Yardbarker: Ken Hamlin

AMERICA'S TEAM STARTS TRAINING CAMP TODAY

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:20:09 -0500

by Moondog, The World According to Moondog

The Dallas Cowboys' arrived in Oxnard, CA late Thursday afternoon to begin preparations for the 2008 season. The Cowboys are coming off their most successful regular season since 1992, equaling last season's record of 13-3 and winning their first of three Super Bowls in the 90s.

But the season as a whole can't be deemed a success because of the Cowboys' inability to win a playoff game for the 11th consecutive year, the longest stretch in the organization's illustrious history. Dallas' divisional round loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants left a bitter taste in the mouths of everyone associated with this proud franchise.

With an active off-season that saw Dallas owner Jerry Jones spend a ton of money resigning veterans Terrell Owens, Flozell Adams, Marion Barber, Ken Hamlin and Terence Newman, the Cowboys are the odds-on favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLIII.

Dallas is one of the few teams in the NFL that doesn't have personnel issues, other than WR Terry Glenn. While Glenn's status remains uncertain, the Cowboys have gone about the business of professional football in a workman-like manner.

The draft choices from this past April are slowly being signed to deals and the starters and back-ups at every position have been identified. Other than a few positions where the team would like to add some depth, the Cowboys are primed for another run.

Like them, love them or hate them, this is truly America's Team. These are the darlings of the NFL, the team that appears every Sunday in a virtually guaranteed televised game and every Thanksgiving Day.

There's no denying the sense of urgency surrounding this team. With some of the veterans like Owens, Adams, Greg Ellis and newly acquired LB Zach Thomas, the window of opportunity is open for the moment. That window begins to close with each passing season, and the veterans understand the window can close and remain shut past a certain point.

While the pressure of getting to the Super Bowl may be greater than in past seasons, this is a team, and an organization, that has become accustomed to high expectations.

"Well, that's why we're in football, we enjoy that, especially with the Dallas Cowboys," said head coach Wade Phillips. "There are high expectations here every year and for a long time. That is not unusual for the Dallas Cowboys, certainly, because of the past and the recent past, you know going back to last year."

"Those kind of things are expected, but we enjoy that. We enjoy coaching, we enjoy the team, and we are looking forward to the things that we can do, and that's the way the players are."

Training camp is officially set to begin Friday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. (PDT) with a single practice. From that point forward, everything this team does will be focused upon making the long journey to the ultimate prize, and they'll do so under intense media scrutiny.

After all, this is America's Team.

In Other Cowboy News

The Cowboys have agreed to terms with second-round pick Martellus Bennett on a four-year contract.

Coming to terms with Bennett leaves only first-round picks Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins unsigned, and the team hopes have both players signed in time for Friday's opening training camp practice at 2:15 p.m. (PDT).

The Cowboys also have reached agreements with sixth-round pick Erik Walden, fifth-round pick Orlando Scandrick and fourth-round pick Tashard Choice.

Bennett is expected to replace Anthony Fasano as Jason Witten's complement in two-tight end sets. Choice, who agreed to terms late Wednesday, will compete with Jones for carries behind starting running back Marion Barber.

Hamlin Agrees To $39 Million Contract

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:45:44 -0500

ESPN is reporting that S Ken Hamlin and the Cowboys have agreed to a 6-year, $39 million contract with a $9 million signing bonus and somewhere around $15 million of it guaranteed. This comes just before Hamlin would have been forced to sign a franchise offer or play for the average salary paid to other safeties in the NFL. After a Pro Bowl season last year with the Cowboys, Hamlin would have had to wait until next year to negotiate a contract if this one wasn't completed by today. Without a contract in place, he hasn't participated in any of the OTA's or minicamps with the team but has reportedly stayed in touch with the coaching staff and others. Having so many free-agent Pro Bowlers has certainly put the squeeze on Jerry Jones' pocketbook. Hamlin is the latest in a series of multi-million dollar contracts handed out by Jones after last season's 13-3 record. Let's just hope all of this money he is putting up is well-placed and leads to great things this year, i.e. a playoff victory or more.

Cowboys Sign Hamlin to 6-Year Deal

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:33:15 -0500

DallasCowboys.com staff writer Nick Eatman is reporting the Cowboys have signed safety Ken Hamlin to a long-term deal. Just hours before a deadline that would've precluded him from signing a long-term contract this season, Hamlin signed a six-year deal worth $39 million.

Ken Hamlin is ‘Quartback of the Defense’

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:04:19 -0500

Ken Hamlin is now one of the highest-paid safeties in the game as of today. The Dallas Cowboys signed the Pro Bowler to six years for $39 million, including $15 million guaranteed. The Cowboys made the deal in the final hours before the deadline. Try and criticize now my power ranking of the Cowboys No. 1. [...]

Ken Hamlin is ‘Quartback of the Defense’

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:04:19 -0500

NFL News Wire Rundown - 7/14

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:38:28 -0500

Tosten Burks breaks down the day's NFL news, makes fun of most of it (always), and discusses its impact on fantasy football (sometimes).

Hamlin and Cowboys Close in on Multi-Year Deal

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:43:55 -0500

It's reaching the final hour for teams to sign their franchise players, and it appears that one team that is going to get a deal done with their franchise player are the Cowboys with safety Ken Hamlin. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that the team and Hamlin are close on a multi-year contract, and the deal could be wrapped up by the end of the day. Hamlin was slapped with the franchise tag back in February, and he and the team have been talking about a long-term deal ever since, and now it appears that it will get done. The 27-year-old Hamlin was drafted in the 2nd round by the Seahawks back in 2003, and played there four seasons before moving to Dallas in 2007. Last year he played in 16 games, making 62 tackles and five interceptions. He will be the fourth big name safety to sign a deal this offseason - Kerry Rhodes signed a five-year, $33.5 million dollar deal with the Jets. Gibril Wilson signed a six-year, $39 million dollar deal with the Radiers, and Madieu Williams inked a six-year, $33.75 million dollar deal with the Vikings.

