Cowboys Break: Predicting the Future

on the show. You're right, that's false. But anyways, we have there's a lot going on today. We were going to have a full group, but Salvid, I think Derek is gonna walk in a little late and then leave a little early. He's the boss man around here, so I guess he can do whatever he wants. But in the meantime we'll get the conversation started last week. We started discussing Russell Wilson in his contract, what might what might happen there and what that might do to Dax

contract and future talks are nowadays. They're talking now. The Cowboys are talking with das people and getting that ball rolling now Russell Wilson becomes the most the highest paid player in the NFL, which is impressive. He got a four year extension worth one hundred and four million dollars in hundred forty oh I typed it around hundred up there. Yeah, big difference plus a sixty five million dollars signing bonus, which is a ton of money. I mean, shoot, that's

a lot. But once we started talking about quarterbacks and where the market is heading there, what do you think that does to Dak Prescott and what the Cowboys are trying to do here with him. There's a few places to go with that. Yeah, it's a topic of much consternation among the Cowboys fan base. Um. I think there's there's two thoughts there. One. It puts to bed the silly notion of Dak Prescott signing an extension for like

a you know, manageable sum of money. Like you know, you think back to like September October, You're talking about signing him to like a twenty two twenty five million dollar contract. That's not happening. It's just not At the same time, you know, people see Russell Wilson's contract and they see people saying that Dak is going to break the bank, and they think that that means Dak Prescott is going to become the highest paid player in the league.

I don't think I'm ready to believe that. His people might be pushing for it. I don't know if he's capable of getting that deal, but I do think he's capable of signing a thirty million dollar contract or close to it. Russ isn't the new number one. Aaron Rodgers is right behind him. I think Matt Ryan's right after that, and I would expect Dak to slot somewhere right in their top five quarterbacks in the league in terms of salary. Would not surprise me. And yeah, that's that's just the

new reality that we're living in. And Russ didn't need to sign that deal for that to be true. But him signing for thirty five million a year only underscores the point is the market for good quarterback play is insane and Dak Prescott is deserving of a lot of money. Might not be the highest paid player in the league, but he ain't taken some you know, bargain bin deal

just because you don't think he's proven. Right now, after seeing what happened with DeMarcus Lawrence and the weight that was going on there and how we thought they needed to hurry it up and it didn't happen right after the season. And now with Russell Wilson's extension, do you think that this makes the Cowboys kind of push the pedal on the gas to go and do it as quickly as I don't. I don't think this team moves quickly on anything that they don't have to do. UM.

And I think that I don't think Russell Wilson. I just don't believe that it affects the Cowboys one way or another. UM. You know, yes, it's up there and and it sets it, you know, the number for maybe other quarterbacks that might need other deals. But I mean, I think he's you know, like Dave said, I think he's in the range of you know, twenty eight to thirty. I mean, he hasn't done he hasn't done really anything

that Russell Wilson has done. So I just have a hard time thinking that just because that deal is made, that doesn't mean that that Dak is going to get that money. I think he's gonna get good money because if you just look at don't don't look at Russell Wilson. Just look at Kirk Cousins, look at Derek Carr, look at Matthew Stafford, Jim. Yeah, those guys right there are getting this money. That's what a good, young, promising quarterback

should do. If you're established and you've been to two Super Bowls and one one of them, then you get to be a higher level and has a case that he should have been one NFL MVP at least once. Yeah, Russell Wilson, he's been that, which I agree with this. I don't think this changes anything. It doesn't change their line of thinking. I don't think it changes what Dak would have gotten. Like I said, the problem is, I do think they need to hurry and not I mean and when I say that, I mean try to get

something done before the season starts. They don't have to do it next week. But it ain't just Russell Wilson, Like Carson Wentz is coming up, Jared Goff is coming up, Patrick Mahomes is coming up. Pat Mahomes just one NFL MVP,

so he might not be in the same boat. But Goff and Wentz are guys with comparable resumes to Dak Prescott and if they are all of a sudden breaking the bank and making You know, if Jared Goff gets thirty two million dollars a year, thirty three million dollars a year, then all of a sudden, Dak Prescott is helping. You know, that helps his case, I think. And so the quicker you can get this thing done, the quicker he will become a bargain because these deals are going

to keep going up and up. I mean, Patrick Mahomes. I would bet we'll sign a two hundred million dollar contract next year. He's eligant, he can negotiate starting in January, and he's twenty three throwing fifty touchdowns a year. For everybody that's listening that's not sold on Dak, everyone in the world is sold on Pat Mahomes, right, So what do you think a team would be willing to pay him? If a guy that you're not sold on can command one hundred and seventy million, you know what I mean.

So the quicker you can get this done, the salary cap will keep going up. Other quarterbacks will start signing. Dak could be the number three highest paid quarterback in the league heading into the season. If he signs in July and he would be down at like six seven eight a year from now. I just think it's just get it out of the way. I think it would

be better for all parties in my opinion. Now the Cowboys have started their offseason workouts, have voluntary offseason workouts, and with that, a lot of people before he got started, we're asking or wondering whether Sik was going to do hold out and all of that. Clearly that was in the case because he's been out here, uh practicing or working out with his teammates and posting things on social media. He seems very committed to this team and very happy

to be here. So I wanted to get talking about some of the guys I've have been out here at. Jason Witten, a guy that looks like he never left. He just looks exactly the same. And Travis, Yeah, we'll see once they actually doesn't look exactly the same. What the hair we were trying to Okay, exactly that's my play, all right. So Travis Frederick a guy that people keep asking about and how he's looking, and how he's doing and what's up with him in the near future as

far as his performance and health wise. You know, he Um, everyone's just kind of optim about about where things are with him right now. He's back into the off season. Um, you know conditioning program, but remember what that is, it's it's conditioning. I think, I think which you could see from him last year. The problem that he was going to have and why everyone was like he's not coming back, is because he hasn't really been able to work out.

