Cowboys Break: Good & Bad

edition of The Break we are. I am actually live from my home. This is the virtual s WBC Morrigan Studios, joined by Nick Eatman, Amburg Garcia, Dave Helman. They're all in their homes as well. And I'm sorry Nick, you're at the office. Actually on a day when the players are not at the office. Nick still is at the office. That tells you a lot about his work ethic. We

appreciate you, Nick. We're gonna talk some Cowboys football for you guys to day, and we appreciate you guys taking some time out of your day to join us for that. And we're gonna start with I think what has been probably the biggest news coming out of Cowboys camp since camp begin. Joe McCoy had a very very busy last few days. On Monday he tore us quad or the ligament tous quad in practice on Monday. Then on Tuesday he had surgery, and then Tuesday afternoons he's waved injured. Nick,

I'll start with you. You broke the story for us. Tell me why he was waved, because I know a lot of fans were sitting there looking at that and thinking, wow, this is this pretty that seems pretty pretty mean. I guess it for lack of a better way to put it, But why was he waved? Well, I think he had to go back all the way to win. He was signed. When he was signed, they put a waiver into his under the contract to say that if something happens with the right quad, we can get out of this contract.

And first paded practice something really severe happens with the right quad. So something is weird there. I don't ever remember seeing an injury waiver on a specific body part like that. I guess, you know, coming back from the injuries or whatever. But we didn't think that this was going to be something that you would they would be watching and then the you know, ten minutes after the first pads come on, that happens, So they exercised their right to do that. They put it in there for

a reason. It saves them about three and a half million to four million over the next couple of years. So if you if you know you have a chance to save some money, and then it happens that way, you're going to save it. So that that's I think what happens. Yeah, it's interesting if that would be in

the contract with specific language even about it. That makes you makes you think, or at least makes me think that there was some concern from the standpoint of the Cowboys, and I guess an acknowledgement on the part of the representatives of Gerald mccoyd that this was something that maybe could happen. I don't know if it was a previous injury or just something that they noticed in a physical but but obviously something there for them to put that

in the contract. Dave and Amber talk a little bit about about kind of how the Cowboys move from here. Let's start with you. Dave, talk to me about the replacement. What could the Cowboys do at this point to replace production that they thought they were going to be getting a guy who is a proven veteran in that position, a three technique and even defensive end. When they moved two or three four, talk to me about how they

can to maybe replace him. You know, it's kind of funny to me that, Like, I mean, it's a fair question. I'm not knocking you, but like that's the talking point. It's like, oh my god, whatever will they do? As if they didn't spend the last two drafts addressing the position, and that just goes to show how much people don't trust what they've done. Tristan Hill's the top sixty draft pick, Neville Gallimore's the top one hundred draft pick. Ninety nine

percent of time. You look at that and say, all right, they're covered pretty well. But nobody has forgotten how disappointing Tristan's rookie season was, nor should they. So I don't blame people if they don't feel great about it. But you have two highly talented young players that can step into that. And when you had Gerald, it was a luxury. You know, you're like, well, whatever they can give us is great, and that luxury is now gone. One of

those guys has to step up. So I look at you know, the next two or so a week, says, a big time audition for both of those guys, and if they're not up to it, maybe you try to go hunt around for a veteran. But I think for the time being, you just throw those guys in the fire and see what they can do. You know, I would agree with you, Dave on the point of of you would normally think a second and third round pick would be natural fits there, that you would just lean

on them. But it wasn't like they signed Gerald McCoy to a one year deal. I'm sorry, I say no, I can get that you're right, but that also goes on a point like they didn't go out and signed Gerald McCoy to a to a one year deal. They signed him to a three year deal, which suggests to me that they wanted him here for the next several years, and they wanted those guys in a rotation. They thought there was a role for Gerald Gerald McCoy in addition

to what those other guys could possibly bring. And so that's where I wonder, you know, do they or should they consider maybe going out and looking for a veteran replacement or just stick with what they have because there isn't really much out there right now. I mean, first of all, yeah, and in terms of a pass rushing

defensive tackle, they're in a lot there for you. I know, you know a lot of a lot of people are going to bring up Snacks Harrison and I don't like, I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea, but Snacks's whole, Like Snacks is Don Taripoe. They are the same type of player. They are the gigantic run stuffing, space eating

defensive tackle. Rushing the passer isn't really their bag. I think Snacks would make this team better, but it's also that gives you three, you know, one technique early down run stopping, non pass rushing tackles to go with Poe and Antoine Woods. And if you can only keep nine or ten, at what point does that become superfluous? Because in terms of guys that can rush the passer, you have Gallimore or Tristan Hill. We know Tyrone Crawford can

do a little bit of it. I think Alden Smith and Everson Griffin can both kick inside and a pinch. So it doesn't seem necessary right now. After one injury, I mean, injuries happen all the time, So like I said, I think your best bet right now, until they prove they're not capable of doing it, is to hope that the young guys can step up. The problem with that, David, it's like, how do you get a chance to actually

really truly prove that without preseason games? And that's my thing, like if I think they should be looking around right now and see who else they can possibly bring in here just to add extra help. And you know, you tend to forget about the possibility of injuries at least I know I do, until it actually happens and you're like, oh crap, this happens. Let me look further deep down

into the position. And you know, we know that Dntari Poe he's coming back, But now that's in the back of my head at least you know, oh, he's coming off an injury. Is he gonna be able to hold up? What are these younger guys gonna be able to do? Can they show enough during this time without preseason sorry, without preseason games. So that's the biggest thing right now for me. It's just I'm being so extra critical at this moment just because I know we don't get the

