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Yeah, And so much for that.
It's time for the Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com. We were on with Ambar Garcia, Brian brought us, Patrick Walker and Derek Eagleton.
It is Wednesday, March twentieth, twenty twenty four, Season nineteen, episode number one hundred and sixteen. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break Life from s WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. And today we're talking free We're talking free agency here. Welcome to the show.
Amber.
We're talking for ee agents. Had a little little spill then right we went on there. But we're talking free agency today, and as I think everybody in the Cowboys media world is talking about because of maybe not what's happened, but what hasn't happened, I think. But I want to
start first with that conversation. I want to go around the table and give each of you guys an opportunity just to give your general thoughts on where the Cowboys sit right now relative to what's happened in free agency from the standpoint of the players they've signed and the players that they did not sign. Let's start with you, Patrick.
This is a rough They're in a rough spot right now. It's not a spot they were unprepared to be in, but it's a rough spot nonetheless. I mean, I was sitting there this morning and I was trying to figure out in recent memory, when have I seen a situation where you have a combination of lack of outside free agents being added to the roster in combination with such a hemorrhaging of in house talent going to other teams.
And I'm kind of at a loss as far as when recently this has happened prior to this year.
Uh So they're in a bad spot.
I mean, you know, I like the the addition of Eric Kendricks, and I love even better that they stole him away from the San Francisco forty nine ers. You know, weaken your enemy to make yourself stronger.
To love that.
But that's the only outside signing that's occurred because they're up against some salary cap crunches. But we talked about it last week. I mean, there are triggers that can be pulled. They are soft pulling those triggers they pulled on on Zach Martin. They did a rework on Dak Prescott got about four or five million dollars, but you could get more, be it with an extension or full on restructure. Nonetheless, but you haven't brought in anyone other
than Eric Kendricks. You've lost Tyron Smith, which was a massive loss. We talked about that. To the New York Jets. You lost Durrance. So I'm strong someone that I feel has been perennially perennially underrated on this roster. I'm fine with loser Tyler Biaddish, but it's still a spot that you need to feel now. And I'm missing another guy who's my twenty dollars to the Nashville to the Tennessee Titan.
So I mean, right now, you got Jordan Lewis, wonderful, that's a key react with c J. Goodwins, Special teams, Ace, Trent cy Geah. Everybody needs a long snapper. But it's been wildly underwhelming and they're going to have to really start making some splashes. I'm keeping some eyes on a guy like Stefan Gilmore to try to at least make me feel better about what I'm seeing, because right now it's looking real bad.
H well for me, after you listed all those guys, it just feels like we they haven't gotten any better, Like it doesn't feel like we're a better team right now than when the season ended. So that's my problem is we sit here and we start getting expectations, and you start saying, Okay, now the expectations are very, very high, to the point where literally it doesn't matter why you're doing the season. Let's wait until the postseason see what
they can actually do in the playoffs. But then we get to the free agency, and then you start seeing and realizing how money tight there really are. And I think when Gary Jones went in and made the comment about being all in, and that whole phrase took a whole like a whole new world like that just it got over exploded. And I know he was kind of referring to like those bigger contracts and the guys that they have in house, DAK PRESCA, cd MICA, guys like those.
But when you take that phrase and fans take it and go along with it and start creating their own individual expectations, and then you get to free agency and don't see any moves, any splashes. I think it's very It doesn't feel good. It doesn't feel good. I understand the business aspect of it, but right now, if I'm being one hundred percent honest, nothing about what's happened makes me feel like this season it's gonna have a different ending. And I can be absolutely wrong. Free agency is not
over the season and hasn't even started. Training camp hasn't even started. The draft hasn't happened. But it's just it's hard to envision a team that will be better despite the coaching changes that have occurred. Right now, it's just I don't know, I don't know. I'm I don't want to say this, but I'm not motivated right now.
Oh, real quick, before throwing Brian, that's what I was forgetting Jonathan Hankins expected to sign.
With the Seattle Seahawks. So you're also losing your one tip, all right, Yeah.
I think the thing that I focus on is that it's it's going to put a tremendous amount of pressure on the scouts to build their board the right way and.
To have a draft and last.
Year and we'll see what the verdict will be on this past draft. They didn't get the production that they've gotten from players in the past, and that that you know, that that in itself, and if you talk to those scouts in that room, they'll tell you they've got to focus in on. You know, there's going to be a lot of needs that they're going to have to address. How flexible are they going to be able to take
the best available player when they've drafted. By taking the best available player, it's worked out really really.
Well for them.