He doesn't have the strength. And if you need anything at the center position other than great awareness, you gotta have that strength. You gotta have that base to make sure that that you're not letting guys like Antoine Woods get get past you. And there's nothing wrong with that. He's a good, solid player. But I think now it makes more sense why he was getting beat by Antoine Woods at training camp because he was going through the illness and losing his strength. So right now it looks good.

Let's see what happens when he goes a little further and it does he regain the strength that he had that may have been a pro Yeah, and I mean all credit to him. It looks like he's made a ton of progress. Last season, he just he didn't even look comfortable walking around, kind of limping and just looked like a guy who was going to an old man. Really was. It was to the point where you were like,

I don't know if he had come back. He looked like his nervous system had been through a lot, which it had, but he looked you know, I saw him the other day. He looks he's moving around normal, he looks better. He's out there working out. It's a far far cry from football. So and I don't, you know, I don't want to throw water on anything. It's just it's one of those things you gotta step by step.

Like it's a cliche, but it fits in this case because it's a long road between you know, he's doing suicides out on the field in April and going against Antoine Woods a training camp. Those are just two completely different things. But it's a very promising start now, like you mentioned, very far from football and training camp and

them lining up and doing all these things. But we that work here get the privilege to see them and see how they look out there, and we finally got to see them as a group with the free agent guys that came in, the guys at the Cowboys brought in. How did this group look to you? Once you saw them all together a bunch stuff and just working around. I don't look up the window. I don't see anything. Yeah, I don't know. It's against the rules, so I don't I don't even know they're out there. I just let

Dave tell me what he sees. No, I mean this one, it's not a big deal. I think that's even but even that's premature, Like how do they you know, like they're not This isn't football on any level, Like they're doing agility drills and it's really crazy, like what NFL rules stipulate, Like they aren't allowed to have a football out there, tennis ball out Yeah they can use tennis ball. Yeah, No, I know they can't. They cannot work, they cannot work

with footballs. Coaches cannot be like anywhere near them. It's all player driven, which they have meetings and stuff. Like you know, Jason Garrett had his big I get you know, not that we were invited, but like his State of the Union. Soundly driven is the new slogan this year. You can see it on all the sweatshirts if you go look at the photo albums. Um but yeah TMS that that race already happened. Never mind. Um, the only thing that looks really different out there is the fact

that they put this big wall out there with blue Uh. Yeah, there's there's some construction going on at the stars, So one of the two look different when you came in today and saw all that. Yeah, one of the two practice fields is unavailable right now. So yeah, like I mean, for you, I know, a lot of fans like go look at the photo albums and stuff makes its way to social media. Like if you're wondering what the blue fence is there for that you're not used to seeing.

There's some construction going on, so it's roped off right now. We're just gonna put a seventeen story building there, put a high rise. Um. But I mean, you know, we'll see. You didn't have to be looking out of the window to see. All you have to do is go to dallascout was out com and see the photo gallery, see

the whole group that they're working out. But you know, like they'll get together for OTAs and even that'll be premature, but like literally as exciting as it is to say that the whole team is back in the building like they're just they're doing sprints and you know, footwork drills, which it's really cool to you know, yeah, or is the first look of seeing the whole group kind of starring come together, like not really though, Like I don't know what thanks to each other. Okay, cool, I don't,

I don't know. I don't know. I don't. I'm just like, Oh, Randall Cobb's got really quick feet. Okay, I knew that he's been to a Pro Bowl. I mean, you know, but your privilege is a great word, Like it's a cool privilege just to kind of you know, yeah, going back to your point, like people were hinting that Zeke might not show up, Like, Zeke's here. I saw him in the hallway the other Day's friendly as ever, Like he doesn't he doesn't seem like he's got an attitude problem.

He's looking good, yeah, like he is getting in really good shape. He went he went to you know, Durk Novitski's farewell game was last week, and he was there with the rest of the team in the suite. He's been at all the workouts. He's hanging out in the cafeteria being Zeke, like, I mean, if he's if he's upset about it, his contract he's doing it now. He's doing a good job. Yeah, and I int we go

into you know, his fourth year. I don't see there being that many issues now the fifth year, and if you think about it, let's say he has a great season, Dak's probably gonna have a new deal by then. What's the matter? What's going on? Derek? You can't join us here? Derek has entered the studio for those of ye all that what. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, he's sitting on the floor. All right, you're grounded THEREK he's grading us. So anyways, I just feel like, let's see what happens to going

into that fifth year. That's where we might see a little bit of an issue. If there hasn't been a deal done yet, if he's got a new contract, if if Dak will have a new contract, I'm sure, and then we'll see about like it. But a list is good to hear that they are starting those conversations, specifically with guys like that, like for example, Zeke, Yeah, Byron, that's another one. I don't know if they're having those conversations, but Stephen Jones specifically said that things are active with

