Cowboys Break: Final Assessment

live from Oxnard, California. They are down to the final two practices of training Camp twenty twenty one, presented by American Airlines, and we're gonna wrap this thing up for

you guys here on the show today. We're gonna give you some impressions from the Hall of Fame game, some impressions from the Cowboys and Rams joint practice, catch you guys up on some injury news, and then we got a real big camp wrap up where I'm gonna ask these guys a lot of different questions about a lot of different things, and they're gonna give you some opinion so you have a good understanding of what happened during the three weeks almost three weeks that we've spent out

here in Oxnard covering this theme team during training camp. So let's go ahead and jump right in. Let's start first with the Hall of Fame game. Uh. Scintillating football. Uh great, great show, I mean, actually is great. Nothing I can't know, Okay, it wasn't okay the last game. I mean, god, it feels like a month ago. We've like covered this on other things. We can just loss over it if we want to. Let's do this real quick.

Just give me one observation each You give me one observation from that game, and it can't be it sucked, like you gotta give me an actual analysis type observation. Didn't It didn't suck, Okay, got through the NFL sanctioned game that they forced them to play. They didn't get hurt and that's why it didn't. It didn't suck in and they and honestly, I thought it wasn't just that game. It was a forty eight hour thing. I thought it.

Got to give the Cowboys credit for that. I really think McCarthey and has played it, did a good job of playing those guys well knowing what was happening on the back end when the Rams came in and they played some different guys there. I thought, I thought they kind of got through that little period, but not only was some good competition, but relatively healthy. Yeah, that's it's

a shame. And you know, I know we did our best on DC dot Com and we streamed the scrimmage, but I wish that had I wish people could have watched it the way they watched a Hall of Fame game, like broadcast cameras, see the whole thing, because that was the real show, my Hall of Fame game. Micah Parson's good offensive line, bad next onto the next one, don't care.

But the scrimmage was and even that starting offensive one, second team off yeah, well start the starting offensive line was Lyle and Tyler for six snaps, I mean and Connor like we didn't see the starting offensive line. But the scrimmage, the scrimmage was fun preseason football. I mean, you know, you had Aaron Donald and Connor Williams scrapping ceedee lamb catching everything against everybody. Jordan Lewis made some plays in the secondary, which and you know it wasn't

a beat down like the Rams made some plays as well. Um, it was Sewn Jackson, who I didn't even realize it was over there. Yeah, getting loose deep DeShawn Jackson. Uh, yeah, it was. It was that was I went into the scrimmage. I was just like, fight and this is gonna be stupid and we're all gonna feel like we wasted our time. But it was fun. If that's what it's like. I want to do that every year because I feel like I think they got some really quality work out of that.

And and you know, Sean McVay and McCarthy, they made sure that that was the case. You know, I think that was their their thing, going in like we're not we're not trying to go in here and fight, you know, like that that's the which is yeah, that's not productive, ironic because they there was a fight on the second rep of teeth, but they got it set rated And did you notice like it was very clear. Nick, I

think you were the one that told me about McCarthy. Um. But but I did see Sean McVay when the fight started. He was on the opposite field and he sprinted all the way across the field and made a bee line right toward Aaron Donald and had that look on his face kind of like, dude, you're my leader. What are you doing? Why are you in the middle of talk about this? Right? We talked about this? Yeah, well another play too, and Tony Pollard and some guy for any

young yeah he um. They had a mini scrap whatever if you will in forty one. Yeah. I kind of was like quick hit and hit and run and McVay I thought it was funny. He ran in and went after Pollard to to stop him, like, and I was thinking, you know, it's but they're just trying to squash it. You pick the guy to stop you. If you're Sean mcvayh. I mean, Pollard's probably your best bet. If that, I mean, I get that because Tony's small for an NFL player, But like, on my list of guys who I think

are about it, Tony Pollard's high on my list. Don't mess with people from Memphis. That's that's like written in stone somewhere, like no way. Yeah, he's like one of those pound for pound guys, you know. Yeah, kind of like JJ Wilcox just absolutely Muhammad Ali on Jadaz a couple of years ago, like Daz looks like the really tough guy, and JJ was like and JJ is the quiet guys like you gotta be careful to the quiet guy.

I wouldn't mess with Tony. Yeah, we've we've heard of stories like that where a little cornerback actually you know, beat up like the biggest defensive end on the team. So it happens like that, does um. But but you know Bohannas from Memphis, I wouldn't mess with him either. He's six four, three thirty and looks like he weighs two eighty. Yeah, that that combination if we're just going off of the hometown town scrappers. Yeah, Memphis is gonna be up there. They're gonna have a high seed in

the in the in the tournament. I don't know who else is even in there. I don't know. All right, let's move on. I do want to talk a little bit about some injuries. Uh Neville, Gallimos, Gallamois. Start with him. Where is he and what's his injury? Um? He did? Him and Terrell basham both hurt their ankle, both guys. I don't get the impression that it's like a super big deal. I mean, ankle injuries are never great. So we might not see him practice this week just because

there's only one real practice until we go home. But I don't get family. It was a family day as well. They had some family members that were there. They got a chance to kind of give some tickets to the family. And Gallimore was pulled out a practice, wanted to go back in after for the RAMS practice, but was still out here, you know, taking pictures with his family and

visiting with them. So if it was that serious, he would have been up the training table and with a boot on which and we can touch on sha wo too, That's what I was gonna says. It's been three days since the scrimmage, yeah, and nothing. Nothing has come out about Gallimore or Basham, which is always a sign that

it's not a huge deal. Whereas shawoh, apparently I have no memory of that, but got hurt during the Hall of Fame game, and they're saying it's a neck injury and he might be out for a pretty significant chunk of time seeing him walk around here this this campus with a pretty extensive neck brace on. So yeah, no, it doesn't feel good. Now, it's gonna be a while from from what we've been told. In a while for a backup running backslash fullback, that was kind of on

the outside of, you know, making the team. He made it last year for a few games, I think when Zeke got hurt and he was on the roster, but it was gonna be a tough still uphill for him to make it. So um, you know, I don't know what's in store for him. We'll see how serious it is, but it smells like a situation of maybe injured reserve.

