Cowboys Break: Mix-and-Match

edition of The Break. I'm live from the s WBC Mortgage studios at the Star, and I don't have my normal crew with me, but I got a good crew with me. Y'all joy this this next forty five minutes. We're gonna have some fun. We're gonna talk about a lot of stuff. We're gonna get some good opinions out

there and have a good discuss. And I got Isaiah stand back with me, four year NFL VET with the Cowboys, with the Patriots, with the Jacksonville Jaguars, we got Buried Church and nine year vet also with the Cowboys and the Jaguars. We got Kurt Daniels who's a twelve year VET. Never put on a helmet, but twelve years there. And uh, I'll take it. I'll take it. Right, So we got it. We got a very very experienced crew here. We're gonna have a lot of good, good conversation and what I

want to do to get started. I know there might be people out there listening that may not have, may not be asked familiar with with you guys because they listen to the break and maybe they don't listen to the other shows. So I'm gonna open up by first just going around the table, and I want you guys to the level set and to tell people what your thoughts are, general thoughts are on the status of this team right now. I'm gonna start first with you, Isaiah. Um right now is this is not a very good

team right now. Obviously the record records says one thing, obviously being two and seven, and that I'll let you know. But unfortunately, you know, this team just they play some very tough teams, but they also haven't played very good ball. Man. You know, if this, if this last game, is any indication as to where we're going as an organization from this point forward, then you know, I think everybody should

be encouraged. But you know, I don't aside from dog on forty nine ers, I don't think anybody's facing as many injuries as if we face, can't use it as an excuse. The next man has to stand up and step up. And unfortunately guys should have not played up to what we feel like they should be doing. Very Yeah, I'm with Isaiah on this. When the season hasn't been what we all thought it would be going into this thing. We lost multiple all pros. I mean, we lost our

two tackles, we lost our QB one out there. Defensively, We've been running around kind of days and confused with this new system. So overall, things aren't going how we thought they would in this season. But like you said, these last two games Philadelphia defensively and then Pittsburgh, I think all three phases played a lot better. And if they can build on this momentum, if they can get this going in the right direction, I mean, we're not out of the playoffs yet. I mean, you know, if

you're crazy, it is very crazy. If you watch, if you watch the players now, you'll see I'm still drinking the kool aid over here. I might be the only one. But so far the season hasn't gone. But you know, we gotta keep that momentum going and who knows what can happen, Kurt, what are your thoughts? Yeah, I agree, I mean, yeah, they had a shot to make the playoffs. But for me, I'm looking towards next year. I want to see development. I want to see these young guys

just better. I want to see some improvement, which I think we have seen the last couple of games. I kind of wish they'd been bigger sellers at the trade deadline. I mean, it's just been a disappointing year for a number of reasons. For me, I'm looking for next year. I want to see development, improvement going forward. Let's get into the past tense too. You see, he's a had Yeah. Yeah,

I chugged, Yeah, I chugged the kool aid. At the beginning of the year, I was I was super bullbust to start out, and now I'm just I'm sorry, I can't. I've I've jumped off the bandwagon. Get something. What you guys might not know about me, I'm probably the most optimistic person you'll ever meet. So for me, I had really been kept, I kept the faith, and then it just got to a point where it's like I can't really even I can't. Yeah, I don't. I don't know

what else to say. I mean, honestly, I'm kind of with Kurt. I just want to see I want to see how well these guys develop, because I'm looking at next year and I'm thinking, you get because let's let's be real, even if they get to the playoffs, the teams they match up with, there is not a likelihood

that it's going to be a long playoff run. So so for me, I look at it, I'm like, okay, So when you get back all of your your great players that you lost this year, then the question becomes how much did you get the young guys to develop A Gallimore, a Trevon Diggs. You know how much did those guys developed to where you add them into these great players that you're missing right now, to where you

might actually have something. So that's what I'm more looking forward to, I guess, right, But as as a player, right, as a player, you know, when you're saying there's a chance,

there's a chance, right, always always a chance. So I mean you go out there, your check is the same no matter what, Right, a seventeen weeks your check comes through the same way, right, But those extra checks, right, and when along as those things are on the horizon, you're gonna do everything you can't go grab those things, right, no matter what circumstances. Yeah, no matter what the circumstances. And the NFC East is what it is, right, it is what it is. And guess what I take? A

hik can get it right. You know I alluded to it in the past or when I was playing with them. I'm fortunate with the Giants, right. Um, you know, we we snuck in the playoffs. You know, we we beat Dallas and we snuck in the playoffs. And guess what we got. We we took we got some of that cool later, we got some get right, right, and guess what we guys who remember once they got that opportunity, it was a reset button, right, So regardless of how we were playing up to that point, it was a

reset button that day. Once you recognize you're in the playoffs, and it's like, guess what I can ball? Right, we can ball as a team, and guess what, We're only four games away from walking away with some jewelry. So your mindset changes, right as long So as long as you have an opportunity to get in that thing, you slide up in there like you want, like you on the slipping slide. So I kind of I'm kind of

hearing that you're kind of with me on this. Windows were coming and you can be d BO so you can do it over the open of the going on in and I'm with you on that one. We still got a chance. His NFC's is not sewn up at all by any stretch of the imagination. We still get to play all those guys at least one more time, so we can we got a chance at least to get back into the division. Um, and I can see

it happening. Um, we just gotta we just gotta play better overall the defense, offense, special teams, which we've seen um in that Pittsburgh game. So for me, we still got a chance. I'm still drinking the kool aid. I might be the only one on the boat, but I'm gonna still be Now. You ain't because think about it.