Dak and Amari right now. Those were the two, and that's those are the ones that make the most. I thought he mentioned that yesterday, like on defense he did. He did, he said specifically in regard to Dak and Amari, like those things are active with those two, doesn't mean and then I think he even said things can become active in a hurry with zeke Er and Byron and whoever else. Well, then I definitely mis understood because I thought I heard it was like they had also kind

of started contact with their agents. And I think it's safe to say if there's a fifth guy here, I think it's Jaylen Smith. I think it's time to start talking about that situation because he would be restricted next year and I could see them doing something with Jalen. But it's not gonna be a bargain. I could promise

you that like that. He that's gonna be a tough one. Well, that's an interesting thought, I mean, because they don't have to, and there's been there's been a lot of confusion about that. Stephen was asked about that yesterday too. Jalen Smith is not headed for unrestricted free agency. They'll have to I mean, rest assuming they don't extend him. Now you know, when when the next league gear starts, he'd be a restricted free agent. That means you apply one of three tenders

to him. For Jalen Smith, it would probably have to be a first round tender, which would pay him a salary of like five million dollars I think, and then he would become restricted in twenty twenty one. Yeah, so they don't have to, but they don't have to. They could get out ahead of it if they wanted to. Yeah, I think a first round a first round tender would probably be a smart thing to do there. I wouldn't risk it. I mean, and we say that all the time.

You know, it sounds silly now, but we were like, well, maybe they should put a second round tender on David Irving. And they didn't, and it wasn't a big deal. But Jalen Smith, if you don't protect him, I think somebody would come after him for sure. Yeah, so all right, let's take a quick break. When we come back. Derek will join us on the second part of this. Don't know,

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nice to have you here. Depones. I really think stop, I really think this is like January or February. The four of us have been in this room together, probably been alone. It's been late eight or nine show, and I gotta leave early. So let's get it in. Let's let's get started. Okay, So the stop it guys behave The schedule comes out tonight. So that's like exciting time for the fans and everybody just want to know when they're playing and they're what. It's an exciting day for everybody.

Like I mean, I said, everybody. I said, the fans and everybody. Okay, I point it up. Yeah, I just I just wanted, like you know, I'm excited too. Okay, that's I just wanted to say that everybody gets playing the rest of the year exactly. It's like it's they call the draft football Christmas, but this is close. Like it's just you know, you find like when are the big games or they is it? When are we playing at night? Once? The Thursday game? Christmas? What's going on

with my family? The weather just yet, it's too early to predict the weather for one game does not have a roof. I just need I don't know, we got a lot of cold weather cities. I will get will I will tell you at a certainty if we're playing in Chicago and December, it ain't gonna be fun. Just I'm just gonna tell you that. And I will go out on a limb on that one, and that won't be fun. I just need a home opener. I just need it. Oh yeah, Texas the day before. I know,

we gotta have that. I need it. Just praying for that. That would be nice anyway, Well, home game, home game. We've known the opponents, and I thought and we've talked about that a few months ago when that came out. But since the schedule is coming out today and since the Cowboys have acquire new talent and started forming their team for twenty nineteen. I thought it maybe it'd be fun to go over some of the opponents and who would be which one of those would be the toughest

challenges for the Cowboys this year. I can start Dally. I don't know what that means, but I'll start the Patriots. At the Patriots, I think it's I think that's going to be a challenge. The word leaking out of Boston is that they're opening on Sunday Night Football against Pittsburgh, so it won't be Dallas, you know which there it'll be a cold weather game. I just get ready. You don't see that a lot the AFC NFC game, especially when you're talking about marquee teams, because one of the

networks is going to fight like hell for it. And Fox doesn't get the Patriots that often, and for them to say I'm gonna give it up so NBC can have Patriots Dallas, no way. You know, they don't get Tom Brady and Belicheck that often, just like CBS doesn't get the Cowboys that often. You know what, I think it's a good point. I don't even think about that. Yeah, So that's either until I said something on Twitter, like,

what about Patriots Week one? We know that the Thursday game is gonna be Bears and Packers, which, like, that's the same reason that Cowboys, you know, the playoffs, like the playoffs schedule, the networks fight over those things. I mean, it's the slugfest to figure out who gets those ratings. So that makes a lot of sense that Fox wouldn't want to give up the Patriots, especially against the Cowboys. Yeah,

because they don't get it often. Anyway. I think equally as tough, if not even maybe maybe a bit tougher is going at New Orleans, and not that New Orleans. Obviously New England is New England. But I think New Orleans at home is as tough as anybody in the league playing at their stadium. And obviously they're a good team.

They got a good quarterback. So I think at New Orleans is gonna be as tough as anything you're gonna have on your schedule, and timing of that game and what you got around that game, I think will be important. You don't want that game in the middle of a bunch of other tough games. You don't want that game

coming off a short week. You don't want that. You want everything to kind of play into your favorite going into games like that with the New England, with New England and with New Orleans, you put all those games in a row on the road, and that becomes really really problematic. I think I would, And so I'm gonna I will contradict myself and eat some crow because I say this. I say this every year, like I hate the first place schedule, third place schedule because it's a

league driven by parody. There's no there's no nons you know. I mean the Green Bay Packers every April since Aaron Rodgers started started being their quarterback. You're like, well, that's a tough game. They went six and nine last year, like you don't know for sure, or six nine and one,

whatever their record was, you never know. Having said that, I really think playing a first place schedule this year is going to make a difference because I just can't imagine that the MS and Saints will be bad, Like I just they'll they'll be good. They'll be in the mix to win the NFC and you got to play both of them. And I think that's gonna make a big difference, and it's gonna be a big hurdle. So whenever those two games are, they're gonna be big ones.