How much does that affect how the Cowboys want to play football, because I mean, everybody points to the fact that in Green Bay, Um McCarthy always had a fullback, but he had a really good fullback, so maybe it was maybe it was more of a function of, yeah, I had a great one, so okay, I was good with that, rather than I need a fullback in my office in order to make it run. And that fullback John Coon, I believe they don't have a guy like that here. I mean a lot of Louis Is as

a running back that's really big. He's a big running back that kind of can play that h back role, but he's not he's not just gonna mix it up in there and block. They don't really have that guy. Yeah, I pulled this up for you. Derek Dallas ran. Dallas ran nine snaps of twenty one personnel last year, So was that because they didn't have one? Well, and yeah, I mean they likely didn't have one this year. I think, I really think, I think Shawill might have made the

team because he fits an end. We haven't seen a fourth tight end that really looks like he's deserving of being on the team. Haven't. Probably don't need a fourth running back. But shaw was interesting because he could have been a fullback when you want to do that, could have been an h back. Obviously, he's a big body guy, which gives him a role on special teams. I really think, I really think he had a good shot to make the team as kind of a hybrid for running back

forth tight end kind of guy. Um And I don't you know, maybe he's still will we don't. We don't know the severity or at least maybe he can get back at some point this season. But it seems like a pretty unfortunate setback for him. And for the purpose of what you just say, at those nine twenty one I bet most of those are probably Pollard and yeah right, yeah, yeah, on the field together more than they were a fullback.

So Coyboys haven't had a fullback, a traditional fullback, I don't think in quite some while, not a not one that you can really that they use significantly. Even when they had one a few years ago, they didn't really use him significant. They'd rather go thirteen personnel with three tight ends, or even you know, twelve personnel they had two tight ends. Keith Smith had some moments, but it was never but never on the like, yeah, there you go. Not and I'm still playing, by the way he is.

He's in Atlanta now, still playing. Just had a baby girl, UM's wife. But they like, you know, never on the John Coon level. Never, like they haven't done that in the time that I've been here. Ye, all right, we're gonna take our first break. It's literally, but we're gonna get that breakout the way when we come back, we're gonna jump into our camp wrap up. I got a lot of questions for these guys on some different areas of the team, things that they've seen out here at

training camp that they think will will happen. We're gonna get their opinions. We're gonna tip found out whether they're leaning yes or leaning no on some of these thoughts about who's gonna be doing what come the regular season? Will we come back? This is Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio. Before there was a draft, you could size up at cowboy by three simple factors. The crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude a man.

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details back to the break. Dallas Cowboys Training Camp returns to the Star in Frisco starting with Cowboys Night, presented by American Airlines on August sixteenth. Watch the Cowboys practice and enjoy free activities at the Star beginning at four pm. Fans have a chance to catch three additional practices on August twenty, twenty seventh, and twenty eighth. The mission and parking are free. Visit the Star in Frisco dot com for details. That is it will be at the Star

at Ford Center. Yep. It's where we'll be practicing. Yep. And just so you guys know, if you're in that area, we're having a special practice on Monday. I think it is this coming Monday. There should be act said we'll be having out at the Star. I think it's gonna start at six pm. Our producer Chris, I'm looking at him. I think it's at six pm on that Monday night. But make sure you check it out. I will have some more information for that coming out on our website soon,

so you can check that out. But if you're in the Frisco area, try to get out to one of the practices. It will be fun time at the Ford Center at the Star yet something. Yeah, I got some awesome news. I mean, this is this is outstanding news, right boy. That means it's not gonna be that outstanding if you did it like that. But go ahead, I don't know. Yeah, yeah, it's bad radio. Oh no, that's good.

That's goods Ariy poopers off the pup. Everybody can relax this party, baby, justin justin time to go home and practice and texts. That's fine, look, which is exactly what they said. The more time goes on, the more I have to say, Dave, I agree with you, because over time I've learned, like I don't need to see these guys in training camp. I don't need to see them in the preseason. There's certain guys all I need to see you. Let me know if you're gonna be ready

Thursday night when they take gone Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I could be on the ch is and he is one of those guys. I don't care about him being out here, No, I really don't. I agree. It's a six it's a six week or deal. And Tampa even today, after twenty however many days we've been out here, Tampa is still thirty something yeah, we got to see him in time, do some stuff in practice, you know. And here's the thing.

When they've got this, it's a different schedule obviously this year, the last preseason game is really about for most teams two weeks away. For the Cowboys it's like a week and a half away. But still that's enough time to get some good practices. And I think that's when you want to see Marii, Cooper and d Logue get in for those practices of that week. It's a little bit more than than a regular week. Get into there, get ready,

get geared up, understand the game plan, all that. That's kind of where where I would want to see those guys that Wednesday, I say Wednesday practice. It's a Thursday game, so whatever, even Sunday, Saturday, Friday, those those days leading up to the game, Labor Day, weekend practice. So let's shove into our camp wrap up. Here's what I'm gonna do. I have a list of statements here. They're not all questions.