They know how to plug and play offensive lineman in the first round. That's something that they can take care of. But you have to kind of look at where they are right now. And I think if you go back and look at dead money, you look at dead money
in some of these contracts. You look at a dead money contract of Ezekiel Elliott, you know, you look at a dead money contract now soon of Tyrone Smith, Geort's Armstrong is going to have fifteen you know, a one point five million dollar dead money Kelvin Joseph second round pick didn't work out. Dead money right there, almost a million dollars right there, you know, So you know, Michael Gallup gonna be a dead money. You're gonna get some saying, but there's gonna be dead money there.
You know.
This is where you know, and I think that to me, that's where some of the signings that haven't worked out for them is coming back and getting them. Right now as we speak that they've you know that some of these guys that they put you know, they gave contracts two does not is not worked out, and now they're dealing with that with the ramfications of that, and I think that's unfortunate.
I think they're dealing with also two they've.
Drafted really well. The contracts didn't get staggered, they didn't get the fifth year on DAK. There's just so many things playing against them right now.
You know. Just think if they didn't get the extra thirty.
Million dollars from that cap, you know, this team might be even even worse shape.
You know.
But they're gonna let them draft, and that's the one thing that they're really really good at, and that's that's gonna be your biggest hope right now.
If you're a Cowboy fan.
Yeah, to your point, one of the interesting things for me is you look at this, understand what how many teams end up in a situation where they're first and
second round draft picks. When the shades come on, when the first and the second round pick quickly in a given year both turn into all pros that deserve big contracts, right, which is what happened to them with CD and with Trayvon And so it's a great problem to have, it is, but it is a problem because financially now you have to do that and then you follow that up with maybe one of the best top three or four defensive players in the league in Michael Parsons that you draft,
you know thereafter, right, It's right, it's those kinds of things that, like you said, those aren't things you really can stagger. Like you you are a victim at that point of your your own success. Right, Your ability to draft really well now is costing you. And it's going to affect the rest of this roster because you've got to take care of those really big stars that you've got, those all pro type players that you got.
I think the thing with Dak has been and I give Todd Frantz credit. He's he's negotiated very tough. He's made it very difficult on Dallas. He's got his guy back to the table very quickly after we went through all this. So yeah, there's a lot of things, you know, that they're having to deal with. But the draft part of it is is something that they you know what they they don't run away from that, I think the bigger problem.
There's a couple of things too.
I think fans are still disappointed about what happened in Green Bay with that game. The green Bay game, absolutely, but I think fans also look at the Philadelphia Eagles.
You have a similar roster too.
If you if you ask people around the league, whose roster would you rather have? And I think their scouts would say, gimme Philly, give me Dallas, give me Philly, give me Dallas, Dallas, Philly. You know, it's a very similar roster. And then all of a sudden, Philly is now churning their roster. And you're going, well, we'll wait a minute.
Now.
We were very.
Equal to Philadelphia, you know, with you look at capicked spenditures and paying a quarterback and all this.
How do they get to churn their roster and still have cap space? You know?
And then you know, and how wee Harry Rosmand the GM there he's a kick the can guy. I mean, no, but it always seems like he's a kick the can. But then again, they're signing four or five guys. I think that's where Cowboy fans they don't worry about the commanders or what the Giants are doing.
It's the Eagles.
You look at the Eagles and like, wait a minute, we got a roster just like theirs. How are they have thirty eight million dollars? And I'm sure somebody will text me here in the next five minutes and try and explain it to me. But that's you know, that's the thing I think that fans really look at and say, you know, how do they how are they able to have cap space pay all their players and still go out and get players, And that that's something that that the question.
You have to ask.
And the question is is that because they're still in a position where they can continue to kick the can. And by the way, the Cowboys have also been kicking the can, they've done it in a different way. Now that's all coming due at point now where they've only you only can kicked the can for so long and at some point you got to pay the bill. And
I think that maybe where the Cowboys are. And it may be coming for Philly in the future at some point, but for Dallas right now, it looks like that's where they are.
I can't tell you, and I'm not a cap expert. I never was, never, never liked the numbers, never, just you know, I tried to find players, and however Adam and those guys wanted to sign him. Todd wims, you guys do that. But I think it's something to It's amazing to me, is though, that that we they I keep on the radio talking about impending doom for the Philadelphia Eagles, and it's never a pending doom, you know.
And there's gonna be a point in time where I can't talk about like up cap Hell, they've paid all those defensive backs they lost, all they got, all those defensive linemen, they've got one of the best offensive lines.
They got to pay that. They got a quarterback they got to pay now.
And then all of a sudden, they're adding one of the most expensive running backs to their their room. And you're going, wait a minute, Okay, that's not very cap smart, but but they are adding the best running back to their team that's out there.
But it does come to at some point. We saw it happened with the Rams. The Rams went all.
