Cowboys Break: Who’s Playing?

of The Break. Life in the SWBC Mortgage Studios. At the start, got Dave Hellman and Nick Eatman with me for a rousing forty five minutes of Cowboys talk on a Friday heading into the third preseason game for the Cowboys. Uh, the LFG excited. Yeah, that's not what he looked like. God, it look like I'm not gonna say, but oh, it didn't look it didn't look like something he should be doing in here. It's a record for how quickly you took things off the reels. I'm just excited. It's Friday. Yeah,

it's a football weekend. I saw your I saw your post, and I kind of feel you. But it's like I keep one to get excited and I'm like and then I get brought back to the earth, like I'm like, oh, but there aren't any real games this weekend. It's just kind of preseason. But there's still some value I think in these preseason games will be next week's preseason games that you're like, I don't even want to watch this.

I just want to get to the actual games. Yeah, but there's some there's some twenty twenty element of it as well, just kind of getting back, hopefully in some normalcy that we didn't have last year. You know, that's even like I didn't feel that way last year because it was it sucked, it was lame, different, Like you weren't going to games. You might not even be sure on Friday if a game was going to happen on Sunday or Saturday or whatever you were trying to watch.

And Yeah, it's God. I love that feeling of waking up on Friday and you're like, you know, the heavy lifting for the week is done, and there's gonna be football on all weekend. It's just you know, if you're

traveling to a game, it's even more exciting. It's just the best I have never been that guy that says, oh, this game, fourth game, third game, never because because we always go to training camp and we see these guys and we want to see, Okay, they're looking okay, let's see what they do in the game where they don't look that great. But maybe there'll be a gamer, you know. And so there's always storylines there and even in the third and fourth quarter. Yeah, these games may not make

the team, but it's it's fun to see that. It's fun to see like that game. I thought the game was over last last week. I was so loud down the Arizona I didn't hear any false start or whatever. I thought. Bohanna and Kamara won the game. So I was I got five guys I'm supposed to talk to in the locker room, and I'm like, okay, well i gotta switch because we gotta get Bohanna. I just won the game. Wait, why are they kicking a field goal? Like I'm down there. I'm like, I don't know what's

going on. But it's a game and there's storylines, and that's why I always love it. Yeah, I'm never gonna not watch football, Like that's part of my problem. I think it's kind of a problem that I'm just like, if I'm happening to flip around the television and football's on, I don't care who what the game is, I'm stopping down and you know it's it's a problem for people in my house. But if that's for me, that's a problem. I don't want to be I don't want to be fair.

I don't want to help the problem. I don't want to be first. And actually, next weekend, just to make a quick announcement for everybody that will be high school football next weekend, and if you're in Texas, you know how big that is. We got actually a really special game next weekend here at the Star. It's the very first Jerry Jones Classic. It's gonna match up Denton Ryan

versus Long Review, I think it is. And from what I understand, these are two top five teams in the state that'll be matching up here at the Start next weekend. So that's gonna be fun. I love watching. Like I said, if it's football on, I'm in And I think I might even come out next weekend check that one out in person, because it'll be it'll be a fun weekend too, all right, So yeah, right, you two. I'll be there,

you will be Nick loves high school football now he does. Yeah, well love he wrote a book about it, so I would think he kind of mean it's it's pure. I mean, it's it's just this is it. This is what these guys have, like, this is their life and most for a lot of them, they're never gonna play another game, you know, and this is this is what it means. And so you know, it's funny like preseason games and that game that you're just talking about is a non

district game. It doesn't matter to their playoff implications. Tell that to everybody there that it doesn't matter, it will matter. Yeah, they'll be thinking about it. You know, you probably remember a game from your high school. You know. It's just what it is. It's what it is, and I love it. I love that that form. I love all forms of it. Football. Football. All right, let's get a quick update back. McCarthy had his press conference a few minutes ago. Dave tell us

he he had an update on Dak. What do you have to say about Dack? Uh, Yeah, just not anything concrete, but just that you know, Dak is going to con tenue this progression. It's not you know, Mike was basically like, I'm not gonna you know, I'm not willing to commit that he's gonna just be full go taken every rep next week, but he anticipates that he'll take another notch up in his participation next week. Hopefully that means doing

some competitive stuff, but I guess we'll see. And then maybe the most interesting part is that he did say, you know, somebody asked you think he'll be on a pitch count during the season, like you only gonna throw him so many times to keep him healthy and YadA, YadA, and Mike was like, no, I don't. I don't think that'll be a thing, Like he'll be fine when the

season gets here, Which that's that's noteworthy to me. If you think, you know, give it another two and a half weeks and you don't think you have to limit him at all. I mean, that's that's the goal, right And I think until you get to that point, there's always going to be some antiness. You know, I said that earlier today, like anytime QB one's not just one hundred percent available, there's always going to be some antiness.

