Cowboys Break: Early Impressions From OTAs

how many a show? Says Derek Misston twenty eighteen. If you had to guess, um enough for us to not miss him? It's honestly, I'm kidding. No, you're absolutely right. No, he's just busy, busy man. But you know, I'm gonna be three best friends that or anybody could have. We're the three best friends that anyone could happen. You know. I just didn't think about it, like, Okay, I gotta go and do the show. He's over there in his

office talking to me. Yeah. I was like, hey, Derek, we're at eleven today, right, And he was like, I'm not doing it. But yeah, I think so, And he didn't look busy to me. I mean, well, well, we're gonna be fine without him. I'm gonna be running the show today, or try to. But to all those haters out there, just chill out. Derek and not Derek. Derek is not here whatever, But Nickiman and David Hellman are still here, ready to bring the fire today. How are

you guys doing. I'm doing great, I'm even better at that. Looking at you haters, well, I mean you got Terrence Williams here a host in the show's true out the Yeah, I mean, you guys don't need to go anywhere. Just chill for today's show. You guys are still here, Nick and Dave ready to bring it. So let's start off talking about OTAs first week. We did get to see practice yesterday, Let's talk about the ones that did not

get to practice. Malie Collins out, you know, recovering from the injury, David Irving, they decided to see that kind of Yeah, I didn't really quite get the reason why. Trying to get in physical condition. I mean, I'm glad you brought that up. Yeah, well, okay, so Belle Collins, Terrence Williams or hurt. Sean Lee is Sean Lee, and he's he's kind of Tony Romo of the modern era now is like you don't need to be out there.

We don't need to riskue and DeMarcus Lawrence, I think is kind of the same thing as like whatever, you stay safe. Uh David Irving, though, I mean Garrett basically called him fat yesterday. I mean right, yeah, he I mean he said, well, that's the thing, like we get to see these players and we don't. I don't need Jason Garrett to tell me that right now he's too fat? Thank you? Bill Um. Yeah, I thought he was. He

came back a little, you know, chunkier for a reason. Well, I mean he would be a good one, husky importly awards, we should three play. You're right, I mean, I'm not trying to criticize a pro athlete for being overweight. I would not like out of something because he's got an as Yeah, the drops are coming fast and curious today. No, but I mean, you know, usual when Jason Garrett gets up there and he's like, well he's he's got a foot, uh he you know something, he's dealing with something, blah

blah blah. But Jason Garrett was just like he's working his way back into shape, which you know, the offseason program started a month ago, and Captain's workhouse started before that, and David Irvings has been here for at least part of that, if not the whole thing, Like he's been in the building since March, I would guess. So it's interesting,

interesting that that's a problem for him. And you know, Garrett is very calculated in his words, so for him to say something like that, yeah, kind of like a little spur, like, Hey, I'm not super thrilled that you can't practice right now, big guy. That's kind of how I took it. Probably probably no different than than what it's always been in years past. You know, I say this all the time. We see guys working out a little bit, you know, through the windows, we see him

in the training table. We never had that before Forward Valley Ranch, and so I'm sure there were plenty of guys that came in in March April May and you're like, uh, looks a little different or bigger than he did or whatever. We're just getting to see them more, see them practice more. Yeah, this is a normal you know transition for for you know when these players in the offseason and how they

get their bodies ready to play. Now, Terrence Williams, he was out with an injury, but he did get arrested this past weekend, and we don't need to get into all the details. Lead right there, Nick, you wrote a story about it. Jason Garrett didn't really comment much on it yesterday, kind of saying that the team is still investigating the case, but a lot of fans want to know. Is this something that would lead to the team possibly cutting him? Um, I can't get over the delivery right there,

just held out did get arrested. It's it's perfect. It's the it's the modern age, you know. I you know, I like sometimes I'm not criticizing the boss, but like Derek all act like just because we haven't talked about it on the show means like nobody knows about it, you know. But I mean it's Thursday. He got arrested on Saturday. Everybody knows what happened to him. So she asked me, is he gonna people want to know? I get a lot of questions, is this a reason that

I could possibly lead to the team cutting him? Actually? I think right now, as it stands, and of course things can also change, and we've seen actually in the last year that the commissioner will do his own thing when it comes to suspension. So so yeah, you know he's got his own agenda there, which is fine, he's the commission I don't think it will because I don't think he's gonna get suspended. If he gets suspended by

the NFL, that affects his guarantees. The guarantees affect how important his role is and how much you want to keep him on the team. So if that happens, that's a domino that will start to change some other things. As it stands. Right now, he's a guy that's coming off of a foot injury. He broken foot. Um, he'll he should be able to play, I would. I would think he'd be ready at some point in training camp, if not the start, then earlier, I mean, broken enough,

I would. I would think the goal would be to maybe get him in for that third preseason game, and you know that that might be a decent goal. If not that this the regular season opener, he's still one of your top receivers on the team. And then the injury and the arrest really don't affect that right now. Yeah, there's not a lot of track record that suggests that anything's going to happen to him. I mean, Nolan Carroll actually got hit for DWI this time last year, which

Terrence did not. That was not the charge and he wasn't suspended. And then you know the thing I feel like, and I know we've talked about it, but people forget this is like the way terrence is deal is structured is not only do you not save any money to cut him, but you have to. I mean you're basically you're losing money, Like you're paying money to get rid of him, which is dumb when you consider that he's

your most experienced Cowboys receiver. You've got to be a really bad player and or a bad locker room guy. And and you know Terrence knows this. I mean, Terrence has just been the whipping boy for fans all that, you know, I mean, for various reasons. But he's not that bad of a player to pay to have him gone. There's only been a few guys like that that you're like, we gotta get this guy out of here. Yeah he's

not in that. No, No, not at all. And yeah, like you I mean, anything could happened, but I'd be surprised. I would be surprised if anything happened to him on a disciplinary front from the NFL. I mean, and I would be surprised if he wasn't on this team. Now, another guy that was highlighted yesterday was Sach Martin. He wasn't He didn't practice, and not that he needs to practice Sack Martin. It is what it is. But again, the team is trying to figure out the whole contract.

