Mike Jenkins is in Oxnard, Ca., with the rest of his Dallas teammates, but not too long ago, it seemed a decent possibility that Jenkins had seen his last camp as a member of the Cowboys.
After Dallas drafted cornerback Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick in April’s draft--and this after signing free agent cornerback Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50 million deal--it was reported that Jenkins was being shopped around the league by the team. Dallas denied this, and then it was Jenkins who wanted the trade. But once again, Dallas refused.
“I think sometimes your feelings can get hurt when a team goes and signs somebody and drafts somebody at your position,” head coach Jason Garrett said, per the Dallas Morning News. “But then once those emotions settle and you say, ‘This is my situation. What’s best thing for me to do?’ And typically I think if you have a guy who is a competitor he’s going to come back in and compete.”
To be sure, the Cowboys plan on Jenkins competing and potentially being a key asset on the revamped defense in 2012, and perhaps beyond, once he recovers from the offseason shoulder surgery that has kept him sidelined all offseason and into camp. Just ask Jerry Jones.
“Let’s dream a little bit,” Jones said. “What if Mike can be a part of…an outstanding corner group?
“…My point of view would be, hey, this is a great opportunity to come in here with this kind of talent, be a part of a unit that does very innovative things at that position. Some are packages. Some are nickel packages. There are a lot of different ways to go here when you’ve got multiple talent at corner. On an individual basis, in my mind, he’s giving himself the best chance when you look to the future. And the future could very easily be under those circumstances with the Dallas Cowboys. We will write a check for a good football player.”
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