IRVING, Texas –Guard Brian Waters took first-team reps at the beginning of Wednesday's practice and appears ready to start and maintain a more permanent role at right guard.
The Cowboys have utilized a rotation system with Waters and Mackenzy Bernadeau, as Waters gets back in shape after a year off from football. The Cowboys have let Waters ease back in at guard until he's prepared for a full workload.
"That's the goal – to try and make it through a whole game," Waters said. "We'll see. Obviously, Mack will be ready to go. We're all confident he'll be ready to go if anything happens. We'll see how it goes." [embedded_ad]
Waters said he's getting better physically and with the scheme each week. When he went to the Patriots immediately before the season began two years ago, he had at least had a little more familiarity with the system.
"I had just worked with Charlie Weis the year before," Waters said. "It was easier to transition with the system. Here, I've had to learn a lot more. Lucky for me, I play offensive line, so there aren't a lot of differences, just the calls and somewhat the plays."
Wilcox Not Satisfied
J.J. Wilcox appeared to have played about as well as any rookie could in his first start Sunday against the Rams, but he's not yet satisfied.
He said there were multiple minor mistakes he made and that he still has a lot of room to grow. The rookie came in Tuesday on the team's day off to try to learn from those mistakes.
"Nothing major," he said. "I'm hard on myself. I want the coaches to grade me hard, too. That's how I attack it, and that's how I try to get better."
The small stuff included filling in holes, staying on top of the defense, breaking faster and making picks. He nearly had his first career interception in his first career start, but the pick came back on a roughing the passer penalty.
Wilcox at least knows if he does mess up, he's doing it without hesitation.
"Full speed, that's the way I was taught," he said. "If you make them, make them full speed, and they won't stand out."
He said it felt like a dream to make his first career start, and it hit him when he ran out of the tunnel and saw his name on the screen. His father was able to attend the game, and the rookie who went through tragedy earlier this year had his mother in his thoughts.
"I did when I walked out," he said. "I know she'd have been proud of me. That's how I attack the field, and I have a little chip on my shoulder when I go out there. I've got a reason to play."
New CB Arrives
Cornerback Chris Greenwood got on a flight to Dallas last night and arrived around 10 p.m. Less than 24 hours later, he was practicing on the field with his new team.
Greenwood was plucked off the Lions' practice squad by the Cowboys.
"I was actually at the Lions' facility at the walkthrough and my agent left me a message and the rest led to me being here," he said.
The Cowboys were interested in the cornerback from Albion College before last year's draft. Greenwood remembered Cowboys secondary coach Jerome Henderson working him out at school. Obviously at the time, he had no idea where he'd end up.
"I wasn't really sure at that point," Greenwood said. "That's never easy to kind of predict. So, you know, I just waited and saw where I ended up. It wasn't here, but I'm here now. That's all that matters."