As far as we know, both the team and SAG are wanting him to be here. Loan to what is going on with a contract right now. Let Dave take this because you had a hot opinion on the on the field of the day, maybe because it was hot, but also it was a good hot take. Would you talk about how I don't think he should practice at all or which part I got. I'd say a lot of reckless stuff. I know, Oh oh, I was half kidding, but I said I wouldn't be surprised if the Cowboys

kind of were like, yeah, set this out. You know, you don't need to be out here. We're working on your contract. I mean every time, you know, when I think about Zach Martin. I think about Sean Lee. Zach Martin was part of the play that tore Shawn Lee's acl and OTAs in twenty fourteen, certainly wouldn't want something like that to happen to Zach, who is arguably the

best player on this entire team, um, so most consistent. Probably, I don't know, I don't I don't think the Cowboys actually said that to him, But like I doubt anybody's losing a ton of sleep that he's not out there. Yeah, and just kind of a weird ironic move, I guess, maybe just coincidence. But you know, we didn't exact anybody to be in that locker at the Star. In the locker room, they kind of you know, it's just all Jason Garrett here where you know, the the corners of

the locker room or your cornerstones of the team. And you know, it was Deaz, it was it was Romo, it was Fatten, okay, but whatever, Tyrman, Smith, Dan Bailey and whitn Andes of course had had this one spot there, um and now with him gone, Zach Martin moved there. Which the shocking part there is how Martin and Frederick

are not like side by side. I know, so it was zac now Zach Martin's locker and he wasn't there either, so but I actually I don't think it's coincidental, and I take it as a very good like And I don't get the impression people feel this way, but just in case you do, like, I just don't think this is an acrimonious situation. I mean, I think Zach Martin has had conversations with the team about this, Like, I don't think they were surprised that he didn't come. I

don't think this is shock in any way. And I don't think there's any bad blood that the best guard in football's trying to get his contract, And I think that's evidenced by the fact that they did something, you know, that gesture of putting him in that locker of mister cowboy, mister modern cowboy. At least, I think that says a lot of good things. I mean, I think they expect him to be here for a long time. I think

he expects to be here for a long time. The fact that he's trying to get his contract situation settled doesn't change that at all. And this is just another time to point out that holdout and this isn't even hold out because it's volunteer. It's not a holdout, but a lot of people categorize it as that a holdout is not a holdout until you start missing significant significant money. A game check. Yeah, I mean getting fined here and there that. Yeah, that's a big deal when you miss

a game check. It's just funny how the deals always tend to happen that Saturday before that first game. I'll be which it won't go that far. Well, that's I'm interested to see because I you know, talking to people around yesterday, like a lot of people think that this you know, this action him missing OTAs will be enough to get a deal done by June, which i'll or you know, by by the end of the offseason program,

I should say, I'll be interested to see that. And if it doesn't happen, I'll be interested to see if he misses the mandatory June practices. When when did Lyle Collins get his deal? What month? Uh, we were at camp August? Yeah? What month did Travis Frederick August? What month to Tyrn Smith? Technically I think it was July, but it was like July thirtieth, training camp. Yeah, but see, I'll play old line. Yeah, I'll be I'll be interested,

thank you. When they do deals. I wonder though, I wonder if they've been talking about doing this dude's freaking deal since for like it feels like five years. He hasn't even been on the team that long. Um, did I get my deal with the Cowboys August? I mean, I wonder they do it in Augustus. I wonder if this nudge in the right direction will prompt them to do it sooner than that, just like, hey, all right,

let's And I'm not privy to this stuff. I don't handle the cap I'm not educated on a high level, but I just, I mean, I don't understand why it can't get done like this week. I mean, they got like ten million in cap space, they got a boatload of it coming next year, Like they should be able to structure it. Their rookies are signed, so like they

don't even have to worry about that. I don't really understand what the hold up is other than just kind of like agreeing on a number, which I feel like you should be able to do that in the next three or four weeks. Well, I guess we'll wait to see when that happens. But in the meantime, yesterday filling in for him was Chas Green. So you had Tyren Smith, Connor Williams, Travis Frederick Chase, and then Lyle Collins. Ye. So Connor Williams fan favorite. Ye. What did you guys

see from him? I mean, from what you saw, did you like his first involvement with the veteran Sea. I mean, I think you watch a little bit more practice than me, but but I mean I think with him, it's just it's at this stage it's not about because you're not gonna be able to use the offensive lineman can't do what they do, which is push people around. He can't do that out here, and if you do, you know,

guys get hurt. But I think for the most part, it's you know, are you lining up where you're supposed to be? Are you mentally prepared to do it? And I think the dynamic too right, and I think having him out there is a good step there. I'm reluctant to compare him to Zach because Zach is a four time All Pro who at some point I assume is gonna be the highest paid guard in the league. But He reminds me of Zach in the sense that he's so athletic for a guard, and like, that's the funnest

thing about watching Zack Martin play. I mean, it's fun watching him all people, but it's so fun watching him in space, Like he's so nimble and agile and like, can you know when they run screens, he can get out there and take people out of the play. Does not look like a big guy moving around, and I see that in counter Williams. I'm not saying he's gonna be as good as Zach Martin, but he's just he does not play football like a hog molly he looks.

