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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 12:38 a.m., Saturday, April 12, 2008

NFL: Pacman will seek reinstatement next week

By Todd Archer and Albert Breer
The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas — Pacman Jones will apply for reinstatement to the NFL on Tuesday, according to his lawyer, Manny Arora.

Jones' first request for reinstatement, last year, was denied after a face-to-face meeting in New York with commissioner Roger Goodell. The NFL Players Association appealed the decision, but Jones remained suspended for the year.

Goodell, who will be in Dallas next week for the SMU Athletic Forum, has said he would make a decision on Jones' future by the time training camp begins in July. Arora is hoping Goodell would act sooner, which could heat up trade talks between Tennessee and Cowboys.

Cowboys host local prospects: The Cowboys hosted 31 local draft prospects Friday at Valley Ranch as part of their annual Dallas Day event.

The club watched prospects work out in the morning, with players having the option of going through combine testing and position drills. Some players also met with coaches, scouts and owner/GM Jerry Jones, and the day wrapped up with a barbecue lunch.

"We've seen them on film," assistant director of college scouting Tom Ciskowski said, adding that all the players performed as expected. "Maybe they didn't go to the combine, so we see how those guys compare to those that went to the combine. We look at their attitude, how receptive they are to coaching and how well they compete. And we can view the video tape to see how they are as a player."

Only players who grew up or attended college in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were allowed to attend. Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib, a Richardson Berkner product, was not present because of a scheduling conflict.

TCU defensive end Tommy Blake also attended Dallas Day, trying to quell concerns about his reported clinical depression and social anxiety disorder. His goal during the draft process has been to show NFL teams that he's serious about a career in football.

"I pretty much had a good day," Blake said. "I met Jerry Jones . . . he told me to stick with it and everything will turn out all right. I loved it here."