Cowboys Break: Ranking the Players

twenty twenty one, season seventeen, episode number forty six. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break, live from the s WBC Morriage Studios at the starcoming fresh off the Cowboys Buy. They didn't play yesterday, but there was some action in the NFL. We'll talk about that a little bit more tomorrow. To day. We got some topics around the Cowboys. Nick, before we get going, get me started with a forty six Actually, oh man, actually, did y'all

do this when when we didn't? We didn't, But you and I talked about this, and we couldn't go by and not acknowledge the forty four best men a lot to both of us, right, without a doubt. Robert Newhouse is one of the my favorite players of all time, not only when he played. I was just young kid when he played. But after that, when he was here, I know he was. He was a great mentor for a lot of people, just an awesome person. He's no longer with us, and it's very sad, but Robert Newhouse

is it was an outstanding person and player. Yeah, I was telling you about some of my experiences with Robert. He was like coming into this organization, I was a manager at a very young age and uh, and there weren't a lot of people that looked like me at that table of leaders here through at the Cowboys. He was one of them. And I remember him pulling me aside one time and telling me he's gave me some really great advice about handling those types of situations. And

it still serves me well to day. Um So, I just I'm forever grateful to the House and he was a really really the great guy and miss having him around here. You guys never got you never obviously got a chance to meet him. Five. Yeah we gotta go forty five and forty six. Yeah, you got a forty five. Well, Darren Woodson wore it before he moved to twenty eight. It was forty five. I don't know if I remember that rod Smith, Baby, come on, rod Smith, beast. I like it. I was going with. I mean, Niki, so

did you said rod Smith? But Somebodason I thought Denver Broncos. Well, yeah, that one, like one of the best receivers in the nineties. One had like one great game against the Giants, right forty six. I think there's a guy named Joe Fishback. I just like the name Joe Fishback. Ember, you want to tell us about Joe Fishback. I have no idea. I think what I'm learning here. What I know out of these names is Ron Smith. I mean, the forties are avoided like the plague by everybody. I mean, unless

you're a long snapper or a fullback. Nobody wants to wear a number in the forties other than Alfred Moors was also forty six. No there like it was a fun player. Different cat still is I mean ye, well, yeah, I mean he was when he was here, he was good. Different, he was different, but I mean yeah, in a cool way, he was the best. He was. Yeah. Yeah, that sounds dumb, but like if a player, and not to say like players are jerks, but you get used to that lifestyle.

And the amount of people that are asking for things from you, you don't care so much about that. Alfred Morris would like he went through it. Every time he talked to the me. He'd be like, when you say your name was Dave, good to see you, and then he would remember it later. Yeah, and that's not like I said, like that doesn't make other guys jerks, but like to have that many demands on your attention and your time and still take the time to do that.

He would go sit outside the weight room on Tuesdays on the off day or maybe it was Mondays, but like one of the days when they weren't practicing, you could catch him outside the weight room, like reading a book. Now,

you just don't see that type of stuff. When you pull up into the parking lot to go fly out for the charter, you know, you you drive in there with your car are and it's like you see all these other guys and their stuff, and then you drive next to Alfred Morris and you're like, is this I mean? He would oh yeah, the Mazda. Yeah, he was famous for having the same car from when he was a kid. Yeah,

and like Mazda re outfitted it for him. And I think every time he went to a new team, the media would pick up that story and be like, oh my god, he I think he's still I follow him on Instagram. Still I think he still has I think the funny thing about that mosta was he had a Mercedes front license plate on it, like the logo for Mercedes. I would yeah, I think that's right. I would like

to think that. I mean, I think at some point in his career he probably got another car, not saying it was like a Lambeau or anything, but he's like, Okay, the Mazda treated me well, I can probably get another car. Good guy. I loved Alfred Morris. That was a good You can do this on a Monday when there's no game. Yeah yeah. Another forty five is Richmond Flowers Senior, by the way, in nineteen seventy one. Let's just go through the whole, the whole roster and not talk about Dak's cats.

Not talk a good forty five minutes of numbers numerology here on the pick. All right, let's let's do talk about Deck's injury. Uh we this this injury came up last week. Obviously, he was in the boot coming out of the game against the Patriots. Um, what are we hearing? What are you guys hearing? As far as his injury, Um, how how? How how much of an injury is it? How much of a concern is it? How much could it possibly affect his ability to not only play but

play well over the next coming weeks. Why why is Dave looking at me? You look like you have something to say. No, I don't. I don't think anything. I don't think anybody has anything to say. I really don't. I don't. There's no report or anything. Tell me what it's. What he's gonna do on Friday afternoon, Tell me what he's gonna do Sunday afternoon. I mean that Sunday when

he's on he's there. I mean you can say everything, you can rest and all that, but it is a injury that is very, very difficult, and I think we'll wait and see. I mean, yeah, all jokes aside, Oh you funny. I'm sorry, man. I just every time I hear about asked, I just think about you, because you're like,

before I have my injury, I didn't think cash. But now, yeah, let's let's just leave this out of it, because I mean, he is an athlete, and I'm down only that, but he's got like, got people caring, the power of a five billion dollar organization is bent on getting him ready for that game. And Nick, they're just like, yeah, and I was stupid and I wasn't, you know, jumping around

