When watching the Dallas Cowboys‘ tight end Jason Witten play, it is almost hard to believe he is the longest tenured player that Dallas drafted remaining on the team. What is even stranger is that he is only 29, making you realize how relatively young the Cowboys really are.

I don’t know if that is a good thing or not. Witten is the last member of the 2003 NFL Draft class to still play for Dallas since the team let Terence Newman and Bradie James go this year. There is one more person remaining from 2003 and that is un-drafted quarterback Tony Romo.

Romo didn’t even start playing until 2006, so Witten’s nine years are the longest for any member of the team that Dallas drafted. While Kenyon Coleman has been playing for 10 seasons, he started his career with the Oakland Raiders. He did come to Dallas in 2003, the same year Dallas drafted Witten, but left to play for the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns before returning in 2011.

When looking down the Cowboys’ roster, the youth on the team is amazing. That makes the hurry that fans seem to be in for them to win the big one a little reactionary. Dallas drafted DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff and Marcus Spears in 2005 and Gerald Sensabaugh came into the league the same year for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Miles Austin has been around for seven years and Dez Bryant for two. Sean Lee has played for two seasons while Mike Jenkins has been around for four. This is a young team and there is only a few men on the team with a lot of experience in the NFL.

What is scary is that, at the age of 29, Jason Witten might not have a lot of years left in the NFL to win his Super Bowl. Tony Gonzalez has played for 15 years while San Diego Chargers’ star Antonio Gates started the same year as Witten. This makes Witten one of the elder statesmen at the position when it comes to men who can still go.

When Jason Hatcher came out and said Dallas didn’t have any vocal leaders on the field, it was Witten that came to defense of his team. With his experience, it is time he stepped up and became the man who helped Dallas make it back to the Super Bowl once and for all.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys‘ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

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While Dez Bryant could turn into the playmaking wide receiver that Dallas Cowboys’ fans hoped, the better player that came out of the 2010 NFL Draft is linebacker Sean Lee.

Taken in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Sean Lee was the 55th player taken and after an injury prone year, he came out in 2011 and became one of the Cowboys’ stars on defense. Along with DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer, the Cowboys have three of the four pieces of the 3-4 linebacker puzzle and Lee might be the best all-around player of the group.

Lee went to college at Penn State, where he started for the Nittany Lions for two seasons. Lee was second team All-American in his junior season and was named defensive MVP in the team’s Alamo Bowl game that season. He missed the next season due to a torn ACL but remained with the team as an undergraduate assistant coach, proof of his dedication to his craft. By the end of his career in Penn State, he had 121 tackles and six interceptions.

Lee came into Cowboys’ training camp as a rookie and Dallas decided to move him from outside linebacker to inside, since Dallas played in the 3-4 and outside backers need to be able to rush the passer. Lee, a more accomplished tackler and ball hawk, fit better on the inside. Unfortunately, he played little in his rookie season, bothered by injuries the entire season. He did intercept Peyton Manning twice when the Cowboys played the Indianapolis Colts.

In 2011, Lee took over as starting inside linebacker for the Cowboys and finished the year leading Dallas in tackles with 105 tackles. The next closest Cowboys’ player, Gerald Sensabaugh, had 75. Lee accomplished this despite playing the second half of the season with a cast on his wrist. He also tied for the league lead for linebackers with four interceptions.

Dez Bryant might be one of the best receivers Dallas has seen in years, but based on their first two seasons, Sean Lee is the best player the Cowboys chose in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

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The Dallas Cowboys re-signed Orlando Scandrick to an extension before the 2011 NFL season. They signed Brandon Carr to a huge contract in this offseason, while releasing Terence Newman. They also have Mike Jenkins for one more year but this will be his last chance to prove he belongs on the team in the future. Finally, the Cowboys also brought in safety Brodney Poole for a one-year deal and added Dan Conner to the linebacker corps.

That makes the 2012 NFL Draft one that can’t ignore the defensive just because they are set for 2012. There also aren’t many college football teams better than the Alabama Crimson Tide when it comes to choosing a defender in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Dallas invited three of the Crimson Tide’s defenders to visit with the team this week as part of the “top 30″ personal visits leading into the draft. Those players included cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, safety Mark Barron and outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw.

Dre Kirkpatrick

Kirkpatrick is the second best cornerback coming into the NFL in 2012, following the LSU Tiger’s Morris Claiborne. He is powerful and physical, standing 6-3 and 192 pounds. Over his three year college career, Kirkpatrick had 65 tackles and three interceptions. The big problem he faces is his zone coverage, since he played man at Alabama. He also had a rough start in 2012 but picked it up through the rest of the year.

