Receiver Sam Hurd had two catches and 47 yards in Thursday night’s preseason finale against Miami, 43 of which came on a touchdown pass from Stephen McGee. Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith was burned by Hurd on the play, but, afterward, Miami head coach Tony Sparano wasn’t mad with Smith--he was impressed, with Hurd.
Indeed, judging by Sparano’s remarks after the game, Hurd might have a ready suitor, if it turns out his performance Thursday wasn’t enough to keep him in Dallas.
“I know that receiver on the other side that caught the ball over Sean's head,” said Sparano, who served as the Cowboys’ offensive line coach from 2003-2007, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I know what he is capable of. You would tell me he's a backup but I know what that guy is all about.”
Hurd has said in the past that he wants to remain with Dallas, but he also wants to make more of a contribution as a wide receiver. And if Hurd found opportunities on offense hard to come by in 2009, the first round selection of Dez Bryant and the development of other, younger receivers, won’t help his cause much this season.
All of which makes the idea of him being with the Cowboys after five PM on Saturday--the deadline for the team to trim its roster to 53--an increasingly unlikely one. But Hurd knows that the decision is ultimately out of his hands.
"I feel like I have been trying to pursue my dream of being a wide receiver," Hurd said. "I have been working hard. But none of it boils down to how I feel. It's all on the coaches. If I have showed them, I have. If I havent, I will keep working. I'm not one of those people who worry. I have a family, a wife and God in my life. There is so much more to worry about. The decision is going to be made regardless of whether I like it or not. I can't sit there and stress over it."
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