Cowboys Break: Jaylon's Role?

latest edition of The Break. We are alive from the SWBC Mortgage studios at the Star. Got Nick and Dave with me, and we're gonna talk some Cowboys football here for the next forty five minutes or so. We got to talk a little bit about the Cowboys versus the Texans. Will break down that game and some of the things that these guys saw. Dave, I see you're very enthusiastic about that. We will also hopefully get to some players

in our I get around segment. There's some players and I keep pushing this off because we get into our conversation. Our conversation conversations take the whole show. But there's some players that before this camp is over, we really need to allow you guys to let people know who they are. So I want to run through some of these if we can. Every day. You're paranoid that we won't have enough to talk about. I know one day you push the last secon. I underestimate how much we'd like to

hear ourselves talk. You know what, No, we know what happened. I thought I thought that when Amber was out that we would have less talking. We don't like you guys. I told it. I was like I said, before train training camp start. I was like, me and Nick can talk to a wall, like you don't have to worry about that. She if she heard that, she would have been like, all right, right, because she's like she says, she never talks. Yeah, she talks enough, she gets her

air time. I think she talks enough. Anyway, You're right, we can make this thing. Here's what I'm gonna do, though, I do want to talk first about a little news Cowboys find out yesterday and actually this all started on game day on Saturday. But there are now five players, well four players and a coach for the Cowboys who have been placed in the NFL's COVID nineteen Safety Protocol.

That would be dan Quinn the defensive coordinator, and then Carlos Watkins, Ceedee Lamb, Malie Cooker and Israel muklmu Um. What does that mean for their availability at this point now that they're in the protocol. I mean it's hard to answer that definitively because we don't you know, vaccination

status is not disclosed. Technically, we know the teams at ninety three percent, so it's a good guess most of if not all of them are vaccinated, just playing the numbers, and that makes it way easier, you know, dan quints dan Quinn has to be um soum. So the protocol if you're vaccinated is you need two negative tests within a forty eight hour period, so negative tests twenty four hours, negative tests twenty four hours, So if you're if you're if you are COVID negative, you can be back in

two days. So and then if you which I guess there's a possibility that there's a breakthrough case among these guys. Feel like that probably would have hit the news cycle, like somebody would be reporting that if that had happened, But I guess we'll see. So if for some reason you have symptoms, then it's forty eight hours from your last known symptoms, so that could be probably. And then is it forty eight hours after your last own symptom and then you have to have passed it's so test

or how's that work? Your symptoms subside and then you do the test twenty four hours, test twenty four hours. So that seems statistically pretty unlikely, but I guess possible. So we'll see. But I mean, if these guys are vaccinated, I think it's reasonable to think that they could be back by the end of this work week. Like and worst case scenario, let's assume it was a case where

they actually literally had contracted the virus. Yeah, you're still talking maybe ten to twelve days, so and ideally you would think they'd be back before the season. We are. I don't think we're in a space where any of these guys are in jeopardy of missing season time, which this whole thing of having a week between the end of the you know, the last preseason game in the

first regular season game, that's fantastic. Yeah, what's interesting is you know the fact that you know the cuts are today, you know, forgot an eighty to eighty right to eighty five to eighty got not five off. And I guess when you move a guy to the COVID list, he's technically off the roster, right, But you can't. I mean, these aren't guys that are going to get cut anywhere,

so I don't know how long they'll be coming back on. Yeah, but you could feel like if if they're not available until Friday, Yeah, you could wait until Friday to make those moves if you wanted to. Yeah, for instance, let's say, let's just say a guy like Mkuamu, and that's how I think. I think that's how you say his name. I don't know you say Mukuamu or whatever, but I'm just going I'm just going on PR gave me. I know. Anyways, a guy like him who's on that list, you know,

he probably won't play this this next game. I mean he could, but he just depends on how quickly he can get back, so he probably doesn't. So that might affect the cuts of Like, Okay, well, you know there's a safety sitting there that we haven't really heard much of all year, hasn't done a lot. Maybe he would be a guy that was cut, but then he wouldn't be if mcquamu's not playing this game. So it does affect you know, that does affect the roster moves right now.

That brings up an interesting point. Obviously, guys like Ceedee Lamb and you could probably make the same case for Carlos Watkins, they're probably well definitely in Cede Lamb's case. On this team, there is no question. And then missing preseason games really doesn't matter which of the guys be it Between the other two. Do you think misses the most buy if they if they can't play this week and or next week, between the Lee Cooker and Israel

Mukomo Mukuamo, for sure, I think um. I could be wrong. I know they didn't give him a lot of money, but I just think I think Hooker's here. You know, they signed him a week into camp, but he's also got to get himself ready to play. He's injured all last year, right, he doesn't. He doesn't strike me as the type that would be playing a ton of snaps in this game anyway, And I know what you said makes sense, but it's still you know, getting ready for

the season, and he's a veteran. Sorry, Yeah, no, I was just gonna piggyback on that. I mean, what has he's shown when since he's been back that that isn't positive. I mean, like he's you know, in practice, he's made some plays in the game. I thought he kind of came in there and was physical and now they played something in the second half against maybe guys that are starters. But I mean, I think everything that he's done is pointing the arrow up there. And I know how Jerry

and whole franchise loves to steal players. They want to steal talent. If you're a first round pick and you know you didn't work out here for whatever the reason, they're gonna try to capitalize on that. So unless Josh Rosen, well, yeah, you were right, but I guarantee you they looked at it pretty you know, pretty closely. I'm sure they probably did, So you have to. I mean, and and so, I

you know, here's a position of need. He's a guy that that's out there available, available because he's hurt, and he was hurt, and so I don't see why you would cut him, which I mean they could. The money's negligible, and you know they cut haha last year, like there's nothing stopping them, but you sort of the longer you do this, you can just kind of read situations like that.

