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It's time for The Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com. Were with Nick Eatman, Brian brought Us and bar Garcia and Derek Eagleton.
It is Wednesday, May seventeenth, twenty twenty three, Season nineteen, episode number seven. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break. We are alive from the SWBC Mortgage Studios at the Start, presenter by Millo like the Only Beer of the Dallas Cowboys. And today it is the first of four final shows before we take a little hiatus here. So we got four more shows and what I want to do in those four shows is do a recap. We're gonna take a couple positions every day and we're gonna talk about
what the Cowboys have done this offseason. We're going to compare where they were at the end of last season to where they are at this point and try to see if we can shed some light on how much they've improved or not over these last several months. Heading into the twenty twenty three training camp this year, we'll be out knox Nard, I assume late July or so, Brian, I hope your station's gonna let you come out and we'll get a little time with you.
Yeah, they plan on it. So yeah, So we'll be out there eventually one time or another.
Good and we know Nick and Amber will be out there. I will be out there, so looking forward to that later this summer. But for today, we're going to focus in on quarterbacks and linebackers, the quarterback of the offense and the defense. Before we do that, though, I wanted to get some reaction from you guys. Twenty twenty three schedule was released last week. What do you think about it? Was anything on it that stood out to you as far as how the Cowboys will have to approach this season?
Not really. I mean, you know, I'm kind of I used to do that. I used to play that game and go, oh man, this looks tough and December looks tough. I don't know who. I mean, it looks like it could be if you're playing it now. But you know, who knows who's healthy and all that, and how teams are. There's always two or three games that are going to be tougher than you expecting two or three games that aren't.
So you know, it's the things I look at or just you know, just how they got to get off to a pretty good start is what it seems like. And then you know, just stay healthy. I mean I think that I looked at it. They'll be favored, you know, unless things change dramatically, they'll be favored in twelve or thirteen games. So they should go out and.
Got a lot of night games.
Man, got some night games.
Yeah, it's for guys that do postgame shows until two in the morning. That's no fun. Well, hopefully we'll talk about it like someone that might know something. Yeah, I know all about that. I will say, I don't think the league did them any favors in December. I just don't. I think when you start to talk about having you get the game at Philadelphia at home on the tenth and then at Buffalo Miami Detroit could be playing for
division title. You know, we'll see what happens with the Commanders are you know, the division I think is going to be pretty tight, So there's gonna be a gauntlet that they're going to have to run, and I think they catch a break on the heat in Miami, even though you're a hot weather team here. Usually if you go to Miami earlier in the years, we've all known, you could melt in that place. Umid hut. Yeah, so you got a amber. I'm sorry, Christmas Eve, you're gonna
have to spend in Miami. I can think of worse places to be. Well, he'll be in Miami. You'll be in Miami that day. But the trip to Buffalo, as we all know, and we've all made that trip to Buffalo, it could be it could be very daunting as is.
So I don't think they did him many favors, you know, with the way that part of the schedule rolls out, because I think every one of those teams are going to be playing for something, you know, and yes, you would kind of hope that you had somebody in there that wasn't playing for something like Carolina or maybe even we'll see what the rams if they had to turn around or anything like that. But that part of I think is going to be difficult.
I feel terrible because you asked that question and I'm like, uh, what did I think? Because everything that I'm looking at it in a non football perspective. When the schedule comes out, I'm looking at the video we produced, that you guys produced, that the company put out.
I'm looking at what.
Other teams put out production wise. A lot of questionable things out there that some teams decided to do. But also I'm looking at, Okay, how many back to back home games do we have? How many on the road games? So I did not even look at when we're playing what opponent because to me, which is terrible, but I mean, I just know I got to be there. I'm going to be there for all of them.
So it doesn't know, well, the two the two me personally, Yeah, the two games to the West Coast to the San Francisco and Chargers game back to back. It's a Sunday night and a Monday night, correct, So that, man, that could be a little bit of another.
To get a buy immediately after that, Yeah, it kind of helps a little.
You might you're gonna you might need that buy for sure. I think, you know, the Aaron. I think getting Aaron Rodgers out of the way in week two I think is a good thing. Maybe the Jets haven't kind of figured things out with him. And you never want him to get rolled in the way he can. So maybe that that gives you a little bit of a break as well.
I mean you're supposed to have nine nine you know, road games, eight home games, but you do have you do have a break with two games that you'll have more fans. You will, I mean you'll have more fans in Arizona and then and uh at the other LA. So you know there will be two games that you should be able to. You're not gonna be like it's not like gonna be the black hole in Oakland. I mean, you know you'll have a chance to.