In and it can do and they had to exactly they won a super Bowl. They had to, they had to pull it back. They pulled it back and they got back in the playoffs exactly. So see, that's I'll take that. I'll take that if you if but.
This to me, I've said this before on several platforms, I never see this team being bad. As long as they let these guys draft, I think they'll always be.
Draft will always be the Yeah, they'll always be that nine.
And eight team.
They could always be a bad year for them, unless something happens injury wise, they'll always be like.
A nine and eight team. And you know what. That to me, that's fine.
But I you know, the Rams, Sure, Rams went all inn, did everything, give up all their draft picks, and you know, and now they're you know, they got.
To a super Bowl, won a super Bowl.
Heck, I'd take that now. If I was a Cowboys fan, I would absolutely take that.
It's the timing of it is just horrendous for the Cowboys as far as optics go, because if the Cowboys had made some semblance of a playoff run, because all of this that's happening right now, it's it's likely it was inevitable anyway that they probably wouldn't pick up anybody from the outside for the most part, that they would hemorrhage guys from the inside that would leave for other teams. So let's assume that this part that we're talking about
was inevitable anyway. If you changed the playoff outcome. Maybe if you get to the NFC championship and then you're losing these pieces, the fans are looking at it a lot different. They're like, oh god, well, we hate to see, you know, lose that guy, but we'll re up.
We'll reup in the draft. We got to the NFC championship.
But when you lose fashion in which you lost at home in the playoffs against the Green Bay Packers, and then you have not only in action, you're losing. So to Amber's point, you're moving backwards every other day with the talent you're losing and you're not replacing this talent. Brand said they put so much stress on the scouts in the scouting department to try to have one of the best drafts that you've ever had in franchise that all these lookas and the second year guys take these
massive leaps. That's that's a lot to try to digest if you're a fan, and I really, honestly, I think.
It's too much to ask fans to digest.
So between now in the draft, I really hope that'd rather it be Stefan Gilmore and or a combination of a notable outside acquisition. I think the fans and this roster. You know, Mike Zimmer, he's coming in, he's on a one year deal. McCarthy one final year of his deal. DA's not extended just yet. I think that there are moves that need to be made before the draft.
Ribs, let's take our first break. When we come back. What I want to talk about is I want to really zero in on the conversation around the stars of this team. And because when you look at the stars, I'm talking to all pro caliber players we mentioned a little earlier, my question would be, is that better or
as good as any team in the NFL. And when you have that number of very high caliber players, is it just the expectation that you're gonna have to have a roster that's gonna have to be filled in the rest of the way with lower priced guys, which means it's gonna rely on the draft. And if so, is that the right formula. We'll talk about that when we come back Dallas. Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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Welcome back into Dear Doctor, the show where I answer life's questions with an ice cold can of doctor Pepper. Sheila, let's hear from my next caller.
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Back to the Break.
All right, how about this one?
Uh?
Kenny Chesney, He's gonna the Sun Goes Down Tour twenty twenty four and bar if you're really interested, now I know you are. Kenny Chesney is bringing his Son Goes Down Tour twenty twenty four with Zach Brown Band and special guests Meghan Maroney and Uncle Cracker to AT and T Stadium on May eleventh. Tickets are on sale now at SeatGeek dot com, the official ticket partner of AT and T Stadium.
Welcome back, second segment of The Break that live from the SWBC Morgan Studios.
At the start, what of the more uncomfortable name of a performer?
Ever, I'm glad you were reading that and not me. I'm just gonna say that Yes, we'll keep going, we'll keep moving on on that one. Okay, So, as I was teeing up before the break, this team I think is blessed with a lot of really great talent, and quite frankly, when you look at all the guys they lost, for me, there's not a single guy in that Maybe you could have an argument with Tyron Smith, but there's really not anybody else in that list. And I'm like, man,
that's a huge loss. Cowboys. I don't know what they're gonna do. It's really the sum of the parts. It's as you said, you know, Patrick, it's like you're not gaining anybody, but you're losing all these and by the way, a lot of these are depth pieces, and that's the
part that's more concerning. But that all being said, when you look at the level of talent that they have, of people that you would consider to be among the best at their position across the league, You've got CD, You've got Trayvon, You've got Dak, You've got Michael Parsons. You've got a guy like Deron Blames popped on the scene and is considered one of the better cornerbacks in
the league. You've got Zach Martin, You've got you know, young guys like Ferguson who are starting to step up, right. You've got talent, and some of that talent is really really high level talent. Is this what we're seeing right now?
Is that just the nature of what happens on a team when you have that much high level talent that you have to pay big dollars and that forces you then to be able to have to fill the rest of your roster with cheaper options, which means bargain basements and free agents and relying on the draft.
