Cowboys Break: Big Storylines

chair Nick Eatman and Dave Helman. I was like, did we discuss who was hosting? You looked surprised by just wanted to make sure your attention was there. I'm here now, my volumes? Great everything. What's up, guys? What's up my dude? Yeah, we're having a fan segment this show. By the way, you guys good with that? What the fans are going to call him? I'm the boss, They're not going to call in. I've already got questions rolling in on Twitter.

We'll go to my tweet and reply there. Your boy Dave retweeted it as well, So we've got lots of questions coming up. Do you guys want to go through really quick. I'm just going to hit on the news of the week. There's like five six nuggets and that we can discuss whatever you want to do. Host. You're good. It's season eighteen episode, season eighteen episode whatever Derek said one hundred and seventy five or something. I don't know. Yeah, let's go, all right, here we go Newsy Hits of

the Week. Cowboys awarded a fifth round convinceatory pick who they'll play in the Hall of Fame game on August six, and it's the Steelers. Edwarder reporting that he is thinking that Amari Cooper is going to get done soon and before Dak Prescott, John Machoda and you commenting on the fact that Byron is going to get a monster deal,

big time, big time deal. We'll discuss that. Tony Romo guys, according to a fan, showed up for jury duty this week in Dallas and took photos with everyone there and it was a quote unquote total sweetheart, even though he was not ultimately selected. Of course, he wasn't a Cowboys receiver. Our boy Ventel Bryant arrested on a DUI charge in Tampa. John Kittena hired his head coach in Burlisons outside of Fort Worth, so he went from high school pro back

high school. And then we've had some changes in the schedule of the CBA and the tags and this and that. Yeah, about forty of them. Where do we want to begin? I geez, I mean you offered us so many, and I think we should start with John Kittena getting a high school code. No, I don't want to talk about that at all. Good David, Good luck to John. That's awesome. Um, what was the first thing you said? There was something

that I insatory? Pick? Oh? Yeah, yes, the league finally announced yesterday the Cowboys are going to get pick one seventy nine in exchange for Cole Beasley, and can we just talk about I love to see it, and I hope the Cowboys do more of this because if you if you rewind a year, they trade a sixth round pick for Robert Quinn, they get eleven and a half sacks out of them, and then they just get the pick back because Cole Beasley leaves in free agency and

so you lose your six then you immediately get it back based on how you operate in free agency. It's the way I've always wanted the Cowboys to operate not necessarily spending big money, but being willing to commit resources to get guys that can actually help you. Like there's a difference between you know, signing the bottom of the barrel free agents because you're unwilling to spend in free agency. I get that you can still commit resources to it.

And it's beautiful how well it worked out for the Cowboys. They basically they got an eleven and a half sacks season out of Robert Quinn for basically nothing. Yeah, and if you do it before the draft, at least like they did with Quinn, you know, then because you do it on draft day, I mean, everybody in the room's got a guy that they want there in the fifth round. I hope we can take this guy. I hope he

can take this guy. And then you trade for someone and it doesn't ever seem to be have the same luster. But if you do it a little bit beforehand, and you know, going in, we don't have that pick because we just got Robert Quinn, I think it's done differently, and so teams don't always want to do that. But yeah, I think that that wasn't You're right, that was a

huge get for them. We've seen it both ways. We've seen Draft Day when they got Tavon Austin, you know, in the draft or maybe it's a little Ward or what was his name, but they've traded for him, right, Yeah, that was that was a swap Switzer for Ward. Marinelli liked him, and yeah, but they traded a sixth for Tavon Austin. You are right about that. We are seeing more trades though, and I like that. I absolutely like it.

It's I think teams are realizing that, you know, they're not They're valuable, but they're not quite as valuable as people have tried to act like they are. It's just a it's a smart way to try to add talent to your team. But yeah, so they get it back. Cole Beasley season in Buffalo, fifth round, big going on there. I didn't know some of those things. Well, there is you know, it's a busy week and next week is going to be even busier with all of the schedule

change and this and that. Yeah, that's probably I mean, that's where we should probably have started, because next week is going to be absolutely bonkers because and I'm sure people are tired of hearing about the CBA. And you know, nobody football fans. You don't follow football to read legal ease like I get that, but it's important and it's wild.

So Saturday night, well, the tag deadline was supposed to be tomorrow, Thursday, March twelfth, it is now the CBA is being voted on, and I think teams expressed their concerns, probably teams like the Cowboys and maybe the Titans, teams that have several free agents that they're worried about keeping. They're saying, so the tag deadline is Thursday, doesn't make sense.

The tag deadlines Thursday at five and we can tag two guys, but then you're going to vote on the CBA on Thursday night or close the voting window, I should say, and then we might will find out if we have one or two like that seems like BS to me. And then then what's what happens if one of the tags gets you know, you immediately have to If the CBA is approved and you have two guys tagged,

you immediately have to resend one. And obviously you would resend to the tag that you would put on Amari Cooper. The Cowboys have made it very clear they will tag back if they don't have a deal. That's priority one, as it should be. So Amari Cooper could be tagged for five hours and then they pull it and he's headed for free agency. So I think enough teams expressed concern about this that they agreed to bump the voting window back, and then they press responded to that by

bumping the tag deadline back. So now the CBA will be decided on Saturday night, which thank god, because I was you know, I was worried they were going to interrupt my Saint Patrick's day plans with the CBA vote, So thank you for that. Uh, and then they're gonna and then so now the tag deadline is Monday at like five, I think, yes, Well mine says noon, okay, Monday afternoon. Sorry, I must have read their own thing. Either way, Now you've got forty eight hours to formulate

a strategy based on what happens. I think, yep, we all probably agree that we think the CBA is going to pass. Yeah, and so I think so I think Jerry feels that way. So the Cowboys will have you know, and you said, edwarder, that's something that we've kind of heard around here too, is just that they are working furiously to get Amari Cooper signed. Yea. Whether they do it, we'll see. But if he's not signed by Saturday, if the CBA passes, they'll have forty eight hours to push

for something before they can't tag him anymore. I think that's that. Does that all make sense? I think that's it all makes total sense. You've explained it great. For as much as they've switched it up on us. I mean, this has been from Indy. We were talking with Steven about these dates and deadlines and they've continued to change. It reminds me of the Zeke suspension appeal. David. It's just like, I'm like, I go back. I hope this makes sense because I'm not a lawyer and reading the