A lot of them are statements. And what I want you guys to do is tell me if you're leaning yes or leaning no. I know it's not definitive because obviously there's still, like you said, Dave, just few minutes ago, it's thirty seven days before the first game, so there's still a lot more football to be played before they get to a point where they really know how they're

going to approach the season. But if you're leaning yes or leaning no in each of these different areas, let's start first with the quarterback we just talked about missing time. Dak Prescott will be ready and fully prepared for Week one. Are you leaning yes? Are you leaning no? See shout out Amber Garcia talk there yesterday. She's so awesome right now, right, but she is. Shout out Amber if you're listening, But go ahead, she is not. She absolutely is not. Oh,

do I have to say something else? Leaning yes? Leaning? Know why because um going back to and I get it. Teams lie. That's fair. They always do. But contrary to what McCarthy set up on the podium, when Dak first got hurt, like they diagnosed this as a two three week injury the minute had happened, and we haven't heard anything from any of the people that we've talked to that suggests that that's not true. I think I think way back up, did you just say they diagnosed this

as a two or three week injury when it happened. Yeah, I thought they tell us when it first happened it was gonna be two or three days. Yeah, McCarthy misspoke, Like McCarthy got out and like McCarthy, which I think we talked about this on the last show, McCarthy, we get mad at coaches for not giving us timelines. This is exactly why, like the people treating Dak are like, yeah, this is a multi week thing. And McCarthy said that, And that's why you don't do that, because when you

don't meet that deadline, everybody frees the hell out. But behind the scenes, nobody's worried that he's off schedule and hasn't been this entire time. That's why the question is what No, will he be ready? Yeah, and here's the part will he be? I said, will he be ready and fully prepared? Because the reason why I say fully prepared is because how much do you factor in for Dak a quarterback if you're not practicing, how much does that affect you being at your best when the games

actually start. Well, it's one of those things where you know he's he's healthy. With everything else, he's just you know, just they want to limit his throwing. So he's been out there, he's been in uniform, he's been he's had his helmet on, which is important because he was listening to the plays and the play calls and all that. He'll be as in tune with what's going on, is anybody could be. I think they'll start throwing, you know, again, probably that week. We've just talked about leading up to

the game. The question is will he get any preseason work, And I think he will. Actually, he'll get some preseason game and that's because because of the ankle injury, he's got to get back out there and just kind of get in the feel of things. Different than d Law and Amari Cooper. I don't think they need that, But I think it's the quarterback who bands the huddle and

gets the speed of the game and all that. He'll He'll get a few snaps in Houston and timing in those kinds of things is the way I look at it. I think a quarterback has more things that he has to work into. UM. And again, we've seen traditionally, and I shouldn't say traditional, we've seen that times. UM this offense has sputtered early in games, and it's kind of like they get in the flow and then they start going.

I wonder if this is a situation, if he hasn't been practicing, will it take him a while to kind of get the rust off. And when you're playing a team like Tampa Bay start the season, you might have had that chance to be able to really, you know, get into it. You gotta go immediately because that that defense is really good and that offense can put up some points. Yeah, Houston game is the twenty first, which is eleven days from now. I bet he will play

in that game. That would be outstanding. I leaned toward. I leaned toward thinking that all right, good, perfectly right, the right to change my mind. Let's go onto the next the next topic. Ceedee, Lamb will be the best wide receiver on this team in two thousand twenty one? You leaning yes or leaning no? I hate that question. Yeah, I just I But ask me another another way to describe it, and I'll say yes. And I could say

yes to all of those guys. I think. I think Amari Cooper is still the better wide receiver of the group. He's he's I mean, he had he's coming off a great year quietly with four different quarterbacks, had ninety two catches. I think he's the best receiver. That's DeAndre Hopkins type stuff like it is. Most receivers don't do that when you put him with all those different quarterbacks. No, he was outstanding, and I think he I don't. I think you gotta CD. He's got to prove that he could

be better than him. Now, who's gonna have more Top ten plays on Sports Center? There we go, Yeah, I would be the most dynamic, and that's yeah, I And that's I hesitate to say CD is gonna be the best because I think people sleep on Amari because his game's not very sexy, Like he's a fantastic route runner. Quick think about like the best plays he's made here over Like he's made some amazing plays, you know, the overtime winner against Philly. He gets behind the defense, he's

gone in the house from eighty yards out. But he doesn't do things things like Dez did where he's pinning balls against his helmet and extending for the goal line and all this crazy stuff. Well like CD didn't practice where you kind of probably calls CDs des Junior Atlanta catch though last year he was about sixty yards downfield one hand. That's probably one of the better catches I can remember him. But CD's got a flair, oh Amari, Yeah, you're right, he did do that. You're right, um, But

CD's got a flair for the dramatics. So I bet CD will have six of the ten best catches of the year. But I'm not ready to say he's a better overall receiver than a Marine good. I mean, not to diminish the question. But the good thing is is that doesn't they don't have to be you know what I mean, Like they can compliment each other and that's what's good. And then and then you got Michael Gallup who just kind of quietly goes about his business and does his thing. And and I mean, is there a

better number three receiver in the league. If it, it's probably Tampa. It's Tampa and Dallas. Oh, Antonio Brown and yeah, maybe whatever they've God went on Evans. Yeah, And I don't honestly, the way Antonio Brown played last year, I don't sure if I necessarily think he's better. Yeah. So I mean I'll tell you this. I look at this and I think I think statistically this year we're gonna see CD take a leadership position. I think he'll have the most touchdowns of any of the wide receivers. I

think he might have the most catches. I think all the way around. By the end of this season, he's going to assume a role where, at least from a perception standpoint, he will be the number one wide receiver in Dallas. And here's where I think it is important.

