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It is Wednesday, April second, twenty twenty five, Season twenty one, episode number four. Welcome to the latest edition of the k Where live from thats WBC Mortgage Studios at the.
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I got everybody here today except for Nick. He is at the owner's meeting. He'll be traveling back today, so he'll be back with us next week.
But for right now, I got my other two co hosts, Amber and Brian, and we'll take this time to bring you the very best in Cowboys news, notes and analysis during this next forty five minutes. Today, we're going to start with some rule changes NFL had their owners meetings. There were quite a few rules changes, and I want to run through them with you guys and get your opinions on them. Some of the different rules changes that
were proposed were tabled. I want to get your opinions on those as well, and then we'll get back into some of our position analysis, our position breakdown that we started last week with Today, we're going to focus in on safety and wide receiver. Both those two I think are pretty interesting and have some interesting things for the Cowboys from the standpoint of where they are and where they need to be when the season begins. So let's jump in. Let's start first with some of the rules changes.
I think the first one that jumped out at me was the change to the overtime rules as it stands. Basically, I think the the original rule, the rule that they've been playing by it before, they had one rule for the regular season, one rule for the postseason. They've now basically said, we're gonna make the one that we use in the postseason the regular season rule with one modification. So essentially, both teams will get a possession in overtime,
they'll be guaranteed a possession in overtime. But he was the interesting kicker. And I've never heard this being discussed before. It sounds like they're going to reduce the overtime from fifteen minutes down to ten minutes, yes, which I think is pretty significant. And to start thinking about it from from the standpoint of if you hit that ten minute mark and there's still is a tie, you now have a tie on your record. How do you like it or dislike this this new rule?
I think that you know, the league is doing their best to try and kind of figure these rules out. Stephen Jones plays a significant role on the Competition Committee, and I think Steven does have the best interest of the game in heart, and you know, when you talk to him about it, it's something he takes very seriously. And you know, I think you know, as a fan, you just want want your team to have the best
opportunity in overtime. We've seen so many times when you know, we've seen reactions of you know, of quarterbacks at Baker Mayfield when they're playing Kansas City and they go to overtime and they lose the flip and his reaction to it is, oh my gosh, we just gave the ball to Patrick mahomes and we're done, you know, and and and that's and that's a reaction we have as fans, like, Okay,
we're done. Uh so yeah, the fact that they're they're going to the what the playoff rules, I think is a is a good a good measure if you have ties. The things that are always interesting about ties, guys, is that at the end of the year sometimes they play into factor of deciding playoff spots and maybe keeping a team eligible or knocking a team out. So you know, there was a time, way before you guys were born, when I was watching football that ties were part of
the game. So yeah, it's but the fact that each team gets a possession and uh you know, but there may be some you know, think about this also too. You score, but you take all the clock and you really don't give any other team an opportunity. That's something that could be really, really a very a painful thing for a lot of fans to have to deal with if you're on the short end of that.
Yeah, nothing else I hate more in sports when there is a tie at the end of the game, like that is just go do rock paper sits or at that point, I don't care but I need someone to be the winner. So I think that this new structure, I think it just brings and I agree with everything that Brian just said, but it also brings that fairness to it. There's a lot more fairness in the game,
and you allow it to be more competitive. It is one of those situations, just like you mentioned with Patrick Mahomes that yeah, those type of quarterbacks, You're like, Okay, they got the ball. You know it's gonna work. You know where it's at it, Yeah, there's no chance. So I think it does give it a more baalid right to whoever ends up. It's just a lot more fair
in that sense. Also, with the time being lower, I feel like typically it doesn't take that long for you to herman who wins that game when it goes into overtime. But also it doesn't drag it along that much either, because when you get to that point and going into overtime it's you know, four quarter that's a long time for players to be out there. It gets exhausting and all of that. So I think I'm not too big on the even though it's five minutes difference, it's a
big difference there. If it ever gets to a scenario like that. But I like the rule, and just like Brian said too, these situations, it's always them trying new things, different things, and kind of testing it out and see what actually works better and what doesn't, and always keeping in mind one the fairness of the game and two the health of the players when they're playing out there.
