AUSTIN (AP) - The Dallas Cowboys are losing depth on their defensive
line.
The team has learned that second-year lineman Darren Benson is likely lost
for the season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament in practices
against the Oakland Raiders on Monday.
"We were counting on him to develop," Dallas coach Barry Switzer
said. "Last year was a year of him trying to learn. This year we had
higher hopes. This is a tremendous setback."
Coaches had hoped Benson would be the fourth tackle in a rotation that includes
Leon Lett, Chad Hennings and Tony Casillas.
Benson, who is 6-foot-7 and 308 pounds, played 70 snaps against the Raiders
in a 35-34 preseason victory on Saturday. He had two tackles, one pass defensed
and one quarterback pressure.
Benson, who is only 21, had threatened during the offseason to quit the
team and become a roofer.
The health of Dallas cornerback Kevin Smith is the key to how the Cowboys
will spend what little money they have left under the NFL's salary cap.
But even Smith doesn't know whether he will be able to recover from a torn
Achilles' tendon suffered in the first game of last year.
"I am nervous but I'm not scared," said Smith, who can walk freely
but has yet to test his Achilles on the practice field.
"I am nervous because I haven't had this injury before," Smith
said. "That's the only thing that's challenging me right now. I am
pretty confident in what I can do and I'm pretty confident in how the rehab
went.
"My mindset is right. I am not concerned about anything else but actually
getting out there and doing it.
"I missed the whole year, so another couple weeks won't hurt,"
he said.
If Smith recovers completely, Deion Sanders will be free to play wide receiver
in the absence of Michael Irvin, who has been suspended by the NFL for the
first five games of the season.
If not, the Cowboys will have to switch Sanders back to cornerback along
with second-year player Alundis Brice, who has disappointed coaches in camp
so far.
"We've got a lot of ifs," Switzer said.
Scuffles appear to be inevitable when the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland
Raiders practice together.
After a couple skirmishes broke out at Monday's practice, Dallas receiver
Kevin Williams and Oakland's Terry McDaniel mixed it up on Tuesday.
"That's the nature of the game," Dallas coach Barry Switzer said.
A few heads also turned when the Raiders' Eddie Anderson lowered the boom
with a late hit on Dallas receiver Ed Hervey.
Troy Aikman continued to throw the ball with precision against the Raiders,
while Oakland has had little trouble moving the ball on Dallas' depleted
defense, which has five starters sitting out with injuries.
"Our biggest thing is trying to get our guys healthy and into practice,"
said Dallas defensive coordinator Dave Campo.
Besides Charles Haley (back), Tony Tolbert (both knees), Deion Sanders (hamstring),
Kevin Smith (Achilles), Dallas also was without linebacker Fred Strickland
on Tuesday because of a strained right calf muscle.
Switzer said Strickland's status would be day to day.
Dallas and Oakland will practice together two more times on Wednesday.
Herschel Walker, a former track star in college, says it would
be interesting to see if sprinter Michael Johnson could make it in pro football.
Johnson won the gold medal for the United States in the 400 meters and is
attempting to do the same in the 200.
"He's so fast," Walker said. "I don't know how much speed
he would lose in pads."
Walker said he hasn't lost too much from his track days in college.
"I ran a 10.08 in the 100 meters and a 4.2 in the 40 (yard dash) during
the offseason. I've been banged up, but I can still move all right,"
he said.
When asked if he wanted to take on Johnson in a race, Walker said, "No
way. He'd have to put on the pads first."
Oakland backup quarterback David Klingler found himself the recipient
of wild cheers from kids lining up along "autograph alley" at
the Cowboys training camp.
"This is crazy," said Klingler, who nearly was left behind by
team buses while he signed autographs.
Klingler said it was nice to be back in Texas, where he played college ball
for the University of Houston.
"It's always nice to come back where people know who you are,"
Klingler said.
When asked about his hopes for this season, he said, "If I could stay
healthy it'd be good. It's kind of the same old battle."