Think about it from this perspective. Right, if you do get it back into the play If you say you have a chance to win the playoffs, right and somehow you sneak up in there at that point in time, think about how healthy you are potentially if you don't have any more injuries, right, you get all your guys back for the most part. Right, In the conversation of Dak coming back even presents itself depending on how how well his repart. You're talking to somebody who's at six surgeries, okay, right,

somebody who's at act seven surgeries. So when you start talking about injuries, when were talking about bones, right, there's a potential for bones to he'll substantially faster than ligaments and and everything else that you face. So I'm saying

there's a chance. I'm saying that it might be a slither of a chance, right, going all in with what I'm saying, this sweet in everything every Yeah, it was, but but a lot of things start present themselves, right, So but you have to give yourself that chance, gather

yourself that opportunity. Um and if you even if you take the decks aspect out of it, if you're putting your position yourself to get into the playoffs, then whoever you have that quarterback, it's probably probably playing pretty well at that time. Well at this point, I mean, I certainly want the guys over that other part of the the building be thinking like that, right, That's what we expect for sure that we want them to play the thing lay as hard as you can. I just don't know.

For me as a as an observer, I hear you not necessarily I'm gonna buy it. But if they give me reason to like, I always tell give me a reason pick you. I want to pick you every single week. You got to give me a reason to pick every single week. Let's jump into the conversation on trayvun Digs. There was a little bit of news that came out

on him. Looks like he has a broken foot, and we were talking about it before the show Isaiah and I for me, again, it goes against what I'm really trying to accomplish this year at this point, which is these young guys getting reps and being able to develop. And what we've seen from him to in my opinion, as a player who came in, they threw him in the fire, and over time we've seen him get a little bit better. There was some things he's had some misapps that are just like, you don't even know why

he did what he did. But you've also seen some moments where you're like, man, this kid complete wall. And so that being said, I'm asking you, guys, particularly as two former players, how much does that affect that when when is your first year and you're kind of having this up and down year, how much does it affect you to now have to miss at least half the season. It hurts him drastically, I mean, because he was picking

up he was picking up momentum. And I think early on I've been hard on him all year or two. I've been tough on him, but he's faced the best delete has to throw on him. So we're talking about in terms of as a rookie coming in and you know, your ability to see things and adjust to the to the speed of the game. And he's faced it, right, He faced it, and he's got his he's got his tail. Well. Acted a couple of times, you know what I'm saying, Guys will ram past him. Um, But you know he

started figuring things out. We saw, you know, obviously in the Philly game, he got a couple of interceptions, ball came his way, he made the plays. Um last week he played a little bit better as well, So I'm thinking that his confidence was starting to build. It as soon as you get that confidence boom, this happens to you right. So now not only does he have to overcome being a rookie, he has to overcome injury, and now he has overcome trying to get back in it

before the season's over. Yeah, I think it's going to hurt him overall. Go ahead, What was he meeting your expectations? Though? I mean I almost feel like, I mean, he had no offseason, he had no preseason games. Obviously a rookie in some ways, whatever you could get out of him this year, it was almost not a free pass. But I don't know. This season for him was all about development, which is why this injury hurts him so much. But did you think he was meeting the expectations of his

second round pick before this happened? Well, for me overall, I thought, um, at the beginning, I mean, let's look at the list of receivers he went against. We got Robert Woods, Cooper Cup, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, you got DK Metcalf, you got Tyler Locket. I mean that lineup alone, I mean I don't see I don't know any veteran cornerback that would be able to, you know, stand up against that. So for me, the ups and downs that he's had. I mean, you're gonna see those as a rookie.

I mean, he had a lot of mistakes with his eyes and his footwork at the line of scrimmage. But those are the things that's gonna hurt him because he could have built upon that in this season ming going forward. But to me, I love what I see in the guy. I mean, the best part about his game that I saw so far this year was just his short term memory. He was about to go out there and he had ups and downs, but he wouldn't let that affect him throughout the whole game. He wouldn't hang his head and

kind of man with what was me type deal. No, he kept scrapping and he kept fighting. And those are the type of guys you want on your team, those type of guys you want to go to war with. But this injury, it will affect him a little bit, But I think he should I'm not a doctor or anything, but he should be ready by OTAs and and mini camp and all that good stuff. So hopefully it doesn't hamper that at all. But going forward, I think we

have a start here at thinking about his mentality. And we talk about this all the time in a break. This guy, he's been he's been used to getting torched in the backyard all his life, going up against his brother who was an NFL wide receiver, real receiver. So he's not gonna get down, like he knows if getting beat as a part of it. And he's also gonna keep fighting and he's gonna win something on his own. And that's just that, that's what you're seeing from him.