Nose won't be the game it shouldn't be.
And you're a better team. I think they're a better team than both of those teams. So when you factor that in, I mean that you have a couple of opportunities to you know, to you know, have some success there.
You're back. You got that Thursday to Thursday game again. Yeah, you know that's something that you missed that last.
Year, right.
Yeah, to me, that only affects like that's like a gamer was saying that just that only it kind of affects like personally, like Thanksgiving, your Thanksgiving weekend, that you wanted to have as little afterwards is a little different, but you know, you still get the break after that, So I don't know. I don't know how much that effects I guess it affects it so honestly for a team, but I don't know for the team.
I actually thought it was a little bit of an advantage because they get that even though you got that short week for the Thursday game, then you get a full week for the next Thursday game, and then they actually have a long week because they don't play until the following Sunday and it's a Sunday night game. So when you factor all that in, like there's actually it makes that three week period, not the front part of the three weeks, but the back part.
Of the three weeks.
It makes it a little easier for them to kind of manage. I think at a time of the year where you think you probably need that a little bit of extra rest to be able to get that heading into December of a couple extra days, I think that's actually a benefit for them. But yeah, I think the interesting thing here really for me was about what you were saying, Brian about that December stretch. I think that's the part you look at and Nick, you're absolutely right,
we don't know what that's going to look. Yeah, we've had other years where you go into December thinking, oh my gosh, and then you get to that point you know it's going to be.
So you know that, and you got to be able to run the football like they want to do because I mean throwing the ball around in Buffalo, we saw it.
I mean could be tough for you know, you never know about that. The thing about it is too that you always worry about December those flex games. Potentially You've already got two night games in December, you know, and the only games that they could flex on you would be the at Buffalo and at Miami. But they flex you knowing that you've already got two night games or Washington. Yeah, I guess well they could flex the day on that one. That's the that could be a Saturday, is what that one could be.
I doubt they flexed the Christmas Eve game, right, I mean, is there a.
Game that's already there already a is that? Isn't that a night an afternoon game?
Yes?
Three twenty five?
How many? I didn't check. How many do they have? Three Christmas games this year one Christmas game.
I don't really honestly, I think what I saw and.
I thought there was one was a Jets Miami or am I thinking about something else? Somebody else was? Or Giants Giants Giants Eagles, Giants Eagles on Christmas? So is that the only Christmas Day game that that would be? You know, I mean, do you flex? I mean, does that turn into a deal where you have to flex that? I I think with the fact that you've got the two games in December that are already TV games, I don't think you have to worry about those getting flexed.
But that's something you always have to consider when you're you know, you're playing for these games late in the year.
Somewhere I thought I saw the eighteenth. The weekend of the eighteenth was the only was the weekend that could have been flexed and not the one after that. But I don't know that for sure.
I don't.
I don't know about that Christmas. If I would hope, I would hope that they don't. It's already better if we're doing a road Christmas Eve game. I would hate that to be a night game.
Yeah, you know, we'll see you think about it. Just from a standpoint of you start off on the road in the season on the road, and then you know Christmas is also on the road, all on the East coast, so you know, not that there's any short trips really for the Cowboys ever except for Houston.
But man, there's going to be some pressure pack games in that month. I mean, I think it actually could start. And I say December. I think it actually could start at the home game against Seattle, that Thursday, Thursday game. You know, Seattle, Seattle, Philly, Buffalo, Miami, Detroit Command is all gonna be playing for something. I mean, and you're likely playing for something too.
So Seattle's on Thanksgiving.
Off, No, it's the Thursday after your game against the Command.
But Seattle's on Thanksgiving as well, right that.
Oh are they playing things right? I guess. I guess they probably are. I don't know every team's gonna play a Thursday night game, so yeah, it could be. Yeah, I would they could.
They would play on Sunday. And but I mean it happens all the time.
Yeah, every team, Most teams will have a Sunday to third a game.
Every single seats playing San Francisco the week before on thanks after the night game.
Yeah, but I'm thinking, like always, I mean, happens every year where that final month of December is kind of you're playing to get into the playoffs. I'm trying to think, when has it not been that way?
Well, you got the Colts that one time, right, didn't you get the Colts there last year where they were just was it last year or two years?
I remember?
Oh?
Yeah.
Sometimes you get teams that just completely out of it and you and that's your hope that you get somebody that that you know is not they're not going anywhere, and then you just beat them up and then you move on.