And the way that they've ramped him up and just been very cautious and deliberate about the whole thing, is like, yeah, we're trying to have him ready for the regular season, maybe not necessarily as a starter, but just somebody that they can rely on for depth and somebody who's done that before. Whereas mid to late sixth round pick, it's like, get out there and get all the reps you can and show us something, whereas with Hooker they're like, nah,

you hang out and just get yourself ready. Yeah. Just to be clear, I wasn't even I wasn't thinking or suggesting that that Hooker would be cut. I think he's gonna be on this team. I was thinking more and it goes back I was. I was listening to Brian brought us on our sister station on the fan after the game. He was kind of talking about the game and one of the things he noticed, which I think

I noticed on a couple of plays. I think Brian has an obviously has a much better eye for this than I do, but it seemed like on a couple of situations, Hooker was a little late, like it's it's just like he's trying to get get his timing back, get his reaction back, his reaction time back, and and so that's where I was saying, like, I think reps for him right now matter getting him ready for the season.

Reps matter for everybody, you would except for Dack. No, they matter for him too, Like it would be it would have been nice for him to get ten, I'm sure, But again, risk first reward. And is Mali Cooker not playing against Jacksonville gonna jeopardize his roster spot? Not at all. I don't think so. All Right, one other thing I

want to hit you guys with. I was hopeful, as I'm sure you guys are and everybody there listening, that this year was going to be different from the standpoint of going into every week and all the way up until game time just hoping and praying that your best players don't have some kind of positive tests or whatever. But we saw this week. Obviously things can creep up on you get to the game and literally you lose your DC once you're at the stadium and preparing to

play a game. How equipped do you think the Cowboys are to withstand situations like that going into the season you're talking about? Sorry, well, which situations are you talking about? Any? It could be any of those. Like I'm thinking about it from the standpoint of what happens if you get to game day and that's Mike McCarthy and he has to go home because he's you know, he's been put into the protocol. What happens if it's your offensive or

defensive coordinator. What happens if it's your quarterback? You know, there's a lot of different scenarios. My question for you is, and this talks to This speaks to depth, This speaks to um the kinds of coaches you have on your coaching staff. Do you have coaches who have experience doing other things that can step in in a pinch? Like how how do you think this team could react to

those kinds of situations? How prepared are they? That's that Those are a lot of different questions because you're basically talking about the depth at all different levels. Let's just speak to the coaching staff first, and I'll let him talk about the players or whatever. But but from the coaching staff, I mean, this thing is designed to have, you have experience. That's what they they're banking on, is

they have experience on the staff. I believe they have four coaches, four assistant coaches who have been a head coach at some point. Um, I don't I don't want to have to name them because I'm drawing a blank on them. But I think there's four. Philmin Quinn, Um, Wow, yeah, I'm blanking John Fossil. Fossil was into him for a little while. There's yeah, there's two. I think there's I think there's actually one more as well. Um, but but yeah, I mean, and so that kind of stuff happens now.

Joe Witt was the guy that stepped in. He's been with both McCarthy and Quinn. Understands this defense, understand what Quinn's trying to do with the calls, So it was an easy move for him to slide in there. And mcadoo's the fourth one, and he's on the staff as well, and you know, he's brought in and he should be able to maybe help if something like that happens on the offensive side. And thus Myers got a lot of experience too. So I think that they're equipped that way.

But but I think what they need to be ready for is have those conversations we always talk about and it's first and goal in the eight. I want to know if I've got four downs, get ahead of the game. Be like that. They need to be ahead of this thing. Go what happens if we just saw it in a

preseason game? What happens in a regular season game? Because I could tell you this COVID doesn't care if it's preseason or regular season, and the NFL yeah, and then the NFL protocols don't care either, so it doesn't matter what it is, which maybe that's beneficial that obviously you'd prefer not, but you know, a little dry run that how to handle this um could be good. And it wasn't just the game either. I mean they went into the virtual They did their virtual mode for the last

two days before they came back to work. So I was gonna say, if they're not equipped for this, from purely a logistical standpoint, shame on them, because you had a whole year of getting real used to it. And I yeah, so I think they're ready. Yes, I mean depth sure, I mean you can handle it if Michael Gallup goes down. But I mean you know, if Dak, I mean, if Dak had to leave the game, you're screwed. I mean, I don't know that there's a whole lot you can do about that other than hope for the best.

And that's why getting vaccinated it's important. Yeah, But I mean as we as we all know though, even when you're vaccinated, sure, if you come up with a positive test on a game day, right, you still got to sit for specific amount of time. Anything you can do to make that number as low as possible. Right. And and by the way, vaccinations help, supposedly, that's at least what we're told is the vaccinations help with making sure that maybe you don't get it in some situations where

you would have gotten it otherwise. So I think there's all those things that are involved, and it just helps, right, And yeah, I like, yeah, there's there's no fool proof, there's no guarantee, and I know that bothers a lot of people. But bring that number down as much as you can. Ye, all right, we're gonna take our first break when we come back. Let's talk a little how

Cowboys versus Texans. Cowboys lose that game twenty to fourteen, but there were definitely some things you can take from the game that we'll talk about when come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio before there was a draft. You get sized up at cowboy by three simple factors. The crease at his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude a man. Stetson didn't just protect him from what life through at him. It

