Dallas Cowboys

With Jim Leonhard landing on injured-reserve on Monday, Jets DB Brodney Pool will become the starter at safety going forward. Pool has recorded 31 tackles with half a sack in 11 games this season.

Dallas backup QB Stephen McGee took over in the first quarter in Week 16 versus Philadelphia after Tony Romo injured his right hand. McGee threw for 182 yards and one touchdown. His touchdown throw went to Miles Austin late in the game to end the shutout. The Cowboys lost the game, 20-7. McGee also scrambled four times for 28 yards and almost scored on of those runs.

Dallas moved DB Barry Church to injured reserve on Tuesday after he suffered a separated shoulder during Week 14 against the Giants. The Cowboys signed DB Mana Silva off Buffalo's practice squad to take his place.

Shoulder - IR. Out for the season

The Dallas Cowboys selected Oklahoma tight end James Hanna in the sixth round of the NFL draft. Hanna is from Flower Mound, which is only a few miles from the Cowboys' practice facility, and he should blossom into a reserve tight end for them. Hanna had 27 catches for 381 yards and two touchdowns last season for the Sooners. In 2010, seven of his 18 catches were for touchdowns. Hanna said Jason Witten is his role model. "I've grown up all through football, since I've been playing, a Cowboys fan," Hanna said, "just watching him and he's been there a long time. He's a great player and I'm really looking forward to getting to learn from him."

The Cowboys waived RB Tashard Choice on Saturday to clear a roster spot for LB Bruce Carter, according to ESPNDallas.com. Choice played in all six games for Dallas this season and recorded just 75 rushing yards on 28 attempts.

The Cowboys have agreed to terms with fullback Lawrence Vickers, who will replace Tony Fiammetta in the offense. Vickers spent 2010 in Houston after five years in Cleveland.

The Cowboys made their final cuts on Saturday in order to get down to the league-mandated 53 players, and there were some notable subtractions. Among the players released were FBs Chris Gronkowski, Jason Pociask Shaun Chapas and Isaiah Greenhouse; WRs Tysson Poots, Manuel Johnson, Lyle Leong and Teddy Williams; DBs Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Mario Butler, Chris Randle, Andrew Sendejo, Josh Thomas and Collin Zych; LBs Mike Balogun, Kenwin Cummings, Orie Lemon, and Brandon Williams; DE Jimmy Saddler-McQueen and RB Lonyae Miller.

The Cowboys released TE Martin Rucker and LB Isaiah Greenhouse on Tuesday, while signing DB Frank Walker to help a banged up secondary.

The Cowboys moved up and took LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick in the draft, but he wasn't their only defensive pick. The Cowboys also picked up Boise State defensive end Tyrone Crawford, Wake Forest linebacker Kyle Wilber, Eastern Washington safety Matt Johnson and Montana linebacker Caleb McSurdy. Wilber led the Demon Deacons in sacks the last two seasons and could get some time to rush the passer this season. Johnson's a raw project-type player, McSurdy was the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year who can smack defenders and Crawford has some potential as a 3-4 defensive lineman.

ESPN noted that Cowboys backup running back Phillip Tanner looked quick and decisive while running and cutting in a recent OTA. He's coming back from a hamstring injury that abruptly ended his 2011 season.

The injury to rookie receiver Danny Coale, who is out until training camp with a broken left foot, opens the door for other young receivers to battle for the third receiver role and backup spots this spring and summer. And it's a wide-open race; Coale is expected to compete with Dwayne Harris, Andre Holmes, Raymond Radway and Kevin Ogletree for the spots.

Coach Jason Garrett on cornerback Mike Jenkins, who is not attending OTA practices in what is perceived as a holdout after rumors have surfaced he's unhappy with his contract. "Mike is making a business decision right now," he said. "But he's a big part of what we're doing. We're not going to trade him."

The Cowboys added DL/OL Jermey Parnell to their 53-man roster on Thursday.

Cowboys FB Shaun Chapas was called up from the practice squad on Wednesday and is expected to make his NFL debut in Sunday’s game against Arizona. Second-year pro Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, a converted FS turned WR who also returned punts and kickoffs, was released to make room for Chapas.

The Dallas Morning News reports that QB Jon Kitna has informed the Cowboys that he intends to retire. A lingering back injury forced Kitna onto injured reserve in 2011. Stephen McGee is slated to be the Cowboys backup quarterback going forward.

Back - IR. Out for the season

The Cowboys moved up and took LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick in the draft, but he wasn't their only defensive pick. The Cowboys also picked up Boise State defensive end Tyrone Crawford, Wake Forest linebacker Kyle Wilber, Eastern Washington safety Matt Johnson and Montana linebacker Caleb McSurdy. Wilber led the Demon Deacons in sacks the last two seasons and could get some time to rush the passer this season. Johnson's a raw project-type player, McSurdy was the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year who can smack defenders and Crawford has some potential as a 3-4 defensive lineman.

