Dallas Cowboys shift focus to season opener vs. Tampa Bay as CeeDee Lamb returns
It’s officially game week for the Dallas Cowboys.
The focus is firmly on Sept. 9 season opener at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, starting with the first official regular season practice on Thursday as the players returned to the team’s headquarters at the Star in Frisco.
The Cowboys welcomed two additions to the roster in quarterback Will Grier and running back Corey Clement. They claimed Grier off waivers from the Carolina Panthers and signed Clement after he was cut by the New York Giants.
The Cowboys also welcomed back receiver CeeDee Lamb, safety Damontae Kazee and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins from the COVID-19. They also placed linebacker Francis Bernard, cornerback Kelvin Joseph, receiver Malik Turner, tackle Josh Ball, defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and tight end Sean McKeon on the short term injured reserve list.
“It’s extremely exciting. I think this is the kickoff to the regular season,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “It takes a lot of players to be successful in this league and I am thrilled we have our guys. We have a lot of growth development in front of us. We also have to pull together quickly. And have a great week of preparation to go get this win in Tampa.”
McCarthy acknowledged the team considered former NFL MVP quarterback Cam Newton after he was released by the New England Patriots. He believes Newton can still play in the league.
But he said the Cowboys liked the decision they made at quarterback and the players they have at the position behind starter Dak Prescott, where Grier will likely supplant Cooper Rush as the primary backup.
The coaches and scouts studied Grier before the 2019 NFL Draft where he was taken in the third round by the Panthers. And quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier coached him when the two were together at Florida.
“Looking at each position we felt we needed to look at, and going through the quarterback position, we thought Will was the best prospect out there,” McCarthy said. “We felt we had really good information on him and thought he’d be a great fit for us.”
The Cowboys are now focused on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and on the players who missed the 10 days because of COVID-19 protocols.
Prescott will make a point of getting back in tune with Lamb. They haven’t had any live reps together since last October when Prescott went down with a fractured ankle.
Prescott then missed much of training camp with a strained straight shoulder and Lamb was sidelined with COVID-19 when he returned to practice.
“You do whatever you can,” McCarthy said of the duo. “We are in game plan mode. ... We have a competitive period, at least one each day. I do want to get that going to help guys who haven’t had any reps here of late. “