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room only tickets are on sale now. Get yours today at Dallas Cowboys dot com, slash tickets Sunday at noon. Got Boys Jacksonville standing room only. Well, let's do it. Let's we're back. That's the second segment of the break. Life in s WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. Let's talk Cowboys versus Texans. Cowboys lose twenty fourteen at home in their what I guess is for them is their third preseason game for the league. Gets week two of

the preseason. Let's start first. I want each you guys to give me an impression you came away from the game with just one. It can be about a player, it can be about the team, whatever you choose. A start with you Dave, first team defense. It was they're the only people that you know. I really feel like you could fairly evaluate. I got, you know, Cooper Rush

coming in unexpectedly and playing well. But it was a dress rehearsal for the defense and oh, by the way, they didn't have the guy that calls their defense, Dan Quinn started the game behind the eight ball, you know, quick change, turnover in the red zone and all of that considered, I thought they played really well. I mean, the Texans are terrible, but they didn't allow a third down conversion while they were out there. Yeah, I mean they gave up the touchdown, but again, that possession started

on like their sixteen yard line. Some questionable run defense there at the very beginning, but they got it. They got it buckled down. Parsons had a couple flash plays OsO Diggy Zooa continues to look pretty impress and just buy and large. I mean, they played an entire half and looked pretty good doing so. And I think that's the biggest sample size we have and it was encouraging,

I albeit against a pretty bad offense. Ye speaking about Parsons, I think we all react at that one play when he was he got by the last scrimmage and he's chasing down a quarterback in the way. Just watching it in person and the closing speed that he had, it's not amazing. Doesn't do it justice to say, he got behind the line of scrimmage because he blitzed and the center picked him up, and he was like, Nope, you're not going to block me. Get the hell out of

my way. You're a big guy, but I'm faster. And Osa did it like a stunt that kind of helped free him up. He took on. He came at the center from the other side and pushed him back into the into the guard, and so Osa had a big hand in freeing Parsons up to hurry that play. And so that's what I'm talking about when I say flash, I mean they had a couple moments like that. Yeah, somebody just hit the R two button on him back in the old guild No, you know, PlayStation just he

just shot out of a can in it. YEA, all right for me. And I'm not pushing the panic button. I'm not. I don't my hands thot on it. But I'm locating. I know, I want to know where it is. So I just know where the panic button is. About this offensive line, oh I'm not there yet. I'm with you, but this offensive line hasn't looked great. They got a chance to be there together and it didn't look great. And you can say, yes, I think Dak will help everybody.

I think Zeke helps everyone. But I didn't think this offensive line needed these all these guys to help them look good. I thought it was kind of the other way around. So they didn't look that great. The other night, Lyell's not looking too hot on the right side. Tying kind of is what it is. He's he's gonna be fine, I think, Zach. I think they're gonna be fine. But they didn't look good against the Texans, and it's just something I want to look at again. I didn't. I mean,

I didn't think they looked that bad. I expect, like once when Cooper got in there, it looked pretty good. I mean they went to seventy five yards in five plays. Lyle did get beat. Garrett held onto that ball for a long I put that on Garrett. He did, but it the I'm just looking at the play itself and the rep for Lyle. Yeah, that shocked me that he was because he was like his techniqueals all everything about it just looked bad. And I was like, That's not

what I was expecting from Lyle. If that were Steel out there, I'd be like, Okay, Gil, what you gotta get of the ball. You're kind of my hell, I'm expecting more. You know, he looks rusty. He does. That's and I think you could see it Summit training camp. Now he he looks. I mean he's and he's lost some some weight, which I don't he's lost a lot of strength, but he's been the type of guy that's kind of been able to sort of overpower people, and

he just doesn't he doesn't have that right now. Hopefully he gets that back and he gets gets in a groove, but I'm not I'm not gonna say that, you know, it's it's time to worry just yet. But I think you kind of have your eyes on them because you're

expecting so much from them. Yeah, Honestly, the reason why I even noticed that play initially when that happened with Lyle is because there'd been moments I just noticed here and there where I was like, you know, somebody would beat him around the edge, and I'm like, that's not what I'm used to sing, And so I made it a point going into this game I wanted to watch Lyle a little bit more for the time he was

out there, and then that play happened. And it just kind of I don't know, it's just not what I'm used to sing for. Okay, I'm gonna take you back the two to three years of training camp. We thought Antoine Woods was ready to be a baller because he kept he was beating Travis Frederick constantly. Yeah, come to find out, Travis Frederick is not to break some news somebody,

I'm not breaking news. I'm just saying we were kind of fooled because Travis Frederick was not one hundred percent He actually retired for the season or was I R forsed to retire? Sorry, it was I R for the season. And so it was like, okay, well that's why. Well now I'm trying to figure is Drance Armstrong just just kicking everyone's ass or is Lyle not what he was before?

You know? That's that's my point out, and that that could be part of it, that dran'ce is just taking that next step, because everything about his camp was certainly, you know, noteworthy, and we talked a lot about it. The question is which was like, were they really battling or was it a situation where Lyle maybe is just rusty and it's gonna have to work back, and I don't think it's a coincidence that Lyle's played more than

any of the starting five. I mean he played in Canton, which is I mean, for guys on seventy million dollars contracts don't play in the Hall of Fame game very often, So I don't And you know, yeah, he's looked rusty for a more like on and off throughout training camp. So yeah, you're right, and he yeah, I think he just needs time probably, But Darence was beaten more than Lyle. So Rance has beaten a lot of guys turns on

other teams too. He beat up on Tyrn in practice like a week ago, like he beat Tyrant two or three times for SAX. So yeah, I don't want to and I'm with you, Nick, I guess the point is I don't want to hit the alarm button because I implicitly trust these offensive linemen when they're healthy, to be good. Now, healthy is more of an issue to me than rust. I feel like they can work back from that. I

feel like they'll work into form. I feel like by about week three four, this offensive line, as long as they're healthy, will be clicking and you will see the production that you expect to see from them. I do think though right now, I'm a little bit like, okay, I need to see that progression, like I need to see you getting a little bit better and getting back in that form. I would argue that they progressed in that game. First possession looked awful, second possession not a

lot better. Third possession was rush and they just right down the field. How long did the ones stay out there on the offensive line? They were there for at least two series with Cooper and they yeah, I mean, and then scored two touch they you have to ask, I mean, I don't know this. How long were the defensive starters for Houston? And again, this is not That's not a roster that should impress you, at least not at the top. So, I mean, I get it, but