Outside linebacker Anthony Spencer officially signed his one-year franchise tender of $8.8 million, putting him with the Cowboys in 2012 (and a free agent again in 2013). Spencer has been wanting a new long-term contract but it appears the club prefers a one-year deal. With the NFL Draft three days away, Spencer signed the deal to keep the Cowboys from potentially pulling back the offer, a possibility if they drafted a potential replacement.

Cowboys running back Felix Jones likely won't practice all week in the OTAs and could miss some of the next two weeks because of a shoulder injury. Coach Jason Garrett said Jones "can't catch the ball" over his head right now. He will be worked back slowly into the mix and could be ready for the minicamp on June 12-14.

Shoulder - Probable for start of training camp

Cowboys DL Jay Ratliff was pulled in Week 15 against the Buccaneers as a precaution. Ratliff, who has been dealing with a ribs injury, was pulled after Dallas built up a 28-0 lead in the second quarter. He did not register a tackle prior to leaving the game.

Cowboys K Dan Bailey missed his lone field goal attempt in Week 17 against the Giants. He would covert two extra points, however, in the 31-14 loss. His miss came at the end of the second half when he pushed a 52-yarder.

The Buccaneers released quarterback Rudy Carpenter. He has never posted a stat in an NFL game.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Cowboys DE Marcus Spears, who strained his groin in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Chargers, will likely miss the rest of the preseason with the issue. "I’m doing fine," Spears said. "It’s a strain, so it’s going to take a while for it to get back. I know the moment I feel like I’m ready to go and I’ll be going."

Dallas LB Victor Butler registered three tackles and a sack during the Cowboys' 20-19 victory over Miami in Week 12 on Thursday. Butler took down Dolphins QB Matt Moore to give him a sack in back-to-back games for the first time this season.

The Cowboys wanted wide receiver Dez Bryant to have a more structured offseason in hopes of having him better prepared for the start of the year, and so far it's working. Bryant has stayed at the facility, working out and being involved in the teaching sessions according to assistant head coach Jimmy Robinson. That's a lot better than last year, when all players were locked out. and his first year when he was a rookie. "He's out there working really, really hard to get better," Robinson said according to ESPN. "It's got to make a difference. ... He's getting better every day, but again that's got to carry over to the next phase, the OTAs and training camp and then the regular season, game day."

The injury to rookie receiver Danny Coale, who is out until training camp with a broken left foot, opens the door for other young receivers to battle for the third receiver role and backup spots this spring and summer. And it's a wide-open race; Coale is expected to compete with Dwayne Harris, Andre Holmes, Raymond Radway and Kevin Ogletree for the spots.

Dallas DL Jason Hatcher recorded two solo tackles in Week 13 versus Ariozona. He also notched one of five sacks on Kevin Kolb.

The Cowboys released kicker David Buehler on Tuesday. The move will save the team about $1.6 million on the salary cap. Buehler was supposed to be the team's kickoff specialist but played in just four games last year because of groin/hip injuries. Dan Bailey seems to be the Cowboys' placekicker of the future, making Buehler expendable.

The Cowboys locked up one of their safeties for the future on Friday, agreeing to a five-year contract with FS Gerald Sensabaugh, worth around $22 million. Sensabaugh signed a one-year deal as an unrestricted free agent back in training camp.

Cowboys TE John Phillips grabbed the first touchdown of his career, a 12-yarder, in the Cowboys' Week 14 37-34 loss to the Giants. It was the only catch of the day for Phillips.

The Dallas Cowboys released wide receiver Titus Ryan and signed undrafted rookie free agent wide receiver Curtis Clay. Ryan was waived/injured from the Dallas roster exactly 366 days prior before getting re-signed.

The Panthers cut the following players Saturday to get down to their 53-man roster: DL Eric Moore, QB Hunter Cantwell, LB Quinton Culberson, WR Trent Guy, DT Corvey Irvin, LB Mortty Ivy, FB Rashawn Jackson, WR Kenny Moore, TE Jamie Petrowski, RB Dantrell Savage, DB R.J. Stanford, DL Tank Tyler, RB Josh Vaughan, LB Sean Ware, DB C.J. Wilson and DB Brian Witherspoon.

Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, a fourth-round pick in 2010, has been claimed off waivers for his third stint with the club. Recently cut by Jacksonville, Owusu-Ansah had played both safety and wide receiver and returned both punts and kickoffs in his 14 career games with Dallas.

The Steelers released 21 players on Friday, reducing their roster to 58 players. The 21 players released included linebackers Baraka Atkins, Mario Harvey, Chris McCoy and Mortty Ivy, defensive lineman Corbin Bryant, defensive backs Brett Greenwood, Macho Harris, Donovan Warren and Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith, running backs James Johnson and John Clay, offensive linemen Colin Miller, Kyle Jolly, John Malecki, Trevis Turner and Keith Williams, wide receivers Armand Robinson, Wes Lyons and Tyler Grisham, tight end Jamie McCoy and kicker Swayze Waters.