chance to see preseason games. Okay, so let's do this. Let's go across the board. I want to eat you guys to tell me how big of a loss do you think this is for this Cowboys can team as it's currently constructed. Nicho, Let's start with you. I think it's a big loss actually because I think he was supposed to come in and really help be a locker

room guy as well. So you know, like you guys are saying the backups, you know, they didn't know what they really wanted Antoine Woods, I mean, there was a lot of took a while to get him to, I mean, come back in. I guess he wanted a long term deal. But anyways, I think it's a big loss because I just think that there's so much uncertainty there. There's uncertainty with Poe Crawford's not really a natural tackle, so until they get somebody else in here, I think it is

a great, pretty big loss. Hamber Well, I just I just said it's huge. I think that the Cowboys already need, especially this year because of the circumstances, they already need of someone who's a veteran guy who has the experience. Who do you you don't need to feel some concern about whether or not you can plug the guy in and have that guy be able to perform at the level that you want them too. So I think that the veteran need right now is very high, and they

just lost that Dave. It's it is what it is. It's I mean, I'm not going to try to say it's not a big loss. I agree with Nick. I mean, I think what McCoy would have brought to the table from a locker room culture standpoint, I don't think you can underestimate that, especially with two young guys like Gallamore and Hill. Fortunately, McCoy said on Instagram last night that he's not playing on going anywhere. I mean, he can't go come in the building because he's not on the

team anymore and because of COVID. But he's gonna he's gonna stay mentoring these guys, stay in touch. So that's nice. Um. You know, one defensive tackle is not going to be the difference between whether or not this team is successful. This team's success is almost entirely predicated on how good its offense is. And I absolutely wish Jerald McCoy was on the team. But I'm not changing my preseason projections

for them based on that. But we talked about this last week too, that you know, adding ever seen Griffin. I mean that with d Law that's not a whole lot different than what they had last year with Robert Quinn. Maybe Griffin is better, but you know, they're about the same. What I thought was going to be different was to push from the inside, and dant Folk still bring that.

But you know, you were hoping it would be McCoy and and Poe and you know, maybe Crawford gets in there, but you know it's it's but then again, it's a completely different defense. We're seeing that in practice right now. You can tell that it's not going to be the same defense. They're asking these guys to do different things than what they did last year. Well, Nick, I will

say this, I do think Alden Smith. I do think Alden Smith adds a little bit more to that because, as Day said a little earlier, I think he can

pop down. I think Griffin can pop down. So when you start talking about pass rush situations third down, you're probably gonna have all three of those guys, all three of those pass rushers on the field, maybe Tyrone, Tyrone, Crawford as the fourth and so I still think you'll get that kind of push up the middle because you got some guys that are really dynamic type players, you hope at least that you can have down their defensive tackle.

I'm not a fan of that though. I'm not and I could just still see the touchdown Tyler Luckett scored against Seattle. I'm just not a fan of putting d Law inside or Alden Smith inside. It's just like asking a running back to play receiver. You're not doing what they do best. And so by putting him down, just because they can rush their passer off the edge doesn't mean they can go in there and beat the Zach

Martin's of the world in the middle. So he's some rare I mean, not everybody's J. J. Watt and JPP that could go and do all that. So I'm just not a big fan of putting outside rushers and the inside like that. I mean, I never saw a d Ware do that. But yeah, I just say I would say that all three of those guys, in my opinion, are at least what you would call premier pass rushers in the NFL. Maybe they aren't as good at defensive tackle. I do think that their speed, and in particular Alton Smith.

I mean, the guy's huge. I think he's about two eighty five or two eighty something like that. He's a really big guy to be playing defensive end. So I think sliding him into defensive tackle, I think you get the speed of what he could do on the outside that can be disruptive there. But I think he also has that power in that big body that can also manage to be playing a defensive tackle. He's gonna get

it's gonna be a problem. He's he's already a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year, and I don't know if he's gonna win it. We'll see what happens, but he's gonna be a finalist right now. He's a problem. Tymon Smith will tell you if you if you ever talk to the media, he'll tell you, which, Yeah, that kind of goes to my point. I mean, I'm not trying to convince anybody that it's not a big deal that Gerald McCoy is out. But they got they got bodies,

and they have two supposedly very talented young guys. If they can just get something from one of them, it doesn't even have to be both. Just get something from one of those guys and it'll it'll be okay. It ain't gonna be you know, it's not gonna be the best defensive line in the league, but it'll be. It'll be okay. We'll save actually that conversation for it looks like rams some issues with with Derek. Just real quick, let's have my background. Now he's back, they come back.

Now I think I'm back up. Um, I don't know why. No, Well, I guess what I was going to ask you guys was Um, we've heard we've heard some of the questions that are happened from coach Um as well as some of the players about the fact that that they think that there's going to be uh, some that they may kind of switch between four three three four, they may do a little bit of both. Uh. There really hasn't

been a commitment to one or the other. So that being said, talk to me about where you think this loss may be a potential bigger loss with Gerald McCoy now being waived. Um, when you talk about those other two guys and the other guys that are left on the defensive line, do you think this can affect the Cowboys and maybe push them in one direction or the other four three verses three four. But sorry with you Amber this, why are we still talking about this? I

get so upset at this subject. I mean, honestly, these guys and you guys sound so comfortable. I guess even the way that Dave was speaking of how he feels with what they got right now and the possibility of these other guys being able to step up. But to me, I'm at a point where I'm like, I'm done trying to convince myself at the beginning of the year. Now, I'm like, you need to show it to me, you need to make it happen. I don't care what they do,

whether it's a three four four three. They're gonna figure out what the guys that they currently have and see what they can actually do and make it work. I think that the size matters alive. For Sorry, I'm I'm getting carried away with other things. I'm sorry. I apologize for the unprofessionalism. Size matters a lot when he comes down to picking out this position and what you're gonna do there. But don't ask me about three four or

four three. Don't care, all right? I respect that I want to you know, you know, Mike McCarthy, if you're watching this, don't don't get mad at me. I'm not trying to give your game away, but I want to. I want to point something out I guess, which is that what we've seen to this point mainly is Alden Smith and DeMarcus Lawrence rushing the passer from a two point stance, not necessarily a three to four because it's a four man front still like there's still there's a

one technique and a three technique in there. Usually when it's happening, it's not this you know, massive crazy change to a three four front with a true nose tackle a zero technique for that matter. Dan Tari Poe, the guy who fits that role the best, has not practiced yet. So obviously they have the personnel to do that. But I don't want to give people the wrong idea that they're running all these different fronts. It's a four man front.

