OXNARD, Calif. –Fresh off Thursday's rejection letter to Plaxico Burress, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was talking up a tall wide receiver already on the roster.
Jones has been hyping second-year pro Andre Holmes since February. While Holmes starting camp with a whimper, failing his conditioning test, he has bounced back by putting together a string of much-improved practices this week. Jones' dismissal of Thursday's Burress rumors had everything to do with wanting to see what the young receivers already on the roster can do during preseason, and Holmes is right at the top of the watch list in Monday's exhibition opener at Oakland.
"Holmes will get his opportunities," Jones said Friday. "I'm seeing him be more consistent. He is getting his assignments down better, for a fact, and you know he's got that height and got the ability to catch the ball. So that's why he's certainly someone that's got a chance to get to play a lot this year."
In addition to the 6-5 Holmes, Jones also singled out 5-8 receiver Cole Beasley as a player to watch on Monday.
Then again, there are countless rookies, first-year and second-year players that the owner is most interested in seeing against the Raiders.
"I think the usual cast, which are your young players," Jones said. "Some of the free agents, (Brandon) Carr, I don't need to see. I really don't need to see (Lawrence) Vickers. I don't need to see guys that are veteran players. I know they need to get some snaps, but I know what they can do. Frankly, I don't want to be too aggressive relative to seeing a (Mackenzy) Bernadeau and some of those players like that. I don't need to see (Jason) Witten.
"We need to see players and make sure that they can play when the lights are on the way that they practice out here. And that, to me, is what these first two preseason games are about."