Hamlin and Cowboys Close in on Multi-Year Deal

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:43:55 -0500

Ken Hamlin Talks On Thin Ice

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:57:19 -0500

There was a time when we all thought Dallas Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin was on his way to a longterm deal with the team after a very surprising Pro Bowl season in 2007-08. Jerry Jones has been signing checks throughout the offseason, and he's been able to secure a team for the first time in [...]

Miami Has Better Safeties Than Dallas

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:35:19 -0500

The Dallas Cowboys may be revving up for another stab at a Super Bowl, at least in the eyes of their fans, but they may need to get better safeties. If Miami Dolphins officials can say that the Dolphins have better safeties than the Cowboys, well, I guess the safeties in Dallas suck. While the "officials" [...]

More Dallas Cowboys Bashing By Bloggers

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:40:59 -0500

Unbelievable. That was my initial feeling when I read this post from longtime blogging friend Brian Miller. Miller, a Miami Dolphins fan (I know, it's funny), claims that the Dallas Cowboys have horrible safeties. It doesn't matter that both of our safeties made the Pro Bowl. Nah. They suck. He said the Dolphins have better safeties. So [...]

Free-agent class of 2009 appears mighty impressive

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:08:42 -0500

Here is a look at arguably the top 10 players poised for free agency this winter. 1. Julius Peppers, Panthers defensive end –- Coming off a down year, but teams pay premium for pass rushers. 2. Steven Jackson, Rams running back –- Hard to imagine St. Louis parting ways with its most popular player. 3. Tommie Harris, Bears defensive tackle -– Talks on a long-term contract hit a standstill last month. 4. Marion Barber, Cowboys running back –- Last season, one NFC coach said Barber is an elite back in the same class as LaDainian Tomlinson or Adrian Peterson. Now he wants to be paid that way. 5. Chris Snee, Giants guard –- At a time when interior offensive linemen are cashing in, the son-in-law of Giants coach Tom Coughlin is going to cash in. 6. Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders cornerback –- Oakland plans to franchise him again if he remains unsigned, which is a distinct possibility. 7. Albert Haynesworth, Titans defensive tackle –- Tennessee wouldn't let Haynesworth leave this offseason, and its stance is unlikely to change. 8. Terrell Owens, Cowboys wide receiver -– At the age of 34, T.O. is performing like he were 24. 9. Will Smith, Saints defensive end -– New Orleans defensive end Charles Grant got his money and Smith intends to do the same. 10. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Bengals wide receiver –- Still waiting for his first big-money deal. Of course, the list hardly stops there. It goes on and on, like the money that could be spent on some of these players. The free-agent class of 2009 also is scheduled to include Lions wide receiver Roy Williams, Bills wide receiver Lee Evans, Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman, Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin, Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking, Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson, Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby, Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia and Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer.

Spending Less Can Lead To More For Dallas Cowboys

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:19:54 -0500

This is one time where less is definitely more. The salary cap-strapped Dallas Cowboys don't need to spend money on players in free agency just so they can say they added a player or two. Jerry and Stephen Jones are playing this one just right. They're doing nothing. The Cowboys have a nice roster, which is how they sent a record number of players to the Pro Bowl last season, and they have two first-round draft picks in April. There's no need at all for the Cowboys to force the issue. They didn't need to spend big money on average players like Bernard Berrian. Or even top-notch players like Asante Samuel. Let alone marginal players like D.J. Hackett. Dallas had its version of free agency when it signed Flozell Adams and Ken Hamlin to contracts early in the free-agency process. If that's all they get done, then so be it. If teams aren't careful, free agency creates more problems than it solves because there are so many busts. The Cowboys have learned this over the years. So, they're being cautious. It will pay off down the road.

Need Defense? Quality guys still out there

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:58:21 -0500

There are still around two dozen quality players from the defensive side of the ball that remain on the free agent market. Defensive Tackle Albert Haynesworth (franchise player) Rod Coleman Darwin Walker Larry Tripplett Anthony McFarland Grady Jackson Bryan Robinson Ellis Wyms Keith Traylor James Reed William Joseph Ethan Kelley Ian Scott Antonio Garay Kimo von Oelhoffen Ted Washington Russell Davis Nick Eason Defensive End Jared Allen (franchise player) Terrell Suggs (OLB) (franchise player) James Hall Kevin Carter (DT) Mike Rucker Greg Spires Josh Thomas Orpheus Roye ND Kalu Darrion Scott Renaldo Wynn Al Wallace Inside Linebacker Karlos Dansby (franchise player) Lemar Marshall Jeremiah Trotter Brian Simmons Rob Morris (SLB) Caleb Miller Outside Linebacker Takeo Spikes Ian Gold Rosevelt Colvin Victor Hobson Clark Haggans Brandon Chillar Kendrell Bell Keith Adams Rocky Boiman Shawn Barber Donnie Spragan Matt Stewart Safety Ken Hamlin (franchise player) Kenoy Kennedy Chris Crocker Terrence Holt

Roy Williams to replace Taylor in Pro Bowl

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:12:42 -0500

Roy Williams was added to the Pro Bowl roster today to replace the slain Sean Taylor. Ken Hamlin, who was already headed to the Pro Bowl, will start in place of Taylor. With Williams headed to Hawaii, it gives the Dallas Cowboys an NFL record 12 players going to the Pro Bowl. As for Williams, he had this to say about the situation; "I appreciate being the first alternate to go," said Williams, who is going to the Pro Bowl for the fifth straight year. "We are going to do something special for Sean and his family."