Cowboys Break: Early Roster Guesses

Amber's cool, but we all feel really good out here in Oxnard, California. It's a beautiful day. Cowboys take the field again this afternoon. Um they have, they were off yesterday. They'll be out for walk through this morning and then their regular practice at three thirty pm Pacific time for the five thirty. Few guys back in Dallas, and we'll be here to cover it all. But for the next hour we're talking Cowboys football with you, guys. How's everybody

feeling this morning? Outstanding? Outstanding as great? Cold? No, yeah, cool? All right, we got a lot we want to talk about today. We are now a quarter of the way through training camp practices, and so we're gonna do a quarterly review. I have a lot of questions I'm gonna throw at these guys. We're gonna see what their thoughts are. It's gonna give you guys a full picture of the kinds of things we've seen over these first four practices

that the Cowboys have had in ox RD. But before we get to that, I do also want to make a quick programming note. This morning we put out the first edition of a program that actually Nick is running point on with our our production team, called The Process. Nick, you want to tell people what the process is and what they should expect from this show. Well, as they've heard of the term several times, everything we do here is a process and that stems from obviously really Jason Garrett.

But he's right, you know, he just says that a lot. But that's why everyone kind of makes fun of the name. But um, the process is something we've been working on here this last week, just trying to go behind the scenes as much as possible. Again, as much as possible mud whether it be you know, the team traveling to California or inside some of the meeting rooms. I know one of the things was Jerry Jones addressing to the team got kind of emotional to the team, and we

captured that. We have Jason Garrett talking to the team and uh huddle, Gary Brown miked up. There's some there's some really good segments there, and we're gonna try to do that here throughout training camp. So you've seen that the show. It's nothing, you know, unique, but it's unique, I guess for us to do it out here with

the Cowboys and for us to do it. Yeah. One piece that thought was really interesting was the piece that started with the running backs uh sitting having a barbecue dinner And actually we shot that back in June when Zeke was still with the team, and some really good Footish man I tweeted that this morning that although you kind of see a piece of that and here's some of that conversation that happened, there's a longer piece to that we're going to probably put out a little later

this summer, hopefully by the n Zeke might be back with the team, right and we'll have a little more to show you guys. But actually maybe you speak right and but it was but a really good video and good job with that, you guys can expect it. We'll be doing those every week throughout training camp for the next four or five weeks. So you check that out and you can see it on any one of our platforms. You got our website, mobile app, connected TV, all that stuff.

All right, So let's start, as we normally start, with a little bit of blanket coverage. I have some statements for you guys that will be a blank You fill in the blank. The first statement, Michael Thomas, wide receiver for the Saints, signed a five year extension worth one hundred million dollars over five years, averaging about twenty million a year, with sixty one million guaranteed. A Marie Cooper should expect blank Dave, Amari Cooper should expect the lore

of his deal to have raised a little bit. But I think I think he already knew that. You know this, We knew this was coming. We knew the Saints we're gonna get it done. We also know Amari Cooper is not going to set the receiver market. I don't like nobody in the world expects that to happen. I don't think even Amari does. But it just raises the floor of what you're capable of asking for. Odell Beckham used

to set the market at eighteen. Now that's second, and so now you know sixteen, all of a sudden, fifteen to seventeen doesn't look so shiny. So no, he's not gonna set the market. But somewhere between seventeen and eighteen per years probably what I think Amario'll get. So again I don't. I don't think it's a big surprise, but it raises the minimum of what he's capable of asking for.

Amar should expect what Nick something soon? I mean, I think it's kind of what they were waiting for, right, I don't think, and Cooper is not really in a big hurry, but I don't know if O'Dell's making eighteens. See Odell's the one that's gonna come come back in this whole deal and want to go over the top on that. Well, Julio is still out there as well. He's asked for a new Dealio is another one to watch.

But I don't think that matters. I really don't, because Julio is going to go over that, and I don't think Cooper goes over that. I mean, I think Cooper is sitting at so you don't think, because that would raise an interesting question if you think that Amari at the end of the day, wants to be the highest paid receiver, and he waits for Julio, and Julio goes over there. Does I don't don't think that, And I

think he's kind of come out and said that. I mean, nothing about the way he has behaved or talked to this offseason suggests he wants that. I like, it's like he's just he's the simplest one for me, because like he's not making a fuss. I don't think even his agent thinks he's supposed to be the highest paid when you look at what Michael Thomas has done for the first three years of his career, when you look at what Julio Jones has done for a decade, at this point,

he should probably be somewhere between three and six. And I think that's where he will be when it's all said and done. It's the same thing for Dak Prescott for that matter. It's just that everybody kind of agrees on Coop, whereas very few people have can figure out how they feel about Dak Amber Amari Cooper should expect a crop ton of money. Very simple, I'll be honest. I mean, I just think that either way, he's gonna make a ton of money and yeah it doesn't matter. Yeah,

it's crab ton of money. Yeah. And you know, when it comes to contract talks and money and cap salary and blah blah blah, I'm not an expert. I would have said the other word. Yeah, I know you would have. But you know, I keep, I try to keep. You appreciate that. Yeah, all right, So here's the next statement. Steven's response to the contract, when asked if it raises the price for Mari, was no, I think it's probably

in line with what we were thinking. I've got a little better number than that a Mari should expect blank. Nick after hearing what Steven says Steven, after hearing what Steve even said, does that change what a mare he should expect? Is what I'm asking. But here was Steven's quote, again, No, I think it's probably in line with what we were thinking. I've got a little better number than that. I've got

