Pacman granted Limited Reinstatement

[NeedsMoreCheese]

Commissioner Roger Goodell informed Jones on Monday he may participate in organized team activities, and the bonus includes training camp and preseason games. While that decision finally gives Jones the chance to earn his way back into the league, Goodell didn't guarantee he would be reinstated.

"This limited reinstatement is a step in the process," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "Adam is aware of the things that need to be done in order to take the next step."

A final determination will be made by Sept. 1. Jones will have to be on perfect behavior in order to be eligible for the 2008 season.

"Commissioner Goodell told Jones that his continued participation in the NFL depends on demonstrating that he can conduct himself in a lawful and reliable manner," the NFL said in a release Monday. "Jones will be expected to continue the personal conduct program established by the NFL and the Cowboys and to avoid further adverse involvement with law enforcement."

Jones, who has been arrested six times and has been involved in 12 incidents requiring police intervention since being drafted, was the main player involved in the league's player conduct policy, which was created to discipline players who have had repeated confrontations with the law. Jones missed all of last season under the player conduct policy and could miss all or part of the 2008 season if he has another incident.

Less than two weeks ago, Jones met with Goodell to discuss his status with the league. By giving Jones the chance to work at the Cowboys facility, Goodell apparently accepted Jones' explanations for allegedly giving money to a suspect in a shooting incident in Las Vegas. Goodell also must have accepted Jones' explanation for a $20,000 marker at a casino that was just recently paid.

Since being traded to the Cowboys, Jones has tried to surround himself with a better support group. He's befriended former Cowboys Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders. Now that he's allowed to be at the Cowboys facility, Jones will be able to work with Calvin Hill, a consultant who works with player development. Jones also has become friends with several of his new teammates, including Tank Johnson, whom the Cowboys helped return from a similar suspension last season.

"The important thing is getting him here and getting him acclimated," Johnson said. "I have told him you are a good kid, we know you and we're looking forward to having you on the team and we're excited about you proving everybody wrong."

The Cowboys could use another good cornerback, but they're not hanging their hopes on Jones, having spent a first-round pick on Michael Jenkins. Jenkins and fellow first-rounder Felix Jones also can handle kick returns if Pacman isn't around -- or even if he is.

Basically, the team isn't getting its hopes up, considering Pacman's availability a bonus.

"If [Pacman] can come out and help us here, great," said linebacker Bradie James, the defensive captain last season. "But if he doesn't, we've got enough guys to make it happen."

Jerry Jones has even talked about using Pacman as an extra wide receiver. That's fine by Terrell Owens, who expects Pacman to be committed to staying out of trouble.

"I think now with a year out of football, he has to really put his life and career in perspective," Owens said. "I haven't seen him play offense. Obviously he has some return skills. Any time you can get a guy like [that] to get their hands on the ball, it's going to help your offense."

Terence Newman, the team's top cornerback, is looking forward to the help, too.

"We're all waiting for him to get here. The sooner the better," Newman said. "It will definitely be a little shock when he gets back because the speed of the game is what you're not used to. You can play basketball, can do a lot of things, but you can never simulate going against a receiver, pressing a guy and having a guy run full speed at you."

Secondary coach Dave Campo expects Jones to adapt quickly. Campo figures the biggest obstacle will be learning Dallas' terminology. Jones wasn't allowed to have a playbook while banned from the facility.

"Pretty much, coverage is coverage," Campo said. "I've looked at some tape of him and I've put a couple tapes together for him when he comes in to show him some stuff. But I saw him up close and personal in Jacksonville. He beat us single-handedly in a game

[boogiesdad]

any news is good news

[Geddy]

Barring anything major from now til September, he'll most certainly be back and playing this upcoming season.

[NeedsMoreCheese]

any news is good news

Yeah. Like Mosley said in his blog this pretty much confirms that Pacman will be reinstated this season as long as there arent any new issues that come up between now and then.