CBA makes my eyes glaze over, honestly. But that's where we stand. That's where we stand. Schedule happening. So now I want to know what do you guys think? What do you think is going to happen? I mean, those are the main questions. What are we doing with Dak? Do you think Dak is going to wait and see? And kind of Amari Byron is it? Robert Quinn is he in the mix at all? What is going to happen with this? All? Right? I think if you just had to guess, I mean, I do think that the

Cooper deal will be done. They're not even gonna mess with a transition tag. I bet they don't ever have to do that. And I think and I think Dak will get tagged. I just don't think they're going to get done on that. Yeah, it's I think there's too

much at stake there. And honestly, at this point, Dak probably wants them to force their hand, right, He's like, use the tag, Like, if we're not we're not gonna get it done anyway, and you're gonna tag me, then do it, like because theoretically if you could let him hit free agency and it would be a bonanza, and the Cowboys aren't going to do that. So I don't see. I don't see that happening by Monday afternoon, but Amari

I could. But my I agree with you. But so it's Wednesday right now, so that gives I mean, you got about five days to get something done. Is this we look in like a weekend deal? You think? Or I think, yeah, I think that they've probably got the parameters of it almost ready to go, and they just want to see, you know how if there's going to be any big shake ups there well, and maybe they're

waiting for the CBA vote. I mean, maybe that's a situation where the CBA passes late Saturday night and like Sunday morning, they're like, all right, we know what we're working with. We can put you know, pen to paper on this thing. My question about Robert Quinn is do they have are they going to let him go to free agency and see I think at this point his

agent probably will want to do that. I just wonder if the free agent period it opens up in March on March eighteenth, is is he going to be available for a little bit and is somebody gonna throw some money out there at him? Are they going to try to get him locked up before he ever gets there. I think that's a situation where even if he hits and you can never fully predict what another I mean, if another team just comes in with this crazy offer,

but he's thirty. I think he liked it here. I think he likes the culture and living in Dallas, like he just seemed like a natural fit. Were you sitting at lunch yesterday when he was there. He came in and he was high five and some people and it was like, oh, you know, first thought was first thought was like, hey, this is this is good, Like he looks like he's coming back. And then somebody else said or he could be saying goodbye, and it was like,

oh yeah. So there's so much reading between the lines going on right now. Especially at lunch, it's like who is talking to who? Do you look happy? Do you

look like are you getting a lot of food? Like this might be your last trip here, which I mean guys that have their future up in the year, you don't see them around the building typically, and I'm talking about years of experience doing this, like if you're if you're if your contracts running out and you might be going somewhere else, Like like, I haven't seen Dack since the season ended, have you? So? Why have we apparently seen but I have not seen Byron? Did you see

him yesterday? I have not seen. We've heard some people in our cube area say they've seen Byron a lot at breakfast. I have yet to see him. But I'm just I'm just saying he's if he's around, he's keeping a low profile, which makes sense. Which so my point is like, I don't know Robert Quinn's hanging out at lunch. I think he really likes it here, and I think he's made his money, like he's he's done a huge contract.

You know, he was an all pro when he was with the Rams, and I just think if if the Cowboys make him a reasonable offer, I think he would prefer to be here. That's one of those things where it's like you might hit free agency, but we feel good about our odds of keeping him. And this is how sorry go ahead, and Nick, I was just saying, you know, for anybody, if you you know, just might be here, you mean you still have to clean out

your locker. I mean if he's like, oh, well he's he's here, well, I mean he's got stuff here and doesn't mean he's gonna be here. I mean I'm not talking about anybody specifically. I just mean that, oh I saw him today. Well, he's said by producer Beam, do we trust him? He says he saw Byron at breakfast

or whatever it's worth, said he saw him. But this is a perfect example of something I'm sure you guys already talked about with Ron Learry, you know on Twitter you want to throw that in the news, Ben too, wasn't it? Was it not discussed last week? I'm trying to remember what day we saw that. So Ron Learry is tweeting with everyone. The Dallas media is saying, yeah, man, you know, I could still got my house in Dallas. I could come back, and I feel like that's how

you got belts there. Oh, come on, come on, fair, fair question. I like I like Larry a lot. I like him at left guard. I think you'd be better than what they have right now. I do too, But at what price? That's always the thing with free agency or years nineteen. I don't know. I know, I'm just right. If you you got to pay the quarterback, you got

to pay the receiver. Hopefully you're gonna pay Quinn. Hopefully you're gonna, you know, make some additions on the defense so that you're not holding this thing with duct tape. And then and when all that's said and done, can you afford to pay like good veteran money to a guard? You can? You got two left guards on rookie deals and they have the same name, and you got to see what they can do. Connor Williams Connor McGovern. You got to see what they can do. Um, I would

bring back Joe Looney. I think that would be a fair or I don't know if ron Leary has devalued to the point where I could get him for backup money, you know, come like maybe compete and be a backup guard or but I don't think that's true. I think I think he can signed to be a starter somewhere. Yeah, thirty years old, yeah, but offensive line. You know, you can play into your thirties on the offensive line. Boy. A lot of a lot of teams that had him

off off the board because of his his knee. And I mean Jerry was so excited when they got him because he thought that was just going to be a great move and it was. I mean that dude one. I mean, he's still playing what he was he was undrafted in twenty twelve, I think. But it sounds like things aren't going to continue in Denver. So no, yeah,

so come on home, Larry. That's my point is all these guys go on other places, and they all keep their houses in Dallas, and there's different reasons for that. I mean, sure, there's no state income tax and the weather's correctly. Why wouldn't you want to weather? It's great, David, The weather is great compared to you? Do you love melting? Compared alive to a lot of places where you could be weather Dallas, Weather's fantastic. Sure, So what else you got?