Linebacker Dan Connor signed a two-year deal with the Cowboys on Thursday, a move that likely signals a change in who starts at linebacker in Big D. Connor, a four-year vet in Carolina who teamed with Sean Lee at Penn State, is expected to be one of three inside LBs in Dallas, alongside Lee and Bruce Carter.

The Lions released the following players Saturday: WR Dominique Barnes, DT Robert Callaway, LB Caleb Campbell, RB Matt Clapp, DE Keyunta Dawson, TE Joe Jon Finley, DB Aaron Francisco, WR Nate Hughes, RB Ian Johnson, DB Anthony Madison, DB Prince Miller, LB Cobrani Mixon DT Quinn Pitcock, DB Paul Pratt, TE Gijon Robinson, QB Zac Robinson, DB Ricardo Silva, WR Tim Toone, DB Nathan Vasher, WR Derrick Williams and DE Narada Williams.

Dallas DB Orlando Scandrick led the team in tackles in Week 15 against Tampa Bay, and he added his second sack of the season in the Cowboys 31-15 victory.

The Dallas Morning News reports that Cowboys receiver Miles Austin said in an interview with MensHealth.com that he wasn't in the best physical shape entering last season. Austin missed six games in 2011 with hamstring injuries. “Right now I’m working with the trainers at our facility,” Austin said. “I feel like last year I wasn’t prepared for the season the way I should’ve been condition-wise, even though I looked and felt it at the time. That’s one thing that I have to keep an eye on. To make sure I’m in the best physical shape I can be.” Austin suffered a strained hamstring before the season started and re-aggravated the injury during a Week 2 victory in San Francisco. He missed two games and returned to action for four contests before suffering another hamstring injury in a win over the Seahawks. Austin missed four games but played in the final four outings of the season.

The Cowboys made their final cuts on Saturday in order to get down to the league-mandated 53 players, and there were some notable subtractions. Among the players released were FBs Chris Gronkowski, Jason Pociask Shaun Chapas and Isaiah Greenhouse; WRs Tysson Poots, Manuel Johnson, Lyle Leong and Teddy Williams; DBs Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Mario Butler, Chris Randle, Andrew Sendejo, Josh Thomas and Collin Zych; LBs Mike Balogun, Kenwin Cummings, Orie Lemon, and Brandon Williams; DE Jimmy Saddler-McQueen and RB Lonyae Miller.

Cowboys LB DeMarcus Ware has been ruled active for Week 17 against the Giants. He was limited in practice leading up to Sunday due to a neck injury.

The Cowboys made their final cuts on Saturday in order to get down to the league-mandated 53 players, and there were some notable subtractions. Among the players released were FBs Chris Gronkowski, Jason Pociask Shaun Chapas and Isaiah Greenhouse; WRs Tysson Poots, Manuel Johnson, Lyle Leong and Teddy Williams; DBs Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Mario Butler, Chris Randle, Andrew Sendejo, Josh Thomas and Collin Zych; LBs Mike Balogun, Kenwin Cummings, Orie Lemon, and Brandon Williams; DE Jimmy Saddler-McQueen and RB Lonyae Miller.

Dallas signed DB Mana Silva from Buffalo's practice squad on Tuesday to take the place of DB Barry Church (shoulder), who was placed on season-ending injured reserve.

Cowboys TE Jason Witten entered Week 17 against the Giants needing 127 yards receiving for his third straight 1,000-yard campaign. He would not reach that mark as he finished with seven catches for 69 yards in the 31-14 loss. He had a long reception of 20 and averaged 9.9 yards per grab. Witten, who was targeted eight times, finished second on Dallas in receiving behind WR Dez Bryant (70 yards).

The Cowboys moved up in the 2012 NFL Draft and took LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick. Claiborne has the rep of being a shut-down cornerback thanks in part to his physical style and quality production (six of his 11 career interceptions came last season and 274 yards came on those INTs). And after former teammate Patrick Peterson won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back in 2010, Claiborne won it in 2011. He's also an accomplished returner, averaging 28.8 yards last year on kickoff returns, including a 99-yard touchdown.

The Cowboys moved up and took LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick in the draft, but he wasn't their only defensive pick. The Cowboys also picked up Boise State defensive end Tyrone Crawford, Wake Forest linebacker Kyle Wilber, Eastern Washington safety Matt Johnson and Montana linebacker Caleb McSurdy. Wilber led the Demon Deacons in sacks the last two seasons and could get some time to rush the passer this season. Johnson's a raw project-type player, McSurdy was the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year who can smack defenders and Crawford has some potential as a 3-4 defensive lineman.