But sometimes those teams can be dangerous too, you know, like Washington at the end of the season last year. You know, I mean, I know the Cowboys didn't play a lot of players, but that you know, they.
Were funny if Washington would have won the week before they were playing to get into the playoffs. They they started Carson Wentz the week before and it messed them up. The thing that I could say this the one thing we've also kind of learned is the lead league tends to schedule if they're trying to move on get the AFC teams done. It's always like in the month of
December they put AFC, you get two AFC teams. Uh, you know in that in that you know, it would be better to me personally if you had somebody like maybe I don't think New England. I will see about New England how they're going to be. I would much rather have New England than I would Buffalo or one of those other teams down there. And that you know thing. I think Buffalo and Miami are going to be battling for the division title.
The fact is, though we knew going into this year, even before the schedule came out, you knew the teams they were playing. That's a daunting list of opponents just in general. So however they were going to match them up. It was going to be a daunting task for the Cowboys this season because the NFC East is so tough and you're playing a division AFC East that also has some pretty good teams and NFC East as well, I mean, I'm sorry, NFC West as well.
The quarterback better.
Or worse calendar than last.
Year schedule ever since?
Yeah, I would say worse.
When you say worse than you're saying worse for the Cowboys.
Or yeah for the Cowboys in all aspects.
Based on what I thought this time last year, South time this year, Yeah, I agree with you. Yeah, I would say it's probably it's a harder scheduled this year than it was last year.
You got those games, but you played Houston later in the season, didn't you last year, and that that game turned out to be a last drive game.
You got a second place schedule, which means that three teams you're playing that Finnish second are Carolina, Detroit and the Chargers or Seattle. It well, Seattle, I think you played the whole divisions, but the ones that you're playing because you're finish second, those teams. You know, those teams are all battling. You know, it's not like you're getting a huge break there.
I'd rather take Minnesota than Detroit, right, going that way, give me team versus Detroit.
Detroit might win the North. Right Troitt team, they can win the North.
Yeah, I definitely got a team. All right, we're gonna take our first break. When we come back, We're gonna jump into our off season review. We're gonna start with the quarterbacks. Are going to get into some conversation on that will be at Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio.
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All right, Welcome back. Here's the second live from the Dallas Cowboys caw at the Star. Let's brought sec This segment is brought to you by blockchain dot com.
You know.
So, here's what we're going to do. We're going to a off season review We've got We're going to go through every position here over the next four shows. Today we're going to focus in on the quarterbacks and the linebackers. And I want to start with this simple question. We're talking quarterbacks first. Are they better, worse, or the same as they were in twenty twenty two.
I think they're better. I think they're better, and I think they're better because they know what they have in Cooper Rush. I think that's the thing. I think you have to have a little bit of confidence. I know there's a big turnover on the offensive staff, new line coach, new running back coach, new play caller, you know, new OC. You know, there's a lot of things going on here. But I think that when you look at the quarterbacks, their job is going to be to work with Dak Prescott.
We all understand that. But I think there's a confidence within the organization about Cooper Rush. If we played to a certain level, if we play a certain way, we can win football games with him playing there. I mean, you know, four and one during the year, heck had a chance to win at Philadelphia. I mean if they didn't, you know, if it was the first time in the of his five games that he had some turnovers in that game, or they might have had a chance to
win it. But I think they have to be really confident about their backup situation and a lot of people like Will Greer here as well, So I think they're I think they're in a much better better spot.
Yeah, I would probably just say the same, and that's not anything bad or good. And the personnel's the same, and so you know, with a new coaching staff and new play callers, it could go better, could go worse. So because of that, I would say the same. But I mean, I think there's some optimism for for Dak,
you know. I mean those all those interceptions obviously weren't on him, some of them were, so they could clean those up, and let's see if you can take those away and eliminate that and manage the game differently, and then I think it could be better. I think I think we're done with the Dak has to go win the football game all the time, you know, forget the money, forget what he's paying the salary and all that. Just
just go play the smart way. And I think if they're all on the same page there, then I think this offense could be better.
I think to me, I would be it would be the same because so far, none of the changes they have made is an indicator yet that it's going to be improved or even worse. I mean, it's up in the air. We'll see what happens there. But as far as like what we've seen from Dak, we haven't really seen him yet again out in the field really throwing those passes to tell you, Okay, where he's at with the offense and the guy's catching the passes and all that, and how is that running game going to be looking?
Like?