You're right, it doesn't matter for right now. Where I think it becomes vitally important when you get to the end of the season, because if he is securely one of your your best wide receiver and among the very best in the league, then I think it does affect how you handle the off season with regards to what you're gonna do with Gallup and what that means for Mary Cooper, Right, because if you've got one of the very best wide receivers in the league, then you know

at that point when his contract comes up, you're about to pay him a ton of money. And that may make you say, Okay, maybe we know we can't sustain all three. Who do we really want to keep as the number two? Right? If you're doing a number two, do you really want to keep Gallop or do you want to keep Amara Cooper? Because Amari Cooper within another year or two, you got to make a decision on him. So I think all that factors in. It's all becomes

important at the end of the season. And I do think he's gonna take that next step and become one of the very best in the league. Yeah, I don't know how I feel about that, just be I mean, you're not saving like you're really not saving money, I guess, is my point. Like if you if you offer Gallop a deal, even if you mean, even if it means you let go of Amari, like Gallops deal is gonna be big. So you're gonna have two really expensive receivers regardless.

I don't know. I don't know about three. No, I mean no, I think I mean that will come to a head in some form or fashion at some point. I don't. I can't imagine all three of them being here at least, yeah, I can't because yeah, I mean on this trajectory, and I know, like you want to pay Mike, I do, but I know that you gotta you gotta give up something. I put it as four four guys that's that's on a different level. Yeah, and the old lines on a different level. There's four skill players,

three receivers in a running back. You can't keep all four. Yeah, you can't pay And so I would be working on a deal with Michael Gallup right now. I think he's everything you want for this team as far as a playmaker, but also his mindset, his mentality, the things he said yesterday, things he said several times in the past. He's the kind of guy you want on your team, um, for many reasons. So I would love to pay him, But I understand that if you do that, you might not

be able to keep a Mari. You might not be able to keep Zeke. You might have three high priced receivers on your team next year and a running back with Tony Poller didn't second and third round rookie. Can you afford though? Can you? I don't know what his contracts says, well, can you afford? But do you see the subtraction that I'm talking about? Yeah? Yeah, I'm saying, can you afford to do that? Getting rid of Zeke next year is going to hurt your at Oh to

get rid of Zeke next year? Yeah, yeah, I don't know that you're gaining anything by doing that financially, And he may not be the guy that's out then because you're not gonna you're not gonna hurt as bad if you get rid of him, Mark, I mean, you know, I mean we're kind of jumping ahead of ourselves, but I mean I do think that that, you know, we'll see how things play out. Things could play out differently

today than they are you know, yesterday. But it's what I keep saying that, I mean, Amari, Amari could have with a full season of dak he could, we could. We're like, oh my god, why weren't we talking about Amari as a top five receiver in the league? Or Gallup could have this amazing year, and like it's I mean, I don't some of these like you don't have to solve everything ahead of time. You really don't. Like if if Gallup has this amazing year, you could even tag him.

You can rearrange some contracts to give yourself for him to tag him, Like you just don't have to do this right now. And I know, like people are so worried about losing value. They're like, we can't, we can't just let Mike walk for not. It's like nobody said you had to do that, just just there's seventeen games, and our opinions about these guys fluctuate wildly from year to year, from game to game. Yeah. Absolutely think I'll say this, and I know a lot of people that

are listening and all of us play fantasy football. You're gonna be pissed off at the Cowboys receivers this year. You are. There's gonna be games where you're gonna be made, well, honestly fun. I honestly, I don't know if I agree with that, mainly because the way I look at it is these receivers, there's no receiver in the league outside of maybe two or three that are every week winners. Like they all kind of have a week when they're

great and in a week when they're okay. What I will say is, you go back and look at Ceedee Lamb last year when he had Dak Prescott, he was an every week start. He was a guy every week that was gonna put up numbers, and I think it's gonna be just as much so this year. I think Ceede Lamb is a guy. That's why I'm saying. I think he's gonna take that step to where even if it's a game where he's not in the end zone a lot, he's gonna still have five catches seventy five yards.

You know what I'm saying. I just think he's gonna be your your main like he is going to be, in my opinion, your most consistent threat every week. Well that, I mean five for seventy five. Is that good enough for where you drafted him, you know, if that's his worst week, yes, yes, I'll take that thing. Okay, Well, I don't think it'll be like that. I mean, I think there'll be games where you can take him away, but that means that will be will be good. I mean,

it's just hard. It's just hard to to you know, feed everyone. I think I think if you want to, if you want a guy like that, I would take Dakudak's gonna be the one that's probably gonna gonna get you a lot of points there, even down in the goal line, that will be running in touchdowns. Not as much as z but hopefully yeah, yeah, hopefully yes, hopefully true. All right, let's move on to the next topic. The

swing tackle is currently on this roster. You leaning yes or leaning no, I lean towards No, William Last our producer, I lean towards yes, but I mean I lean towards yes, because like like what else is But that's everybody's like the offensive line depth on this team sucks, like get in line. No, no, no, there aren't any good No, there aren't enough. I'm not leaning towards. Yes, I'm jumping towards yes, yes, yes, without a doubt. Your swing tackle is on the roster. Yes I did. Are playing tackle

right now? No he isn't right now. There we go. That's where I was trying to lean. I'm glad, and that's what I think that were we talking about, Jack Martin. I think I think you're starting. I think your backup what was your idea? I loved every when the coach did no, actually no, all right, keep keep going. Keep no, he's killing his own idea. No, keep going, and I'll decide if I hate it or not. I just think when we go into Tampa Bay, I think you're starting five.