He's a guy's gonna keep fighting. Even when he makes a mistake, he comes back. I think the dk Metcalf play is to me, the epitome of what his season a get beat, come back, make a play. And that's quite frankly. You look at the cornerbacks on this team for quite a while now, they haven't had that those kind of players. They'll get beat, but they never come back and make the play. They never come back and

make that play that can change the game. I think from that standpoint, they might have found him a gym in this guy. This is true because I mean when when I was on the team, we had a guy similar and Morris Clayborne who was a high draft pick and you know, coming out of LSU man corner. But what Tayvron Diggs had that he didn't he had that short term memory with MOA was kind of like, man, I got beat and then the rest of the game was just downhill. And that's what I think I love

so much about Tavond. It's just his ability to fight and keep scratching no matter what. All Right, we're going to move on to another topics. Earlier yesterday, I think it was Stephen Jones and Mike McCarthy, they were in their their separate interviews and they talked about Andy Dalton and the quarterback position, and they both agreed that once he's healthy, he will resume the role as a starter over Garrett Gilbert. My question for you guys is do

you agree or disagree with this decision. Let's start first with you, Kurt Well. I don't know, it's might be a cop out, but I want the guy who's going to give us the best chance to win, excuse me, the best chance to win. I mean, it's not like you're developing Gilbert for the future. I don't think. I mean he was. He brought a lot of excitement, a little bit of energy in that game. But you know, in some ways, I think Dalton has as big a chance to be your backup next year as as as

as Gilbert does. I mean, what's the market going to be for him to find a number one job somewhere. So I'm not against Dalton coming out there if he proves he you know, if he's if he's the better quarterback, which his experience says it he is. I don't see why you don't keep it running him out there if he's giving you the best chance to win, because you're not trying. I don't think you're trying to develop a

thirty year old Gilbert to spend in the league. So long as he has I'm Andy Dalton fan and I've gotten scorched for it. However, you look as as players, right, we look at the energy of the team. We look at how the team vibed with Gilbert versus how they vibe with Dalton. Now, Gilbert had a much more stout offensive line than and then and he'd had at the time.

But regardless of the fact, I feel as if the energy and the morale, I know, I heard that in the last podcast, the morale of the team was better with Gilbert, unfortunately than it was with Dalton because normally I'll pick Dalton all day long in terms of experience, in terms of skill sets, all that stuff. Right. I think he's I think he's he's a dude. But the team didn't vibe with him. Um, And that's what sticks out the most to me when I look at those

two performances. And I know it's hard to those two up against each other, but one thing you can match is how the team responded to him. And I feel like there's team responded to Gilbert. Yeah, and I'm gonna have to go on this Gilbert train as well. Look ahead, Kirk, what about to say? Well, I just how how how do you explain that they vibed with them? Like he said, Gilbert had a better offensive line, they might have been more pumped up to play the Steelers who were undefeated

coming in, they were at home. I mean, I guess it's sort of a you know, how do you describe ye? But what made you think that they were in the long term, would be better with Gilbert. I'm not saying necessarily the long term. I'm talking about just right now. Yeah, yeah, right, yeah, yeah, this right, this seems for sure and I'm not sure necessarily put my finger on it. Um to explain it. But it's it's a it's a thing that you feel, right. I don't know very this thing you feel when just

the energy of the team when it came out. Um with Annie, they were flat, they were flat, and they never responded right. And when things went went bad, they didn't they didn't come back right. They didn't back nor did they show the urgency to come back at any any place. When any Dalton got knocked down, they yeah right versus you know, versus Gilbert got knocked down, the running over there to pick him up right or you know, or you know, if he threw an interception, guess what.

They came back and then you can see that they were still ready to go. Let's rollers do this. We got a chance. So it's a it's a it's a whole vibe thing like that, Um where you how can I? How can I say that? Man? Where they you just you just feel like they're like there's a chance. You felt like you felt like there was a chance the whole time with Gilbert versus with Andy, even with Anie Dalton, was still any Dalton you felt like the game was out of it was out of control for me on

this one. I'll make it short and sweet. I think I gotta go with Gilbert on this one because you're you're with a team right now, you're two and seven, you got a little bit of momentum going, and you're grasping for strings right now. You're grasping for something to hold on too. And I think what what Gilbert brought into that game last week was just that confidence, that

that command of the offense. It just seemed like he he elevated the players around him um and they were going against the number one defense out there in the Pittsburgh here, so they weren't going against Washington or Work or anything like that. We're going to get the defense, you know, with TJ. Wire coming off the edge, Bud dupri and his ability to kind of just maneuver in that pocket and still look downfield and still get his wide receivers involved in the game. I think it was good.

And to me, I think this team grasping on strings right now, they're like, Hey, we got this momentum with him. We got a guy that you know, can go out there and command the offense. So let's just go ride with that. But we'll see what happens. Yeah, you know, I think part of the thing we got to consider here. And now I'm not saying this is necessarily the case, but I think it's possible. And this was this was the Cowboys Super Bowl. And you know, this happens throughout

every season, every team, even really really bad teams. We saw it last night with the Jets and the Patriots, where you know you have a team that's really bad that they go into a specific game targeting the specific opponents, saying for whatever reason, and the Jets that was more about getting beat up for so many years. They like, we finally found the Patriots at a moment when they're vulnerable. Let's go get it right, let's go get them. And

they went and they still couldn't make it work. But I think the Cowboys had a little bit of that going on last Sunday. They looked at the stealers, they said, hey, we haven't had things going right for us, but if we really focus in, let's show what we can do with these guys, let's make them the example. And then you look at the fact from the standpoint of I

think the offensive line played a ton better. I think that might be because of what Mike McCarthy has been talking about, you want your offensive line to play together. The most important thing about an offensive line, maybe as important as the talent, is how often are they playing together so that they're playing as a unit. And maybe we're starting to see some of the results of that.