I'd say yes, it does lean to that.
The problem I have with it is I don't think that they should lean as hard into it as they do as far as trying to rely not solely. We're not going to say solely, because that will make us prisoners of the moment. I mean this time last year they had traded for Brandon Cooks and stuff on Gilmore. So they've been active in free agency surprisingly so over the past several years.
It's just this, although those weren't free agent signings, and that's.
Different, but action. It was action, though it was action during the time of year.
But the point is it wasn't money they were spending in free agency, and I think that that's a clear distinction that needs.
To be made.
I think something you mentioned in the first segment when you said, are they now victims of their own success?
I think that that's going to often be the case when you draft and developed so well, but because and then being a victim of that success, you're now a prisoner of that success, and that you can never relent on being successful in that because when those bills come due eventually, you might lose this guy that guy, or you might have to sacrifice depth or go into barget basement shopping so that you can keep Michael plus CD plus Trayvon plus Dak plus Zak plus you know.
Dot dot dot dot doc.
Which means, going back to the first point, you have to continue to draft exceptionally well. And that's what makes this offseason a little bit more concerning when you look at, Yes, the jury is still out on the twenty twenty three draft, We're not gonna put grades on any of those guys
just yet. But the onus is on those guys like the Eric Scott's, de Masi Smiths, the schoolmakers, you know, Videamijoko for those guys to step up and take on a big leap in year, because if they don't, then now you're looking at the rookies in twenty twenty four and you're saying, Okay, well they're not doing it, so you have to do it. It's it's so much pressure. And the Cowboys do scout will and they do draft well.
But if you're asking every single one of your draft picks to hit from minute one, you're asking too much because that's not realistic.
I'll take it a step further than that. How about Sam Williams.
How about it?
How about Chauncey Golston, Yeah, you know, how about Jalen Tolbert. You know, I mean, we're focusing on Mozzie Smith and these guys like that, rightfully, so, but how about those other guys? You know, that's kind of where this thing's at right now. You know, I've been waiting for Sam Williams, you know, to I mean, Sam Williams is one of
the most talented football players. And I've laughed about the David Irving and how talented if you play a certain amount of plays and he makes like six tackles and twelve plays. Sam Williams has that kind of capability, but Sam Williams will also do some crazy, wild things that'll get your beat.
You know.
I'm glad to held back on that the word you wanted to say, but go ahead.
If I was on a podcast, let it fly.
But the thing about it is, I'm waiting for Chauncey Goldston, you know, And I know they keep moving him around.
They can't figure out if he's an edge or he's a three technique? Is what is he? You know? Jalen Tolbert, you.
Know, I mean I saw little flashes from you from last year. The one guy that we've seen that's kind of been that guy that is Jake Ferguson. Yes, draft Jake Ferguson. Jake, It's like, well, how do you get rid of Dalton Schultz.
Because you've got Jake Ferguson miss a beat.
Jake Ferguson's the one guy that elevated his game. Well, everybody else is like in the deep end of the pool trying to keep from drowning. So to me, those are the guys. It's yeah, is it on Manzie Smith? Is it on Luke's schoon Maker? Is it on over shown. Is it on forcal Yes, but those guys that came before them, it's.
On them too.
See with me, I have a big problem that I've come to realization.
Now.
Yeah, yeah, they draft really well, and we all know that they're really talented at doing that. But draft and develop develop What does that mean? That equals time? That equals to take our time to develop guys. When they draft and they've gone, they've gone by during free agency, not spending a ton of money on outside people, just kind of retaining their own and then leaning towards the draft. But every year you get a new roster, every year
you lose somebody. Somebody leaves this year, for example Tarren Smith. Now he's gone, and you have to start. I think they lean towards the whole developed part a little too much, which then it's not for example, I don't know how to explain what I'm trying to say that is clearly makes total sense in my head. But look at what the roster was at the end of the season in we saw a pretty well formulated roster with areas that
did need improvement. You take that and then you should add talent in those areas that you're lacking for example, what do you need to stop the run? Get also a linebacker defensive tackle, and then but you cannot rely on just drafting young talent. That's where I'm going tours like, finally, you should be able to make a change in spending some actual money. And again it doesn't matter what I have to say, because they just don't have the money for it. But that's when you look at it and
change your mentality of things. Or for example, is there going to be a hurt guy in the draft in the second round that they decide to, you know, like those type of things that they decide to to gamble on and think, oh, well, we can't and it has worked out sometimes, but it's about them now and that's the issue. That's what I'm struggling with kind of envision how things play out this year because I don't think anybody's gonna really be immediate help.
