Cowboys Break: How D-Line Shakes Out

we got a lot to talk about today. As we usually do, will start off with a little blanket coverage to get into some injuries, um and maybe a defection, I don't know. We'll see what's happening with Chris Westry and then talk a little bit about the defensive line. We're gonna go a little in depth on the defensive line today, talk about the defensive tackles and the defensive ends on this team. How's everybody feeling this morning? Great? Awesome?

Grand Let's jump right in. It is an off day for the team, so they will not be practicing today, not for us, never an off day for us, and so we will so they will, they will resume practices tomorrow normal time, but today they get a little bit of rest time heading into the weekend when, by the way, on Sunday, there will be a scrimmage Blue White scrimmage, So if you guys want to check that out, we will actually stream it live across all of our platforms,

Dallas Cowboys dot Com, the Cowboys Mobile app, Connect, the TV app, and for those back in Dallas, will actually be airing on CBS eleven as well, so make sure you check that out. Let's get started with a little bit of blanket coverage here first, as we do every day, I'm gonna give you guys a statement that will be a blank you feel in the blank. Let's start with the first statement. Sean Lee misspracticed for the second day due to a knee injury. My concern level is blank.

I liked that left day. It's Sean Lee, you know, it just is what it is. I'm not concerned for two reasons. One because it's it's it seems like it's minor, and two because Sean Lee doesn't mean to this defensive success what he did even two years ago. So maybe I Sean Lee one of the best Cowboys players in recent memory. I think the world of him as a guy. But you know, would we be freaking out if Damien Wilson and tweaked his knee? You know, I mean so

probably not. So that's kind of how I feel. I mean, you would think. I mean personally, I think I would be used to this by now, but I'm not. It still hurts me because I thought, Okay, he he was looking good. He's put on some muscle weight on him, you know, and his new role. I was expecting this to actually help him kind of maintain his health. And what they've been doing here isn't too much. I don't think we're not at that level where we had like a full week of padded practice yet. So it's still

kind of a little bit of disappointment. It's not surprising, but you know, I love the guy and I want to see him on the field. Nick not concerned, well at all. They've said it best. He doesn't. He doesn't mean as much to the defense. And you know, if you say, if you say you had a hangnail out here, the trainers will hold you out, you know, And it's nothing against them. It's this is the time of year to make sure that you're you're not, you know, getting

hurt anything in a major way. So where Sean Lee, everything is precautionary, So I don't think it's that big a deal, all right. Statement number two, the most row some injury on this team is blank Nick, I'm gonna say Travis Frederick. Even though he's not he's been cleared, I'm gonna still think that is probably the one. I mean, there's a reason why he's not just going right in and doing all the you know, one on ones and

stuff like that. So I don't know if you want to call it an injury or not, but they're definitely being cautious with it, and I think that that he matters a lot to this team. Now. I do think Joe Looney did a nice job and we'll do a nice job as a backup, but I think Frederick takes it to another level. So I'm not worried about any of the other injuries so much. That one's the one.

I think it's worth pointing out too. It's so easy to forget because you know, he came back from gian bare and it's this it's a great story, but he also had shoulder surgery and he actually said that's why he hasn't been involved in the one on ones. It's not so much because of the GBS, but you know, they're being cautious with a veteran who had shoulder surgery in the offseason, so I mean that's something to watch too. So that's the injury. So, Dave, most were some injury

for you. Are we we're calling Byron and DeMarcus injured. Yeah? Yeah, they're not practicing, yeah, because they're not back from their injuries, and they're not back from their surgeries. They're not back from whatever ailed themself. I think of injuries as things that have happened since we got here. I'm saying, everybody that's out right now, if you want me to rephrase, okayout Byron Byron Jones, because like I just I you know,

Tank tanks Tank. He's had shoulder injuries for like half of his career anyway, and he plays through it and he's great. And also I just feel like I'm not saying he should like wrap that dude in bubble rap, but like if they needed him out there in a week, I bet he could do it. That's just kind of how I feel. Whereas Byron, I know he was skateboarding around. He looks like he's pretty good, but it's a hip and he's a corner and that's everything to a cornerback. So I just I want to I want him to

get some work out here. I hope that he does. So. Yeah, And I actually talk to him a little bit about that, and he said that he eats specs to get some work in Oxnard. Awesome. And I actually was watching him doing some drills and I just thought, Okay, this is July. We care about him playing in September, not even in August. Yet. I got a whole full month. I'm not panicking. I'm not worried he'll come back. Yeah, I would have said Travis, but right now Joe Looney looks like a badass, so

I'm not that concerned. But I would go with the Marcus Lawrence, I you know right now, Yes you don't have Randy Gregory, Robert Quinn. It was a guy that I think we all had high expect It's still early, but we had, at least me having expectations of when he first came out here and kind of show a little more than what he's shown so far. Yes, he went against Tyren Smith that's Tyron, but Ken Fleming, M I mean it's still he put up a battle there,

but it wasn't that impressive and tackle. We talked about him. He walked out yesterday with an injury. Actually, what was it? His back? Maybe heard taco he did, he did something small to his back. But he came out for a walk through last night. So like the position position wise right now, UM, not that excited from what I've seen so far. So I think DeMarcus Lawrence. I'm ready to see him out there and see the combination of him

and Robert Quinn and see how that does. Person most likely to be absent week one is amber most likely to be out of all those guys that we've been talking about that are injured right now, the guy that you would say is most likely to be absent come week one, Uh, he is injured and he will be suspended. And there's another guy that's looking at We don't know what's going to happen with Tyron Crawford, right, I mean that is true, That is true. Um, shoot, I don't

I'm trying to think of the injured guys. You know, maybe you didn't say injured guys. I just said of the guys on this team most likely to everybody Week one, get back to me, all right, Dave ze Zeke, Yeah, I think that he's He's the guy that's most likely because if he wants to make it, like you know what, we've been told by people that are that know the situation,

they'll say, he doesn't have any leverage, has no leverage. Well, and they're right right now, But don't play in that game and get beat by the Giants who you shouldn't lose to at home too, and then we'll see what kind of leverage it is. I still don't think he has leverage at that point. Okay, well, because Berry just said this is this is kind of an all end season. So if I get lose games, but how long is he going to see because that's the point I don't know.