So I think when you put all those things together and then you say, now let's just change out the quarterback, would Dalton have a better team around him at this point than what he had earlier when he was playing that as Jerry said this morning on the radio, gives turns maybe one or two of those field goals that they got this last game into a touchdown. If you can just turn one of those into a touchdown, maybe

you win this ball game. And again, I don't know if and I get your point, like, maybe they're not. Maybe they viable one over the other better. I don't know. What I do know is I think Gilbert had the advantage of a much better defense, a much better offensive line, and a better conditions and the team that was motivated and it has been in some of these games earlier this season. Give those same things to Dalton, let's see what happens. I totally agree, Yeah, I totally agree. I

think Annie Dalton is clear. He got the short end of the stick, no doubt the two situations. And I think that Annie Dalton does well. But there's something about it, right, They're just something about how guys, you know, look at you, how guys you know, treat you. I just got that sense that dudes wasn't messing with with any like that. I just got actually got that sense, you know when Yeah, it was just like I don't think they really care for him. And as it sucks to say, but that's

what I saw. I don't know what you saw, baby, Yeah, man, I saw the same thing. I mean, it was all about that. You know. The one player I think we're all harping back to is when you know, and he got his block knocked off a little bit, and it kind of nobody came to town his rescue there. And you know, there's a lot of young players that they're trying to figure out the game themselves. So you know, I don't really fault them for not going after them. But like you said, it was just a vibe, just

an energy that we saw in that Pittsburgh game. And maybe it was to your point, Derek, how they were kind of hyped up, like we got that number one team here, show him we can do this, and it could also be no Pittsburgh kind of overlooking. They got a big win in Baltimore the week before Pittsburgh coming down here. We got these cowboys and ended up being in the dog fight. So overall, I mean that I still gotta rid with my boy Gilbert, though. We'll see

what goes on this week. We're gonna take our first break. When we come back. We got a couple more questions for you guys. We're also gonna get into our mid year. It's almost mid year, a little over the midyear review of the offense. We'll do the offense today to Mark, we'll jump into the defense, talk a little bit about them. We'll take our break, come right back this Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. There's nothing as unique as our eyes, which is why SLOR pioneers ways to make lenses as

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Back to the break. Looking for something to change up your dinner routine? Helps support local Frisco businesses by choosing one of over thirty restaurants at the Star District. For information on delivery, takeout, curbside, pickup, and dine in availability, visit the Star District dot com. Welcome back to the second segment of the Break. We're live from the SWBC Mortgage studios at the Star. I got Isaiah Berry Kurt

with me. We're talking some Cowboys football. Let's I got another question for you guys before we get into our Medier review on the offense. Also yesterday, Mike McCarthy and Kellen Moore gave high praise for Joe Looney for stepping in after Tyler Riatas tweaked his hamstring in pregame one most which oh weird to get him hurt hamame the line, Yeah, but I don't want to get too I don't want to get to But my question is, my question is

who should be the starter once they're both healthy. And we've talked about this quite a bit on on on Cowboys break. I'd love to hear some opinions here, you guys. Yeah, that's all a big, big Nate dog. We talked about this the other evening when we're watching the game, and I feel like Bada has earned his earned his opportunity, and he did a good job winded with his opportunity. I think he should be the starter. And the reason why I think he should be the starter, I think

he's learning. I think he has that that tenacity that you really want, obviously coming out of the school he came out of Wisconsin. But uh yeah, but I think you surround him with veteran guys, right, So I think you put Beyadas at center, right, keep building his confidence, and then you put Looney at left guard right, and

then you obviously got a big at right guard. Connor Williams has had his opportunities and he's he's he's not, as Nate said earlier, he's not making his many mistakes, but he's still getting dogged right and still getting thrown out the club. Yeah, like Jessie all the time. Right. So I think if you put Looney and you put Martin on each side of be honest, I think you have a chance. So these tackles are definitely playing better. Um and Connor just hey, guess what I sit back

in and learn. Yeah, ahead, Yeah, I agree, be honest is your future. I mean, Looney's a great guy. I think he's a great locker room guy from everything I've heard. But you know, be honest, you know he's he was drafted for a reason. They need to give him this shot now. And like Asaiah said, he's proved it. He's proved he's worthy of that starting position now. I don't know if I'm as down on Connor Williams as you

guys are. I think probably the week he'll be the week I think he'll be the weak link probably in a perfect world where everybody's healthy, he'd be the weak link. But I think he has gotten better and at this point, again, he's probably going to be your future, not Joe, So um, you know, I would roll with Otis and at this point I'd probably keep rolling with Connor too. Yeah for me, I'm definitely gonna roll with Beyoadish on this one. This is a young guy coming from a Wisconsin school that

kind of breeds offensive lineman. We saw the center, you know, for the past couple of years in Frederick who was from Wisconsin as well. Um, kind of be the quarterback of this offensive line, and that's something I can see Beatish being as he progresses, as he gets more reps under his belt, because more reps are you I mean, there's gonna equal you know, getting a better opportunity and becoming a better player. And I think he can become that quarterback of the offensive line. So I gotta stay

with Beyoda share at the center. And I am kind of down. I'm Connor Williams. I just saw too many times last week where he was just getting walked back. Yeah, he's getting walked back to the quarterback. But Kurtchie made a great point I mean, he can be the future. And I don't think the future is in Joe Looney right now, Because before you said that, I was saying the same thing. I said, Hey, put Looney at guard. But then I got to think it, Man, You're right.

