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It's time for the Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com. Were with Mbar Garcia, Brian brought us, Nick Harris and Derek Eagleton.
It is Thursday August fifteenth, twenty twenty four, Season twenty, Episode seventeen. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break Lifemoks in Art, California, presented by LGLG is the world's number one OLED TV brand for eleven years in counting See why at LG dot com Forward slash o Leedevil. We've got a lot to get into today. Cowboys making moves. We'll get into some transactions that have happened over the last twenty four hours. We'll talk about an injury from yesterday's practice that.
Could factor into some.
Of the things that Cowboys are doing, particularly on the offensive line. And we'll also have some practice observations. Yesterday, the Cowboys have another joint practice with the LA Rams. Interesting practice. I'm sure you guys will have some great notes on some players that played well and maybe some moments that weren't so great. We'll talk about that later in the show. We'll start first with transactions. Cowboys are
in the process. I'm not sure what the final is on all this, but in the process of trading for defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and also signing defensive end Carl Lawson. What do we know about these two transactions.
Yeah, I'll start with the trade for Jordan Phillips to Cowboys.
They send a twenty twenty six seventh round picks of the New York Giants in exchange for Jordan Phillips and a sixth round pick in twenty twenty six.
So interesting value there for the Cowboys to be able to make this trade.
They can experience a guy that's been in the league now ten years. He has experience playing at that one tech position. You know, if you're looking for a player who can come in and be right there in the middle of that defensive line, bring experience, bring a.
Little bit of pass rush, this is your guy.
But I think also whenever I was looking at the tape and kind of looking back on the player that Jordan Phillips is six foot six three and forty one pounds. Yes he is wide, Yes he does have a big frame. But I think this is more of a pass rush guy than he is a run stopping guy. Just from my evaluation, I think when it comes to run defense, you still need Mazzie Smith to be.
Able to take that next step forward.
This is not a trade where it's like, all right, Mazzi didn't do it, so here's here's a guy that's gonna play in front of him.
I don't think that's necessarily the case.
I think this is gonna be a situation where both of these guys rotate in just based on, you know, which situation works for them better. So situational player that I think could really help them in the pass rush department.
And you look at Carl real quick before you go, before you go, begun there, Brian, do you agree on the on the pass rush versus run stopper because he is a massive man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think, yeah, all right, trying to get out No, no, man, you're getting after it there. I appreciate. No, I do agree with what he was talking about with the pass rush stuff. I think it's interesting that if you go back and say study the Philadelphia game that Buffalo played last year. The last thirty seconds of the game. You know, you think you would want all fast bodies on the field. They had him trying to kill the game that he was a pass
rush guy. So I think Nick's got him in that regard. I think the three hundred and forty pounds makes him hard to move at times. I think there was some double teams and he was slipping some blocks and stuff. I know, I was watching the Kansas City game. They've got a little bit of that. Kansas City's got a good offensive line where they were all trying to kind of move him, scoop him, reach him, and he was
kind of fighting his way through. I think he's got better range than what we saw with Hankins, and I think he's a better pass rusher than what you saw with Hankins. But yeah, big body guy. And I you know what, I if you just watched and I tweeted this out, if you just watched the Dallas game from last year of him playing against the Cowboys, you would make the trade just right off that, like, okay, ye give me this guy right here. If you look at his ability, they use him in twists which is to
Knick's point, they play games with him. That's a big man that's moving around pretty well there. So to identify somebody like that the Giants, obviously, I need to get with my Giants guys and kind of figure out what was going on.
It sounds like there was some.
Young guys there that they kind of wanted to move with and try and be with. And so, yeah, you take an opportunity. You watch a guy that played against you pretty well last year, you watch him against some of the division opponents, and you're thinking like, wow, he did a nice job against the Eagles, he handled Kelsey pretty well. Oh look what he did against the Commanders.
Those are the types of things I think that when they were looking at this particular player and it became the opportunity for him to make that trade or they make that trade, it was one that was pretty easy for him.
Well, something that I've noticed, like even last year, towards the second half of the season, people would come in or be like, oh, well the line is not aggressive enough, they're not getting after the quarterback. Well, this guy is something that I like that could potentially be really good to adding to that group. Is he's nasty like, he will get after it. He's aggressive, he's not gonna take
crap from anybody. He's gonna and that type of energy you do want, especially at that position defensive tackle, and hopefully it's something that definitely helps stop the run defense as well.