It's finally official. Pacman Jones will be allowed to play for the Dallas Cowboys in 2008. Yes, I know it's a "limited reinstatement," but you don't allow a player to participate in minicamps and preseason games if you're not going to lift his suspension. Oh, and that huge cheer you heard this afternoon was coming from the HBO offices in New York.

Goodell wouldnt bother even doing this if he wasnt planning on eventually reinstating him for the regular season.


Our secondary is scary good now. I mean even before this it was the best its been since about 96.
Terence Newman is pretty much the most underrated CB by fans in the league. (I say fans because i you hear the things his peers have said about him, what other teams have said about him, and look at how QBs rarely throw at him you see the respect hes got with them)
Anthony Henry was leading the league in INTs before that ankle injury and looked pretty damn good.
Mike Jenkins is arguably the top CB from this years draft.
Orlando Scandrick has a lot of potential and could be a steal.

Add Pacman onto that and its just unbelievable. The turnaround from last year to this year is pretty crazy. We went from having the worst CB in the league as our 4th CB (Nate **** Jones), to having either Mike Jenkins, or Pacman Jones in that spot (for now).
Scandrick is better than Reeves was too.

The only concern in the secondary is where the hell Roy Williams head is at. Though honestly I'd say just move Henry there for most downs and put Roy at LB. Im not worried about Hamlins contract, he'll eventually sign. Jerry knows what hes doing when it comes to player negotiations. When was the last time he had a player hold out? (I mean like through preseason or even the regular season, not like OTAs or that stuff) Maybe im forgetting something but the only big holdout i remember is Emmitt, and that was what, 15 years ago?

[studcrackers]

the only concerns i have about our team is roy williams, pacman staying out of trouble and greg ellis

i was so pissed to hear him bitching again, he's bitched and pissed and moaned the past 3 years and its just gotten to be annoying as hell.

dave campo is back coaching the secondary. say what you will about his head coaching abilities but he can coach defense, and he coached roy in his good years. maybe he can motivate him, if not we'll see more of pat watkins this year.

o and the other concern i have is special teams coverage. i think we greatly upgraded the PR and KR but i still worry about our coverage, especially since keith davis was our best ST player

[NeedsMoreCheese]

the only concerns i have about our team is roy williams, pacman staying out of trouble and greg ellis

i was so pissed to hear him bitching again, he's bitched and pissed and moaned the past 3 years and its just gotten to be annoying as hell.

dave campo is back coaching the secondary. say what you will about his head coaching abilities but he can coach defense, and he coached roy in his good years. maybe he can motivate him, if not we'll see more of pat watkins this year.

o and the other concern i have is special teams coverage. i think we greatly upgraded the PR and KR but i still worry about our coverage, especially since keith davis was our best ST player

Coached Roy in his good years? Go read the revealing article about Roy I posted and maybe youll rethink that.

Im not worried about Ellis, he does this every year but is too much of a team guy to actually hold out when it matters. He even helped mentor Spencer last year when he wasnt happy about the pick. I think people are making it a bigger deal than it actually is.

As for Pacman, having the babysitter helps, but how long is he there until? I have no idea, but for now it'll work

Pacman Jones' reported meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell apparently came and went without incident. Longtime Cowboys observer Jean-Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News thinks the suspended cornerback might finally be ready to succeed in the NFL. Taylor sees a strong support system around Jones, in addition to a security detail:

"The Cowboys also have set Pacman up with some of the best security personnel in the NFL. They are with him virtually 24-7. And the head of that security team is an old-school expert who has handled every kind of situation imaginable. He has handled athletes with much higher profiles than Pacman over the last 20 years, so he is not intimidated. Or impressed. That said, he likes Pacman and thinks he has a chance to straighten out his life, if that's what he wants to do."

NFL teams often hire retired police officers and FBI agents to head their security departments. The retired officers usually have ties to local law enforcement. Not everyone thinks this is a healthy arrangement. In this case, the Cowboys have much to gain if Jones realizes his potential as a dynamic return specialist and talented cover corner. At the very least, the Dallas community figures to benefit if a security detail can help Jones live within the law.