If we're gonna get this guy, If this guy's gonna be the future, Connor Williams is going to be the future, we need to get him reps now. So as far as the center goes, I'm gonna have to go with Beatish and Luney. I'm sorry, but he's gonna have to take a back seat on this one. Yeah. I would say this though, talking about Connor Williams, I actually don't think Connor Williams is your future. I think the Cowboys. If I'm the Cowboys, I've been somewhere between the third

and fifth round of this draft. I'm looking to get a guard, and I look at it as I want a guard who can also play center, maybe play tackle like I want. I want position flex. I actually think again, we talked a little bit in the break about Garrett Gilbert as a Texas guy, as a Texas alum that's watched it all the games. I'll tell you this about Connor Williams. The last time I saw Connor Williams play well,

he was playing a tackle, not playing a guard. You're trying to yeah, exactly in my opinion, And he's still And what do we say, what is the biggest thing we see from Connor Williams all the time? We're like, man, that's why he's not good. It is because he gets overpowered. And I think that's a part of playing guard. You gotta be sturdy playing guard. You talk to Big Nate, He'll tell you you gotta be sturdy. You gotta be able to hold up. And I think Connor's greatest assets,

greatest asset is his feet. Put him at tackle. I think this team needs a good a good um, a swing tackle. They haven't been able to find a good swing tackle. I think maybe this offseason you make that transition. You invest a pick and let's see what you can do at guard and make him your swing tackle if that's something that he can do well. But I'm not I'm not convinced he's your future at guard. I'm really not.

So what are we saying? I would rather see? Go go ahead, Kirka, Well, I don't, I don't you know, I could maybe see that, you know, moving out Connor ways, but I almost rather see what McGovern can get in there, which I'm good Yeah, No, I'm good with that too. I'm good with seeing what McGovern can do. Again, all I care about at this point is how well do you develop these young guys? Right, That's that's my focus

for the rest of the season. If I'm Jerry, if I'm Steven, if I'm Will, like the coaches and the players, they're gonna be trying to win. Yeah, if I'm those three guys, though, if I'm those three, no, I'm like, I'm like, I just want to know can I develop these young guys? So I have a who I need to go and get this off already? Yeah yeah, thinking about yeah, go ahead budget that. Jerry said a sorry for the ring. He already unmoved that over to gonna

win it over there, We got it. Yeah, you're gonna win. Yeah you know yeah, yeah, y'all you're doing a great job. Keep going. But you're back in your mind, you're like, I gotta give him some lessons, like he's not very good at this, you know. That's all. I just think that's that's the way they got to focus right now, and I'm all good with McGovern being the guy that takes those reps and guard Oh man, man, I just can't. I can't. I can't buy into it, man, I can't

buy into just we only a game and a half out. Yeah, wait is a game and half. He has a game and a half game and a half out. I just know from a fact those players in that locker room would not buy into that. We gotta, we got a chance to We still gotta to be honest with you, I don't think I think the way this thing is gonna end. I think the Cowboys are actually gonna be the worst team in the division because I could see scenarios where I can see scenarios where the Giants can

be better than the Cowboys. I look at the Giants right now, They're getting better as the season goes on, the getting better and better and better. And by the way, they still got their quarterback. And I know they don't have their running back, but they still they still got their quarterback. And difference, it makes difference. It makes a difference when you still got your daughter out there. I

really do. He does do some some weird things at times, like he just got some smod just tak his skittles out of his podcast. That's the way, though, you know the dude before him did the same thing looking like that. So I'm just saying, all right, let's move into this mid year review. Actually, before we do that, we're gonna

go and take our final break. When we'll come back, I got some questions for you guys who are gonna roll through some of these and give a good overview of what we think of this offense after about a little over half the seasons. Don't tell when we come back this Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio. We're back in the tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor Pepper and creep Soda. Let's take a listen,

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dot com. Welcome back to final segment of the Break. Life in the SWBC Mortgage studios at the Star. Let's do a little midyear review and Kim, all right, So what I'm gonna do is and we might have to spend some of this into next week. We'll slay out see how it goes. But because some of these questions, we might we might dig in a little bit. Yeah, we're gonna talk about this offense. I got some questions for you guys, just as a big picture look of

this team. Let's start first with the wide receivers. If you had to trade I know the trade deadline is gone, but if you had to trade one of these wide receivers to get extra draft capital to fix another area of the team, which we can probably all agree, there are a lot of areas they can fix. Who would it be? And why you got a Marie Cooper, Ceedee Lamb or Michael Gallop. Let's start with your church. For me, this is a tough one, man, because these all these

guys bring value. But I'm gonna have to go to Mari Cooper on this one. And for the simple facts, I believe he can get you more draft capital or he can get you more in return for the trade than a CD Lamb or a Knichael Galla can give you. So that's the reason I'm going with for a trade. If I'm going with Maria Cooper. Plus, I mean, I feel like Ceedee Lamb has already kind of developed almost into that you know, one option either one a one B option, and we all know what Michael Gallup brings

to the table. So for me, I'm gonna have to go with a Maria Cooper on this one. I mean, it's it's just choose your poison on that one. But I'm gonna go with to Mara Cooper. Kurt, Yeah, I agree that Cooper would probably bring you the much in return, but I just don't think his contracts tradeable and I just don't think there's any way they can move him without with that size of the deal and the dead money that'd be involved. And I do agree that, Lamb.

I mean, he's looking like a number one already and you've already, you know, being a rookie's on a perfect contract. So to me, Gallup was the guy that you'd probably have the best chance of moving and getting something in return.

In some ways, I wish they'd been a little bit more aggressive and trying to get him moved at the trade doneline this year, because I mean, not many teams have three potential Pro Bowl wide receivers on their roster, and there's a lot of really good teams out there that don't have that kind of talent they could have used.