I mean, he's a super athletic dude, and I think that aspect of his game just I think could be so big for them. And you know, when you're playing in shorts, that type of stuff kind of shows stands out as like how well he moves and stuff like that. Now, today we're gonna try to hit every group on the roster of what we saw yesterday how they lined up. But before we go into break, let's talk about Ezekiel Elliott. I mean, he came back looking a little thinner, slimmed

down his attitude was great in the locker room. He was very spoken in during the practice and he said that it came to He's like, well, third year, it's kind of the time for me to step up as a leader. While we're your reactions from this Ezekiel Elliott that we saw yesterday to the one that we saw at this time last year. For me, the Ezekiel Elliott that we see in the locker room has always been professional.

Maybe not the time when they were doing spitballs with him and Dak, but for the most part, for the most part they He's always been a guy that kind of gets that. I think being at Ohio State, knowing that, you know, being the star. Even he stood up in front of you know, his locker or someplace in the locker room after you know, last year when he came back from suspension, answers the questions. He doesn't love it. It's okay, he doesn't have to love it, but he

does his job. And I'd rather a guy to stand up there and say, hey, I'll face the music, and he does that. So I And as far as being a leader, I think I think him and Dak have talked about this. They have to and say, we've got to do it, We've got to bring the energy. I thought it was a good question surprisingly in the press conference yesterday from who asked it about the about the the energy that Dez has, Someone's gonna have to replace that.

And I think that that's gonna be a real important thing because there's gonna be dog days of camp when it's like, all right, who's bringing it today? Dez always did that, and I think that's something that Zeke and Deck and those guys that are gonna have to do. Yeah. And it'll be interesting though, because I feel like everybody in the locker room got asked about that yesterday, just kind of that. UM I wonder I don't see them

showing it the same way Dez does. I don't know if anybody's capable of showing it the way it Dez does. I mean, you know, you can't guard me. You can't guard me, you can't. I don't know if you're gonna hear those outbursts from forty yards away like we were used to with Dead. I don't even know you're but one of my all time favorite des lines. But Zeke, just Zeke just has this intensity about him, and UM, I feel like there's a chip on his shoulder there

and like he's not going to talk about it. He's not going to acknowledge it again. I mean, he's very professional in the sense that he always talks to us, but I never feel like it's authentic and it doesn't have to be, you know what I mean, Like it's a it's a job duty for him. He's just trying to get it out of the way. I don't begrudge him at but I think Zeke is going to hold so much of that away from us, you know what I mean, Like he doesn't want to let people in

on that, but I think it's there. I think there's an take it out on the safety. Yeah, absolutely, linebacker trying to attack being or just jump over him. We'll see. All right, guys, let's take our first break. When we come back, we're going to discuss the whole wide receiver group. It can be hard to find the right resource for learning about important financial matters. You search how to build savings, you end up reading about the one weird ingredient from

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are back on the break. We're gonna talk about the white receiver group. Yesterday, Lance lanor Deonta Thompson were lined up on the outside with Allen Hurns in the slot. Thoughts a first impression of how these guys lined up. Lens Lnor, let me tell you this, this is a guy that last year and up to today until he proves me wrong, I just have not been a fan because everything that I remember from last fan of anybody?

Not true false, absolutely false. I love many people who are wait, who are you a fan of many people? The topic right now, we're talking about Lance lan More. Okay, last year, everything that I saw from him were bad things, like drops after drops after drop, tell me wrong, tell me wrong? Well, no, no, he would no, he couldn't return punts. He had a he had a he had

a really it's you know what. He wasn't even that bad in the preseason, but he got training camp and everything that we saw in He got a lot of hype because of how he got here, which is that the guy who puts the roster together loves him. Will Will McClay loved Lanceloor's game in college, and so you kind of hear that and you're like, watch this guy, and then you know, when you get out under the bright lights. He had some he made some good plays,

though you forget about the touchdown that he had. He had a couple of good plays, but he was a constant. Uh. It was an adventure every time he went back there, and I think that's what people remember the most. Yeah, And my point is I've seen more bad things than the good. Now this is a guy. I'm giving him the benefit of the doo. He still needs some time

to improve and this might be the year. Yesterday, hearing Jordan Lewis talk about him, he I mean when he was asked, who is that guy in the wide receiver group that could kind of beats Brian, Jordan didn't compare him to this, but he mentioned Lance Lenor out of the group, saying, this is an underrated guy. So might he be that guy? Who? Could he be that guy this year that kind of rises to the top. Well, he needs to if he wants to make the team, because I feel I feel two different types of ways

about that. One. I think you're absolutely right if there's I mean one of there's there's two guys that have really like just put in an impressive three maybe three an impressive amount of work. Unfortunately one of them was Ryan Switzer. He's gone now. Lance Lenor has been here since the season ended, like he just lives in this facility. Jordan Lewis too. Noah Brown is another guy that comes to mind. But I mean he's putting in the work and like I said, I mean, Will McClay is the

reason he's here. Will McClay loves this game. Dak Prescott loves him. I mean they work out there and you come here on a Saturday, they're here throwing routes together, doing stuff like that. Um So in that regard, I mean, he is a guy that I would advise you to not forget about. On the other hand, just try to do the math on this receiver corps. It's not going to be easy for him. It's just not because I think there's about five guys in front of him that make a lot of sense to make this team, and

you probably not keep it more than six receivers. I think that Lance Lenora, Noah Brown, and anybody else that's not on the radar, they're really kind of fighting for for maybe one spot. Yeah, because Gallops making it. Terrence is making it right right now the way things are, I mean, Terrence is making it, Gallops making it. Cole Beasley's gonna make it. And then Tavon Austin is still what's up with him? He's still is he a wide receivers making it? I'm making it. I'm just saying I

still I'm killing him as a receiver. Yeah, No, I mean he's not a running back. He's a receiver. So he's still in that Tavon Austin on this rout they're gonna keep six receivers again, Yeah, counting him as a receiver. Absolutely Okay, So then then you know you're putting a brown in there. You put um Deonte Thompson, Cedric Wilson, DeAndre Thompson. Did you You didn't even say Alan Hearns.