I'm not. I'm not that worried about the offensive line yet, while still allowing that you are right that they haven't looked up to the standard that we held for them. But everybody standard. Everybody will help each other. You know, Dak will help them, The line should help Dak zeke vice versa. All that. So get all the pieces in, let's see how it works. Let's talk a little bit about the quarterbacks. Cooper Rush was ten of twelve ninety

seven yards passing two touchdowns. Karrett Gilbert was three of five or thirty yards, zero touchdowns and also had a fumble lost. Where do you think that backup QB battle stands at this point? Can we just have a larger conversation for a second about some of the decision making that's happening here. Absolutely. I thought about it with Malie

Cooker as well. It's like, we don't want him. He's not he's not in the offseason program, he's not part of the install in the spring, and then like two days into camp they're like, yeah, we want him, never mind. And maybe he wasn't healthy, but like he could assigned him and had him here training and getting up to snuff. That's weird, weird that that was when they decided to

do it. Weird that they decided to work Connor Williams at center two days into training camp, not during the spring or any other time during the four years that he's been here. And it's weird that this became a quarterback competition a week before camp's over, because as sure as hell, hasn't been up to this point. Am I mistaken about that? Garrett Gilbert has been the guy? Is that good? Sorry? I was going to ask this question.

Is that because up until this point, maybe they hadn't seen enough from Cooper Rush had made them think he's really battling for this position. They never gave him a shot. I mean he was he never He had not taken a rep with starters until he went into that game, right, So what I'm saying like, is that not because maybe something they've seen over the last week or two made them say, hey, we ought to give him a shot.

And Gilbert wasn't having the great start there, so maybe that that all kind of call ned in him getting that shot, right, Maybe I did, maybe so like he looked that amazing as the second string quarterback for enough consecutive practices and then which you know, it sounds like maybe that was their plan to give him more time.

But like the optics of Gilbert in the dress rehearsal game, the optics of him getting yanked after two possessions certainly made it look like he had done something wrong, which I mean, he didn't look good, So that's a fair point, But it just you know, again, like when you're you're here every day looking at it and seeing who's taking the first team reps, who's doing this in the walkthrough, And there hasn't been a single indication this entire time

that it was much of a competition. Maybe those are conversations that are different behind closed doors, but it's just it's interesting to me, And to answer your question, I don't know what the hell is going to happen. So now Hooper's taken the first team reps all this week, supposedly, you'd imagine he's going to play a lot against Jacksonville.

And this is huge because whoever's the backup, whoever is not the backup, the likely do as they're not on this team, right, yeah, I mean they could be on the practice squad. True. I mean, because I think I still think you can get those guys on the practice squad if you don't want to put Denucci on there, and uh, we'll get to him. Wow, We'll get to him. Wow. I mean, Okay, I get it. He's not he's not Romo. He's not he's not gonna be He's probably not gonna be that. We we compared him a lot to it.

He's not there yet. But I mean if you want to develop him, the practice squad and the scout team is a good place to do it. Uh, he will have. He will be more beneficial on the scout team than Garrett Gilbert or Cooper Rush if they are on it way,

because he's he's athletic. He helps you more. He helps you more when the players that kick their ass, like a Kyler Murray that runs all over the place or Russell Wilson that runs all over the place, he will give them a better look for what they might see than a guy I like Cooper Rush or Garrett Gilbert. So in my opinion, I think he's the guy that stays on those on the practice squad. And I think if they whoever they cut between Gilbert or Rush, they

probably don't. That's my thought. That's I completely agree with you, And if I had to guess, I wouldn't be surprised if Tanuci winds up on the practice squad for that very reason. You know they used to use after they transition Jamille Showers to safety, they would use him as the practice squad quarterback when they played a mobile quarterback like that. Stuff's useful, and you know practice during the season is not what we see out here, like, that's

not what you see in Oxnard. You know you're it's it's basically a glorified walkthrough to give the team looks at what the opposition does. Now, I will say this though, I mean, it's not like every guy on the on the roster, every guy on the every quarterback that they

face is going to be a running quarterback. So I guess you do have to to ask the question, is or is he going to give them a good look with throwing the ball and beating this guy and all that, because you know, because you got you got some of those got a face. But again, like and we obviously and bend Nucci has not been good. Let's be clear, but the quality of the throw is not that important in practice. I know that sounds stupid, but it's more about,

like what concepts are we looking at? What can the quarterback do? Where's he going to throw the ball from, where's the receiver on this particular play that they like to run? Like whether or not the throw is worth a crap isn't as important as giving the team a look at what's going to happen on Sunday, if that makes sense, and if a guy gets beat deep in a scout team, Reggie Davis or whoever it is, has got your guy beat and the ball's not there. I mean,

you know he was still beat. You still he was beat. You still know that Denucci could throw it fifteen yards over the guy's head and it looks like crap from the outside, and the coaches are like, yeah, that's what Russ is going to do on Sunday and it's gonna be right where it needs to be. So now you know, now you need kind of yeah, you can watch that and see. But so, I mean, that's why, that's why he could be beneficial. That's a reason right there. You

also for practice. All practice squad spots though, are also you know, there's there's a lot of ways to look at it. If it's close between Gilbert and Rush, and right now, we always we're going game by games, so we think, oh, it's not close because Russia looks way better. But let's say it is. Let's say it's pretty close. Because it has been a close competition. You know, you can still put a guy on the practice squad and then he's still in the mix for if something were

to happen to your quarterback. You could move him. You know, Danucci's not playing any games so and he's not probably a guy you're gonna have developed for the future. I just don't I don't see it out of him. I don't see anything that's not gonna say like he's gonna do it. So I can make a case if I'm in a debate class, and I wouldn't want to be against you since you're a state champion, But if I'm in the debate class, I could take the side to keep in Denucci. I could also say, you're going to