and still trying to do something that was dumb. But the thing about it is is that you won't really know what it is until we get later on and he can rest all week, he's got to go and run and do things. I said this on the radio this morning and really kind of kind of deflated those guys on the air because I said, I'll be I'll be shocked if he's able to play the way he normally is. I think he might play, but he won't be the same. Really, I don't believe that. I don't

think that's a bad guess. I mean, you asked what we're hearing. I've heard that he's out of the boot, which I mean that's a positive sign, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Again, like you can rest all week end, all week in the hot tub, doing all the treatments to it, and you know, he hasn't had to backpedal or plant and throw since the game. Um So I think he's I think he's making progress, and I think the optimism from last week was probably well founded, you know.

I think it was Jerry that it was like the buys a perfect time, and I think he can get out there against Minnesota. We'll see. I think a lot of costs for optimism, a lot of things training in the right direction, but playing and existing are different things, you know what I mean. So it's just something as as always with these types of injuries, you just got to watch the workload and see how it changes as

the week. If he's not like anywhere close, if he's going to be struggling through it, I'd set him, really, I would. I would sit him. If there's any kind

of chance to reaggravate this and make it a longer thing. Well, that's one of the interesting things you gotta think about too here, is that sometimes you can play through an injury, but what happens is your body kind of compensates for what's ailing you and it puts extra strain on other things, which you may not reaggravate that particular injury, but it could create other things as you go forward, because you

start using your body in different ways. So that's the part you get a little bit concerned about if he rushes back with you, if any player rushes back from any injury, that you could have other injuries that that come from them. But Amber, I'll ask you this question, and Nick brought up a point of maybe sitting him from what you've seen from this team. Wait wait, no, no, no no, you gotta we gotta wait from me answer

the question. I ask the question. No, no, no, so so thinking about what you want, thinking about what you've seen from this team, and I'm talking offensively and defensively, how they've been able to play. Obviously, they're five and one and they're considered one of the top teams in the NFL, definitely one of the top teams in the NFC and the top team in their in their division.

Do you think this team is capable of winning without Dak Prescott, I'll say it Spanish, no, no, no. Honestly, again, I don't think that they have enough at quarterback behind Dak Prescott. And I was all up for Cooper Rush back when he started and got here. I was like, yeah, Cooper Rush. But then in the past few years, I

just he hasn't given me enough to feel comfortable. And you know, last year they had Andy Dalton, and I feel comfortable about Andy Dalton, and then the offense was still kind of working and they could do some work on there and play good on the field. But look how they performed last year, and that was with Andy

Dalton behind the line. And I get it that this team is on a role right now and everyone's playing pretty well and all that, but I just I do not feel comfortable enough to think that Cooper Rush can get back there behind that line and make it happen. No, I don't, I agree, I mean, I don't. You want to sit him and you don't even think they're they can win without him. I want to send him if he's if, if he's not, if he's still kind of

going through some stuff. This isn't a bone that needs that's going to heal, you know, eventually, and maybe you can cast it up until it does. Hell, this is this is a muscle strain. And I can speak for that that that if you don't, you don't give it the proper attention, you'll two years later you'll still feel it. You still feel it. So I don't, No, I'm not I'm not going to risk that, And yeah, I don't think he can. I don't think Cooper rushing, not against Minnesota,

not against the Horn, not against Sunday Night football. No, I don't think that they'll go up there and win that game without him in there. I'm not trying to call y'all homers, but I'm relieved to I'm relieved that I don't have to be the downer because I was. I wasn't one hundred percent sure, because I think it's the peak of hubrists to assume that Cooper Rush could pull that off for you. No, No, I don't think that. No,

they have depth in so many other areas. That's the one that you're like, He's thrown three NFL passes, And I don't think you can fully rely just on the running game either. Like I and I get it, Zeke husband doing good. You got um, oh my god, my Polar Pauler, Tony Polar, you got him who we know he can do the job as well behind Zeke. But even with those two running backs, I don't think they can just rely on the purely on the run to win a game. You got to throw out the caveat that.

The NFL is weird. And anything can happen, Like, of course there is a physical, theoretical chance that they could win in that game without Dak. I certainly wouldn't put money on it. I would know no way. So is this about just how great Dak is or how little you think of Cooper Rush? Well, I mean it was fifty fifty for I think a lot of us wouldn't. At the end of training camp it was like Rush or Garrett or Garret Gilbert, you know, kind of a

toss up. I don't know about you, but I think at this point I'd rather have Garrett Gilbert in there right now that thing, which that's bad foresight for me because I think I was leaning towards Rush. But now I'm thinking about what you said about three passes. I'd rather the guy that's gone and played Pittsburgh when they were eleven to oh and gave him a fighting chance. And that was if you remember like that, he had a lot less weapons than what they have right now

due to injury. So that's why I look at it and I'm like, well, if he could do that, no, it's not the same guy, and I personally he lost. No, I didn't play I get that, but I think the way that they played with all the things that they had, all the players they didn't have for that game, I felt like it was enough of an effort that you give those players back, particularly the tackles. You give him some tackles, you give him some protection. That game may

have been a different game. Yeah, you agree with that. Again, you're not wrong, and there is a chance, But I think it's bold, bordering on hubrists to just be like, yeah, he can come in and do the vikings and their record doesn't show it. I'm Kirk Cousins is playing great, right, Like, this is a tough game. If Dak is available, Like, you know, we've been kind of on this role where we think the Cowboys are gonna win by two or three scores for the last month. This ain't gonna be that.