Yeah, I'll be interested to see if if this ends up leading to more ties because of the reduction in time. Like you said, Brian, there is a sign and there's a chance that a team could take pretty much the entire overtime period. You can get a drive that's a good eight nine minutes and then you leave the other team with very little time to be on score, especially if you can end that with a touchdown. I just
I don't want. I want to do whatever it takes in order to ensure there are fewer ties and there are as few ties ties as possible. I agree with you Amber, like you don't want to sit through three hours of football, three and a half hours of football and then go home feeling like my team did they win? Did they lose? Like it's just it's a limbo. I don't like ties. I think it's better to get a winner or a loser. And so for me, I like
the rule change where both teams get a possession. I don't love the idea of taking it from fifteen down to ten minutes.
Well, the thing that could be, you know, and the league has proven that if they do get a bunch of ties, say in a season, if they implement this the next year, they will do something different. Yeah they will. They will not sit there and just continually like, Okay, we're going to have you know, seven or eight ten ties or something like that. We're just not They're not going to allow that. So they'll adjust as they see fit.
That part of it I think is pretty good. You know, it's funny they talk about, you know, the player safety and taking it down five minutes, but man, they will argue like heck for that eighteenth game. So you know, there's there's gonna be some type of trade off here.
I will tell you this though, if they go to eighteen games, yeah, what I what I would love about that is I think in the in the scenarios I've heard says they would then do two bye weeks in eighteen game season. And if you give me eighteen games, but you give me two bye weeks. Actually we have a lot better. That makes me a lot better.
We do.
And I know when I first started working with there was a time where we did we had the two bye weeks. I believe that we were kind of going through. So, yeah, it makes it a little bit, you know, it makes it a little bit of a longer season and all that. But and I in a way, I kind of feel like the season's long. I know, I was at the super Bowl in New Orleans and I felt like baseball was right around the corner, you know, kind of thing. So but yeah, the league and the players, we're aways
from that right now. Yeah, but it's it's coming.
But see to your point with the ten minute thing, the reason why I actually do like it is because one, with getting the both teams get a position, you bring the fairness to it. But then with the time being reduced, it also allows you to be strategic, like whoever has the ball, they can take that to their advantage. And it's still a fair game here, but it just doesn't prolong it as long. But I mean, I still agree
with you with it. And then with a tie and all that, But at the end of the day, I think that's when the strategic part of it in the game and how you utilize and how you can kill time doing that, you can use it to your advantage if you're good at it.
Yeah. The thing that I think the thing you would worry about though, is if you're a team that that that gave up the lead to get into overtime, then all of a sudden, now you're maybe your defense is wore down and your and then the other team gets the ball and then they go on a drive and then they and you know, now they're like, okay, we figured out we got this game tied. Now we've wore you down, and how we can run the ball now?
And and strategically you could say we could score here and give them, you know, give them two minutes, maybe a minute, and then now you know, the momentum is clearly with the team that's kind of maybe got to the tie. So yeah, there's a lot of strategy that you can you can do here.
There's a very interesting strategic point of who wants the ball first, who wants before, and almost all that the ball second, because you want to know what you have to match. And in this instance you might think the same thing, but the reality is you could also have if you give them the ball first, you may not get the ball back because they may take a majority of the time.
So there's a lot to factor into this strategically.
I don't want to drag us down your way down, but I'll discuss this, Derek. You know, you and I do watch a lot of college football, and you know I do like the collegiate rules of overtime, and you know, and I was my team at LSU suffered and the rules were changed after a seven overtime game against Texas A and M to where it came, okay, possession, possession, and then after possession became you could kick the extra point, and then after the second one it was you got
to go for two. You could get some games that can end, you know, pretty quickly there too, you know, having to go for two. I think it brings more excitement to the game, you know, the fact that it can your team get a stop with the other team being on the twenty five yard line. And there's some teams that aren't very good at red zone offense. You know, you might play to your advantage, or you might be
a really good red zone defense. I think the collegiate way of deciding the game, to me, is more exciting, and I would I wondered why the NFL would never look at that way because that that is a an interesting way to end a game. Now I agree with you.