What else is over there? We got a lot of stuff. Would take our first break? Fine, let's take our first break when we come back. Guys, it is the long awaited fan segment coming up next on Cowboys Break. Your new apartment's big? Such a great deal. It's okay, just okay? What's not to right above the subway? Well, I bet you don't even notice it after that's my neighbor. Hang the deal. That's just okay, it's not okay. Get a

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Derek traveling today Lindsay Draper in with Nick and Dave. And it is the fans segment, because our fans are the best. They've got questions. I want to suck up. They've got pressing questions, David, nobody interacts with our fans more than you love them. I love our fans. You're just You're just I do. You're just sucking up to him though. That's sucking up. It's fine. I love you guys, you know I love you. There you go. He doesn't know how to show his love all the time. Don't

we have to work with them. I don't do emotions very well. Who are some from Daniel? Who are some non cowboys free agents that maybe might have some ties to anyone on the new staff that you could see them kind of targeting or wanting to bring in dampering no thanks? Is it? No? Thank you? I mean, well, this is boring. But right off the bat, like I just I just feel it in my soul that Randall copp will be back here again unless somebody blows him away with a crazy offer. But again, I think he

likes it here. He has a relationship with Mike McCarthy. He played cacarthy brought it up right like the day he signed his contract. Mike McCarthy brought it up again back again at the combine. Yeah, and that's happening. What was the was the question though? Non Cowboys? Sure? Yeah, any other non Cowboys, other players there's I mean, um, I mean it feels reckless, but you just like you try to connecting dots. I mean Mike McCarthy drafted haha,

Clinton Dix. The Cowboys could use the safety. I believe he was there when the Packers drafted to Marius Randall. Two guys that have kind of you know, they've both had their ups and downs. They've they've you know, had big contracts, they've fallen out of favor in places. I think they've both been cut before, so you know, not getting not guys that are gonna just absolutely light the fan base on fire. But there are players McCarthy has

history with, um, Mike Nolan's coached everywhere. UM, So yeah, I mean there's definitely there's a handful of guys out there. My thing is just make it make sense financially. That's that's line one of everything right now, which is, I know what feels impossible. I know it's annoying, but it's true. I mean, I just I gotta see him like Derek brings up Chris Harris every time we do the show, and I would be really excited about that. But that just sounds like a fat stack of cash for pie

has gotten smaller. What is it? I'm not implying anything here. What is the status with Hunter Henry? I saw him on a free agent list? Is he the Chargers? Is he gonna be like franchise Tagner put me on the spot. Yeah, like two weeks ago I saw something about him, because I mean, he's not gonna hit free agency. I wouldn't think. I wouldn't think he's gonna be a guy that's gonna be out there. But if he is, I can see

the Cowboys being interested there. I just don't know his status because he's a good tight ender because where he went to school. Okay, I mean because and really, I mean he is a good tight end. I'm not trying to be a smart alec. I mean, it's not like they just bring in every razorback that's ever been here. But but um, he's but is it not a position of need? I mean it's a position of need. And he's a you know, pack around pick and I just don't know what what they're doing with him. It doesn't

look as though it's a guarantee he's getting tagged. So that'll be interesting to me. Juggling so much right now, I think that would be a that would be a hefty price tag too, definitely. But but I keep going back to I have no I have no inside knowledge. But like I don't think the Cowboys have a choice but to spend at least a little bit of money. Yeah,

like they're gonna there's too many like not. I mean it's not like they need depth, Like they are missing starters, like six of them on defense, and you can't replace all of that again with like the bargain bin, you know, Like, well, we brought in Stephen Paia on like a one and a half million dollars deal Like, no way, that's not

good enough to address the holes you have. So I don't know if they're gonna be willing to drop money on a Chris Harris or a Hunter Henry, but I think they have to be willing to spend more money than they have been in recent years. I agree a lot of questions on both Twitter and Periscope about Ron Leary will give it to alex Um if Connor can't take the next step? Is ron Leary? The answer? Is a realistic to think that he may end up here.

I think it's realistic. But you know, like they've just said, you know, you've got two young guards right now, and you can't pay everybody. And I think you drafted him, and not just young guards, but guys you drafted in the second and third round. So I think I don't. I don't think that's going to be the case. I don't see that happening unless just a sweetheart deal just falls into your lap. Yeah, if it's if it's just

too insanely cheap to pass up. Maybe, But you have the two Connors, and again, you need multiple defensive tackles, you need a safety, you need multiple cornerbacks. You need to bring back Robert Quinn, the DAK and a MARII deals go without saying like it's just it's a lot of money that needs to be spent to also be signing a veteran guard. Here's how that does work. Then we don't know this from what they off you know,

offensive line meetings and offensive you know meetings. But like if they say that Connor Williams is a tackle, maybe they like him as a swing tackle, and Connor McGovern is a guy that it can play some guard and maybe some center. Um so then McGovern can play some center too. That Joe Looney maybe he's not resigned. That's where that's where I believe that Ron Leary could be a guy that plays, you know, that comes in and

plays at left guard. I could see that scenario. But if they're still viewing Connor Williams as a guard, then I don't really see a big you know signing there, which is something we don't really know at this point. With twenty A story on Connor Williams, I don't know where he's gonna play, what's gonna do. But he is rehabbing from an ACL injury. He's been here every day