We kind of know who starting five is going to be. I think your backup a center is will be your starting left guard, and I think your backup swing tackles you're starting right tackle. That's a problem, isn't it well, because now one problem becomes two. Yeah, I get it, I get it, and that's where But but then again, I mean, it just comes down. It still comes down to your best five. Okay, guy, guy gets hurt. It's is Terrence Steele a better option to play right tackle

than Connor McGovern is to play guard. And I'm saying, if something would have happened to one of the tackles, you got to move Zach out and you put McGovern in to play Zach Martin spot instead of Steele, just replacing one of the guys. It might depend on which side. I think they're okay with Steel at the right tackle, because you gotta remember, and Tony Romo used to say this all the time, right tackle, better don't hold. I

can see this guy. You don't have to hold. You don't have to think because I can see him coming and I will get I'll get away from him. In fact, Tony could see the guy I'm behind him for some reason. He could do that. But I'm just saying right tackle though typically I'll see him coming for the most part. But left tackle that's kind of a big deal. So I think they would move Zack maybe the left tackle, but he's not practiced it at all. You know, I think I only like the idea of Zach kicking out

if it, you know, knock on wood. But if it's like a significant injury where you've lost the tackle for a long time, like if it's one week, I think I'd rather just or even to finish a game. Oh yeah, yeah, I mean I think I'd rather just have Terrence Steele run out there. Maybe, but I don't feel great about that either, So I don't really I don't have a definitive answer. Maybe I mean, Zach plan right tackle and McGovern playing right guard might be better than Zach playing

right guard and Steel playing right tackle. I don't know that they will sign. They will claim someone when when the cuts are made, I firmly believe there will be a veteran guy, whether it be tackle or a center. They're gonna bring somebody in. Somebody's gonna gonna drop a player that is just better. They do it almost every year. Year. Every year, I think, I think they've got to do it. This year, they're gonna find someone probably better than than

Tye and Sky or Steele. Was it this show or I don't remember, but like, we feel really good about seven guys on this team right now, like the starting five, and then um McGovern and then probably Steele maybe he's a development just I like feel good about him as a player, but feel good that he'll probably be on the team. Oh god, yeah. And then after that, I'm like, I'm invested on him. So so here's the follow up question of that top five offensive linemen on this team?

Leaning Esseleni No, Smith, Martin Collins, Williams, Beotish, Um, exactly, yes, I said Smith, Martin Collins Williams. And I think that's your top five. Yeah. A lot of people are trying to fire Tyler Beotish, but I'm not ready to do that yet. I haven't. It's a Ricky Waters thing for me. I mean for who, for what? I mean who? Well the question, and I think a lot of people, a lot of people are talking about the fact is Connor

mcgoverned better at guard? Is he challenging Connor Williams enough to where you say he is one of your better offensive linement And that means that having him on the field and sliding, which a lot of people aren't in love with beardist sliding Connor to center gives you your best five, That's that's the question for you. I don't think it doesn't give it your best five. It doesn't because because be honest, is better at center than Connor

Williams is right now, especially snapping the ball. I don't think Connor's there just yet at all? Now could he be? I mean, this goes back to what we've said before. He just needs work. And I applaud Connor Williams actually for his attitude of like he's like, yeah, I want to do it. I like doing I love playing center, you know, and so you know here he is going

into a contract here. Maybe he sees the value of that of like, hey, I could play all of these spots from college to now, I'm playing them all, so that might give him more value. But you know, I just wish they would have done it earlier because I really think they could have been this could have been something here. Yeah, I don't I don't know what I feel about McGovern. I I'm a little bit like you.

I'm with you on that. I don't know. I don't know if I'm as in love with him as it seems like the reporting has been on him, Like I've been watching or not. I'm just like looking at him and I'm like, there's some moments, but there are also some moments where I'm like, not so much. So I don't. I don't know if I've seen what everybody else thinks they're seeing or reporting. He's he's been fine. He hasn't. Yeah, he's not better than Connor at guard. I don't think

Connor Williams they're better Van Connor. Yeah, but yeah, I don't. I don't. I think I think the five that we're familiar with will be the five on the field against I will tell you this. Connor Williams in that last practice against the Rams showed you something like he's out there against Aaron Donald, and what you guys didn't see you saw. I'm assuming everybody saw what led to that little brief skirmish where Connor kind of threw him down

after you'd already still made it him. But really, I think a lot of the frustration that maybe Donald was feeling came from the other end. Donald. We were watching them in one on one and Connor beat him twice. Now, one time you could say maybe it was a stell mate. Maybe it was kind of like when he could have gotten off and maybe made a play, But that first one he got still made. Oh. I posted that clip on Twitter and it made the rounds, and I've still

people arguing in my mentions about who won that. And I get it the first one and that no literally, I mean, and no question that I've never played offensive line. There are plenty of people saying he pushed him five yards deep. I'm like, I don't give him anchor. Yeah, if an offensive line can anchor and you're not moving him at that point, you're not going anywhere. Not to mention, it's Aaron Donald drop. If he only goes five yards,

I'm fine with that. Yeah, and you have a mobile quarterback, like I'm telling you, though, I had every offensive line expert in on Twitter bickering about who won the rep, and I was just like, if the three time defensive Player of the Year pushes him four yards back and then stops moving Connor one, I don't care what you say. And I think Donald proved my point because he was pissed and that's why they wound up in a fight.

In my opinion, Yeah, there's no doubt. There's no doubt that Connor, I mean dominated that that's that's what physics is. You they push the pile that everybody does that. This is how can they anchor and they set and they eventually stop it, And that's everybody does that. There's gonna be your your worst defensive tackle that we have is going to push Zack Martin back a little and then you know, Travis Frederick used to always do it, and you can see his back just kind of torquing and

he anchors it and then okay, now you're done. And so that that was a clear mean basically you're kind of you're kind of just going back with them a little bit just to be able to get to a point where you can anchor set and then it stops. Right. I Mean, I hate to say this, but Connor, I mean, I hate to say this, but if we really being honest, Connor Williams has played well against Aaron Donald in his career the times that they've faced him, he's actually done