a better number than that. Is he talking about him talking about He was asked about specifically Michael Thomas's deal, and in this response to whether he thinks that affects what they were going to do with a Mari His response was, no, I think it's probably in line with what we were thinking. I've got a little better number. Part it's fine, that's a find number. Yeah, I don't know what that means, because I will be shocked if

a Mari's deal tops Thomas's. Maybe really, because that's what That's the impression I got from the quote was we actually were thinking a little bit more than It's almost like I've got a better idea now, like it's like he's got a better idea, because why would he say that? Though he also said he said probably in the same interview, if I had to guess, he said, and we're damn sure not going to be market setters. That was the art that was for any of those guys, which that

which is why I'll be shot. I mean, I don't expect him the top uh um Thomas. So maybe he's talking about more guarantees. Maybe, And you know, Jerry and Stephen Jones have been quick to mention the marketing aspect that comes along with being a cornerstone from Cowboys, so maybe he was talking about that. Why do I feel like his jersey number is gonna be in in play here? And why do I feel like it's gonna be that.

It's gonna be the round nineteen nineteen for nineteen, Like, I just feel like that's affect I like nineteen for nineteen and nineteen in nineteen. I didn't think about that. Damn. Yeah, we got a lot of lever. Let's do it. Get the graphic people working on it. All right, let's jump into our quarterly review. I have us some questions here. It's roughly about eight or nine questions made. The point is to make you think I'm gonna make you gift

thoughtful answers. Can you do that? Yeah? And just I helped you with them, so yeah, I can only help me with two of them. Okay, I want to quibble room, that's not fair. If you prepare for well, we're gonna be fine. Don't worry. Well he wrote a couple of them. Go ahead, how about I was in the tent before the shows. It's two practices. It's two practices, not for right routes on air don't count. So like to call this a quarterly review feels, you know, I feel like

sixteen practices they've had. I know I knew you were gonna lay all right. I feel like I should no way more from this team right now, and I don't can only watch two I will. I will say this too, Lamber. I actually feel the exact same way as I was writing some of these. Some of these are going to rely on you taking kind of what you know of the player from last year, what you know of them from the offseason, and then compare that to the two practices you've had to see if that corroborates what you

can involves a great game. All right, let's do it. I think this is a good idea and a great game. You're doing it. Guess why you and I've been doing this for fifteen years. It's because Dave, you should know by now. As soon as you start questioning this, he's like, well, you know what tomorrow to show, right exactly, And I'll be sitting over here like talking about let's go right here we go. First question, who's more prime for a

breakout year? Xavier Woods or Connor Williams. Xavier Woods because he plays a position that enables him to do that. I mean, you know nobody looks at offensive line except for the tip us. Well yeah, I mean obviously people do, but it's way harder to stand out, especially when there's so many other great players on that offensive line, but

let's put it all in relative terms. And I'm not talking so much about for the purposes of fan fair I'm talking more from the purposes of an evaluator who's looking at this team and saying, man, this player went from being a decent player to being a really great player who's had the who's in, who's better prepared to have that kind of breakout year. The last thing we saw before the off day was Xavier Woods pick six.

Dak Prescott read him like a book. It was a beautiful play and he was I mean, he's he has gotten better every year of his career. They didn't draft the safety because that's how in love they are with Xavier Woods. That's Chris Richard, that's coming out of his mouth. So Savior Woods. All right, Amber, Well, I'm gonna go with Connor. I mean why because we're buddies now, he's

my buddy. No, no, no, I think he's made you can tell and with us just seeing two practices here, you can already tell the difference between last year and the change in his body and the strength that he

has gained. Yes, Xavier Woods, I like what I've seen so far, but I don't want to get too excited just yet, because I've seen that happen before, where you're at training camp and you're making place, intercepting the ball and this and that, but then once the season comes, it kind of fades away and disappears a little bit. So I'm not ready to jump on that train of the Xavier Woods have faith in him. I like what I see so far, but let's wait a little bit.

The one thing I will say that that might make you feel a little bit better about that is usually I agree with you. But usually when you see that, it's skill position, it's defensive backs, it's those kind of guys. It's rare that you see an offensive lineman looking good in camp and then all of a sudden in the season he's not right, um, because looking good in camp

is just all about bullying people, basically. Yeah, and I And that's the one thing I've been excited to see out here, Like there have been a couple of times when I've seen him, like Nick says, he just basically locks down, like he sits down and the guy doesn't move. You didn't see that a lot from Connor last year. It looks like different. He looks very very strong and stout. And that's the part that I really love about him. Nick Connor Um he has a golf cart, and and

and and he has a golf cart. Explain that the golf cart means that these are the Conditioning UM Strength and Conditioning Award winners for the season. He's the guy that that worked really really hard. Not to say that any of the guys didn't. Does he I don't think. I don't think he does either way. I mean Connor needed to get a little stronger. He did. When you

look at the Rams game last year. He played well in that game against a pretty decent player and Aaron Donald joke and h Xavier Woods struggled a little bit if I remember Bird some of the some of the plays in the open field. Also, Xavier Woods plays next to Jeff Heath and he played and he plays next to Tyron Smith. So I think you have better you have a better chance to play to look good when you play next to Tyron Smith and and Travis Well maybe yeah, yeah, you're breaking news here. No, I'm just

saying maybe. I mean a long way to go because smiss one of them all right now, and I don't want to. I love that you guys are picking Connor and I mean, I'm sorry, yeah, picking Connor. But I also I want to reiterate what Dave saying, like Xavier, he's looked really good out here too, and he's a guy that they believe in quite a big play along

somebody these two. You can answer, yeah, I might answer after I have been giving your perspective my perspective throughout all right, here's the second question, more impression, I'm sorry, more impressive unit thus far through as a Dave says, to training camp practice and you got defensive backs, offensive line or linebackers, who's been more impressive? And Bro'll start with you, uh honest, Well, because of what I've been paying more attention to, I would say the old line.