So especially at the beginning of the year because you know, there's such a long marathon that's going to have to happen here to get to where you want to be, which is playing in January and maybe even February. So yeah, when you already got problems right now, you're definitely a little bit concerned, I would say. But that's yeah, So that's a good sign. He's still trending in the right direction. All reports continue to be positive. All right, So let's

talk about Lyle Collins. That was another injury that happened earlier this week. Has some discomfort in the neck and back. What are they saying about him? Every I mean, and I get it. I understand why everybody would freak out about that, because not only did you know Lyle was out last year, not only did he miss the whole year, but until he had surgery, they were like, he's fine, he's fine, he's fine, he's gonna do something tomorrow. Oh, by the way, he's having hip surgery and he's gone.

So I understand why that freaks people out. But he did stay at practice the other day, like he stayed for the whole thing. He didn't get out of uniform, he went through the walkthrough after practice was over and I was like, Okay, surely this can't be that bad if you're doing walk through and things like that. So he's expected to do some stuff. He's expected to practice today, and Mike even said that he'll probably take some snaps

tomorrow when the Texans came. So he sounds fine to me. Nick, does the does the age of this offensive line bother you? Because I think you know, when you hear about these kind of things and you look at last year, I think there is a natural inclination for some casual observers fans to look this and be like, man, it's just like every year it seems like this team is as parcels you say, health hostage. Yeah, by the by the

health of the offensive line. Yeah. I mean I'm not gonna just say the age bothers me, but what the age represents is more wear and tear. More of these things come up, and it's hard to kind of go back into you It's hard to think there'll be a time where it's like, man, Tyran went through the whole year no issues at all. I mean, it's not a knee, this is a neck, back, shoulder, elbow, you know, it's it's things that just kind of keep lingering a little bit.

So yeah, yeah, I mean, yeah, you have to say it's it's bothersome because they're not as good as they were and this line isn't as good as as they were. Um, I think I think Travis Frederick was better than we We think he was as far as and we thought he was great, but I think he was even maybe better than that, just because the glue, the glue of being the you know, in the center of the line making the calls. He was really good. Like you weren't

beating him a lot. You know, we didn't even think about snaps really and now we're kind of looking at it a lot more. He was just a solid I don't even like saying solid because he was an all pro, but I mean he was just the perfect centerpiece if you will, to that line. And I think I think it's gone gone downhill since then, and then with it you tack on the injuries as well, and they're just not as reliable as we've you know, seeing him in

the past. Yeah, all right, let's move onto one other transaction. The Cowboys made Hunter Nice Wander was wave injured. It raised my eyebrow obviously, if you think about it. Probably shouldn't because he was a guy that was kind of getting him through the preseason doing both kicking duties and punt duties, and then he got hurt. So talk to me about what this means and who they signed in his place, and what it means a long term for this team if anything. I don't really think it means

anything long term, if any. We talk about this a lot of like our idea from the outside fans and media, sometimes it is completely different than what they think. And what I mean by that is all you know, Hunter wasn't pretty good last year for a guy that came in off the street, and everybody was like, Okay, maybe you know, maybe he's he can compete to be the

long term answer. And so like all through the offseason we were like, there's going to be a competition for the punter job, clearly, not like clearly the John Fossil from the get go was like, thank you for your contribution and you will be shown the or at some point like that is the body language going all the way back to the spring of how they felt about that, And that's fine, but I was trying to are you

gonna pronounce the guy's name. It's Liriumu Hira Lahore you go lah okay, So the jay is silent as far as I'm aware. Um, I'm not. I'm not saying I'm definitely right, but I've looked it up and that's what I came up with. Hi Laho. He's Canadian by way of Kosovo. He's played in the Canadian Football League for a pretty long time, so I mean he's not he's not new to this. He knows how to kick um. But again, you know, this is a placeholder deal as far as I can tell. Because Greg's airline has kicked