a pretty nice job against him. It was some of the other guys Brockers, I mean, and Dominican Sue a few years in the playoffs years ago. I mean, he was the one guy he gave Zack Martin Sue gave Zach Martin more more problems than Donald gave Connor Williams. Now, did they give some some help, Yes, of course they did. They always will give help for Aaron Donald. But Connor Williams seems to play well against him, because, if you think about it, Aaron Donald, as as as great as

he is, he's not the biggest defensive tackle. He is just so strong, powerful, and he's quick quick. Yes, and you got it. You know Connor Williams, that's kind of his game too. I'm not believe me, I'm not saying I'm not saying that there, you know, I'm not saying he's the He's the Jordan Stopper. Okay, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that their games kind of compliment well enough where he can kind of hang a little bit where the overpowering guys are the ones's gonna give Connor

a little bit more problems. All right, we're gonna take our final break, We're gonna come back. I got more questions for these guys. They're actually doing a pretty good job. So I'm proud of you. Just keep it up here, Let's well, let's keep it up. We still got a whole. I don't know, maybe fifteen twenty minutes left on the show. See if you guys can continue this kind of energy. But to be back on the road, this is Dallascott

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It is our final segment out here in Oxnard, California. We're gonna wrap this puppy up and head back to actually gonna head to Phoenix for a game and then head back to the one. We're gonna wrap That's all I heard. And then we're gonna head back to Frisco Dave for a little practice. There. No, not not not live on the mic, well not really period. I can't. I'm not listened to it. I listened to it. I can't do it. Really, No, you got no flaw at

are you kidding me? Really? I would have thought you could have just like off off the head, just mocking me right now. No, seriously, I would have thought you could. I would have thought you would be pretty decent. I might have You're witty too. You gotta be Yeah, right, that's what I'm saying. I thought he'd have a little something. I grew up in New Orleans, but my I am a I'm a midwestern white guy. Like no, I got nothing for you. I stop, I can't wrap Okay, all right,

that's okay. Maybe we'll have you work on that and maybe one day you can do something. You think the rapper of our group is you think Rob Nicky long silence without a do Absolutely, he's got. All right, let's jump back in. We're doing a camp wrap up. We've got some questions or actually topics that we're throwing to these guys. We're finding after their leaning yes, leaning no.

Let's next talk about Michael Parsons. Michael Parson. Michael Parsons will be one of the starting linebackers Week one, leaning yes, leaning no. I got dinner. I got dinner writing on this, So don't let that. Like you can always back away from it. If you want to back away from it, it's a good time to do it. Talking to Dave, I mean, yeah one h yes, who said who says no? Dave said I said that in aping and that feeling good about it, especially look at the first game I

mean look at that. I mean they just put them out there. I mean that's ther three linebackers. I think they're gonna go in there. But what are the odds they open in base? That is all this comes down to. No, Yeah, it does down to exactly how they opened up dot, how they run out of the tunnel. And the first like you know for that with the starting lineup says right. And that's the thing like I think when you when you look at I think they're going to announce this

defense as three linebackers. Yeah, but more so than they would say, hey, we're not going to put Micah on the starting announced. He is going to be announced as a starter from day one, in my opinion. Just yeah, we just got the depth chart sent to us from the PR. Let's let's stop, let's stop fibbling, let's stop quibbling. Mike is going to play eighty percent or more of the snaps week one? Will he play the most of

any linebacker? Um? No, Layton. Layton will be on the field, like, Layton won't come off And I could see them rotating Mica and Jalen and just look what because it's because he's hurt. Well, he's hurt could be. I mean, I mean, it could be. I don't like I don't like making fun of people. I'm not making fun of him. I'm not. That's not making fun of him. I love his game. I wish he was on the field more, but he hasn't been, and if he was more consistent, they would

have given him that fifth yer option. I'm just it's not me. It's the fact that he goes off of the history suggest that he doesn't play as much as you want well, and the question would come out of that. He gets hurt in the in the season opener two years in a row. But no, But that's but that's where I think the question becomes. If you if you know that he has a history of injury, is it's smart to put him on the field and say he doesn't come off. Yeah, that's his job. He's the week

the weak side linebacker. Yeah, but look, when you've got when you've got other options though, and you can rotate a little bit more, Does it make more sense three to play two? What about four to play three? I mean, that's what they have, That's what I'm saying, So so does it make more sense to move those guys around? A little bit more. So he's not taking as many snaps because you want to protect him a little bit more.

I still when you have options, even they're gonna find a role for Mica, they're gonna find a role for Jayalen and Keanu Um. I still think Layton's, assuming he's healthy, I think his will be the highest because he's the best pure linebacker in terms of like understanding things and being able to make those types right now, right now. Yeah, that's what we're talking about. Just I'm just saying that more is a kind of almost abjecting three years into

my even three years, give me half the season. Okay, I don't know. It's press commerce. Yesterday I had him in the Hall of Fame. Yeah, I know, I know. He didn't shy away from it. He really didn't. Well, CD had a comment to do cecd's comment. Yeah, I think they're both looking toward that. I'm on grind til I get that gold jacket. Whatever he said, which you should be. Smith came into the league and said, what's the wreck Who's got the most yards? It's like, it's

what's Walter Payton. He's like, well, that's what I want. Set big goals I'm a big believer in that. Absolutely, Um, Layton Layton is he's without Shawn Lee here. That's he's that guy. And I mean the parallels of them getting hurt are not and it's a pretty big coincidence. But like he under I have no doubt that he understands this thing the best out of anybody. That's what I think people forget about him, is he because he does he has been injured something. When he's not injured, when

he's playing football, he is an all Pro player. That's how good he can be. That's what's and we've seen it about this whole thing is that, you know, if they can they got to figure out how to get how to get jay Lin evolved. They got to figure out how to how to what to do with him to get him in his best spot. I think Dan Quinn is the guy to do that, and I think he will, um, you know, and then Kean O'Neil's kind of the same thing. But you got Parsons doing his thing.