Cowboys could have used more talent on the defense. In this regard, I think maybe maybe they should have been a little bit more there so Gallup would be my guy Aziah without taking the contracts into consideration, I would say Coop just because you would get the most of the draft cab out of him. But I think he's reached his peak. I don't think he's I don't think

he's gonna keep climbing. So I think you get rid of him and you try to get as much as you can, but obviously taking into the contracts into into consideration, obviously Gallup, that's the last person I would want to get rid of, just because I think Gallup is going to be He's gonna be a B Sens league and he's he's He's shown it a number of times. But you would hate to get rid of somebody with that much talent, you know, untapped talent already, and he's pretty

amazing already based on what you've seen so far. Do you guys think that Ceedee Lamb can end up being better by when he ever he reaches the peak of his career, when the being better than Mariy Cooper. Yes, I think he can be better than a Mariy Cooper. He's already so quarterback friendly in that slot position. He knows how to work the zones, he knows how to work man coverage, and he seems to always be open

no matter what the coverage is on him. So I think he'll only continue to grow and I think he'll reach the ceiling far past Amari Coopers. Was nothing agains him Mark because he's a great wide receiver. But I just think Ceedee Lamb, I think he's the truth, and I think he's ceiling is extremely high. I agree. I agree, CD is really good. Does a team need this many Does a team need this many Pro Bowl wide receivers? Though, Nah,

they don't. Well, I'll tell you this, if Zekiel Elliott keeps playing like he's playing, I think you may because I think this team has has transitioned from being a run first team. When you have a healthy deck and you got the three wide receivers and you got an offensive line that can protect them. We saw it earlier this season. I'm looking at this team and saying, this is a team that's gonna be putting up thirty plus a game. So if you're doing that, then then yeah,

I think you do need those three wide receivers. Now, don't get me wrong. At whatever point Cooper's contract is up, I think the Cowboys are gonna say goodbye and thank you for your services, and they'll move on with those other two. And that doesn't mean they gotta rush out and try to find another Pro Bowl receiver, but it doesn't mean for the time that you have them for that year two years. I think the Cowboys taking advantage of it, absolutely take advantage of it. Right, You gotta

you gotta have somebody to stop the ball too. That's the problem. Well, that's why, and we go full circle back to the original question. They need draft Calbun because they got to rebuild this defense. There's no doubt about that. Let's move on to the next question I have for you guys, Compared to the preseason expectations you had for Blake Jarwin, Dalton Schultz has been as good, better or worse? M worse? You think it's been worse expectations, Yeah, expectations

of what you had for Blake Jarwin. Dalton Schultz has been as good as that, better than that, or worse, oh worse. For me, my expectations of Jarwin was to come in and take the top off this thing. Obviously with the offensive line wols, I mean, he would have had to sit in and block a little bit more. But that's why you brought you know, the Belldozer in here.

You know, he brought him into block. Yeah, you know, shouts should have been I mean, not shots, but you know, I might not just blaking a. Jarwine should have been in the hip pocket and he should have been taking the top of He would have been another accessory, especially in the situations we're facing now when we need to go a lot more too tight. He would have still had a deep threat down the middle, which we really don't have right now because we have to be able

to sit back and block. Okay, go ahead, Kurt, Well, I wonder I mean Dalton right now, it's on pace for sixty two catches and six hundred and eighty yards, which I think was would that that'd be what you've expected from Jarwin. To me, I think he's probably been just as good. Now, You're right, he probably doesn't take the top off as well, but I think he's been a pretty good you know, what you'd need from that

tight end. I mean, if Dak was in the quarterback, he might even have, you know, more catches, more yards, that sort of thing. So yes, i'd probably like to have drawn in there more. But as far as expectations, I think Dalton's held up well. I think he's giving you about what you'd want. Yeah, I'm gonna have to sad with you on this one, Kurt Um. You know, I feel like, you know, the expectations for Jarwin coming

into this season, they were lovely. I mean I thought, for sure, you know, he was gonna come in here and he's gonna be zach Ertz esque and he's going to be able to stretch the field in the middle of the field. You know, he went down with that injury, so that's you know, that's that was that And to me, Dalton short stuff, he's come in here, he's blocked well, he's been a quarterback friendly tight end. He's always seems

to be where he needs to be. He hasn't dropped a lot of passes, and like you said, Kurt, he's on pace for sixty two catches. And for me, for a guy that you know that was coming in here that was just supposed to be another guy, another tight end, I think he's played extremely well. Um, you know, with all the reports through training camp that he was having a good year, I kind of just kind of went those to the side out he'll he'll be a forgotten guy.

But he came in here and he's proven that, you know, he put in the work during training camp. So for me, I think he's been as good as advertised. You know, although I agree with you guys from the standpoint of Schultz being better than what I expected because I was coming into this into training camp I was like, I don't even know Schultz makes his team, but the fact that he has put up the numbers he's put up makes me think he certainly has done much better than

I thought he could do. Now here's the flip side of that. I agree with you from the standpoint Isaiah that I do think this this offense takes on a different dimension if you've got that deep threat in the middle of the field, because defenses have to play. Yes, you guys know, defense has got to play you different when you got that tight end, why would you have to play very night and day. Exactly. You couldn't run like two high show because he can split the middle.