The Cowboys have claimed rookie DE Clifton Geathers off of waivers Wednesday, the same day he was released by the Seahawks. He replaces DL Jeremy Clark, who was released.

The injury to rookie receiver Danny Coale, who is out until training camp with a broken left foot, opens the door for other young receivers to battle for the third receiver role and backup spots this spring and summer. And it's a wide-open race; Coale is expected to compete with Dwayne Harris, Andre Holmes, Raymond Radway and Kevin Ogletree for the spots.

Quarterback Kyle Orton and the Cowboys agreed to a three-year contract on Wednesday. Orton finished last season with 1,758 passing yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. Orton gives the Cowboys a veteran backup behind Tony Romo, which is something they've been wanting.

Cowboys LB Sean Lee has been ruled active for Week 17 against the Giants. He dealt with a wrist injury and illness leading up to Sunday.

Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said that he wants quarterback Tony Romo to stay with the team for the rest of his career. Romo has two years left on his current deal and turns 32 in April but Jones thinks he's not going anywhere. "Tony is going to play a lot more than two more years," Jones told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "We are going to take care of Tony. Tony is going to be a Cowboy. ... [Y]ou are not going to find much better than Tony Romo. Every year he improves. As he gets better, our chances get better."

The Cowboys moved up and took LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick in the draft, but he wasn't their only defensive pick. The Cowboys also picked up Boise State defensive end Tyrone Crawford, Wake Forest linebacker Kyle Wilber, Eastern Washington safety Matt Johnson and Montana linebacker Caleb McSurdy. Wilber led the Demon Deacons in sacks the last two seasons and could get some time to rush the passer this season. Johnson's a raw project-type player, McSurdy was the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year who can smack defenders and Crawford has some potential as a 3-4 defensive lineman.

The Jets waived the following players Saturday: TE Josh Baker, LB Matthias Berning, WR Michael Campbell, WR Dan DePalma, DT Jarron Gilbert, RB Chris Jennings, LB Eddie Jones, S Byron Landor, CB Ellis Lankster, LB Joey LaRocque, WR Scotty McKnight, S Davon Morgan, CB Julian Posey, LB Brashton Satele, WR Patrick Turner, DE Lorenzo Washington, QB Drew Willy, S Tracy Wilson and TE Keith Zinger.

Cowboys DL Sean Lissemore got his second sack in three games during the Cowboys 31-15 win over the Buccaneers in Week 15. Otherwise, he had just one tackle in the game.

Cowboys newly signed cornerback Brandon Carr has played on the right side most of his career but is adjusting to the left side was Dallas. "It is different -- I'm not going to say it's not," Carr said. "From the standpoint of your muscle memory on the right side, your mechanics and this and that. But every day is better, getting accustomed to playing that side of the field."

Cowboys rookie wide receiver Danny Coale will need surgery for a broken bone in his left foot and is a question mark for the start of training camp, ESPN reports. Coale suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal during a late May OTA session in Dallas and will miss the rest of the offseason workouts, including minicamp. Coale was a fifth-round pick of the Cowboys expected to compete for the slot receiver job.

Foot - Questionable for start of training camp

Dallas DL Kenyon Coleman had three tackles and a sack during the Cowboys' 20-19 victory over Miami in Week 12 on Thursday. Two of Coleman's tackles went for a loss as Dallas held the Dolphins to just 89 rushing yards during the game.

The Dallas Morning News reports that Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray said Monday that the ankle injury that prematurely ended his standout rookie season has healed and he has been cleared by team doctors. “It's great,” Murray said during an interview on ESPN. “I've been officially cleared by our doctors, and I've been doing everything the past month or two without any limitations. I feel great.” Murray suffered a fractured right ankle and a high right ankle sprain in a Week 14 loss to the Giants. Murray had surgery in December, began rehab shortly after and started running in February. The third round pick finished the 2011 season with 897 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Ankle - Probable for start of training camp

Dallas S Danny McCray did not practice on Monday due to an ankle injury but is expected to play in Week 6 against the Patriots. “I've been working out, rehabbing all through the bye week, so hopefully be ready by Sunday ... It's doing better.”

The Dallas Morning News reports Cowboys tendered contracts to six exclusive rights free agents, including Patrick Crayton. Terrance Copper, Willie Pile, and Jacques Reeves have been tendered contracts worth $385,000. Lousaka Polite and L.P. Ladouceur were tendered at $310,000.

The injury to rookie receiver Danny Coale, who is out until training camp with a broken left foot, opens the door for other young receivers to battle for the third receiver role and backup spots this spring and summer. And it's a wide-open race; Coale is expected to compete with Dwayne Harris, Andre Holmes, Raymond Radway and Kevin Ogletree for the spots.

Leg - IR. Out for the season