Posted on Sat, May. 03, 2008

DALLAS COWBOYS NOTES: Carpenter happy to remain with team

By MAC ENGEL

Star-Telegram staff writer

IRVING -- When the Miami Dolphins made a trade with the Dallas Cowboys for tight end Anthony Fasano before the draft, they also wanted a linebacker, and it wasn't Akin Ayodele.

According to an NFL source, the Dolphins wanted Bobby Carpenter, but the Cowboys weren't willing to part with the 2006 first-round draft pick. So Dallas included Ayodele in the deal.

Either way, Carpenter said Friday he is happy to be staying with the Cowboys, but that he wants to play.

"This is still a great opportunity for me, and [inside linebacker] is a place where I think I can use my athletic ability to make plays," Carpenter said. "If I'm going to have a shot to play, I want it to be here."

He's currently backing up veteran Zach Thomas. Carpenter said he's been studying game film with Thomas and already has picked up quite a bit in the short time the veteran free-agent acquisition has been with the Cowboys.

Receiving help

Now that the Cowboys are moving forward without having acquired another veteran receiver to complement Terrell Owens, receivers coach Ray Sherman and the staff will continue to work with what they have.

There is genuine excitement at the addition of rookie free-agent receiver Danny Amendola from Texas Tech, who has drawn immediate comparisons to former Red Raider Wes Welker.

"He's certainly showed he's refined," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the first rookie practice Friday. "He will be able to separate. He's going to be able to get away from people. I'm glad we got him."

While there is cautious hope for the continued development of third-year receivers Sam Hurd and Miles Austin, Sherman said second-year player Isaiah Stanback is making strides.

"He's doing a great job, and I'm really pleased with the way he's running routes and catching the ball," Sherman said. "He's in shape, and I'm very impressed with the way he runs his routes. He's a contender at that position.... I like our group."

Stewart on Pacman

Even though Cowboys players have been nearly silent on the acquisition of Pacman Jones from the Tennessee Titans, defensive coordinator Brian Stewart at least spoke of the move on Friday.

"I think he's a huge talent," Stewart said of the suspended cornerback, "and from what I've heard from ex-coaches of his and people around him on the field and in the classroom, he's superior and he's a good person."

Wilson can relate

Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson could relate to the news when Denver quarterback Jay Cutler announced he has diabetes. Wilson was diagnosed with the condition when he was 25 but played football until he was 39.

"It's a tough deal," Wilson said. "But I tried to relate it to the discipline it takes to play professional football. That has to be applied to managing your diabetes. It's a daily thing you have to deal with."

Wilson said as long as he was able to "get it under control," playing with diabetes never affected him. But he took shots then and still does, as well as exercising and monitoring his intake of sugars and high-carb foods.