Cowboys Break: Let's Talk Defense

episode number twenty nine. Welcome to another edition of The Break, live from the s WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. Welcome and well appreciate you guys take us some time with us today to talk a little Cowboys football. How's everybody great? Well? Good, awesome, Thanks awesome. Sorry for those that delay. We were supposed to start a little earlier. We had some technical difficulties. Our man can't got everything back rolling. So appreciate you guys hanging out and waiting around.

And now we'll go ahead and get to it. Let's talk first about a couple signings the Cowboy had yesterday. Cowboys get a safety. Anybody excited they signed Dominic Sanders? Cool? Cool? How are you right? Don't don't do Dominic like that we don't University of Georgia, Georgia. A lot of a lot of interceptions at Georgia Georgia. Yeah, like sixteen in four years at three every year at least. Yeah, I mean, but I don't actually know where he went after Philadelphia.

Philadelphia signed him, cut him quickly. I think he was with a couple of teams. He bounced around a little bit. This is a camp body if there's ever been one, this is this is the guy to kind of feel some you know, just practice basically, just just please go out there and practice. So Tyree Robinson doesn't get every snap. Yep. They basically cut him right away, and then he hasn't been with anyone I didn't think so. So, so are they doing more because they still have an issue that

could possibly be here. If Xavier Woods they played, they did more. Are they are doing more right now? Um? They are. If the paperwork's not official. They are expected to or are going to sign Jeron Johnson, who is a classic veteran safety. He played with Chris Rochard in Seattle for five years. He was like their third or fourth safety there special teams. It kind of looking over his resume, it sounds like he was their Cavon Frasier. Just to kind of give you an idea of what

he did. He played all sixteen games on their Super Bowl teams. He spent the year with Washington, got hurt in training camp last year and was out of football. I think I read he was coaching high school when they called him. So he I mean, he's a he's

a established veteran. Not a guy that I think you should get excited about, but you think, but a guy that's thought as he can give you a week he's supposed to he's supposed to practice today, and yeah, I mean, he'll at least help you get through these two preseason games if nothing else. Do you feel comfortable if I have to asked the question? At this point, you can't

keep asking the questions. You do have to ask the question, because I think that's the thing that fans are sitting out there listening right now, and they're like, all right, I hear all that, But can this guy play week one? If Xavier, if Xavier Woods isn't out let the thing about it, yes, can he play? Can he play well enough that the Cowboys don't get torched? He might be better than Xavier Woods that's the thing about Xavier. You don't even know what he's gonna do. I mean, he yeah,

he's gonna be decent. But when the lights come on and you were the starting safety, I'm not sure you know, we don't know about him either. So that's you know, I just go find me a guy that you know about, I mean, and then you know that as long as we're touching on well, I know who you're talking about it. But as far as I know, Georgia Loca is still

out there. I've heard, you know, the cowboys are interested, but not that interested, which like that just in other words, if it's comes to us, if falls to us with the right money, that's so cowboys like there. I mean, I don't know. I fans ask me that and I don't know how to answer. I'm like, I don't really get it either. Yeah, I didn't get why they didn't want Tyron Matthew. I didn't get why they didn't want any of those other guys. It's not a scheme fit,

I understand. I don't buy it. What about it? Is there any truth to the fact that he's similar to Eric Reed? Oh, I don't I haven't looked that hard. Into it to be one hundred percent honest. Think that might be a case with a loca there might, But I think the other part too, twos you have to think about is it seems to me, you guys, correct me if I'm wrong, but seems to me that the theory, or at least the strategy around here for the last several years is they just don't want to spend big

money in free agency. They look at it as well, they look whatever the results. All I'm saying is it disappears that and that's not something that they they look at strategically as a good thing. They feel like they want to home grow their talent rather than going down spending in free a I understand, and they've done a fantastic job, like all of the important pieces of this team are homegrown, and they've done a good job holding

onto him. But you got the money and it I'm sorry, I don't know exactly what may it's more than I think, but it just doesn't sound like a bank breaking deal would have to be done to get this guy. And Tyron Matthews better than him and he signed on for one year seven million. I mean really, so in developing guys, I mean, that's a long term process. It's not like you're gonna get it done in one year. It takes a few years to develop different guys at different position

and to build a full on team. It's also, to quote a favorite phrase of football coaches everywhere, it's not cutting time, like it's two weeks until the season. That's you know, developing guys and not wanting to spend money in free agencies for March now. It's like, we need a guy who we trust isn't going to screw this up. However, that's the part that we're not talking about. And I'd