What's the protection around him? But also one of the things that does make me think that it could be better is the fact, and you were mentioning, I think yesterday off the show, Derek, how they use him running with the football, him trying to escape using his legs, the running game, quarterback sneaks and things like that. That he's proven he's good at it. He's proven that he can do it, and he's proven to be successful getting
into the end zone. I forgot how many touchdowns he was able to get last year just running the ball. But that's one aspect that I really hope they can carry over this year as well and just really really benefit from that that I think overall, as far as quarterback, I think he can take it even further, he.
Might have to be their short yardage option without Ezekiel Elliott here. You know, that's the one thing. I mean, if you're one of those people that believe in analytics and stuff, they will say that Zeke is you know, it's five percent less than what you believe the averaging, I mean, there's all these numbers you could throw out there, but they're going to have to when we get to the running back portion of this conversation, where are they going to have that short yardage third and one? Third
and two? Is Is it going to be Dak Prescott fourth one? Are they going to have to find a way to make up for what we thought with our eyes or saw with our eyes Ezekiel Elliott converting a lot of those things. So the running aspect of Dak maybe not as a scrambler, but the running aspect of him being they got to get first outs and that's that would be his area.
Speaking of Dak running the ball, and this was the stat I throw out to you guys yesterday when I was mentioning it. Dak average. He was average his second highest total of rush attempts per game at three point eight last year of his career, and it seemed like a bit of a shock to me. Do you guys think that that because it seemed like he didn't run
that much. But all that being said, do you guys think that that's enough or do you think that they really have to make more of a concerted effort of integrating him more into the offense from the standpoint of using his legs and actually calling more plays for him to run as opposed to him just running when the opportunity presents itself.
Yeah, I think there are some times on those those read options that you know, I like to see him keep it a little bit more. He's got to get more comfortable doing it. I think some of those those numbers were sneaks last year. And I'm gonna throw something else out there about the quarterback sneaks. Everyone says, Okay, look at Philly, they're doing it. Jalen hurts, you know,
but Jason Kelcey. Don't forget that that he's the best center in the league, and he knows how to get leverage and he knows how to, you know, to create a push. It's not just about the quarterback being strong. That's part of it, but you also have to win right off the line, and the Eagles have a good line, and some of the teams that have quarterback snakes they do it a lot. They have that offensive line, and
so be Honish Martin. Whoever's playing left guard, they have to figure that out too, if they're gonna run those quarterbacks snaks. So it's not always fourth in inches, it's fourth and one and a half, Then what happens on fourth and one and a half that's where you miss zeke fourth one and a half and two. And I think teams with like the Eagles, they'll still run the sneak, especially if they're being able to push from the back. They still they didn't change that rule, did they.
No, they didn't change that rule.
I don't think they will.
Actually, No, I think it's gonna be a little bit different from the Eagles this year because of Cam Jurgens now takes over at guard, and you know, and he's not the bigger of the body of the guys, you know, And so to me, with Dickerson and Jurgens and Kelsey, that's that's a good size group, but it's not what they've had before. And so maybe that'll that dynamic will change a little bit for them. But yeah, Dallas, as you mentioned, I mean, they've got questions at left guard.
Is that going to be Tyler Smith? Who is that going to be? Is that going to be somebody that you know? I mean, I think it's a lot different to say if Steel would. I mean, everybody's talking about Steel playing left guard, and I think that's to me, that's just it blows my mind to even think of that. But you know, it depends on who you have inside block, and that really makes a difference.
No, I was just gonna say, I just hope that the runs are intentional, not because it's out of need and he's being forced to kind of just scramble and try to get away. And also keeping in mind and we talk about Cooper rush, the backup and all that, but you got to always remember the more you run as a quarterback, the higher the risk of you getting injured.
And this is not a year that I want to see that happening whatsoever, especially when you talk about going all in with the defense and everything that's happening this year. But there are a lot of concerns on the with the O line and the running game. I am very very unsure as to how exactly that's going to look like until I get to see Tony Poller actually running a training camp with the ball.
You know, I was going to say this about a left tackle. Usually when you have a domino effect, it starts at the top and it kind of dominoes down and affects other players. Left tackle or tackle seems to be one that the domino might even start at the bottom or in the middle, because look at Tyler Smith. Most people think, all right, who is going to affect
where he plays? Tyron Smith and Terrence Steele. To me, the wild card of it all is will let's go if Matt will Letsko comes in and does what they think he might do, that providing a left tackle, right tackle swing type of guy. Now you've got and maybe that both these other tackles are healthy. Now it just makes sense to put Tyler Smith at left guard because
now you really are getting your your top five. So I don't think it's just the domino effect a top I think, if well, let's go show them something, he could be the wild card in this whole thing that they give them depth that they really need.