They're just rushing there there ends from a two point stance. So we you know, it's been different, don't get me wrong, but it hasn't been this crazy, crazy departure um so, and I think that's going to continue to be the case. I think it's going to be a different presentation of what we're already used to. For the most part, in my opinion, disagree though, Dave, because I think it's not

just a four man front. I mean it's really a five man front when you think of the defensive line, because I still think of Alden Smith as a defensive lineman and Griffin and d Law and those guys as d lyneen. So when they're both out there standing up, I think that's I mean, I don't really call that a four man front, you know, because well, I mean it's it's from what we've seen. We saw a dose tackle which will probably be Poe, but we hadn't seeing

that yet. But it was McCoy and it was it was Crawford and in d Law and all the spen A's five because you're only seeing two linebackers. But I mean it's not like they're just playing one thing. I mean, we what Dave saw, he saw, I saw some other things. There's Nickel, there's time. That's why that's why they don't want us talking about all this stuff. That's why none coach wants that, because they're just trying out different things. Yes,

there'll be four man fronts. There'll be three four looks, there'll be four three votes, they'll be five two looks, they'll be all of that. That's what Mike Nolan's known for. Yeah, and I would suspect I would suspect that they're going to be times when And this is just kind of the whole idea of using a three four versus four

three defense. You can flip to a two four five where you're in nickel where you only have two down linemen and you have four linebackers, and you're considering those two outside guys linebackers at that point, right, But I get what you're saying, David's still it would still be in those kind of scenarios a four man front. Look, the point is I'm wondering, is Gerald McCoy being gone, how does that affect their ability to be able to have a three man front versus a four man front,

because obviously you're talking about defensive tackles. Their roles changed quite a bit when you talk about four three verses three four, And that's where I'm a little more trying to get to a you know what you guys think about this, Ken Tristan Hill or Gallimore stant can they play let's say, defensive end in a three to four as well as play a three technique in a four three. That's where I'm trying to figure out where they where. You think there's a bigger loss of Gerald McCoy. You know,

it makes me kind of wonder with this scheme. It makes me wonder why they didn't have a lot of interest in bringing back Malie Collins. I think he would have been a good fit for this. But you know, they know more than me, obviously, But I just I'm not really sure how the McCoy injuries going to affect everything. I don't know who they've got to replace that spot.

I think Tyrone Crawford, though, can somewhat do it, especially if it's kind of a I've always thought Crawford could play free four defensive end so well, that's why he was broad here a million billion years ago. I mean, yeah, I think Tyrone can do it. Honestly, I think Antoine Woods could probably do it. He's not not ideal by any I mean, Antoine Woods is not ideal to play on the defensive line in the NFL, but he makes it work. Um. I think they could both do it.

I think I mean, well, Hill and Gallimore, they got to have a quick first step. I think they could be able to do that. They're always talking about the flexibility of a lot of these guys out of that whole group, in the whole line. Who would be a guy that you guys think that they absolutely need to stick to one specific role and don't have that kind of flexibility to be moved around. Oh yeah, he's honestly though, he could probably play three four in Indo if they

needed him to. I'll be you'd prefer he played, but he probably could. He has played quarterback. So as long as adown fast, as long as DeMarcus and Alden Smith are able to rush off the edge, just do whatever else you gotta do to make it work. That's, you know the other. The other thing I'm really wondering that on that point, Dave is like, once you get um Everson Griffin in the mix, I wonder how they look at that. Do they look at this and say, you

know how we talked. We had this conversation a lot about offensive lineman. Where you want your best five players out there, even if two of those players could probably play the same position, you kind of fit that one into another position because he's just one of your best five. I wonder if they look at this and they say, you know, Everson Griffin, Alden Smith, and DeMarcus Lawrence are three of our top four defensive linemen. How can we get all four of them on the field at the

same time as much as possible? And I wonder if that means that one of those three ends up now switching predominantly to another position in order to keep those guys on the field more frequently. Not saying it will happen, I'm just wondering. It kind of goes to my point. And I mean, Griffin hasn't practiced yet. He just cleared protocol.