love to get your thoughts. But maybe they saw on film what Cincinnati saw absolutely and that he is a player that was pretty good for a while and last year fell off, and they're like, we may take him for a cheap amount, but we're not investing anymore because we don't think he's any better than Cavon Frazier one percent. Like, you're absolutely right, Maybe they saw us. Maybe that's true. Maybe it's actually true, like maybe he really isn't worth

the investment. But it's a rare situation. Like if we were talking about a wide receiver, I would get it or or maybe even you know, an offensive lineman for the back end of the depth chart. But look at this team's safeties right now. Jeff Jeff Heath is a great great is maybe overstating. I think Jeff Heath is a really solid starter. I like him a lot. After that, what I mean, what you got you got? You have no idea. I've been saying that all offseason Cavan Fraser

and Xavier Woods might be future Pro Bowlers. How do you know that right now? And one of them can't play right now? I mean basically, so if your wide receivers can't make plays, then you punt. And if you're running back can't you know, hit the hole, then then your you know, your puntum. But if your left tackle can't do his job, then the quarterback could get hurt. And if your safety doesn't do his job, it's a

sixty five yard touchdown. So it's one of those positions where if if you don't get it short up, it could be really bad for you. And so, um, you know, I don't you just know they're gonna do something. It's just kind of anti because it's like something's happening here. I mean, you can't be this it's just not going to be this, even the Cavon Frasier. It's not gonna

be Cavon Frasier. You think you're one hundred percent confident of that that I could I can envision a scenario where they just try to get through Ron Johnson and Frasier just to maybe just hope, get hopefully and just hope that Woods can be ready as quickly as possible. It doesn't even sound like Byron Jones is an option which and then he shouldn't be. Honestly, I think that

would be a short sighted, terrible decision. Well that he has been sort of short sighted though, right, But but no, I think I would rather go there you were saying before, where you're just gonna kind of piece me all that thing for a week maybe two, and see what you have to do, rather than taking a guy that wasn't great at safety. I mean, he had issues at safety. You get him the corner and he's actually showing signs of being a really good player at corner, and now say, hey,

we're gonna slide you back to the safety. Well, I think that's a bad decision. Chris Richard yesterday, I mean he repeated it over and over Byron is the corner. And then I asked him, I'd dare to ask him what about Cheeto since other people talk about it, and he just looked at me straight in the eye and it was like, Cheeto, he's a corner. There we go, Okay, yes, good, Yes. Then I asked him, I asked him, so how much he is like your opinion? Like who makes the decision here?

Because you hear Steven Jones and the Jones and the question, you know, asking or talking about, oh you have these guys are flexible enough to play safety and corner. I'm like, okay, well you're saying that these two guys are for sure corners, then who really makes the decision? He looked at me straight in the eye again and was just like, well,

it's a team evaluation. We both got our input in a very political answer, of course, But I'm like, okay, it didn't sound political when he was saying for the sixth time, Byron, He's like, it's a collaborative effort, but I stood on the table when it comes to the secondary, I'm making the calls. Basically, what yeah, I can't tell you that because that's not the way we roll around here, but just know a corner, I would rather throw Derek out there in the number twenty eight than moved by her.

And I'm just saying I would rather a bad idea. It's an awful idea, and I like it better than trying to move byer nrcheto like why I'm with that, I'm with you. Those two guys have been two of your most consistent players throughout training camp. Why would you take a position that you feel pretty good about and

you feel like it could be a strength. We don't know what they're gonna do in the regular season, but could be a strength and turn into something that's a bit of a question and another point, And it doesn't sound like it's gonna happen. So it's not that it's not worth getting into. But that idea sounded great before we started practicing because you had Anthony Brown and Jordan Lewis. Those guys haven't looked good enough to give me that kind of offidence in them. I've been I've actually been

somewhat disappointed by Jordan Lewis. I have not seen him make kind of plays I thought he would make, and I've seen him in some moments where he's gotten beat a few times too, when I thought he probably would be better. So I'm not I'm not in a rush to get him in the in the start over one of those two guys. I'm in a starting position over one of those two guys. I'm intrigued by Nick though,

because I mean, I hope he's right. I hope that they're planning on doing something more substantial with this position. But I'm not gonna be surprised if they're just like Woods will be back for the Giants game and we're just like, okay, all right, and they just go in that game like hoping something. I don't know what I'm gonna do, but I'm gonna be bad. But Amber is

not gonna be very happy. The one thing I will say that the third person, I'm a little I'm a little less concerned with that against Carolina than I would be in Week two. If they if they feel like they can go into that as long as you can tackle, well, I think you can probably get against a team like Carolina. I don't look at their passing game and say I'm really really worried about what they can do in the

passing game. You get to New York, good luck with that, if you don't have a safety to be able to cover, to cover the back end. Just remember who's in Carolina now, d J Moore, the Goat. I hear you. It's gonna be his first NFL game. I'm feeling okay, I'm getting I'm not too worried. I think he's gonna be a

great player, just like Michael Gallup. But I just I'm not worried about him right now, you know, until they show it, till that quarterback shows it that he consistently be a problem when it comes to the passing game. I'm not as worried about that as him running. He's an NFL MVP. I wonder what and he was a great runner that year, great runner. I just wonder what the hold up is? Like I'm really like, what is the sticking point? Like what what draft pick or whatever?