I'll be shocked even if Dak is available. I'll be shocked if this is anything but a tight game. Um, you know, it's hard to go into that building and win and definitely do it decisively. So if there's fans, that's what Yeah, I mean they won last week last year, no fans. Minnesota is on that shortlist of like collegiate environments, you know, we always talk about the NFL is a little bit different, but some stadiums get noisy. Why can't

I talk? Was it like? Was it like I don't remember, Yes, and I know, but I don't remember when we were When they were at their old stadium, it used to be extremely loud. One time we've been there since they opened a new place was Thursday night the Vikings had Bradford. They were decent and you can tell too, because it's one of the few stadiums in the league that has an open press box. Yeah. I couldn't hear myself it was so loud. Yeah, yeah, the one Cowboys won on

like the last play of the game. I think the Vikings didn't get the two point conversion. It was loud all night. Again, it was open status. I know the old stadium was open. Get ready it's gonna be Bradford. Yeah. Remember you you have that app on your phone, Derek Gloves having this app not to recourse how loud each stadium look looks cool. But yeah, I mean, I so no, I mean, I don't feel good about that, but this is this is what you sign up for. The I mean,

and it's hard. It's hard to the Jones has said that all through the off season is when you pay the quarterback like this, it's hard to have somebody that you feel good about. Last year created some really unique scenarios like Andy Dalton was willing to sign for that, Jamis Winston was willing to sign for that. Especially and with COVID opening up and it not being quite as

crazy as it was, that's harder to pull off. Um. I would love if they had a former NFL MVP who's unemployed on this team to help deal with this, but they don't, And for that matter, I don't know if he would even be willing to sign here. But it's just these are the things that you think about when you ponder whether or not Dak is going to

be able to play. Do you guys give any benefit of doubt that maybe they've developed Cooper Rush to a point where he can give them a chance after looking at what they did with Terrence Steele, Because I know before Terrence Steele this year, I was convinced I'm not trusting anything they say about young guys because they put all these young guys out there, but they weren't performing, and so I just didn't trust it. Now I'm starting to think, well, maybe maybe they got that one right.

Maybe they developed him, maybe they knew what they were talking about when they say we see potential in him, do you give them any benefit of doubt that comes from that that you can now move over to the quarterback position. He plays the most important position on the team. And when they signed Andy Dalton they fired him. They were like, now you gotta go, and that's I mean,

somebody does have to go when you sign somebody. But if you think the world of this guy, and again he plays a position where you might not ever get him back if he shows anything, they were like, well, that's fine, to go to New York. Do what you gotta do. They brought him back when a ridiculous amount of injuries forced their hand. They lost Dak, they lost Dalton, and then this year, I mean still baffled by the

way that whole thing played out. It's it's not a major storyline once the season starts, but like again, people are like, well, you guys didn't see this coming. It's like they didn't show us anything. Cooper Rush didn't get a single first team rep all of training camp. They handed it all to Garrett Gilbert, and then in the final week of the preseason it became the Cooper Rush Show. So no, I mean, they can say that if they want to, and maybe they're right, but nothing about their

process has shown that that's how they feel. But also the fact that even after they had him back here, they were still talking about the possibility. It didn't come to fruition, but they were still talking about possibility of bringing in a quarterback and experienced quarterback. So that makes me think like they know so, because if you feel comfortable, confident enough, and a guy like Cooper Rush that you can develop for this year, you wouldn't be still like

kind of shopping around and see what can come. And it's a good thing. It's a great point. They worked out Driscoll, they worked out Hundley, like they did not. They weren't acting like a team that felt great about its step at quarterback. Yeah, any chance Greer is the guy that they kind of can move up into that position. Have you heard anything about him since they signed it ative.

I actually asked Doug nus Meyer about him. They made the assistance available on Tuesday during the bye week, just I didn't really ask him, thinking that he might start this game, just more like, what's that? What's it look like when you have to bring a guy on like that? And he just said, you know, you start small, start with just the basics of what they would have to do if they had to be active or had to play.

And he did say he thought Will Greer has picked up a remarkable amount in the whatever it's been six eight weeks since he's been here. I don't I would be shocked if that meant that he was elevated over Cooper Rush, but yeah, I guess he would be active. Yeah, all right, we're gonna go and take a first break. When we come back, we're gonna do an interesting little game here. Nick sent this out over the weekend for everyone to figure out what their top fifteen players in

for the Cowboys during this season have been. We're gonna go through that list. Everybody has their own list of fifteen. We're gonna go through that list. Talk about it. See where everybody ranks these guys Will day when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Before there was a draft, you could size up a Cowboy by three simple factors. The crease in his hat, the bend of his brim and his unbending attitude a man. Stetson didn't just protect him from what life through at him,

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Restrictions apply. Is it att dot com for details? Back to the break. I don't have a read for us right now because I was doing something now. So we'll give me a few minutes or a few seconds, and I'll come out with something else. So I thought I could multitask, but I couldn't, So welcome back to the second segment of the Break Cleft and s WBC Mortgage Studios. At the start, we got about twenty five minutes left

on the show. We're gonna get into a little bit of a debate, or I can tell you about text messages though, real quick? Can I just tell you that? That? All right? You just can receive new offers and event information. Sign up to receive text messages from the Cowboys Text Cowboys at NFL da L that's six three five three two five to receive temper turn off your next pro shop order. That's a good offer. Okay, here's what we gonna do. We're gonna talk about the top fifteen player.