And I will add, if you're an opposing quarterback, this is not a guy you want to see him third down, whether it's a third and short situation. Yeah, because he can get his hands up and he'll bat balls down. He had a career high and pass his defense last year. So that's six foot six frame. It extends even further with his his wingspan. He's got the length. He's a
disruptor against the past. But again, I want to kind of set the expectation in the sense that if you're looking for the big run stopper, okay.
He's gonna play on every down.
I don't think this is necessarily the guy, but without a doubt, without a doubt, this guy does help in the past rush apart.
Okay, So I'm glad I on a limb here because I'm hearing all these great things about pass rush, nimble, move around, all this stuff. The big elephants room in the room is why you still need somebody that can stop the run. You still need a big body in the middle.
Can he not do that?
I this is where I disagree with Nick on this particular. I think that he can play the run. I mean, I totally get the thought about wanting Mazie to be better. I think this guy when you look at him, when you watch him play, and as much as the Cowboys will play with two with linebackers in the A gaps and then also play with the wide defensive tackles, and his ability to get up the field and the ability
to attack the edges and stuff. I mean there were times against the Cowboys where he actually played as an edge and they use him in the game, and you know he was able.
To chase down.
He got hurt on a play in the game against the Cowboys where he was chasing Dak Prescott trying to run the ball. So to me, I will disagree with Nick on the fact is I think he's a better run defender than he's given.
Him credit for.
Gotcham Yeah, And I think it's more so just more so expectation because when you see this the three hundred and four forty one pound frame, I think.
Yeah, but you just think of a big trash can full of dirt. Yeah, I mean, and that's that's no this guy and I and I do. I mean, he's got him right as a pass rush stuff. I mean there's there there are situations like you say, you watched them against Philadelphia and they're trying to run the ball and Jason Kelcey is having problems blocking him, you know, I mean they can't they You know, he gets in a fight with the with the guard there at Philadelphia as well. I mean he he just stuffs the guys.
Guy gets up all pissed and and now there's a scuffle there was on a run play.
You know.
I think that to me when you were looking for something better than Hankins, because that's kind of where the benchmark for everybody is, like, oh, the big guy. I think this guy's got better pass rush ability, But I do feel like he can't help you in.
Some of the run defense stuff that you're gonna ask him to do.
Now you got him excited if you tell me you get me Hankins with more pass rush, Now I'm excited.
Yeah.
The pass rush stuff is really for a man that big is impressive.
It really and I thought you were gonna pull out at.
Chris Jones, like obviously Chris Jones, But yeah, that's what a bigger guy than this guy.
This guy has struggled. He's been with some teas, he struggled with his health at times. It's been you know, he had a rotator cuff problem, he had a hamstring problem, and he hurt his wrist in the Dallas game.
You know, but if you watch the games, like I say.
I was trying to put him up against these offensive lines, maybe one offensive line that he might play during the year and deal with Philadelphia bunch and all that. I kind of felt like that was something that to me, like, Okay, Kansas City. Nick mentioned his ability to get up and not passes away. Mahomes is throwing the ball sideways to kind of get it around him. A couple of times he gets out of the edge, all of a sudden, Mahomes has to kind of throw its side ar him
to trying to get it to somebody else. So, yeah, I think this guy, if you're going to make a trade for a guy, this guy makes.
A lot of sense.
They've been kind of going around looking at Carl Lawson now for a couple of weeks here. He was one of the guys they brought in for those tryouts. I guess was too. All my days are kind of running together now two weeks ago, I don't know, But now Cowboys look like they're going to be signing him. Tell me what's going on with that.
Yeah.
So Carl Lawson, while he has dealt with some injuries in the past, when he is healthy, he is productive and he's twitchy. He's long, and that's what I love the most about Carl Lawson. You see the length and he's able to use that in his pass rush skills that his chopp ability is incredible. His long arms, I mean they get around and he's also able to run through guys. He's got some power too, at six foot two, two hundred and sixty five pounds, I mean he can
he can blow through you as well. So he's a guy who has a large toolbag of pass rush skills coming off of that edge. And I think it's interesting now because you look at what you lost in Dante Fowler and dorn Armstrong and you you slide in Karl Lawson and al Kadeen Muhammad. I don't think it's necessary. I think it's kind of an Apples and orangees comparison just based on you know, stylistic preferences and things of that nature and different defenses.
But I think you've kind of matched.
Where you where you lost as far as experience goes, as far as ability goes. And Karl Lawson's a big speaking point to that. Again, really love the lengths long as he can stay healthy.