Canada because that's what your career is. Keep him, keep him meaning on the practice squad right, keep him meaning on the problem he's not fit your back. I'm I am sick of the over the top hate that de Nucci has been getting. And to be clear, he's been

really bad, but he's the fourth quarterback. Like but the venom that people build up for this guy, well, that's also because you gotta understand the nuance to that, because people feel like it was a pick that was made out of personal relationship more so than out of out of out of the guy's ability, and so far on the field, you haven't seen the ability he was picked ten spots from the ship just because they went to Pittsburgh. Like that, that the narrative. I'll tell you this, that's

what you see on that. I think that's what you see on social media. A lot of the narrative is still here. McCarthy has a tie to him because they're from Pittsburgh and he knows his like youth basketball coach. That's that's the narrative. And again I'm not saying that right here. Then I'm not saying that narrative is right. What I'm saying is what I'm saying is that's why

the venom is out there. So just understand that's why people are acting in the way they We're talking about a guy that was picked like ten spots from the end of the draft. I I just and not like nobody's a bigger draft geek than me, but like, I don't understand how people can work up that much emotion about players who don't matter. Basically that I mean, and

no offense to men. But now if he manages to get up to where they thought, for what for any reason, they thought he was the backup quarterback, then he does matter. But that's my point. It's like it's not going to happen, right, And even I'm sitting here defending Ben d Nucci. If he's on the fifty three, I will free you're ready, I will be ready to be mad. If he's on the fifth. I think we all agree on that. That

makes sense. Yeah. Anyway, Um, I'll step out on a limb and say, the backup quarterback is on this roster for better or for worse. I agree with you, because there's not going to be There won't be somebody available that they're willing to pay for, Like you're not going to trade for somebody from Chicago. If they get cut, they're probably gonna have a better market than what the cowboys are gonna be willing to pay. They're Jerry Jones

said it this morning, like they are. They are bending over backward to let you know that their investment is in the starter. They're like, well, what can you do when you pay? I think, but it's it's harder. It is much harder. I acknowledge that if you're a backup quarterback that is available and he's got some experience, and let's say he's got some interest from other teams, when you're looking at your options and the money is going

to factor into it as well. But let's just say that it kind of it's about even you think that Cowboys are an intriguing team for that for that player with with Dak coming off an ankle and career, with Dak has a shoulder, you know, a strain, and that he's missed all the training camp. I mean, do you look at it and go up, man, I could come here and maybe because Andy Dalton came to Dallas knowing that Dak could never missed the game ever, and then he plays a lot and that that helped him that

game that got him more money. It doesn't look like it's going to happen, but man like and not in like a like I'm not reveling in somebody's misfortune. But it would just be kind of funny if Dalton was the odd man out in Chicago and was like, well, I do have that house in Dallas, like it could happen. It's not, you just never know, but that would be that would be pretty shocked. So I don't think the Cowboys would be willing to pay what another team would

be willing to pay. Probably some team at the beginning of the season this year is going to lose their quarterback. It's just the nature of the NFL. So if he's sitting out, even if he waits a couple of weeks, if he's sitting out there, he's gonna make more money going to that team to be their presumptive starter than he would make as a backup that's got signed at

the end of training camp for the Cowboys. We're not right about a lot, but I just I vividly remember, we're not right about everything, is what I should say. But I vividly remember, like December, before last season was even over, we were just like, yeah, like they're gonna come to an under They're gonna come to an agreement with that. They're gonna pay him and Garrett Gilbert will be your backup because Penny's on the dollar. And that's I mean, it might be Cooper Rush, but that's what's

gonna happen. All Right, We're gonna take our final break. We'll come back. I do want to talk a little bit about a couple of defensive guys and how they perform in this Cowboys versus Texans game. We'll be right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Hi, I'm Clint Tullison with you not at agin turf before you can park yourself in front of the game, part yourself in

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Did I say that? Did said get your oh fan pack, not fannie pack. I thought you said fanny pack. I was like, we're given away fanny packs. Okay, okay, some people have fanny packs, do they? Yeah? Were one to run. It's like it's more it's not like what you're imagining. It's like slimmer, but like I put my phone in it. Yeah. I asked Dave about it. I said, you have a fanni pack? Is a training camp? And You're like, yeah, what? I was like, it's I used to like a little

aggressive times press covers back in the day. I used to have to like tie my car key to my shoe if I wanted to go for a run and all that stupid stuff. You don't carry a water bottle and put it in the water bottle? No, why don't I carry a water bottle? That's annoying because you're gonna be out running, just drink when I get I don't when I look at stuff like that, I just think like I'm old, like Dave's Dave's younger hip all that. Maybe that's the thing. Fanny packs are cool. I don't know.

I wouldn't go as far as I do, You're I don't really question it anymore because I don't. I do think they're I think they're more back than they used to be cool. Because he's probably not called that. Everything goes in the side. Well, let's let the team over there with the fan club. No, they may need to get fanny packs. Like, let him know that. All right, we'll join now and get your fanny pack, exclusive access to training camp benefits and more. Welcome back to the

final the s WBC Morgan Studios. At the start, let's talk about the defense to Broll Cox, he continues to impress here in the preseason, how much do you how much do you anticipate he will play at linebacker when the regular season begins? Or is he really just trying to make this team and he's probably gonna be a special teams guy for now? He ain't trying to make Jack. He's on he's on the D he's been on the team. Um, I mean he's making a case for why he should play.