a few times. They are gonna go They're gonna put him through another routine tomorrow night before the game, and John Fossil said yesterday that their their hope slash plan is for Greg to be active and kick against the Jags in the final preseason game. So sounds like he'll be fine. And if you're you know, we've seen the way McCarthy does these games. You know where he does it. You know, he doesn't want to see a nice wonder kick a thirty eight yard or he'll just go for

it all fourth and ten. He wants to see that. I think you need to flip the script when you get to the Jacksonville game. Yep. Yeah. If I'm sitting at the thirty two yard line for a forty nine yard field goal and it's third and six, I think I'm gonna see I'll just run the football because I want to see him kick it. That's more important to me. Because we get to Tampa Bay, you know, into the half into the game, there's gonna be kicks like that. I want to see him in pre game is fine.

He can still do it in pre game, but I want you want to see it in the game. You want to see his kickoffs, get the game operation down, all that good stuff. And I do think he said um because in Arizona he was just kicking like he had a t But their plan for tomorrow night is for them him to like work with Jake McQuaid and whoever the holder is probably ain't assume so because he's gonna be your punner, right, Oh, he's gonna be your punner, which he and I think this maybe got lost, Like

he punted against Arizona, so anger's fine. I mean, he he had one punch against the Cardinals, so I think he's on track. He's just a nine year veteran guy that they don't want to wear his sah. But he's been the holder for Nice Wonder on these you know, so he's a holder. But I do think, you know, like I said, sometimes we get caught up in a

narrative that is just not there at all. And I mean, like, you know, a lot of people, including me, I thought maybe nice Wander could compete for something, and they were like, no, no, we're we like what we got and that's what we're going to roll with. That. That bothers me, honestly, just because I mean, this was the first time he's ever been kicked. It was last year punted, and it was a better average than Chris Jones ever had in his

entire career. Chris Jones was considered a good dislid punter. And uh, you know, so I think, okay, this, he's rookie. He got thrown in here and you know, I mean it, and yes, last year was so weird, and then you know think, okay, give him a whole camp, he'll be good. But he didn't have a camp. He was kicking, you

know what I mean. It's it's like it's like saying, hey, you're a wide receiver, but we're going to have you play tight end and now we're evaluating you as a player because of what we see a tight end and that's not Clarence Hill. Credit to him, he kind of called that out in the press conference yesterday with John.

He was like, you know, you said he was going to have this opportunity to do all this, Like you didn't really give him a chance to punt while he was here, and bones said something it wasn't like the best explanation. And I mean, like I said, they just they knew what they wanted and what they were going to do. I asked him in the one of the press conferences in Oxner too, I asked her about that, like, is this a competition? He's like, Oh, it's definitely a competition. Oh,

it's not that so much. When well, the good thing about it for him, though, is he's had some experience here with the Cowboys both last year and during this training camp. I have a suspicion he's gonna pop up on somebody's roster because I think that's a valuable thing to have somebody that can kick and punt and you can use him in either role or maybe if you got into a pinch in both roles, right, yeah, prece and he's not gonna embarrass you and punters the punter. Okay,

he's not. I get it, but I'm saying he can get out. It's better than rolling out when we was a few years ago when the Cowboys got to talk about Jeff He. I'm just saying, when you got to roll out Jeff He to to kick a field goal, you probably rather do it a nastal. You have an actual kicker. And if if I ever do because you love Jeff, oh yeah, that's part of why I love He's like, yeah, I can kick player put pass kick.

You remember. The competitions might not, but I remember well, And it doesn't matter whatever happens, if there's ever another edition of If These Walls Could Talk, or any other

story time. I mean, Hunter Nice Wonder is going to have a story for me, for me because of because of that Eagles game when he had never played before, and he's he's sitting there in the suite with me and his last year when I'm think I had the sweet to myself, you know, because I'm like, you need to write a whole book about last year for you. I'm sure you got a lot of stories. I'm sure they'll all be cleared, you know, like don't yeah, but

it's gonna get vetoed. He comes over and he's got this this Jim Jim bag and he's like, hey, I'm Hunter and a nice wander. I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah, the new guy. Yeah, but Chris Jones is still there. And he's like, Chris has been dealing with the back. He's like, do you know if I'm playing today? And I'm like, what he asked you? Yeah? He goes, do you know if I'm playing? He thinks I just got an official badge. I know what's going on. And I'm like,

I don't. Are you playing? Like in the game against the Eagles, and like Danucci start, He's like, yeah, they told me to come and take the early bus and none of the other guys are here. I'm on the practice squad, but they say they might sign me if if if Chris he's gonna warm up, do you know if I'm playing? I have my cleats right here. I have my cleats in my bag. I'm like, either he goes, either I'm playing or I'm sitting up here in one of these suites. I'm like, god, this is so weird.