One thing is should be noted about that though, and this kind of may fly in the face of what I just said. I think Saints are always hard at home. However, that division, notoriously I'm talking about the NFC South, notoriously has a different division winner regularly. It's just like the NFC East, like there is no This is not like the AFC East where you have the Patriots and then

you got everybody else. The Saints wanted in seventeen and eighteen, and they were the first back to back division champs in a long time, right, And so if you're just thinking about the historical nature of that division, the likelihood that the Saints end up winning that division a third time in a row probably not highly likely. So it actually may end up that again, it may end up that you you find a team that this may be

for whatever reason. It may be because of an injury, it may be because of not having an injury, because I think Carolina last year, a lot of people point to the fact that Cam Newton wasn't healthy. He might not be healthy again this year. But I think there are there's enough there that suggests that that you could see a situation where the Saints aren't the toughest team in the NFC South. I, like I said, ninety nine percent of years, I agree with you, you can't predict

who's going to be good in April. But like, that's what I'm saying is I just very strongly believe that the Saints and Rams will both be as good as they were last year. No, the Rams are gonna be good. Yeah, think about you know, so you know, if you just look at you know, quarterbacks, you know, the top quarterbacks that you're gonna face, and look at the top five quarterbacks in the in the NFL, I mean, everybody's playing

to put Breeze him there. Everyone's gonna put Brady in there, and everyone was gonna put Rogers and they do play the Packers, right, three Hall of Famers, So you got those three for sure much. And then I mean, I hope Russell's up there, you know, because I mean he's getting a contract that says he is. Um he's they don't play this, they don't play out all this year.

But golf, you know, I don't know when it's ran golf wins if he's healthy, um Stafford, Yeah, I mean you got some good Like if you if you went through the top fifteen quarterbacks in the league, you're probably playing most of them. Yeah, you know. I mean there's a there's a this tough this schedule, like just from the quarterback, which that you can more rely on than a team a team's record last year. You can rely on the quality of their quarterback. It ain't It ain't

an easy schedule at all, not at all. The other thing, which going back to what you said about TV networks is for the longest time, I didn't understand this. I was like, why why do they keep making the Cowboys do this back to back Thursday's thing Thanksgiving and then the next Thursday. It's because NFL network wants a Cowboys game, and that is the only way because they're playing on Thanksgiving, right and changing and then never sorry Eagles, that's never changing.

But the only so the only way to get them on in a Thursday night game is to play them the week after Thanksgiving, because a Thanksgiving game is going to be on network TV, not NFL network, and it would be too much of a disadvantage for the Cowboys, and the only team in the league that has two So Thursday games that aren't like that. Either the league is going to overrule its own network and say no, or the Cowboys are gonna be playing on back to back Thursdays for the fifth time in six years, or

whatever it is. I won't be surprised if that's the case. What about what about the week before? Is that ever an option? I guess so, yeah, you know, I always get there would be a short week. I mean, yeah, you would have your short week the week before Thanksgiving

instead of the week of. But I mean, I guess you could, and then that would be kind of unfair advantage to the team that you're playing because they're going on a short week, And you're right, you would have had your mini by But do they do that same thing for the team that the Cowboys always play after? Is it always a team that plays on Thanksgiving Day? It believe it has been, because it is. I mean it was, who was it it was? I'm drawn a total blank right now. It was the Saints, and the

Saints played the Falcons on Thanksgiving. Yet they usually try to do that, So we'll see, which makes sense, Like if everybody kind of an equal opportunity there. What do we think for the opener? I don't know. As long as it's at at and T Stadium at three thirty, I don't I don't care. I actually hope it's a Monday night game. They won't be Monday. You don't think, No,

I don't think they'll be the night everybody gets. Everybody's gonna get a Monday Night or right, it's the same reason team it's no I'm saying the Cowboys is gonna play at on Monday Night one time? This yes, at least, So if you want if you know you're not gonna use them Sunday night, you know you're not gonna use them for the opener on Thursday, then it makes sense

to me. If you want that primetime spot on Monday to go crazy, that's a great time to put the Cowboys in there, and then you got nice late of game. It's similar logic to why you wouldn't want them to play the Patriots. Though, it's like the ratings, the races you're gonna get Monday on opening week, Monday Night ratings on week one are gonna be like they're gonna be through the roof because it's it's the first week of the season. It's the first fantasy game, like fantasy swing game. Nice.

But I'll put it to you like this, anytime you're talking about marketing, you want to be able to have a great out of the box, big number. And so if you tell me that opening week, I can go crazy with my with my ratings so that I can tell the world, look how popular my game is on week one of the season. And we blew last year out of the out of the water because I went crazy and I put my best teams in primetime. That

does help you. From Monday night, it won't be at home because they go East Coast and West Coast because they're doing a double header on Monday night, so it won't be a home game. I just don't think that's the case. I don't think they will do that. Kids don't open their presence on December twenty seven, and they don't want to wait one more day to get the Cowboys.