I mean, when they go on those one on ones, you cannot not watch. You have to be locked in on what they're doing and just watching. I mean, it's amazing how powerful and strong they are and they will dominate you. So old line for me, Nick, Yeah, the old line is what we're seeing, um that they're dominating

a lot more. I will say that, you know, Crawford and d Law not being out there kind of affects that and you could say, Frederick, you know, probably it hasn't been out there either, but um, you just see you see the defensive backs struggle some um the linebackers. That's just tough right now to tell that one. The offensive line is given you to me the best perspective of what they're doing, So I would say them, it is the old line, But shout out to the dbs.

They got two picks at the last p so they've done some stuff. Linebacker is the absolute hardest position to shine in training camp, but Layton and Jalen just look like athletic super freaks out there. They don't get to do anything, but they look impressive. But it's though line. How surprising is it to you that the defensive backs have looked as good as they have and they're arguably

their best player isn't even out there. Yeah, I mean not that surprising because I think if you were to say, what's you know, who's the Who's the coach that that you know is kind of gets the most out of his players, you know, you would say maybe Christopher Shard. I mean, he just does a really great job. You

can see it by just being out here. How good he is as a coach, and so his units aren't gonna suck, you know the matter why they're just not going to and he's going to be you know, he takes this thing, you know, very seriously every practice, and so it doesn't surprise me. But there's some good battles. I mean, they've they've given up some some big plays. I'm not I'm not part of being a defensive back. I don't care who you are, you're gonna give up plays.

The point is you better win some too. And they're winning something I'm not ready to say. They're like balling out of control with al Byron Jones, Like they got two picks in team period. They also got dusted on the first day multiple times. This is probably you know, I've said it for years about oh let's get some speed over here. This is probably the fastest group of wide receivers that they've had from one to like ten

that I've seen that I can remember. Now a lot of those guys are going to be off the team, though, you know, some of the the guys that get cut could probably make a four by you know, one hundred meter relay team and beat the starters. I would love to see that. They would definitely beat them, don't you. I'm I don't know about definitely, but I'd love to watch. Hell yeah, I mean Reggie Davis, John Vay, Jalen Guden and those guys can run, and Devin Smith against Gallup

Cooper I have on. I might have to take the backups. I don't know. I would love to watch that. That'd be fun. All right, let's go ahead and take our first break. When we come back, we will actually continue on that topic of the why receivers. I want to know, outside of Amark Cooper, who's been the most impressive wide receiver out here through the first two days of training camp practice. Well that women come right back. This is DLAs Cowboys dot Com Radio back to me and you love.

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It is today will be the fifth practice the Cowboys half here in ox and Art. They have a walk through that they'll be a starting up here momentarily around ten forty five am eleven o'clock right in there, and then they'll have a practice open to the public this afternoon at three thirty. Also for you guys that want to check it out Sunday. They will be the Blue

and White scrimmage. If you're in the Oxnart area, you can come out again free of charge to be able to come out and watch the team during their scrimmage. But if you're not in the area, you'll be able to watch it on all of our platforms Dallas Cowboys dot com, Cowboys Mobile are Connected TV app, as well as Periscope, YouTube, Facebook. We'll have it everywhere, so if you're alive and on a connected device, you should be able to watch. The scrimmage is coming Sunday. All right,

let's get back in. We're do a quarterly review. We got some questions that we've rolled out for these guys. Our next question is, outside of Amari Cooper, which wide receiver has been the most impressive through two training camp practices. Michael Gallop. Michael Gallup. Michael gall Up. He looks great. He look great in training camp last year. It's gonna be about being consistent translating that to the to the bright lights. I think he can do that. But his

footwork is great. He doesn't like you know, he's not as fast as some of these guys. He's not as big as some of them. Um, he doesn't do like the freakazoid catches at least not that I've seen yet. But like he's just consistent and shifty and honestly that's him. An Amari like Amar is like that too. Amar's not the Dez type. I remember when Daz used to be out here at training camp. We do the Dez doing Dez things right, that's not Amar either not. There's both technicians.

They they run good routes, they get open and they catch the ball right. And Amari is a big, bulky dude though, like I'm not maybe not as bulky as like a Dez or a Julio Jones, but he's big, like Michael Gallup is is pretty not unassuming. Yeah, Like we saw him in the parking lot the other day and we were like, whoa, Mike's really that tall. Like I was walking right next to Layton, he was like, not that much short. Similar, something's often's going wrong here

because Mike doesn't look that imposing on the field. Um, but he's He's been nice out here for sure. Guys are good. Just when you're talking about you know, Daz doing Daz things and all that. I mean, Larry Fitzgerald's been doing it for twenty years almost, you know, and he's never really been the most impressive, but he just you're right about being you know, a guy that could just run routes and and it works. I mean, you know, I guess you could say Jerry Rice was probably the

same way for being that way. I don't know. I'll answer the question, Yes, we just compared Mike to Larry Fitzgerald and Jerry Rice. I'm yeah, you just don't have to be this crazy freak all the time. Yeah, um, I don't think. I don't think all the backup receivers have been that consistent. So it's just a to me. I mean, Gallop's a good answer. And then Cob, you would say Cob, but Cob had a bad day. Yea, yeah,

really bad. I was going to ask that question of what you guys think of Randall Cop because it was I guess that was what was was that it was it was the morning practice, but he had a he had a really to me, it would really rough practice. There were a lot of ball I think there were two or three that went straight through his hand. He was the reason for Dak's first pick right, and when he just went right through his hands. He dropped a third down conversion in the team period. Yeah, but I mean,

you know, it's it's been rough day. He's a decade long vet with a Pro Bowl appearance under his belt. Like, he's got to do way more than that before I start to be worried about him. Right, Amber, tell me what what what wide receiver that a mari has been most impressive? Well, I would stake with Michael Gallup. I think he has to. He has been the one that has shown more things here. And what I like about him is that he makes it seem effortless in a way.