Mark Barron

While Brodney Poole has the chance to win the future safety position in 2012, he has to earn it. Mark Barron is a four-year safety for Alabama that finished his career with 235 tackles and 12 interceptions over his career. He is arguably the top safety coming out in the 2012 NFL Draft with strength, good instincts and great hands. His main downfall is that he is not a consistent tackler based on his problems changing directions.

Courtney Upshaw

Also a top rated prospect, Courtney Upshaw remains one of the top linebackers coming out in 2012. He finished his four-year career at Alabama with 134 tackles, 16.5 sacks and one interception. At 6-2, 273 pounds, he gets off low at the line and is a solid pass rusher, something Dallas needs. He played in the 3-4 at Alabama, which makes him valuable for a team like Dallas. While Kirkpatrick will probably be gone when Dallas comes up, Upshaw would be a perfect option.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys‘ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: ESPN

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Leon Lett is coming back to the Dallas Cowboys. The former defensive lineman, who helped Dallas win three Super Bowls in the early ’90s, is coming back to the team as a new assistant defensive line coach. Lett, who helped the defensive linemen in the preseason of 2011, has now earned an actual paying position on the Cowboys‘ coaching staff.

Before taking this position, Lett served as the defensive tackle coach in the college ranks at Louisiana-Monroe. Dallas brought him in for the 2011 season as part of the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship Program and he impressed the team enough to earn the spot.

Lett was one of the best players on those Dallas Cowboys‘ defensive units under Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and finished his career with 22 sacks over 121 games played. He also recovered seven fumbles, but that is where his legacy becomes infamous.

The first play was one that was embarrassing for Lett but caused no damage to the Cowboys. In Super Bowl XXVII, Lett recovered a Buffalo Bills’ fumble and returned it 35 yards to the 10-yard line, when he held the ball out in celebration. What he didn’t realize was that one of the fastest players in the NFL, Don Beebe, was chasing him down. Beebe caught up and slapped the ball from Lett’s hand, costing the big man a touchdown.

Dallas led the game, 52-17, so it was no harm, no foul. However, on Thanksgiving Day, 1993, Lett made another horrible mistake. With 15 seconds remaining in the game, the Miami Dolphins lined up on the snowy field to try a field goal. Dallas was up 14-13 and this was for the win. The Cowboys blocked the field goal and looked like they won the game. However, Lett ran over and tried to grab the ball.

Lett slipped on the ice, slapped at the ball, and Miami recovered it on the one-yard line. Miami then got another chance at a field goal with three seconds left and won the game. Once again, looking back, it was no harm, no foul, as Dallas won the rest of the games that season and won the Super Bowl.

Now, Lett comes back to Dallas, older and wiser, and hopes to help the Cowboys’ defensive line work itself out for the 2012 season. I’m glad to have the Big Cat and I can’t wait to see what he can do for the team as a coach.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: ESPN

Other articles by Shawn S. Lealos:

The one area of the Dallas Cowboys’ free agent needs that people seem to be ignoring is the backup quarterback position. While this may not seem like a big deal to many people, look at Tony Romo the last two years. He broke his ribs this past season and missed most the year two seasons ago. That makes the Dallas backup quarterback a very important position to fill.

Chad Henne
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Here is a look at the Cowboys’ choices for the backup quarterback position in 2012.

Stephen McGee

Stephen McGee came to Dallas in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M. He played mostly in an option offense until Mike Sherman showed up and transformed the Aggies into a pro styled offense. He has been nothing more than a third string emergency quarterback since arriving and has only played in three NFL games. His stats are decent, with 420 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Drew Stanton

One player that Dallas might look at bringing in via free agency is Drew Stanton. The Cowboys originally wanted Stanton when he was in the 2007 NFL Draft but the Detroit Lions grabbed him in the second round. This caused Dallas to go with McGee two years later. Stanton has worked as a backup in Detroit for the last four years but might be a nice, young quarterback that can compete with McGee in the preseason. He has played in 12 games, throwing for 1,158 yards, five touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Chad Henne

If the Dallas Cowboys want to find a more experienced backup quarterback, they can look to former Miami Dolphins starter Chad Henne. In Miami, Henne underwent shoulder surgery and lost his job due to the injury. With Miami wooing Peyton Manning, Henne is available and Dallas might look into bringing him into Big D to backup Romo. He started for two years in Miami and compiled a 31-37 record with 7,114 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and 37 interceptions.