It's hard to make the numbers worked to be honest with I mean, we do we want to do that. You want to do this? Yet, we'll take that. You want to talk about I think number nine, we'll talk about that. And I think you keep six linebackers active to the game, wow, to the game? Okay, yeah? Is that? I thought five was normal to the game. Six It's fine if two of them are going to be core special teams guys, which I believe Gifford and Cox will be. So do you think Gifford's gonna make the teams? I

think I think you keep six. For sure, I would put them on. I think who I mean Francis Bernard as he played No, But I'm looking at some other positions where I'm looking at other positions. This is not about linebacker. This is about I'm worried about being able to what my cut's gonna be on the defensive line. I'm worried about the secondary. What the number I'm gonna need to keep there? Um, I think there are some

positions you maybe you want that six wide receiver. I think there are a number of positions on this team where I'm like, I think I might want an extra guy. Linebackers, one where I feel like it's a luxury to have an extra guy because I think five give me a lot of Like, I think I can get a lot out of those five. I hear you, but I mean this is a I don't think to a backup at each spot is really deep. I mean, if you're gonna play even if you play four three, if you play

four to three, that's a backup at each spot. That's not you know, three linebackers, six guys. That's not overly deep, even especially if you play a three fourth game, even though some of those ends would be defensive pass rushers. I think six is a solid number. I don't think it's it's heavy. I think it's probably just I mean, we'll get into next Monday, we're gonna do a show, We're gonna try to cut the roster, and I think that's when we can really kind of break those things down.

Go ahead, Dave, I just you know, fifty three players, twenty five offense, twenty five defense, three specialists. My guests would just be you can go heavier on defense with this roster, Like, I think the offensive positions are going to look a lot lighter. Two quarterbacks, three running backs. Could probably even get away with having two if you really wanted to, because I mean doubt all goes to

the practice squad or whatever. But three running backs, three tight ends for sure, Like, I can't think of why you would need more than that, And if Connor Williams is your sinner, you could even maybe get away with going light at offensive line. I get that that might bother people, but haven't seen anything from Terren Steel and Tie and Seki that makes you think that they gotta

have both. So you know, maybe you could even go eight or nine on the offensive line instead of nine or ten, and then that opens you up you can go heavy at every defensive position, and I think they should. Okay, let's talk about Millie Cooker. He's got his first action in the preseason. What'd you guys see from him? I agree with what you said that. I agree with what you said that. Brian said that, you know, he looked like he was getting reacclimated. I thought, you know, I

think of him as a coverage guy. It was a nice tackle. He laid on that receiver going over the middle, like one of the first plays of the third quarter. He also came flying in on run support in the middle of a like it was just behind the line of scrimmage. No, I don't know if he was feeling great after that play. He kind of maybe got the worst of it, but he was. He was in there. He was in the especially for a guy that's free safety.

I look at that position. I've always thought the safety position, especially in the last fifteen twenty years, is an interchangeable spot. I mean, I think gone are the days that you've got the you know, hard hitting Ronnie Lott guy, and you've got your ball hawking safety. That's a free safety. I mean, I think a lot of them can kind of play both roles. So sorry, I think Barry, like Barry Church was, you know, Kean O'Neill, I'm sure was more of a strong safety and all that. But these

guys can do multiple things. So I do think Kauzee and Hooker could both play together if they're out there, and Donovan Wilson too. That's it was either our mail bag today or yesterday. But somebody was like, well, mail ban couldn't Kazy and Hooker conceivably play at the same time. And I was like, you know, I don't expect that to happen, because you got you want to find a way to get Donovan Wilson on the field. And again, you know, they are interchangeable, but one I think is

still a little bit more physical than the other. But I definitely think that's something that could happen. And they also used the three safety look at one point during that game, so you could have the two of him out there with Donovan Wilson. So that's that's interesting, you know. I it's easy to just think of it as, yeah, like he's a free so he's got to play free, and that's not necessarily true. So talking to me about Bradley and I I think he had a there was

one play I remember specifically. It was a really nice tackle for a loss. He had He kind of kind of stone wall the defensive I think it was either a tight end or a or a tackle. I was trying to move him and he kind of kept the edge on him, set the edge and then makes the tackle behind a line of scrimmage. My question for you guys is is there a room for him if the Cowboys are going to have Chauncey Gholston on the final roster without moving him to some sort of pup or

I R or whatever like that. Is there room for him actually to make this team? I don't think so. I don't. I don't see. I mean, I forget the room. How about the need? Is there a need for him to be on the team. I don't. I mean, other than you want to keep developing him, But I mean, I don't think so. I think he's a practice squad guy. If he gets claimed, he gets he gets claimed. I mean, I and less you think he's better than bash him, which I don't think that they think that way. I

don't think that's Dorn's armstrong. I believe is better than Bashaim, or at least he's showing that. Either way. Those are your third and fourth pass rushers. And I think when it's all said and done, I think they're gonna keep Jalen Smith on the team. I think Jaalen Smith is going to be more of a pass rusher than any other thing. And I think he's a guy that rushes off the edge more than he does anything else. Have we seen him doing a lot of that? So far.

I think I've seen more Parsons doing that than him, right, I haven't seen Jalen doing him out. That means neither have the Bucks, neither have the Chargers, neither have I mean, I think Jalen Smith will be rushing in the pastor I think that you gotta if you're gonna keep him, and I think that's an if. But if you're gonna keep him, you gotta figure out where to play him. And I think he's a straight line runner. I don't think he's a backpeddler. I don't think he's a side

to side. I don't think he's a reactor. I think he's a go get the guy, use your god given ability to go up there and smash someone. That's a lot of money to be your fifth that's pass rusher. That part of it's not even that was in March. They decided in March he was worth it and a lot of money. So he's gonna be a lot of money whether or not he's on this to football team or another football team or nowhere. I mean, it's a lot of money. So now you got to figure out that.

