FanHouse Anthony Spencer

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Tony Romo was 16 years old the last time the Dallas Cowboys won a playoff game -- Dec. 28, 1996 over Minnesota. Since then, a span of 13 seasons, America's Team has gone 0-6 in the postseason and failed to qualify for the playoffs seven times. It's a shocking drought for a franchise with the history, and more obviously, the pride that Dallas does that there has been more recent on-field success. This is a big season in Big D, for Romo, for coach Wade Phillips, for the future of the franchise. But breaking that postseason jinx won't be easy.

As Calvin Watkins reported first at the FanHouse a couple weeks ago, the Cowboys were looking to trade outside linebacker Greg Ellis.

But as you would expect, the market for 33-year-old outside linebackers/defensive ends with a $6 million contract is pretty small. So rather than pay his $4million-plus base salary, the Cowboys released him on Tuesday. The move will save the team more than $4 million on the salary cap.

Save the actual act of filling out the pink slip, Greg Ellis' 11-year career with the Cowboys is done. He was hailed as a team leader -- something the organization lacked in recent years -- and his DallasCowboys.com bio confirms as much:

"... Ellis has been a pillar of consistency and production for the Cowboys in his 10 seasons as an NFL player. Whether it be overcoming the adversity of a serious injury or making a position switch in the later stages of his career, Ellis has always responded."

But as you might have heard, the NFL is a business, and players -- even the good ones -- are sent on their way as soon as a coach, scout or owner determines they're no longer useful. And with 2007 first-round pick Anthony Spencer ready to assume Ellis' job, it was a relatively easy decision, at least from a business standpoint.

The Dallas Cowboys are shopping outside linebacker Greg Ellis, multiple sources told FanHouse on Thursday. Ellis is one of the most trusted defenders the team has, but it would like to push 2007 first-round pick Anthony Spencer into a starting role.

Ellis is in the last year of his contract and if released, is owed $1.5 million by the Cowboys as part of a contractually agreed upon settlement.

Dallas is serious about a potential move because on Thursday, the final day of this week's organized team activities, the team sent Ellis home, not allowing him to practice. The Cowboys did this last year during some OTAs, and coach Wade Phillips said then it was to not wear Ellis down. He turns 34 in August.

Bars -- even ones named "Have a Nice Day Cafe" -- are required to keep certain hours, based on state-to-state laws. You really don't want to try and bribe them to stay open longer, because if they get caught, they'll be shut down. So, really, there's little-to-no interest for them in staying open late, unless the financial compensation exceeds what they make over the course of several years.

Which would probably explain why Anthony Spencer failed in his attempt to keep the Indianapolis HANDC open after hours.

In the weeks and months leading up to the 2007 draft, Steelers fans basically wanted Anybody But Lawrence Timmons. Fresh off an 8-8 performance, and holding the 15th-overall selection, Pittsburgh was too far removed from the "franchise players" that populated the top of the board, but not far enough down to justify taking a guy to fill a specific need (like, say, tackle, guard, or center).

Pre-draft reports had Timmons showing up to his pro day out of shape, and, at 20, he was too inexperienced to contribute immediately in the NFL. Well, the Steelers drafted him anyway, even though fans were clamoring for names like Jarvis Moss, Jon Beason and Anthony Spencer.

Beason has been a legit NFL linebacker from Day 1, and Timmons has had a solid sophomore season. But due to injuries, bad luck and ineffectiveness, Moss and Spencer are still finding their way. Which explains this bit of time machinery via the Dallas Morning News' Tim McMahon:

Some folks who thought DeMarcus Ware deserved the Defensive Player of the Year award pointed out that Pittsburgh's James Harrison had a much better bookend than Ware does in Dallas.

Well, LaMarr Woodley, a key cog in the NFL's top defense, could have been a Cowboy. Instead, Dallas traded back up into the first round to take Anthony Spencer, who went 20 picks ahead of Woodley.