If Layton can do his thing, I mean those linebackers can be really good. They have the potential to be really good. If Layton can play a full season and be healthy and play to that level, and what we've seen in Michael Parsons, I really believe they could be among the best linebacker duos in the entire league. That's how good they can potentially be. And that would also mean if they're that good, how much do the two of them come off the field, Like do you want

them coming off the field? You know? When you when you look at Carolina when they were at their best with Keithley and what was the other against Thomas Davis when they had two of them, Like, they didn't let them off the field very often because they were that good. It almost gets to that point because they have that kind of potential because they're both really that good when

they're healthy, end and out there. Okay, So this bet that you guys have is gonna have to be on the field, right on the field for the first All that matters is who's on the field. Okay, Because I say this because if you go to the Cowboys, they just sent out like their notes for the second game, Walks PR department, our PR department's gonna get us. He's not listening to going to give us a penalty because because and they know and John looking at Joe Trehanna.

Pr guy has done a great job here at camp. But um, on their on their depth chart, they have twelve guys on defense. Ah, so I'm say you can't go off of that. So they're going they are going to list all three linebackers as starters until they don't have a choice. Yeah, it's really it's really not the line, Joe says, ding Ding, ding Ding, It's not. It's the

four defensive linemen. You know. It's two ends, two tackles, three linebackers, two cornerbacks, two safeties and then n B nicol back, which is is you know, I guess a good band. But um, but you know, but Jordan Lewis h is right there now, like coming right on his heels though, Maurice Kennedy, I mean, you got it. If he keeps doing this, you gotta figure out how to play him where. Yeah, it ain't just making a team anymore.

It's like how does he get on the field? Yeah no, But man, I mean when you just how many linebackers are they listening there in the its as among the starters three, I mean Micer's on the outside linebacker, Layton's outside linebacker, and middle linebacker's Ja the more I think about which the reason I made that bet is, you know, seniority and politics go into this and seventy million dollars player. But I'm sitting here thinking about it. Tampa's gonna open

up with three receivers. You're gonna be forced to Micael better be on the damn field because you need speed and Jalen doesn't have the same caliber. And by the way, even when you said that before, I think there are two things at play. One, we were we have been conditioned by the Garrett regime that seniority like that matters. Yeah, But the second nun now, Yeah, But the second thing that I think we got a factor in is if you want to talk about the seventy million dollar man,

that's kind of irrelevant. This is a first round draft pick, almost a top ten draft pick, Like, there is no way that you don't want him front and center, and they're getting everything that they wanted when you draft a first round pick. Right now, which is the rest is saying he is a bad ache by the way he's living. That doesn't sound as good. He's a badass. You can

say that we're not regulated. Okay, I'm not gonna say that but he's living up to it, which is you know, I didn't think he was gonna be bad, but I wasn't convinced he was just gonna have skyrocket like this. So sitting here in August, it's a whole lot easier for me to believe he's on the field, no doubt about it. All Right, let's move on to the next topic. Uh and this one, actually, I'm just we're gonna do this for fun. Michael Parsons will be the best playmaker

on this defense in twenty twenty one? Leaning yes, leaning no. Wow, that's a good question, umlaymaker. He's the guy, like we talked about, He's gonna be that guy that shows up on Sports Center. If you're gonna have a guy on this defense that ever shows up on Sports Center, is he the most likely candidate? Yeah? Yeah he is not. He is. I'm gonna go for ninety four. I think I'm gonna go for it. I'm gonna do it again

ninety four for Randy. I think Randy's gonna make some sacks, gonna make some fumbles, gonna you know, I think Randy's got to do and he did a better job of it last year. Gotta cut down those penalties, those dumb penalties. To cut those down, no more. Don't hit back. When they hit you, you know you're a target. They know, Hey, Rile up ninety four, we might get a fifteen yard penalty. They did it with Dez back then you can't be that guy beat disciplined. He's disciplined and and goes out

there and makes plays. I think he'll be the playmaker. I think he'll be more sacks. I think he'll get some turnovers. Here's why I say yes. And it's not so much because I'm convinced Mica Parsons is going to the Hall of Fame. But I think I think his role is almost gonna be as kind of like a monster in this defense. He's he can blitz, he can cover, he's gonna drop, He's gonna be able to get picks. I don't know how good he's gonna be at it when the when the lights are actually on, but he's

clearly got the instincts and he's got the athleticism. So if Randy gets around the corner and swipes the ball out of guy's hand, he's probably gonna be there to get it. If he blitzes and sacks the quarterback and the ball comes loose. He's got the athletic like he should be around the ball just enough, and and and he and he has the instincts to capitalize on it. So he's gonna he's gonna be the guy make like finishing other people's plays like Layton Vanderesh jars the ball

loose and Micah's on the spot to get that. I can see that very clearly. It's like what happened, not in the game, by the way, Yeah, absolutely, yeah, I mean he was right there to make it. And you know what you just described reminds me of Troy Palamalu. Yeah,

you know, no, I don't. I'm not trying to I'm not trying to say it is a similar similar thing, Like he's just the guy be around the ball, do this and do that and laughing because he's arguably the best safety of the last fifty I mean, you know, honestly, there was a time when I thought Troy Palomala was the best football player in the NFL. And I agree with you, and also not one hundred percent sure that

he's like fully human really all true. It's like superhero to me, the way that he used to time the snap and jump over the line. Yeah. And then and then the very next play he's forty yards down the field on a jump ball interception. Like, how do you know, I just I don't think he's gonna be that. I laugh, because that is incredibly rare air for anybody to be. Yeah, yeah, yeah. As I was sitting there watching some of the Hall of Fame coverage that thing for a while too. But

he wants to get to that. Yeah, Troy Polamala was like that special breed. Like I think sometimes even Hall of Fame doesn't really describe how great some players are. He's one of those guys that me, to me, that's even like a step above Hall of Fame, if you could have a step above Hall of Fame. He was just so dramatic and some of the things he was able to do. And I remember watching Hi when he was playing. You could see it like, yeah, this dude special,

he's different than everybody else. Well, now that we're getting safeties, just all of them are going into the Hall of Fame, let's just let's clean it up, clean it up. And him would all right, um, that's gonna be a rep But actually, before we end the show real quick. I

had a couple questions. I don't know if we're gonna get to all those, so real quick before we do in the show, I want you to quickly give me one guy that you think was the best player at camp and one guy that most didn't meet the expectations of what you had for him coming into camp. And let's try to avoid guys from a standpoint of injury because they didn't they didn't really get an opportunity to show you what they could do. You want to do.