Jason Campbell

Jason Campbell was a great starter for the Washington Redskins, playing well despite having no real weapons in the passing game. He then went on to Oakland, where he played well when he was not injured. However, I don’t think he will find a new team to start for and will have to settle for a backup position. With an 84.2 career QB rating, Dallas could do worse than giving him a chance.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: NFL.COM

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The term Monday morning quarterback refers to someone who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight. In football, it is when a person sits down on Monday and makes comments about something a player or coach should have done differently in the game, based on the results of their decision.

Randy Moss
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This happens all the time with the NFL Draft as well. With that in mind, and my playing Mr. Monday morning quarterback, here is a look at how different the Dallas Cowboys’ team might have looked if they had made different decisions in the NFL Draft.

1994 – In the 1994 NFL Draft, the Cowboys drafted Shante Carver in the first round. They did make up for that horrible choice by grabbing Larry Allen in the second round. However, instead of Carver, Dallas could have chosen wide receiver Isaac Bruce. That would have given Michael Irvin a perfect complimentary receiver and might have helped Dallas remain competitive throughout the decade.

1995 – In the 1995 NFL Draft, Dallas drafted Sherman Williams with their first pick, hoping to give Emmitt Smith a quality backup and eventual successor. The problem is that 2012 NFL Hall of Fame inductee Curtis Martin was still on the board at the time. Imagine if Martin was there to take Smith’s place at the end. However, that might have cut into Smith’s playing time and cost him the NFL rushing title.

1996 – Dallas drafted Kavika Pittman in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. Brian Dawkins was still available at that point, a free safety who went on to appear in nine Pro Bowls over his career. Imagine Dawkins and Darren Woodson at the two safety positions.

1997 – Dallas wanted a replacement for Jay Novacek so they reached for David LaFleur in the first round of the NFL Draft. Could you imagine how different Dallas would have been in the early part of the next decade if they drafted Tiki Barber instead? Could you imagine a Smith-Barber one-two punch? It also could have kept Tiki Barber off the New York Giants team.

1998 – This is where everyone points when they talk about missed opportunities. The Cowboys drafted Greg Ellis in the 1998 NFL Draft instead of Randy Moss. There was no decent receiver outside of Michael Irvin in 1998 and they could have used that second weapon for Aikman to get the ball to. Ellis was good, but imagine Aikman throwing the ball to Moss and Irvin.

2001 – The Dallas Cowboys traded out of first round in 2001, despite needing to find a replacement for Troy Aikman, and drafted Quincy Carter in the second round. If they had of held their first round position, they could have drafted Drew Brees.

2004 – Once again, the Cowboys traded out of the first round in 2004, this time needing a running back. They ended up drafting Felix Jones, which turned out to be a short term patch at the position. If they had remained with their original first round position, they could have drafted Steven Jackson.

2006 – In 2006, Dallas had another of their Draft Day flops with Bobby Carpenter as a first round pick. Yes, Carpenter was a promising prospect but the very next pick went to the San Diego Chargers, who drafted Antonio Cromartie.

2006 – In 2006, Dallas drafted Anthony Fasano in the second round, despite Jason Witten being a superstar. However, Dallas still had no real threat at running back and Maurice Jones-Drew was still on the board at the time, an obvious superior need.

2008 – I’ve pointed out a number of times the Dallas Cowboys missed out on stud running backs in the past but 2008 might take the cake. Dallas drafted Felix Jones over Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, Ray Rice and Jamaal Charles. It makes me wonder if anyone in the front office knew what a great running back looks like.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: NFL.COM

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

With all the talk about the Dallas Cowboys’ need to fix their defense, let’s look a little at the one problem area on offense: the offensive line.

Tyron Smith
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Before the 2011 season, Dallas cut three starting offensive linemen in Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis and Marc Colombo. That brought them into the season with rookies protecting Tony Romo. Phil Costa, Tyron Smith and Bill Nagy all started the season as men the Cowboys relied on to protect their franchise quarterback. Romo ended up with broken ribs.

Dallas has to do a better job of protecting the quarterback, who will remain the starter in Dallas for a long time. Stephen Jones said earlier in February that the Cowboys would sign Romo to an extension way before 2013, keeping him from being a free agent in 2014 and ensuring he will be the man to lead Dallas to the Super Bowl, if that is ever to be.

They also need to protect DeMarco Murray, their running back who excited fans with his play as a rookie in 2011 before falling to an injury himself. Dallas took one major step in protecting Murray by giving fullback Tony Fiammetta a tender to ensure that Murray at least has a lead blocker before he hits that line.