Are you more concerned about And I'll ask everybody here, but are you more concerned about about Tyron Smith is regressing as a player or his injury history?
Injury, his injury history, But but that does affect him regressing as a player. Yes, I think they go hand in hand a little bit. But I do think the injury.
Yeah, as I'm watching him play, I'm where are you playing him? See, that's that's the that's the problem. They're gonna play at left tackle. I believe they're going to play at left tackle, and so you know, and that's his natural position, that's what he's done all these years. I think for so many years now, we always talk about him the potential of him getting injured, you know, and you just kind of know it. It's okay, we're
gonna miss three games. It's gonna be week seven, eight nine, or it's gonna be you know, something's going to happen, and then it'll be like, okay, well, then you know, Tyler Smith will have to go back outside to me. But I think it's more to Tyron Smith's game than
it is just the injury history. I think there is some actual regression there as a player, and I and I think maybe it is because of some of the things that have happened to him throughout his career injury wise, but when he was healthy, you know, I was expecting that right side with him and Martin. It wasn't as clean as it. And people could say, well, Brian, he's a left tackle and all that. Well, then why did they think that they had to play him? Why didn't they move Tyler Smith over there?
Well, that's same on them, not saying on him necessarily, right.
So I'm saying though, that's what I'm saying. Though, Maybe him being back on the left side will be better, excuse me, will be better for him. Yeah, But I just I don't know. There's times where I was seeing a regressing player, and I'm thinking, why continue with a regressing player? If you got this young player that has this future at that spot, don't mess with the young player who's proven that he could play the position, you know, don't make him have to play guard when he looks
like a natural left tackle. He looks like a young Tyron Smith out there at times playing the way he's moving around.
Just comes down to who that left guard is as opposed to the left tackle For Tyron Smith, I mean, what's your better option there? And also like how much are we regressing?
You know?
I mean, I think Lebron James has probably regressed some, you know, over his career, and he's still playing at a high level. I want to see Tyler Tyron Smith regress. I don't want to see that. But if he regresses that left tackle, like all right, now, you're right now, now, right, we gave him a pass for the right side, and he was coming back from injury. Now he's had all off season, now he's back to his normal position, and it's still not there. Then yeah, I think that's.
So I definitely am going to keep the eye on because to me, I I would have never believed this, and I thought, man, they're going to have more power over there on the right side, Martin and Smith, Tyron Smith are going to get that done over there. They didn't run the ball well enough over there. They just didn't. And you know, there were a lot of things that were going on, and there was a natural fit between
between Steel and Martin in the running game. You clearly saw it that when they ran the football, those two guys had it. They were working, and it wasn't the same with and I think it's a little bit more about the regression of Tyron Smith. And that's and and you know, yeah, I worry about the injury history, but I think we're starting to see I think we're starting to see it. It show up a little bit more of the regression part.
On that point, both of you guys talked about the regression. Right now, if you had to order the tackles on this team, where does Tyler I mean, where does Tyron Smith fit in that?
I me, personally, I have to go with Tyler Smith at left tackle and Terrence Still at right tackle. From what I saw the way that they.
You think he's the third best tackle on this team.
I do right now, yeah I do.
What would you think?
I still? I mean, I'm just one of those benefit of the doubt guys. So I give him, I give him, you know, the first. But it's also because I know that I can put Tyler Smith at left guard. See, I'm just not worried about the left guard left tackle for him because this isn't going to be something happens for five years. See Tyrone Crawford, that was always a thing because it was where was his best fit. But
Tyler Smith, like Tyrone's not gonna be here forever. So if he's got one more year, fine, if he's not. If he doesn't, he doesn't, But I'm okay with with one more year because Tyler Smith is about the smartest player in that locker. He's really smart. He can figure that out. And I just don't think that he's going to regress back and forth. And you know, because we'll get this figured out.
The chance for regression of Tyler Smith and maybe for all these offensive linemens if is if they're going to really miss Joe Philbin. But I'm willing to give I'm willing to give the new coach the opportunity, Mike Silari, I'm willing to give him the new opportunity. There are a lot of moving pieces on this offense, and most of it's on the coaching staff. That's the thing that you have to keep an eye on. How you know, is Tyler Smith. And let's be honest, there's people in
the organization will admit this. You know, Joe Philbin wasn't totally on board with Tyler Smith. But what did he do with Tyler Smith? He coached him up. You know, he said, Okay, maybe he's not my guy, but he coached him up. He took a liking to Terrence Steele, proved a lot of people wrong about Terrence Steele, including me.