Is it? Like, what's the sticking point? It's you know, it's there. You know that they you know they they're probably talked on the phone this week, like it's there about that. Honestly, honestly though, I mean think Nick, you've been you know, I've never I think it's I honestly think it's just you know, it's that's stubbornness, Like nobody wants to blink. Everybody kind of knows this is what we're willing to do. You know we're willing to do.

I'm not I'm not relent, but that should have changed when your safety that you were had your fingers crossed for went down with a hamstring injury of two to four weeks. And if it's anything like the rest of the guys on this team four, that's absolutely the worst time for it to change. If you're thinking about it from the standpoint of a negotiation and being on the positive end of a negotiation, that is the worst time

to panic because then you have no leverage. So you're going with hat in hand saying I know we said before that this is what we're willing to give up, but we just lost our safety. And then like, you have no leverage whatsoever, and I don't, I don't if you if you had lost Xavier Woods for eight weeks, if you had lost Xavier Woods for the season, then maybe you're in dire straits saying, I think they may look at it as it may be one week of

the regular season. We have to deal with that. That should make us panic So if you're a Seattle and you're sitting there and you were willing to take a second round pick all along, and the Cowboys are like, no, we're not doing it, and now they come back and say, we'll do a second round pick. Now you're gonna change You're gonna change your thought because of oh, we've got

more leverage. Maybe. Okay, Well then you just said and just hang tight with them then, And I mean, if you think that's a that's the issue, then he just keeps holding out. And I guess they don't really care, you know, because they know. I don't think the Cowboys do either. I think the Cowboys look at it as we don't have to make this move right now, because if they did, they would have made this move months ago.

Like I think they really look at this and say, we don't feel like we have to make a move at our safety position right now, and we think we got enough players where we can get through this season and we think we can play well this season. That's at least what they think, and that okay, if they didn't, they would have gotten him more. Think that way, then they're wrong, okay in my opinion. Obviously, all right, let's

move on. They don't know. I mean, wait, you just said they think they've got enough, that they've got the right players here. They don't. They're hiring guys out of like pe class and saying, please come safety for him. Well, the reason why they're happened to please come safety, that's good, But no, the reason why they're doing that because Xavier Woods is out for two to four weeks. My point is, and he might be kpe I might stand that, but

they are willing. They are willing so far their action show, they are willing to give it a shot and see if he can be what they drafted him to be. Right. If not, they would have done something long time ago.

There were how many day how many weeks did you come in this show and say, there's about one hundred safety sitting over there on the free agency pile if they want to just go grab one of them, like there were a number of Yeah, but you got a new coach who in your mind you're thinking, Okay, this guy can do magic here and develop certain guys and turn him into something great. And yes he is a great coach, and yes he's doing that with a few guys,

but it doesn't always work. Out with every single guy. There are exceptions. Now as far as safety, there was no depth there to begin with, and the guys that were there not proven. So I mean, unless you talk about other positions, let's say wide receiver, not the same story, but still a position that they decided to really bring in a ton of death there, and then they don't do the same with a very very key position. Here's the thing. All of you guys are making valid points,

I get it. My point is they still don't think that way, because if they did, they would have had more safeties here. They didn't. I don't. I don't agree with that point because in April, May and June it was just a scab and it was barely bleeding, so the band aid was on it. But now your arm is falling off, so now you need to do more than that. It's not just the same situation it was before. Now you better get this thing wrapped up because it's about to fall off. Okay, And once again, you're making

a great point. They are, but I don't think there's anything that we've seen from them that suggests they agree with that. We set the record for long as Dave is gone without talking enjoying the show, looking back and forth like a point point lounging here, Eric looks like a cornered animal, and I mean it's like, but that's the point. I agree with a lot of their points, but the team is not coming here with your points.