Hopefully, the line will improve in their second year together as a unit. Head coach Jason Garrett already announced a big move that most Cowboys’ fans expected. Tyron Smith is moving to left tackle in 2012 to protect Romo’s blindside. That is a huge decision since Smith was the one offensive lineman that looked great in 2011.

Doug Free, who gave up one too many blindside hits in 2011, will move to the right side. That is a nice move too since that is where Free started out at in 2009 for Dallas. Next up is Costa, who was not a good fit at the center position. There is a good chance they could move him to guard, where he played in college, and then look for an upgrade at center.

However, the player that many people predict Dallas will chase with their first round pick is not a cornerback, like I believe they should draft, or a center but instead offensive guard David DeCastro. The Stanford guard impressed a lot of people at the NFL Combine but might be someone to be careful of. The move would send Dallas into 2012 with another rookie on the line again and fans can only hope this one will be more Tyron Smith and less Phil Costa.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: CBSSports.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

As the free agent period comes near, the Dallas Cowboys have made their first decision on their own free agent players. Cowboys’ Vice President Stephen Jones only offered one restricted free agent a tender and that went to fullback Tony Fiammetta.

Dallas Cowboys Stadium
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That means that receiver Kevin Ogletree and running back Chauncey Washington will not return at this time and, if either player returns, it will be for league minimum. That is not a big loss because Ogletree has had a few chances to prove himself as a starter and failed. When Miles Austin went down with a hamstring injury in 2011, Dallas did not trust Ogletree and went out to sign free agent Laurent Robinson instead. That is all that we need to know about their opinion of Ogletree.

Fiammetta, however, is a great return for the team. The fullback was the lead blocker when DeMarco Murray was breaking the Dallas record for most rushing yards in a game. When Fiammetta went down to injury, Murray’s numbers dropped. It is clear that Dallas needs a blocking back, especially with their offensive line a work in progress. Fiammetta is not the next Daryl Johnston but he will help the Cowboys run the ball, which is something they have to do if they want to win.

Next up for Dallas is figuring out what to do about Anthony Spencer. I think Dallas needs to re-sign Spencer and then add one more linebacker in the draft. If they get a good enough pick, they will have the middle of their defense locked up.

Then, Dallas will more than likely waive Terence Newman. There is a good chance he will be gone by the time free agency starts on March 13. However, if they release him after June 1, the Cowboys will save around $6 million, which will come in handy to sign their new draft picks.

There is also the question of what to do about a number of other unrestricted free agents, including Laurent Robinson, Mat McBriar, Alan Ball and Bradie James. March 13 is the deadline we are looking at and anyone unsigned at that time might be on their way out the door.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: Dallas Morning News

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Dallas Cowboys need a cornerback pretty bad for the 2012 season. Terence Newman is on his way out the door, Orlando Scandrick is nothing better than a nickelback and that leaves only Mike Jenkins as the only sure-fired starter in the secondary.

Cortland Finnegan
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With that in mind, there is both the free agency period that kicks off in a matter of weeks and the 2012 NFL Draft for the Cowboys to fill that deficiency. The place to find a true star is the draft but the safer bet is to find a free agent that can help Dallas fill their needs.

Here is a look at three names that might be available to help the Dallas Cowboys fix their cornerback problem.

Brandon Carr

According to a number of sources, the Dallas Cowboys plan to sign Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Brandon Carr and use their first round draft pick on an offensive lineman, a decision that makes no sense at all. Yes, Dallas needs offensive line help but their line in 2011 was young and should be better in 2012. They need defensive help the most and Jerry Jones even said he wants to draft a pass rusher.

However, Kansas City said they want to re-sign Carr and will continue to discuss a contract with him heading into the free agent period. Carr had a career-high four interceptions in 2011 (the same as Terence Newman) but finished with a career low 45 tackles.

Cortland Finnegan

There are a lot of teams that want Tennessee Titan’s cornerback free agent Cortland Finnegan. The New England Patriots and Detroit Lions both mentioned chasing him but the Cowboys’ name is on the list as well. However, Finnegan finished 2011 with only one interception, his least since 2008, and 75 total tackles, a drop-off from 2010. He is also 28 and it might serve Dallas better to go young at the position, especially when watching Newman’s numbers drop.