Like that's the problem with with the scenario is this is not a situation where him sitting out games actually helps him because sitting out games, the Cowboys will own his rights for three seasons. He's not He's not gonna sit for three years. I disagree, though, how do you just because it's about playing, it's about winning the Super Bowl and trying to get to that goal. And what

is that? How's that factor into him them owning his rights for three years, because it's not about three years that they're not coming out here, and it's talking about three years this year. No, But the point, the point is if they have his rights for three years, him sitting in missing games is only hurting him. It's not

hurting it's not hurting anybody but him. Jerry. He thinks this is the best football team he's got and so if he's got a running back that's sitting there and kind of holding this team hostage, then let's let's come together like they're here. They're here, let's come together. But that's the point. I don't think that a guy who knows he can't play football but for this team for

three years is gonna miss games. That's the point. He doesn't have the leverage to be able to sit because in the situation with Levon Bell, he knew that he could force their hand at some point because sitting out this year, he knew he was going to be a free agent after that. So him sitting for a year makes a lot of or makes some sense because at least he knows, no matter what, I will be a free agent after this year. Ze can't say that for

three years. I just it's it's totally determined on his how much is he willing to let the world burn, Like, if he's even even at his own costs, Yeah, you're right. Yeah. If he's absolutely like, f you pay me and he wants to sit until Halloween, he can hurt the Cowboys and make them real antsy to get a deal done. But you're right. In the long term, it only he never gets that money back. He hurts his future earning value.

He can't go anywhere for three years, That's why. But that's why I think the August sixth deadline means nothing to him, because he's like they they're not. I can't go anywhere anyway, So who cares if I don't accrue a year or toward free agency? So he can. He definitely he has some leverage if he's really willing to go all out, but that would mean missing anywhere between one and maybe as many as like six or seven game checks. And I don't know if he's willing to

take that step. And although we all agreed this is a much better team with him on it, it could backfire on him if they should happen to win those first few games while he's out that then kills whatever, and the first three weeks of the season are set up. If you're gonna go, if you're gonna if you're gonna try to win without Zeke, you've got a great start in front of you. Yeah, and that's what what happened

with with Pittsburgh. Then. Now they didn't make the playoffs, but they got kind of hot early in the year. Was James Connor, Yeah, he was playing really well and so he was like now towards the end, I think he got then they definitely missed him, but it was too late to do anything because Lebon had already made

his point at that point. But so I I, yeah, it's risky, but if if you lose, you know, if they're one and two and they've lost the game and Alfred Morris is rushing for forty eight yards on twelve carries and all that stuff, like, yeah, he could he has some leverage, but only if he fully commits to this. I think, I think, honestly, this is the best leverage he's going to have, right, I don't think, I don't. I don't know if I call it great leverage, but

it's the best he's gonna possibly have. He has them in a position right now where this is probably the best he's gonna This is as good as if he's willing to commit to it. Yeah. Yeah. And also like it's it's who you talk to, Like if you talk to guys that are kind of dealing with the salary cap or maybe even Stephen Jones, who's looking big picture.

If you're talking to like Jerry Jones, or how about Jason, Jason is the one that's looking just like like get him, give him to me now I met him now, So yeah, it's he's got some but he's gonna have to really commit to it. Yeah, to answer your you didn't ask

me yet, But I'm not. I spent a lot of the summer wringing my hands about Byron and DeMarcus, But now that I've seen him with my own eyes and kind of got a firmer grasp on where they're at, Like, I'm not that worried about any of the guys right now. You know, long way to go knock on wood, but you know something's gonna happen to somebody. So but none of the none of the real concerns right now. I think will not be there week one, So the big

injury hasn't happened yet, that's what he's saying. I said, knock on wood. Yeah, but yeah, it happens. That stuff happens at training camp. You just hope that they're any major injuries, Like you're gonna get an injury. Somebody's gonna get hurt. Pretty though, there won't be anyone like carded off the field today. Oh I'm glad. Yeah. I was about to say, no one will get hurt today, but man, they're weird. Stuff happens all the time. I would say hurt,

just carted off the field. That's a good way to put it. All right, let's move on. I did want to real quickly just get an update on Chris west Chris westree a little farther down the depth chart, but reports yesterday with any misspractice due to a personal issue. Yeah, it didn't sound like it didn't sound like he's around. But what are you guys hearing about him and where he is right now, and and if that really even makes a huge difference for this team based upon what

they got at the cornerback position. I've been burned before by saying what I think I know, and then Dave comes in and says, well, actually, I don't have anything for you, so fire. You know. The last thing that we've kind of heard is and what the Cowboys were saying, it's a personal issues. He's dealing with some some he's left the team right now for some personal reasons, um, and they expect him back, and Stephen Jones said they expect him back, and Jason Garrett expect him back as well.