This is a really welcome addition to this pass rush unit.
Yeah, the thing with Carl Lawson and you have and that's a very good skind of report about him, but the things he could do the linked is really going to be important. The veteran, the savvy and all that. Please don't rush down the middle. Please use your quickness, Please use your ability to fight, you know, with your hands. Feel free to break down blockers like you've done in the past.
You know, they're hunting ends. We were all kind of talking about.
What positions and defensive end all of a sudden became kind of a sneaky position. We're you know, you're thinking defensive tackles, running backs. All of a sudden, it's like they're hunting defensive ends out here, you know, and they're trying to kind of figure out the edges. They're moving Foko to the outside, they're moving Golst into the other side.
They're trying to figure out this defensive end rotation. Carl Lawson probably initially money probably not right for him, and then all of a sudden it's like, well, WHOA, I'm not going to get a job. I'm not going to have a job. Maybe they circle back and then now the price made it a little bit better sense for both parties.
Yeah, both these signings, I think, or the trade and the signing, I think, in my opinion, what it looks like right now is that the Cowboys have improved. They're trying a defensive line, and that's something to say in this time of the you to be able to find guys that actually can help you when you're talking about guys that in one instance was on the street, another guy that was on another roster. That's also what I'm
looking at with the running back position. Over the next couple of weeks, will there'll be opportunities maybe for the Cowboys upgrade their running back position in the same way where maybe as teams start cutting players, they find a team that's a little running back heavy, find a good, talented running back that just has to be cut for number purpose, numbers purpose.
Yeah, I want to give I'm sorry, you got anything on this you want to tosh up.
With, go ahead.
I mean, I'm sure we're about to soon start talking about the practice because that. Yeah, that's something I showed a lot in the running back and the running game.
Okay, if I could, if I could circle back about the running back stuff. I do appreciate the fact that this front office is just not sitting on their hands. I know, I know people are giving them a lot of crap for things, but they're looking at their roster. We felt like that two weeks in they were going to start to evaluate things. You know, hey, we're not good enough at defensive tackle. We're not good enough. Yeah
we lost Sam Williams. Not good enough here. We got to keep throwing deep, throwing bodies at it, and see, we got to move guys around.
That's what you got to do out here. Though.
You can't sit there and sit on your hands. Yeah you could talk about the contract stuff, that's a whole nother thing. But team building right now, as we speak, them going out and identifying we're not good enough at defensive tackle. We're not good enough at the edge, and we got to get better in those two spots. And to your point, yeah, they've got the draft capital to kind of move around. They've got teams they can look at. The Dolphins are a team that's got a lot of
running backs. You can make a call to Chris Greer down there. Chris Gurrill trade all day with he loves trading down there. So yeah, I think I think there's still this is not this is not over. They're gonna keep looking at this roster and kind of figure out some more things about it really quick.
I think this is pretty interesting too, just looking at the.
Defense side of the ball and how many bodies that they've added there over the course of the last couple of weeks. It's I wonder how much influence Mike Zimmer has around here, because you look at a lot of these additions on both sides of the ball, they either have experience with Mike.
Zimmer or Paul gun Through. A lot of these guys.
I mean, they sign an offensive tackle yesterday, we'll get into that that has experienced with Mike Zimmer. So there's there's a lot of different elements to Mike Zimmer being involved in a few of these personnel decisions, and I think it's I think it speaks a lot towards the trust and the confidence that this front office has in Zimmer. Yes, he's on a one year deal, but I think there's a lot more confidence than just that.
That speaks to it.
He could be a pain in the ass, Yeah, can I dealt with that? Man? Oh, that's also the thing, in a good way.
He's been he was here for many many he will be on relationship there and I think there's respect there. Yeah, And so when you start talking about regards of the terms of his deal, I think he's probably still a voice that Jerry respects. And so if he has something to say about a particular player, whether the player's here or a player that there may be a Will acquire, I'm sure that goes a long way with Jerry.
I appreciate what Will and them are trying to do to help him, though. Yeah, you know, you can only like I say, these guys, the situation's not good with the one year deals, But none of these guys are complaining. They've all got gigs. You know, they're gonna do the best they can. And if the personal department can help them add players and they say.
You know, the bad thing would be if they said, hey.
We need an end, we need a tackle, we need, we need, we need and the front office says, nah, we're not doing that today. We're gonna do that. You know that that in itself, that doesn't build trust among the group.