We all went through and gave our top fifteen for the two twenty one season thus far, and Nick compiled all those and an article will be going to later on. Doubs appreciate the people that did their homework assignment. Not everyone did, but everyone in this room did. I appreciate it. That's because we all are dedicated members of the team and we try to do what's best for the team. So we'll talk about those other folks so old later.

All right, So Nick, why don't you tell us the compilation of all those, what do we have a top fifteen? Why don't you start from fifteen? And then let's I got some honorable mentions out of fifteen, you had honorable mentions? Yeah, I had four honorable mentions. Sure, when you're five and one. Damante Kazy, Greg Zerline, Layton vander Esh, Terrence Steele, Greg Zerline. That's an interesting one. I thought he was like public Enemy number Terrence Steele didn't make the top fifteen. Really

he did for me. I had Zerline, right, he won two games for you, Okay, he could have won three if they would have stopped the Bucks. I mean, he's played pretty good. He's had some clutched kicks for this team. So you look around, you look around the league, and yeah, I was missing Yeah, I mean yeah, I think and if he what it was a pat that he missed in Tampa. Yeah, if he doesn't miss that, I think people are probably not whining so much. No, No, it

wasn't a pat or it was a really short whield goal. Yeah, and he didn't miss a pad like no, Like the next week after after the Chargers win, I remember he missed one the next game and it was like, well, you did make a fifty six yard or so he had he point being, He's like one of his misses was really egregious. Other than that, I think people would be fine. Yeah, uh, Casey's are line Vanderesh Stern Steel

or number fifteen Anthony Brown, let's go no what. I actually was very happy to see that because I was like, there's there are a lot of people out there that are hating Anthony Brown. And really, if you think about how he's played, like he hasn't really made a lot of bad plays. There's a lot of people in this world that don't understand that the lead league is designed to produce four hundred yard passers on a regular basis

and those yards have to come from somebody. But how many teams in the NFL have two lockdown corners that simply don't allow completions. It's it's Cheetah o Woozier all over again. You know, he was typically in good coverage, didn't play the ball as well as you would prefer,

and lost out sometimes because of it. But guess what most cornerbacks do, because the league is unfairly slanted against them, leads the team and tackles, and then that could be it that's always a great thing for a corner, but it's making tackles, making plays. Fourteen Cedric Wilson, Hell yeah, yep, absolutely should be on the list, should be dead high. I mean, I think that's perfect number for him. It wasn't on my list but really no, but I mean it was. Why Why wouldn't you put him Nick? It's

it's it's the curve. It's the curve. Grading on a curve versus not grading on No, he's played great, but I mean I I put Terrence Steele over him. I put zirline over him. I mean their line is the difference. Yeah,

I had him at fourteen. That's the thing when when he sent out the email to put together this list, it's one of those things that you're thinking, Okay, how do you keep it very neutral to what we're actually looking at this year on the field, and not think, okay, well he was this way last year and then now like great in on a curve. So I had a rough time putting together my list one because of that too. Once we get closer to the top, I think a lot of those players are very like right there on

the line. So it was very, very hard to judge because they're right there, but for different reasons, Like every player has their own unique skill and everything. But it was an interesting list. But I'm surprised you didn't have him at all. No, I mean it was close. I just I didn't put him, but you had him on one of your honorable mentions. Well, yeah, I mean I just put fifteen. Now. The next guy also didn't have on the list was number thirteen. Oh so did Gizua?

Oh hell yeah, third had him up higher than that. Actually, yeah, I had Tony Polar thirteen. That. Yeah, that's a I think I had also up at ten. I thought he's been other than Randy Gregory, I think he's been the best defensive lineman this team has had. Yeah, I had him right out thirteen. Yeah he was not What did you have him not on the list? You haven't on the list at all? Why? I again, I went with Anthony Brown, Terrence Steele and Greg's are aligned. Those are

my last three guys like that. I didn't put Cedric Wilson or or I mean, I think he's played pretty good. Again, like I he's played okay, I mean he's played probably I'll be interested to see who else. Okay, because he's a rookie third round pick from us to like that matters. Not to me, it does that, And there we go again. It's corect like a curve verse, not a curve. And that's fine if that's the way you view it, but right, I mean I don't. I don't view it that way.