I'm like, um, I don't know, but I Don'm not the guy to ask if you're playing. I promise you that let's figure that out. Let's go down here. He went down, he found the right guy he was because he was just like and then he comes back up later and he goes like, I guess I'm not playing. I'm like, this is yeah, I guess not because there's warm ups and you're not grab a hot dog, right, hot dog? It's so and then I saw him on the plane afterwards. He's like, yeah, I'm not playing. That

didn't play. This guy, I saw it. I saw that you didn't play. And he's like, next, I'll probably think I'm gonna play next week. I'm like this, this is like, this is like the you know, at the gym at the rec center. Like, I'm not playing. It might drive next. I'm like, no, you don't have next year albums. NFL game, God, it was so weird last year. Last year was a

crazy year. Man. I would suspect that every team was kind of flying by the seat of their pants when it came to certain things, because it's just everything was

so weird. Yeah, it's so different what everybody had to deal with last year with with all the COVID protocols and that kind of And we get to Arizona last week and we're sitting, you know, we usually have this one big row and you where all of us are sitting, and then you and I are over here, and Rob and Dave were over here back here, and it's like, you know, usually it would be like damn. And then but it was like we're good. We're here, We're good,

nothing nothing but smiles and yeah, we'll deal. This is all good, Like you guys good and like, yes, I told a man, Rob sat down. I was like, this is gonna bother neck. Just wait. Well, I mean, oh yeah, well you know what he does. The first thing he does, he goes and he looks and he says, so, who else is sitting over here? They're not gonna be here, They're not gonna maybe we can move them down. I

was like, I'm borderline clod. I was like, I'm good, I'm a little bit claustrophobic when it get not not claustrophobic, because give me some room right now a little bit, you know, So that that's all that that is when everyone. I was just happy that we were all there too, and we're all gonna it was hopefully be there throughout the season this year. Hopefully nothing crazy happened too. All right,

let's take our first break. When we come back, We're gonna talk a little bit about the Cowboys versus the Texans and what should be a fun matchup for some fans that are like from Houston, maybe like there, there's

still some people that love that Houston Dallas thing. I'm not sure exactly what players will be playing, so we'll talk about that when we come back, and you guys can let us know who will be out there as to whether this should be a fun matchup or just kind of another game that we'll all watch because we just like to watch football. Will deal well, come back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Before there was a draft, you get sized up a cowboy by three

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Cowboys versus Texans. That's happening tomorrow night at AT and T Stadium, and so let's start first with the starters, and which of the starters do you expect to actually be out there on the offensive side of the ball and the defensive side of the ball, So in them all not just give me an idea of kind of what guys the offense is going to play this like it's the first or second game like that that we're not This is not a dress rehearsal. Dack's not going

to play. Um Zeke is not going to play, which I love. It's so refreshing that Mike McCarthy doesn't really treat this like a state secret. He even made it Joe, he was like, he's not kind of played. Did you not watch Hard Knocks? Because in the first episode he was like, we shouldn't play him. So I guess he's like this at this point, everything we've done is yeah, it's no longer a top secret. So and then you know. But so it is encouraging. Tyrone, Zach and Lyle are

all expected to play. But again, you're talking a series, maybe two series, ten to fifteen snaps, Amari Cooper ten to twelve snaps. Maybe Lamb and Gallop do a little bit more because they've already played. But I think for the most part. You're talking all starters out by and before the first quarters over. If I had to guess an offense, yeah, defense I think is going to look

more like a dress rehearsal. You know, those that side of the ball is healthier just in general, like you're not dealing with guys that are maintaining things the same way and younger. You know, there's a lot more unproven guys on the defensive side of the ball. So I think you could see I think most of the defensive starters will play like a half, probably are close to it. DeMarcus Lawrence obviously isn't gonna play. I don't think you're