He does thing and you don't see him like it's nothing freakish like we said, but it just doesn't seem like he's struggling for it or rushing for it. Just it just happens natural. And of course, just like anybody else, he needs to clean it up more and be more consistent about it. But he has it. He has it. Whatever it is for a receiver, he has it all. Right. Next question, if you had to identify the area of this team with the most questions, what would it be

special teams or running backs? Oh? Damn nice, We'll see the thing about it. Nice question. I think initially you think running backs obviously, right, but special teams, No, it is probably special teams because am I thrilled about it? No, but Alfred Morris has played in this league. Tony Pollard was a fourth round pick for a reason. Like you know that they can take the ball and run with it. I don't know how good it'll look. I don't know.

We haven't had a kicker hit a one hundred percent of his kicks out here yet this year, and Dan Bailey used to just do that like it was especially camp. We've made so many jokes about that's why we didn't. We stopped watching special teams because like boom boom boom boom boom boom boom. Cool, let's go do the other one. Uh Maher has missed every day he's kicked, and so is Casey Redfern. M Chris Jones. I'm not super worried about Chris Jones. Chris Jones did have a he dipped

last year. He did. It's something to watch, um, but it's so hard to gauge punting at training camp. I know Casey Redfern punted for Chris on Tuesday and it was kind of yeah, but you know he's back up for a reason. I guess I'm not worried about Chris Jones. I'm kind of worried about the kickers, all right, Amber running backer kickers would have more more questions. That's so close to each other that one's really hard. I think that that you have the guys to do things with,

But I don't know. I wish I could talk more about the kicker. I have not been watching them. It's like we watch practice and then all of a sudden, I forget that they're there kicking on the other side of the field. I forgot about what got us into this year. Yeah, but uh, I would probably say special teams because at least with the running back, you you can count on the O line to help you out

open up some holes for you. So I would just think with the special teams, right, I think there's more questions. I guess at running back. I mean because you said special teams, so two of the three are set. You know what they're going to be in. Maher will probably be the guy. I think running back there's just more. There's just more questions of how all that's gonna go. Because you know your starters is in cobbo right now, So do you expect him to be back? Yeah, but

but at what shape and what condition? I'm not sure? And then what what how they're gonna get Pollered involved and where more goes after that? I think there's more questions there, and it's more obviously more important position. You know, even though you know kicker is a big deal, but you said special team, so I think sixty six percent of it is pretty much set. How do you factor in the punt returner because right now punt returner from last year we said this earlier on a show a

couple of days ago. He could be on this team or not be on this team, Like, I don't I think it's kind of a fifty fifty proposition as to whether he even makes the team. He's also not even fielding punts out here right There's a lot of other guys doing that. So the point is, like, when you factor in all of special teams, to me, there seems to be a ton of questions there. And even if you say the kickers decided, I don't know that you

feel great about it right now. So there's still are question marks about how you think he's gonna perform same thing with a punter. He that year was not a great year for him, not the year the years that we've been accustomed to seeing from Rush Jones. You certainly wasn't last. But if you get your running back in order, you don't have to punt that much. Yeah, one problem can solve a bunch of others, right. I love that answer. Like that high school coach in Arkansas that just never punts,

let's do that? Is that where it was? I know someone like never just never punch baby, just didn't have a punter. No, no analytics, baby, We're coming all right. Next question, with regard to the backup quarterback position, I'm gonna give you four statements. You tell me which one is most accurate. Mike White has been better than Cooper Rush. Cooper Rush has been better than Mike White. Both have been okay to good? Or Dallas needs help at backup quarterback.

I think there's a fifth one you could have said, which was, what's the Christian is better than the other two? Good point. I should have thrown that in. Really, No, if you want to know, if you want to have the conversation, have the conversation. I've only two first, Yeah, no, no, not at all. We've watching two padded practices, and in the first one, Taran Christian fumbled his first snap, fumbled the exchange with the running back on the second snap, and then threw a pass into the hands of a

defensive lineman. I didn't stop looking at him, but like that's the only impression I have him. I don't even remember what he did worse than Mike and Cooper rush I don't know what you've been watching. I can't go there with you. I was gonna say the last two answers, Um, wait, remember the first was Mike watch better, Cooper rushes better? A second, either one of those, and then both have been okay to good, and then Dallas needs help at

backup quarterback. I'll say they've both been okay and Dallas needs help a backup quarterback. I mean, like they're not gonna get it, Like they're like we already knew that. I don't. I would not feel remotely comfortable with either of them playing snaps in a real situation. Um, they've both They've both made some decent throws. I haven't seen either of them just do something atrocious yet. But I haven't been wowed by either one of them. Either Cooper Rush.

He can throw such a pretty ball and then like two reps later, it's you know, it's eighteen yards out of bounds and you're like, what this is the same guy. It's weird, Like it's very consistency is troublesome. But does that make you feel like with more reps he might actually get there because he does do some things that pop for you. We've seen him do it before his rookie year. He was so good that preseason his rookie year, and we haven't really seen him get to that level since.

