• Tight end Anthony Fasano: A Cowboys insider said his development was considered slow for a second-rounder who caught 92 passes at Notre Dame. Fasano, 24, improved last year, primarily in two-tight-end sets with All-Pro Jason Witten, but not enough to convince the Cowboys, who dealt him and Ayodele for a fourth-rounder. Still limited by offseason shoulder surgery, Fasano will have every chance to beat out David Martin.
''He's better than Martin,'' said former NFL scout Chris Landry, a Fox Radio analyst who consults for 11 teams. ''He's a little spotty getting open, but he'll become more productive as a receiver.'' Said espn.com analyst and former Browns scout Matt Williamson: ``He won't stretch the field as much as Martin can. But Fasano is a better blocker.''
• Ayodele: A Cowboys insider said coach Wade Phillips didn't like him because he wasn't a playmaker. After four seasons as an outside linebacker for Jacksonville, he had just one sack in two years as an inside LB in Dallas, and his tackles dropped from 84 in '06 to 57 in '07.
''Ayodele is not a long-range guy,'' Landry said. ''Not real fluid or great in coverage,'' Williamson said. But his size (6-2, 250) fits the Parcells prototype and he likely will start here. Ayodele, 29, said he pushed for a trade -- he would have been unhappy playing behind Zach Thomas.