The one thing to that is people that have seen him leave for personal reasons had all his bags packed. So I don't know, I don't know what if he's a heavy packer or not. I don't know what's going on, but they've got all his back packs. And by the way, this would not be the first time we've ever seen a player that, for personal reasons packed their bags and left and then a few days later came back. It played eight years, yeah exactly, so it happened. It happened, Yeah,

it happened. Sol Beasley was dealing with stuff, and after all those times, and we've done all these feature stories, I don't know if that ever came out exactly why Cole Beasley left there was some personal stuff. He went home. He never he never really said why, but but he was. He was doing really well, and so everyone was surprised and he came back and he obviously had the career that he had. Um Westy did not have such a great first practice. Yeah, and you know was this is

gonna be one out of twenty though. Man. I mean, and I don't know why he's leaving, but that's you know, it's to know if it's that or not. Yeah, you know, we'll see, we'll see if he comes back. There's been a few over the years that you know, I remember here, like fifteen years ago was a guy named Andrew Davison's pretty good cornerback from the Jets. They Bill liked him, Parcels liked him, and quit like third third day. So it happens so well. But I don't know if he's

what's going on. We just know that it's personal reasons and he's got a day here, so yeah, figure it out. We'll see, we'll see if he comes back or not. I would assume it's a pretty tough adjustment a lot of times for these guys coming out of college programs where most of them were among the best on their teams, and then they get here and they're among the I don't want to say the worst, but they're certainly not up there as far as a depth chart or the

amount of credibility that they have. And you know, he has a day like he had the first day. Sometimes adjusting to that is is difficult. Yeah. I think he's one of those guys. I could be wrong, but I think he's one of those athletes that over the years has just been said yes too because of look at him. Yeah, you know, um, but he never he said he had never played receiver because he said his hands were terrible. He said that. He asked about playing basketball and he's like, no,

I don't play basketball. And he's in Kentucky. I doesn't play basketball. You know. They put him at corner and you know, you would think he'd be a safety. But but so he's got a tough issue anyways, just being a six four corner that they don't and playing for Richard. I mean, Chris gets he's temper. He gets really into the game and he will yell at you and so if you're not that's yeh didn't happen get beaten? He was He was like you're get out, getting out of here.

So I think I think Chris just meant like on the sideline, but stream might have been like, where did he tell me to lead that don't have to leave? I don't know. We're really speculating. No, it's and I hope and if there's I'll just say this too. We're making light of it. I don't know what the personal issues are. They could be a lot deeper than can you cover a wide receiver? Sure, and if that's the case,

then you know, we really don't know. We're speculating. And hope he comes back, and hope he gets it going and has a Cole Beasley type career. There are other guys that this has happened to it well where they leave or whatever reason, personal reasons, whatever the point is, you hope he's back on tomorrow and back working in and we'll see how things go for him. All right, let's go ahead and take our first break. When we come back from break, I want to talk about this

defensive line. We're gonna talk about the defensive tackles first, getting some into some conversation of the depth of this group, because they've got a lot of guys that sit behind those two starters, and I'm not really certain that I know exactly who those guys will become the final fifty three man roster. We'll talk about that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. If you're like me and you love I mean, if you

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should rely on more than just specs and features. You've got to take it out and put it to the test. The Cowboys did when they named John Deer their official tractor experience one for yourself. Visit my John dear Dealer dot com. Slash football Back to the Break, Welcome back. It is the second second of the Break, live from Opsdock, California. It is day five. You've been out here. I don't know something like that. Day five or so? Yeah, what

episode is if you count Thursday? If you count, Oh yeah, yeah, if you count, But I don't count that. I was thinking about the days that they actually started practice. Sorry, so i'd be about day five here. I think it would be about if I slept here, I count it. So okay, well we're a week in then, yeah, and we only got two and a half more weeks, two weeks, three days or something. All right, so let's jump in. I want to talk about the defensive line. Um, let's

start first with the defensive tackles. And here's kind of the way I look at this position. You got Belie Collins and Antoine Woods as your starters. You got as backups, Daniel Ross, Christian Covington, Tristan Hill, Daniel Wise, Shaquire Soto. Um, I guess give me kind of the the big picture of what you think of this particularly this position, factoring in the starters, the depth. What do you just think about this position overall? I think you got some good players.

I don't know if you have a great player, but then again, you can't have a great player at every spot, um, But it's the one position where I think is um is concerning just because of a that reason right there. Don't think you have that badass that just takes over games. And the one that kind of is the best is injury prone sometimes in MALIEK Collins and two or be

whatever I started with, I can't remember him. Um. I think that it's the position that it was vulnerable some last year and the Rams you know, ran over him and the Colt ran over him, and so I think that you know, it's one that needs to be improved, and that's why you're spending your top pick on it with Tristan Hill. So I just think there's some question marks there, but you know it'll be all right, No, we'll see. It's just so uncertain to me. Uh yeah,

Malik is the best one. He's injury front, although through two days of pads. He looks very nat he looks good out there. He was healthy. Gave Zach contract year, gave Zack Martin fits yesterday. Um, so that's something to watch. Uh. Antoine Woods, you know started last year. Good, good player. Um, he's an exclusive rights free agent when the season's over.