Any let's go put it out there. This will be my seventh season, and then the other six it's they have always They've played at three thirty or seven thirty on Sunday every year, and the Monday night game is always like week three or week four. I don't know why, but it seems like it's always been November last it was Christmas a couple of years ago. I just have a hard time thinking the opening week this year with

the excitement Cowboys have some exciting young players. I just have a hard time thinking they don't want them in primetime week one, like they love prime time opening week anyway, it's lit. I mean Fox calls it's three thirty game America's game of the week, Like that is I get it. I think you're asking people at the league what their primetime games are. It ain't the three thirty, I would argue, I, well, primetime by definition, it's nighttime. But but available to the

entire country. You want your best brands in available to the entire country, the most valuable, the most valuable time slots. No, I would do that at home, the hell driver rating. Let's go the most valuable times in the NFL this year. Better bathrooms, better results. No bathrooms, not better bathrooms, just the literal bathrooms where there is a toilet that is running as it should. That was one of the worst experiences. I said this the other day. So I don't even

know who corrected me. But it was a great I said. Last year, Jerry Jones went to the bathroom in a porta potty for the division game, and I got cut off and I was like, no, no, no no, Gene Jones went to the restroom in an important rant. That's how bad the construction thing was at the coliseum. If that's your only option, well they're they're working on something. I mean, there's true if history is if history is any indicator, it'll be a three thirty game against the division team,

maybe the Giants, maybe not. I don't know, but that's I mean, I'm going to pick the rant like that right personal reasons, I don't. As long as is if it's in Arlington, Texas, I don't care. It's why. What's wrong with that? It's gonna be hard to get back from you. Would you rather play at noon because that's your only other option. I'd rather play at night. That's it's not it's not happening. That's not how But Monday, we don't know about Monday. It could be a Monday.

I think it's going to be, you know. But this is why I love the schedule release because it's fine. Right now. My whole life is on whole. Like, everything I'm gonna do from from about August through till about you know, January is all dependent on this schedule and when I'm gonna do it. So give me the schedule. Let's go, right, let's go seven R time. The NFL is there. They are proving their point, Like, I don't

have an argument because we're sitting, we're speculating. Everybody's so excited, but like, there's no reason why this just couldn't be an email, right, you know, like and and you know they gotta have that NFL, like they gotta have this two hour show. Guess what it's like. It's the same thing as the brackets. As soon as the damn thing hits, I'm not watching your stupid show. I'm circling dates and calling people and buying tickets Like, I don't care what

you have to say about this. I just need the games, right, I'm booking flights. I'm not a way past. I don't care. I Mike Garafolo, I think he's a great reporter. I think the world of him or NFL. I think he pronounces a garifolo. Yeah, we've all been misritt. Well, I've been the same thing, and then I heard him say it himself. My bad. Sorry, dude. I think the world of him. I do not care a lick what he thinks about the schedule. I'm calling friends and aren't you

guys putting out a video later tonight about the schedule? Yeah, until you people about it. That's a little bit shop people care about. You know what they're not. They are not Hey, they are not gonna flip on They're not gonna flip on our website at seven pm sharp and like I got here what Nick and Dave has to say? What tomorrow morning? They'll be like, hey, I want to know what they have when they're done, when they're done calling their friends and booking their hotels, they'll be like, well,

what a Nick and Dave think is? That's not gonna be an unveiling in a show, Like it's gonna be like, give me some some some analysis on it later dissected all you want, but don't expect me to like have faded breath, like I gotta NFL Networks about to reveal it, Like no, I got it on Twitter and I'm going I don't have to about fifty years ago, when that's all you have have been sitting in front of the team,

like what's coming up? They are trying, they are trying to like it's it's a nineties idea in a twenty nineteen world, and let's just get out of here. I don't have time for it. Maybe that affects your I mean as a fan, maybe it affects your preference or maybe saying, Okay, well this game sounds more interesting, let me go to this one instead of this one, because there are people that are not active fans. I know everything at a lot of your like excitement about this

is how it plays to LSU. It's just my life in general, like r I mean, and it's win the bye week? What can I do that week? And wait? You know, will I be able to go to the LSU Texas game? Can I go see my family for Christmas? Like all that with yeah, great point, all those things better? Yeah, all right, true, All right, let's take a quick break. But when we come back, I want to get a fan phone call, Derek, what's the phone number? You know if I member eight five five two two nine seven

eight eight five five two two nine seven. All right, when we come back, we'll get to your questions and hit us on Twitter at Cowboys Break. While the player can look good on paper, it's when he's out on the field that you really find out what he's made of. That's why the Cowboys rely on more than just stats and scouting reports when building their team. When picking a tractor, it's why you should rely on more than just specs and features. You've got to take it out and put

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America's team. Find steps and hats in the pro Shop or at Stetson dot com today. Back to the break, it's so funny. All we have to do is just wait until seven. I can't have this. We kept discussing during the break, We kept discussing all the schedule and had I had the packers coming here for about four seconds on for the home opener, until I realized they

play out. This show is going to have a short shelf life, like if you're saving it for Thursday or Friday, then that then these twenty minutes we're just to waste the time. And I apologize for that. Yeah that sound good. Well, I was gonna wait for the phone call, but since it's an international phone called fill it from France, Hey, what's up man? I'm fine Hi, Dave, how you did good?