I think it brings a level of sudden death. That's yes, you know you every every play of that overtime and your team might score. Yeah, but now let's see what the other team can do. Can they match it?
You know?
It's it creates a lot of extra drama in game. So I actually sometimes getting those games like that seven overtime game where you literally like, okay, somebody in this this is too well.
David helm and I were standing there. We were hoping that LSU would find a way to end it, and Texas A and M wouldn't allow it. Yeah, so yeah, it's and they changed the rules. But I think you know, score, kick the extra point, then have to go for two. After that, You're going to see teams come up with creative ways to try and run two point plays to win a football game. I just think it brings a more more exciting element then trying to run the clock
completely down and give the other team no chance. All right, let's move on. Let's talk about the kickoffs. That the touchback is now being moved. Instead of being going to the thirty yard line automatically, it now moves to the thirty five yard right. Some would say that that's only five yards, but it actually, I think is a pretty pretty significant thing when you think about the fact you only need a twenty twenty five yards to be able
to get in a field goal range. For Dallas needs ten Dallas Dallas to get one first down there in field goal range. So yeah, you know, yeah, you're right, And like I said, I mean interrupt you there, it's just but yeah, to me, it's it's going to you know, do you want to I think there's some teams that will still kick the ball out of the end zone.
Playing the Cowboys, I think if you look at what Turpin was able to do as a returner, you know, bring he could bring the ball out past the thirty five I mean, I I me, personally, I'm not gonna let him bring the ball out to the fifty yard line. I's capable of doing that. I'm just gonna kick it into the end zone and make you play and make myself play defense at the thirty five. I'm okay with that.
Yep.
If anything that it helps, anything that will help Cavanti Turpin get the ball in his hands. Yeah, frequently, I'm four.
I agree with you.
I think things teams might still opt for teams that have a player like Cavante Turpin. They maybe say, hey, we'll.
Take thirty, We'll take the thing now the killer.
As you mentioned, the big deal is you also have a kicker who can kick from a long That's where it's very interesting dynamic for the Cowboys that maybe other teams don't have. Is the range of a kicker in combined with a really great cat kick returner. That will make it a bit more of a chat challenging decision for opponents.
It's a double edged sore, you know.
I was like, what.
We got in both ways? No, No, it's exciting. It's exciting because I remember the times where that wasn't the case, where you had players that you couldn't necessarily rely on when it came to those plays and special teams. So uh, very very benefiting for the house.
This was another rules change I thought was really interesting. They've expanded replay assists, so essentially what people don't know what that term is. It's basically when the booth can make a call from the booth.
Or call down face mask yeah on the zone.
So there are.
Five different rules now, and there are five different penalties that the booth can overturn from the booth. They are hitting the defensives player face mask, horse collar, tackle, tripping, roughing, or running into the kicker.
What do you guys think?
I'm okay with that? I mean, I you know, and we all watch foot and I remember a game where Minnesota was playing against the Rams late in the year and there was a clear face mass penalty, you know, on on Sam Darnell and and you know, and and they and the officials missed it. And you know, the Vikings were trying to drive and and they but they missed the call. And so here you are, you know, your team, you know, if you're in that situation, you're like, oing, gosh,
how how do you miss that call? You know? I always the roughing the kicker and the running into the kicker one I don't quite know. I guess if you just completely destroy the the punter, it's you know, or it's roughing, And if you just kind of run into I guess because there's sometimes it's called one way or another. I think I need some help there, you know, I think some of sometimes the officials, some officials just are just they're adamant, like now that's running into that's no,
that's actually roughing. Last week I watched the game that was roughing. So yeah, anything to do with that kind of help I think makes the game better.
One thing to note, Brian, in that scenario, they actually wouldn't have reversed it. The new rule as I read it, says that they won't make a call from the booth.
They can only correct a call.
So let's say, for example, in that instance, if there was a face mask that was not.
Called, the booth won't call it for them.
What they will do, though, is if there is a face mask pause and they didn't really get again they really didn't get the face mask.
Now the booth can call down and say it's not and to be honest.
With you, so they changed the bad calls.