I mean absolutely, it's rough. I mean especially if we go ahead, go ahead. So I was saying, like, who would you match up on him? Because he can out run linebackers, he can out physical safeties. I mean you would have to bring in an extra corner in there, and that would take another linebacker out, So then I would open it up for your running games. So changes.

And then the part I think about it is if you got situations where you guys with Ceedee Lamb now working in the work in the slot, that complicates things even more because that really puts a lot of stress on the middle of your defense being able to cover, and you got Gallo just running down the middle down the outside of you. Right, So I just think that the whole thing changes. It's not that Shots hasn't done

a good job. He's that the whole offense changes. When you got a guy like like like Blake draw why you paid him what you paid him because you were playing him based off the expectation of the ability that he opened up for you on offense. Right, this is true? All right, So we might spend the rest of the show on this next question. So I'm just giving y'all

fair warning. So here we go. That's happened this season with Dak Prescott when he played and since the injury, and how the team before when he was then there versus when he was not. The price you'd be willing to pay him has either increased, decreased, or stayed exactly

the same. Churt, Let's let you go first. Well, I always thought that he was a forty million dollar quarterback, just not so much maybe that he ranked in talent with the Russell Wilsons of the world, but in the fact that was the market and I think today you're looking at a forty million dollars quarterback there, which I think this Cowboys were closer to thirty five maybe, so just in that regard, plus the obvious struggles they've had without him, Yeah, I think the price for him is

going up, and I think the Cowboys kind of missed the boat and not already signing him. Now that the real question or the real hangout before was the number of years it sound like where it was. I think the difference between three and four years even that in some ways, I think Cowboys are gonna have to bite the bullet and pay this guy. I mean, it's he's proven that he's he's a quality quarterback that can carry this team. Ye uh yeah. For me, I'm gonna have

to say that it's increased. Um if we're not even we're not even talking about on the field stuff, we're talking about off the field, just leadership alone. I mean, I think if he was in the locker room, I don't think you have and even if it was going as bad as it is, I don't think you have these anonymous quotes coming out saying, you know, coaches don't know what they're doing or or the pointing of fingers here and there. I think if he's in that locker room,

he's your bona fide, unquestioned leader. So I think off the field he would. I mean, his price has got to go up now. On the field, we can see it with our own eyes. I mean, he elevates so many people out there, it's ridiculous. So I gotta think he's been elevated from that thirty five thirty six million dollars that he was offered. He's got to be up in the forties. Like Kurt was saying, yeah, Beta man,

Pata man. I mean, it's been pretty tough on back and some of the things, you know, especially when Andy came in, I thought felt I felt like there are some things that Andy did better than him. But um, you know, Dak has proven himself with his absence. With his absence, he's proven himself. Um. And as the question is in terms of has his has his stock went up in terms of what the Cowboys are willing to pay him, yes, yes, um no, all the rest of

the league that's a different question. I'm not sure if the league would pay him any differently, But what he means to this Cowboys organization. They definitely have to pay him more than what they were intention intending to do. Do you guys think he stepped into that elite status at this point with what he did early in the season. No, not after what I've seen from you know, the homes, the Aaron Rodgers of the world, just just arm talent alone,

I don't think he's stepped into that upper echelon. But he's not too far behind. He's not too far behind. And and I think, um, we have the quarterback, we have the future a quarterback here, and the franchise without Dak Prescott, I can't even speak, right. Can they win a championship with him? They have? It's not it's not just his shoulders. Yeah, it's not just his shoulders. Yes, he's a he's a very capable quarterback, but as we've this year, is so much more than Jess than just

quarterback play. And so if they fix all the other areas, absolutely that's the guy that you want. You know, you aren't coordinating things on that side of the ball um. But you know, when we start making comparisons to russing on him, cast he's not He's not in that category yet. Yeah, And to be honest with you, I've always thought his trajectory is Russ's trajectory, Like where where he is in

his career is where Russ was at that point. He is going and I think he's still he Every year he gets better, it's better and better, and so I think at some point, I think we will be talking about Dak Prescott the same way we talked about Russ. He will be the guy getting By the way, once you pay that quarterback, he has to become the guy. Oh yeah, Like that's why I saw about earlier when I said they're transitioning from a running team to a

passing team. Well, when you pay that quarterback, Because, by the way, when you pay that quarterback, the likelihood that you're gonna have Zeke on another deal, or that you're gonna have another running back that's paid his amount of money, but next time he's up ain't gonna happen. Right, So over time that should tends to change, and it's gonna turn more into a situation where Dak's gonna have to

be the man. And what I saw this year in those games, he played the numbers they were putting up, and I mean just the way they were in those situations and people can say it was you know it was, it was garbage signed. It's never garbage sign in the NFL because if you get your team back in position to win, then that means you did what you're supposed

to do right, no matter how it started off. So all that being said, I think Dak Prescott's putting himself right in place for the kind of quarterback that that you need in today's NFL, and I think he will be among those elite guys at some point. All right, let's move on to one final question here before we end the show. Who has the bigger problem? Who's been the bigger problem or disappointment for this team this season? Uh? And this one's gonna span between offense and defense and

special teams. Actually the names are Jalen Smith, Chris Jones or Zeke Elliott. Who's been a bigger disappointment based on the expectations of what you had for them and what how they've performed. Who's been a bigger out? Nobody cares about punters thirty yards and then you care about it's Zeke for me, Zi for me? And it sucks. I mean, what's happened to him? Well? He he's had bad luck in terms of the offensive line. He's spoiled here. Spoiled.