He just he's barely done anything. He's not practicing. But you got Griffin, Poe, Tank, Alden Smith, Tyrone Crawford, and then two you know, highly drafted rookies, one of which you would think can contribute, like they got bodies and talented bodies at that. So it definitely sucks that McCoy is not out there. But I just I'm not gonna talk myself into thinking it's gonna sink their season that he can't play. All Right, We're gonna go and take our first break, we come back, we're gonna get into

some camp observations. These guys are gonna tell you a little bit about some of the stuff that they've been noticing. Get practice, how players are performing that. When we come right back, this is Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio. We're backing the tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new pepper and cream soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor Baba cream soda. Is he a new Combonut's music

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step until you get to them. So, as always, our people can't wait to take you to yours. American Airlines, you are why we fly back to the Break. Welcome back. We're in the second segment of the Break. I'm live from the virtual s WBC Mortage studio here in my home. I'm joined by Nick eat mcdave, Hellman, and Amber Garcia. They are all from their homes except for Nick who was at the Star. Cowboys are off today. They are

not practicing. The players have a day off. They'll be back on the field tomorrow, so we'll have some more coverage from practice tomorrow and again on Friday before they have another ALF day on Saturday. I think Wedndsays, and Saturdays are going to be their off days here throughout these a couple of weeks of training camp. Let's get into some camp observations. Each of us have had an opportunity to watch a few practices, get some idea of

what we think of players, position groups. I want to start first with the defense because I think, at least from my perspective and from what I've seen everyone in the media talking about, including I think you guys as well, everybody's been really impressed with this defense so far. Maybe it's because of maybe lower expectations, or maybe it's because they really have just been performing very well. But I want each of you to kind of we're gonna go around.

I want each of you to give me a player or a position group that's really stood out to you on the defensive side of the ball through the first few practices. We're gonna start first with you, Dave. I mean, you know, I know we do this every year. I can hear people complaining about it because nobody wants to hear how great they look and then watch him suck. But they look pretty good. I mean, we spent the whole first segment on how active the pass rush has been.

They've got I think they have seven takeaways through four practices, and I mean that's across a variety of different drills. You know, that's seven on seven, that's team, etc. Etc. So it's not all eleven on eleven. But they have six total interceptions through four practices and Anthony Brown force to fumble, So that's been the emphasis, and through four practices they're doing it. So that's fun. Amber. I guess I'm gonna just stick to the guy I chose yesterday

for Camp Stars. That the guy the guys do on the website on Dallas Camma dot com. But my guy would be Francis Bernard. He's a guy that he wouldn't never really catch my eye just because he doesn't really have that that linebacker mold that these other linebackers have. For example, Luke Giffer, he fits that linebacker mole. But this guy, he's smaller, he's not as big at the rest as the rest of the guys, but he has been able to to do some things on the field.

He's quick, he's very, very aware of everything that is going on. And another thing that that really impressed me, which is off the field, when he's on the sideline, I see him constantly just talking to Sean Lee. I don't know what they're talking about, but you know, I'm sure he's learning something from Shan Lee and asking questions and and just being you know, not off to the side just watching. He's being interactive and trying to learn as much as he can. And and he's Clama eyes

this first few practice. This Nick, I think we can't let her just say that's my guy, because you know that I've been smil you mentioned his name. Go ahead, it's okay, It's okay. He you know, he catches your eye with the hair. But then also, no, he's making plays. I'm gonna say defensive line with an asterisk, because guys,

the offensive tackles have been have been bad. I mean, like Tyren Smith doesn't even play that much we haven't seen Irving, we haven't seen Lyle Collins, and so it's hard to evaluate anything when it's just like a you know, they're they're just blitz creaked to the quarterback every single time. It's just it's tough to evaluate everybody on offense. So defensive line look is looking really good, but I want to see what they're look like with a little bit

more uh competition at the offensive tackles. All right, let's flip over to the offensive side of the ball. Let's do the exact same thing. I think the offense is flashed at moments. I think there have been some good moments, some good practices. But tell me a player or a position group that stood out to you the most. We're gonna start this time first with Amber. Amber. Give me somebody on the offensive side. You know what, I've been trying to keep my eye on Blake Jarwin. And he's

a guy that he's not super consistent. He's not gonna make every play, but I've been paying attention to him even when the ball is not going towards him, when it's not going his way, he's still being able to get open, make that push that is needed and get away from from the defender defender, and he's I don't know, I think that he if he gets more opportunities, he would be really really good this year. Nick. You know,

I'm looking at those backup receivers. I know that when you're talking about the first three guys, I mean, we know where they're going to be. Even then, there seems to be a pretty good push there for that fourth and fifth spot, maybe a sixth spot. And you know a Ventel Brian Oh I kind of put as a special team's ace. He's actually making and plays there. Cedric Wilson's doing a nice drum. Um, you know, he over the middle of doing something and then not forget his name,

but seventeen Dave helped me here. Um, oh, Tevin Jones, he's making Tevin Jones. I mean he's a that guy looks the part, really big guy, can move well. I know, I'm even leaving out a guy John Vay Johnson. Of course, he's a you know, he's always gonna look good in camp. Um, but you know, I haven't seen it. But yeah, I'm apparently I haven't seen nor Brown making any plays. Is he making plays? He's making plays. He's good looks he's moving around a lazy He's gonna be on the Giants

practice squid. Ye'all don't have to believe it if you don't want to. But he's he's I mean, the one thing we got to remember here is Noah Brown was a pet cat of that previous coaching staff. We don't know that he's walking into the door this year with that same kind of love coming from no Nick's absolutely right. If he doesn't make this team, he'll be in East rather On like the absolute next flight. No doubt about it, no doubt about it. All right, let's let's talk a

little bit more about the offensive side. Nick, you alluded to you don't even want to talk to me. You don't want to. I'm sorry, Dave. I thought i'd already gone to you. Dave, give me your give you offensive guy or position. I mean, I know, I'm gonna take this opportunity to be a downer. I mean, we could go, we could talk. Oh, I mean, you know, the receivers are great. If you follow our coverage at all, you know that Zeke and Pollard or doing a lot of

stuff in the running and the passing game. Um, I'm it makes me nervous what's going on with the right tackle spot. To be honest with you, I mean Nick already laid it out perfectly. But you know, if Lyle Collins and Cameron Irving weren't hurt so bad that they opened the camp on pup, which if it was really bad, you assume that they would. But they haven't practiced yet. We have, I mean, we haven't seen them do anything

competitive and nobody wants to talk about why. And and maybe it's not serious, but it's kind of hard to evaluate what the offense is doing when Dak is theoretically getting killed every other time he drops back. I mean, it's training camp, so you can't hit him. But DeMarcus Lawrence probably has eight sacks through two padded practices. Um. I would really like to see one of these experienced

right tackles get back into practice, hopefully sooner rather than later. Yeah, the point ahead Amber, I was gonna ask, what's the point of being so secretive about whether it's an injury or illness. I don't understand why they're being so secretive about it, because you can, that's I mean, that's that's my best name, because you can, you know, and I don't necessarily you know, it's frustrating for us in the media, but I don't necessarily blame Mike McCarthy. He said it himself.