He's also you know, he's he's not Gerald McCoy or you know some guy that's just got that thing locked down to the degree that you don't have to worry about it. And that's really Tristan Hill is the only one here with a long term future. Um. And that's even you know that, that's what you said about years ago. Right Well, when I say when I say a long term future, I mean till the next contract or yeah, I can't imagine him being cut any time before like

twenty twenty one. Right so, but other than that Woods contract year, Malague contract year. And then you know, Daniel ross Is, he's a nice player. He did some nice things, but he certainly doesn't have a long term outlook as of right now. Whom whom I ristic, Christian coving I'm excited about Christian Covington. He I mean, maybe it's just because he came from the Texans, but he reminds me of Terrell McClean. It's like, who's this journeyman? Detail, Oh,

he's actually pretty damn good. Okay, cool. It's one of the things I read about him when the Cowboys first signed him was you go back and look at some of the articles they wrote in Houston, and they were talking about him like, man, this is a guy that's you know, he's not one of those frontline guys, but he's one of those glue guys. He's one of those guys that gives you a lot of good production that

doesn't necessarily show up on the statute. Of course, what I wondered too, is that, you know, there's a lot of shooters in the NBA that they got open when they played with Shack, you know, and I wonder if guess what, he's got a couple of shocks on this scene. Well yeah, well but not where he's coming from. They're not as good as I'm talking about Clowney and what coming, you know, kind of forcing the guy up, and it's like, oh, he's right in my face. So no belief in Quinn

and d Law. Yeah, I'm not saying that. Just wonder if are they as good? I mean, which one would you take them? As a tandem. I'm not saying that they're not as a tandem. I'm not sure. As a best player, I think Wat's better than all of them, but I think as a tandem, I mean, Clowney's a guy that he'll show No, Clowney will show up in games. Cone who also disappearing games. That's why they have money. Is in a franchise tag dispute. And Robert Quinn got

traded here for day three picks. Yeah, yeah, but there's a reason why they haven't signed him to a long term. It's okay to say they're not the bed like two No, no no, no. All I'm saying is you go back and look at high Criticism is valid, but I will take I'll take good. All I'm saying is is, let's let's see if the Cowboys can give that kind of outside pressure h the way, you know, and make Covington kind of show up there. But but when you look at him, he looks like really wide, like he's just

got his shoulders and he's defensive time. That's great, Yeah, it's great for time. Actually, uh, Antoine Woods looks like he's kind of slimmed down a little bit. Yeah, I think I buy that. Yeah, he's been working hard this offseason. He posts it on social media all the time. And that's not a shot, Like I think it's cool to watch and he's that if he takes the next step and that he could be really good at he said videos year, but well, oh he's good at editing videos.

That's not him. That's another gay. Yeah they look the same, but he gets y'all's inside jokes. Carry offten. He's doing all the like badass. We have an employee who happens to look a lot like you know, funny things our great friend carry loft. There were some fans on the sideline a couple of days ago and they were like, why is Antoine Woods carrying a camera? Yeah? Literally as ever they said that it's it's like it's uncanny. That tells you that people really think he looks like him.

But um, what else? Oh no, I mean, Antoine's contractor year is different from Malik's contractor year. He's an exclusive rights free agents. All the Cowboys have to do is like check the box on his deal and he comes back back. But they don't have to I mean if he's just not good this year, they find a better option. Yeah, and there's a reason why he got um Drew Rosenhouse as his agent. Yeah, Like he got Rosenhouse this year. So um, you know he's expecting some some big things.

But but I am you know, I mean, you know, nothing feels written in stone to me other than that Malik is probably your first choice three tech if he's healthy, and he has been. He hasn't had a hiccup this offseason at all, which is new for him. Like he's you know, he's the guy that he's broken his foot in the off season a couple of times, so that's encouraging.

And I ride off Ross all the time, like I just forget about him and just say he was until he makes a few He was Christian Covington last year. You're like, you know, his stat sheets not very impressive, but when you watch the games, you're like, oh damn, there's Daniel Rosso then. Yeah, but you know Will McClay he has he's a good track record of getting some players. And you know, the guys that Will likes stick around. I remember he liked Lance Lenore when no one else

really did. And he's still around and I believe he likes Rico Gathers and he's still around and he really likes the Daniel Wise because he's a good player. And then also he's a family friend as well. I mean his dad was on his coach and staff and that. You know. Yeah, but I'm not saying that Will McClay would do that or anybody does that, but that's how it opens the door to get there. He's rooting for the kid, and if he continues to play well, he'll

be around. If I had to give like a no name to jump out, Daniel Wise would definitely be on the short list. He I mean, he's done, he's done some work out here against his end of the depth chart. To paraphrase from Brian broad Us, like you know, we'll see when he gets a chance to go against the big boys and the starters. But I'm I'm intrigued by his talent and I think they had I think they had a fourth round grade on him. They had a

nice grade on him, and they got him undrafted. So so looking at those guys, Daniel Ross, who we talked a little bit about, Christian Covington, Tristan Hill, Daniel Wise, which of those guys if he had to say today, one of them is going to make the biggest impact of the backups. Which of those guys you think it is Covington? Yeah, I think ye. He's got the body to play one, and he's played end in the three four, which, like, I think he's got some more pass rush to him

then maybe some of these other guys. And that's you know, we talk a lot about the one in the three, but interchangeabilities so much for these guys. I think I think he could probably play one but also disrupt the pocket as well. And he's got the NFL experience. I mean, he's started games in the NFL. Um and and again, this depth chart is other than Malik and Antoine's actually other than Malik and Tristan Hill. Really, I think it's nothing is really written in stone. So I like his thoughts.