I mean that Hays in the barn on that. Now you got to figure out where to play him. And I think he's a pass rusher more than anybody. But I guess what I'm saying though, is like here, here, what you're saying, But when does he get that opportunity? Who are you going to take off the field to say, yeah, put him out there to do that when he's the fifth best guy, sixth best guy, Maybe that does that

on your team. Well not only that, which sorry and I've been saying that for two years, but like watching him in the preseason, I'm like, it's even fast enough to rush the quarter I don't know. I don't know that he is he even fast enough to rush the quarterback right now? No, you're right, you're right, And that's why you know. It's it's like, you know, like when they do when they go to two tight ends. I mean there's a reason, and they do it because they want to be able to show you could run, we

could pass out of this. You don't know what we're doing. He's gonna have to be that element where he can pull back and be in coverage, you know, hold your breath,

or he's gonna be rushed the passer on. But again, I think there are other guys that do that better already on this team, Which that's why I'm like talking about you're talking about the armstrong bash him and well if you're talking about that can also pull out, I mean they also you know, drop it to coverage thing also drop it to coverag I'm talking about Parsons obviously, Like he's the guy that also can drop into coverage,

he can blitz, he can do all that. So why would I want to put Jalen in that type of position when I got a guy who does that extremely well, Well, just because they can do it from a different way, because he could do it and from the middle of the field linebacker, he can move back into the line.

I mean, there's just there's different aspects of it. And you're talking about guys that are like pass rushers that I think there's an element of surprise that he could blitz or he could he could you know, pull back into coverage. I just never, honestly, and we've talked about this, I know both of you guys have talked about this. I've never really seen Jalen be a really good pass rushing all right, I've seen I've seen him rushed before, and i've seen most of the time he gets washed out.

So I'm all right, I'm gonna railroad the show. Okay, But so what do you want to do. You're you're your business, You're a business savvy guy. Here, You've already spent nine million dollars on it. You've already you've already bought this car or this house, and it leaks oil. Okay, what do you want to do with it? You've already bought it, and you can't sell it. Here's my thing. That doesn't mean I want to take it out for a drive if I know it's gonna break down while

I'm out on the drive. So it's one of those things where I may have already sunk the cost. And if that's the case, I'll keep it in parked in my driveway. It's gonna look good my driveway. People are gonna drive by, they're gonna say that guy is a great car. But at the end of the day, I'm not driving it because I don't want to necessarily break down. I hate breaking down while I'm out, and that means I gotta call somebody come pick me up, toe the thing back to my house so we can look pretty.

Now it's gonna look pretty on the back of the told truck. I'm sorry, I'm just not that's not my thing. This sounds like this sounds like I had set him up for this earlier that and did not that was great saying like that. I don't see him as being And again, I know sometimes it comes off as with bashon Jalen. I'm not trying to bash Jalen. I'm looking at this training camp and I'm looking at all these linebackers they got, and they got a ton of linebackers

that can play. I don't think Jalen is better than him. I think right now Jalen is fourth. No, I'm sorry, he's probably fifth best linebacker on this team. I don't think you make a role for him if he's not the best one to do that role. In my opinion, I don't necessarily disagree with anything you're saying. I'm not I'm mister Bayou Bengal. I'm not ready to put Cox over him, just in the sense that you know, he's playing backups. It's still the preseason and he's been great.

I'm just I'm not ready yet. I'm not ready to say that it's upside. Of course, it's there. Yeah. Well, but but ahead, that's beside the point. Even at best, he's still the fourth linebacker on this team. And yeah, I mean, I think the Cowboys need to have the guts to limit him to like a role that would see him on the field thirty percent of the time or less. Honestly, So here's a question, you won't I think. I didn't say that. I didn't say that they wouldn't.

I just they need to have the guts to do. But but here's the question. So that all being said, name a role where he is at least third best on this team at that role or I mean I don't that's whatever, but early early down's base package. If he wants if they if you want to put him out there as the sam in situations where do you feel confident that they're going to run the ball, that's okay. He can still do some of the third best. I wouldn't put him third bas best, But I mean, who

who would would you put over? I mean, I think I would take Neil over him. I can. I mean, because my issue with Jalen is more I don't think he I don't think his pre snap I didnification of what's going on is great. I think he takes a lot of false steps and then I think he can't recover. So goal line, I need you to know what's coming, and I need you to hit it quick because you don't have much time to react, like you gotta get there quick in order to keep the guy from getting

in the end zone. So again, I'm just having a hard time finding where I think he is the best at a role, second best at a role, even third best at a role. If it which means somebody has to come off to Phil that's better than him. If it's early down and they're in big personnel, I'm I can live with. He's got to be better than Neil of getting hit by a defensive end. Yeah, he's more. I mean he's a he's a bigger player. He can

hold up against some of that better. And I mean, no knock on it, he's got to do it though. He can't go around the other side, because that's that's one thing that's a knock on him, and we're seeing it. He goes. He avoids the big blockers at times, and that sounds good because that's doesn't hurt as much. But you've just you've just created a huge gap because that guy just took you where you wanted to go. I'll give you one area where I do think he is

really valuable to having this team. Don't say it what I was gonna say, availability, Like, you can't argue it's availability. You got a lot of guys that have not been available at that position. He's been available, so that that's matters in the NFL. Can't you be available? I've had that be the reason why he needs to be here. I've had that argument with a million people of like and nobody's trying to say Jalen is amazing or should

be starting with all these other options. But with what this team has been through, it's not a bad thing to have a guy who's played a thousand snaps in the season as your top option if somebody gets hurt, right, because the likely is that somebody will, which and that's

I've been thinking about this a lot. It's it's interesting I get that, and I hit me the other day where I was like, if they were to cut him, it says like, not only is he not one of their three or four best linebackers, they also have such a low opinion of him that it would be a problem for the team and the development of the team that they're like, this guy want to go, He's got to go. He is a problem. If he's not starting,

he will make life miserable for everybody. That is the signal that it sends if they were to cut him. And I'm not one hundred percent like, I don't think that's the case. I don't think that that would happen. And so does it suck that you're paying seven and a half million dollars for a backup? Absolutely? But what depth isn't a bad thing? Well, I mean, all you have to do is listen to Jerry Jones talk this

morning on the Fan one or five three. He was asked specifically about Jalen Smith's role, and his four minute answer about the depth of the linebacker did not ever include Jalen Smith by name at all. That was alarming to me because because now you're like, you're not even mentioning the question was about Jalen and then you just talked about the depth, which means I'm not talking about him.