He's making it. Alan Herns is making it's right? Of course? Yeah, yeah, I mean already thought that was nut which and then you know, I'm sitting here saying all ever since they signed him, I'm like, well, Deontay Thompson's basically on a vet minimum deal. He doesn't have to make it, and he doesn't, but he's out there. He was running with the first team a lot yesterday. He's got some speed. Yeah that's so you sit you watch him run some go routes and some bubble screens and you're like, no,

he'll he'll probably make it too, and all. That's what That's my point is, all of a sudden, you got five receivers that you feel pretty good about, and then four other ones that are fighting for one spot. I don't forget about Kadi Cannon. You you won't let me, you won't let me forget about him, so group he which And I didn't want to correct you because you weren't wrong. All those guys did run with the first team.

But the thing that stood out to me was that like everybody ran with the first Yeah, like I think I counted seven they had, and Katie Cannon was one of them. They had Katie Cannon run with the first team. Cole Hearns deonte Um the one that stood out, And it was the whole lancelin or thing because you know, um,

but I wouldn't count him. It always kind of has its way of working itself out, you know, it just were one one way or another injury here or maybe you know with the way we cover this team or the way this team is covered nationally and locally, and um, all it takes is one drop pass and then the ball to kind of you know, hit your hit you in the face mask, and then all of a sudden, it's like, well this guy sucks somebody, he's out, you know, and then he'll come back and have an ad R

touchdown and it's like starting so, yeah, this is what we do, but it'll it'll kind of go up and down. We'll watch Lance Lenora just ball out for five days in a row at training camp, just catch after catch after catch, and then Deonte Thompson will have four catches for ninety yards in a preseason game. He'll fumble upon an amber be like a see what I've been saying about ll But hey, no, prove me wrong. That's what

makes it so fun though. And the other thing too, is this isn't as exciting as talking about the fifty three, but like, damn near everybody we just talked about as eligible for the practice squad twos. I mean, if Lance Leonor doesn't make the fifty three, I assuming he doesn't get snatched up, I bet my paycheck he's on the practice squad. So a lot of guys that they feel good about. And I mean, we've been saying it, but it's worth repeating. It's going to be fun to watch. Now.

One of the guys I wanted to talk about real quick, and I've seen people asking about him is Michael Gallup. He didn't necessarily have a great day yesterday, and to his defense, Cooper Rush, his passes were just not really great. Why do you hate everybody? How's that hating than your house. I hate saying he didn't have a great day. Hold on, hold on, passes weren't thrown very well. Now I wanted to ask you, what were your observations on him, the

way that he was running routes getting open. Okay, that's my question, I thought, not hating. I thought, Jesus, I can't watch and give my opinion. I just I'm just giving you crack because you hate everybody. Tell me, tell me about Gallups. I mean, he looked fine. It's it's so hard to form good opinion from two hours of running around in shorts. But actually, uh, Michael Gallup I thought had the play of the day, if you want to call it that. He just him and Mike White

had a really nice connection. It was like a twenty five yard I don't even like it was a It was like a flag route down near the pylon. UM, and he made a nice over the shoulder catch. Michael. The throw was absolutely beautiful. Um. But that's it's we're talking about practice. We're not even really talking about practice. We're talking about I get it, but if people ask about Michael Gallup, you gotta give them at least something. The very little things that we get from watching this

first practice. This does look into him. This week, the Cowboys are playing the Lions. The Lions have got the ball that we're getting ready, went down, they kicked the thirty five yard field goal and it's three to nothing. That's where we are in the game. Like anybody worried, like not not really, This is all just talking. We're four minutes into the game and you know I'm not, but I'm not ready. We're doing a show, so let's let's bring it. Yeah, Dave, we'll trump's gallop. That's well,

it's funny. Well, I didn't say anything was wrong with the eyes side. He wasn't thrown a I was gonna get in this um. We are talking about the game. Somebody, somebody yesterday, I don't remember who it was. It wasn't it was like a media member. It wasn't like a coach or anything like that. But somebody was like, he's he's a starter, he's taking somebody's job. I'm like, we're two hours into this thing. What are you talking about? You know how many hamstrings get pulled by these knee jerks?

I mean it happens all the time. I thought he looked fine, slash good. Let me clarify something and not to go keep talking about this something. It's subject because I'm about to move on. But just to clarify, I was talking about the passes well, Cooper Rush. I like Cooper Rush. Yesterday he didn't perform that well his pass You talk about Dak people asking about Dak press. How where his passes to me very consistent. He threw good passes.

Talk about Cooper Rush where his pass is all great. No, I'm just I'm jumpy because me and Rob have been fighting for two weeks about who's gonna be the backup quarterbacks. He was like, we should do a segment. Okay, I'm on the Cooper Rush trains. I like Cooper Rush too, but you gotta be honest. I thought Cooper Rush to me was just like, not just like, but similar to

what Dak did two years ago. Okay, you know, not not not great, but pretty good in the pre in that practices, and then you get to the games and the offense is moving. Doesn't always look beautiful, but the offense is moving and we're scoring touchdowns and some of these passes look really good and the lights come on. He's a gamer, and you can't coach that. You can't just say, oh, I'm gonna I'm gonna get that guy because he's a gamer. I mean, either you have it

or you don't. And so Rush definitely has that, and I don't I don't want to be a hater on him, but I say this, I don't think it's it's out of the questions that Mike White can't compete with him. He doesn't have that much experience in regular season, so it's he's not that far ahead of him. It'll be interesting.