You think he could get his way onto the field in pass rush situations, because that's the tough part about this team. They have guys, and in particular guy like Tyrone Crawford who who can who are defensive ends, but that can play defensive tackles, so you get him into

pass ruch situations. They actually want to get those guys on the field as defensive tackles, which makes the defense they've actually they've got They've got another one in Carrie Hyder who's played both and he's been he's only worked at ends since he got here, but he can do both. So you know what, I was just looking at another guy that I wouldn't be surprised if they see if

he could do both. As Joe Jackson, he's six four two eighty five on the sheet, there's no way and there's a reason they can't get him to two ninety. That would be the same size as as Daniel Wise and on that so he could be a guy that moves inside and play some defensive facul That's that's the fun thing about this. All right, Let's let's go through it. Guys, Stone Cold locks to be here on the defensive line. DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford, um MALIEK Collins, Robert Robert Quinn,

Tristan Hill. All Right, I'll give you Antoine. I don't know that you can definitely say that's a Stone cald Lock, but I have a hard tip to get a guy goes from starter to off the team. But yeah, go ahead, I'll give you I'll even give you six. That's still probably any a minimum of three, if not four spots that are up for grabs, and I can't I couldn't tell you who those guys are. I will tell you this.

I think as much as you can probably make him a locked at least make the team and we this is kind of moving over into the other position, but I think Darren's Armstrong's probably on that. Let's have a hard time thinking he's not on this team based on other than so far. Okay, yeah, all right, guy, he looks really good, looks really and he's a guy that was a draft pick last year. He looked good last

year when he got some opportunities at times. Right, fourth fourth round is the magical round where it doesn't matter that you were a draft pick. Like if he doesn't show it here, they don't care. But my point is with a big round and actually played and did pretty well, that's what makes me think he it's hard. He has to really screw it up to not make the Through two days of practice, I think he makes the team. Yeah, he looks really good, but I mean it's a long month.

Like if he doesn't, if he has a bad month, then they're not like, oh my god, he was. He was picked one twenty something. We can't go him. You say fourth round, I say fifth round because I think Joe Jackson's gonna have to be terrible for him not to make the round as a rookie. Ryan Russell, but he was around for a little bit. I mean, I know Mary ross Or cuts his rocky year. They put him on them, they put him on the practice squad, but he was he did not stick around. Okay, you're right.

Let's see if Marinelli dog cusses Joe Jackson like he did. Ryan wrestle every day, then yeah, and that was what I asked. Y'all are terrible. Y'all are kind of contradicting me. Y'all are like, I feel really good about this guy. I'm saying stone cold. Yeah, I are here. There's no arguing about it. That's right. You're right. And if you're looking at that, then yeah, you're probably right. There's only probably six guys that are stone cold locks to be here.

But that's probably better than any other position. Think about stone cold locks and the percentage of the roster. The only other thing I could say would be tied in tight end. You got probably three stone cold locks there and that's yeah. But when running back, what's running back? Yeah? One? Two? Yeah, Yeah, No, that's fair, it's totally fair. Trying to think of their quarter positions. I mean receiver receiver. Your quarterbacks are locks. Ye,

your wide receivers are lot. So I think defense line, when you look at it that way, it's probably a little bit better than other positions. It's yes, offensive defensive line probably are the ones where you got to defensive line that's pretty lucky. Yeah. Yeah. Encouraging the talent, yeah, I mean if you're doing it by percentage, then probably eighty percent of your own line it's locked in. Yeah, but I was gonna say, I'm super encouraged by the

talent level on both of the lines. Yeah, that's true. We'll take another show to get into that. Um let's talk about the defensive ends though, And I want to transition between defensive tackle and defensive end by talking about a guy that plays both defensive tackle and defensive end.

Tyron Crawford not practicing right now, but when he comes back, he is a guy that's being able to do both, being able to do both both fairly well, where do you think he best fits on this team where now you have a Robert Quinn who's starting at that opposite defensive end position from tank. Where do you think Crawford best? I think Tyrone Crawford will wear number ninety eight, and that's the only thing I know about him. I don't know. I don't know if he'll play week one. I don't

know if he'll be an end. I don't know if he'll be a tackle. I don't know if he'll be a captain. I don't even know how many reps he I don't know anything about Tyrone other than he will wear ninety eight. I'll tell you this, the man, the man looks yoked like. And you know we've talked about it. Obvious. You know his versatility isn't his asset. I think Nick always makes a great point. Maybe works against him a little bit because they'll just well, we can throw Tyrone there.

But he's been working, and I like, it doesn't look like he changed to play defensive tackle. It just looks like he was like, I'm gonna set personal bests in the squat all year, and that's what I'm gonna do. Because him and DeMarcus Lawrence were out here doing rehab like two days ago, and I was like, if you if I didn't know anything about this team and I had to guess which one was the All Pro just based on how impressive they looked, I would pick Tyrone.

His thighs are like tree trunks, Like he looks like he's been working really hard. Good for him. Um, yeah, I don't know. And that annoys me because that's the debate I have with brought us all the time, where like Brian will sit here and tell me till I'm blue in the face that right end is the one that matters, and you gotta gotta get the corner, and the left end is the less talented one. But here

you got an all pro play and left end. And all due respect to Tyrone Crawford, he does not have that freakish bend and athleticism that helps you play right end. But he's been man in that position for two years. So you're gonna tell me that he fits better at right end, even though that's the one that's supposed to be the more athletic position. But do you think that him getting bigger affects that? And maybe he's getting bigger because he's more of going to be a defensive tackle

this year. I don't, like I said, his body doesn't look like that like him. He looks bigger, but he doesn't look like he has You got to make changes, you know, Like he leaned up a couple of years ago to play in and he still looks that way. Yeah, so no, I just I think he's gonna be a really useful and versatile third end. That's what I think about Tyrone. And he could probably play either side if I wanted him too. So taking him out of the mix for a second, who do you think is the

third best pass rusher on this team? You've got Tank, You've got Robert Quinn. I want a table Tyrone Crawford for a second, of guys like Dorn's Armstrong and Carrie Hider, Joe Jackson, tackle Charlton. Who do you think is the third best pass rusher on this team? Well? The third And we're not gonna We're not gonna throw out Randy because Randy's not here just yet, but go ahead. Is that where you're gonna go Randy? Yeah? How about your

Jalen Smith? I'm not even really kidding, like, no, I know, but give me a defensive in I hope it's doing. But you know, I have this. I think that one of these rookies is gonna step up. I really do. And I just don't know what. I think Jalen Jokes is going to really emerge. I don't know why, I just do. What have you seen? Okay? I saw him? Noock Rico gathers to the ground on something. Somebody showed me a clip. What were you what were you gonna say? No?