Dre Kirkpatrick

The chance of Dre Kirkpatrick being available when the Dallas Cowboys come to the podium to make their first round draft pick is slim. However, with his marijuana possession charges possibly scaring off some suitors and maybe one cornerback (Morris Claiborne) going ahead of him, there is a chance he could slip. If he does, Dallas needs to jump on him.

First, the criminal charges were dropped, so that is cleared up. Second is his numbers. Kirkpatrick has played corner for eight years, all the way back to the eighth grade. Over that time, only one wide receiver has ever scored a touchdown against him. That is one touchdown reception, for someone he was covering, over eight seasons of football.

Kirkpatrick might have gotten in some trouble but he has not gotten in any real serious trouble. If Kirkpatrick is available when the Cowboys come up to draft, they would be fools not to take him.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: NFL.COM

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

With the NFL Combine coming to an end, there has been a lot of talk about strange 40-yard dash times. However, when it comes time for the Dallas Cowboys to bring in their new 2012 NFL Draft class, I want them to look way past how fast a person can run a 40-yard dash.

Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones
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Sure, if Dallas drafts one of the best cover cornerbacks from the NFL Combine, it would be a great pick as far as skills and talent goes but would it be worth it to take a chance on someone like Dre Kirkpatrick of Alabama? Kirkpatrick was arrested for possession of marijuana in January.

The charges were dropped but how can a kid get involved in a situation like that when the NFL Draft is approaching? It sounds a lot like the problems that Dez Bryant suffered throughout his tenure in Dallas. The charges were not always upheld but the fact is that he allowed himself to enter those precarious situations. Doesn’t the intelligence of the individual have to be worth as much as the talent on the field?

Take a long hard look at Adam “Pacman” Jones. Coming out of West Virginia, he had all the talent in the world. Jones was a first round draft pick in 2005 for the Tennessee Titans and should have been a huge star. The Titans knew that Jones was on probation for fighting but took the chance on him anyway.

Jones, shortly after the NFL Draft, was arrested again, this time for assault and felony vandalism. By the time it was all said and done, the NFL suspended Jones for the entire 2007 season and part of the 2008 season for a number of arrests and off-field problems. The Titans wasted their draft pick on a kid with talent but without a brain.

To make things worse, Jerry Jones took a chance on Jones in 2008, despite all the criminal charges, because everyone thought they could help rehabilitate him and give him a fresh start. When the Cowboys learned that Jones was a suspect in a shooting the year before, they finally dropped him.

Janoris Jenkins of North Alabama is another first round cornerback option but was dismissed from his football team after two marijuana possession charges as well as an arrest for a fight outside a bar. This brings up huge warning signs and sounds a lot like what Tennessee saw when they drafted Jones.

What Fitzpatrick did in college is nothing near as bad as what Jones or Jenkins did before the NFL Draft but it shines a harsh light on what a team should look for outside of obvious raw talent.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

With the Dallas Cowboys’ loss to the New York Giants officially ending their season, there has to be a time to look back and see what went right with the franchise. One of the best stories of the season featured a wide receiver that had never reached his potential getting another chance and exploding in 2011.

Laurent Robinson
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Laurent Robinson joined the Cowboys to help out the team when Miles Austin went down with a hamstring injury. After integrating himself into the offense in Week 3, with three receptions for 49 yards, he exploded against the Detroit Lions in Week 4. While Dallas might have lost the game at the end, they found a new star for the wide receiver corps. Robinson caught seven balls for 116 yards.

Austin returned in the next game, after the bye week, but by Week 8, Robinson made his name with the Cowboys. Against Philadelphia, in that game, Robinson caught five balls for 103 yards and his first touchdown of the season.

Over a five game stretch, Robinson caught at least one touchdown pass in each game, with two against Buffalo and Miami. He broke 100 yards again in Week 14, against the New York Giants, and then finished the season, against the Giants once again, with two more touchdowns.

By the end of the Dallas Cowboys’ 2011 NFL season, Laurent Robinson finished with season high in receptions (54), yards (858) and touchdowns (11).

Robinson started his career in Atlanta and then moved on to the St. Louis Rams. At both stops, he was supposed to be a star but failed to hold onto a job at either location. With this fresh chance in Dallas, and a Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback throwing him the ball, Robinson finally showed what he is capable of.

If anything, Robinson has shown that he has a chance to be a solid starter for a team in 2012. It would be nice to see him return to Dallas, but does he really want to play secondary roles behind Dez Bryant and Miles Austin? He said he loves it in Dallas and would love to return, though. Fans of the Cowboys will have to wait and see, but if Robinson comes back in 2012, Dallas should have one of the top receiver corps in the NFL once again.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.