And if you just watch him throw the ball from point eight to point b, I think Mike White throws a better ball right now, but Michael Vick threw one of the best balls ever and you didn't always know where it was gonna go, so that it's not just about how tight the spiral is. Oh to me, no, I thought Dave was gonna say something quiet. That's the first geez, that's fair. That's fair. Okay, Let's move on

to the defense. To the side of the defense. On the secondary, we had Cheeto Byron Anthony Brown at corner and in the safety Jeff Heath and Xavier Woods. Happy birthday to Cheeto. Yeah, happy birthday. Yeah, oh nice, uh, okay, okay, Let's let's start off with Byron Jones at corner. Then he looked really good out there length He made a really nice play. If we could get Marion Elliot in here to talk about Byron Jones or length hike solid. Actually I said, Mikes, thanks coach. Byron Jones might have

had the play of the day. I think it was Deonte Thompson. Dak went deep for somebody, and I mean it was you know, it would have been like a twenty thirty yard game and Byron dove and broke it up. Super athletic kind of you know, dudes, the dudes athletic. I mean, if if he can get his mind around. And actually Jordan Lewis had a great quote about that. Somebody was like, you know, how do you feel about

his transition, you know, moving to cornerback. He's like playing in cornerback like most of his career he played safety for like two or three years. Like, I think he'll be okay, so you forget about all the years of football that these guys play before they get here. It's definitely an exciting time for him in this position, with this new coach and seeing how he's going to be

able to evolve here hopefully. And again this is something I'm not trying to get too excited about it because, for example, last year we saw how great Byron was during training camp and at practices, and then when the game, you know, the season started, it was kind of different. But moving on from that worth us to leave Jordan Lewis. I'm glad you brought that up because somebody emailed me this morning. This goes back to the point that it's

day day three of twelve in OTAs. Somebody emailed me today and basically was like, talk me off the ledge about Jordan Lewis on the second team, Like why isn't he on the first team? They were like, talk me

off the ledge. I'm panicking, And I just wanted to be like, you have to get a hobby other than like you got a chill, you just you can't be that panicked about this in May, which people that are like that are the ones that are listening right now because they know I'm I'm not saying they're all that way, but I'm saying they're passionate. They're super passionate, but hopefully super intelligent. Because they listen to what we have to say.

But what I me the other day thinking that Baron Jones is put up that much weight that he can really play left tackle, because I compared him to flows Out Adams, Like, seriously send me that. We get, we get, you know what I'm saying. Yeah, So you're saying I had a long talk with Jordan Lewis yet, Yes, yeah, long talk six minutes, um. But the more I talk to him, the more I like him. Is just he's got the right he's got the right frame of mind. You talk about lancelin or being up here, I think

you did mention Jordan Lewis as well. Um. And Jordan was telling me that there was a guy that he at Michigan, that it works at Michigan and when he went back for the offseason and talked to him, and he played in the NFL five or six years, and he said after about this third year, he just got burnt out and didn't like it. And he was like, that's not gonna be me. That's not gonna be me. And and I'm and I'm taking every single day and

I'm you know, being thankful for every day. And I asked him, I said, a year ago, you were dealing with other stuff. You know, he had off the field concerns. I guess there was a pending trial or domestical that he had hanging over his head. One that once that guy cleared up, he was like, it was I could just play football, and he goes, so this year, the only thing I worry about is like learning the playbook better. And but he thought it was great that Chris Rashard

told him or just said to everybody. He's an exception to the rule. He said, just because I'm not tall doesn't mean I can't be physical. So I think he's saying and doing all the right things. Yeah, And I mean, well, all right, I just we got some next Dallas Cowboys coming through the line. How we sure do? They're almost as tall as me. That's depressing. Tourists come through all the time here at the Star, and we got a good looking set of guys here that I gotta I'll

see a football under somebody's arms. So they're gonna go out and maybe practice. Yeah, Tamie, I'll let him out at OTAs. I'm I'm gonna throw out a hot take after I just criticized one of our fans for having a hot take. But when it's all said and done, I just think Jordan Lewis will be one of the

top three corners on this team. I don't play him in the slot, play him outside, I don't know, But I don't care where he was on day two of OTAs because I think he's he hasn't done anything not to be Yeah, well yeah, and I mean, you know, Anthony Brown's got a year on him. Anthony Brown's got experienced playing on the inside and outside. So whatever, if you want to take a look at him first, I don't care, but I have Jordan reminds me a lot of Dak just like if you're around him, it's that similar,

Like he just ex Dud's confidence and poise. I mean that just kind of like it's you know, that kind of like that quality of like they'll make you a believer. I think there's I'm sure there have been days where Dan Bailey maybe wasn't feeling it in practice, but Chris Jones was and they brought you know, or vice versa. Travis Frederick I'm sure has brought the best out of Zach Martin, and Zach Martin's brought the best out of him.

And I really think Cheeto and Jordan Lewis that you see them together a lot, that they're the same age, they drafted, the same class, same position. For now, I think that they're they're going to really push each other. Don't even play. I mean, but don't even don't even go there. It wouldn't it wouldn't be fair or right to suggest that they're gonna be like perennial pro bowlers.