What do you? Guys? Keep talking? And I keep a dog, but MP in the place for manners. No, if if four people are just going at it, it creates too much chaos. So I'm living up to you guys. Keep going. No, forget it now it's gonna say Darrence. I'm sure it's a guy that I've been keeping my eye on and I have high hopes for him because he's a guy

that DeMarcus Lawrence has taken for whatever reason. He's taking him under his wing and has decided to coach up this guy and teach him about life even outside of the football field. You know. So when you got a guy like DeMarcus Lawrence who is proven and and does the things that he does that he does, I would expect um Dorance Armstrom to be able to soak up all of that knowledge. Now mentally, I don't know how much he's there. And I say that with caution. I

don't know. I've had conversations with him and it's just kind of like I'm like talking to somebody right now, you know, like it's kind of strange, but physically I'm not trying to say something bad, but you know what I mean. But you know some players that are like that that has not flashed a lot of personality to this point in his career, which because it might not be about his mental capacity, he's not personable or maybe just nervous talking to you. I don't know how many

words maybe what are both? I'm just saying I've heard Malik Collins say about eight words since he got here. Like some guys just aren't like that. Yeah, Larry Allen, Yeah, seriously, I'm not going off of that about his no Mass experience. Yes, I'm not just going some bad ones very good no

Moss either, but go ahead. No, But basically, when you have a mentor like DeMarcus Lawrence who's willing to coach you up and take you under his wing, even outside of the football field, hang out with him and do all these things together. I would hope that it kind of washes off on him and like he absorbs all of that and he translate onto the football field. I don't I don't want to, you know, steam the hype

train up too fast, too soon. But it just looks different when a guy that size can dip his shoulder and bend the corner like that. And I've seen Dorin's armstrong do that and that's regularly. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's exciting. So we're about something. Oh, I think it's about time for a break. It is time for a break. We're gonna take a final break when we come back. A's gonna have a little oh no for us. We are. I'm gonna do a little see no, we'll do that

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dot com. Today. Back to the Break, Welcome back. It is the final segment of the Break before the day from ox dot California. There are no practices today, We'll be back on the field. The team will be back on the field tomorrow. Makes you stay tuned for that. Let's jump into a little seat, un No, am, But what do you have for us? Well, I see a

lot of people starting to talk about trading. So it's that time of year, baby, Ezekiel Elliott, We're going to Yeah, do you see the Cowboys going that route down the road in the near future, trading Ze for something else? There's nobody out there that you can trade for right now with him to get value at all. I mean, like, you can't even trade to pay a draft pick because I don't know if anybody's gonna be good, bad or whatever. So if you trade me your first round pick, like,

what does that do? I've seen that. I've seen that twice where the Cowboys have traded for next year's one and the team kind of got hot and ended up going you know, seven to nine, and in giving you a twentieth pick for Zeke, I need the top five pick because I picked him number four and he's been better than that. So I like that. First of all, I'm just gonna get on my soapbox as quickly as possible, because,

like do it Dave. Three weeks ago, I, me and Jeff Kavanaugh were sort of bantering about what it might look like if the team moved on from Zeke and everybody lost their damn mind, like we were just the stupidest people on earth, and why would we want to get rid of Zeke? Dude misses two days of practice and everybody in the world thinks he's not that good and they want to get rid of him, and it's bs. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of the hypocrisy. On top of that, what what are you doing? What do

you do? Like, what's this deal? You're gonna trade him for a pick and then you know, we'll roll forward into the season with Alfred Morris, Darius Jackson, and Tony Pollard good luck And you might hear that from them or some other people. I've no, that's a terrible idea. No offense to those guys, you're not accomplishing your goals as a team that way. To anybody for a pick, it's got to be a player would have to be involved because and who is this team? Who is this

team that wants him? Like, oh, trade for Duke Johnson? Why isn't that? Why do they want him? They've got Nick Chubb on a cheap contract, who can do what they need him to do. He needs to be a Pro Bowl player, because don't give me a pick, because I guarantee you that Zeke's gonna make that team better.

So that pick's gonna be. Who are these teams out there that want Zeke that would give up the pick and also have a good running back to give because I need that, Like I need a replacement running back again, I'm sorry, what's your cutoff there of good running are you talking about? You need somebody that's the caliber of a top five running back in the league. I need

a bell Cow Okay? I mean, like if you told me I could get Duke Johnson in a trade and a pick or two, Like, all right, that's not absurd. Not a bell Cow guy, right, He's at least he could at least be a lead dog and he can catch and do all. Like he's a well rounded guy who can do everything and play the majority of the snaps. And if Pollard's getting some snaps and then a third running back, we can make that work, right, And that's why I'm trying to figure out, like what that cutoff is?