Nobody wants to Texas Player. I've been you know, we've talked to my office's ever been many since the first time this all came up. It's been something I'd love to see. But I don't think the cowboys, the people that are making the decisions, I don't think they see this in the way you guys see it, you know, like my stance here, like my chips have been all right there the whole time. And I'm sitting here on like four to seven, so I'm just like hoping that man,

or I'm actually sitting on like a two nine. I'm sitting four sevens is like a really good hand, isn't it? No, four seven I'm playing hold them? Oh sorry, okay, I don't play poker, So I'm I was thinking of saything like four seven, that's good. I'm actually sitting on a two and a nine, That's what I'm sitting on, two and a nine and hoping that there's other two's and nine. Yeah, Earl Thomas is twenty nine. If you got that, Oh god,

I didn't even put that together. I just I don't have any I have no reason whatsoever to think that this is happening. This is pure speculation on my part. I haven't heard any whispers. But I just love the thought of like Chris Richard walking into the staff meeting and just being like, what what do I gotta do? Like, are y'all kidding me right now? Just pick up the phone to quote Travis Scott, just go pick up the phone and call him and get my guy here. He's

not even practicing right now. I just that's a fun mental image for me. All Right, we're gonna take a break. He seems so intense too. They were like, hey, hey, oh no, it would it would be like a lot of tenser than that. And Jason's like, um, we got him. Who's that? Earl? We finally, well about time? And then he like goes in there to his meeting and starts working. You know, I mean, he's so intense. IM just gonna be a great head coach. I really don't I don't

know what to think. Well, I don't think it's gonna happen. I think it'll happen next year when he's a free agent. That's what I think is gonna happen. That's personal belief. Sorry, whoever does this after whoever sits here for hanging the nasty thing, huh hanging with the boys, maid, I think I don't know. No, No, Shannon's here and Nates over there. Kerr definitely. All right, let's take a first break. When we come back, we're going to get to talking a

little bit about the defense. We didn't get a chance to get to the defense yesterday because we spend so much time on the offense. We did already cover the secondary, so we are going to talk a little bit about that defensive line and the linebackers, which I'll tell you right now, My player right now that I think is going to be the best player on this defense is not the player that most people think. We'll talk about that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys

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and turf equipment of the Dallas Cowboys. Find Texas sized deals and my John Deer Dealer dot com. Slash Football terms, Conditions, exclusions and warranty limitations apply so you can be loot for details. Back to the brink, Welcome back. It's the second, second second segment of the Break Life from s WBC Mortgage studios at a Star I want to take a moment just to say congratulations to a couple of guys

here on this set. Dave Hellman and Kent Garrison and Taylor Stern and Kevin Timmons and Mike Marshall all won Emmy Awards last night. And I could not be prouder of you guys. That was a really, really great work, the Wreck documentary. Yeah, but I'm you guys are the guys I want to celebrate right now. You guys did the Dack documentary. For those out there listening, You're not going to congratulate yourself. No, I'm not. For those out there that did not see the Dack documentary, you gotta

go check it out. Check out our Connected TV. That's the best way to view it on your television through Apple TV or Roku or Amazon Fire. But it was really, really a great documentary. They went back, you guys, traveled back to um to Dak's old college, Mississippi State, spent some time with his old coach, with other people at the program, with Dak himself there, and just kind of talked about this love affair between Dak and that city

and that university. And I thought it came out really well, and obviously the voters with the Emmys also thought it came out really well, and you guys got rewarded last night for really great work. So great work to you guys, Congratulations, Thanks, super super duper rewarding experience. All praise on the high to Kent the Magic Man. Awesome back there, Man, You're incredible, love you. Yeah, it was. It was a really cool experience.

Thank you. Yeah. And to the guys that did the year in special, that was the other win we got last night. Kevin Timmins and Mike Marshall put together a really great year end show. For those that didn't see it, we had Michael Irvin and Moose and Nate and they were all doing kind of some roundtable type discussions and then you can imagine those guys and doing a discussion

on the Cowboys after what happened last year. It was pretty good stuff, and again the voters thought it was worthy of an Emmy and so they got that Emmy award. So really really great work, Very very proud. We had a lot of nomination. We had seven nominations last night, so even for the guys that that didn't get the wins, it just it speaks a lot. It speaks volumes about this team and the amount of creativity and hard work that goes and what we're doing. I'm very proud of

you guys. You guys do awesome job every single day. So thinks, all right, man, let's move on. Let's talk defense. Let's talk defense. I am. We just did that for the whole first second. We did. We did. But now we're gonna switch to a couple other positions on the defense, and we'll start with another signing. Cowboys pick up a defensive tackle, Karan Read. Dave you said in the break that this was a player that you guys studied during the draft and that the Cowboys had some interest or yeah,