But let me ask you this, and I'm playing devil's advocate here. There were two, in my opinion, there were two positions at the end of last season that I was like, Cowboys gotta do something here, and that was linebacker, and that was defensive tackle, particularly the one technique because that, in my opinion, was the reason why they lost the playoff game. Right, they went out and addressed linebacker and got Eric Kendricks. They've upgraded their linebacker position, the only
position on team you can argue they've upgraded. Right, So they've upgraded their linebacker position. You got Overshown coming back. You've probably feel pretty decent about your linebacker position right now, right relative to all the other stuff that's going on everything else, you feel pretty good, okay, not pretty good?
Yes, okay.
So then and the other part to it is, and this is what I don't know. When Zimmer came in the door. My suspicion is one of the first questions he was asked was what is your plan for Mazzie Smith? What is your evaluation of Mazzi Smith? And what is your plan for him? My assumption is that the response to that made them feel like Mazzie Smith is going to be the guy good or bad, that they're going
to ride with a as their one technique. True, and that being said in their minds again, I'm in the what you're saying, right, So in their minds, in their minds, they addressed the two positions that going into the off season. We all just agreed were the two biggest positions that they have to address.
Right, if you look at it from through their eyes.
Right, what I'm saying is through their eyes, this is how they're looking at it. Is that an unfair way for Is that a good way for them to look at it? Or what are the problems with them looking at it that way?
The problem with again, I love that they brought in Kendricks once he was released. He was one guy I wanted to see brought in and they did that. So thank you so much for that defensive tackle. Though, until you see the until you see Mozzie Smith making the strides, it's hard for me to say he's ready right now.
But if you don't bring in another nose tackle to help him out, whether it have Ben Jonathan Hankins or another veteran, whatever the case may be, DJ Reader who's off the board now, then you're basically saying that twenty twenty four is going to be Mozzie Smith starting nose tackle.
But all of just a second, if if you have a first round pick from last year and you're trying to push him up and do that wrong, you need then whoever whoever you would have as his backup isn't gonna be one of those top line guys. You don't want somebody that's gonna steal reps from him. You want somebody that's a that's an insurance policy. Those aren't the guys you get early in free agency. Those are the guys you get later. You get those guys in May,
in June, maybe even heading into training camp. Right, So what am I missing.
There in that capacity?
It's just I think I'm looking at how far down the line are we talking about getting that particular guy.
Is it a draft pick? Is it a fourth fifth round draft pick? Because you can get a pretty decent one technique in the fourth, fifth, sixth round, because that's not a position that's drafted early all the time.
Right.
True, But if you're going to do it as a fourth or fifth rounder, then obviously, as you guys know, the later you get into the rounds, then the less likely that that's going to hit. So you're still going to have to address it with a veteran I would say, ideally, and if you wait until you know, just before training camp and you get a guy, or you get a guy in training camp, what what level mercenary are you getting in training camp versus what level mercenary you'd get in early April or late March.
That's what I mean. So if you even if you look at Okay, let's just let's.
Call Jonathan Hankins because that's the familiar face, right, Even if you were able to retain Jonathan Hankins, you could have possibly retain Jonathan Hankins with the understanding that they were going to push Mossie Smith as the starting nose tackle for twenty twenty four.
Could I think you could have swung that.
I don't know that he would have bought it, right, that's like you think he would have got you could have swung it, because I mean, he's at that kind of stage.
In his career, right, He's like, if I'm playing, I'm playing.
But then I think, then what counterstat is is aid and dirty looking at him and see I don't saying or you could come music.
That's my point, Like he's got a opportunity.
My question is simply being when would they address that, because if you, as it stands, if you go in to the drafting, yeah, let's say you use a fourth or fifth round pick. Okay, cool, fourth fifth round pick that's going to back up Mozzie Smith. But you got to assume that fourth or fifth round pick probably won't be ready to contribute year one. Let's assume good news and they're ready to contribute year two. That's fine, but that also means Mozzi is kind of on an island
because Neville's going. Nevill's in Miami, Okay. Chauncey is going to have to have a big year, and it's a contract season for him. So to Brian's point, Chauncey, where are you at? It's time for you to step up.
He's more three anyway.
So then what you got you got also kind of moving back into it.
I just I don't like the situation as it stands, and I depth right, and I wouldn't want the depth to be addressed. I wouldn't want them to wait until late June early mid July to address the depth. From a veteran standpoint, I want veteran insurance behind Mazzi to say, you know what, number one to push Mazzi to be better, to be ready to be that guy in twenty twenty four.
But also if whatever may happen and he struggles, you can say Okay, well, let's let's mix up this rotation a little more to get this veteran guy into me. Make sure we're stopping the run as we're still bringing mazi along. I just don't want Mazie on an island, not yet. That's what bothers me about.