What kind of player would be? The kind of player you would say, Hey, if I had that guy that would be good enough with this offensive line to be able to make my team in a perfect like just an in a vacuum, if you sent me Duke Johnson and a valuable pick like first, preferably first, but maybe even second round. Like I'm listening, Yeah, okay, but like

why would the Browns do that. They've like, they've got Nick Chubb, They've got this, they got that, Like they don't they don't the reason why why Duke Johnson is wanting to be trades? They already got a guy. Yeah yeah, so I just you know, I can go research this, but I don't see a team out there that fits this magical criteria. Or I mean, if Duke Johnson was really worth anything, they wouldn't have drafted Nick Chubb high

in the second round. Anyways, I mean, they wouldn't have gone to get Kareem Hunt after that, Like they don't really value him as a good player. So there's there's nobody you could really pay the guy. You're like, just sign him. I've said this, you're talking about injuries, Like what injury? I mean? I thought about this earlier. I was like, the only thing I'm worried about is Zeke's deliverer. That's it, seriously, just because don't go out there and

be partying it up in Cabo. That's it. Don't be partying all the time. Come back here and be ready to play. That's it. He'll be ready, He'll be ready. Well, here's another running back question. Will you consider Sean Barkley a better running back than seek? If plugged into this Cowboys? He's a better running back than Zeke on that team. And I don't even like, I don't have to mince words because Zeke Elliott said that himself. He said that before sa Quan came out. He was like, he's better

than me. He's gonna be better than me. Is the best in the league in my opinion, right He's it's hard to argue with what he did on a sorry Giants team here, and yeah, if he was here, I mean take him number one. Baker is gonna be there at four. I mean some of the thing about it is you look at some of the things, you look at some of the things he did last year with a really really suspect offensive line. That's when you know

you got somebody that's really really special, you know. And so that's where I mean, Zeke has done everything he's done at the NFL. And this is not to take away from Zeke. Zeke has been phenomenal, but he did it with a really really great offensive line. Quans not and I think that just shows kind of the difference. It's it's one of the reasons why when you talk about best all time, I'm one of those guys that kind of defers over to Barry Sanders because he did

it most of his career without an offensive line. I don't think I mean, I'm sorry Cowboys fans, I don't think you can argue that well. There are a lot of people that do, and I think it's a fair argument. Obviously, the numbers say that that it's the best all time. I just think personally, when you look at his offensive line, first, Barry, we can do another show on that, all right, but well the other and you know this is worthwhile too. I haven't I haven't heard. I just want to say

this that sounded very Mickey like. But but to the Cowboys I believe were two and seven when without when they played without him, it so that awesome Offen. Now he meant he meant a lot to their He meant a lot. He meant a lot to their team. He was probably, in my opinion, probably their most valuable player. As though you know they'll give credits a lot of the people, that's not the point I'm making. The point I'm making is we just talk about just running back skill.

I think Barry had a skill that was different than anybody, in my opinion, be different than anybody in the in the history of the NFL. I agree. I haven't seen I haven't seen sa Quon Barkley's name in very many non football headlines since he came into the league. And that's something that helps too. Yeahs, I mean, yeah, he's yeah all around, it's a better total package. Not I mean, Zeke's great too, but yeah, see see yeah, see sorry, we all all we talked about Molly Callings and him

being injury prone. Would you expect him to be to make the Pro Bowl this year? Ceo, No, I've been burned by that before. I mean, you know, he had five and a half sacks as a rookie. If he can stay healthy, see if he can stay healthy, yes, but I just that hasn't been there for him. I say no, not because I don't think. I think he's gonna have a really good year. I think when we finished talking about this, we're gonna be like in that

dilemma of man's he's worth some money. Now my problem is as a defensive tackle, is he going to be better than Fletcher Cox? He's gonna be better than Aaron Donald. Like that's the point when you start talk about Pro Bowl, you start talk about Pro Bowl. It's hard to make Pro Bowls. It's easier than ever to make the Pro Bowl too, like with alternates and people start Super Bowl. Tell Fletcher Cox needs to get his shoulder cleaned up

in January so he bows out. I mean, yeah, I didn't say he'd be health the first team defensive tackle, but I could see him making it all right, Well, if he stays healthy, Yeah, sixteen games, Well, wnt be the touchdown? Leader in Cowboys history by the end of this season, is it. I don't even know. I think I think we talked about this at the Star before we came out here, and like I waved it off as being crazy, and then I realized he's only like four behind behind this. I think he's got six behind

because he needs six to break it. No, they can't, hear our producer. Yes, he ain't get he needs six to break it and getting six touchdowns thanks you remember he's average is gonna get five and he got he still needs five his career isn't that couldn't His career average is like exactly five, and I want to say he had five in his final year here, like he he really took a downturn in like like fifteen sixteen, he had like three each year, but that he put

up five and seventeen. I don't think. So It's like that is the perfect like over under question, like it's it's plausible, but it won't necessarily be easy. I'm gonna say no. I'm gonna say yes just because it's fun, like when too many other guys are gonna get touchdowns for his team, and I don't think he'll say yesterday. I think that when he other guys get there, guys in the red zone. But I think Jarwin will be a guy that they'll throw two more in the red

zone than than Witten. And I don't think Whitten's the kind of guy that's just you know, breaking it from twenty eight yards out right. Say't get off me. It's we're gonna be writing these Fountain of Youth headlines in like October, just like Jason Witten has four touchdowns after six games. I mean, I'm sort of joking possible. Like I said, it's more fun. It'd be clearer when you're joking. It's more fun to think it could happen. So I'm

gonna say yes. See, if the defense is top five this year and the Cowboys don't make the NFC Championship Game, is a new code head coach on the current staff, Regardless of where the defense is ranked, if they don't get you know what, they're right, If you got a top five that's that's a good question. It took me a second to realize that, So say it again. Say it again again. If the defense is top five this year and the Cowboys don't make the NFC Championship game.

