Allen Hurns isn’t sure when
Authentic Ian Thomas Jersey , or even if, more specific roles will be settled for Dallas Cowboys receivers in the first season without Dez Bryant.
Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said it’s more ”when” than ”if.”
”Right now, you guys have probably noticed, we’re moving guys around a lot,” Linehan said about a week into training camp in California. ”That’s a positive,
especially early and now. But the thing that’s gotta be improved upon is OK,
when it gets down to crunch time, this is the guy, he’s a go-to player in this
route or this play.”
”We’re making strides. But we’ve got to make strides here quickly,” he said.
The Cowboys don’t have a so-called No. 1 receiver after dumping Bryant, the franchise leader in touchdown receptions, in a cost-cutting move during the
offseason. Cole Beasley, with 53 fewer career TDs (20), is the Dallas dean in a
mix of holdovers
Paul Molitor Jersey , newcomers and rookies that lacks anyone even close to the pedigree of Bryant.
Before skipping a couple of practices with a mild leg issue, the 6-foot-1 Hurns was with the diminutive pair of fellow newcomer Tavon Austin and Beasley
in three-receiver sets with the first team. Austin and Beasley, both listed at
5-8, are on the field a lot together.
”I’d rather see it as two fast, quick guys,” receivers coach Sanjay Lal said when asked about two small guys on the field at the same time. ”Yes, an
advantage I think.”
Hurns spent most of his four seasons with Jacksonville as an inside receiver but said his best year – the only 1,000-yard season among the dozen receivers
the Cowboys brought to camp – came when he spent more time outside.
Austin, acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams after five disappointing seasons as the eighth overall pick in 2013, had at least as many
carries as catches three times in those five years. So there’s little question
he will move around in formations. But he probably won’t be the only one moving
around.
”The main thing for us, everybody needs to know all three positions and get comfortable at what you’ve got to do,” Hurns said. ”Right now, no one has like a
set position where you’re just inside or just outside.”
And Beasley tends to think it doesn’t matter.
”You’re still getting open and catching balls,” he said. ”It’s about production
Authentic Derrius Guice Jersey , whether it’s from the inside or outside. Wes Welker led the league in receiving as a slot receiver. We’ve got tons of guys
who can do both. If you’re a receiver, you’re playing all of them.”
Michael Gallup, the first receiver drafted by Dallas post-Bryant as a third-rounder, is the rookie most likely to get significant playing time.
Sixth-round pick Cedrick Wilson is probably out for the season with a shoulder
injury sustained on the first day in pads at camp.
The receiver best built for the outside is the easiest one to forget: 6-2, 210-pound Terrance Williams, Dallas’ third-round choice five years ago. After
breaking his foot in January, the former Dallas high school player was arrested
for public intoxication in May coming off the first season of his career without
a touchdown.
Having recently settled all the claims with police in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, where the Cowboys have their headquarters, Williams is quietly trying to
work his way into the rotation. Williams, who isn’t talking to reporters during
camp, has been getting first-team work after starting out with the second group
at camp.
”He’s worked really hard to come back from the injury,” coach Jason Garrett said. ”He has been limited the whole time. We anticipated that. Hasn’t hit any
roadblocks where he’s going backward.”
Williams isn’t alone in switching spots on the depth chart. The Cowboys have been doing that since the start of the offseason. And it’s not out of the
question that it could continue into the regular season.
”That’s the one thing I like about the whole situation,” Austin said. ”I don’t care who the one, two or three receiver is. The more people we’ve
got
Authentic Uchenna Nwosu Jersey , the faster we are.”
With the retirement of 15-year tight end Jason Witten, the Cowboys don’t have a pass-catcher in his 30s. The oldest – by two months over Beasley – is another
newcomer in journeyman Deonte Thompson. From Linehan’s point of view, it’s a
young group.
”Every day we’re learning something about our guys,” Linehan said. ”Finding the balance is out here and the proof’s in what you’re able to do and how you’re
able to perform when you’ve got a matchup and you’ve got to win that matchup.
We’re finding who those guys are right now.”
—
Despite squandering a late lead, the San Jose Sharks still managed to keep winning.
Kevin Labanc scored the deciding goal in the fourth round of a shootout and San Jose beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on Monday night for its eighth straight
victory.