Good to hear from you. Yeah, yeah, thanks Dave. I'm sorry to put you on the spot first for this one, and I hope you relate this question to the two other draft gurus on the Draft show. I want to talk about route in college the fullback. Is there any big bad as people mover in PFA range because I filth Cowboys need that kind of guy on short shortage, goal line or goal line situations. I have two other questions for you all. Why not draft and offenasive tackle

at two fifty eight? I mean, Collins is in a contract here and in fifty if he performs well, it might be too expensive to resigning to a new deal. If we draft and outea right now, I have a year to grow into his football body and learn the system. My second question for you all is with such a good de line on paper and maybe adding another good contributor on the draft, what are your expectations for the wolf Enter and jail and they were pretty daunt due

last season despite some small weaknesses in the line. Thanks for taking Michael, have a great day and I'm looking forward to listen to you for the draft weekend. Bye. Thank thank you so nice. Sleep appreciate it, man, Geez. I wish you'd called the draft show. I mean, I follow the draft. I try to do my best. I got nothing for you about fullbacks. I'm sure Dane definitely does. Like Dane's got like six of them. I'm sure maybe y'all can talk about it. Do you have it tomorrow? Yeah? Thursday? Yeah,

I would. They are not going to draft one. Nobody in today's NFL ever should Dane only has two with draftable grades. There you go five and one is a seven. So I have a hard time seeing it because Jimmy's Ola Walle resigned I think on a three year deal, which and you're right, I mean I wouldn't classify him as a badass people mover, which I love that phrase. Um, it is what it is. Maybe they'll bring a guy in, but it's not something that I would bank on. Did

you just say badass people mover? That's what Philippe said. He's like, I want a badass people mover. Sorry, it's okay. I didn't get that, but I did get the second part about the offensive tackle with um Lyle Collins being you know, in a contract year. Um, I don't know about fifty eight. But but I think I think at this point you take your best play and if there's an offensive lineman, let's says another Conrad Williams. Situation happens where they guys in the first round and he falls.

I don't think you would overlook it because it could make sense. Does he help you right now? Probably not. The whole point of the draft is to take the best player available, and I absolutely think it's something that they would do if it came to that. But this, based on conversations that I've had and just based on trying to read the tea leaves, I really think this is going to be their strategy is I think they're

comfortable stop gapping that for the time being. And the big thing that I think tips that off is that Cam Fleming signed on a two year deal, so he's here for the foreseeable future. I think you're absolutely right. I think the world of Lyle Collins, he's an LSU guy, but in a world where Troy Brown just got paid seventy million dollars by the Raiders, it's very hard for me to believe that he'll be here next year. And I think, so you have Cam Fleming on a two

year deal. He's not knocking your socks off. I understand that. But he's an experienced guy who has started. He started for a super Bowl team. He could slide in and be your right tackle as a stop gap measure, and then offensive tackle as a priority in next year's draft, just like they do. They do it or Conia and Connor Williams has flex Absolutely he could do that, or and you could sign a journeyman tackle in free agency next year. But I think we say it all the time.

What do they do? They address their needs in affordable ways and then focus in the draft. I think this time next year they'll be like, well, Fleming is there. He can be your right tackle. You would prefer to upgrade that, and I think that would be one of your top priorities in next year's draft. If it fell to where an offensive tackle was the no doubt best available option in this year's draft, I think they would do it. But they didn't bring any in on visits,

not a single one. You haven't heard any smoke about it. I just I feel like they're comfortable dealing with that in twenty twenty. So because of that, you would kind of eliminate the option that some people have posts about maybe exchanging him, like trading la Ale Collins for something in this draft, I think people get too wrapped up in trying to recoup value too quickly. Like you could probably trade Lyle Collins for something, but I'd rather have

him starting at right tackle right. I mean, like if you had a backup that you were just thought, wow, this guy, this guy's almost as good or if not better, then that's fine. But I still think if you traded Lyle Collins right now and got a what third round picks I mean he's got one year on his deal, yeah, I mean that fourth round pick, who even knows what you get? And now you have a now you have a need. Now you people, and you don't have a

first round pick Lyle Collins. And Lyle Collins is a classic case of like, I'm not comfortable letting him go because he's bad. I'm making peace with the fact that he's so good that he's too expensive to retain. You just you can't keep everybody. You're already paying three of these guys absurd salaries. So he will probably get offered a ton of money because he's a good football player. I'd still rather have him start, and then if he signs the type of deal I think he's capable of getting,

you'll get a comp pick for him. That's how these things work. So you add a compick to future draft class, you take a step back in the twenty twenty offseason with a hope of addressing the problem in the draft. But if you deal him now, great, Yeah, you get a Day three pick, and all of a sudden, your line's not as good and this team is positioned to make a playoff run. I don't know why you would want to get rid of him, but let's let's look

at it maybe in a way that's more practical. It's not the fifty eighth overall pick, but it's the fifth round pick. It's the fourth round pick of a guy with traits with good side that says, all right, Colombo's gonna work with him all year long, and if we do lose, you know, lay out at the end of the season. Now we've got this guy that's been grooming, so that that's more of a possibility. And I want to address that third question because I've said this before.