Yes, they'll take a bad call. They will make a call for you.
That I was the depression that you could if there was a call that like, listen, you guys clearly blatantly missed the call here.
So I think that's better, Brian, I actually agree with you. I think they should do that. I think I do think that becomes a bit of a challenge because you know, you know the old adage broke used been offensive lineman. You know that, Yeah, there's a there's a penalty probably on every place. So if you have somebody in the booth who's just literally making a call every time they see it, the game would slow down to it.
Also, we're dynamic when it comes to the referees, like down there on the field, and then all of a sudden you got somebody saying, hey, you missed this one, and then you got to It's very difficult to be to make it be seem less and not well mess up the game.
Flow, you know, Amber, I think that the officials nowadays have gotten better in a way of understanding that there's replay that will back them up. Like we've seen quarterbacks get hit in the pocket and the ball like clearly ball in hand, flying forward and the next thing you know is that should be an incomplete pass and now beanbags are flying in as they're calling it a fumble, and I think of let it out. They let it
play out. The officials are like, listen, we're going to call it a fumble until somebody upstairs tells us ball in hand it was forward motion, So you know that's there's a lot of those calls where you're like, that's not a fumble, but the officials are like, hey, I know I have replay backing me up that if I make this calling it's wrong, it's going to change and we're going to move on. I'm okay with that too.
The one area I think is it glaring omission for me is I would love for roughing the passer to also be included in this How many times do we see calls where they say roughing the passer and then you look at the replants like, oh, he really didn't. Yeah, he kind of rushed his shoulder, but it looked maybe like he hit him in the head because his head
snapped because of the violent hit to his shoulder. I just think those are situation where I would love because because it's so punitive, I would love for those to be plays that they could overturn from the booth.
The roughing the passer penalty that that's the most that I understand the most is when you go low on a on a quarterback if you go into the knee area and stuff and try and those are the ones. I understand the ones had that, but that's again player safety.
For you know, if you're a defensive lineman and you're coming through and you're trying to swat at the ball and you hit the quarterback in the head, the rules are pretty clear you can't hit the quarterback in the head, you know, but maybe some of those can be you know, maybe changed.
I feel like we're a lot in recent years. What are we're playing flag football here? Like what are we doing? Like is this football or not? Like I think it's going to I can't recall one game specifically, but I know there are being quite a few that we've seen. You're like, this is getting out of control, Like this is ridiculous with some of those calls that are being called, like for a guy for example, Micah and the way that they're rushing and getting those sacks. So I think
I agree with you, Derek. I mean, hopefully eventually in the future that's something that can continue to improve.
Yeah, this is another one with Brian.
I think the college game may happen a little bit with the targeting call for instance, I think I don't love the idea of getting the player based out getting kicked out until the next like the four quarters.
I don't love that.
But I do think the idea of if you're going to do something so punitive, at least allow it to be reviewed and by somebody on camera to say, yes.
This definitely was roughing the passer, this definitely was targeting.
Or if it's not, because we've seen that also happen where you go and you look at you like, that really wasn't targeting, and so they'll overturn it. Players, fine, I think you should do the same thing with something like you know, rough in the passy.
For years, being around you guys for years, I've and again I don't watch much college football whatsoever you guys do. But here's where I'm always confused. You guys always bring college football and the way that it's managed and handled. Why is it so Why is it so different than NFL? Like, if they see things that are being successful ye in college, why not apply it into the NFL.
It's television. It's a three hour game as opposed to a four hour game. That's it to me. There's a lot of the college rules that would apply to the NFL. They have a specific window of how they stagger games and stuff like that. And I don't think the NFL
wants games going four hours. I really really don't. So that's why I think there's a lot of things there that say, Okay, we have to keep our game within that twelve to three, and then the next one is three to six, and then the next one is too And I think that's why a lot of these some of these not these rules and these rule changes aren't
always the same. I just don't think that the NFL wants a four hour or five hour game on Sunday, and I think that's why they don't do some of the things that they do.