It's like it's one of the few advantages that he has is, you know, it's a first year staff, so nobody one hundred percent knows what to expect, and they don't have to play on TV, so he doesn't have to expose his roster if he doesn't want to. So it's annoying, but if he wants to be a super secretive, he can do that in these circumstances. And think about it, you could take it even a step further with that.

Usually a new head coach, a new coaching staff would get an opportunity to be able to have a few extra training practices during the offseason. They didn't get that this year, so whatever advantages were actually built into the NFL system for new coaches, they lost that as well.

So really this is kind of the the only advantage they have right now is that nobody knows what the Cowboys are really going to be able to do because there will be no preseason games, so literally they will walk on the field for the first time against the Los Angeles Rams, and that will be the first time anybody in the NFL will get an idea of what the Cowboys will be trying to do offensively and defensively. So that's an advantage and they want to try to

take advantage that as much. And I really can't blame him for that. And this about the injury, I mean, this is something like Dave said, this is something you can do right now, so they're doing it. But I wouldn't worry too much about this is going to be the way it is all year because the NFL won't allow that. So once we get to get to the regular season when the injury report, official end report has

to come out. Now there's ways around, you know, revealing everything, and I think there's a certain team up Northeast that does it better than anybody. But I do think that they'll you'll have to put the specific injury out there, So I'm not too worried about it. If training camp it's kind of vague, but I think it'll get better as the season goes on. Did I will say go ahead, Dave, but I just you know, I will say this is

it's amateur and it's not. It ain't scientific. Put it that way, But I mean, Lyle Collins has been at practice every day. He's been in uniform. You know, he was doing strength and conditioning rehab with Britt Brown before practice, not yesterday, but the few days before that. Um wearing his helmet, taking part in stuff. Body language is good. So it doesn't look from a distance like it's this super scary long term injury. But again, I mean that's

not necessarily evidence. It's just kind of my hunch from watching practice. The Cowboys did sound an offensive tackle and Pace Murphy. Did you guys read anything into that that maybe this is a longer term for one or both of these guys that are currently here. I just think it means that the guys they have are not doing a good job. I mean, I think Terence Steele and

Wyatt Miller, god, you know, God bless him. I'm not trying to hate, but they must they must be having nightmares when they go back to their hotel rooms at night because they're having to deal with guys like Aldon Smith and Tank Lawrence. And that's that's not easy for Lyle Collins, let alone somebody who just got here who's fifth on the depth chart. So I think they're just trying to throw bodies at it and get through practice. Didn't we get Isaac in there? Can Isaac start making

some place? I can't even pronounce his last name. I let go, let go, no, you know, and people have been asking me about him. There's still a lot of growth needed to happen there. He I mean, we know the transition from when you're not in the NFL getting to the NFL and that first year, how tough it is. But this guy that they sign, I looked him up and I'm like, oh, no, NFL experience. Okay. I stopped reading.

I'm like, okay, I need someone that has experienced doing something so I can feel better in case something does happen to like all Collins. We've seen it in the past. Anytime there's an injury in the offensive line, it's costing. You know, it's gonna cost you a big price. So they need someone that can really help you and feel that you can What is that called the band aid guy?

A band aid and not a band aid. We need an actual goss that can be wrapped around all the way, not a bandaid that can start peeling off with sweat during the game. We need something that will wrap all the way around and the work for you in case of needed. They have that guy, his name is Cam Irving.

He's hurt too, so well exactly that's the point. Well, a gee something, you're like, you know, I just need I need a Pro Bowl fourth string tackle, and that's just that's not how it works, my guy, That's not how it works. Well, hopefully those two guys, or at least one of those guys can get back to practice really soon to at least give those defensive ends a good look in practice, and we'll see how that thing transpires. We're gonna go ahead and take our final break a

little early here. When we come back. We got some questions lined up. Amber went on to Twitter and got some questions from you guys, So we'll go through some of those questions, give you guys some answers. We'll do that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio, SIMS eighteen sixty five. Stetson Hats are American maid with pride right here in Texas, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team.

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That's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor Pepper and Cream Soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor back and cream soda. Is he a Newcombonet's music to My ears? Okay, Doctor time pass Music to my Ears and mouse new Doctor Pepper and Cream Soda delas just do ba. Head back to the Break looking for something to change up your dinner routine. Help support local Frisco businesses by choosing

one of the Star District restaurants. For information on delivery, takeout, curbside, pickup and dine in availability, visit the Star District dot com. Welcome back to the Break. We are live. I am at the Virgil s WBC Star Studios at my home, and I've got Nick Eatman at the Star. We've got Amber Garcia at her home, Dave Helmett at his home, and let's time for a few questions we Twitter. Amber went to Twitter last night, got some questions from you guys.