I think, Uh, you have too much confidence.
There no no know what I'm doing. Here's the deal, I think sometimes, and this happens, This happens a lot in the media. There's a certain narrative and then everybody just says the narrative. And what I'm trying to do, and this is what I want our show to be obviously all the time is I want us to think about things fully and really, if that is the way they're looking at it, that I want us to address the way that they're looking at it and say what we think can be the challenges for that.
Which is a fair, fair argument. But it's just I'm like Patrick on this one right now, because if we sit there, if we watched all the games, we watched the whole season, and I don't think personally I won't speak for you guys, but personally finishing the season, it's not a spot where I feel confident to get to give Mazzie Smith that type of response and roll just
yet because he hasn't proven that. So again, when you're talking about the the immense importance and how crucial this specific season is for the Cowboys, that's a huge gamble and risk that you're willing to take at a very very important position on defense.
That's fair, but and no offense to anybody at this table, myself included. If Mike Zimmer comes in the door and says Miley Smith can do this. I know he can do this, then who are we to say I don't feel comfortable. Well, that's okay, but it's Mike Zimmer. He says he thinks he can get the guy ready. By the way, that's what he's being paid to do. If that's his assessment, you give him that response, You give him that responsibility and to hold him accountable to it.
But I would trust his opinion way more than our opinion on the player.
Right.
I remember a clip on Dallas Cowboys dot Com from the war whom Will McClay standing up and fighting for Molesse Smith that.
He could be that guy. If that's the case, they need to put Mossie Smith out he could be.
He could be whether we feel comfortable or not. They picked Myles Smith. Yeah, they picked him and they felt like that Mozzi Smith at three hundred and twenty nine pounds at the time, could be a guy that can. Yeah at the time, you know, it's impressive how much weight he long, no doubt, Like I'm like one of my I'd love them to know what he did. But you know the thing about it is, though, that's that's them,
you know. And I'll say this though, they have job security over there, and I hate to be that guy, but it's true. They're not going anywhere. They picked Mozzie Smith. They need to play Mozzie Smith.
That's the way it is.
But now Mike doesn't Mike doesn't have Mike Mike. Mike Zimmer doesn't have you know what security.
But that's what I'm saying though, And you know what Mike is. They can't change everything out. They're not going to change it. They're they're they're hoping. They're hoping that Mike Zimmer can come in here and get Mozzie Smith playing at a high level. That's what their hope is right now. If it doesn't if it doesn't work, out. Staff will move on, players move on. You have to make a decision about Mozzie Smith, whether you know you
need to do something differently there. But they they they honestly, they don't have a choice. They don't have a choice. Did you say DJ Reader signed with somebody.
If the board?
I thought he did too. I thought he signed with someone. I don't know who, but I thought I thought. I saw that I could be wrong. Everything's flying around, so.
I know that's what I was, the same thing, and okay with him and A'shawn Robertson was, Yeah, See DJ Reader would have been a great would have been a great signing for them. They don't have the money to sign the sign even to sign a guy like that. So to me, it's they they have made their bed with who they've drafted, you know, and that's on them. And they they believe, right or wrong, that Mozzie Smith could play one technique in this league. Let's see, we
don't have confidence. No, we don't have confidence. But you know what we're sitting here doing radio. They're drafting players and that, and you don't have to believe what they're doing over there. But you know what, that's that's that's what it is right now. That is, until things change. That is the way it is right now.
This is a totally different situation. But just to use that as an example, for years Tyron Smith and his situation, how many times we would end the season, go to training camp and be talking, well, have they have they gotten some kind of cushion or a backup that can be a legit backup for him when he has an injury again it has to go out. And many many years that wasn't the case, that was not ever the
case until last year. At times I thought those backups did a pretty good job in the way they handle when he was out. But it's just kind of going to that, like, you know the situation, but how are you kind of preparing yourself for worst case scenario type of deal or if this doesn't pan out, who do we actually have to be able to give some extra.
And that's what's concerning to me, and really quickly, if Mozzie did not drop that weight, then fans and analysts such as ourselves would probably be more confident in the likelihood of him taking step forward in or two because then you could say, oh, well, he only needs to work on his get off. For example, he only needs
to work on learning the playbook a little bit more. Okay, fair enough, But when you throw into the mix that he's dropped so much weight that he now has to reapply that weight in order to be an effective nose tackle while also quickening his get off while also deepening his knowledge of the playbook.
That's what makes it more concerning. And that's why.