And let's be clear, like it's just two completely different bodies running them, with different interests and different things they're considering. And so it's not going to ever be a situation where the NFL is like, Okay, well let's look at the college game and see how we can get closer, or the college games and look at say, let's look at the NFL games, see how we can get closer.
They exist as two different bodies, they're two different leagues, two different bodies, and so they're always going to operate separately, which means their rules are going to evolve in different ways, and sometimes you will see a rule happened in one
that precipitates a rule in the other. Like I think targeting became an issue after the NFL started talking about player safety from the standpoint of hitting depensiless receivers, hitting quarterbacks late, and the college response to that was targeting, We're going to protect this particular We're gonna protect players from this particular action.
And as a result, these will be the punitive rules.
So they were trying to do the same things, they just did it in different ways, right, the penalties were different in college versus then.
As we kind of wrap this up, though, I kind of feel like, though that to me, the one rule i'd like to see change that the colleges do do in the NFL maybe adopt is pass interference. That is, and you use the word punitive, that that is one of the most punitive penalties that you could ever endure, either for you or against you. You know, mainly against you. If you know forty four forty five fifty yard penalties for pass interference. To me, you know, the rules really
do favor offensive football. You have to give the defense something as far as rules go, and to me, a fifteen yard you know penalty is significant. I mean, are excusing is sufficient for my take because, like I say, you know so, past interference is just Sometimes it's called correctly, sometimes it's called incorrectly. You get a forty four yard penalty against you that's been called incorrectly. That is big. That is big. I'd like to see the NFL adopt that. I don't think they ever will.
All right, we're gonna take our first break. We're gonna come back. We're gonna talk safeties, lots to talk about there. We'll be back, Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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It is the second segment of the Breakway Life in the s WBC Mortgage studios. At the start of the segment's brought to you by blockchain dot Com. All right, let's talk to safeties.
Uh.
This is a.
Position that I think, on paper, seems to be one of the more stable positions on the team. You got Malie Cooker, you got Donovan Wilson. They've been starters for a few years. They are both back, they're both under contract. Neither one is, as we know, holding out or anything. So it seems like it's a very stable position. But that being said, they have some young guys Yanye Thomas,
Marquee spell Israel Makuamu. Do you think that this is a position that really is that why I should say it like this?
Is that a good thing?
Or does Dallas really need to do more at this position than just rely on Malie Cooker and Donovan Wilson.
Yeah, Derek, I think the fact that you know that I know, I've heard you know from thirty visits potentially for the Cowboys with mcuba from the University of Texas safety very I love outstanding safety, six foot eighty six pounds. He can cover, h he tackles, he gets his hands on the football, playmaker this guy. I mean, Texas has got a very good secondary and you know, with with Baron and mcuba and Muhammad, they've got some guys that can absolutely play.
Cat babies was pretty good.
Yeah, and so yeah, So to me, this is this is one of those things that the Cowboys were talking about it as we seem to be okay here, everything's fine. No, they really you know, if they could upgrade Hooker and they could upgrade Wilson and with a guy like maccuba. Absolutely, you know this is this is where I think, And now how early would you have to do this? Forty four? I think mccouba is one of the best safety.
Second round guy in the draft.
Absolutely, you would have to hit him in the second round if you're interested in doing this, and they might absolutely consider that because of all the things I just talked about, find me a guy can you can you say with certainty Hooker really covers, Wilson really covers where they tackle really really well. Boy, they get their hands on a lot of balls. That's that's that's all very much up for debate. Yeah, so no, I think that it's if you want to ask me a position that
people aren't talking about near enough for this football team. Safety, that's one as far as drafting goes. Yes, I think they're open to that. And the fact that they've identified but Kuba as one of those guys, I think that's a step in the right direction.
Honestly, I think I would be okay with the great and I agree with Brian, you definitely need if you can upgrade the position, for sure, But I would be okay with the group of guys that Derek mentioned and listed if I felt a lot better about the cornerback position. I feel that the corners right now, you we need to fix what's going on there. Right now, you don't really have much, I mean other than there On Bland, that's a solid guy, proven. You got Trevon Diggs that's
coming back from the injury. There's still a lot of question marks surrounding him and everybody else. Aside from those two persons, you still don't know how well can they you know, turn.