Second best yeah, second best player because it was CD. CD was the best player, yeah, right in this camp and then in a lot of camp, but better better than than some of Dez Bryant's camps where he's he was really outstanding. This guy did it every single day and he had like a highlight catch of the day. In fact, gonna be the best receiver on this team. Saying that, I already said he's gonna he's gonna be the best receiver on this team this year. Go ahead, Okay,

So who what other player? Who was this ball and out out? Yeah? I mean I say what. The guy covering him wasn't too bad either, even though he was giving up some plays every now and again. I mean I thought Treyvon Diggs was was pretty good. I don't know if he was the second best of Camp U because it's hard. It's hard to say, well CD was the best and the guy covering him every every time was second best. But he definitely competed pretty pretty well.

Chris Chris, our producer, thinks it's Maurice Kennedy. That's not a bad that's not a bad. Guess he's had a really fantastic camp and a lot of that's expectations. Sure, yeah, I meant about Dalton Schultz. Dalton Schultz almost everything that they could have asked from him. I mean he's all. I mean even when he when he starts, then when when Jarwin's out, he has great catches. When he's not, he comes in with the second team, he has great catches.

I'm kind of shocked, John, I giving Randy it's good my answer, My answer would either be Randy or Micah. Yeah, And I mean I already have, but I can't say enough about you know, there's a ton of expectations on a twelfth overall pick, learning that didn't play last year at all, didn't have a didn't have a junior season, just kicking ass every day out here for the most part. So him or Randy one or one or the other. Uh and then what guy? What guy didn't meet your expectations? Guy?

You came into camp and you were like, I mean, I really think this guy has some and then it was just like I didn't really see it. Oh, okay, let's think here. I mean it's yeah, was this on the list? Yeah? Should we? This is one? Yeah, this is one you could have been prepared for. We could have been prepared, been prepared. So we're making bad radio here. Yeah, you could have been prepared for. We're making bad radio. That's okay. Um, damn, you have a guy. I'm struggling.

I'm I didn't think I was gonna answer it. But the big one and it's injury. But I mean, Jordan Jordan Lewis just hasn't had much of a camp. He did make he made a couple plays in the scrimmage the other day, but and that's it's injury though it's not. He just he hasn't looked bad. He just really hadn't anything. I'll give you one for me. I'll give you one from Okay, good. Kean O'Neil. Okay, Calary, I mean I thought I expected a little bit more. I thought a

little bit more. Now again, he is a thumper player, He's a hundred tackle a year type of guy. You're not doing that out here, especially to this team, so you're not gonna see that physicality as much. I thought we might see a little bit more. Remember he was at Pro Bowl safety, so I thought we would see a little bit more to that. I just haven't yet. That's not necessarily his fault, but I get and I just um, he hasn't been bad, but Brent Urban hasn't.

Just I came, I thought he was gonna be I was like, he's definitely the starting one technique, He's gonna be the guy. And that's actually been Carlos Watkins. Really nobody was talking about before a camp. So it looked pretty good here. Yeah, I don't think Urbans had I don't think Urban's had a bad camp, but I thought he would kind of be more of the guy. I got another one. Okay, I'm sorry, Dave Kelvin real Cox. Oh yeah, I was gonna be mine. I haven't seen anything.

I want I want to see some stuff. He played well in the game game, And why did I my wife, my voice, kids, I don't know he played well in the because you don't even believe it, Like you know, he played well in the game, y'all don't believe me. He had five tackles, he made a great tackle in the he played well in the game sport. He's a gamer. I'll throw out one other one. Um and and this is only my only my own personal because you guys

may not have even had the same expectation. I expected Terrence still, after all the experience he had last year, to be better this year in camp, and I really haven't seen it. I still see the same things I saw kind of during the season last year, which were he's okay, he's gonna give up, still give up a lot. He's still not gonna quite be solid enough for you to feel great about putting him out there, even in

back of dude, I don't feel great about that. Um so so for me, I just expected a little bit more than what I've seen out here. The offseason storyline was, you know, everybody's optimistic, you're like stealing night got thrown into the fire, that they're gonna be so much better for it and they kind of look like the same players. Yeah, so it's almost like that that whole experience didn't really net you a ton, you know, at least as of

right now what I'm seeing sometimes. I mean, the Cowboys find Gym's an undrafted free agency all the time, but undrafted players, all right, that is a rep guys. We appreciate you joining us. We will be back on Monday, actually, once we get back to Frisco, we'll be back on the air Monday. Check the website. We'll have a full schedule up there. We'll continue our shows. We'll get back

to our normal our normal groups as well. I know the break has been intact, but a lot of other groups have been kind of mixed based upon who was at camp and who wasn't. But we'll back to our normal shows starting next week. We'll be alternating days, but we start up on Monday, and we'll let you know what time on the website later later today hopefully until then. For Nick even Dave Hellman, we appreciate you guys. You join us here here from our final edition from Oxnard, California.

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