Maybe maybe I'm not optimistic if I'm being honest, but maybe Amber you got opinion on these two. I don't feel comfortable with either of them. I think Cooper Rush I feel that he has improved a little bit since we've been here compared to what we have been seen at the Star back at home. But is it enough for me to be like, oh, yeah, I put him

in a game. No, not at all. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I gotta know what you've seen from Taran Christian that inspires this comf He throws the ball better than the other two you think, so, Yeah, I trust you, really do. I think he throws the ball better, and I think he's he's he's obviously more mobile. I think I think if he gets some some snaps in the games. I'm not sure he will, but I mean I think I think he'll. I think when it's all said and done, he'll be better than at least

one of them. I hope you're right. But but again, when I say that, like, what are we talking, I mean, when I'm talking about the bar being high those two because other two aren't very good at all. To me. This whole thing is and I'm not talking about wealthy, rich people. I'm talking about just average people. Dak Prescott is like, they're gonna treat Dak Prescott like you would your car. You don't have a backup car. You just have a car. And if your car breaks down, then

you gotta get a new car. You don't just have another one in there. That's that's how they're going to treat it. And and is that gonna be good? Maybe? Well, going along with your analogy, what makes that a little bit more palatable is the fact that you got a new car, right, You got a new sturdy car, So if you get a new sturdy car, you feel like, I don't really need to worry about a backup. Right,

It's it's a whole different thing. If you've got a car that's gut a little, you know, the engine's a little weird tansmission's got some you know, you got four. You can trust the four if you got If you got a car that's kind of you've had it for nine years and the wheel like over here, it kind of shakes a little bit, then you know, yeah, then you know you need a backup. And I'm not having thirty thousand miles on him. Dad has. DAK has about twenty two, and he's sturdy, He's built like a tank.

He's feel like a Ford Trust. Right. So so the point is, so the point is you can be a little you can be a little bit more, uh, you know, free with not worrying about the backup when you've got a Yeah, I like that. It might come back to bite us all in the butt. But I am comfortable. I'm comfortable trusting that DAK will be available for sixteen months. I'm not I'm just I'm not gonna dignify that. I am not gonna dignify that. Okay, yeah, I get you, David.

I'm actually on the same page with what else are you gonna do? You know, I mean, especially at this point. That's which it would be a fun story if tarn Christian is better than Cooper Russian, Mike White. But like, what a bad look for the ops, for football ops if like this dude that they signed on a whim three days before camp beats out their two year groomed back up and their draft pick, like just they're like, well,

we need an arm for camp. Get in here. Oh, he's actually better than these guys we've been working on for two years. Oh they won't look at it that way because they're never wrong. And sixty five days a year we look at these players. You know, he was like he was always you always got to have an out for why you weren't wrong. But I'll remember, all right, next question, most impressive rookie And there's a list of them. I'll throughout some of the names. You guys feel free

to use these or others. Tristan Hill, Jalen Guyton, Joe Jackson, Jalen Jelks, John Vay, Johnson, Tony Pollard, Daniel Wise, Nick Christian. Um, Okay, this is who you have the best feeling about, who's at the best to practice. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. I'm gonna stick with my guy here. I just I have this this hunch about Jalen Jelks. So I'm not saying he's had great practices. He did not knock a power forward on his ass, So I'll say Joe dumped him,

not just knocked like dumped him. Go ahead, Nick, I'm sorry, Dave, um geez, looks sorry. I was just gonna say, like, he looks the part. You know, he looks like he has that mold of the rest of the group. So I don't know, he's a big, long, beefy dude. But I turn that into um back on the rails. Uh. It's way easier for receivers to stand out out here. But Daniel Wise, he just he's doing stuff. He's he's getting in there low man wins and all that good stuff.

I'm encouraged by what I've seen from him so far. All right, let me see the listing yesterday when you didn't talk that much. You're mad, I don't ever get the TA today you're just coming out fire she said, I'll teach him. I got something for that. You know what, I don't know if I'm most impressive or not. I think Pollard I've seen flashes. Of course, this is something that you would expect from this guy, but he has shown flashes to where it's promising to what he can do.

And then once you plug that in with the old line and everything else, I think he can be explosive and really benefit from him on the field. We'll see, but I would say he has the one that he's been, the one I've been keeping my eye on the most. I would just go with him. Let me ask you a question about all you guys, a question about Tony Pollard. One of the things that I heard a lot when when the Cowboys drafted him was like, the guy has

a background playing receiver. One of his greatest assets is he can catch the ball coming out of the backfield. Have you guys seen him lining up outside or or doing a lot of running routes down field that will allow them to really exploit those assets. Um, and maybe when Zeke is back, create opportunities when you put both of them on the field, with him having a little bit more of kind of an h back responsibility or or even a receiver responsibility in some of those packages.

Yes to the first question, they've been moving him all over the place. He's been shifting out of the backfield and lining up wide. When you say down field like, I'm not talking, I don't want to, I'm not talking to fly, I'm talking. Can he can he run a dig route? Can he run a Yeah? Those are kinds of things he's doing a sitting pretty much just a flare get out in the out open fuel and this point, that's what we have seen. And that's the thing. You know,

I'm excited by his talent. I gotta see that they're gonna use it in a new way before I believe it. And that's on Kellen Moore. You know, I always I fell a hook line and sinker for the Tavon experience. Yeah, I don't, I'm not. I'm not gonna buy it until I see it this time. But I hope, I hope that they use them that way. But you know the good thing with Kellen Moore is what I like so far is that we have been seeing different mixes of

you know, routes and different things. He has been changing it up to where you're not just seeing the same stuff that we're used to seeing. So he's been creative at least. One of the things that Nick and I were talking about the other day that we saw that we've seemed to notice a lot more is guys running free, which to me speaks to a scheme. When you see a guy that's just wide open catching the ball, usually that's not a guy that just beat somebody that bad.