Is the new head coach? Well you really can? I can I answer? Can I ask the question? Is going to be the head coach of this team? If? If they if they do well, the defense holds up, it's end of the bargain. But Jason Garrett, remember coordinator. Yeah, that's the funny part about all of this. Really, that's a good question. It is a good question. And I will say see wait, see that means the head coaches on this staff. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's really hard. I'm

gonna say no because wait, can I Gellen? I want to say the next the next coach of and I think the world of Christoph Shard and the next coach of the Dallas Cowboys, whether it's this year or five years from now, will be a splash year higher than just promoting your defensive coordinator unless splash though, unless unless unless your defense is so good that people are that

the identity this of this team changes. This started to happen last year where people were talking about this defense, where they were talking about this in this hypothetical world where this is a thing. Chris Richard's gonna get a meeting with Jerry and Stephen Jones and he will blow them away. Absolutely, he will wow them his personality, his level of engagement, his passion, his level of preparation, all that stuff. Like if he gets a chance to interview,

you can't bet against that. There's no way that there is an opening with the Dallas Cowboys as the head coach. And unless the defense falls apart this year and he is not a candidate, I just think, you know, unless he doesn't want to be, and I don't want to but that would be the only that would be the only way that I don't see him as a potential candidate. Now, whether he gets a job or not, that's a whole different thing for sure. That's what I can't imagine that interview.

That he doesn't get an interview. You got to get an interview. I just yeah. I don't want to throw out names because I don't want to prompt speculation, But there are just some there are some big fish that this team could go after if that were the case. And I think he got his interview last year. All last year, that was an interview. All that's all you need to look. Cut my eyes fair to say that the four of us are big were members of the christoph Shard fan club, as is most of Cowboys Nation,

no doubt. I mean, like he got if they weren't fans before that video of him, you know, kind of rustling and wrestling with the Eagles before the game. Like that's when fans are like, oh, we're in on this everything he did. You see the photo that Jeremiah, our team photographer, took yesterday where it was Jeff Heath's pick, and like he got the perfect Like Richard is like up in the air with his fists up, just freaking out.

It's great. Yeah, he's awesome. If he's not and he's not the defensive coordinator, but the way he is out here on the field, you would think he was the defensive pointator. He's interacting with players from every position on the entire defense. So yeah, all right, here's the last one. Is the old line as good as twenty sixteen? See let's see Let's rock. Yeah. I think Travis just ask good or better? I just thought about something, how do you quantify that like Sachs allowed rushing yards? I mean,

how do you quantify better? As of this moment, I don't know if I can say that because I don't know that I've seen yet that Connor's gonna be as good as Ron Leary was before he left the Cowboys. It's two days into camp. It's obvious. I mean, I could say we haven't seen enough to all these questions and justified, but even as of two days in camp, I don't think I've seen him be better than Ron Leary. I saw him sit down on Malie Collins yesterday in a way that I one hundred percent don't think he

could have done. Excuse me it was I think it was Daniel Ross, not Malie Collins. But I don't think he could have done it last year. Fine, he won, Okay, let me come on, man, right, he won a golf cart for his offseason and conditioning work, like he is Zach Martin junior. Like they gave it. No, no, no, I don't obvious. I mean Zack Martin's going on to the Hall of Fame. That's not what I mean. But like they gave him a binder. They were like, here's

how you turn your body into Zach Martin. And he's just been following it like to a t. So I think he has made the strides to be better. Lyle Collins is in a contract year even Travis Frederick a year removed away from the game. I think should be pretty damn good. And then your other two are Hall of famers or maybe so. Yeah, I think they should be pretty good to feel optimistic about. I do too,

and I think they're gonna be really good. My point, though, is I think at the point of where where Ron Leary was right before he left the Cowboys, that offensive line to me was the best office of head because he had an ass. But Connor Williams got an ass. Now that's my point. I didn't go there. But hey, you know, we don't have access to the drops, don't want to hit. I guess we can want one more. Okay, Tristan Hill will be the best rookie of the two

nineteen draft class. Nick thinks it's gonna be Jalen Jolkes, but hey, go ahead, Hey yeah, I'll say no because I got the whole field. Yeah, I just don't the way the way they rotate a defensive tackle, like I just I wonder how much of an impact will have a chance to make. I mean, Malik Malik did have five sacks five and a half sacks as a rookie,

but Pollard is the obvious one. I think he's the on's gonna get more opportunities than anybody else if I can't choose Pollard, Yeah, maybe Hill, like Jackson, maybe Mike Jackson, the corner, Donovan Wilson. Not no, because even if those guys make the team, they'll be like Game Day and actors. Right, It's it's got to be Pollard. I mean, he's a lot's going to get the opportunity. Pollard, Hill, Pollard or Hill.

I feel like those are the only logical answers. Yeah, everybody else won't probably won't be playing unless you got some major injuries. They're probably not gonna be playing much this year except for special teams possibly. Yeah, I agree. All right, we appreciate those A good game. I was loud, Okay, good game. We'll be back tomorrow. We appreciate you guys joining us. We'll get back out of our normal time tomorrow. It'll be ten am time. That'll be noon for you

guys back in Dallas. And also, just a quick note, I said earlier that the Sunday scrimmage, the Blue eight scrimmage, was going to be in on TXA. I'm sorry he was gonna be on CBS. Eleven in Dallas. It's actually gonna be on TSA twenty one in Dallas, So for those of you out there in the larger area, you can get it across all of our platforms. Will be streaming it live, so you can check it out on Sunday, and then for you guys in Dallas, you can check

it out on TSA twenty one. All right, we appreciate you joining us. So then for Nick Eatman, Dave helm and Amber Garcia, I'm Derek Eagles and 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