Out to though.
Does he does Elm factor in that for you at all?
Yeah? I think that to me, if where I would if you're if if Matt Eberflus is going to play a lot of press coverage, man up you know and play that's where Elam really that's his strength. You ask him to play zone or off carverage. But I agree with with Ambar there there are so many questions that at corner, and I think Elam addresses the spot of a size guy with physicality that could play up. You know,
they could play that press. If you're going to play a lot of zone, man Ambar's right, you better go get you some corners. You don't know with Diggs, I mean we're seeing clips of digs working and all that. That's that's super positive. You know that he can. You know that he wants to to get back on the field as quickly as possible. But man, you know there's reasons why that. Teams, our people have talked about Dallas
at a corner at twelve. You know Will Johnson from Michigan six too, you know, two hundred and six pounds. I mean, there there are some conversations about these guys, and this is a very deep draft when it comes to corners, whether you want to get a guy with size or you want to get a guy that's a nickel player. So Dallas is absolutely, I believe in the market for for looking just what Amber said, you know, hey,
this is you're really down to it. You would feel a lot better if if Carson had played better last year, you know, but the learning curve, the injuries, all those problems, he just didn't get that. Hopefully this offseason will be good for him. But you know, we've heard this before. We've done it with the wide receivers. Oh we want these wide receivers. Oh they're going to make a jump
and all that. You say that and then they get in the season and they really don't make that jump, So she's absolutely right about it.
Well, and then with Alan, I mean we talked about the experience that he has and all that, but again it's still you haven't seen it here yet, so there's still question marks around that and how this new system like, how everything's going to start coming together and clicking. And with safeties, I think I always see it as a
supporting role right to the corners. So I think with you not being as solid as you would like to be in the cornerback, sorry, in the cornerback position, now you're leaving these safeties, forcing them or putting them in a quote unquote bad position where they're having to do a lot more, trying to do more than what maybe they're capable of at the time based on the current
talent that the team has. So absolutely if there is an opportunity to upgrade the position, for sure, But if you upgrade cornerback and get that group really solid where you feel good about it, I think I would feel a lot better about the curring guys on the roster when it comes to the safeties.
Okay, we weren't supposed to talk about cornerbacks yet, what kind of go. But what we're gonna do is we're just gonna shift because that's what Amber brought us and that's what we're gonna do. So that being said, here's my question on cornerback. What do you think right now? Like there, I hear what you're saying, Amber, and I agree wholeheartedly. The bigger concern for me right now is who is your day one slot? Because you know you could possibly move land in. You just create one problem.
You just basically take a problem from one place to put in another. But who is the slot? Who's the guy that's going to be your third cornerback? At this point, I don't even know if they have a real option right now for that person.
What do you guys think about that?
And does that necessitate really at the Cowboys have to maybe look at the first at least the first two picks to find a corner because they're gonna need him to play this.
Yeah, there's the options that the options at twelve and forty four are clearly there, depending on and we'll see what will Johnson. I mentioned him before it at Michigan. What you know he's going to run. There's several corners that have first round ability that are on that board. But the problem is there some of them are coming off injury. Revell from East Carolina might be the best corner in the draft, but he hurt his knee, you know,
to start the season, missed the entire year. Morrison from Notre Dame has a has a hip problem, but you know, fine player in his own right, probably a first round player. Could one of these guys show up at forty four for the Cowboys? You know, there's there's people that you know sometimes they they these corners will fall through the draft if they're banged up a little bit, and and
Revel could be a guy. Boy, that would be just a huge steal for the Cowboys if all of a sudden, say they were to take a receiver at twelve, and then all of a sudden one of those corners are there at at forty four, boy, that would be that would that would be just you know, you couldn't ask from a better gift from the draft GUIDs if that was the case. But yeah, this to your point, Derek, there's there's going to be guys that are going to be able to fill the nickel role that maybe you
can't grab in the third round. You know, Perish from Kansas State is an example of that. Mohammed from Oregon. Guy, these are shorter guys. These are five ten, five nine guys, but extremely quick, but able to kind of cover all that ground. They might be in the market of having to draft their corner or their draft their nickel because
the middle of the now. Not having a fourth round pick as you sit right now, you know, maybe they can't find a way to get that back or get an extra three if they move down a few spots, and that's where you would maybe address your secondary as well.