It's called how it is. No. I mean, how many running backs come in and they just have almost you know, three all pro you know line in front of him. It's not something that happened. So he was spoiled. And then you know, adversity hit in that regard, and then he didn't take care of his business in terms of, um, you know, securing the ball um, and I think the

combination of those two things have obviously lowered his his trajectory. Um, he's he's well under underperforming where anybody in this league expecting not only just account boys, but anybody I'm expected him to be doing it. I'm sure he's looking forward to a better second half. Yeah, I gotta agree. I think it's Zeke on this one, um. And I think a lot of the expectations had to had to go

into that as well. When you're coming in here, you're getting paid ninety million dollars, your QB one goes down. Everybody's kind of looking at you. This is the guy we kind of gotta lean on. He has to carry us throughout this year, and for him not to be able to do that, and the fumbles that have occurred and him being a part of a lot of turnovers, it's just not it's just not what we're accustomed to see him and accustomed to what we thought we were going to see coming out of Zeke coming out of

this year. So for me, I gotta say Zeke has been the disappointment. We have a couple of games left, so hopefully he can get out of this rut. But overall, when you got you know, Tony Pollard out there kind of looking better than you, especially last week when it comes to the running game, I think you've fallen off a little bit. So hopefully he can stick his game up. But to me, the disappointment has got to be Zeke's

got Kurt Hey Barry. Barry is a defensive guy. You know, Pittsburgh went into that game saying, we're shutting down Zeke. That was the whole We're shutting down Zeke. I agree that Zeke doesn't have the same burst anymore, but does he seeing different defensive looks than a guy like Pollard who maybe he's getting in there when it's a little more spread out. That's true. Well, I agree, though I think Zeke Um. Mainly he's going to be saddled with that contract now. He's just not living up to what

they paid him. And he's obviously you know, yes he said, the banged up offensive line, some other factors, but he just doesn't have the same burst, it looks like, any more than he used to. So and Jalen Jalen gets a lot of criticism, but yeah, he's he's you know, maybe we can coverage, but I kind of wonder where this team would be without him. I mean, he's he's second in the league and tackles. I'll tell you this, We're going to We're gonna we're gonna defer that conversation

to tomorrow we talk about defense because Smith. But that all said, I agree with you guys though on Zeke. The disappointment to me is not even so much about like I know a lot of people talk about the fact he didn't have the big long runs, Like that's not the part I worry about, because this average was at one point the see was actually pretty good. My My issue though with Zeke is the fumbles, Like you can if you are and I think he is. I think he is the leader of this team right now.

With dak Out. He's the guy that stands up there, and you guys know how important this is. When things aren't going right, somebody's got to go stand in front of media and take the brunt of that. And he is the first one to step up and be like, I got it, let's do this right. And that's a

part of being a leader. And so I give him all credit for that, But I think when you just look at it, I don't think that I think that you can't have your leader being as big a part of the problem from the standpoint of the turnovers as he's been. That to me is just a matter of you got to be more focused than that and if nothing else, you gotta run in there like I'm just I don't care what happens. I might only get two yards,

but you're not getting this ball from me. And and I just think he was setting the wrong example with the turnovers, and that was their biggest problem in my opinion. Early on in the season. They probably get but for all those turnovers, I would say they probably have two more wins this season than they have right now, and you'd be sitting even prettier in the NFCA now we're talking, I'll say what we're gonna win like I'm drinking. Yeah, they might get in the playoffs, you know, I mean,

And then to me, that's that's you. You expect your leader to be able to handle those kinds of things. Those are the basics team in what way? You mean? I think? So? No, not not not saying what we perceive it to be. My question would be if he's If he's not, who else, like I don't I don't know that there's another guy like Mary ain't that those offensive linements? Maybe Martin Mick, But I don't know. I don't know if Martin is. I don't know if he's

as vocal as you might need. And and certainly he's not the guy that everybody's looking at to say, hey man, what's going on? You know, Martin? I don't know who else? I mean, I mean, really is that? Honestly, I don't know who you're gonna point to. I mean, maybe it's de Marcus. But we talked about this a lot on the break. There's there's good leadership and it's bad leadership.

It's still leadership. You might be leading guys the wrong way sometimes, right, So so is DeMarcus always doing the things he should be doing if he's going to be the leader to where everybody's following the right way and not following the wrong way. All right, So from the outside looking in goes back to what sorry, That goes back to what Barry was saying about missing dak Man. He was such a leader in this year and he was the guy that could round of guys to come back. Yeah,

I think everybody's just looking around right now. I don't Again, I'm not in the locker room. None of us are in the locker room to tell you probably have better beat than any of us, But I don't feel like anybody has a voice right now. I feel like when things go wrong, I think everybody's kind of looking around like yeah, And you can't really lean on a guy

like Sean Lee because he hasn't been out there. He's been on the r so he can't really go out there and address the team and tell him what direction to go. When Sean was the one, he was, he was the hype man before the game. We saw that he's the one the circle. And I know, even though you are had a good career, everybody's probably looking at him like it's kind of when we looked at with like,

all right, all right, you got it. All right, We're gonna finish this conversation tomorrow because I do actually, I think that's a conversation worth having talked a little bit about the leadership. What is there a leadership void on this team and how much does that matter, particularly from two guys that have been in the locker rooms and seeing how that all plays out when you got fifty three guys kind of looking around trying to figure out

what's going on. We'll do that tomorrow. We appreciate you guys joining us today, fri Zaiah Berry and Kurt. We will be back tomorrow. This has been Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.