Some of my thoughts from the Cowboys' OTA practice on Wednesday.
- Like what I saw today with Tyron Smith on the left side and Doug Free on the right. Smith looks really natural there and his technique appears to be solid. Free who struggled with his technique last season did a good job when the team went to blitz pickups in passing his man off and picking up the blitzer. Movement was very good.
- DeMarco Murray has always played with good vision and in team run was able to read the blocking, see the blocks develop but quickly get through the hole. Murray also caught the ball well out of the backfield.
- Orlando Scandrick might be studying some film of the way that Brandon Carr plays press coverage. Scandrick lined up across Dez Bryant and stuck in off the line making Bryant fight to get up the field. Later in the period, Scandrick showed a smooth, quick back pedal and came exploding out of his break.
- Jason Garrett spoke of David Arkin and what he had seen from the young guard the last two days. Arkin appears to be playing stronger but he needs to not play so much over the tops of his feet. He needs to keep his weight back and not give his shoulder to the defender. When Arkin gets in trouble, it's when he gets overextended and the defender pulls by him attacking the edge.
- Dez Bryant looks lighter weight-wise and quicker. He had some nice battles against Carr and Scandrick today. Bryant looks better running his routes instead of being all over the place. They look sharper and with more purpose.
- Defensive end Clifton Geathers was a load today for the guards and tackles to deal with. Last season when Geathers had a chance to play he was too tall and upright now he played with his pads down and pushed up field, he was impressive. Had a play where he walked tackle Taylor Dever right into Kyle Orton's lap.
- Andre Holmes caught the ball but Kevin Ogletree and Saalim Hakim didn't. Holmes went low to the sideline to make a good adjusting catch. Ogletree runs a great in route with separation but just flat drops the ball. Hakim is wide open on a slant with a perfectly thrown pass from Orton but has problems bringing the ball in.
- Defensive back coach Jerome Henderson told the media today after practice that even though Brandon Carr lined up at left corner today, he will also see work on the right side. Henderson wants his corners to be able to function at a high level on either side. Carr played the majority of his career on the right side.
