OXNARD, Calif. – Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said Thursday
night that tight end Dan Campbell would miss at least the first week of
training camp because of appendicitis.
Campbell, one of the NFL's best blocking tight ends, missed the last 13
games last season because of torn ligaments in his foot.
"It's a tough deal," Jones said. "But at least it happened early.
Hopefully Dan won't be out long."
Touching down: The Cowboys' charter flight from Dallas arrived at
Point Mugu Naval Air Station a little after 2 p.m.
"It's time," linebacker Bradie James said. "You can smell football is in
the air. We're ready. All we've been doing is throwing weights around
for five or six months. I'm just glad to be getting on the field."
The players became aware of coach Bill Parcells' change in the practice
schedule and were glad to hear they will not have eight straight days of
double sessions.
Instead, the double sessions will be every other day.
"Maybe he's trying to get us to crawl before we can walk," nose tackle
Jason Ferguson said. "But I know he's not going to be light on us. I
know that."
Autographs, please: A handful of players signed autographs at two
bases, much to the delight of Desmond Hall, 30, a first class petty
officer from Fort Worth.
"I've been watching the Cowboys since I was a little kid," Hall said. "I
can remember going to Texas Stadium when Parcells was coaching Joe
Morris and the Giants."
Security high: The Cowboys' headquarters at the Marriott
Residence Inn has a new look, filled with added security. The team's
rooms are confined to one side of the hotel campus, and a green tarp
covering a chain-link fence prevents much interaction.
Briefly: Pro Bowl left guard Larry Allen was the first player to
check in, at 9:30 a.m. Allen was one of 14 players not required to take
the team's charter flight.
DallasNews.com Staff Writer Matt Mosley contributed to this report.