We've got depth, which means maybe we are. Maybe he's not in the debt And I don't know, I don't ever, you never you will get very You're getting a very tough situation. You ever start trying to figure out what Jerry's meaning by what he says and doesn't say. But that that was something that stood out to me too

when I heard the response. But ultimately, I just think it comes back to and I'm a big believer, and once you got a guy on your team, it doesn't matter the amount of money, you play them where you need to play him. I'm just having a hard time figuring out what is the role where I'm like, he's my right option to be out there as opposed to somebody else, And I'm having a hard time finding that

for him. That's going to be the challenge for these coaches or you know, shoot I personally, if he doesn't play snaps sometimes that's fine with me. Again, like the money's keep getting an active guy. I doubt that you've just been saying you want to make six act six linebackers active. If he's playing special teams, obviously he can get on the field playing special teams, you would think I don't think you would, hope, So I think I think you'd just probably release. I think you would release.

That's if I mean, if it were to get to a point where Jalen Smith isn't getting a jersey on game day and then yeah, that's that. That would be a huge drop. I have a hard time just thinking that happens, because it's just going from being the contract he's got to being like the every down starter. Did he play the most nouns any defender last year? Absolutely? He was the only defender who was available every week.

Right to go from that to then just like just like that and not actually getting any benefit from cutting him, Like you're not making any money back by cutting him like that all seems a little bit like I don't expect that the hi any of paying a half million dollars for a jersey you don't wear. She got stop. I'm just saying that's you ever you like roller coasters at all? Yes, I do. That's not like they got well a good point. They got this thing at Cedar

Point in Ohio called top Thrilled Dragster. It's nine seconds. It just goes four hundred feet in the air and straight back down. That's jails my kind of thing. Oh, I want to go real Cedar Points high on my bucket list. But that's that's that's Jalan's career trajectory unfortunately. Wow, I mean you thought he might not ever play again, and then he just should have been a pro bowler.

In twenty eighteen, signs an eight you know, seventy million dollar contract, and now we're talking about if he'll even get a jersey on game day. That. I mean, that's insane, that right, we're talking about it. I'm not sure coaches are. So let's be clear. The fact is we're hearing from the from we are not hearing it. The fact that we are even idly debating it about a guy on that contract is nuts. Yeah, that's true. That ride probably you know they've run that multiple times in a day, Yeah,

in an hour. Yeah, so that's what his hope is, get back on the ride. Yeah up there, back up there again. Yeah, his career could just be a bunch of those kind of ups. And it could be. And if it is, then that that's it'll it'll it'll make people, you know, pissed off all the time, because I mean, you know, honestly, that's Tony Romo's career. It's interesting. Oh I don't low, I don't know, not that it was. I mean, it's a longer ride Tony Romo was That's

what I'm saying. His career, that was his whole career. Was that? Okay, I mean I've been thinking about I actually got you know, I did one of those YouTube rabbit holes the other day. Broncos Cowboys twenty thirteen. Yeah, that was a good game. It was a great game. Yeah. There he had a chance, he had the ball. It

was forty eight, forty eight. He's sitting at five h six in the passing yards the record for all times, five to sixty one, get your team in field goal, arrange to go win the game, and you win fifty one forty eight. The Broncos, they were defeated. They're undefeated, but they were. They were the best they were. They set the record. All the best offensive takes him down the field and scores a touch or agreets the field goal. He's probably gonna get about sixty yards passing, no running.

At that point, you're gonna you're gonna set the all time passing record. You're gonna outdule pet Manning and you're gonna beat him. Fifty one to forty eight. He could have been considered right then and there without playoffs. Six just I mean he's right on with that top level, top five. Whatever he throws a pick, he wastes his great two thousand and six, he comes in, he's the star. All the he fumbles a snap in Seattle sounds like a book. I'm just saying. I'm just saying, that is

his career, all these great moments. But it was his interception against Washington in the twenty twelve season finale. Dave still remembers and didn't even work here then, didn't I remember that I didn't have an opinion on Tony Romo at that time. People that love Romo have these twelve plays. The people that hate him have these twelve plays, right, that's his career, yes, Channel Jalen's not at that point. I mean, he hadn't done that. He needs the twelve

plays over here. But he's got a few, but he needs more of them. But I mean, maybe that his career can be like that. We haven't seen it yet. I just I don't. It's it's it's hard to watch him play and imagine that he's gonna get back to that level. He just I hope he does. Hope he does. All dude, he's rooting again to Jalen Smith, at least not in this room. Yeah, but he just looks like he's lost about three steps from twenty eighteen. Yeah, and

I mean, I really I agree with your premise. I do think it's it will be a smart idea if these coaches can figure out a role for him that makes sense, because I think it would be better for the team that you have a guy like that that has some kind of role. I'm just having a hard time figuring that one out. And obviously they are much smarter about this kind of stuff than I am. So that's why they're paid those books, is to figure that part out. But I'm just having a hard time figuring

out where he fits. I just think that's kind of what makes it easier for me, is the fact that the money, the money is locked in, Like you're can't improve the team by getting rid of him. And so if he's just depth, like I said, it's not ideal, but it's better than Jayleen Smith. If he's your best linebacker coming off the bench, that's better than a lot of teams have in terms of depth. Yeah. Absolutely, that's not the end of the world. All right, guys, appreciate

you joining us. We'll be back on Thursday, and we'll talk a little bit more about Cowboys. Get you guys ready action for Cowboys versus Jaguars still then for Nick even, Dave helm and I'm Derek Hilton. This has been The Braak Live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.