I think it's a sneaky need in the draft as a linebacker you don't think about it because Sean Lead came back and you've got two studs in Jalen Smith and Layton, but you did lose Damien Wilson, and we'll see about Covington. You do have some some needs there on special teams. I could see a mid round pick there for the linebacker. They brought a couple in the They've drafted a linebacker ten of the last thirteen years. They absolutely love to do it. Yeah, and they've doubled

up a few times, including last year. And you know, it's hard to imagine Sean Lee playing much longer than one more season, maybe two. Joe Thomas is in a contract year, so it's not a need right now. But yeah, I could see him using a mid round pick on that you mentioned Covington. I know, obviously we didn't get to see much out of him, but based on the things that we did get to see, do you see him being like something promising for the future or even this year. I mean, I just just going off the

eye test. I mean, he's got the size, he's got the bill that that you want. He's his neck is bigger than my torso, like he's one of those guys and he's you know, he's kind of an intriguing prospect because he played quarterback for so many years. I know that, Yeah, for his first two three years maybe, I mean, I think I think his last couple of years he started obviously getting bigger and made that switch to defense. But you know, from an awareness standpoint of where things need

to be, he should be further along there. So he didn't get to play at last year, but I think they're they're loading him up to play a little bit more. I mean, and you're I mean, we haven't really seen much. He was inactive like sixteen out of or fifteen out of sixteen games, I think, But I think they drafted him to be there next Sam ideally, and you know, we'll see if that comes to pass, but I think he's going to have one of the first cracks at it. Now.

I'm seeing a question here about the backup quarterback, and I guess we don't tend to talk about the backup very much, but since it's here, unless you go ahead and go for it, who would be the backup right now? It's early to tell because they haven't been back on the field and you know, practicing that kind of way. But you got Mike White Cooper Rush, who's looking like the best fit to be behind Deck. I just don't see how Mike White won't make that progression to be

the backup. And I think that if he doesn't, if Cooper is still the guy, then I just I don't see those three guys being the quarterbacks this year. I just I don't see that happening. They're going to have other needs at other positions. I understood it last year because they want to develop Mike White. If he hasn't gotten to the point where he can replace Cooper Rush, then I don't know. If he's the guy, then I

would probably just keep two quarterbacks. He needs to make that jump to me to be the second quarterback then, I mean, I don't I don't know. I don't know if they'll do that. I just don't see why you would need to hang on to both of these guys. I don't I'm not trying to gloat at y'all. I really want to gloat it Ryan, but he's not here. But Brian through the ticker tape parade for Mike White and I've all spring, I was like, Cooper Rush is going to be the backup quarterback. He just is and

I was right. So there you go, Brian. Um. I don't know, but I kind of feeling thank you, you're right, good good, good point. Damn Now I feel bad I was right, but I kind of feel the same way this year, And like in theory, you're right, and they

drafted this guy and they need to develop him. I think about that all the time, though, is like, what, like the only reason I'm not trying to downplay Deck's success, but like he got reps, you know, like if none, if he hadn't if Kellen Moore hadn't gotten hurt and Romo hadn't gotten hurt, He's getting like two reps per game, and does he ever really I mean per practice and does he really have a chance to show anything? Like are they just gonna are they just gonna give Mike

White those reps without him having to earn him? And if he doesn't, then how's he gonna pass Cooper Rush? I just I don't know how many reps there are to go around, Like, if he's only getting four snaps per team period, is he really getting enough of a chance? And that's what I wonder about, Well, let's give him more than force Nam suppar team. Maybe they will, but that I'm just like the way they divvy those things up.

And he's their drafted guy, so they might do it in the interest of seeing more of him, and that I think people forget that sometimes that you know, I joke with you about Mickey. You know, he says that a lot like I was right. That's the only thing. Scouts want to be right, too, true, and it's hard to be right if that guy doesn't play, So they don't want to Somebody stood on the table for Mike White.

They don't want to be It's the classic. It is the classic dynamic though, like scouts want to be right and coaches want their guys like it is the eternal. Like you know, we always joke like the these coaches want to go with the boring guy that they trust and you want to see more from the exciting draft pick. And I understand that, but I know this coaching staff

and that's I mean case in point. I'm not trying to throw shade at Jamay's olawally, but like those are the types of guys that they resigned because they trust them. They can do a variety of things. So if Cooper Rush has the trust of the right people, then it might not matter and it's something it's something to watch.

I don't know it would I think it would be great for this roster if they felt confident enough to go with two quarterbacks like because it's it's that's a whole other player that you can add to do a variety of other things as opposed to be inactive on game day, which is what your third quarterback is. So now let's go back to the draft. I see Taylor rap name pop a lot on here. He's a safety guy, but there's a lot of questions whether the Cowboys might

be in the right spot to even get him. So thoughts on this, the possibility of the Cowboys actually him falling down to the Cowboys. I'm oh, sorry, well he's he's in there makes something that I think safety comes down to the preference there. I think there's a handful of guys that teams, you know, probably all have I wouldn't say all grouped together, but but you know, there's gonna be some guys that are the fifth guy on their board, fifth safety, and this team might have them

number one. It's just going to come down to what you like for these guys to be that they came in rap Thornhill. The guy that we're going to profile right now, Chauncey Chauncey Gardner Johnson. Right. So there's about five of those guys in the second round, and I think that all of those are they very close to each other. As far as talent, it's I think so

well that. I mean, if Taylor Rapp is available, it will be because of I'm using air quotes here because it's sarcasm, a perceived lack of talent, because he ran a four seven at his pro day, which is bad for a safety. His tapes outstanding, he was a boss in one of the best conferences in college football, blah blah blah um. But you know, if he slides, it'll be because he was too slow at a stupid drill

that that doesn't actually pretend to football. So the interesting thing about you're calling the forty stupid drill, I mean, I don't I don't think it's I mean, no, no, I'm curious. I think for defensive backs it is important. But like when you see the tape of him closing gap apps and making plays on the ball, I don't care that him running in a straight line, which nobody ever does, right, I don't know. Maybe that helps the Cowboys.

