Cowboys open training camp with a cloud of suspensions, questions

Even a sun-kissed 74-degree day couldn’t overcome the dark cloud hanging over the Dallas Cowboys franchise at the start of training camp Friday.

Three starters are suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, including defensive ends Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence and middle linebacker Rolando McClain.

Lawrence, who will miss the first four games, is the only one who reported to camp with the team. Gregory, whose four-game suspension could soon be extended to 10 games or longer by the NFL, is currently in drug rehab.

McClain, who is suspended for 10 games, did not report and his status is in limbo.

Rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, the fourth overall pick from Ohio State, is in camp, but faces allegations of domestic violence by a former girlfriend back in Columbus, Ohio.

It all had owner Jerry Jones opening training camp on the defensive.

Rather than spinning the usual hyperbolic yarn while selling hope for a Super Bowl, Jones used the annual state of the team news conference to accentuate the positives of the franchise, culture of the organization and the character of the players who are not in trouble.

He also said the returns of quarterback Tony Romo, receiver Dez Bryant and cornerback Orlando Scandrick, whose injuries played a big role in the team’s 4-12 debacle last year, have given him “visions of sugarplums.”

“We’ve got several challenges. We know where those are, but those are far overshadowed by the positives of our returning players that we didn’t have last year,” Jones said. “It’s an exciting time. It’s a positive time. I will tell you right now that it is far more positive to be sitting here with what we’ve got ahead of us over the weeks and months ahead than it was at midpoints through last season.

“We are not going to let a few setbacks, a few notable setbacks, deter the fact that we are fortunate, we have many assets and we’re going to put them on the playing field and win ballgames with them.”

The Cowboys tried to set a tone of positivity, but it did not win the day.

Seven of the first 10 questions and 10 of the first 14 questions were on the suspended players, Elliott’s issues or the holes at defensive end because of the absences of Gregory and Lawrence.

The Cowboys, however, don’t believe the suspensions and off-the-field issues reflect poorly on the team’s approach to player acquisition.

“To me, the overwhelming strength of this football team is the culture of the football team,” coach Jason Garrett said. “That starts with the guys we have on our team. I think if you look at the individual guys, and you guys who know me know I’m always reluctant to point guys out, but if you go down the line. I’ve been fortunate enough to be in this league for north of 25 years. I’m not so sure I’ve ever been around better character guys than these guys. That’s the culture of our football team. That’s the foundation of our football team.”

Jerry Jones and vice-president Stephen Jones said the team has had success by taking risks on players and don’t plan to change their ways now.

“If you are in a risky business the first way you can have rose-colored glasses on is not to understand you are in a risky business,” Jerry Jones said. “Things do happen. We have one player (linebacker Damien Wilson) that won’t be here for two or three weeks. He got hit in the eye with a paint ball.

“It’s just an example of really why you should focus on what is good about it, where the good things are. We are going to focus on the good, good people that can be on the field that can play and make plays for us. That’s not to say we aren’t going to continue to be looking for resourceful ways to win football games.”

The latter is what has them in the situation they are in now.

But let’s not be negative.

Good people, good character.

No Super Bowl talk, thanks to the dark cloud hanging over the Cowboys.　

This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 6:24 PM with the headline "Cowboys open training camp with a cloud of suspensions, questions."