I liked a little bit. Well, it's funny. I literally had the thought yesterday. I didn't go to Jason Garrets press conference, I didn't go to practice because we had the Emmys, and I even thought to myself, I was like, big, big deal, it's one day, Like what are you gonna miss? And I mean, I know it's a minor signing. But I got back to work and was like, holy crap. They signed Karan Read. I remember him. He was in the twenty fourteen draft. Actually, he was in the same

draft class as coney Eally. He's a fifth round pick. He's not like this blue chip guy, but I remember like he was intriguing. He's a big space eating one technique, the type of guy that we always talk about. They never seemed like they have, so I'm it's a name that stands out. I remember they had some interest him in him during that draft cycle, which is probably why he's here if I had to guess, very similar to

why they signed coney Eally. So I doubt he makes the team, just because most guys who signed on this Leaden camp don't. But it's something to keep an eye on in these last few practices for sure. You know, I think that he's got a pretty good chance to actually to make the team. I feel like Tyrone Crawford now is just a tackle. I mean, I don't think

he's gonna be playing a whole lot of end. I think that the emergence of Dorn's Armstrong and Taco playing pretty well, and Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence on top of that, I think that the Crawford just makes more sense when you're talking about getting your best rushers and

your best lineman there. I'm not saying he won't play any end, but for the most part, I would imagine he's going to play a lot of tackle and by doing that it might squeeze jahad Ward out the door and keeping your one techniques And you know, I don't know if it's gonna be a battle between Brian Price and Daytona Jones who's banged up. That that's another thing. He's banged up. And then you got Antoine Woods, who's a good point. I'm not saying he's fallen off. He

just haven't heard a whole lot from him. But then again, you're not watching one on ones all the time like you were. I mean, that's where Antoine Woods was making his his you know, his presence felt so m On a related note, and Jerry, you know we're back. I guess we're back on the football schedule because Jerry Jones spoke on the radio this morning, which is a football season thing. Um. He said that they hope MALIEK Collins

will be ready for Carolina. Forgot and I totally forgot about Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's that's a good forget because he certainly will be in the mix. Absolutely not starting. I'll assume he started. Who's your three techniques? Then him and well, I hope craw Crawford's making the team, so he's great, him and Crawford, and then you just figure out your one. Give give me a guy who can play one so that Malik doesn't have to let me throw another thing into the mix. I don't say David Irving.

I was gonna say, week five, how does that change or does it don't do that? I was gonna say Irving won't play again, But I've already been there on that right, there's always there's always a good will play again because he needs a crude season. He's gonna play like Antoine Woods is going to have a half sack against the Panthers, and somebody's gonna call us and be like, what are they gonna do to get Irving on the teams? And it always takes care of it, and all that

question was not about getting him on the team. You can find that, Like, You're right, there's gonna be some way to figure that out. I'm talking about from a depth standpoint and from snap standpoint. If those two guys are playing three, is David Irving a one technique? I mean, where do you where do you use him? What happens with those other guys? Do you move a league back to a one technique or David Irving's a football player on it, like, put put him on the line wherever

you put I'll play him at end. I don't care. I don't think he's better at tackle, but just put him out there. If they remember the other day we were really struggling about more are they gonna do between Brian Price and Antoine Woods and John Ward and Dayton Jones and the Cowboys said we hear all of that, and we're gonna go get Karen Read. So they don't feel strongly about some of those guys. I'm not saying all of them, but there's a couple of guys in

there that they just don't feel good about. Good point. They honest may believe, hey, we got a just a bunch of guys, got a bunch of guys. We don't have anybody who think it's gonna really stand out, and they're just kind of searching it this if I had, you know, I'm sorry ahead, I was just saying he played for the Lions to year four years ago. That's who drafted him. Yeah, and I was, you know, about to I was writing the story and I was about to be like he played with Marinelli for you know,

under Marinellian and realized this was his sixth year. That seemed like that's gone by fast Rod. Marinelli's six years, like a long time. He's been here the whole time. I have like I've never known a Dallas defense that didn't have me. I didn't think about it like that. That's true. Yeah, um time, so no one. Oh but Ward, Ward and Jones were your starters like all through the spring and up intil the first week of training camp, and if I had to put money on it, I

would still pick them to make the fifty three. But like, I certainly don't feel good about it. I don't think you could call that a lock by any strings. Ward seems like it's just been Yah knows that. Ivan, You're not wrong. All right, let's talk. Let's talk about this defense overall. Um, during the first and Dabut and I were talking about this the other day, it's hard to to sometimes still know what the offense. We kind of said, okay, the first team was out there for this number of possessions.