Look like there were a lot of them flowing in, so let's see how many we can get to Amber. All right, thank you, thank you so much to everyone who's sent into questions. To start off, Hell, here's the first question. Who else is getting reps as a punt returner beside cde Lamb, Cedric Wilson. That's your your primary suspect so far? Okay, how do you go about? How do you but but it just it just it makes

sense because Cedric did it last year. You know, I was the guy I said all offseason that I wanted Tony Pollard to get a shot at it. But you have CD Lamb now, so I don't care as much about that as I used to. Um, we know Jordan Lewis has done it in the past, but really for the most part, it's been Cedric and CD doing the

majority of it. If CD turns out to be your primary return or how do you guys feel about that after seeing what he's already been able to do so far at receiver, Because I think we all watch him at receiver and are very very impressed with what he's able to do there. How how concerned are you and putting him in a in a return role if if you think they're going to use him as much as we think they will at a wide receiver, I'm not concerned at all. I mean, I just think that you

got to get the ball in his hands. It's gonna be hard to share it on offense with all the guys that they've got Zeke running the ball, I'm not I'm not. You gotta figure out ways to get dynamic players in there. So, um, that doesn't bother me at all. If your third receiver is returning punts, that's that's fine. I'm always the guy that you know I don't want good players to play in the preseason, but that's because the preseasons meaningless. Returning punts is not meaningless. Field position

is crucial. It's I mean, it costs the Cowboys like at least two games last year. I want dynamic players with opportunities to touch the ball. So I'm all in on CD returning punts. I love it. Camber and he said he likes doing it, So that's a plus. When you got a guy that actually he likes doing a certain job. All right. Moving on to late in vendor Ish, how's he doing with the whole neck injury so far?

From the things I've we've been able to see a practice, I really didn't want to talk about it, So no, Babe, we shouldn't talk about it. He doesn't like talking about it because I think he feels like he's moving on and so he looks pretty good at this point. The fact that he did not start on pump I thought was a really big sign. So, so far, so good. Obviously not you know, he's not banging in there with the other blockers, but you know, we'll see when he

gets that first couple of hits. But I think right now, I think it's going pretty good. Yeah, he's full go him and Jaylen both. I mean, it's it's practice, but they both look really good. I've been really impressed with both of them so far. Yeah, linebacker and running back are probably the two hardest positions to really evaluate in

training camp when you're not actually hitting and tackling. But I will say this, based on what you've already seen, I think both those guys that you just mentioned, Dave, they look really good. Particularly, I've liked what I've seen from them in the drills where they've been in coverage, because I did not think and I have not that thought that Jalen Smith necessarily was was great in coverage. But I think he's done pretty well here in training

camp so far. It'll be interesting to see once they actually start hitting, if we see a similar type result from both those guys at linebacker. All Right, this guy says that, you know, we're used to talking about the great Dallas Cowboys offensive line, but at this moment he feels that that specific position group is the weakest. How do you guys feel about that when you look at the whole roster, what position group would you say is the weakest at this point? I'm oh, okay, that's a

good one. I mean, they have this unproven I mean, he might be might be pretty good, but I mean Blake might be pretty good. But I think I think they're the weakest on offense. The offensive line is going to be fine once Lyle gets back in there, I believe. But but yeah, I do agree with the point that it's not what it used to be. I don't think it's this dominating thing. You can't just keep getting injury for these guys and losing Travis Frederick. It's not the same,

but I still think it's pretty good. I still I mean until proven otherwise. Oh sorry, sorry a g until proven otherwise. It's the secondary. It's the secondary until I mean they've been they've they're off to a nice start. Like I said, they've got I think they have four picks at the DBS have four picks because Francis Bernard has two of those. So I mean, it's a nice start. But there's there's proven playmaking ability almost everywhere else on this team, but we don't necessarily have that from the

defensive backs. Not only that, but let's consider this. Let's slow down a little bit. The offensive line still has two All pros on it, and at last time I check, tight ends don't have a single one. Uh, the secondary doesn't have a single one. So I think there are other positions on this team that you look at and you're like it, there's a little bit more to prove than this offensive line. I think the offensive line will

be fine. Part of the problem right now is just you got injuries at your at your swing tackle in your right tackle position. That'll work itself out. I think they'll be fine. When you talk about the secondary and today's point about that whole area. To me, right now, I don't know how you really truly get to evaluate this because I feel like every training camp that is a position group that we notice and guys start standing out.

You know, last year we were talking about Jordan Lewis and how well he was doing and everything like that. But then you get into the season and then you start seeing certain players Cheeto not performing as well as you would want them to or expect them to. So how do you really get to evaluate at this point? I know it's it's hard for us, and I know it's hard for the coaching staff and the scouting department, But how do you figure it out? I mean we don't.

I mean they can make their own evaluations. They have the L twenty two, they can go back and watch, and they have a much better idea of like, Okay, this guy's really coming on or you know, kind of reminds me of the Loop Gift interception in the preseason last year where we're all like, what an amazing play and the coaches are like, he was so far out of position it's not even funny. But the quarterback made a bad decision. It's hard. With what we're working with,

it's hard. So all I try to do is just say what I see. If you notice I couch everything I say, I say, it looks like or I think, which I mean. I'm just doing the best that I can. But yeah, every single year, somebody that we love during training camp turns out to be kind of disappointing. So you're just trying to do the best you can and let people know what you see. I guess you know. I'll use this phrase one of the guys here the

local media uses it a lot, Jock Taylor. Sports is fluid, and I think that's kind of the best way you could put this. Like, just because we talk about a specific player right now and say, oh, he's performing really well, that has absolutely no bearing on how he's going to perform week one or week sixteen. The fact of the matter is you just talk about what you see right now and we and the proof will be what are they doing in week one, in week two, in week three,