I'm at the end of the day, we don't know how it's all gonna work out for them, but there's every reason to be optimistic in those two guys in terms of what they're doing on the field, the work they're putting in their character, in their commitments, it being better, all that type of stuff. Okay, and let's take our second break. When we come back. I did forgot forget to talk about the tight end group, which is something I'm very passionate about right now. Yes, so when we

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Dallas Cowboys fan? It means you've got the passion of the heart to do your part supporting the Boys no matter what. That's why when the game's on the line, you're on your feet, whether you're at home or in the stands. Actually, you're more than a fan. You are a member of Cowboys Nation. And so is AT and T doing their part to keep you connected to America's team all season law AT and T is a proud member of Cowboys Nation. Back to the break. We are back on the break. We are back, So let's talk

about something very that everyone needs. Picking a number one in the draft is a good thing. Do we all agree? Yes? Well, having the pick is good. Getting there it's not so good, But picking go ahead, Your wedges is a bad thing. True, So Nick, how can we never have to deal with picking wedges out again? Tell us about this well too, I think we solved this problem. Well one, you could go Commando, but if you don't want to do that, you can definitely go Tommy John. Tommy John is the

next best thing because it kind of feels the same. Really, Tommy John dot com Forward slash Cowboys. You get twenty percent off your storder Tommy John dot com Forward slash Cowboys, no wedgies hashtag, and he keeps the ants away from your pants. That's from their commercials. I hadn't heard that, you know, in the every every commercial on our videos

on the website, it's like antswing your pants. And then the guys like, at this point, if if you if you haven't decided to make the switch to Tommy John, then you're probably just being that fourteen year old teenage girl that's stubborn that says I just don't want to because you're telling me too, because we're giving you plenty of reasons video commercials and reads. Somebody actually to switch.

Somebody tweeted at me recently and was like I finally broke down, like y'all talk about it too much and they are comfy as hell, so shouts out to you, good job. Nice. So let's start talking about tight end everyone, And basically we were I were talking about I'm talking about I just know what's true. True. Nice transition there. So let's keep in the subject and talk about these big guys that play at tight end. We saw all

of them. So before I give my own opinion on this, and one of the guys that we've been talking about a lot or fans are always asking about his Rico Gathers. We saw him yesterday. He's back. We saw him in action, So impressions of him and how he played and how he looked along the other guys. Because this is a

big problem here. Why is it a problem, Well, it's just not working out well because you have a guy for fifteen years that've kind of dominated the position both on the team and in the NFL, and now he's gone and now you got to you gotta replace him.

You know what. One of the things that stuck out to me the most from everything that happened yesterday was we were doing interviews with like Scott Linahan after practice and like guys will stay behind and work on their footwork and chat with coaches, and it takes like twenty

minutes for everybody to leave the field. So I look over and all the tight ends are gathered under the tower, in the shade, under the video tower, and there, you know, Jeff Swaim is like teaching Dalton Schultz about like coming out of his breaks and like the right footwork. And I was just like, this is weird that, like a guy in his fourth year is like the elder statesman of this whole group. But it really it was Swaim and Schultz and Blake Jarwin and uh some rookie whose

name I already forgot. I don't even remember who it was. I was just like God, and all of these guys combined to have fewer seasons in the league than Winton ten coaches. Scott Meyer, Well, he's probably looking around, like so I have to I mean I have to coach now, Yeah, Like I really have to coach these tight ends. I don't have a guy that like when he came in for his interview, they were like, you know, Witten's gonna lead the meetings and like just make sure you're on

the plane, yea. And now it's Tia tie, you got a got a game plan for this, right, coach tight ends right. So from what I've watched yesterday and seeing how everyone render, you know, rend down the field, caught the ball and everything, I like what I saw everyone from everyone hold on except Rico. He's still He's just he's slow. His body. I feel like it's something that

it's not coming. It's not his fault. I think it's just the way his body is, his built that way, and it's just not working out at that position compared to everyone else, how slow he is. And he's still a quote and I've already done this once this week in another capacity, but it's it applies to a lot of things. Bill Parcells just say it all the time.

Knowledge is confidence and confidence lets you play fast. And I think he's still dealing with the fact that he's still learning how to play this game, in this position, this sport. He's still learning how to do it. And then you're when you're doing a thinking you're not going to be moving athletically. He's probably more athletic than than a lot of those guys, but he's still trying to

figure it out. That's why when he makes a catch he falls down the ground that there was one drill where they all were looking at and he makes the catch, but he goes to the ground. It's still seems to me that he's going up for rebounds. Yeah, instead of going running through your route and catching it at the at the ten yard line, he's he's stopping around the fifteen high, pointing it, going up, getting it, falling to

the ground traveling. I mean, you can't. He needs to still figure out his way to be a football player, and he's still not there yet. And he looked good in those preseason games, but still we all agree that preseason is not the same as a regular season game. I had this thought yesterday, and I you know, I compared Connor Williams to Zach Martin earlier, so whatever, I'll

compare Rico to Lebron Why not? Okay, But you know it's such a everybody loves to joke like Lebron could start it tight end for the Browns, he'd be great. And maybe he would. I mean, he's one of the best athletes ever. But I just was thinking, you know, these guys, they look so big and fast on a basketball court because it's one hundred feet long. You know, it's not a lot of space. I mean, Lebron takes four steps and he's from mid court to the rim.

And Rico I was similar when he played in basketball. Like football, it's such a different sport. I mean it's a hundred yards. The field is fifty three yards wide. I mean, you can cover that much ground, but that's only I mean what that's like fifteen yards when you need to run twenty five yards downfield of the end zone. You know, like it's it's so much more space to cover, and so like, even if you're explosive, the space just

kind of eats you up. And that's just what I was thinking about yesterday because I was like, I get what you're saying. I mean, he's not slow, but that explosiveness just doesn't translate as well to a football field. You know, you mentioned Lebron a couple weeks ago. He had one of the greatest plays I think I've seen in a long long time when he took the ball coast to coast and the game winning shot against Toronto.