of the offseason. He's gonna be you know, I think he's gonna be good to go when training camp starts, which could be is going to be a week earlier than we thought now sure is? Yeah, that's I mean we I guess we didn't touch it on the first segment. Well, we've probably got more fan questions about so many. Should we even ask the dead well of California it's awesome, keep going? Should we even ask the das question? No, you tired of it? Well, we did like a whole

segment on it last week. I mean, I don't see it not happening. I'm a big Dad's fan. I hope he gets a shot in the NFL. I don't see it here. I don't see the fit, you know, like the laying down on the ground catching the ball. He seems to be working very diligently. What's that row or about? It's about hand strength, Nick, I don't like you. It's

it was. It was very impressive. I am wondering why they cut it off there at the very end, though there was one I haven't even seen the video you're talking about, but Beam on headset right now said we want to see you do it. So maybe we could try that, you know, for a segment. Throw it on the break next week. I mean in the middle of DeMarcus lay work. It is wonderful, but I mean, I mean it was very impressive. But for a guy that's has question marks on running routes, I mean, that's not

what we don't need. Don't need to see that run over someone, run by them, catch over them, all that kind of stuff. Okay, Cam, though, what are your thoughts on trying to get Bryce Butler back? I haven't wish. I've been ready to ask this one day. Why this is the band segment? So what they ask goes again, if there's not a spot for Dez Bryant, why is there a spot for Bryce s Butler? I don't I

don't like. I don't get why. Like the Cowboys have underachieved relative to the expectations for most of the last like five years, So why are we trying to do this reunion with all these guys that were on those teams? I don't like five years later too, you know what I mean? Uh, it was out of the league all last year. Yeah, I mean again, let's assume a Mari coop, or let's assume a. Marie Cooper, Michael Gallup, and Randall

Cobb are all here. Throw in a draft pick, and you know, and John Bay Johnson's still kicking around and like, all those guys are just like what I've until Brian. I mean, he might be too, honestly, I mean, I don't know what's going to do. That's yeah, it's too soon to say that. I mean I don't I don't know if they'll outright cut him. I guess we'll have to see what happens with his arrest. But either way, you got your top three, you can draft the guy.

What's the fit for these veteran receivers who again like don't have a versa le role in special teams all that type of stuff, right, I don't see it. Don't see it. Our friend Wayne wants to know if the fact that we're still looking at a deck and an Amari deal not done and then Byron getting away, what do you guys chalk that up to? He says, is it poor management or how do you how do you get to this point? That's a really good question, And like hindsight is super twenty twenty. But if you're a

big fan of Byron Jones. I totally understand where you're coming from, where it's like, well, maybe they what your face says it all, We're just like, maybe they jumped the gun on signing some of these other contracts, and Jalen Smith comes to mind, is like, well, and it's hard to say because like Jalen came to them, they got a discount on him relative to where he was

at that point. But you know, he had a disappointing season, and I get why people are like, man, that money could go toward Byron Jones and we'd feel a hell of a lot better about it right now. Um, you know, the Zeke deal is another one. I'm not ready and I look, I know there's a huge argument about like the relative value of running backs. I'm not ready to hate on that deal yet because the Cowboys can get out of it after a relatively short amount of time.

And by the way, Zeke is awesome, So I'm not ready to hate on that deal. But you know, they signed three contracts in the summer, and and also for whatever reason, for what was the fourth one, l Lyle Jalen quiet, I guess Tank was technically the Spring, but ye're, oh, yeah, yeah, either way I was thinking in the offseason. One that was I'm not ready to hate on the Tank deal either.

I think Tank's awesome. Um so I'm out of you yesterday. Yeah, No, he's He's been back for at least a probably two weeks. Like I've seen him around for most of the offseason. Um. I don't know if it's just mismanagement with Byron Jones. I just don't think it's it's going to be their preference. Do you think they decided that a while back, like, Hey, we love this guy, but looking at what we have in the future, he's We're not. You know, this reminds me a little bit. I think I told you yesterday

about DeMarco Murray. You know, had a really great year in fourteen, and they were interested in fifteen. They just kind of had a ceiling. They just said, this is where we're gonna be with you if you can get more than that, and he did, and as it turned out, it probably you know, the Cowboys were right on that one because he really didn't have you know, great years after that. But you know, I just wonder if they're like, we like Byron Jones, but we for the money. He's

probably gonna get. We want more than that, we want interceptions, we want which I passed the flection. I was arguing with people about this on Twitter this morning. It's it's

going to be fascinating because that's clearly part of it. Like, yeah, it's not just like they didn't allocate their money the right way, Like they haven't made him a priority this whole time, Like they didn't pick up his option until Chris Rashard stepped in and was like, no, this guy can play corner and and they you know, he's been the forgotten child this whole time, Like when you talk contracts,

his name has never come up. How frustrating will it be or just disappointing or sad when he goes somewhere else absolutely flourishes and who does who knows what? And then you wonder, with maybe a different staff here, like what could have been He doesn't he doesn't get picks, and that's it's I mean, that's a big reason of why he won't be resigned here. It sounds like and

I just wondered. We talked about it last week, like he gave up the second fewest passing yards of anybody that was targeted fifty or more times, like he is a reliable cover corner as was Brandon Carr, but he got beat up in this scheme. He went to Baltimore after having one pick in three seasons and had four in his first year with the Ravens. I don't know if that's going to happen with Byron, but it's going to create a hell of a dialogue if that is

the case. And even if he doesn't, I don't imagine, like with his athleticism and his professionalism, I can't imagine that he'll go somewhere and just fall off a cliff, like he will be a productive cover corner. He's too athletic. Yeah, and that, and I think that's what this debate is all about, is like he might not get picks, but this guy can handle his side of the field for six years easy probably, Like I don't see him falling off.