It's been a little bit different on the defense because they've kind of had this mixing of first and second team players throughout the preseason, even early in games. But if you want to kind of just get an idea, pretty much, you look at these two games. Defense is given up a touchdown in basically four quarters of football, which to me sounds like a you know, I'll take

that all day? Right? How much you guys buying into the idea that maybe this defense is going to turn the corner this year and may have because if you think about it the traditional what you've always heard about defenses, If you can get a really good player, a player that makes a difference on each of the three levels, then you're onto something, right And you start looking at right now what they got at defense. On the defensive line, particularly,

you got Tank Lawrence. He's the best player on that unit. You look at the linebackers. I personally believe Jalen's gonna be your best linebacker this year. But you've got Sean Lee there at middle linebacker. I'm sorry, we can week side linebacker. Are you saying that because you don't think Sean's gonna play all sixteen games? Don't? I don't know if I buy into the fact you'll play all sixteen games,

and I think Jalen will. And then you look at the cornerbacks right now, in the cornerbacks again, for what we see at this moment, are playing really really well. Are you buying into the idea that this defense may turn the corner this year and actually be the better unit and not just kind of hey keep him off

feel as long as possible. The same argument and discussion that you guys had on the break on the beat, on the beat, no sorry, when we were coming off the break, and then it into the beat that was very clearly about DeMarcus Florence. Yes, that was specific, and the and the point that I was making was is I don't think you can have it. I don't think this this defense will be great if you don't have a great player. You gotta have a great player or two.

And you don't call DeMarcus Arms a great player. Well, I think he had a great season. You don't call DeMarcus Arms a great man now, and neither of the Cowboys or they would have signed him to a long term of seventeen million dollars. That says he's a great player to them for right, now they're right. No, they are renting a but don't don't want it. You don't rint You don't rent an average player for seventeen million dollars. You really got the average? See that that's the that's

what keeps getting changed. I didn't say average. I never said average, which I said that he's good, he's really You don't read a good player for seventeen million dollars, you don't. I don't think a good place. I don't think a great player has only done it once out of what three years. You don't franchise guys that are just rock solid, just you locks. You don't. Well, Aaron Donald got franchise. Why is he on the third one? I mean clearly, the Rams clearly, for whatever reason, aren't sold.

He's the best defensive tag one football. Aren't they paying him that money? They're not paying I think again, you look at the NFL. Teams have invested interests in franchising because they can keep pushing it out. They're willing to pay that one year deal because in football, as we all know, injuries come and you never know when that injury is gonna come. And so if you can just keep paying just one year deals, it's worth it pay even more. Okay, they are getting kind of sidetracked on

on on what we're trying to say here. Let's let's talk about the defense. Okay. I think it comes down to five second round picks. Okay, you have five of them. If three of them can be really really good, too great, then you can have a good defense. And you've got Sean Lee De Marcus, Lawrence Cheeto, Randy Gregory, and Jalen Smith. If you get those guys, and three of those five were top fifteen players and they fell for different reasons

on their board, fell for different reasons. If you can get wildcard plays, especially out of Gregory and Jalen Smith, then this defense can be great. It really can be if these two guys and they're the wildcards. But you need those other second round picks to be good. I mean, there are a ton of if It's no doubt about it. There's a ton of ifs when you talk about this. But but they had to build this team thinking Jalen may not come back, and they had to build this

team thinking Randy Gregory will not play again. And now this surprise, they're here. So they can come into this situation and if they do. If and if Gregory plays anywhere close to his college potential, and same for Jalen Smith, then yes, this defense can be really good, especially if Shaun Lee can stay healthy. Might be the biggest if of all. That's and I'm trying to think of a way to say it because I've been so stupidly impressed by this defense all preseason. But it can be fools

gold to a degree. It just that's just the way this works. That then sixteen Detroit Lions went four o in the preseason, Like that's that stuff was also good start because they have known you want to lose preseason games, good teams lose preseason you want to win the first half. Yeah,

and well, and that's they look incredible. Honestly, I was following up on this Jeron Johnson News and I had a conversation with somebody over there that was just like we're just kind of bs and about, you know, the preseason and how things have looked, and they're just like, this defense looks crazy good, don't you think? And I was like, honestly, yeah, and I'm surprised that I'm saying that out loud, but it has. But again, it's there's

a lot of ifs. If Sean Lee can stay healthy, if Randy Gregory can contribute like he has so far, if Jalen Smith. It looks this way in the regular season Byron Jones too. We raved about him last preseason and it really didn't translate that well. Um. But if it all comes together, I think this could be one of the most dominant defenses in the league, as you're gonna say in the last few years by the Cowboys. But do I think all of those things will come together? No, something.