week four, as they play throughout the season. That will really be the proof. But you know, again, we're just talking about what's happening right now. You cannot I don't think and at least what I've seen over the years that I've covered this team. You cannot put a ton of stock in what you see in training camp, necessarily because there will be guys that don't do much in training camp that show up really big when the season gets here. There'll be others they look really great in

training camp and won't do anything once the season gets here. So, you know, you just talk about what you have right now, and there's no way to really evaluate the future. You

can only evaluate what's happening right now in these practice situations. Now, we are limited on certain things that we can talk about from this practices, But based on what we've seen so far, what is something whether on offense or defense, that has caught your eyes overall that it's different from what we've seen in previous years, Nick um Dan, I'm hoping somebody else could jump in on that, like something that's different. I mean, just I guess there's a little

bit of drills here and there. I'm trying. I'm trying to think of like something that's that's a big deal. I mean, I could just I could say, oh, red jerseys on the quarterbacks or last names on the bat I mean, but that doesn't matter. That's just visible changes. I really can't think you guys have something that that's like you said, oh, this is completely different than what

we've seen in the past. I don't know if it's completely different, but um, you know, not trying to give Mike's game away, but I just the running backs are active, and they are doing things downfield and on the side of the field and in the middle of the field, and it's just it's exciting because it was a source of great frustration that they weren't a little more creative with those guys last year. And you know, we just said what they're doing right now. It doesn't mean they'll

do it when the season starts. But I'm more confident than ever that both Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard will have big and diverse roles in this offense. And that's exciting. Yeah. You know, one thing I guess I could say to that is that we've seen more practice with quarterbacks throwing the ball on the run like before. You know, sometimes it just happens, they're part of the game, but we've actually seen drills where they are designed to go through

things and then throw it. Um, that's that that kind of shows to me that you know that they may try to do that, you know, more es first with Dak and get him out there and and you know, having practice the fact that he can throw the ball in the run. He's always been pretty good at that. But you know, that's just something that I think that

they're working on. You know, you know, I'll go back to what Cheeto said earlier in the week in his time with the media and talking about how the defense um is a lot more um, a lot more dynamic this year. They are. They're giving a lot more looks pre snap and disguising a lot more things. And that's something again he talked about as far as how he likes the fact that they're doing that a little bit more and not relying so much on just hey we

got better players. They're actually giving their guys a chance by giving them some some schematic help, and so that's something else. I think that that, at least from the way he describes it, can be a really big boon for this team and really maybe help them. I've always been a big proponent of the fact that I think teams should rely more on scheme than just saying, hey, we're gonna line up the way we line up and

make you adjust to us. Because what happens when you find a team that really is legitimately better and then

that's and we saw that last year. I think that's part of the reasons why Cowboys didn't play great as far as their win loss record against really good teams last year because they didn't really give their guys a ton of help when it comes to scheming up how they play and disguising certain things and throwing, you know, different things at teams that they aren't really necessarily expected. So I'm actually excited to see more of that as

a season gets here. Out of the undrafted players, who would be a guy that you feel will make the roster so far, I want to jump in here and Nick and Nick and Derek more so Nick just because you've seen more. But like, tell me if I'm crazy, doesn't it seem to you like the down the line guys are just not getting as many opportunities as we're used to. Yeah, this is you can tell. You can tell by the way the guys that they sign they

like veteran guys. You know, they they're they're trying to throw you know, they don't want a bunch of young guys learning on the run in week one. They want some veteran players. But you're right, Dave, you don't see a lot of those guys. Francis Bernard has been one who's played a little bit. But I think we're just saying that because he's made the most of the opportunities. I don't think he's jumping in with you know, with

first team reps or anything like that. No. I mean, and I don't know this for sure, but my impression from watching these first few practices. Remember we've said it already, they didn't have an off season. There's no OTAs and no mini camps, so that's fifteen practices that you typically used to install everything. They're doing that right now. They are I mean, I know they had their virtual sessions, but they are installing on the field for the first time.

And I think my perception is that the coaches really want to make sure that the top of the line guys that are going to be playing in the season know their stuff because they are getting so much more opportunity than the down the line guys. There's just the seasons already. I mean, shoot, it's like two and a half weeks away. They don't have time to be seeing what they have in Rondell Carter. They need to get

the big names out there learning their stuff. So to that point, I mean, it would be Francis Bernard for me, just because he's made the most of those opportunities. I struggle to think of any other like undrafted guys that have really gotten a chance to do a lot of stuff. To be honest with you, forty two gets the ball a lot. Is that Rico? Maybe I don't know how to say his name, but Rico double Dabble from South Carolina. He gets the ball a lot, and he's not doing

a whole lot with it. I don't you know. But but you know, to your point, day what they've had four practices so far. I mean, I think they've had four. When you go back to the two weeks after the draft, there used to be one week after the draft the rookie rookie free agents get. I mean all the rookies get a mini camp of three days. You know, that's just by themselves, rookie mini camps, so they get free

practices under their belt. Here we are in the middle of August and there are they're sitting at four right now, so you know they should have had way, way more time than this. So yeah, it makes sense that you know they're not going to get it in two or three weeks. So I see the will, but that's it. You know, we can't have we can't have our eyes everywhere all the time. So there's a good chance that