I mean, why, why should why should we do that? Why should we grade that way? I'm honestly, I'm not grading that way that you can put him up against against the other guys who've been in the leaf much longer. He still is the second best defensive linement on this team. Seventy five percent of guys drafted to play that position where he was drafted would be struggling to get a jersey. That's why it matters. That's why I think it matters. I think he's drastically out playing his draft stock for

where he is in his career. And that's that's great, that's awesome. That means don't come callin to try to trade the guy or whatever. No, we got great upside in him. But that doesn't mean to me that he has been better than Terrence Steele. I think Terrence Steele has been better. I think I think Zeroline has has made more of an impact and that. But that's okay, I mean it's we're talking. He ranked thirteenth. I would have had him seventeenth. Okay, no big deal, all right,

Tony Pollard number twelve, had him at thirteen. I mean that's he's a backup running back and he's ranked twelfth. That just tells you how great he's played. It tells you how great Zeke has been. Yeah, that's unbelievable. Yeah, he's way more than a backup too, because the way that his number says way more. Yea, he would start for like twenty four teams. Yeah, and as good as Zeke has been, you still can tell the difference when he gets the ball versus when Zeke gets the ball.

You're just watching, especially watching from the press box, there is a burst of the ass that's different, I think than what Zeke has. I'm gonna look at that. I just said. I just kind of threw twenty four out there. But I really wonder how many teams feel like they have a better starter than Tony Pollard right now. I mean, I just can't be artistically, they aren't allow. It can't be very many. Yeah, now you do have to factor in. He gets to come in and he's he's fresher than

the most backs. But still he runs the ball inside the tackles more than we think he does. I mean it's not just a light you know, thunder and lightning thing. It's they're they're both they're all right eleven Dalton Schultz. I had him at twelve, so ran this dropped him a little bit just because maybe that you don't like him. No, I love Dalton? Are you kidding me? We swap restaurant recommendations. Um No, he had that, he had that, he had the Drop Sea game. He had, he had the Drops game.

I don't know. And I mean not hating the guy. I just I mean he made my list. He seed, he's at some of those moments. He I dropped him a little bit too, I had, but yeah, I mean he's been great. I'm not hating on the guy. Yeah, all right, number ten jay Ron Curse. Yeah, but yes, I mean just is shocking the way you know, we didn't even factor him into training camp. Really was like, hey, hey, I guarantee when people were talking about who's gonna play Sea,

he wasn't ever ever mentioned. He's just and now he's leading the team or his second on the team and tackles, he's right up, he's playing special teams. Done, everything's been. Like I said last week, I think his attitude is part of this. It's part of it. I think his attitude is part of the defense's confidence right now. I remember back during the offseason when they were doing there on the field activities and and he was out there playing a lot, and I'm thinking, man, who are they

trying to save like that? Why they got this guy out there? He's just kind of taking a spot right now just because somebody else doesn't want to or because they're hurt, Like there's no way he's going to be around once we get past training camp. And sure enough that was not the case. He would have Sorry, go ahead, I would saying most of the time, when you when you call the guy that get off the bus guy, you know, it's because he looks really good. But it

doesn't mean that he plays great. It just means like he looks the part. But you wouldn't say that if he was a dynamic player. But he he's done everything. He would have been near the top of my list of like guys who better have their head on a swivel, come roster cut time, and I mean, just get ready for the jay Ron curse stories. If you're a Cowboy fan, you follow a lot of people in the media, get ready. Okay, it's a bye week, he's going back to Minnesota. It's

just it's on a platter for you. You're gonna have it. We'll have it on our side as well, all right. Number nine, Amari Cooper a little higher than I had. I had him higher than that you had him. That's when you had him a little lower. I think I had him in like eleven. I had him top five. I just that's a big difference for all. I just I think the world of the guy. And again maybe I great on a curve, but we know, we know what he's dealing with. And he's got the hamstring, he

had the ankle in the off seasons, ribs. He's fighting through so much and still still being productive. Somebody on Twitter, Oh it was my buddy Vatch. He posted of he posted tape from the Patriots game. They were tripling. They clouded his side of the field, and and they're like, you know, don't don't be disrespectful, saying like ceedee Lamb did all this and Amari Cooper had nothing to do with it. They were accounting for him so much. And by the way, he still caught five for fifty five,

which is pretty like that's good. That's if you catch five for fifty five every week, you're going to finish with a thousand yards, which a thousand isn't what it used to be. Still a nice benchmark. Like he's having a really good season. Yeah yeah. And against the Chargers and in this game against the Patriots, this last game, he didn't have great stat numbers, but if you if you go back and you remember the final drive of the game, he had clutch catch is around midfield both

of those games to kind of get him in that position. Um, you know, you can tell he looks like an old man running around there right now. He's banged up, but he's playing really well. He still gets open. And if you respect Bill Belichick, I think what he told you in that game was there are two things you got to try to stop if you're if you're going against the Dallas Cowboys, the running game and Amari Cooper, and

you live with whatever else you get. And they tried to live within They almost won living with everything else. But you can't let those two factors get on. Then CD Lamb goes off and yeah, waves to the does that's ridiculous, by the way, it's ridiculous. I don't understand that. Oh I missed that. They find him for that ten it's a it's an American greeting. It's a greeting difference the bye week, baby, I was doing my best to not pay attention you. I mean he got shoved late