You know, I do worry about when you flip I think the I think the offensive line coach is probably the third most important coach on the staff, the OC, the DC offensive line coach, and you know, changing that out is something that I always one way okay, and then but you know, Zach Martin's coming out, Hey, I really like what's going on here? Like what you know, you hear that stuff, so that part of his encouraging what you don't need is a pall out Alexander coming
in here. And in mid season they're all going, we can't block the save our rears here, you know.
Because see that's the problem with to me, the benefit of the doubt. The problem with the benefit of the doubt is that it equates to a few games of let's see how it's going. What are the results of each and one of those games we don't know. And to be fair, this staff has proven, as opposed to the previous staff, that they're not afraid to make changes whenever. And if you got to change someone out, switch them out,
take them out, they'll do it. But how how long are they giving Tyren Smith and what is that looking like? And at what point do you pull him out and say, okay, there's other options, and then you got.
Might actual great. Yeah Tyron Smith might look great, and it'd be in my concerns about it would be completely you know, but it is concerns going forward. I've got to the point now where I don't think about the injury anymore. I just don't. I think out where is he is a player? When he plays? You know, is
he still playing at this level? And I think there's times last year where he wasn't And it might be because he was on the right side there that might have been you know, hey, good for him to go out there and say, hey, I'll do whatever I have to do. But the fact that a Hall of Fame tackle said I'll play on the right side tells you all you need to know about the left tackle that
you're trying to move to guard. Now that a Hall of Fame tackle was willing to play right tackle so the left tackle, who was doing damn well could stay at a spot.
That's because the right tackle was hurt. The turn steel was also hurt. I mean that that was part of it too, So you know this, they got a lot of moving parts. And the good thing is that when you get to training camp, you know, Tyron Smith's not going to be out there a ton It'll be he'll be doing something that'll give a let's go, that'll give I think, let's go.
I think yeah, Austin Richards Richards another one.
He has a chance to get in there. So they have a lot of depth there. And that's why Josh Ball is going to be playing guard or both back and forth. It's the biggest guard you've ever seen.
All Right, we're gonna take our first reckon we come back. We're actually going to continue on the conversation of O line that was not gonna be one of our positions. We're going to make that a part to say, man, let's talk a little bit about center, because I do think that's a conversation worth having. Well, then when we come back, Dallas, Cowboys dot Com with you.
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Today Welcome back. Final segment of the Break Life in st WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star presented by Middle like the only beer of the Dallas Cowboys. We're continuing our conversation on quarterbacks and offensive line. Let's talk about the center position. Lash that's wrong.
I'm just laughing about how that quickly I tend to do that.
That's I switched it, Okay, but it was fine, Like I do that all the time.
That's how we do it.
Linebacker Mike is still linebacker.
No, no, no, do that.
Don't know were you saving linebacker?
How hard Derek works.
I don't even want you to mention linebacker. No talk of defense right, not that position? All right, center, Let's talk about the honest he ended up in the Pro Bowl last year in the mouth, I mean, I've just I was like, get rid of this guy. Yeah, but you know, honestly that that's where I was going with.
Let me save.
He went to the Pro Bowl. And you know we see this sometimes NFL guys ended up in the Pro Bowl. You can make it. It's an argument as to whether they really are that caliber of player. Where is he at this point in your mind? Is he a top five player, which if you're in the Pro Bowl typically you should be in that range. Is he that kind of player. Was he a player that kind of got the benefit of this guy couldn't go, this guy couldn't go, So here you go.
I don't think it was that deep. I think it was second, you know, second guy which make my top five, Yeah, I think so. And he's played and he played on a good team last year too, good offense that that moved the ball, and so it plays on a lot of those night games that we talked about. So and you just didn't notice him a whole lot what you did the year before fall starts bad snaps, you know, getting kind of pushed back a lot. I thought he when you're not noticing a lot from him, that means
he's doing his job. And I thought he did a good jump.
Yeah. When you when you look at overall about how he might be the fourth best center in the conference. When you start to talk about, you know, Philadelphia with Kelsey Ragnow from Detroit, Jensen from Tampa, you know, those are the guys that are kind of like everybody talks about is the better centers. I would say he's somewhere in that conversation with those guys. I think we would all you know, from what I've seen, might take those
guys over him, but he has gotten better. And that's again what I talk about, maybe with the switch at offensive line coach, are you going to hurt somebody's you know, ability to get better if in fact now he's hearing a different message or a different techniques along the way. But he doesn't take a backseat to any of those guys I mentioned. All those other guys really good centers, but he fits right into that group. When you look at overall the run blocking skill, the pass blocking skill,
his ability to communicate with the others. You don't see the break the breakdowns in the middle of the of the offensive line with him. So I think that he's probably in that top four or five in the conference, is what I would say. And Jason be my main concern.