I mean, all it takes, aside from his career that he's had and what he's shown, all it takes is just looking at what he's done in this short amount of time here a training camp good and be like, Okay, what else do you want to tell me? We'll help you out.
So it makes sense, Let's take our first break. When we come back, we'll talk about that practice Cowboys versus Rams. We'll do in just second Dallas Cowboys dot com.
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Welcome back, Second Break Live from ox Calidi good Way. This is our next to last show. We got one more show next Tuesday, and then we'll be wrapping up Thursday, heading back to our cozy confines at the Star in Frisco.
It's not Monday, it's Tuesday, Tuesday. It's Tuesday, Okay, noted, I'll be sure. I'll be sure and put that in.
Chris had already put it on our schedule. Yea.
I don't look schedule to show up the biggest pet peeves people not looking at their schedule.
I appreciate it.
Does kind of work, all right. So let's jump bill talk ram versus cowboys.
Popcorn fresh popcorn?
Is that what it is? Right?
All right? Let's do a Cowboys versus Rams.
Cowboys and Rams have their second joint practice, and I'm sorry to think they get They're getting.
More work out of that than they got out of that preseason game.
It really gives them an opportunity to kind of get after a little bit with their starters and give them some opportunities to play somebody different.
But let's go down the line. You guys give me.
Some observations of things you saw yesterday during that joint practice.
Yeah, I agree to a certain extent, But I will say we were about an hour and a half into practice yesterday and I was like, man, the energy around here is kind of dead right now. And I was I was trying to identify why. And then I kind of go back and I look at, you know, some certain things that happened. Both defenses just dominated. I thought practice yesterday. I thought the Rams defense played really well.
It kept Cowboys fans quiet, and then on the other side, it was the Cowboys defense getting after their offensive line for the Rams. Big seventy one for the Rams had a tough day against Micah Parsons. Chauncey Golson had some wins against some d Law had some wins against him, and then in the secondary Trayvon Diggs was finally able to get some team reps and he had an interception
that was posted on the Dallas Cowboys Twitter page. Really really cool to see him back and leaping up and grabbing a ball, getting that turnover back on the sheet for him.
But overall, I feel like.
Both defenses played really well. Really loved what I saw from Eric Kendricks yesterday. You know, Demon Clark was out as he's battling his sore need. Demarvin Overshowon, only played about one series before he came out with a hit pointer. We'll see how those two guys develop as the week goes on, but Eric Kendricks really stepped up and played a big role for them as the week went on,
or excuse me, as the practice went on yesterday. But all in all, both defenses I thought really dominated this practice.
Yeah, yesterday I focused more on the Cowboys offense just because this is basically the last time we'll probably watch them go up another team because they're not expected to play in either of the last two preseason games. And to me, man, it was a tough watch. The Cowboys often struggle a whole lot and then going back to
the running game and what's happening there. Since the beginning, I was being very gracious and like very giving them the benefit of the doubt, figuring out like, Okay, there's no way that all these running backs, and I'm going back to last season as well, that all of these different types of running backs cannot get through, like they cannot find a way to properly effectively run the ball.
And now looking back and now what they got. There are moments they have had moments, but it's just not enough. I don't know what it is. I cannot pinpoint exactly what's happening. Because you look at each running back individually. They all have their own set of skills and they're able to show you those sparks and those run and sometimes Zeke he just breaks through and finds a way. But it's not happening enough. It's not happening consistently, and
I don't I don't know what it is. I want to go back to the offensive line, maybe not doing their job, but at the same time, do you look at some of the things that they do, and they do a good job. So I don't know what's going on there, and it's starting to really get concerning for me, because I don't think the guys can go into the season purely relying on the passing game.
Yeah, that was I like what both of us said. I think they were spot on with the observations of this. I felt like Dallas's defense, especially down in the goal line period, that gave me some good encouragement by the you know, the guys and how they're involved in you know, how they're getting their their defensive lineman more involved, how they're using Micah Parsons, how they're using the safety blit's
how they're using the linebackers. I think Zimmer's got a really good feel for how to play goal line defense. I think the Rams had really a difficult time yesterday. I know Matthew Stafford got hurt during the practice with the tight hamstrings, so you know, it was it was up to Jimmy Garoppolo and others to have to do things there.
But I thought overall, Dallas's.
