Leon Lett, who helped the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in the 1990s, has been hired as an assistant defensive line coach. He helped the team's defensive line last season during training camp and during the season.

NFL owners have ratified the agreement between the league and NFLPA that takes away $36 million in salary cap space from the Redskins and $10 million from the Cowboys. Dallas and Washington were the only clubs that voted to oppose the agreement, which raised the salary cap for 2012 from about $113 million to $120.6 million. Both teams were penalized for overloading contracts in the 2010 uncapped season despite league warnings not to do so. Each must take at least half the reduction this year.

The agent for Mike Jenkins, Drew Rosenhaus, has approached the Cowboys about a possible contract extension. The team hasn't exchanged financial numbers yet, but there is hope Jenkins can continue to play with Dallas over the long-term.

The Super Bowl champion Giants will host the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 5 to kick off the 2012 regular season. The regular season has started on a Thursday since 2002, but the league moved this year's opener up a day to avoid a conflict with President Barack Obama's planned speech at the Democratic National Convention.

The Cowboys and Redskins have filed a grievance against the NFL and the NFLPA to have $46 million in salary cap penalties overturned. "Within the confines of our collective bargaining agreement, we are trying to have a voice and a hearing in terms of our cap situation," Cowboys director of player personnel Stephen Jones said. Dallas is hoping to avoid legal action. The Cowboys were penalized $10 million against the salary cap by the league because they, along with the Redskins, were penalized for $36 million, front-loaded contracts during the uncapped 2010 season. The penalties were split evenly over the 2012 and 2013 seasons for the two teams.

Jerry Jones says the Cowboys plan to fight the NFL's decision to strip the team, along with the Redskins, of cap space. The NFL is taking $10 million from Dallas and $36 million from Washington in 2012 for front-loading contracts during the uncapped 2010 season, according to sources. "We will and have expressed that we don't agree with that," Jones said. "What we're doing is a combination procedural and legal and all of that."

Troy Aikman says Tony Romo is a better quarterback than he was during his playing days. "I think Tony already is a better quarterback than I was," Aikman said. "I know how quarterbacks are judged but as far as his play-making ability and the things that he is capable of doing, he is a far more athletic quarterback, capable of making more plays than I ever was able to." Aikman amassed 165 touchdowns and 141 interceptions, completing 61.5% of his passes and throwing for more than 32,000 yards in 165 career games. Romo, in less than half as many starts, has already racked up 149 touchdowns to just 72 interceptions, completed 64.5% of his passes and is average far more passing yards per start than Aikman did.

The Cowboys will fight the NFL's decision to strip them of $10 million of cap space. "We will and have expressed that we don't agree with that," Jones said Friday. "What we're doing is a combination procedural and legal and all of that." Jones added that the Cowboys are "talking with not only the league but the Redskins and whoever we can visit about it."

The Cowboys continue to be aggressive in their free-agent pursuits, reaching a deal with inside linebacker Dan Connor, according to a source,

The Cowboys have signed former Jets safety Brodney Pool to a one-year deal, coach Jason Garrett said Thursday. Pool played for the Jets the last two seasons and was credited with four quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and one interception last season.