I've missed something. But I swear people have been blowing me up about Bradley and I and I understand why. You know, he's an exciting draft pick. I with my own eyes have not seen him take a pass rush snap in a eleven on eleven setting. I'm sure he has done it once or twice, but he ain't getting in there a lot because they're deferring to the veterans to try to get them up to speed. At least that's what it looks like to me. And Reggie Robinson

is something good good, I said. Reggie Robinson got a few snaps and we noticed it because he was getting beat, you know, like down the field. So you know, I mean, you know, we got asked about it on a mail bag, like where's Rekie Robinson And it's like, well, you know, he's just he's just trying to learn it. It's like, well, there he is. I don't know if that's a good thing, but you know it means that. It's just it's these guys heads are spinning right now, you know it. And frankly,

this has been talked about around the league. I think every team is looking at the same thing and saying, you know, it's it's gonna be very difficult to get time or to allocate time for rookies, let alone rookie free agents, for them to really be able to work in and figure out what's going on and get up to speed enough to be able to play week one. When you have a condensed training camp, no offseason, it's

just it's it's almost impossible. And so it is a year when veterans are actually going to be at a premium and I'm I'm interested to see what happens here when teams have to cut. Are there going to be some draft picks that normally would not get cut that teams feel like they got a part ways with because they just didn't see them, and they gotta keep some

of those veterans. I want to see how this all plays out, because I do think veterans are in a very very precarious situation, which again that plays into why somebody like Mike McCarthy doesn't want us videoing and tweeting about his team because odds are he's not going to have a great idea of what he's letting go of when it comes time to cut the roster down. Ye, it's gonna be tough. But at position that we haven't really talked about, but we've learned that is very very

important on the team is kicker. How has the kicker been doing so far? He's perfect, He's perfect, but that's he's only he's kicked one time. It's the differences, you know, we're still getting used to it, but like you can tell the differences in the way that these coaching staffs do stuff, you know, special teams under Under McCarthy and John Fossil, it dominates. It's like the first thirty minutes in practices, all special teams work, but that's you know,

that's blocking and assignments and stuff like that. Greg Zerline has only kicked field goals one time in four practices and I think a long was forty three, so they're not even asking him to do super long range stuff. So he looks all right to me. They haven't done a lot with him. But and let's be clear that that means that may only be the kicks that he's doing in front of us. There are other fields, so he could be working, like if the team is working indoors,

he could be working outside kicking. I don't want to trans to get the idea that he's sitting on his just kind of sitting in the locker room doing nothing. I think I think he's probably kicking. It's just in different location than when the media is right. Okay. Thoughts on Drew Peterson. We haven't really talked about him, but he's a guy in some big news yesterday. Thoughts on him getting a step closer to Canton. I'll take this one.

I'm really excited about it. I know that doesn't necessarily mean he's in, but I think the writing's on the wall there that with him being the only senior addition there for the from the Seniors committee, I think it's going to happen. I don't usually at this point that they don't not get in. So you know, yes, everyone remembers that the video and he was upset and rightfully so. I mean, he deserves it. And I'll say this. Everyone can have their own opinion. I've said this thousand times.

I'll say it again, though, when you think about the history of the Dallas Cowboys and the memorable moments, we memorable games, Hail Mary, the Clint Longley game, even Dorsets ninety nine yard run, the you know game against the Alkins in the playoffs when Danny White came back. Drew Chris is in there for all of it. He is the history of this team. He's he started number eighty eight, and he's the only offensive player that in the decade of the nineteen seventies All decade team not in the

Hall of Fame. Long overdue. It needs to happen, and it sounds like it will. Yeah, No video last year was heartbreaking, and I honestly, I just I just want to see the right thing be done here. Like you said, Nick, I think he certainly is deserving and uh, And I think he had every expectation that last year, with the increased number of guys that were going to be going in celebrate the NFL anniversary. I think he rightfully thought he would be a part of that and he wasn't.

And I just I hated that for him. I hated to see him go through that. I think the NFL needs to do right by him, and he think he needs to be in the in the Hall of Fame. It's weird to say, but I kind of think the video might be why this happened. Honestly, um, you know, it kind of went it kind of went viral at least, you know, among NFL fans and media, and I think a lot of people saw that. You know, not everybody pays as close attention to the Cowboys as we do.

I think a lot of people were like, wait a second, Drew Pearson's not in the Hall of Fame, Like, are we serious right now? And I think that probably gave him a groundswell of support that maybe he didn't have before. So, I mean, I hate it for him. It sucks that that had to happen, But in a weird way, I think that video kind of maybe put this on the map. You know, you guys remember a linebacker that played with Florence Taylor's name was Harry Carson. He played for the

Giants for a long time. He was a finalist in the Like in the Final fifteen eight years in a row and didn't make it, and he said, do not put my name in here again. I'm removing my name. I'm out. It just is not happening. He got in next year, That next year he got in. So I don't know, maybe that just has to happen sometimes people. Yeah, I know, sometimes z are probably extenuating circumstances. None of us is in the room when they're making those decisions.

I don't want to I don't want to kill those guys too much, but I just think this at this rate, Like you said, Nick, if you want to talk about the history of the Dallas Cowboys, and the Cowboys are a very history franchise, franchise that is probably one of the most in the NFL, one of the most story franchise in NFL, and so many of those stories have Drew Pearson being a part of them. There's no reason. Like you hear that that phrase all the time. Can

you tell the story of whatever without whoever? Well, I don't think you can tell the story of the Dallas Cowboys without Drew Pearson being a part of it, which means and he has the production on top of that, I think he needs to be in the Hall of fame. Yeah, and you can't just look at numbers because the numbers, like when the guys in the seventies, the way the passing game was four teen game schedules, it's not the same. Keenan McCardell has more sacks than Drew Pearson. It's not

the way it is. It's just how he meant, what he meant to the team, the organization, and that success he's definitely deserving. So it looks like it's going to happen. All right. We'll appreciate you guys joining us. Thanks Amber forgetting all the questions. Thanks for all you guys who actually sent questions. Were appreciate you taking some time with us. We'll be back next Wednesday eleven am for more from the Break. Till then for Nick Eatn, Dave helm and AMBERGARSCIA.

I am Derek Eagleton. 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.