Saturday."
He means, not until the Cowboys face the Seahawks in Saturday's preseason opener, 7 p.m. (PDT) at Qwest Field in Seattle, so maybe that's why the ball doesn't seem to be exploding off his foot - though he says that's just not his style.
And another thing. We've been told Vanderjagt should be able to handle kickoffs, too. Well, maybe not so much. I haven't seen him attempt one kickoff here in training camp, and in Wednesday's kickoff return drill, that was Suisham and Tyler Fredrickson handling the kickoffs.
Furthermore, Vanderjagt said he won't be kicking off in Saturday's preseason opener, nor in the second preseason game, Aug. 21 against the Saints in Shreveport, La.
"Not going to (kick off) in games or until I get back to Dallas," he said.
Now none of this would be at all alarming if not for his past. Vanderjagt had a history of groin problems the past few years in Indianapolis. Sources say that chronic groin problem would get so bad during the season, Vanderjagt basically would only kick in games, which apparently, wasn't a huge problem if he was making 80 of 87 attempts over the past three years.
You kidding me? Over that period of time, the Cowboys, as a team, were 63 of 83, which is 75 percent, and but four more makes from Parcells' magical 80-percent mark. So while Cundiff did have problems with big kicks, he hit 76 percent of his kicks (48-for-63), and was just three more makes from 80 percent.
So regardless of what many of you think, he wasn't gosh-awful.
But back to the groin problem. That had a lot to do with why Vanderjagt didn't kick off. Oh, he could, and probably can. But problem was, the more he kicked off, the more he aggravated that groin. So the Colts robbed Peter to pay Paul, and hired some Jose to kick off. The Cowboys might have to, too. Maybe theirs would be some Carlos (Martinez, Desperados kicker) already in town, and who worked out for the Cowboys before they left for camp.
OK, it is only Aug. 9. The season doesn't start for a month. That's a lot of time. And as Parcells scolded on Wednesday when asked what has caused him to begin searching in earnest for another wide receiver - more than a camp body - he said, "I don't know who's probably going to be our (No.) 3, 4, 5 receiver yet. I mean, I know you guys have got it all figured out, got your rosters almost complete and turning them in soon.
"But that's only because you have a deadline. My deadline isn't for a while."
Nope, sure isn't. Final rosters cuts don't have to be made until Sept. 3, and Parcells, if he factors in history, has much more to worry about than Vanderjagt at this time - like his offensive line, like his third, fourth and fifth receivers, like his backup nose tackle, like his backup quarterback, like his hamstrung lead receiver, like Marcus Spears' knee and like what to do with Justin Beriault.
But he did characterize the kicking situation, which also includes a struggling Suisham and Fredrickson, by saying this: "I'd say we've been a little inconsistent to this day."
Good way to put it, somewhat troublesome, but not worrisome - yet.
So no sense jumping the gun, as many notoriously do in training camp. But enough to at least get you in the blocks.
