Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys reunited! Tony Romo, Miles Austin run drills together (with photos)

Tony Romo and Jason Witten did more than just show up at the Dallas Cowboys' practice facility Friday. They even went on the field.

Though they weren't seen throwing any footballs, the Pro Bowl quarterback who missed most of last season because of a broken left collarbone and the perennial Pro Bowl tight end were among a handful of players who ran and did some conditioning drills on one of the team's practice fields.

At least a dozen Cowboys players were seen going into the Valley Ranch facility a day after the NFL said players could talk with coaches, work out at team headquarters and look at their playbooks.

Until those guidelines were put in place, there had been uncertainty. Players hadn't been allowed to work out at the facilities despite a federal judge ruling Monday that the NFL lockout was illegal.

While NFL owners are appealing that ruling, team facilities are open to players — for now.

Among those who arrived the earliest at the Cowboys' facility was Pro Bowl receiver Miles Austin at around 7:30 a.m. Austin stayed for nearly two hours, then on his way out exchanged high-fives with Igor Olshansky as the defensive lineman came in through the players' entrance.

No players spoke to reporters, who weren't allowed onto the complex grounds in the morning.

Right tackle Marc Colombo was also seen at Valley Ranch on Friday morning, only about 12 hours after the Cowboys used the ninth overall draft pick on his likely replacement, Tyron Smith from USC. Smith was the first offensive lineman drafted in the first round by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones since he bought the team in 1989.

Romo got hurt Oct. 25, in the first half of the sixth game of last season. The Cowboys, who finished with a losing record in a season that began with hopes of being the first host team in the Super Bowl, finally put him on injured reserve for the final two games of the season.

Romo had been doing some throwing and there had been indications that he might return to practice at the end of last season before getting put on injured reserve.

Players who were locked out of NFL facilities during the league's labor dispute can now do the following in preparation for the season:

+ Players will be permitted to use club facilities for physical examinations, rehabilitation and medical treatment, as scheduled by the club.

+ Clubs will be permitted to distribute playbooks, game film and other similar materials to players.

+ Coaches may meet with players for the purpose of discussing any materials distributed to players, as well as the club's off-season workout program, its schedule of mini-camps, Organized Team Activities ("OTAs"), and other similar matters.

+ Voluntary off-season workout programs, including OTAs and classroom instruction, may begin subject. Participating players will be paid $130 per day, provided the player fulfills the club's reasonable off-season workout requirements. Such workouts will count toward the requirements of any off-season workout bonus in the player's contract.

+ On days during which no official off-season workouts or OTAs are scheduled, nothing shall prevent the club from permitting any player to use the club facility to work out on his own on a voluntary, unpaid basis during normal business hours, or such other hours as may be set by the club, provided: there is no participation or supervision by any coach, trainer or other club personnel; and the club has first verified the player has an existing medical insurance policy in place.



+ Mandatory and voluntary mini-camps may begin.

+ The league office will promptly make arrangements to resume counseling, rehabilitation and treatment activities in connection with the substances of abuse and steroid programs. We will advise clubs as to when and on what basis testing will commence.

+ Players may participate in club-sponsored charitable and community relations events.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-cowboys/headlines/20110429-cowboys-reunited-tony-romo-miles-austin-run-drills-together-with-photos-.ece


Jerry Jones plans to talk to Dez Bryant about troubles on Friday

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he planned to meet with Dez Bryant on Friday after the receiver's turbulent offseason.

Bryant was cited for criminal trespass at a Dallas-area mall by police last month and has been sued by two vendors who said he took hundreds of thousands of dollars of merchandise without paying.

Jones, who said he briefly chatted with Bryant on Thursday, told the Dallas Morning News he planned to discuss the receiver's troubles.

"We talked (Thursday)," Jones said. "I wanted to make sure that he was going to come here tomorrow and, more importantly, to meet with out trainers. But we'll grab some time ... before the draft, and we'll talk about some of those issues."

On Wednesday, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said the team was still committed to Bryant, its first-round pick last year.

He added it was "frustrating" not to be able to be in contact with him during the lockout. With the lockout over, the Cowboys may be able to offer him more support.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/04/jerry-jones-plans-to-talk-to-dez-bryant-about-troubles-on-friday/1

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