with his ex-girlfriend last summer in Columbus, Ohio, where he starred for Ohio State. But the Dallas owner still wouldn’t speculate on whether Elliott will get suspended.
The Cowboys will have two suspended defensive players when the season starts in pass rushers David Irving and Randy Gregory. Two more could be: cornerback Nolan Carroll (drunken-driving charge) and linebacker Damien Wilson (aggravated assault charges).
Receiver Dez Bryant was late to report at the team’s practice facility in suburban Dallas on Friday, a day before he was on the team flight to California. Irving decided to stay in California rather than report in Texas, and running back Darren McFadden missed the charter flight.
Not enough for the week leading to camp, with the first practice Monday?
How about receiver Lucky Whitehead claiming his dog was taken and held for ransom before being returned? Or video surfacing of receiver Terrance Williams accepting a challenge to a footrace outside a strip club late one night?
Still doesn’t faze Jones much with the Cowboys trying to follow a 13-3 season that was the best in the NFC before a divisional playoff loss to Green Bay.
“There’s absolutely no impact on the spirit, or the enthusiasm or the expectation, which I would use those words in defining momentum and still not really know that I know what momentum is,” Jones said. “You just can’t let that deter going about your work and getting the job done.”
Zimmer brings Vikings rookies in early for more production
MANKATO, MINN. » The lack of production from the Minnesota Vikings’ rookie class as one of many factors that contributed to the team’s disappointing 8-8 finish last season.
In hopes of helping this year’s class of first-year players make more of an impact in the upcoming season, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer decided to call them in early for the start of training camp. The rookies reported with select veterans Sunday, four days before the full team is required to report.
“I just felt like we wanted to try to get them up to speed as quick as we can,” Zimmer said. “Last year a lot of the rookies didn’t play as much as they had in the past. I just figured, let’s give these guys every opportunity we possibly can to get them up to speed a little quicker.”
Last year, first-round receiver Laquon Treadwell had just one catch for 15 yards, second-round cornerback Mackensie Alexander was underwhelming in 13 games and fourth-round offensive lineman Willie Beavers was released before the start of the season, cleared waivers and was brought back to the practice squad and played just 11 plays in two games.
Much more is expected this season out of secondround running back Dalvin Cook and third-round center Pat Elflein, both of whom are in the mix for starting spots. Linebacker Ben Gedeon, a fourth-round pick out of Michigan, could be in the mix as well, and the Vikings have taken extra steps to make sure the youngsters are acclimating to their new surroundings in a hurry.
Zimmer estimated the rookies had 10 more practices than the veterans did in May and June, all in an effort to help them digest new playbooks and learn new systems from the ones they played in during college.
Chiefs to introduce GM as rookies, select vets head to camp
ST. JOSEPH, MO. » A few months ago, the Kansas City Chiefs looked as if they’d be heading to training camp this week in much the same way they finished last season, with the same leadership and most of the same players. So much for that. While rookies and select veterans report to Missouri Western to begin workouts Monday, the Chiefs will be holding a news conference back at the team’s practice facility to introduce Brett Veach. The former assistant to Andy Reid was promoted to general manager several weeks ago, filling the top job in the front office after John Dorsey was surprisingly fired after the offseason program.
Veach and chairman Clark Hunt have been offlimits to reporters during the traditional dead period between the team’s mandatory minicamp and the start of training camp, so it will not only be Veach’s first chance to make an impression but the first opportunity for Hunt to explain Dorsey’s departure.
That may be the biggest change at Chiefs camp, but it’s hardly the only one.
The big moves began during the NFL draft, when Dorsey — still in charge at that point — boldly moved up in the first round to select Patrick Mahomes III with the 10th overall pick. Mahomes is expected to take over for Alex Smith next season, so his grooming begins in earnest when training camp begins.
“I don’t know if I’m that far away, it’s more about me continuing to work and keep getting better,” he said. “These veterans are guys that have been in the league, been around and have been very successful. In order to be like them, I’ve got to go as hard as they do and catch up to them.”
He’ll be joined by a cast of rookies that will be counted upon to help Kansas City not only defend its AFC West title, but make a deeper playoff run after a divisionalround loss to Pittsburgh last season.
Second-round pick Tanoh Kpassagnon is a raw defensive lineman who will be counted on to provide depth behind starters Chris Jones and Allen Bailey, while third-round pick Kareem Hunt could have an opportunity to challenge incumbents Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West for the top running back job.
The rest of the draft class will also be trying to catch the eye of their new general manager.
“In today’s NFL, those young guys in some cases are going to contribute for you, so it’s important they stay right on top of that,” said Reid, who will arrive at camp armed with a new contract.