Against Toronto just what was going ninety four feet but then pulls up off Buddy and has the touch to to kiss it off the glass because most people are just going to crack the backboard because they're gonna throw it so hard. And that's the same with with with tied end and what Rico's figuring out how to play something so physical, so violent, with touch and grace at the same time, it is not an easy transition to do well. You see, I'm not fully convinced that that

is the right spot for him. And yes, and I was talking to Brian about this after while watching him playing, and it's like, why not move him somewhere else? Why not tribe him at like the D line or something. Put it find him. I mean, he has a body for it, There's no doubt he's I think he would be more successful at something like that. I think, well, if we're talking about explosiveness, I mean, that's like the

key to playing D line. Though I've heard no shortage of people suggests playing him at offensive Yeah, offensive line. I would I would give him a shot at that somewhere in the line, because the whole thing of him taking off, turning around, running, I mean, he just can't you know who this guy is to me is Martellis Bennett. Because now Martellis was drafted much higher any but he played basketball and football a little bit too, And and Martellis was athletic um, but there was times when he

looked kind of slow out there. You don't want a screen and stuff. He never really played that athletic. He played in the league ten years and I don't know how many times he ever just went and dominated a guy, you know, high pointed the ball and caught it. And I think and Martellis, somebody told him if you know, at one point he got up to like two eighty, so you gained fifteen twenty more pounds and you'd be

one of the best left tackles. Ever, he didn't have the mindset for that that that's not what he wanted to do. He wants to catch touchdowns, be a star. I mean, I would think Tyrn Smith is pretty much a star too. But a lot of guys don't have that mentality to do the dirty work type of stuff. They want to be in that more glamorous positions. And I don't think Rico's there for that similar Yeah, no, I think, well, and that's right. He likes the spotlight.

I mean, if you're a rapper. We've talked about this and what was his top song. What was that song? Again? I don't think we can say the name of it, can't We don't. That's why he started talking about well people asked him in the locker room, and as soon as he started talking about the whole rapping, I'm like, I walked away. No, but he walked away to Coleah. I want to talk about two different rappers on this team. Of course there are, I mean, m definitely, no, probably

more than that, but just two that are. We've talked about this before yesterday, and just affirms my belief like this is going to come to a head at some point because Rico Rico said it, We've kind of hinted at it. He said it himself. He's like, I was ready to play halfway through last season. I was, I'm just ready to come back. So there's a disconnect there between what he wants and saying what the Cowboys think

he can or should do. And I don't know, man, I mean like he's either gonna step up and just make it impossible for them to keep him off the fifty three, or he's not going to be here in twenty eighteen. That's what I think. One. I mean, if they cut him, I think he'll go somewhere else and try to catch on or whatever. But I don't. I don't think he's gonna let them keep him on the shelf. We've got more or another. We've got more about Rico

Gathers coming on the site later today. I think Rob a story, So I will say, I mean, you're looking for little things though. I mean they had him on pump protect team yesterday when they did their special teams periods, and that's it's the little stuff that's gonna get him on the team more so. I mean, we know he can go up and get the ball. We know that

it's everything else. So that seemed like a positive step if he if he can find a way to contribute on special heart when you look at everyone else in the tight end group, see him make the team. I one way or another, I don't think he'll be on this team. That's if. And again this is just me speculating before we even get to training camp. One way

or another. That would kind of surprise met fifty three. Yes, but yeah, you know, if they caught him and they're like, we'll put you on the practice squad, I think he'll be like, no thanks, I'll try try my luck elsewhere, Mavericks, Sure, why not? Okay, let's move on to the linebacker position. And yesterday I saw a picture and when I see Sean Lee, Jalen Smith, and Vanderish together, it's a good looking trio. I mean it's like, wow, a lot of beef.

Look at this. They look good. But there's still some concern about the whole death in that position. Jalen Smith was playing without the brace, and it's something that people are excited about to finally see him with that thing off. Tell me how I mean, he's still struggling a little bit. I think I think it's a perfect transition from what

we were just talking about. I mean, you know, if you if you didn't know anything about the tight end position, you just looked at the five, You're like, I'll ta grieko please, I'll take Kim, And just the same with the linebacker. So the looks of it is better. Vander Esh gives you more more size there, Jaylen Smith, I mean he he looks the three healthy. Yeah, they're healthy.

You know what Sean Lee's gonna be able to if we were just if we were picking blind, just lying, all ninety of them up and you're just playground style. Jayleen Smith is the first pick, and Lee's not up there that high. No, Sean Lee, he's one of the best players on this team. He's incredible, but like he doesn't he doesn't look let's terrifying, Like Jayleen Smith, let's do that real quick. Let's play the all um off

the bus team. You're you're you get two picks the guys you want to come off the bus first, like oh this, this guy's ready to play my off the bus team is Jalen Smith. Okay, let let somebody else. Okay, I don't like this game. Is this something without one pick? First overall? And if y'all don't get it and hold on, hold on, okay, let's all right, what do you think? Because I'll tell you the finalists right now. And if Ken disagrees with me, well, I mean say, first overall

you David Irving, David Irving, David Irving. Now apparently yeah, he's big. I mean, he's got the he's got the hair. I disagree because it's a bus. Tyron is definitely one of them. Jalen's one of them. Scarborough bo Scarborough for sure. Yeah, yeah, Connor Williams too just big. It's you can't just be big, you gotta look freaky like Tyrann Smith is big. But that's not what's scary about it that there's no fat

on his body, Zeke. I mean the hair, the hair and the beard, like, well, you know what, we got four buses and and and we we got big guy bus. You know, we even got a media bus. And Shannon's gonna win that one for us. I mean, Shannon's off the bus first for us, mainly because he sits up there. But um, I think and we're just kind of playing around a little bit. But but there is something to it about having the look, having the size more than anything.

