OXNARD, Calif. – It did not take long for Tuesday’s practice to get chippy. Just one play, in fact.
During the team compete period, linebacker Sean Lee was upset with rookie receiver Terrance Williams and they got into a small skirmish after both went to the ground. That led to running back DeMarco Murray talking and throwing the ball at defensive end Jason Hatcher, but Murray quickly ran away.
In the team run period, Doug Free and Nick Hayden got into a little shoving back and forth, as did Miles Austin and Will Allen. On the next play, Austin and Allen hooked up again.
“I think I got the best of him, if you watched the play,” Allen said. “Mile doesn’t want that physical-ness. He might be a big receiver, but he don’t want it. You can tell him that.”
In team situation work, Allen broke up a deep pass to Jason Witten. An eight-time Pro Bowler, Witten needed some extra time before getting back up.
“It’s good competing like that and [being] friends in the locker room,” Witten said. “I’m anxious to see what it’s like in the locker room.”
As far as we could tell, there were no locker-room tantrums.
In fact, at the end of practice Allen and Murray hugged.
“We’re a team,” Allen said. “I need his back just like he needs mine. He’s got to produce on offense like I need to on defense. Us arguing in practice, that’s just being competitive. At the end of the day, he’s my brother and I’ll stand up for him.”