Defense was up to the task when it when it came and he got down there and you're thinking like, okay, you gotta gotta make a stop here, got to make a stand. There were several times where they played the run real well. They had good run fits. As I mentioned, they they were able to cover. They tried some the rams tried some kind of deceptives of moving them. Guys
stayed in place. I really do feel like to me that that that was a very positive more and others mentioned and and Nick mentioned as the the offensive side of things. I thought it was a rough day for Geyton, and I know that Guyton hasn't practiced. I know the clips show him doing things well, and be careful with the clips because it's a whole practice, you know. He
he to was even to himself. He admitted that he was out of sorts yesterday with some of the stuff versus an excellent pass rusher for them, the rookie from Florida State. He's long, he's he's got that ability. He broke Geiting down three times that I saw in this practice where swatting the hands away. When Guiton's really good, it's hands, it's sit and it's adjust with And there
are times when he's very good. He had some reps yesterday where he was very good against first, but then there were other times like where say he get a little lungey, hands get.
A little soft you know, these are all.
Things that he's gonna have to kind of pick up along the way, uh in dealing with these elite and he's going to see a lot of elite edge. Yeah, you know, if if these guys get an understanding, if these guys get an understanding that they could they could rush you and take your hands and move your hands and then grab your corner and then go, it's gonna be a long day. So yeah, when in the one thing I could say with Geyton, he usually will bounce
back with a good rep of two or three. It's not like but when you're going against a guy, it was just it was kind of clear that like Verse figured out.
Like, Okay, if he's just gonna if he's just gonna put his.
Hands up and not engage with his hands, I'm gonna take his hands and I'm gonna make him I'm gonna get him off balanced that way and then attack. And I think that happened a couple of times, not every single time. And there were some times in the one on one where you know, where Geiton did exactly what he needed to do. But I thought the team period there, the whole offensive line just didn't have it they didn't
have that where they were they were. They were really in good, uh incontinuity with each other when it came to running game and then all some some of the past stuff. Dak was having to move. They really couldn't find anybody on the outside.
And you know.
I think the best receiver they had was down in the red zone on the goal line. When you look at Cooks, you know, his ability to find space is always going to be a plus.
Sack got sacked multiple times. In the real game, he would have been on the ground.
I think there were three. There were there was.
I know that Verse had to and Hoyt had the to their other number ninety seven, their other edge jumped around Guidon one time rough day. I mean it was, you know, two sacks, a false start and a holding pilly and they're lucky on the holding pilly that they didn't lose Za Martin.
So you would say, like if there was a you had to raise a hand at the end of the day between Verse and Guy and you're raising the Verse hand, I.
Think I would.
I don't know if I agree to that point.
It was from the from the one on one pass rush stuff and then translating into the team drills. Yes, he had low lows and there was some bad there was some bad points there, but the way Guiden got him on the ground a few times, and then when Guiden was exited from the game, Versus was attacking any and.
Everybody like, yeah, that's that's different.
Yeah, no, Josh ball.
Yeah, he attacked those guys and from that point on they didn't move the ball more than five ten yards down the field. If I had to raise a hand at the end of the day, I think it's a close you know.
Oh no, the third judge, Yeah, it's it's a split. It's it's a split decision. I mean, I didn't know I had the option of a split decision. I was thinking. But I think there's things.
One Geiden hasn't practiced a whole lot, but when he's played, he's been good. I think that he knows that if he's going against these type of pass rushers that could break him down, that that technique has got to be And you're right, the one on one stuff I thought was good. That's see, that's the that's the side of him that you're like, Okay, he understands that.
But if you were.
Talking about team moved the ball yesterday and Ambar saying, we're all saying the offense didn't look very good.
He wasn't alone. They were.
They were kind of breaking down all along that offensive line for them yesterday. It wasn't a move the ball period. It was trying to like like it was a first down a second now and now we're throwing the ball wide on the third down. You know, there wasn't that that crispness to their offense like we saw the first time that these guys practiced against each other.
And I also throw this out, I think, and at least what from what I've seen, it seems to me that Geiden is a little farther along in his run than his pass.
Yes, as a run blocker, I'm really.
Impressed with some of the things I've seen from him, And I think that's just probably the nature of becoming an offensive tackle in the NFL.
It's gonna be harder when you up again.
You see it that way, No, I don't don't know. I was got when you said it. I went, wait a minute.
Now, there's things that he's done with the run block and stuff, because I think in Oklahoma he didn't do a lot of that has to do it a lot differently, a lot differently, but here the technique and the stuff. His ability to get off the ball. He had some some of his best reps I thought in the move the ball period was his ability to cut off or to play in space.
You know, they didn't.
