Normally, you wouldn't expect a guy who just months ago signed a $50 million contract to be going unnoticed. But it seems Brandon Carr has done just that in the last two and a half weeks.
Just my opinion: Carr's had the best training camp of any Cowboys player. He's been exactly what the team thought it was getting when he was made the first priority in free agency. He's been tough and physical, has a knack for making plays on the ball in the air and has had some outstanding battles with Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, another popular pick for Camp MVP. It's not that Carr gets the best of Bryant every time, but it's pretty even, and you'll gladly take that. Bryant's a tough cover.
When the Cowboys signed Carr, I was a little unsure about the move, having not seen him play in a ton of games. I worried he wasn't one of the game's best cornerbacks, but instead just one of the best cornerbacks available this offseason.
In short, I thought the Cowboys might've been buying another Anthony Henry, the guy they paid big bucks for in 2005. Henry was a pretty good player, but not the difference-maker you're looking for when you pay a guy like he's elite. It's now clear to me Carr will be quite a bit better than Henry.
He's fitting in great with his teammates, and already seems to have become a leader-by-example type.
"Brandon's a veteran," safety Gerald Sensabaugh said. "He's started a lot of games and played a lot of football. He has his own style and it fits our defense. I think that's the biggest reason why they went and got him. He's worth it. Just what he's showed in preseason and these practices so far and in the game, he's well worth whatever they paid the guy. He's awesome. He's an awesome teammate. He's a good guy. I've had a chance to hang out with him off the field, too, so the camaraderie is good. He's just come in and it's like he's been here for years."
All camp, he was the only cornerback I saw intercept a pass from Tony Romo, doing so several times.
"He's terrific," Sensabaugh said. "He's able to challenge every throw, challenge every catch. He's gotten a lot of (pass breakups), a lot of interceptions. He plays the ball well. He's something special and I can't wait to get out there in these real games and see what he does. I already know it's going to be a special year for him. He's a great addition. He's one of the pieces of the puzzle that we needed."
There were plenty of players who stood out throughout camp, but Carr's play seems to have gone underreported. He's laid the foundation for a Pro Bowl season.
