Gowin, Ekuban no longer in Dallas

Defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban and punter Toby Gowin are no longer with the Cowboys.

Gowin was released yesterday and Ekuban signed with the Cleveland Browns.

A first round pick from North Carolina, Ekuban never lived up to the expectations of being selected in the first round in 1999.

He showed sparks his second year in the league, leading the Cowboys with 6˝ sacks, but he suffered from a herniated disc in the season opener in 2000 and had season-ending back surgery to repair the damage.

He leaves the Cowboys with 12˝ sacks in his five years as a Cowboy.

Head coach Bill Parcells gave him the opportunity to redeem himself last year, but knew it would be tough for a player his size.

"He is going to have to go against these big tackles, said Parcells. You have to figure out a way to compete against the guy you are playing against regardless of the difference in ability. He has the acceleration and speed to be successful if he can mix up the technique just enough to create a little indecision and give the tackle some else to think about."

Ekuban will be reunited with Cleveland defensive coordinator Dave Campo and defensive line coach Andre Patterson, both of whom coached him when they were on the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff.

Gowins lackluster performance last year caused the Cowboys to release him in the first year of the five-year contract he signed last season. He received a $500,000 signing bonus last year and will now count $400,000 on the team's salary cap in 2004. But he was on the books for $760,000 before being released when adding in his $660,000 salary that would have been paid.

Compounded by a quad injury that he nursed all last season, Gowin finished last in the NFC in punting.

Gowin also handled the kickoff duties so the Cowboys must find someone who can do that job as well.