And I'm again I'm not saying that Mazzi Smith cannot be an impact guy in this league. I believe he can if Zimmer can turn him around and everything can come to fruition like it needs to. But there are too many variables as we have the conversation working against the argument of saying, oh, well, it's Mazi and that's what we got. No, it needs to be Mazi and insurance.
Yeah, but I do think that the other thing you got a factor in though, when you talk about that insurance, is you know, you could get to June. You could get to July and the Cowboys could make a trade, like they may not have a lot of money against the cap to be able to go out and sign a free agent, but in the same way they got Jonathan Hankins they can find a team that's like, you
know this veteran guy. I don't know if we necessarily want to have the long term, we'd be willing to give up that player for a pick, and then you
find your guy. Like I think, all I'm saying is I agree with you that they're going to have to do more from a depth standpoint, But when you look at it from the standpoint of who their starters are going to be day one, I think they feel like, we got the guys that we're gonna roll with, and and and right or wrong, they got the guys that are gonna roll with, and we'll get to see what they can do. I personally think with Masie Smith, I think he overcorrected. I think he's hearing all that about
I need to get off, get off, get off. Oh if I'm lighter, maybe I get off faster. I think too exactly. And I think I think that happened to him, And I think sometimes that happens with rookies. They're trying to acclimate to the NFL, and they can find themselves in tough situations because they're just searching for answers, and if there's not the right coach in their ear, giving them the right information and guiding them they will end up in a path way off.
You can watch Chris Jenkins, who's Place three technique for Michigan, and he has the same problem in this draft.
Is that a Michigan thing.
It's a Michigan There's an absolutely thing. I'm sitting there watching tape. I'm like, oh, look, Chris Jenkins has the same problem as Mazzie Smith had. You know, it's the way they play their scheme. You know, it is they play a tick late, they read, they react, and then they go that's what they do. So, you know, and I think I think it really affected Mazy though. I think that deep down inside, I think all the criticism hurt him.
I do.
I just you know, just you know the way that maybe you know, the weight loss, what we're talking about, his reaction, just this you know, sudden way of doing things. I think that I think emotionally he got a little scarred by all the criticism of him in this uh this year.
And that's what makes me think it gives me at least some hope that you put another another voice in his ear that maybe is kind of working with him and getting and building him up a bit, maybe they can get out of him what they expected. Let's take our final break. When we come back, I want to get a quick scouting report on Eric Kendricks and what he can bring to this team and maybe the areas that that maybe he doesn't have a lot to add,
and where the Cowboys may need to supplement that. We'll talk that when we come BA Dallas Cowboys dot com.
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All Right, we're back, final segment of the break. We got about a little under three minutes.
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There we go.
Awesome, Thank you, Brian. Sure, I love that our team looks out for each other. Yeah, I was about to head it to Brian. Give me a quick scoutter report on Eric Kendricks.
Yeah, probably a step slow than what he was in the past.
He was an All Pro for Mike zimmer while back, but he's still the thing about I think the flow of the.
Way he plays is really good.
He's not the same guy he was with the Minnesota Vikings, but if you talk about a guy that could step up phill gaps, take people on, solid tackler. Like I said, the flow is there, the movement's there. That getting off the blocks, avoiding blocks is there. Sometimes the ball get to the edge and he just just misses it, but other times he'll make the play. I think he's a much better pass rusher now than he is a cover guy. So I would try and incorporate him more in that
play in that type of way. If you want to bring him as the extra blitzer, I think that would be a really good thing for him. I don't know how much coverage that you really really want to put him in overall, But as far as the tackling, the toughness getting to the football again, step laid on a little bit. It's not an all the time thing, but you do see it happen to him occasionally.
But still a good player.
But he one time in his career for Mike Zimmer, he was an All Pro player and he could He's not at that level though.
Is it possible that what you're seeing on tape, as far as him being a tick slow at times, yep, could be a result of the fact that that was a new system for him last year.
I just I just think that.
I just think there were times where when you used to watch Kendrick's play where it was he was already to the edge and he was he was he he reads.
Things still really well. And I talk about the flow sometimes the linebackers that.
Get caught up and stuff. He's he's got the flow down. Part of it is where's that burst, that extra little burst to kind of close the play out there when it gets to the edge. Anything right at him, He's going to be just fine at Is.
He the best linebacker on the scene right now?
Yes, well he knows.
You know. And and it's a benefit for him too.
You know, if he would have gone to San Francisco, he would been playing behind those outstanding linebackers they have.
You know, Bowman's going to miss some time, I would assume, right.
Well, yeah, probably a little bit, you know.
You said Bowman, not meaning Navar Bowman. I'm telling the other who was the other other lineback of that got hurt?
Law Green Law. Yeah.