Let me shift the conversation just a tiny bit more.
You want to talk about guards, Yeah, you talk about.
It's still about the corners. No, it's still about the corners, but it was gonna I wanted to pose a different questions to you guys and take it as sick.
They don't have starters right now.
Derek tv On, We know he got injured last season during the time that he played. What would be your final assessment of how he was playing last year when he was healthy on the field. Good question Himber You know what, well, you guys will inswer it after the break.
We're gonna take a break we'll come back, We'll let and we'll run the rest of the show. We've hack Dallas Cowboys dot com radio.
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Back to the break.
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Welcome back, final segment of the break life from this WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star Amber question for us before the break throw back out there.
Well, you were asking about the squad and we talked about the need there, but I wanted to post the other question in regards to Tremon Diggs and what was your final assessment of him and the way that he was playing last year when he was healthy on the field.
You got a thought on that one, boss.
I know I heard a lot of people giving him a lot of criticism. I don't know that I necessarily feel like it was always warranted. Now, that's the thing about cornerback. You're not going to be perfect. Like every cornerback is going to have moments. We did see him in some moments last season where he got beat, but that's also a part.
Of being a cornerback.
My question is more around like, did we see the kind of game changing plays that we had seen his in earlier years of his career, and I don't think we saw those as much.
Now.
Could that be because teams weren't throwing at him as much? I don't know, but that would be more. What I would question is when it came down to those game changes plays, I don't think those were there as much as they've been in the past. And I'm interested to see if that was just a function of how teams were playing against him, the level of competition against him.
Or just his ability to actually make those plays.
Yeah, I think to me, there was there was far too many of these plays where you saw receptions, you know, you saw like you know, you're kind of I think there was. He gave up thirty three of them, I think last year when he was playing and and you're like, why is he not up? Why is he not more connected? Why is he not And we've all we've seen him at times be he's one of those guys that tends to play on field. You know, he kind of can, he could run with guys, he could stay in position.
He's we've seen him before. He's very much and when it comes to putting himself into position to make plays, he could do that. A lot of his interceptions are input himself or maybe the ball just kind of comes to him, and but that's part of putting yourself in position. I think there were too many times last year where you watched him in the route and it just you just felt he watching him. You felt he was really disconnected that you know, it was the catch and now
he's driving the catch and now he's driving. And in times past where we've seen him play really really tight drive on the ball, knock the ball down, it might have had to do with his knee. It might have had to do with some confidence or lack of confidence that he could really explode and go make a player go run with the guy inside. But there were just far too many snaps last year where he just played disconnected, and you know that that's something I think that was the biggest concern for me.
And I can't remember the games, but there were it seems like there were like at least two or three times last year when he was in position the ball came and it hit his hands and hit the ground, and in the past that would have been an interception, right, And that's those were the areas where I was more like, again, I don't I don't mind my corner getting beat from times, like I think that's just a part of the game.
You play good wide.
Receivers, you're gonna get beat. The What I love about Diggs's game is he makes you pay though. Yeah, you might beat him some, but he's gonna get you. And when he gets you, he's gonna make a game changing type play. So in order for him to have that style of game and be as valuable as he is as he has been to this team, that means he's gonna have to make those big plays going the other way.
So when he gets those opportunities and.
The ball gets there and he's there and his hands are there, he's got to come away with the ball. And that's where I was a little bit like, ugh, that's that's not like Diggs. That's not that's not like him. He makes that play usually he plays cornerback like a receiver. And so that those are the things I think the stick out to me more last year than even the times when he got beat And.
I think some of the things that came up to were the miss tackles. You know that that was something when the ball would spill and then there's times when he would be physical and step up. But you know, if you go and look at the metrics, you know he was credited with twelve miss tackles last year.