I mean, you've criticized him a moment, which fair. There were areas, you know, areas of improvement, But to me personally, when looking at the olne, he's never made. He's never been my main concern. There also kind of tough when you go from what you had in Travis Frederick. I know we had him between Joe Looney right before Tyler took over, but when you look at what you were used to someone that barely ever made any mistakes with Travis Fredericks, and then you get a guy like Kim
coming in here, rookie jumping into that role. I think all in all, he's done a pretty decent job at the position.
Yeah.
The only time I really worried about him was when he was playing people like Vidavea, which you don't play those guys every week, but when you played those guys.
It was the so does everybody that plays right exactly.
It's the strength that you worry about. But but you're right, Brian, that's every every team playing them has that same concern.
Yeah.
I don't know if that necessarily takes him down in my book as far as no he's.
Been killed, you know, yeah, even when players playing players like that.
Yeah, he would just have moments in games like that in the past be like WHOA, Well, So.
I think that I think, if you really want to be honest with it, the breakdowns were more maybe on the left side, on the on the left guard, and all of a sudden, you know, you're trying to help, trying to cover you know, there's you know, they're really there were times where I mean, he was dealing with the revolving door over there at left guard, you know, and how about going through the whole how about going through training camp, working with you know, with Tyler Smith
and others over there, and then now Tyler Smith has to move to tackle a wait a minute, it's uh uh, you know Connor McGovern over there, and now Connor McGovern's kind of having his struggles and you know, oh wait, now now I'm having my struggles. So it's not an easy thing. But I think overall, to Amber's point, he hasn't been to the point where it's like every week you're watching him and going, gosh, he is the He's the reason we did it with Connor Williams. You know,
Connor Williams. Every week it felt like there were those two or three plays where he just he was just overwhelmed. And and maybe there were some times with Bey Oddish that happened, but not as much as you did think.
If you had to wrap it up for this offensive line discussion and say, do you think they're better, worse, or the same as last year? What do you fall?
I think they're going to be better.
I think.
Aweso mcgoverned, but I yeah, I think they they're just going to have a little bit more depth. The depth across the line, I think be oddish is better, so that you got to factor that part in still comes back. You got a little bit more depth there at tackle and and you know, well let's go and Richard's and you're just throwing more things out there. Idoga at guard he might be a good option there.
So I it's still a little fifth second.
Year Tyler Smith second year should be I mean, yeah, you're right, that should be a big jump for him. Depends on where he plays. But I think he you know, like I said, I think he'd be fine either way.
We've heard, you've heard my concerns about Tyron Smith. You need to get steal back for sure. The thing with well let's go is a great point. How well can awesome Richards pick things up? This is not just a fifth round. Sometimes in the fifth round you're taking a guy from directional university that you know doesn't do this. This kid played football in the ACC big time. He should have been picked earlier than the fifth round on my on my book, and I'll tell you Adoga is
the one the big unknown for me. Right now. You know how they went and got a veteran guy will usually does a pretty good job of protecting himself. With those veteran type players, he might be the one guy that steps in and fills in at that guard spot that allows them a little bit more flexibility at the
tackle spot. Those they've got it. To me, it's not so much about the starters, it's about who the backups are, because if the backups play well enough, that might be able to solidify some other spots on the on the starting five.
Yeah, I would think, and you probably you've you've been in these conversations. Everyone's got like support groups, cheering sections, you know, the ones that that want Tyler Smith to play left tackle. They're also going to be really big Idoga fans. Yeah, like, oh's good. I mean, he's good at left guard. You know, just keep the guy at tackle and the Adoga can do it. And the guys that want to move him, they're like, this guy's not good.
You know.
Well, we didn't even mention Farniac either. Yeah, and Farniac was a guy if you remember, and like at the beginning of the season, what happened when McGovern went down in the Tampa game, who was playing left guard? It was Farniac and so there are guys that they like a lot more than Brian Broadest likes. But Brian Bross is doing radio and they're doing scouting, and that's and we'll also.
See if they really still like him as much with a new offensive line coach.
Right.
That's also part of it too, that that.