number one. Yeah right, okay, Yeah, he was kind of walking in there like that, and I thought was college football. He probably wouldn't accounted. I don't know. If fel saw that, I would say I didn't see it, but I heard about it. That's that's also ridiculous. But yeah, wait, I mean, guy who shoved you late, he could have done a lot of things. He just decided to wave at him. And it's been there. When you visit someone, you stay for like five or six hours, and then you're about

to go home, you just waved by. What's the problem. I don't get it. How is it fine? I don't know, because well, taunting, I mean, that's they're trying to they're trying to crack down punched him in the throat. Instead, he just waved at him goodbye, see you later. If he punched him in the throat, he wouldn't playing right. I'm just saying, when you get shoved in the back like that late unnecessary. You could you could react in

a lot of different ways. I mean, I hate, I hate to defend the league, but like, I'm not surprised by that at all. I'm not surprised, but I still think it's wrong. I really want, I really want the league to embrace the fact that sports is entertainment folks, Like this isn't We're not out here, it's not just play like, this is not war this I know there are a lot of analogies people make between sports, particularly football and war. It's not this is a game. This

is fun. We're supposed to be having fun. So if guys are talking trash and having fun going against each other, let's embrace that, Like that's a part of why it's fun. I just don't get it. I totally don't understand it. You know what else is fun? Giving money to charity and when they find players they do that's what happens. I guess your eighth best player on the team is Micah Parsons, according to our Dallas colmoos dot com staff got it. I had him at nine right there. I ain't.

That just goes to show how good this team is. He's changing the whole defense. That's how I feel about this whole list. Really believable. He's eight. I think I had him around there. I don't remember, but I mean I remember typing it whatever. I had him, Like god, you know, it's like, there's so many guys. I honestly went through my list and I was like, could he move up? Some sings like he should be up higher?

And I was like, I'm not taking that guy down for him and I'm not taking Let me right keep creating space here. Number seven, Cede Lamb. I had him at eight, so right there, and he yeah. I mean everybody, how ceed ahead of amar Or you had him Ari Head. I had CD back at ten. It's hed at eight ahead of him. Mark Yeah, okay, all right. Number six, Tyron Smith, That's exactly where I had him. Yeah, he's

been really good. He's yeah, it's fun. I mean, going back to the thing about Dalton Schultz, I think like I was making this list and I was like yeah, Tyron looks awesome. He battled through some injuries last week, and but then think like, well, he gave up that really easy sack to the Chargers in Week two, and

that kind of took me by surprise. I mean, I'm not saying I like moved him down because of that, but these are all the conversations you're having with yourself when you're trying to rank players, because I think I started out with like tiring up by Zach Martin, and I was like, no, that can't be right because I've had no reason to even say Zach's name all year, whereas Tyron, you know, you can, you can quibble if you want to, And so that's probably how he winds

up at like six or seven. That's exactly I went through it. I had him up there by by Zach, and then I thought about that moment and I was like, and then he had another penalty I thought in it, and he had he had a couple, Yeah, well and he had. I mean, obviously he started out really rough against the Patriots. So so I think when when I started factory in those sounds like, yeah, this is where you're kind of you kind of you know, just trying to figure out how you can make a difference between

these guys. They've all been great, it's just how do you make a difference between them? And that kind of dropped him a little bit. I got the top five. Do you want to go to break or you want to show let's sake our final break. We'll come back. We'll get our top five. Top five players of the twenty twenty one season so far, according on Dallas Cowboys dot Com, will be are right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Hi, I'm Clint Tullison with you

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November sixth to experience rally Day presented by SeatGeek. Take a tour of the stadium, play some games, get autographs from the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, and more of his at att Stadium dot com Slash rally Days for tickets and more information. Welcome back, final segment of the BRAAKELFT in s WBC Mortgage Studios. At the start, we're talking about our top fifteen players of the two thousand twenty one

season so far for the Dallas Cowboys. Paratyar through fifteen up six fifteen, Anthony Brown fourteen or so, Cedric Wilson also did zoe A, Tony Pollard, Dalton Schultz, Jeron Curse, I'm Maari Cooper, Micah Parson, Cedee Lamb Tyran Smith was six, and now we go to the top five, amive, Ezekiel Elliott. That's where I had him, great, Ezekiel Elliott. I had him at seven. I don't know why. There's just there's a lot of good players on this team. I'm looking at you like, I don't know why I like good

players on this team. Maybe he deserved to be higher. Yeah, Oh I had him a five too, I mean yeah, I mean this brain trust over hearing. I'm just saying, Zeke number five, I think he's been outstanding. Um but I think, you know, these other four guys have made a little bit more of a difference. Maybe, I mean we say that. I mean, he's like you just said, Belichick said, we gotta take away Mariy Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott.

But and neither one of them is top well top four right, But um but I think Zeke's getting a lot of help. I think both of those guys are kind of a committee type thing. They're getting help from other guys that may be the best at their position. But they're getting some pretty good help with Pollard. And that's exactly where I was going to go with that. How much do you think where you rank ZEKEA what you think of Zeke is affected by what you think of Tony Pollard. I don't know. I mean, I don't.