And it's just at least for four or five years with everyone else they have right now that he can't have a career. It's it's going to be interesting to see how it pans out. I wonder if any team out there is looking at him as a safety. I got some mail back questions about that this offseason. I can't imagine that they are. Just he's been so good as a boundary corner. I mean, and again I know he doesn't get picks, but three hundred and fifty yards last year, that's what he gave up in coverage in

sixteen games. I just the thing about it is is is what you know, what has killed the Cowboys in the passing game so many times it just seems like the tight end just kills them. And if you can get in a situation where you know, if he was you have a really strong coverage from your safety position, you know you can put him on a tight end and you wouldn't feel as bad in some of those mismatches. But I mean then you're also talking about what happens when the running back gets in the clear, and is

he the guy that's going to bring him down? I mean, I think he's a willing tackler. He's not you know, he's not the best, but I mean as a corner, he's pretty good. So I just wonder if there's anybody thinking that route for him. Doubt at those agents probably not going that way because you get more money obviously as a corner. So another question for my buddy Larry switching gears a little bit here. We got OTAs coming up. We're gonna have how many guys in the locker room

a ton? Who is your most just fun guy to talk to, most comical guy in the locker room that you love to just chat with. Joe Oh damn, he said Jordan list No, I said Joe loonim initial. Jordan's a good one too. Jordan was my pick. He's so he will talk. I mean, you come up to him, he'll he'll shot chat about him. He's hilarious, hilarious because he doesn't think he is. Joe Looney is trying to be funny, and he is, you know, I mean, he's just he's got He's just the way his delivery is.

But like Jordan Lewis, he's just like what you know it is, you know, you know, it's just like a great Twitter follow too, the best Twitter follow, the best Twitter follow. He will beef with anyone. He's got time, oh every day. Shout out actually, like shout out my guy Xavier super Philo too. Uh, we'll see you know it. And that this question is bumming me out because two of the three we named might not be here in a month. Um. But he's just a super chill, cool,

fun guy to talk to. He's always got good music plan on his beats pill always, and he's not afraid to play whatever like I mean, no, he'll throw some George Straight, he's got some reggae, he's got some country, he'll play some hip hop. Yeah, he's got it all, So good for him. Shout out Zavier, Shout out Zavier. All right, when we come back, we're gonna take another break. I want to talk about the draft process. We won't

we won't take Dave's Draft show conversations. But how is it going to look with the scouts and a whole new coaching staff. I just want to hear the dynamic of what you think that will be next on Cowboys Break your new apartment's big? Such a great deal? Yea, it's okay, just okay. What's not right about the subway? Well, I bet you don't even notice it after that's my neighbor. Hang the deal. That's just okay, it's not okay. Get

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Lindsay yeah, huh okay. The Dallas Cowboys and Caliber Collision are hosting the fourth annual Hero's Day prelimbs on March twentieth at AT and T Stadium. All DFW first responders who sign up will have a chance to compete in NFL style combine drills for the chance to announce a Cowboys pick in the draft. Let's say that again. You have a chance to announce the Cowboys picks. Directors today visit Caliber Collision dot com. I'm forward slash Hero's Day

from room. I'm hearing it's going to be legit. Yeah, because then if you're doing it right, you can also listen and see what's going on you. You look like you're nervous because you're like trying to get your lines, but really you're hearing this trade talk over here. Everything. You're where everyone wants to be kind. Who would it be if you announced a pick and it was like

a guy who went on to be great? And you know when we make the deep Blue about it in twenty years, like you'll be on the deep blue Like that's me. Oh jeez, yeah here, oh yes, all right, in five years when we make the deep blue, like I don't know, we is in all of it? Yeah? All of us? All of us? You got that, Derek? Okay, Cool. Now we're going to talk about the draft because Dave

and I had an interesting lunch conversation yesterday. We've talked about the turnover of the coaching staff and the dynamic of the draft. These scouts start looking at these players gosh a year ago, and now's the time when you know, O use pro days today. So coaches are probably going out looking how is it going to work with the dynamic of Will McClay and maybe you know, Mike Nolan

going at it instead of Rod Mayoranelli. I mean, you know, we talked about Maranelli getting Taco and Tristan Hill, guys that he really wanted. But how can we just discuss it all. I'm not being mean. I'm just it's the history and the child only too defensive lineman that he got. I heard those were guys that he fell in love. I like maliek Collins, I like miliekh. I'm just saying I don't think, Okay, I don't think will Malik be back?

Probably not? If I had to guess, this is what I hope doesn't happen is there was an argument, not an argument, but it was just the difference of opinion. In the draft of last year for Juan Thornhill, the safety christmah Shard said this, Rod Marinelli said this, next thing, you know that they take Tristan Hill. What I hope

is that there's more scouts talk there. Yeah, they're the ones that are that are evaluating these It's cool to have a preference and maybe maybe that's what happened maybe they were split down the middle and they said, hey, let's just go to the guys that are coaching him. I'm not sure, but I just think that the scouts, you know, need to have a little bit more, especially if what McCarthy's saying is true. I would just want

good football players. Then the scouts are the ones that say, this guy's a great football player, we have a need for him, let's put him in for my money. It's the most interesting storyline with the Cowboys because we got this year at least because we got so used to the way things were, and we've talked about this and I'll take whether the quarterback is going to be here or okay, well heat no, but that's it's not a story. He will be here. He will be here. Jason Garrett,

which I thought was cool. Jason Garrett wanted his staff to be involved in the draft process, and like he would, you know, guys would go out work people out, develop their own opinions about these guys, be very involved and

yes we can harp on Taco and Tristan. And it was very frustrating because you know, if you follow the draft show, or if you follow the draft every year right around not quite now, but in about two three weeks, when the thirty visits start happening and really there's nothing left but the draft, you could just sense this narrative

change like that. You know, that's when Tristan Hill goes from like, oh, yeah, like that's he's a pretty good player that you might draft in the fourth round to being like, oh, they're gunning for this guy with their first pick. Like that. And it happened every year, and sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. To that point, Scott Linahan fell in love with Dak Prescott when he went out to Starkville to work him out after the combine. So it worked in good ways and bad ways. But

I'm curious about how Michael McCarthy approaches it. How how much does he involve his coaching staff, how loud of a voice do they have, because he did say, you know, he just wants the best football players regardless. But he also said he expects he'll be more involved in the draft and free agency than he ever was in Green Bay.