I mean, you know, somebody's gonna get hurt, somebody's gonna disappoint, and this will be a good defense. I don't think it's gonna hit all of those benchmarks. I think this could be the best defense of Rod Marinelli's tenure here, which the bar is not that high, but I do think that could be true. What is good about this is Gregory in the sense of, if you were to get him on any other team and draft drafted him high, he'd have to play, you know, a certain amount of

snaps to justify his position. But the fact that he was picked number sixty and then set out for two years now for an NFL suspension. Now if he comes back and you know, you had to get other guys in here, and it looks like Taco is pretty good and maybe Armstrong can help. And if all Gregory has to do is come in here on third and long and rush the passer, then that is what he's best at. If you have to sit there and play seventy snaps and he gets hit by a right tackle all game long,

be different. But they're just asking him to come in here fresh and rush the rush the passer. That could be really good for him. What are your what are your badass defenses in the league right now? I remember, like you know, from from oh three to OZ nine, the Bears were always the first fantasy defense drafted, and then it was the Seahawks. I think they're kind of taking a dip now, but the Rams are going to

be badass. The Bears, you don't know, Yeah, like the Marinelli Bears, they all, I mean, they were the fantasy gods mainly because they had Hester and Hester would they They scored points like Alway's business, a lot of they and a lot of it they did, had a lot of turnovers, you're right, But anyway, the Rams, the Vikings, Um, the Texans, the Broncos, ask who's the best? Right now, I'm saying I think the Vikings, the upper echelon the

Cowboys are not there. They're not in that elite group, but it's totally plausible that they're in that nextier like some somewhere between six and twelve in terms of fantasy. About fantasy, though, I'm about using fantasy to illustrate, and the big difference there between I think fantasy and the and the Cowboys is the fact that they don't they don't get a lot of turnovers. Yeah, that's very and

they don't score touchdowns off of them as well. Though the preseason with the speed that the crazy the speed, the speed on this defense is unreal. Jalen Thomas, Joe Thomas Cheeto, Um, I'm talking about the pick before you get in trouble on Twitter again and the interception by chet Yeah, what do you guys have to say? I mean, obviously, it was a great, great interception, probably the best I've

seen on the Cowboys for a lot. It was the best play that the Dallas defensive back has made in my time covering the team, which is five full seasons plus this preseason. Yeah, second best for me because it happened in the in the preseason. I think what Jeff Heath did against the Raiders was pretty good. Okay, well I'm just play. You're right. I shouldn't say best play. I should like best interception, yes, takeaway. Yeah, you know, you guys are gonna want to fight me on this.

But it's those types of plays of why and the body type that why people have thought, you know what, he's got safety skills because it's those ball hawking type plays. Now, not to say that a corner can't have them, because they haven't had the corners that can make those plays, but it's those types of reactionary plays go up and hype, point the ball and make a great play like that. That is why somebody has said, man, you take that with his body type, and this guy looks like a safety,

you know. So I'm with you to keep him at corner right now. But I can see why he's got those traits for it. I see the logic one hundred percent. I'd just rather have two good cornerbacks than a good corner. You guys are right. If Jordan Lewis was making this interesting and like, if he was really pushing them, then it would make more sense, right, But he's not. He hasn't.

Brown's a flag machine right now. Yeah, So I mean, right now, there's nobody that's the third cornerback that I feel like needs to be the number two for you to make that kind of move, keep those two cornerbacks in place. I agree. What about Duke, He's been nukes, been all right, he's been sign alright. He might make the team. I think, honestly, I think Duke should name might be your kick returner, especially with Thompson. Yeah, you know, I think Duke. I'm I'm I got Duke on the

team right now. When when you when you think about the injury to Xavier Woods and you think about, well, how long is it gonna be out? Two to four weeks? Maybe it's the two I mean, look at guys like Deontay Thompson, speed guys like that. I mean, it's always later than that when it comes to hamstring injuries. So, okay, I want to bring these two conversations together. We're gonna take a break, but I want to bring these two

conversations together. And I'm asked the question if all the things that Dave laid out all those questions, all those ifs. If all that works out, is safety a big enough issue that it can derel this defense. If all those other things work out, we'll do that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot com. Radio. Cowboys fans know that the second best of anything simply won't