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterback: We know that Tony Romo isn't a fluke. He stepped in last year and had another fantastic season, setting team records in the process. There are questions remaining about distractions (Romessica) and winning a playoff game (none in his two years) which Romo must answer if he wants to take a place among the NFL's elite. Dallas is putting all their eggs in that basket as the only fallback if Romo gets hurt is 39-yr old Brad Johnson who isn't quite the risk taker. Heat Index: 9

Running backs: It's rare when a team loses their starting running back and everyone is fine with the position. Julius Jones is gone, but rookie Felix Jones is in. Jones (Felix) will get a ton of carries this season to keep Marion Barber fresh. Barber, who only started the Cowboys' playoff game, is the NFL's version of Mariano Rivera -- he dominates late in games and finishes drives off. Jones and Barber will combined for that classic "lightning and thunder" combo and should be quite successful doing it in what supposed to be a more run-friendly offense. Heat Index: 7

Greg Ellis isn't happy. We know this because Greg Ellis tells us as much. The outside linebacker-turned-defensive end fears he's being phased out for the 2006 first-round pick, Anthony Spencer. And to show he's very serious about all this, he's chosen to sit out the last day of OTAs.

But despite being angry, Ellis isn't going to be stupid about fake displays of displeasure:

While Greg Ellis is not taking part in the organized team activities, he is continuing to work out at the Cowboys' Valley Ranch facility.

As part of a reworked contract last year, Ellis was guaranteed a $1.5 million bonus if he played out the final two years of his contract. In order to collect the money, however, Ellis must take part in 85 percent of the off-season conditioning program, the mandatory mini-camps and training camps in 2008 and '09.

Dallas Morning News' Todd Archer writes that by working out, Ellis remains eligible for the guaranteed $1.5 million. I think that's called being a savvy veteran.

Again, owner Jerry Jones is unconcerned, and honestly, this wouldn't be newsworthy if we weren't right in the middle of the slowest point on the NFL calendar. Come August, Ellis will happily (as "happily" as Ellis can do anything) be making preparations for the 2008 season along with the rest of his teammates. The $1.5 million probably helps.

Greg Ellis has had a sometimes tenuous relationship with the Cowboys, dating back to 2006 when he was asked to move from a 4-3 defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker. The two sides seemed to smooth over their differences (read: Ellis got a new contract), but now Ellis is concerned with his apparently diminishing role. At least that's how he sees it.

...Ellis will not participate in the last day of organized team activities today because he's upset with his repetitions being reduced in practice, sources said. Ellis missed the first two days of OTAs this week and doesn't plan on coming back to practice at Valley Ranch unless he gets more repetitions.

According to the Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins, the Cowboys told Ellis the reasons for the limited reps were twofold: to give 2007 first-rounder Anthony Spencer more time on the field, and to keep Ellis and his 32-year-old bones from prematurely turning to dust.

Ellis, shockingly, doesn't trust the team's motives. When asked about Ellis' stance, owner Jerry Jones immediately consulted the day's talking points and mumbled something about voluntary workouts being exactly that. Well, except for Roy Williams. He really could stand to work on his coverage skills. At least to hear Terence Newman tell it.

Anthony Spencer, the Cowboys' first-round pick, is having a marvelous minicamp/OTA. This could mean everything ... or it could mean absolutely nothing. It's May, after all. Nobody's wearing pads, there's no contact (at least there's not supposed to be) and the speed of the game is a tad slower now than it will be in training camp and preseason.

Still, it's always good to hear positive reviews on the top draft pick, even under the circumstances:

In Thursday's voluntary workout, Spencer nearly had an interception of a pass in the flat from quarterback Matt Baker to fullback Deon Anderson. At the snap, his first read was on the tight end, but when Anderson went wide, Spencer followed.

"It's just knowing where you're supposed to be and reacting," said Spencer, who rarely dropped into coverage at Purdue. "I was mad I dropped it."

You don't need pads to know this is encouraging. Leading up to the draft, the concern was that Spencer, strictly a defensive end in college, would struggle in pass coverage.

Apparently, that's not an issue. And even if it is, Spencer's in the right place: 2005 first-rounder DeMarcus Ware made the same transition and he's now one of the league's best young players; Greg Ellis, a defensive end for his first eight seasons, made the switch last year and had some success before a season-ending injury.

Oh, and the Cowboys' new head coach, Wade Phillips, has a little experience in helping turn collegiate pass rushers into menacing 3-4 outside linebackers. Exhibit A: Shawne Merriman. The only issue is if Spencer can make enough progress between now and September to earn the starting job. Ellis is the incumbent, but he's coming off an Achilles injury and his place at the top of the depth chart can be described as tenuous at best. Whatever happens, if you're the Cowboys, this is a good problem to have.

Previously at FanHouse
Greg Ellis Wants Explanation From Cowboys
Wade Phillips Has Plans for Greg Ellis