I thought I thought Garrett and his staff were too medlesome at times, Like the scouts literally spend their lives develop like figuring out who's good, and it seems counterintuitive to have a bunch of football coaches who have been working with a completely different set of players for eleven months, jump in, watch three weeks worth of tape, go to a couple of workouts, and say this is the guy. We love him. It's counterintuitive, and that doesn't mean coaches

can't have a voice. But I hope Will and his guys really lead the charge on developing or finding talent under Mike McCarthy. But it's fascinating because we don't know yet. We don't know what that's going to look like. Hopefully we will start to find that out in the next few weeks. And on one hand, I'm like, well, you know, maybe the coaches do need to be a little bit more involved because the scouts don't have a great idea

of the type of guy that they're looking for. But then again, then you go back to, well, if he said all along, I'll just give me the best player and we will make our scheme fit into that. And you know, if that truly is the case, then this shouldn't be that hard. Get in there in third, fourth, fifth rounds and say yeah, and let's be fair, this is what they did last year too. It's not like they didn't do this last year. They were in the third round, they didn't need a guard, they'd already taken

Connor Williams. But this guy was still sitting there from the second round to the third and they stay, wait a second, now, Connor McGovern is a guy we have rated here. We didn't go into this day thinking we were going to take a guard. So let's let's just remember this that they do. They do that before, and they and I think they'll continue to do that. They've done it, just it seems like when it's close, they've

deferred toward need, which compromises your board. Like I think, I don't know this, but I just think like wan Thornhill was a better purer prospect than Tristan Hill. See. I don't have a problem with that, though, not not the Thornhill that I don't have a problem with. When it's close, I go, I leaned towards the need. I've always thought best available player is inaccurate, and I don't think it's I think it's best available need. I've always

said best available need is more important. What if it's not close and you still do it? I mean if it's not close, then then then I then I would go with the higher ranked player. But but don't throw a quarterback out there who's not gonna play. I mean, it's got to be a guy that's going to help me. I don't want a quarterback that was supposed to be in the top five that's that falls to seventeen. What about a defensive tackle that doesn't help you? Well, I

mean he didn't help you because he can't play. That's I mean, that's my point. That's why he's not ready to play. He wasn't mature enough to play, wasn't doing all the things he needed to do. He wasn't ready yet. And he might turn into a good player. But what I'm saying is is that you know, there's not a package that has two quarterbacks out there unless you're gonna do what the Saints are doing. But it's not worth a first round pick. I'm just saying, don't the best available.

If they have Justin Herbert rated as the number four player and he's sitting there at seventeen, I don't think you take him and either do you? Right? No? Not? But that's an extreme example, okay, and it's just you know, yeah, and your Tristan Hill's career is not over. He could still be a great player. But let's talk about on Thornhill was awesome for the Chiefs before he got hurt. Who's the sixth best quarterback in the draft. Not put you on a spot. Just give me a guy that's

that could be a second round quarterback? Um? Is there one Jacobison out of Washington? Okay, he might even go first perfect because he's got so much talent. Perfect. What if he's sitting in the second round yet Dak signed second round? No, I'm not doing it, And I'm using his availability to try to get somebody to trade up for him. That's what I would do. Yeah, and Darry's definitely done that. But best available player, best available to need. I mean, the good thing is is that you need

everything everything. Yeah, no, it's it's true, and you don't probably need a running back. But that's that's about it. That is the one position that I can't make a case for the Cowboys drafting. Maybe guard the receiver could happen in the first round. Tighten could happen if there was one there, I don't think, but they definitely would want one to be there. Offensive tackle doable? Doable? Yeah, because of those injuries. I mean just because they're getting

up there. Guard. I don't think gard garden running back are like the two guard center. Uh well, I interior linemen. I think of it all the same guard center. Whatever. What would Cowboys fans do if they drafted a guard center in the first round? Riot? I would riot? I would riot too, I would be very would you guys riot? I mean unless unless something unforeseen is going on with Travis or somebody else. I don't say that to specult. I'm just saying there better be a damn good reason

why you're drafting a guard in the first round. So yeah, I would be upset. Put anything on that defensive side, anything anything linebacker. No, that's let's see, there's some debate about that. Good ones. How do we feel about about Laton at this point? That's which it's weird, like there's conflicting information out there. TV Star saw a commercial of him in there. Yeah, he did a commercial in Idaho. Yes, yes, he didn't buckle up. The Cowboys can't camp. And I've

heard and Layton himself. Obviously the player is going to bet on himself. But like it sounds like there's no concern whatsoever on the Cowboys slash latent side of things that he'll be ready for training camp. But then you know, rumors persist from one source or another that they don't feel great about him, and maybe you want to draft a linebacker early to help bolster yourself there. First round would be way too high for me. Yeah, I just I need more evidence that he can't stay healthy before