And that's my concern. Like when you talk about his game and he one of the biggest criticisms towards him is his lack of physicality when it comes to tackling and that, oh, is he just afraid of tackling And now that he got paid and all that, well, that's the question mark for me because even last year when you look at his game. I think it's safe to say that it took a decline, like his game decline then from what he was prior to that and after
him getting injured. Now you add the injury part to it, and now it becomes even more concerning with him coming back. What is the level that he's going to come back to and how that's gonna look like. And so it's just an extra added element to the lack of let's say, who's going to play at the slot position there, and it's just lots of question mark. The only guy that I feel very secure is their own Bland right now.
I mean, I think here's the thing.
I want to see, how tenacious uh Trayvon is in coming back from the injury. How how much does he attack the rehab how much does he does he really kind of get out there and push it to get him Because I have no doubt in Trayvon's ability. He's shown it the level of capability that he has. And I don't you know that, Yes we can. You can talk about the plays that you know from a tackling standpoint where maybe it wasn't great, But at the end
of the day, what I know about the guys. When he's playing at his at his top level, he can be one of the best cornerbacks in the National Football League.
So my question is, just if whatever we saw last year was remnants of the knee from the year before or whatever it was, can he attack this rehab in a way to where he gets himself ready and next time he's on the field he is mentally and physically at top notch best case, I mean, best version of Trayvon Diggs, then I think he can be again one of the best cornerbacks in the league.
And so that's what I'll be looking for.
I know he's capable, it's just a question of whether it ends up being that once he's back on the field. All right, let's uh, let's move on. Let's talk a little bit more. Actually we got a we only got a couple of minutes here real quick.
Before we end. I did have a question back on the quote on the topic of safeties.
What are the chances that some of those younger guys like Thomas Bell and Makuamo actually overtake Hooker or Wilson, uh for starting jobs or even for more playing time.
Yeah, it's always a possibility. I I know visit with Mike Zimmer last year before the season started. He was a very he was a fan of Hooker and he was a fan of of Wilson. And that's why you saw those guys get the opportunities. Kind of a step back for Bell, you know, we saw Bell. Bell was when you're leading tackler the year before, playing linebacker, hang linebacker, playing out a position, you're kind of thinking, well, man,
how can you keep a guy off the field. That that's tough, you know, And you know, Mike had his reasons for why he wanted to play Hooker and why he wanted to play Wilson, and you know, and so you know that's that's fine, you know, but no longer here, Matt Eberflu's here, and we'll see hopefully that Bell and
Thomas both get opportunity this year. And but the fact that they're they're talking to or the possibly of bringing guys in for you know, thirty visits that are that are high quality safeties, tells me that Eberflus might be like, listen,
we could upgrade a couple of different spots. You might want to upgrade the starters and the backups will get an opportunity I think that there's some things about Bell that are that in coverage and toughness and all that, you can absolutely play him, and you could do the very same with Thomas. Thomas is a really good cover guy. So I think that we're I wouldn't I would put the starters of Hooker and Wilson in pencil right now. I would not put them in pen I would I would.
I think that position is is very much in in in flux right now, which will see when we get to opening day. You know who exactly the starters are. I think they have some questions about that.
Yeah, I totally agree with those two guys. Yeah, those would be right now, the two at the top. But what's cool about this as far as these guys and the opportunities is that they have a legit chance of actually going out there training camp competing for a legit spot or even starting spot. So nothing is solidified right now. I think anyone in the list right now can fight
for a spot and make their name known. And again we'll see what happens during the draft and who else comes into the mix here, but anyone on the list right now has a good fighting chance.
There's Quale in this draft, though, there's as you follow the three days here in Dallas Cowboys dot Com, there are quality safeties in their quality corners. If they want to address those positions, you should feel good about them getting one or two guys out of that group that can make a difference on your football team.
All Right, we appreciate you guys joining us. We will be back next Tuesday. We'll have a more content for you guys. We'll be talking I'm sorry next Wednesday. Sorry, next Wednesday, and we'll talk about wide receiver and probably another position.
We'll see if we have enough time for that one.
We'll see how it goes and see if Amberg throws any other curveballs at us, changes up a little bit rundown, We'll see for Brian brod us in Ambergarcia. I'm Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
This has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.