Anthony Henry Update

[Big_V]

Thought you guys would like to read these encouraging blurbs from Cowboys Training Camp:

b]Corners plan to be strength this year

By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.

Star-Telegram staff writer

OXNARD, Calif. - The irony was not lost on never-satisfied Cowboys coach Bill Parcells -- who after lamenting the process of finding a fourth, fifth and sixth cornerback was reminded that last year he didn't have a second or third cornerback to play opposite Terence Newman.

"How about not even having a No. 1?" retorted Parcells, with a grin.

Of course that was before the Cowboys signed free agents Anthony Henry and Aaron Glenn in the off-season. Parcells has already said Henry, a five-year veteran who was given a $10 million bonus to come over from the Cleveland Browns, is the best cornerback the Cowboys have had since he's been in Dallas.

Glenn, a 12-year veteran and three-time Pro Bowler who played the past three seasons with the Houston Texans, is slated to be the third corner. Newman begins his third season as a starter.

"We have been playing short-handed at cornerback," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "With Henry and Glenn to go with Newman, it can go from a weakness to a position of strength."

Considering the position was a major flashpoint for the team's downfall on defense last year, times certainly have changed for the Cowboys at cornerback.

There was a revolving door of suspect play on the right side, where four players started with little success: Pete Hunter, Jacques Reeves, Tyrone Williams and Lance Frazier.

Exacerbating the problem was Newman's personal funk. A first-round pick in 2003, Newman couldn't hold up under the barrage of passes coming his way because of the help given to the other side. He was routinely picked on for big plays and lost his confidence.

"I think Terence had maybe a confidence lapse," Parcells said. "When you lose confidence, you alter your technique. You change something. You start doing things. Sometimes it snowballs a little bit."

Parcells believes Newman is in line for a comeback season because he is a hard worker who is dedicated to the game. The presence of Henry and Glenn should take a lot of pressure off of him, with Glenn also serving as an on-field tutor.

It also helps that Newman is healthy again. Though he was not listed on the injury report last season, Newman played with a partially torn medial collateral ligament that he didn't know he had until after the season.

He refuses to make excuses for last season's slump, though, saying "I just didn't play. I just didn't play well."

According to his teammates, Newman already looks like a different player.

Said safety Roy Williams: "It has taken a whole lot off of Terence's shoulders. He has a little swagger back."

"He is having a tremendous camp," receiver Keyshawn Johnson said. "When he is covering me, it is difficult for me to get open. Last year, it was easy. I think he has gotten his confidence back. Those three corners make for a strong unit."

Even without the change to the 3-4 defense and the addition of draft picks Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears to help get more pressure on the quarterback, the upgrades at cornerback alone would have made the Cowboys better on defense.

The Cowboys will be able to play man-to-man coverage, allowing them to use Williams close to the line of scrimmage in eight-man fronts and blitz the quarterback with more confidence.

At 6-foot-1, 207 pounds, Henry is a big, physical, ball-hawking cornerback who had 10 interceptions as a rookie in 2001. He came to Dallas partly because his secondary coach in Cleveland the past four years, Todd Bowles, joined the Cowboys staff in the off-season.

"I know Coach Bowles," Henry said. "It's a good atmosphere. I have good feelings about being here. I want to help the Cowboys solve their problems at cornerback. But I want to bring wins to the table."

One of Parcells' favorite players dating back to their days with the New York Jets, Glenn will serve as teacher for Newman and the other young cornerbacks, which include Reeves, Frazier, Nate Jones, Lenny Williams and Bruce Thornton. With 35 career interceptions, including five returned for touchdowns, Glenn is also a potential weapon.

"Teaching is part of it," Glenn said. "But we have the potential to be a great corner trio. We have a good mixture of everything. Henry is a big, tall, rangy guy. Newman and I like to disrupt things by being quick, being a gnat on guys."

And Glenn, who could start for most teams in the league, said he has no problems being a reserve for the first time in his career.

"I have a passion for the game," Glenn said. "I have a passion for covering receivers. But I just want to play and help bring a championship to Dallas. I have been playing this game for a long time. I have done a lot of things in this league. I deserve to get a ring. That's it more than anything."

IN THE KNOW

Secondary strength

The Cowboys have depth at cornerback behind starters Terence Newman and Anthony Henry. The corners:

Terence Newman, third year: He has all the skills and is looking to bounce back from a sophomore slump.

Anthony Henry, fifth year:

A big, physical, ball-hawking veteran, he already is considered by some as the team's best cornerback.

Aaron Glenn, 12th year:

The former Texas A&M star is to be the nickel corner and serve as a tutor to Newman.

Nathan Jones, second year:

He's in a fight for a roster spot after playing in nickel situations as a rookie last year.

Jacques Reeves, second year: He was overmatched in forced starting role last season and might get a look at nickel safety.

Lenny Williams, first year:

He was on the practice squad last season and has a lot of ground to make up.

Lance Frazier, second year:

He ended 2004 as the stop-gap starter and is the favorite to be the fourth cornerback.

Bruce Thornton, second year: He missed his rookie season becauase of a knee injury. He must make a quick impression.[/

[Big_V]

OXNARD, Calif. - All right, five practices down, time for some observations, other than the weather out here is like idyllic every day - although we've had a lot of cloud cover Monday, dropping the temperatures to a sweater-needing 68 before the afternoon practice.

OK, ready, let's go.

Told you Larry Allen would be back any day, and that this whole non-football illness business was nothing to bend your nose out of shape. And there he was, putting the pads on for Monday's second practice. So what, he missed four practices? Tone, I'm telling you, do not forget the tone . . . . Enhancing that business-like tone head coach Bill Parcells is trying to set is the white T-shirt he's been wearing to every practice: Winning Is Our Business. He had the Cowboys merchandizing department print those up just before he left for camp, but would only grin when asked how he came up with the little slogan . . . .

Now then, let's play the how so-in-so-is-doing game, because even after like five practices, I'm sure you guys want to know who is going to the Pro Bowl this year. So I'll try to anticipate the questions. How is Anthony Henry doing? To me, very good. In fact, seemingly better than he was doing in the mini-camp.

And in Bill's eyes, "Anthony Henry is better than anyone we've had here since I've been here," and went on to say Henry and veteran Aaron Glenn, "those are ball-hawk guys." . . . And with those two guys now onboard, the Cowboys are going ahead with their plan of using Terence Newman in the slot on the nickel defense. That's where he practiced Sunday in the nickel, with Glenn taking over at left corner . . . .

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.c...EC89C4D727E7E02

[E.T.]

Thanx !

Ant is the Man and to many the Favorite BULL.

Go BULLS !!!

[Zonald]

I still love seeing him on the First Year Recap video, pretty classic interview with him talking about the first game.  

[RHBullsFan]

I can always talk about how I played against Anthony Henry in intramural basketball when at USF, truly a nice guy. It's great to see a Bull doing so well for himself in the NFL. Some very impressive words from Parcels.

[Metro_Retro_Bull]

Didn't I hear the exact opposite at mini-camp? I thought I heard Parcells down on Henry? In any case, this is good now ...

[beastiebull]

Funny that our top 3 players in the NFL are on defense.  JR, Ant, and Kawika yet now our defense sucks.

[DawgPound]

It's too bad he left Cleveland.  I became a big Henry fan.  After all, once they leave college, it's the pro team that counts.

[LakeBull]

Funny that our top 3 players in the NFL are on defense.  JR, Ant, and Kawika yet now our defense sucks.

It didn't when they played and it will get much better in the future.

[smazza]

and he is on my favorite team

america's team