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member of Cowboys Nation. Back to the break Welcome back to the final segment of The Breaklock from the s WBC Morgan Studios at the Star. I'm really enjoying the conversation today. Thank you guys. It's really good. Really all right, Dave, give me in So I and Kent and Taylor. We won an Emmy last night, and I after I made sure with you that I didn't need to be at work early. Yes, I celebrated it. I poured a few drinks, and so I woke up this morning. I wasn't feeling

my best. I mean, I was feeling great because of the you know, you want an Emmy, but I wasn't feeling my best. And I was like, how can I combat this feeling? I know, I'll put on my Tommy John. And that's what I did. I changed into a fresh pair of Tommy John underwear so comfortable. So yes, Nick, oh wait, I'm waiting for you to finish just so, Like I immediately, like my mood increased by like three

levels as soon as I got done getting dressed. I was like, rewind back a few hours and the Emmy for the Best Uh Documentary goes to and then Dave realizes, I'm not wearing Tommy John's because I'm really I'm so nervous right now that I don't want to mess up this pair that I have. So I'm not wearing Tommy John too the thing. But if we win and I get excited, then tomorrow I will Sure I did you know that? I don't know that. I'm just guessing. He didn't so nervous. He didn't want to mess up a

good pair. I didn't think. I did not think to put on my Tommy John before the show last night. Oh so I was uncomfortable. I was uncomfortable all the way. Does Yeah, No, it wasn't good, but so uh go to Tommy John dot com Forward slash Cowboys and you too can feel great when you put your underwear on. Rumor has it Rumor has it that Dave may Or may not have been seen in a bar last night

with his trophy. I literally my best friend in the whole world, Meg Murray, came out with me to celebrate, and I was like, am I a douche if I bring this to into the bar and she was like, absolutely, but you want an Emmy who cares go for it. Yeah, so that's what I did. That's the best thing. That was awesome story I've ever heard. That's awesome. Same thing I've been fun or to drink for her. It's great, an awesome time for her. Yeah, let it take a

little sip for supper in. Yeah, that's good if it was. You know, like y'all are the same place like Drake. When Drake won a Grammy, he did shots at it because it's a you know, it's like a cup and wish. Unfortunately the Emmy is not shaped that way, or I would have done the same. I'm sure you would have. All right, let's get back to it. We got one question we want to finalize here before the end of

the show. I asked the question we've been talking in the first segment about the safety position and what was going on there. In the second segment, we talked about this defense. You guys laid out a lot of different ifs and question marks and all the kinds of things that could derail this defense. But let's assume for a second that all that works out. Let's assume for a second that Jalen really is what he's been in the preseason.

Let assume Byron is what he is. Let's assume that that average player into Marcus Lawrence ends up being a great player again this year. Let's assume all that works out right is safety. A big enough position does hold enough potential problems that if they can't fix the safety position, it'll derail this defense from being a great defense to being just average or below. See. Yes, I really don't think so, honestly, And I'm hey you and I we go way back with this safety thing. But if everything

you just said happens, I don't think it'll matter. I think that is a hole you can hide if everybody else is playing, Like if Jalen Smith is playing like a pro bowler, and Sean Lee, who was a first team All Pro when he's healthy, is available, and DeMarcus is doing his thing, and Greg like, if all that stuff is happening, I don't care. I mean, I'd love to have Earl Thomas, don't get me wrong, but I think you can plug in a serviceable player and be fine. Yeah.

I do think the safety position will it could hurt him. I don't I'm not buying that all those things are going to happen, because nothing from that's all that happened other than DeMarcus had a good a really good season. That's the only thing you can count on. But you can't really count on the fact that those two guys do it two years in a row. I mean, DeMarcus ware did it, and they haven't had a lot of

guys like that. So I think if you don't have a guy back there that knows what he's doing and knows this team and this scheme, yeah, I mean, like I said before, all it takes is one you know, all I thought the guy was going here, I was going down, and I thought he had help and next thing, and we've seen how much just one player can affect the game if they're not playing good or if they're

hurt or whatever. And that position specifically is one where you're basically on your own there unless your other guy comes in and helps you. But again, like just Nick pointed out, if you don't know where you're going or whatever, just one simple second mistake can really cost you a whole game. And it doesn't matter how much the offense is scoring. And that's another thing when you were talking about the defense. To me, last year, our defense wasn't horrible.

It wasn't the greatest, but I thought they had some potential and they were doing some things that sadly or unfortunately, the offense wasn't able to take advantage of. So I think that if the offense is also able to move along and help the defense, that's gonna make a big difference as far as how great this defense can be. All Right, we appreciate you guys joining us. We're going to be back tomorrow. Check the website for the time tomorrow.

It's going to be a little bit of a different schedule to Borrow and Thursday, but it makes you check the website. But let you know what time we're going to be on. Jailing for Nicky and David Helmet, amber Garcia Derky tends been a break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club