It might, And that's if he's available for the Cowboys, it will be because of a drill and not because of anything that he has put on table. But scouts and people that do that job are smarter than just crazy looking at crazier things have happened. Here's the thing that I find interested. The guy that I I like. There is a thornhill. One thornhill from Virginia, but one Yeah, there you go? Is that? Okay? That's what I said. Um, he would tell you guys all the time in English,

That's what I said. He would be. You know, he's interesting because he's a safety, but he played two years at corner at Virginia and he's got the look that Christopher Shard definitely likes to see there at the cornerback because Johnsy's the same way. Jauncy Gardner. Johnson played his last season at Florida in the slot. Long Arms played some safety. I mean, I could see them valuing a guy with the often desired position flex because just like

the guy called about tackle, cornerback is interesting too. Cornerback is one of those positions where yeah, Jones, Jones of WOZ, Yeah, I see that, but what about next years? Jones coming back, Jordan Lewis, Anthony Brown. Cornerback has got to be addressed in this draft at some point. I like it changes so much. That's what I was gonna say, is like it's exhausting. The draft is exhausting enough, but when you don't pick till fifty eight, like the it's like, well,

will he be there? And it's like, I don't know. That depends on what thirty two other teams do twice basically because you're five picks away from the end of the second round, so who on earth knows? But I just sort of I'm just starting to feel like cornerback, it's something to consider. Like you watch Hi, okay cornerback safety. Do you think that they allow Chris Richard to be very involved in these conversations and allow him to have

a pretty good input. Part of why I think that they might do that because he's like, look, I need a guy, you know, if we're not going to keep Byron or Anthony Brown for that matter, I need a guy who can do what I wanted to do, who fits my mold, like not trying to project too far

in the future. But if I'm going to be the defensive coordinator or maybe the head coach, who the hell knows, I don't know, but yeah, I think that's it's fascinating because the coaching staff doesn't get involved in this process until recently, like you know, the thirty visits the last two weeks. So the narrative that you heard in January,

when it's only the personnel people doing the legwork. It changes when the coaches get involved and Chris Richard starts really watching tape and he's like that guy, I need that guy in my defense will be so much better. Or Rod Marinelli is like, that's the guy that can come around the right side. I mean that was DeMarcus Lawrence. That was the narrative the whole time is Rod says he's the dude, and like that matters what these coaches think and say about these prospects, and it changes the

draft board. So it'll be interesting. I mean, that's if they draft the defensive back really high. That's Scott Christoshar had written all over it. Well, we're about the end of the show, but since we started late, let's just have a couple of minutes. I wanted to bring this question in and Brian said it. I thought it was ridiculous, but since we mentioned him earlier, let's just go ahead and go for it. The chance thoughts on moving Byron back to his old position, Oh, why exactly? I don't

know why. Why would you? I mean, he was named second team All Pro, he was a pro bowler, and I mean there's a case to be made that his play slipped the final month of the season. He had hip surgery, so maybe in hindsight that was part of it, But no, my gosh, he was so good at corner and the safeties are better than the backup corners to me.

I mean if when I look at Jordan Lewis and Anthony Brown playing their positions as opposed to Jeff Heath and say, if he were to draft a corner, since you're looking for a corner, would you consider drafting a corner if it comes to being someone good at the fifty eight Well, I have a hard time believing that a cornerback you would draft at fifty eight is going to be better than a pro bowler right off the bat.

I think any any defense in which Nick I think you make a great point is I would guess that they're going to draft a guy who can do a little bit of everything. You remember Xavier Woods his rookie season, he was a sub package player, He played in the slot. He was their third safety when they did dime and

Money forty four and all those good things. I think that would likely be the role for a corner or a safety that even though it's fifty eight, it's not that much different than when they drafted Byron Jones at twenty seven and back in twenty fifteen and where it was like, I think he's gonna play corner right now, he might move to safety, might move back to corner. I could. I could see. This is where you're looking at value and you can get safety is a need

and cornerback is a need that's coming up. It just makes sense to get a guy. How many of them are like that? Gardner Johnson three, I mean a few, Gardner Johnson and Thornhill for sure. I don't know about rap reps. Probably REP could probably do a little bit. Jonathan Abram, who we have on the cover of this draft of the linebacker safety, but hey, bring him on too. I'm fine with that. Well, we're very close up to the draft, so we'll know pretty soon what happens there.

And we have a press conference here at twelve thirty, thirty minutes from now, we have press conference. If you're listening live, we'll be Jerry and Steve will be talking about nothing, but they are gonna have a press conference about the draft. And then tonight schedule released seven pm Central time, So be on the low cow all right. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.