NEW ORLEANS -- Cowboys DeMarcus Ware is wearing a sling on his surgically repaired right shoulder, and he said Thursday it appears he will need a minor procedure on his elbow.
"Just to get the bone fragments cleaned up," Ware said from radio row at the Super Bowl, where he is making the rounds.Ware was slowed by several injuries this season, the biggest being the injuries to his right arm. He hyperextended his right elbow in a December game against the Cincinnati Bengals and later injured his shoulder against the New Orleans Saints. The torn posterior labrum was repaired Jan. 10.He wore a brace on his elbow and a harness to protect his shoulder, and he admits the injuries prevented him from performing the way he is accustomed.Ware had only 1.5 sacks the last six games to finish with 11.5. He did make his seventh Pro Bowl but did not play in the all-star game last weekend.Ware said he hoped to be back for organized team activities, but it is more likely he won't be cleared until training camp."You never know," Ware said. "It's all up to their discretion."Ware will have a new defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin, who is installing the 4-3 defense. That means Ware will have his hand on the ground instead of rushing as a stand-up outside linebacker, where he made 111 sacks in his first eight seasons since the Cowboys made him a first-round pick.QB could be tradedAlex Smith went 6-2-1 this season, throwing 13 touchdowns, five interceptions and posting a 104.1 passer rating. For that, he got benched.A concussion in the St. Louis game on Nov. 11 gave Colin Kaepernick a chance to start the following week against the Chicago Bears, and the rest isn't a mystery. Kaepernick won the starting job, and now Smith likely will have a new home in the off-season."I'm not going to lie about any of that," Smith said. "[It's been] tough at times for sure, tough to accept, tough to watch, but we're in the Super Bowl, and this has been an amazing experience. It's a great team. I love being a part of it, but it's bittersweet a little bit."The 49ers are expected to seek to trade Smith, whose $7.5 million salary is fully guaranteed next season. Cleveland, Philadelphia, Buffalo and Kansas City are among teams in search of an upgrade at the position.McBean gets degreeRavens defensive end Ryan McBean won't play in Sunday's Super Bowl because he has been on injured reserve all season.Yet he is still soaking up the atmosphere and memories with his teammates, saying he still realized a lifelong dream of being at the Super Bowl. It was one that began when he played football at Euless Trinity.McBean, who suffered a fractured ankle in the preseason, has no regrets that the dream has not turned out like he hoped largely because he used the time away to fulfill another promise he made to himself and his teachers at Trinity.McBean used his rehab time to complete his college degree at Oklahoma State and even missed a game in December so he could participate in graduation ceremonies."Everything happens for a reason," McBean said. "With me being hurt, it gave me the time to go back and finish up. I did it for myself and my high school teachers at Trinity."Clarence E. Hill Jr.contributed to this report.Charean Williams817-390-7760
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