Um I agree, David Irving, tyr Tyrant Smith, both Scarborough. Now even though Scarborough, have you seen his back? No, no walking around the please I don't talk behind his back. Okay, we're all in the locker room obviously without shirts and walking around. Okay, okay, and so what did you see here, peeping Tom? Yeah, what what do you got? No? Like, his back is absolutely jacked, like there's just like muscles

on his muscles. It just doesn't look naturally. I mean, it's like scary, like this is a character from a movie. You know, it's just like not human. He's he looks like a line. No, I didn't see that. Actually, okay, I got doing interviews, but you're wearing the locker room then. I was doing interviews actually talking to people's I want to finish. I want to finish your point, which you know. Somebody asked us about Michael Kendricks today the Eagles just

released him. Just one person asked about that. A few you but I mean, I mean, okay, you never know what's going to happen. You would expect injuries and things like that. But all I feel about as good about the linebackers as you could ask me to. Right now. What's his deal? What's kendricks his deal? You got cut mainly for money reasons? I mean, don't ask Brian, but see I don't. I don't see it mainly, Okay, Mike, Michael Kendricks is good enough to start somewhere, And the

Cowboys aren't interested in that. They wouldn't. They're not doing that. They got guys they feel good about. Yeah. The thing about about that is he seems to just be awesome against the cowboys. Yes, he's a cowboy killer. I mean every time they play him, it's just one playoff for another sideline to sideline, and you know, because he get hurt a lot. I don't know. I don't know exactly. I think the main reason he got cut was money more than anything else. But I mean, you got you

got three that you hope can start. Three to play two, three to play, four to play three. Joe Thomas is kicking ass that. I did have a conversation with somebody on the football side about him. He was like he had like two picks in the first ota of the year. Like I feel good about that, dude. And the contract here for Damian Wilson. I just but we we've seen that before. We're contract year. Yeah, you might see, you

might get a little bit of improvement. I just there's got to be a team that needs linebackers more than this team who's like Michael Kendricks come start for us, whereas we're like, well the Villanova kid too, Shockley Maybe Okay, I'm I gotta do some more homework on my undraft again. And Iowa State Joel Landing sure you know, oh sure? Yeah. Uh. Shockley is the guy that just just production just tackles off the chart. Tackles for three years, not just one.

I mean, it's got to translate to the field. But in May, I feel fine about the linebackers. But from what you watched yesterday and we know Jalen is still a question mark there his whole performance on the field from what you got to see yesterday, him being off the brace, how what are some of the things that he still needs to improve on on the way he moves? Lateral mobility is always going to be the thing with him.

I mean, it's great that he doesn't have the brace, but he's still got to prove that he can do that. And then and then you know, his instincts too. I feel like, you know, I'm gonna steal a phrase from Brian, like he guesses a lot, Like if he gets it, then he'll blow the play up. But he's he was wrong a lot last year too, So I mean, he's got to work on that. But the ability to like diagnose something that's going on on the other side of the field and get over there with his history with

his injury, that's going to be the thing. But that's what intrigues me so much about him is I'm not looking at him as a guy who's going to play fifty or sixty snaps at middle linebacker this year. I think he's going to play a little bit of Mike maybe in run situations where he really only has to worry about coming downhill. I think he's gonna play a little bit of Sam. I'm super excited. And Brian wrote about this in his notebook yesterday. You can go read

about it. He was doing pass rush stuff yesterday. I think if they commit to it, I think Jalen Smith could be like a guy with five or six sacks if they wanted him to be. I mean, for him, to me, it's just it's just if he doesn't, I want to see what happens when he has to run more than ten yards. I mean, we have a real gallop on the team now, but we've had one for you know, last year as well, the way he kind of had that little hitch in his run. If that's gone and it seems like it kind of is, I

think you're gonna see a bunch better player. I agree with that, but I guess my point is too, is you can kind of tailor what he does to where you're not asking him to run distances like that. I mean, you know, go get the quarterback or plug this running off. Its coordinators figure that out and then they make him go run for sure. So we saw it a couple of times where he just didn't have that speed when

when the play broke down to go get him. And I he's vowed that he's going to be a better player than he was at Notre Dame, and he I mean, he's the I've said this, he's the most optimistic person in the history of the world. So I can't I can't take him at face value. I hope it's true. Yeah, um, but I have a good feeling about him between the different ways you can use him, and he's another year

removed from that. It doesn't matter who you are when something when a first round pick is drafted at your position, then it's gonna get your attention. It just it just is. If Jalen Smith was everything they wanted him to be right now, they wouldn't have drafted drafted in the first round. They need a linebacker in the second round or whatever. But it's a good point, I think. And it doesn't mean it's an animosity. It just means, like, hey watch this,

Whitten did it for years Witten. They drafted second round tight ends and it fueled him. So now we since we started kind of late, hand hold on Ken, don't get us soft yet. Wow, we we got like two minutes less. I'm not done, huh. I just wanted to go around the room real quick. Who was your rookie standout from yesterday? Because people are asking about that. Who

stood out to you yesterday? I know the rookies. Uh probably My answer is just gonna keep being Connor because I mean he's getting all the opportunities with the ones he's I mean, he's the starting left guard. He just is, and so he gets to do that, and he looked good and so yeah, yeah, and this this still very early and there's only a few positions that you can really see some stuff. But I do like the zip

that Mike White brings there. He's still let's see what happens when the when you know, getting in the games and stuff like that. But I do like the way he throws the ball, especially on an ounce. So he's a guy that seems like he can make all the throws. Um and that's that's a good start for him. All right, can't hit it now? We can? Now we can hit it for Ken Garrison, David Hallman and Bergerci see you

guys next time. Aren't the brain. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club m