There was one time they asked him to fire off the ball and the guy swam him and then he had to adjust back, so it wasn't a negative play.
I think that.
I think that where where I think the run blocking for somebody that hasn't done it very much, I think is actually good to your point, But the past, the pass block and stuff, when he when he goes against Parsons and tank and you're like, okay, you know, handset, it's all that's together. But he kind of fell apart a little bit in some of his reps yesterday that I guess.
My question is, and this is kind of what I was getting to more, it seems like when the bus, just take your point, kind of make sure we're saying the same thing. Though it seems like to me when the bus happened, when the bad moments happened, they have typically been in the past game not necessarily I haven't seen a lot of those types of moments in the run game where I'm like, oh, what was that? Well he missed that.
I haven't seen a lot of those in the run game. I've seen those more in the past game. By the way, in the past game, I think he's been I actually agree with you.
I think yesterday I actually came out of that feeling like it was a good day for guiding, especially going against someone with the skill level of Verse. But all that being said, like when I see busts, they typically happen in the past game, at least from what I've seen.
Yeah, he the one time he got they tried to run the ball with Zeek over in the move the ball period, and they were going to try and go off the right side, and he fired out and got swam and then the guy went behind, went back door and made the play.
You know.
So it's rare that he is not connected. It's rare and run or pass when you watch him play. So I stand your point. But I think for somebody that did his run blocking to me has been surprisingly good right because of that.
But yeah, I but I.
And I'm not necessarily saying it's bad. I think it's just that's where the inexperience is showing.
For that that's where a lot of it is.
I see experience in or his past protection.
I don't necessarily see the experience yet in the run blocking stuff, and I think he's continuously getting better from that. But you look at the rams film from the game on Sunday, he looked great in pass protection. There was a couple of things in run blocking where he was able to guys got around him or he didn't necessarily understand the protection set like. There were a few things, and I was like, Okay, that's that's where the inexperience
is starting to show up a little bit. And sure that could be a product of him moving to the left side of the line as well. I mean, that's probably where you're gonna have to have the most adjusting from going from the right to left from his perspective, because he was still covering a blind side of the quarterback. But going to the left side, it's a lot different as far as outside zone stuff and trying to cover you know, different types of defensive ends on that side
of the ball. I think for me, I still see the inexperience showing in the run blocking.
That's why I am concerned when he goes up against bigger.
Defensive en you know, the season, So we're talking about Miles Garrett week one. I think that's a guy that can really use his power to get around him in the run game, whereas in the past protection he has a really good footwork, he has really good hands. I think he's gonna be able to hold his own more often than not. I mean we've seen that out here against Michael Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. I think that'll translate to the game in Week one and translate to the field.
It's the run blocking stuff that I do have concerns with, and I think that trickles down the entire offensive line. You know, speaking to your point earlier ago about the run game, I think there is a big problem still in the offensive line about creating holes, and I think Guidan's a part of that.
I do. And I think will he get better as the season goes on?
You would hope so, And you've seen him get better just in the time we've been out here in Oxnard. But I think going into Week one, there's gonna need to be some adjusting and and different philosophies.
And one more points to that.
If I could you see tight end sets next to Tyler Guidon more often than not when you're running the ball. If they want that protection to be on that side, they put the Brevin span forwards to the Luke Scoon makers to Jake Ferguson's over on his side to give
him help in the run protection. That's I think that's speaking to that inexperience and preparing for week one, week three, week six against Detroit to have a guy next to him whenever they do need to get after the Miles, Garretts and the bigger defensive.
Do you feel with the switch to BB that they're doing exactly what you're talking about, that they're worried so much about the run offense that that putting BB instead of Hoffman in there is something that they I know BB's shown he could pass that and do the things to play a power but do you think that they're maybe thinking long term that they could run the ball better with BB in there than Hoffman.
I think that's an interesting point. It depends do you want a power guy in the middle, do you want an athlete in the Yeah? And I think that kind of speaks to the rest of your offensive line. You know, what do you have up there and what do you
need right there in the middle. I think if you asked me, you know, week week fifteen Cooper BB versus Week one Cooper BB, it's gonna look a lot different, sure, but I think you look at week one brock Hoffman versus Week fifteen Cooper BB, and I think probably looking at a pretty even playing field. So it's do you want to get the reps for Cooper and do you want to have him out here with the ones? Do you want to start him in the middle of or
at the start of the season with the ones? I think you're going to have to come with some growing pains as that comes along. But unfortunately they don't have a running back that can kind of work around growing.