Usually there is something about the scheme of the offense and what they did that purposefully got a guy open. And we've seen, we seem to have seen that. We seem to be seeing that a little bit more. It'll be interesting to see once we get into games if that's what you see. But it does signal to me that maybe you have an offensive coordinator now that that is looking for opportunities to create those types of schemes that can get your guys open and get them in

the open field. Let them see what they can do with the ball in their hands. Oh, let's look, our final break will come back. We got about three or four more questions to do. Well that when we come right back to the DOLF Cowboys dot Com Radio, Well, the player can look good on paper, it's when he's out on the field that you really find out what he's made of. That's why the Cowboys rely on more than just stats and scouting reports when building their team.

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be on the field with America's team. Find Stetson Hats in the Pro Shop or at Stetson dot com. Today Back to the Break Welcome back. This is the final segment of The Break Life from Oxnard, California, and we're going through our quarterly review. Cowboys have been through four practices, although Day thinks it's only been too and we'll have a lot more to talk about here in this final segment. A few more questions that will hit on this team

and what they've done so far through those practices. Next question for you guys, player that's most likely not to be on the final fifty three man roster. Here's some names. Tackle Charlton, Xavier Sulphilo, Tavon Austin Cooper, Rush, Cavon Frasier. Most likely not to make the final fifty three. Now here's the thing I want. Here's the thing. I also want to throw out Xavier Sue Philo. He's a guy

that is playing well out here. However, does that create an opportunity for the Cowboys maybe to trade him to get value on a position, maybe they want to bulk up. You want me to say, Taco, that's what you know. That's not what I want to say, because let me all but let me also say this too, can also throw this in. I know we've given I know we've given Taco hard time. Tacko's not been horrible, like there have been a couple of plays I've seen Taco makeout

here during these first two practices. So let's be a little bit caustiss of painting the picture because I think we have painted the picture a little bit then, Like when we say embarrassing like that it's not weak. When Amber says embarrassing, it does make the picture that he's been like getting just completely overpowered out here. I don't

think that's been the case. When ninety nine point nine percent of the people that are interested in the Cowboys can only see it through the frame of what we say or what we shoot on video, it's like a runaway train, positive and naked, right, I agree, So no, and yeah, and that's what like, I'm not. I'm not going to bury a first round and pick before he even has a chance to play in a preseason game or go through more padded practices. So I don't want you to say tackle, but go ahead. I think the

answer is Xavier Suaphilo. And that's not because he's not a good player. It's because this is a loaded offensive line. We I think we did this the other day. But you've got your starting five, you have Cam Fleming because you need a swing tackle. Then you've got you've got Joe Looney, who it seems silly to think that you would part ways with him. Connor McGovern's not going anywhere. You just drafted him in the top one hundred, so you already have eight U so you're you're running out

of space. And again, how many interior offensive lineman do you need? If you keep nine, wouldn't you like a guy who can play tackle? Xavier Suafilo is a starting caliber player. Maybe you could trade him for something, or you know, somebody might come calling and you can bolster another position. So if I had to bet right now, that would be that would be my guy. One thing I would throughout though I know we've had this conversation

as well. When you start talking interior linement or having too many of them, two of your starting interior linement can also double out onto tackle, so you're not really in a situation where you're really expose having that extra interior offensive linement. Because we're talking about Zach as one, right, Yeah,

we're talking about Zach and we're talking about Connor. Both of them can play tackle or at least have play tackle at some point, and so I do think it creates a little bit more of an opportunity for you if you wanted to have them as your backup, backup plan. I think that's optimistic just because I think they don't want to move Zach, like you don't want the best guard in the NFL playing another position unless there's no

other choice. And then Connor just hasn't done it enough, like he's taken reps at tackle in one ota, I believe. So I think that's a little optimistic, but I mean

I think it's a valid point. It would be the backup to the backup though, right you already have a swing tackle, and I would suspect if you lost a tackle for suspend an extended amount of time, you'd go out and get one yeah off the free agent line, like you wouldn't necessarily going, but you could handle it for the rest of that game if you need it to. You know, Shiloh, his him being here to me is

a contingent on what happens with Frederick. If Frederick is just like really good, no issues, no setback back to form, then I think you could maybe think about parting ways. But if you if if that's not the case, and I just don't expect it will be the case where there's no concerns at all, because then you've got to keep Looney in that role. That Looney could be the starter, and then you got to have to a feelo there.

So I just wouldn't I wouldn't get rid of And then you think about also, so a feel is not old, what happens with Lyle next year, what happens if Connor moves out there? So a filo, I I don't govern the answer that question. I get it, but then I mean, I don't know. I just know you've seen his chief, he works hard. I don't know. That wouldn't be my answer to that question. Okay, we'll get to answer. Yeah,

what's your answer, um Tavon Austin. I just I'll say, I just don't you know where the role will be there. I think Pollard will will do the things you want him to do offensively, you can find a punt returner, you know, worry about making him punt you know. I mean, there's not a lot of opportunities to be you know, to have an aggressive punt return to anyways. So I just don't know if if that that would be the

reason to keep him. You know, well, we'll see. He just you know, he was hurt for a lot last year and seemed okay with it, and I mean he worked hard. I mean he got back when he got back in there, he had a big, big play in the playoff game. But I just don't know if you need him as a gadget type player, which Pollard fills that role. He's not a he never has been this super polished receiver. Right. It's a good answer. That's who

I was leaning towards the most. But I just wonder if Kellen Moore sees something in him to where maybe he thinks that he can utilize him better or actually just utilize him kills last year, they really did any So I wonder, but I saw you on your list. You have Cooper Hush, I would go with maybe Mike White. Either one take it off because definitely you cannot keep three quarterbacks. Well they did last year. They did last year, But at this point I don't, I just I wouldn't.