There, you know, these line coaches come in and they get a little stubborn and they get a lot they you know, well, this is not my well, none of these you know, Mike Solari, none of these are your guys. Well maybe awesome Richards, awesome richards, TJ. Bass, Earl Bostic, maybe those are your guys because you were part of the process that brought these guys.
To the Dallas And now, fairness to the coach, like, there may be things he's asking them to do that are different than what the previous offensive line coach was asking them to do, and they may be better at the things the previous offensive line coach wanted to do and not as good at the as the ones he wants them to do. It was what he wants them to do.
Now.
I hope, my hope is that that that Mike comes in here and then there's that group that they get and they work all together and there's not a fractured If this is a fractured group there all of a sudden, well this guy does this, and this guy does that, and this guy doesn't do that. That, well, your offensive line is not going to be as effective. And the one thing that that that that Joe Philbin had when these guys, when they were all healthy, they played really well.
They you know, have the season with Steel and Smith and be Oddish and those guys got better. They got better with him coach, and we'll see how it plays out.
To wrap up the quarterback conversation, I got a simple question for you. Dak's interceptions will be more less or about the same in twenty twenty three. It has to be less.
It has to be less. This isn't working. Somebody else is calling the plays something. There're gonna be a major changes going on. Not major, not like Cooper Rush would take over, but I mean he's got to be less. It was too many in just a short amount of time, you know. I mean, you can't lead the league and interceptions and also miss five games. So it's gotta be less.
Yeah, I mean, there's nothing else to say to that it absolutely means to you. Otherwise we're gonna have freaking riots out here on fans. I mean, it's not going to be good if it happens. If it happens to be exactly the same as last year.
The thing that scared me a little bit over the weekend was that Brian Schottenheimer told us this thing's not broke. You know, he started talking about that, that there were things that you know, the first the previous coaches did a fine job. Everything was fine about it. You know, Brian, I don't need to hear that. I really don't. There's a reason why you made all those changes or coach made all those changes, because obviously there were some issues there,
you know. You know, maybe it's coach speak and all that, but to me, I would say, you know, if I'm a coach, I would think, well, yeah, we absolutely have to cut down on the turnovers. We sat down with Dak at the end of the season and told him we can't throw the ball here, we can't throw the ball here. You know. The thing that the thing that would would bother me, I think that it might be
the same. I think it because I think you have a quarterback that plays the way he does, and he's willing to throw ball in places he's probably not willing he's not supposed to. How many times did we, like Nick or you guys would all be in the press conference after a game and he would go, I need to be better. Yeah, I need to be better. And it seemed like it was every week, and every question, even after a victory, would be what did you see when you threw that interception? You know, And it was
always the question about the interception. I think it's I think it's in the player. I think it's in the player. I don't think you could sit there and pull the reins back on Dak and have him be the type of player he needs to be to win these games. And he plays on a lot of feel and guts, and you know, I think I can do this a lot of that, and maybe the skill isn't always there.
I have a feeling you're going to see some of the similar some of the things that happened, and whether you're willing to live with it or not, that's what it's going to be.
I'll tell you. From my standpoint, I think it's actually gonna be a lot better and The reason why is because I think last year was a big function of the fact that the receivers that he had just weren't good enough. And you can look at every position one through whatever number you want to go on the depth chart wide receiver, they are better this year than they were last year. Ceedee Lamb has ascended, in my opinion, to being one of the premier receivers in the NFL.
Brandon Cooks is a better two than what you had last year, with whoever you want to put at two. Michael Gallup as a three is much better than than what definitely what you had at three last year. And my hope is that he's a better player than he was last year. And I still have hope for Jalen Tobert as a fourth, fifth, whatever that is, guy that's going to be trying to rise up the depth chart.
So when you look at it, when you look at Dak and when he's had problems, you go back and look at that season where they had to go out and get Amari Cooper. That was another year where you were like, man, Dak doesn't look great, but it has something to do with the receivers he's throwing to. And so I have every faith in the fact that if you bring in a Brandon Cooks, and they did bring in a Brandon Cooks, I think that changed the dynamic.
I think Dak gets immediately better. And this has not been a problem that consistently throughout his career has existed. He's not been a turnover machine. So I think it'll be much better. We'll see how it goes, but I'm looking forward to him having a much better year here from the interception standpoint that he did in twenty twenty two. All Right, we appreciate you guys. Jones back next week.
We'll get into some other positions of all these guys until we get there, and hopefully they'll stick to the script till then. For Nick even Brian brought us Ambergarci. I'm Derek Eels, and 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.