I think it helps. I think it helps the offense to have them both. I don't know that Tony Pollard. Is Tony Pollard doing that much for Zeke? Like is Zeke being fifteen percent fresher doing that much? I don't. I just credit Zeke, to be honest with you. And there's a I guess I'm looking at the flip flipway. Do you think that Zeke maybe higher on this list

if Tony Pollard wasn't playing as well as he's playing. No, And again, I'm again there's a flip side of this conversation that people have all the time where it's like, man, I wish I wish Zeke hadn't waited till year six to buckle down the way that he has this year, but he did. And I mean, I just I think that's hard work paying dividends right now, honestly, And I think if he was, if he was doing it all

by himself, I think he would. It wouldn't be as good because Pollard brings a different element, but I think he'd be doing fine. I'm really, I mean, I think you should be really proud of what he's done this year because running backs, you know, the life of a running back is typically when they say three years and so a special one like him. But he had every reason to kind of just start tailing off after that fifth his fifth season. Wasn't is this his sixth year,

so it's fifth year. Yeah, it was kind of going south and had some bumbles and wasn't he could live it out for another three or four years, just kind of coasting, as he called it, you know, a show and not the good kind. And uh, you know he said it was crappy and he's changed it. I felt aware. I love it. Give him credit for it. He's very self aware. That's what Tony Pollard's doing too. He doesn't want Tony to take all the snamps. Yeah, it bit's

worked out great. And the fact that they worked together all right. Number four Randy Gregory hell exactly where I

had him, yep. Perfect. Yeah, I mean he's think about those other guys, Randy Gregor, He's had a position where Tank Lawrence has gotten hurt, Dorn's arm, Frank got hurt, and he's taken over and he's been stud I had when teams trying to stop him by the way doubling him Will I hadn't thought about this in a while, but didn't We kind of get into ker fluffle in the offseason when I said he could play his way into the franchise tag k E R f l U f l E. I believe fail. I think I'm not.

I didn't look that up, didn't I I believe I said that. I thought he could play his way into a franchise tag, and he's on his way to doing that, or at least you think that's what they're gonna do. It has to be that that has to be one of the more expensive it has to be. It has to be a conversation um with Dalton Chiltz. What's that franchise I think I might look at. I'm not joking a lot less. I'm sure it's at. I'm saying, I'm ten nine point six million for a tight end, sixteen

million for a defensive end. Yeah, I mean it's cheaper. See, I'm thinking I don't want to do franchise tag with with Randy. I want to just get Randy signed up to a deal. I want to give him again. But Dalton Schultz to me is Jay Novacheck, and and that's there's that's a good thing. I mean, I think Dalton Schultz can definitely be your Jay Novcheck for this offense if he's aware to do it. I mean, Jay, No, does it affect it that you've already paid Blake? I'm

pretty sure about that. Lateral about that later. I don't, no, not necessarily. Why are you talking, not saying ready to Blake's Blake's contract is structured in a way that they're not married to it. Oh, they're not married to it. I don't. I don't want to have that conversation shifted away from me. What a great story it is. He's been outstanding. And also the thing I love the most is that he's not just this agile, quick guy around the edge. He is bull rushing people back. He's got

some strength. Okay, But and I know we're gonna run out of time, but let's talk about that though, Because yes, it would be great to sign Randy to the long term, but that probably means you have to franchise tag him in the meantime. That's how this always works. He ain't gonna sign a deal right now, unless unless he just feels that much loyalty to the Jones family for the way they stuck with him. And maybe he does, and maybe he should. That's okay, maybe he does, maybe he should.

Whatever the point is, you don't see those types of extensions negotiated during the season very often because Randy and his people have to be well aware of what could be at stake. And like I said, unless unless he's just Tyrann Smith and he's like, I'm good, I don't care, just give me something that seems fair. I owe you anyway, And that's possible. I wouldn't bet on it. And so that's how you wind up in a situation with the

franchise tag and we negotiate something later. And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he should take a hometown discount I think, because I think you have to make the money when you can make the money. But I do think that. I don't want to say oh, because oh it is a strong word, but I do think he should at least hear out offers, and if it's something that seems fair, then I think he should be willing to maybe do that, where otherwise he may be like, NA, no, no,

I'm waiting. Absolutely, I think now you would kind of give a little bit referential treatment because this team did stick by you in times when most teams would have been like, we're out. I certainly anymore. I don't want to speak for Randy period, especially when it comes to his money, but I won't be surprised if that loyalty plays a factor in all of this. Like I feel optimistic that Randy Gregory has a long term future here one way or the other. Still don't think he would

sign an extension in the middle of the season. You just don't see it. Halp of very often. Wasn't there a time back in the day when the bye week seam a week that they did deals. All people were hitting me up all the time for the last two weeks heading up to the bye week, Like Randy, Gallop and Schultz just question after question about like I think some could get done during the bye week, and the

answers usually no, because guys, and you want leverage. Leverage is everything, and leverage is continuing to play well and stacking those numbers and making your best case. Okay, I'm gonna call a audible here. We're right at the time. I'm going to hold the final three until tomorrow. Oh, come, let's just power through going on the website. Let's just power through. Come on, we got all right? Number three? Treyvon Diggs? What I had him? Number three? He was

