Jones, speaking outside the Cowboys’ locker room after a 23-6 loss, said he should have inspected the sod himself before speaking out on the radio Friday. Coach Jason Garrett also expressed concerns.

Jones says, ”That was a good place to play a football game tonight, hats off to them.”

This time, the 49ers used a different company, Evergreen Turf out of Chandler, Arizona, which supplies the NFC West rival Cardinals. The field was re-sodded during the week following a pair of Taylor Swift concerts Aug. 14-15, then is scheduled to be at least partially re-sodded following a concert by Luke Bryan next Saturday and again with a brand new field for San Francisco’s Sept. 14 opener on Monday night against Minnesota.

Youth players even got to scrimmage during halftime.

—

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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The move costs the Cowboys $10.6 million, but it is possible the sides could work out a long-term deal, according to Spencer’s agent, Jordan Woy.

“We will be working on a long-term deal,” Woy said. “Anthony played very well last season and he would like to know he has a home here for several years.”

However, it is also possible the Cowboys could look to trade Spencer for draft picks.

Spencer had a career-high 11 sacks in 2012 and was named to the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement. Spencer led the Cowboys with 95 tackles, and his eight tackles for loss and 26 quarterback pressures were second on the team.

He reached double digits in sacks last season for the first time in his career while only playing in 14 games. He even took over the play calling later in the season due to injuries to Sean Lee and Bruce Carter.

Spencer will move to defensive end with the Cowboys switching to the 4-3 scheme this year, if he remains on the roster. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones hinted at the NFL scouting combine that Spencer does not have the preferred size for Monte Kiffin’s scheme.

Spencer played defensive end at Purdue.

Jones also said Spencer’s price on a long-term deal would be too expensive for the team’s liking, but added there would be a reasonable way to keep him. While the franchise tag is costly, it is not unreasonable.

The Cowboys will have to restructure more contracts to get under the $123 million cap by March 12 and have worked out agreements to do so with defensive tackle Jay Ratliff and guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau. Cornerback Orlando Scandrick and quarterback Kyle Orton could also have their deals re-worked.

The Cowboys would like to sign Tony Romo to a new deal, which would knock down his $16.8 million cap figure, but have not had substantive talks as of yet.

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In a news conference introducing the Dallas Cowboys coaches for the 2013 season, Callahan downplayed any potential changes within the structure of the offensive staff.

“I checked my ego at the door a long time ago,” said Callahan, who has called the offensive plays with the Oakland Raiders and the University of Nebraska, where he was a head coach.

“It doesn’t matter who calls the plays. We know what the play is going to be so there’s no guessers, no surprises and I think the players can tell you that as well. If you’re a good football team and you have an identity of what you’re doing, they can tell you the play that’s going to be called and featured in that particular down and distance, there’s no mystery,” he said.

There seems to be a mystery regarding the playcaller, especially after team owner/general manager Jerry Jones wanted to make change within the coaching staff by saying he wanted people uncomfortable. Jones said it would be Garrett’s decision to decide if he didn’t want to call the offensive plays anymore.

Callahan said he embraces Jones’ thoughts and he hasn’t spoken to the owner regarding the playcalling but, “I would be very happy to speak with him.”

The Cowboys had the seventh-best offense in the league yet there was some game mismanagement issues with Garrett and the running attack finished 31st overall. Each year, Garrett said he’s delegated duties to other offensive coaches. However, after the 2012 season, Garrett said he expected the status quo to remain in terms of calling the plays.

Jones changed the dynamic at Valley Ranch insisting his coaching staff be open minded about things. Garrett has agreed, however, he won’t reveal if one of those changes is giving the play-calling duties to Callahan.

Garrett said the mechanics needed to be worked out before a final decision is made about the playcaller. When asked about the specifics, Garrett wouldn’t say.
“I got the upmost confidence in Coach Garrett and what he believes and how he wants to go about the process of going through playcalling, whatever it may be,” Callahan said. “So be it. My job and my function as an assistant is to serve the head coach and I’m going to do that to the best of my ability every day I come to work you put your best foot forward and compete.”

Callahan dismissed the notion that he would have to implement the West Coast offense, something he used with the Raiders, over Garrett’s timing-based passing attack.

Callahan said he’s been around long-enough to work with any offensive system. The only difference is the terminology.

“Again, I’ve partaken in playcalling during the games here,” Callahan said. “I’ve done it at several places. It’s a group effort whether it’s collecting thoughts on the sidelines between series as to what plays we’d like to run and getting those ideas from the staff, whether it’s doing it while we are online during the course of a series, whether it’s on the sidelines and somebody’s the primary caller, it really doesn’t matter because I just hearken back to the point I made about preparation of the game plan. It’s a group effort.”

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Ratliff and the driver of the tractor trailer were not injured, according to Shemwell.

Police arrived at the 2800 block of East State Highway 114 at 12:36 a.m. to investigate a crash. Police, according to Shemwell, upon an investigation of the crash, arrested Ratliff on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Ratliff was bonded out of a Grapevine jail on Tuesday morning.

Cowboys officials, in Mobile, Ala., watching practices for Saturday’s Senior Bowl, declined comment. Ratliff’s agent, Mark Slough, declined comment.

Ratliff, who was not available for comment, played in just six games in 2012 because of injuries. He underwent a sports hernia surgery in late December, ending his season. However, the Cowboys kept him on the active roster with the hope he would return in the playoffs, if the team had made it.

The Ratliff arrest marks the second time a Cowboys player has dealt with police officials regarding DWIs in the last several months.

On Dec. 8, backup nose tackle Josh Brent was charged with involuntary manslaughter resulting in the death of friend and Cowboys practice squad player Jerry Brown.

The Cowboys provide a service that can take players home safely. Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said he knew the service was used several times.

Ratliff, coincidentally, has a close relationship to Brent.

Brent was tested after the crash and it was determined he had a blood-alcohol content more than twice the legal limit at the time of the crash.

Brent was indicted on one count of intoxication manslaughter and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He could also receive probation. Brent is free on $100,000 bond and required to wear an alcohol monitor.

Ratliff is considered one of the more passionate players on the team. He got into a heated argument with Jones in which both men needed to be separated.

Tuesday afternoon, Jones was asked about Ratliff’s status with the team, given the argument the two had during the season.

“As far as I’m concerned, he is outstanding, he has given everything he’s ever had to the Dallas Cowboys,” Jones said. “With me, any of that emotion that was involved between us is only reflected back on many times that we’ve had in our own way some emotional time with each other. And it in no way before was ever contentious.

“So when you’ve got the kind of background we’ve got together, then if you have a moment that you might not have been on the same page, that’s like father-son, that’s like family, that’s like all that. That’s forgotten when you know each other has your best interests at heart. We both know that.”

Any NFL player that is arrested is subject to the NFL conduct policy which could result in a fine or suspension.

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