I wouldn't keep three, especially those two as an option. I wouldn't keep three knowing that if if Dak something would happen to Dak, you're gonna go get it somebody else, right well, and I think we all probably agree that if something happened to Dak long term, they would be

going to get someone else. So it makes me wonder, like, why would you have three on this roster, especially a roster is very deep and you're basically gonna you're gonna have to cut some good players, right, You're gonna have to cut some good players this year. Why cut a good player in favor of keeping three quarterbacks where two of them you feel like are pretty comfortable. I agree with you wholeheartedly, But one thing I've learned is like they get to do whatever the hell they want. It's

there absolutely no I get that out. Like would would you be shocked? Would you be shocked if they kept three? No? No, right shocked? But let me so, let me change the question. Should they keep three? No? No, So we all agree, and I want to if Mike White is even if he's even close, it's just a money thing and a year's thing. Mike White's got two more years or three if you count this season. Cooper Rushes are restricted free agent.

It's the same thing. I think Cavon Frasier makes this team for what he brings as a special teamer, but he's got to watch out for Donovan Wilson because he's the same player. He was drafted in the same round, he plays the same position. If he can do what Cavon does for a cheap at a cheaper price for more years, that's probably where they'll go. So that's what makes it hard for these veterans if you can't separate yourself from that young guy that's coming after your job.

For sure, I do think. I mean, Cavon has been good enough on special teams, and you know, coaches love to keep the guy that they trust to do what they need to do, so I think that gives him a leg up. All right, Free agent most likely to make the final fifty three Georgia Loca, Kerrie Hyder, Christian Covington. I think we all like Hyder and Covington. Question will be though positions where they have a lot of depth. So which of these three is, if you can only

take one, is most likely to make this team? Depth is working against tighter at end. I think it's working for Covington at tackle. Explain that, Well, you got Malik and you got Woods, and then we talked about yesterday. Who else do you you're like that guy's on the team. I mean, Daniel Ross has been solid, but he's no lock by any means. If Covington's solid, then you know you probably keep four defensive tackles and there's not There isn't a third one that's definitively better than him on

the depth chart right now? Yeah? Yeah? What's how did you phrase the question, free agent? That was that's least likely to make the final fifty three? Least likely? Oh least I thought you said most I'm sorry, sorry, at least likely most Let's do both ways, most likely and least likely. So most likely you say Covington, who's your least likely LOA? Which I think that will surprise a lot of people because he's started eighty games and he's been in the league for so long. But and it's early,

it's definitely early. But he's out here running with the third team. You know, they trust, uh, they trust darry and Thompson over him. While Xavier Woods was you know, with the birth of his daughter. His you know, you always got to look at the money in these search circumstances, which I think they gave him nine hundred thousand. It's a lot to us, but not to them. There's nothing, there's no no contractual obligations tying them to him. So he's gonna need to be amazing, I think to beat

out some of this younger. He's got something working for him. Though he went to Boise. Yeah, and when you go to Boise now, I think it's probably Alocas the least likely. But but Hyder's you know, not far behind there because Hyder's just gonna be kind of caught up in just the numbers depth game that I just don't know if if he's gonna be hard. Yeah, it's gonna be tough for him. And do you agree Covingtons most likely? I

think so, But here's the deal about Hyder. Hyder will get a chance to make a splash play in preseason game because he's the guy that plays second quarter. He'll play a lot of the second quarter, maybe even first quarter, first second quarter, and he'll make some plays and he has a position. All you have to do is get around the edge, sack the quarterback, cause a fumball, and

it's like, okay, well he's on the team. Think about it first game if he does something like that, or any of these guys Jackson jokes, any of those guys do that, You're like, okay, well he's on the especially if you do it early in the game. Yeah, if you do it like that. So those guys will have an opportunity, and Hider will play a lot because he's that He'll be in that first, second quarter, third quarter guy,

play a lot and probably make an impact. I do want to say this, and I don't want to harp on it too much because I don't want to sound like Mickey. But the reason why, the reason why I balk at quarterly review and it's two padded practices. That's my impression of Iloca right now. Right but you're talking about a guy that's been in the league since twenty thirteen.

If he gets out here in some practices and starts diagnosing some plays and cuts in and gets a TfL or gets his hand on the ball and just does vets stuff, a week from now, we could be talking about how damn my loca is making all these plays. He hasn't done anything yet. I would even argue they're not He hasn't had a great opportunity because he's buried on the depth chart. But by the time we start playing preseason games, it could be a whole different Guess what,

Guess what we're gonna do a halfway review. I know, and we're gone the camps and look, Rush did nothing really in the first couple of practice. As he goes to Canton and do the game against the Cardinals and he makes a few plays, and it's like, oh yeah, well, and it's gonna be sitting here talking about somebody after that nine years game. But like four great catches here and then one one handed catch in the game, and

all of a sudden, you're boom. It's like the reason why we're smith, you know, It's the reason why we talked about Zavier Woods early in the show he had a great interception the other day that that one play. He had a couple plays, but that one play makes him stand out. So you're right. You get one great play out here, one great play in a preseason game, and all of a sudden you start getting on the radar of people ask hey, well, you don't want to look.