number two? O Zach Martin. Okay, Tyvon Diggs number three, number two if you want, if you want to just say has been the most dominant of that position. Zach Martin will be number one. Let's okay, what is my number one? So I'm just saying, put Zach Martin number one. I think he's definitely number two. The on reason he put him number two is because the other guy is the quarterback. I had Zach number three. He's the best

guard in football. He's playing out of his mind. I still think concessions need to be made when a guy is on pace to shatter the season record for interceptions in a season that has stood since like the year my dad was born. That's insane. No, he has a chance that. I'm saying the record has stood since nineteen fifty four. I think my dad was actually born in fifty two, but nineteen fifty four. I'm not saying he's gonna break it, but seven picks in six games. I

mean I put him number two. I think he deserves. If you're gonna say all that, might as won't make one in the league. I know I'm gonna say it. I mean, like you say all that, but then you're like, he's number two. Well yeah, because this team would be up s Creek without a paddle with mean Scott Dak. I mean Dak has lost this year. Zack Martin has not. And I see what you did now, I've been Zack

number one. I think he's played out absolutely outstanding. Um. And if you go buy grades from you know the websites, that grade. I mean he's he's been the best player in the all of football three of the five games he's played. That's ridiculous. Um, he's playing at an incredible level too. I put him too. I mean I put number one. He's number two on the list. You just can't show it in like an interceptions totally. He has

been every bit as dominant, absolutely Gigs has been. These three guys, These three guys could be or could be number one on almost every other team's list. I mean, that's why that's that's why they're five and one, and that's why they're everyone's talking, you know, where the parade's going to be in playoffs and stuff. Just well, I'm just saying number one, Dak Prescott has to be in my opinion. It's just I mean, again, you're right, everything you said about Zach is right. But like again, the

league is skewed so unfairly against cornerbacks. You get so few interceptions or so few opportunities to make plays on the ball, and he's cashing in on all of them. Whereas Zack's got somebody to block every time the ball

gets snapped, and he does an amazing job. But it's I hate to say easier, but like you know, you know what I'm trying to say, Like every snap he's gonna line up and match the guy across from him and create lanes and pass protect and Diggs might get two to three real opportunities at the ball in in sixty snaps and he is maximizing though, And I just

that's incredible. And by the way, those those chances that he gets at the ball he's making, some of those some of those are not like situations like you hear a lot of times, you know, tip ball, that's where you get a lot of interstad. A lot of these are not those kind of situations. And even the situation like in this last game where it was a tip ball, that's a tip ball that I would say ninety eight

percent cornerbacks don't make that interception. It came. Most of them don't have the reaction skills and the ability to catch the ball to still can't. He was still not gonna go and hurdle a guy in mid He was still corralling it when he jumped over. Was it Jacobe Meyers? Whoever it was. If he had zero interceptions right now, we would say, yeah, you know, he has no picks this year, but he takes everyone's number one receiver. He's locking them down, So he didn't have a lot of opportunities.

So don't worry about that. I mean, Dion didn't get a ton of picks, you know, that kind of stuff with what we would say, But he's you know, so he's the best number three in the league of any other team. So just like football is unfairly skewed against cornerbacks, it's unfairly skewed toward quarterbacks. So I just if your quarterback is in the MVP conversation with that is I

think he belongs to number one. Yeah, it's just and that's how I feel about He's everybody's worried about the backup, but that just goes to show just how valuable that he is. Um. You know, they didn't lose it, they didn't win with Zach Martin like that. I think they would play differently against the Bucks if Zach was in there. I think if they have to play them again, I don't think that they'd be as I think would be more balanced this time up, not not be so quick

to get away from anyone. Maybe not. Honestly, don't think the Cowboys are at all intimidated about having to go back to Tampa Bay if they have to do that in the playoffs. There's there's five really good football teams in the NFC. And how did anybody an we're going long? I'm sorry, but liked did anybody see with the way that the Chiefs were set up and the bill, like, did anybody see the NFC being the juggernaut side of the league like the AFC looks like a mess and

the NFC. I think of the six quote unquote like best teams in the league, I'd say five of them are in the NFC. And then I also think this is just a moment in time. I think once to the end of the season, I think there'll be a lot think the Bills are serious, like that is a really good team. They've had a misstep here or there. Um, I don't know the Kansas City is gonna get it together until the quarterback starts playing better. But but there

are some teams. If you're if you're leaving, if you're leaving the Chiefs for dead at three and four, I know you feel free. Not what I'm saying. What I'm what I'm saying is their quarterbacks gonna have to play better. Yeah, he's not playing. Their whole team is gonna have to play better. But how many times have we seen the Bucks were mediocre as hell until about Thanksgiving last year and then they just took on get on. Yeah, that's

exactly right, That's what I'm saying. We're still early. We'll see what this thing looks like at the end, but right now it does look very heavily skewed towards the NFC. With those five teams sitting at the top and all of them looking like teams that could possibly win a title. All right, we appreciate you guys, Jonas, and we'll be back on tomorrow. There was a little big picture look around the NFL, some things happening in the NFC East and around the league. Will do that when we come

back tomorrow. Till then, for Nick Even, Dave helm and Ambergarcia. I am Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.