Yeah, so Bowman was way back in looked at him boom, Okay he's been but see but yeah, that to me though, I kind of feel like though that him coming in here and knowing Mike's system is a huge benefit for him. He doesn't have to go and learn completely another system, even though he learned a system, you.
Know, with the with the chargers there and what he was able to do.
But the familiarity has with Mike, the calls, he can help others around him. That's that's a benefit when guys like when Overstown has a question on why and then you know, Kendricks could say, this is why, you know, and he can explain that. And whoever else that they draft, there's plenty of There's plenty of linebackers in this draft. Some of them banged up, some of the amre nicked up,
but they're gonna pick one. They're gonna pick one here and so you know you're gonna have probably a couple of linebackers and even Demon Clark is going to a young linebacker too. It's gonna have to kind of pick some things up too, So having Kendricks here on this I think can help overall what they're.
Trying to do.
Yeah, he's I was gonna say, he's instantly, instinctually, he's your best linebacker right now. As far as just playing the ball, he's your best linebacker right now. And Brian touched on a point that I wanted to bring up really quickly, the ability to mentor as will and help these young linebackers acclimate to Mike Zimmer system. I had a good conversation with Demon Clark just yesterday about the signing of Eric Kendricks and the retirement of lve E
and like how that works. And you know, Demon was very he was progressed well under LV because of the mentoring that happened with Leyton Vanderesh And in the absence of that, you could see Demon kind of have some strong questions. Now you bring in another veteran, another formal all pro and Eric n new system and a new system who can also, like Brian say, he can sit you down, as Demon Clark and say this is what Zimmer is expecting, this is your cue, this is your read.
I think that'll help demon Clark take a step forward in year three.
Yeah, Mike's gonna get on these linebackers. He's gonna yell at them, He's gonna call him names.
And somebody's gonna feel sorry for themselves.
And I learned this in the wordy and you just kind of fight back, just you know, you call him an MF or two and then it kind.
Of works out. Dude.
Yeah, you can just kind of you fight with Mike. He fights back, and then you hug it out.
And everything, and he respects you because you fought back.
Mike and I used to battle quite a bit, and I to this day, I love Mike and I I I'll say this, I've said on several platforms, Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, come in here and save the day for this team. I know the roster and stuff doesn't look bad, but Mike is going to make this thing buttoned up on the defensive.
Side of the ball, which is the part that we all have been like. Man at times, they just don't look like the Bay game.
They look very disconnected football exactly right.
All right. I appreciate you guys, you honest. We will be back.
Oh I was gonna speak to.
Go amber.
To say it, damn, it's a dang.
I'm sorry, dang, I was gonna say. Listening to Brian's counting report, I don't like hearing the fact that he's a step behind, you know, and closing in, just just because we've seen it before with Layton at times where he was just that bit slow and in closing in and we saw how much that actually affected that part of the defense and in the field and just always being just a quick step behind. So don't love that, But I do like the fact everything that you guys said,
the relationship that he has there. He's been what nine years in the in the league, so that's a long time, and that's good to have someone like that with that kind of mix.
I will say this though, quick, real quick. When you said it ticks slow, I don't take it as he's a ticks slow all the time, number one. But I also didn't take it as like I think part of that is he's a ticks slow compared to what we saw in Minnesota where he was playing at an all pro level.
If you think that's the guy, you're not it's it's yeah, But the flow, the part of the moving to the ball and stuff is when he was at his best, Yes, exactly, which, by the way, play at a tremendous level.
Right.
You could say that about Tyron Smith, like Tyns Smith ain't the Tyron Smith from back long time ago to Smith will still play, right, And so I think that's the point, Like the dude can play, it's just a matter of not the same guy he.
Was twenty nine. I want to say I'm not mistaken.
But I would also say when it comes to him being a tick slower, yeah, you contextually put it up again, it's him versus him, not him versus right, what you're saying in the locker room, the present locker room. But also I would tandem him with we talked about the mom but Overshown when he's back and he's back in full form that we haven't seen him in regular season snaps. You saw him in the preseason, yes, speed, he's right there, instinctual.
And he has the ability to get over there.
So I think when you combine Overshown, Prime over Show when he's back and he's ready to go, and Dumont Clark possibly taking a step forward, and then Eric Kendrick's being able to mentor and still play at a high level.
I think the linebacker corpse is solid.
It's the dts that we gotta figure out.
All right, let me said you guys, jon Us. We're back next week and we'll jump back in. We'll have more to talk about on the roster and how it's filling out and where the Cowboys. We'll talk about next week some of the holes that we think the Cowboys really got to focus in on where they got to grow here heading into the draft. Until then, for Patrick Walker, Brian brought us an Ambergarci. I'm Derek Eiglton. 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.