Pains on the offensive line. But that's also don't feel like they do.
That's also the question. It sounds like from what you guys are seeing, you're saying that the offensive line is as much a part of the problems in the run game. Point is, do we have you had an opportunity to really be able to evaluate the running backs If the offensive line is really where your problem.
Is that's wherever in which which one is it? Because sometimes I'll see it's the running back no finding the freaking gap and get in in there and doing what they need to do. And then other times it's like, well, dang, okay, what do you expect?
Like they don't the.
Offensive line is not creating those holes for the running back. So that's where I'm having a very hard time evaluating this issue as far as the running game, because it is a mixture of both. Sometimes I see one doing well, the other one failing, and vice versa. So I don't know if you're seeing something different, Brian.
No, I mean I like what you're saying there.
The thing about it, I don't need Trey Lance throwing the ball forty times the game, right, you know, if it would, it would do my heart good. If if Trey Lance through the ball twenty twenty five times, I'd do my heart good. And those other runs, let's load up, you know, let's see just kind of be committed. If you're you know, if you're if you're Mike McCarthy, take the Mike Zimmer approach and go without the play sheet, just call your three base runs and and see how
well you can really. I just think that we don't know that because we saw a guy throw the ball forty times the other day. You know where maybe they could have you know, maybe they could have tried some more. If you keep telling us that you like Malik Davis and all that. Yeah, you give him a lot of carries, but give him more carries. You give him eight carries, well, heck, give him fifteen carries.
Well you see eight carries for eighteen yards. Is that an inspire confidence?
No, it really does.
But I just you know, to me, if they go out there and they try to on the ball and there's problems, then you can now say, okay, I've identified the line is having issues. The running backs aren't fast enough, they're not hitting the holes quick enough, and the tight ends can't block. And Hunter Lipkey as a fullback is not the answer. Those are all things I can figure out if you show me that you're committed. Now we'll see times when they do nine on seven out here, Well,
they'll pop some runs. But man throwing the ball forty times the other day wasn't committed to running the football or or finding out if you could, you know, run the football.
So are they committed to finding an RB three.
You know what I'm gonna give it.
I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say yes, okay, And I'm saying this because I know and they're not that they listen to us. Well, they do listen. That's what am I saying. Hi, how are you doing? Good to see you guys. You were doing a wonderful job.
The thing we you identified, they've identified.
We keep talking about positions, the tackle, the ends, we talk about the running backs. I think that's the same thing here. I think that they're looking at this and they're going, is Malik we all believe, maybe I'm speaking out of turn here, believe that Zeke Daddle Hunter Lipke right top three? Yes, if they carry a fourth, are you convinced Malik.
Davis is that guy?
No?
No, that's what I'm saying.
You gotta be a special teams guy.
Yeah, but that's what I'm saying. If they're if they if we're all believe in this, they're probably looking at the same thing and saying, Okay, is is there somebody at Tampa Bay or Atlanta or Miami that's better than Malik Davis?
Hell?
Is there someone there better than Ezekiel Elliott. You know that's what you really, if you're honest with yourself, that's how you should evaluate this.
Yeah, you have two RB two's leading your running back room, which it comes with its pros, but it certainly comes with its cons too. I mean, like I've mentioned, they don't have a playmaker at running back, and if you are expecting growing pains, especially on the front half of the schedule against the defenses you're going up against, you need a playmaker at that running back position.
At this point though in the year, do you think you could find that? I mean, even if you were trying to trade for it, I think trying to find a real playmaker at running back maybe kind of difficult at this point.
Yeah, I mean, just the guy was some twitch right, I mean, what who would you say is the twitchiest running back right now?
I mean, we haven't seen a whole lot of.
Deuce fall and yeah, he's there, so I but how how much experience is he going to be able to grab in the next week at camp. He just returned to practice yesterday. He's going to have to have a huge last two preseason games to be able to inspire confidence there. For me, at least, I just I don't understand where the playmaking is. Maybe they've been running him out of the backfield a couple of times.
Maybe it's a who I.
Will say this, I really believe, I really believe that Caricodowdell is a really good running back. My issues with him have never been about his ability. It's just where the hell can he stay healthy? That's the biggest thing.
So if you guaranteed me that he was going to stay healthy for seventeen weeks, I probably wouldn't go run grab a running back.
I'm with you, like I would feel I would.
Be willing to give him the ball that But but if you but I know there's going to be a day where all of a sudden, we're in week six and he's out because of an injury, and these two weeks I'm not wishing, I'm not hoping that. I'm just talking about, you know that things like that happen with him. He hasn't played the ol season like that.