I'm willing to do that. But I would definitely be ready for the second round if there was a good value, then the second or third round. Again, I mean that right there puts what we're talking about to the test. If there's a linebacker there that's just so much better than what you need. Next, I would hope they pull the trigger. Yeah, what would that do? Where do we

think Jalen's going this next year? You know, I think that one of the top priorities that Mike Nolan has as his defensive coordinators to figure out where to play Jalen Smith. I mean, if what you're is is true about we're gonna put the scheme around what we've got, then they've got to figure out the best way to put him out there, um, where he's not covering a

lot of receivers or tight ends or anything. He don't put him in coverage a lot, and he needs to go north, he needs to go forward, get after the quarterback and and maybe a little bit more of a rusher. But you know, I think that you know, everyone can can make their jokes on us swipe in and the tweets and all that because he because he doesn't, but he is a good football player. They got to figure

out ways that they can utilize him. Yeah. I actually I wrote about Jalen yesterday for our you know, we're previewing just kind of recapping the season that everybody had, and it's I mean, it's Jalen Smith Is is a weird case. It is a tough one to write. Yeah, it was really tough to write. He is. He's a pro bowler who had a bad season and is arguably like if you were going to rank like the players who draw the ire of the media and the fans

the most, he's probably it right now. Yeah, I mean, Dak is always going to be a lightning rod because he's a quarterback. But like, nobody's happy with what Jalen did except for maybe Jalen. Like everybody I mean, he went to the Pro Bowl and took a step back. I think everybody would agree with that. But at the same time, he's not even twenty five yet. He's been a three year starter. For you, He's got four hundred

tackles in three seasons. Like he is an athletic and a talented football player, and I mean, you know, and like I mentioned earlier, like people are you know, maybe upset that he got his big contract. But again, just like Laton, I think it's way too early to close the book on him being a much better player. And Mike Nolan's been coaching defense in the NFL for a long time. I'm optimistic that he can bring the most out of him. For sure. I love the energy of

this coaching staff. I mean, we barely really see them all together. It's mostly at lunch, but everybody's so energy. And I've kind of explained to people it's like freshman in college because they're all new. They're all kind of around each other for the first time, and they're kind of, you know, open to making friends and meeting people and talking in line, and it's just it's a very good

energy around here. I just I don't know if it's going to translate like I don't know how good the Cowboys will be in plenty, Like we don't even know who's on the team, but you can already feel that the change of message and personnel has been a breath of fresh air. Like it just feels different. You know, we're talking Cowboys are gonna play in the Hall of

Fame game. We don't know how they're going to handle that in the sense of like what the schedule is going to look like and how Mike wants to practice. And it's new and exciting because if Jason Garrett was still here, we'd be like, Okay, well, you know, we can lay this thing out from July until December, like we know exactly how it'll go. So couple that with the fact that half the roster is going to be new, or you know, a third of the roster is going

to be brand new. I just think, you know, I think there's high potential for good energy on this team. I will say this to two contracts that they did pick up this week were very you know, Jason Garrett, like Adam Run and Jamays. I would thought both of those guys. I was just kind of surprised. I would you know they would. They seemed like, you know, guys that would fit that last scheme and the last offense and all that, and they were around and brought him

back and all that. I'm just kind of surprised that they did that. But I've been hurt before. But the fact that a brand new coaching staff, like they had to pick up an option to bring Jama Zola Wally back, like so they could have they could have been like, no,

this isn't our guy. The fact that a brand new coaching staff brought him back has me so excited because Kellen Moore, I believe this in my heart, Like Kellen Moore wanted to use him more last year, Like he was so involved in OTAs in mini camp and training camp. He's doing all this wild stuff. And I swear to guy, go back and watch the season opener against the Giants. He was doing wild stuff there too. Like he was out on the field, he was running wheel route, he

was a functioning part of the offense. And I just think Jason Garrett was like, this is too fun. Rain it in, get this out of here, go back to what we like and zero catches last year. Kellen Moore, I just I believe that Kellen wants Jama's to thrive. And like I said, I've been hurt before, but I'm excited that maybe this is the year. Please don't don't break my heart. Don't break my heart. No. I think the fact what you just said, though, proves that there's

something there that's Mike McCarthy loves using fullbacks. Green Bay was famous for it, you know, John Coon, and they had a couple other ones when he was there whose names don't come to mind. And if they didn't want him here, they just would have not picked up his option and they could have gotten somebody else. Yep. Those are a little different type of fullbacks. They are. I wonder if there is they absolutely are roll there that's going to be different for him, or just a different guy.

Find my guy something to do. He's an athletic, find my guy something. He is an athletic football players one. I think he has the fourth or fifth fastest forty on the team. Seriously, he scored any one of those things. Like I said with Firon earlier, if you see crazy stuff happen with him with a new staff, you're going to be like rubbing your temples. Yeah, where or your eyebrows, and my kid, this stave will be all over the

eyebrows in the press box. Um, get my guys something to do and he'll be a core special team or two. Which that in John Fossil. That's big for him. Yeah, so I was. I was happy when I saw that they picked that option up. Was everybody else on Twitter? Oh? No, no anything, I mean that's what sucks about it. It's like it's like, do we just not write about it or do you just say I'm sorry? I mean sorry.

Boy took it a step further and said the Cowboys made their first free agency it was Adam Redman too. It was too funny not to do funny not to do it. It's fine, it's free agencies not even open yet, so that doesn't even that. Like people hasn't started. People were coming at us on Twitter because they were like, oh, it looks like you're Anthony Brown predictions. Wrong, am I No, that's totally different, Like free agency hasn't even opened. It's not the same. Yeah, it's been fun, guys, is it

over all righty? It's been real. Damn, it's been fun. You don't want to do the full hour? Take it over David. I thought we were going all the way to noon? Are we not? We can? I mean, yeah, girls hungry, but let's do it. I'm just I mean, I get we touched on it, but I mean, I'm intrigued to see I'm going to fight through this. I'm I'm you know, I think a big Jimmy Johnson's going in the Hall of Fame. But I think a big part of the reason the Cowboys are going to Canton

is Mike McCarthy wants that extra time in Oxnard. Yeah, like, that's two extra weeks of practice, and he is I feel like every time he talks, he talks about how concerned he is with like making sure they can hit the ground running where I'm like, I'm like, man, the offense is you said, the offense isn't going to change that much. But it sounds like he's concerned about you know. I'm like, so, I don't know how much I buy