You don't want the possibility of missing out on what this guy can bring you for the season. You don't want to cut him, right, And that certainly happens. We've all seen it happened. And did you have an answer on that most likely and least likely free agent to make the final fifty three? I think least likely. I would go with George just because of the position. When you talk about the other two guys, I think, and I know that people get injured all the time and

they come back and they're still able to play. But for example, with Covington, when you look at Amalie Collins, the injuries that he's had, Antoine Woods, he's dealt with some things, had a surgery during the off season. They should be fine and all of that. But when you talk about injuries, it's just like I know it can be a reoccurring thing. You're never one hundred percent healthy again. So position wise, I would just stick with those two

guys and leave George out. Okay, I just realized I've left Tristan Hill out of my d tackle depth chart. But the point still remains is that there's no clear cut guy above Covington in terms of making the team. All right, final question, rookie most likely to make the team John rookie, I'm sorry. Rookie free agent most likely to make the team John Vay Johnson, Jalen Guyden, Daniel Wise, Mitch Hyatt, and Luke Gifford. Which of those rookie free

agents is most likely to make the fifty three? You want me to say, I know, you know, I don't know. I know, I'm just it's a figure of speech, right. John Vay Johnson is the obvious one, and he has looked really impressive out here. But the unsetting he's been better than Guy Uh yeah, I do, but I mean not you know, splitting hairs, But I think he's been better. But the unsexy answer that might be right is probably Gifford because you know, every year we're like, they can't

stash this receiver. He's too good. And then for sure enough he's on the practice squad. But the linebacker that can come out here and play a bunch of special teams and doesn't look totally lost on defense, like that guy always makes the team. He might not ever dress, but they'll put him on the team. So this was a nick question, by the way it was. It was the reason why I did the question is to somehow figure out a way to get Gifford in an answer.

Right there you go, because you've been seeing the same thing right right. So I was gonna, you know, I thought John Vay would be somebody would pick John Vay or or why, I mean why I've fallen in love with too many receivers over the years. Whether it happens every Yeric Rogers Lance, you know what, I realized, every camp has those guys. Every camp has a free agent right receiver that everybody kind of raves about a little bit.

So when you say, well, we can't cut the Cobboys can't cut him because they lose him, well, every team hasn't. No teams worried. Abodcast is debating about their eighth executive right now, and here's what Gifford's gotta do. He's got to be better than Chris Covington, you know, he's got to be better than Marshall justin Marshall Lillard. So he might not even have to be better than them because you're gonna keep They're gonna keep six, maybe even seven.

Because and I'm all due respect to Sean Lee like he's not I'm not thinking about him on special teams. Like your top three are here to play defense, then the core of your special teams is the back end of your linebacker chart. So whether I mean it could be Louke Gifford, Nate Hall's another one. Um. Yeah, keep an eye on these young linebackers whose names you don't know. Not Andrew Dowell because he was here and he's no longer here. I don't think he's out on the field

to day. They've had a hamstring, you're gonna decide to wave him, give him injury settlement. He was a ricky free agent Andrew. When that happened, I was like we had in Andrew Michigan Michigan State. That's bad. I should probably know that, ver I, Yeah, I didn't know that.

You talk about guys that have been you have such a way with words like well, you know it is not you do this podcast every just mean, yeah, you just need but talking about people that have that are no longer with the team, we didn't even mention that Larry Allen Junior h was was has he been officially he was released ship released in favor of a linebacker. Actually Justin Phillips still another name to keep an eye on.

You know, it's about who. You know, there's no doubt about it that he was here because he's Larry Alan's son. There's no doubt. And they gave him a shot and he didn't. He didn't have it. We knew. We get sad. We could see it. We we we could. But you have to be like the greatest offensive lineman in the history of the Cowboys, maybe the history of the NFL to get that right. I mean, it's not sad and

ill it's this guy pegged it. It's not sad, but you know what I'm saying, it's side in the aspect when you have your dad's name and you're trying to maybe you don't know if that was his dream or not, but when you're trying to live up to your dad's legacy and expectation. Yeah, but you know, he got a degree from Harvard. He went to Harvard. He got Harvard. He got to put on the same jersey as his dad, even if it was only for a few months, he got you know, he got to do he'd lived the

NFL experience for a very short period of time. But I mean he was he was at the Star came out here. There's a photo of him. I bet him and his dad took a picture together after he signed or whatever. Like you know, I'm maybe he wanted to have a better shot at it, but it's still a pretty nice story. Practice squad would have been a good, you know, destination for him. If he makes this team practice squad one hundred thousand, he's about to go make

more than that something do whatever. I'm a graduate of Harvard. Yes, I will be interested to see, Like if you know, is he really I mean, he started in the IVY League, Like he he can't be a terrible football player if he started in college football. So I wonder if anybody else will give him a shot. Maybe I don't know. Maybe, I mean, but like Nick said, like I'm not worried for him. No, he's going to have opportunity for Brian brought us. He already won. Yeah, he won this game

a long time ago. He absolutely did, and there's no reason for him to be ashamed or embarrassed about this. He has a Harvard education, and like you said, he got an opportunity to live the dream for a bit, even if it was just for a small way, longer than live at the vast majority of us. Absolutely right. All right, guys, we were wrapping this thing up. We will be back tomorrow at ten am Pacific time. Noon for you guys back in Dallas, talking a little more

Cowboys football with you till then. For Nick, even Dave Helmet, amber Garcia, I'm Derek Eagleson. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.