Labanc almost pulled to a stop in front of Chicago goalie Anton Forsberg, faked and then lifted in a nifty backhander. Logan Couture also connected in the
tiebreaker for the surging Sharks, whose winning streak is their longest in
seven years.
”We found a way,” coach Peter DeBoer said. ”I don’t know any other way to put it.”
Chicago’s Patrick Sharp tied it at 3 with 2:22 left in the third period with a shot from the slot that hit Martin Jones‘ blocker and then tumbled into the
net. Tomas Hertl had put the Sharks ahead 3-2 just 1:57 earlier with his 21st
goal.
”It wasn’t pretty for a lot of it, but we found a way to win,” Jones said. ”We’ve been doing that a lot lately, so that’s a good sign.”
Jones might not have looked great on Sharp’s goal, but he made 28 saves through overtime and stopped three of four Blackhawks in the shootout. The
veteran goalie came up with several point-blank saves in the third period and
stoned Patrick Kane late in overtime.
”We wouldn’t be where we’re at (without Jones) and we sure wouldn’t have an eight-game winning streak,” DeBoer said. ”He’s been our best player a lot of
nights in the last month.”
The Sharks solidified their grip on a playoff spot and home-ice advantage in the first round.
San Jose’s Evander Kane scored his 28th goal – his third in two games and eighth in 13 since being acquired from Buffalo at the trade deadline. Marcus
Sorensen also had a goal for the Sharks.
Rookie forward Alex DeBrincat had his 26th goal and an assist, and Connor Murphy scored his second for the last-place Blackhawks
Cheap Korey Toomer Jersey , who have lost six of seven. Forsberg turned aside 35 shots through overtime.
”I thought we played pretty well,” DeBrincat said. ”We gave up a late goal, but we responded well.”
Eventually, the Sharks had more going for them.
”I thought there were some decent things,” Chicago coach Joel Quennevillle said, ”but they’re definitely playing well.”
Chicago center Victor Ejdsell made his NHL debut and started the game on a line between Patrick Kane and Brandon Saad. The 6-foot-5, 22-year-old Swede was
acquired from Nashville on Feb. 26 in a trade that sent Ryan Hartman to the
Predators.
Sorensen opened the scoring 9:15 in, sliding a one-timer under Forsberg’s right skate from the edge of the crease after taking Jannik Hansen’s centering
pass.
DeBrincat and Murphy scored 1:18 apart late in the first to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.
DeBrincat fired in a rebound with 4:28 left in the period – and 12 seconds after a Chicago power play had lapsed – to cap a rush. Murphy then connected on
a shot from the right point as San Jose defenseman Brenden Dillon screened
Jones.
Evander Kane tied it at 2 with 3:21 left in the second, finishing a breakaway set up by Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook’s turnover inside the San Jose blue
line. Set up by Mikkel Boedker’s stick, Evander Kane streaked in alone and beat
Forsberg with a shot that trickled between the goalie’s legs.
In the third, Jones made a point-blank save on Artem Anisimov’s tip about eight minutes in. He denied Ejdsell and Hinostroza from the doorstep midway
through the period.
After outbattling Chicago defenseman Erik Gustafsson on the right boards, Hertl sprinted to the net and beat Forsberg on the glove side to give San Jose a
3-2 lead with 4:19 left.
In overtime, Jones made a diving, close-in save on Patrick Kane with 1:20 left. Forsberg made a pad save on Evander Kane on a breakaway with 22 seconds to
go.
NOTES: Sharks C Eric Fehr sat out with a lower-body injury
Youth Preston Brown Jersey , but Couture was back in the lineup after missing the end of San Jose’s 5-1 win over Calgary on Saturday with an illness.
… Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews (upper body) sat out his third game and
forward Anthony Duclair (lower body) missed his eighth. Both are day to day. …
The Sharks signed University of Denver forward Dylan Gambrell to an entry-level
contract, one day after his college season ended with a loss to Ohio State in an
NCAA regional final. Gambrell, 21, was a second-round pick by San Jose in 2016.
… Chicago prospect and forward Dylan Sikura, who signed a two-year contact with
the Blackhawks on Sunday after Northeastern University was eliminated from an
NCAA regional, joined the team. The 22-year-old from Aurora, Ontario, is
expected to make his debut Thursday against Winnipeg after immigration
formalities are settled.
UP NEXT
Sharks: At the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday in the second of a four-game trip.
Blackhawks: Host the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday
—
More NHL hockey: .