that if you're that worried about it. But it's two extra weeks for for them to get everything together, so that, I mean, I think that's exciting that they'll have a little bit more time to gel. I think he probably went out there and said all right, we'll see. Yeah, we'll go out for a couple of weeks and steps off the plane like everyone does and says, this isn't real. Oh I like it about it? Is it like this

in Gelt? Yeah? Just like this? Oh maybe not just like this a little bit warmer, but for the most part it's pretty nice. Yeah, we can do we can do three weeks. Oh yeah, three weeks here okay, grass fields he said he's visiting. Yeah, I think he already went to just kind of get the lay of the land. And that's again, it's exciting for me that, you know, the head coach doesn't know what the facility in Oxnard looks like, whereas Jason Garrett freaking could walk around that

place blindfolded by now you know what I mean. So what will be different about training camp? There will be a lot if the CBA is Yeah, different, Fewer padded practices, which again, so you probably want the extra two weeks because two weeks under the new CBA's probably only like five padded practices or something crazy like that. You were padded practice. Yeah, I think it would drop from like

twenty six to eighteen. I think more days off. Yeah, but everybody that just means that's when Dak will sign. You know, he'll find oh wait, yeah, no, he can't do that this year, can't sign. They have to either get it done by July or not at all. So that's fun. Where will you be vacationing in July when this goes down? Hopefully I'll be on a beach and I can just text Nick and Robin say have fun, thank you. Is that when we think this is going to happen? I don't know. I have no idea a

new deal. I mean they got Tank, they got Tank done on April eighth, but Tank also had no No, you're right, the shoulder holding it. He had the leverage of needing to have a surgery. Now it'll it'll it'll happen sooner than you think, because I don't think Dak's going to show up. That that is true. Deck does have the leverage of saying I don't have to come, and I think that matters a lot. What you just said about this new offense is going to be different.

It's like we need you hear about right. I can't who's the back April sixth, I can't imagine. Yeah, I just Cooper Rush is not running this thing. I don't know if he'll be back. I don't know. There was some smoke coming out of Endy that they want to pick up his tender, him and Blake Jarwin both, but they haven't done it yet. So that's something to watch. Um, that's original draft tender which he wasn't drafted. We're not going a second round tender on him, are you? I

don't know, you might have to. I think they want to put a second round tender on Blake, which makes sense. Sign with that because he's actually played football in the NFL. Actually, Cooper Rush has gotten into a surprising amount of games just he has. Yeah, I mean thus two games he's he's been in like two or three, maybe four just because like the Cowboys were beaten whoever's but so bad like one one Yeah, no, I'm just talking about handing off. But it's one pass. It's very rare to see a

backup quarterback come in when it's not because of injury. Yeah, and Cooper Rush has done it a handful of times because the Cowboys have blown people out. That's all I'm saying. A lot off season questions about potentially picking up a different quarterback as well, for your backup. Yeah, that's I mean, I brought that up. Bret Brett Hundley. I don't know even I don't know if Mike McCarthy likes him anymore, but he drafted him. That's I'm curious because I was

sitting here thinking McCarthy will want his own guy. And then we went to Indy and the talk was kind of that they want to pick up the round. Did he draft Hunley second round? Second or third? I think, right, I get I get Hundley and Deshaun Kaiser mixed up. You know, that's interesting when you think about it. You know, we were just talking about best player and all that stuff I talked about. I threw out the quarterback stuff

out there. I mean, round for Brett Hunley. Okay, you should always you should draft quarterbacks as often as possible. I was thinking he was a second rounder, and I was like, wait, I think you're thinking. I think you're thinking of Deshaun Kaiser, who eventually wound up in Green Bay. He was a second or third round pick. Because I'm like,

is this guy drafted second round quarterbacks? With Aaron Rodgers sitting there, like, you should draft a quarterback as often as possible, just because you never know when you're going to find a Dak or a Brady or a I can think of other examples that aren't quite as famous, but Romo. I mean, just you know what, use the pick that you just got for Cole Beasley if you want. Tony Romo's football life. Last night? How was that? It was good? It was the second time I've seen it. Interesting,

it's good. A lot going on on that front too, Peyton Manning switching it up and my man, my man, Tone is making one million less per year to talk about football than he was making to play quarterback, so he's so good at it. Please all of you who want him to be the OC of the Cowboys, please stop. Yeah, that's not. First of all, you know, nfl ocs make like what two million a year, so you're taking like an eighty percent pay cut for a way more stressful

job where nobody likes you. And he wouldn't be that. He's always said he would be a defensive coordinator. True, Romo would be a defensive coordinator, but not not happening. And that like, what's the golf game like for defensive coordinators? Not good? No, Tony Romo was also like the most hated man in the league, because when you're the quarterback of the Cowboys, you always are. And now like everybody loves him so like he's just literally got in the booth.

What about him he love? Does Aigman love Romo? Yeah? Aigman probably doesn't care. He's like Aigman so established and yeah, just he's like, whatever, I'm gonna do my thing. Maybe we should have stopped when you so, I don't know. We're free flowing right now. We're just riffing. We are. That's good. It's for lunch forty five seconds to go by this time next week, next Wednesday, that's gonna be with you guys, with Derek. It's going to be a

crazy now. That's the day free agency opens, isn't it. Yeah, we should push that back a little bit. Show one of the two contracts will be done, probably Cooper Cooper, I think, yeah, I think Amari Cooper will be locked up by the time we come back. I hope that doesnt Cowboy for I hope that ages. Well, we'll visit it next Winnesday. They signed Cooper, they signed Randall Cobb, they sign uh, Robert Quinn and LP. Before we come back.

Oh okay, No, I just think those are the first and Anthony Brown, Anthony Brown, lp Um, Robert Quinn, Amari Cooper, and Randall Cobb are the first or five that I think will be signed them. See, I think that's very true. I just don't know if all that will happen by the next time we do the burn. No, no, probably not. But does your shows taken care of? Derek will be back next week. We're headed to lunch. Thanks for tuning

in to the break. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.