Yeah, it's just I see him and it's been since he got here with the Cowboys. He has these runs where you're like, that was a really good run, and you always kind of it's almost like you surprised yourself, but you're like, you shouldn't be surprised at this point. He does it pretty regularly with these nice runs, and I think the question just becomes can he stay healthy? That's the most important thing for Rico Downell.
All right, let's take our final break.
We'll come back. Well in the show, I did have some questions for you guys on a wide receiver depth.
We'll see if we can get to.
That and kind of talk about that a little bit here in the final segment. We'll be back dllas Cowboys dot com Radio.
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Welcome back, final segment of the break. We only got two minutes, so we're gonna hold that conversation on wide receiver depth until next week. But I'm sorry. This segment is brought to you by blockchain dot Com. All right, so this this final segment we're gonna do is I didn'ted to catch up real quick on a couple of news items or Robostic left practice yesterday. Cowboys did sign a tackle earlier, Cole Cabral. But where are they at
this point with with their offensive tackles. That's you know, just the bodies are starting to dwindle a little bit. What are you guys thinking and hearing as far as the tackle position?
Yeah, So they worked out two guys yesterday morning, Cole Cabral and then Drew Samia.
Both of these guys have experienced under Mike Zimmer.
Samia being a fourth round pick by Zimmer in twenty nineteen, and then in that same draft class, Cabral was an undrafted free agent addition. Looking at Cabral, I mean, he's just a big body that they're able to bring in and be able to help at the offensive tackle depth position. But yeah, you see Earl bost To go down with an injury. You see Chu Maydoga go down with an injury earlier in the week. There's not a lot of healthy tackle bodies, and even less healthy left tackle bodies.
Like I said earlier in the show, they shifted Josh Ball over to the left side. He hasn't had many, if any team reps there during camp, and he just looked out of place. And you look at Matt will Letsko, He's a guy that coaches have said that they like him more on the right side of the line. So you're really just looking at Austome Richards and then Nathan Thomas. He hasn't been at camp. He's been injured for the last week and a half. Yeah, so it's it's tough.
It's it's really tough for them to be able to find reliable depth right now. So Cole Cabral, they add him it's just another body. He doesn't have any NFL game experience in the regular season, but right now they need as many bodies as possible at that position. It's it's getting it's getting concerning because if you do get to a situation during the season where Tyler Geidon goes down before to Manydoga can get back, you're probably looking at musical chairs on the offensive line.
Again, question, is this an across the league type of problem or are we the only one who are always dealing with injuries on the offensive line.
Somebody like Minnesota Vikings would like a word with you in a way starting quarterback. I mean, it's a problem we do.
We do an NFL segment every day one one, five to three of the fan and we we probably go through four or five injuries a day of major injuries on teams. So yeah, it's part of camp.
Yeah, in a way, yes, offensive line, there's not a wealthy or a healthy amount of bodies there on the offensive line that can be NFL caliber players that can step in and be ready to go. I mean the Cowboys are They have the luxury of interior depth right now, and that's that's something that not a lot of teams can say and if they do get into a pinch during the season, that interior depth could actually really help them because they have a guy named Tyler Smith who
has great experience at left tackle. But yeah, it's it's a league wide problem. But right now, I would say the Cowboys are dealing with this problem a little bit harsher right now compared to some other teams, just because they just lost two tackle bodies rather quickly in the last in the last few days.
Yeah, that you know your thing with Bostic, that's a that's a that's a bad, bad high ankle sprain that they're talking about. Probably not lost for the year, but they're gonna have to probably do some surgery there to fix that, and they use that tightrope procedure is what they now to kind of hopefully get it. Probably not lost for the year, but it's a it's a significant injury.
Yeah, it's that's one of those things. Tackle is a hard put position to replace. Not all guys have the skill to do it. Can you see a lot of times guys will come from college and they'll slide them to the inside. Because tackle is a very tough position to play in the NFL. All right, so we'll be
back on next Tuesday. We'll wrap up this camp and kind of give you guys our opinions on what we've seen holistically throughout camp and then get Harry ready to head back to Frisco, get another week of some practices in and then we're into the season. It's it's that time. It's about to be cut down, cut to cut down time, and we will get into the twenty twenty four NFL season. Until then, for Brian brought us Amber Garcia, Nick Harris,
I'm Derek Heiltson. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
This has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.