gonna see him. No, I know you're not gonna see him till Tampa because there sure is hell not going to play him against Jacksonville. Yeah, so yeah, but everybody but Tank. I feel like everybody who's healthy should play a half or so. I don't did you mention Randy I did not know which he's been dealing with a foot, But he has looked good here this week at practice, So about bash him? Yeah? I don't. He's could you start wondering wondering, like where the bodies that are going

to be out there. You know, I think bash him, Well, that's a good question. I know he's coming back from his ankle, and maybe keep an eye on what he does today. Did you hear something about Randy I no, no, no, just I mean I know he's practiced them, but I mean, yeah, maybe he doesn't do a full half. He's one of those guys. He's kind of on the boardom line. You need some snaps, but you don't want to push it.

I mean, are we Are we a huh hundred percent sure Terrell Basham makes the team a hund I mean I would say, I'm like ninety five percent. Yeah, I think that would surprise me. Yeah, it would surprise me too. I'm just you know this, even though they're cap strap, they're not really like needing to save a lot of money right now. Like they're not gonna go get anyone else. They don't need the money for someone else. So I don't think it would be that. I just I'm just

looking at it. I mean, there really isn't a young guy. But but the way that Dorn's Armstrong has played, I think he's your third pass rusher now, so you're getting and he also plays special teams, which makes him very valuable. He's just going to get on the field in different ways. But if there was a younger guy that was playing in well, where we're going with this is Chauncey Gholston, when is he going to be back? Like, because that's

right now. That's what's kind of making this whole defensive end position cloudy for me, because what do you do with him? Do they decide to put him on six week pup? He looks like a pop stash to me, maybe like he's I mean, he has you know, and

some people have been asking a lot of questions. I get it he's he's been doing some rehab work, like he started working with Britt Brown recently, but like jogging, you know, was this expected because I never heard anything about this in the off season, it would be this kind he was thinking stuff. He was out there, he was out there was a guy a lot we talked to leon Lett. I think it was being you before camp.

Golston was a guy that he was excited about. So this whatever happened was happened either right before camp or at camp. It might yeah, I think I'm pretty sure I heard that it might have. I don't remember if it was Gholston. So I don't want to say for sure, but not trying to dismiss bash him at all. I'm just thinking things have changed in the in the development here. I mean, Dorin's Armstrong is getting to the point where, you know, I think that they're gonna have to play

him more. You know what they played him at last year? I know, But but what what what Joe Witz said about Maurice? Can that feed the studs? I mean, if you're playing so well that you got to get them on the field, but you probably want four ends, right, Yeah? And who's the fourth if it's right right? I mean, I'm not saying that, but if Gholston was in the mix, and there was maybe Bradley and I would actually actually do something. You could look at it and say, all right,

we'll hold on here because we have a veteran. Anytime you have veteran backups that are in the third or even in the fourth spot, I think that you have to think about it. Yeah. No, I get that, I honestly think, but I wouldn't. I'm not saying I would. I just I don't think they're I mean, they're they're not married to any of those guys. That's how they do it in free agency. But I just this is not implying by any way, I have not heard that.

I'm just thinking, if you're not starting, and you're not even maybe the first backup, and you're kind of a veteran guy, I think I think it's safe to say, oh, let's let's look at this. But I just think I don't think a Nis had a better camp than Basham and Golston I have. I can't believe that he would be ready and at this point, yeah, you're what, you're ten days from final cuts or twelve days from final cuts, whatever that market. And so I think at this point

I would be surprised if Gholston. I think you try to stash him for six weeks and get him back a little more healthy and acclimated before you do anything with him. This team also likes Rondelle Carter more than fans do and media does. The team likes Carter more then. I'm not saying than anybody else, but I'm just saying they're high on him. Well, between him and and I like, those are guys that are right now, it's hard to

see how they're gonna make the team. But you know, you would think that there's at least some interest and maybe some interest in that room that they want to keep them there. And there's always and this is this sets up perfectly for a surprise, even if it's maybe it's not Terrell Basham, but she's using that as an example. That's a great point that, Okay, here's a veteran that's not making a lot of money. You know, he's not going to get a ton of defensive snaps. We really

need a special teams player. If you feel like Rondell and Dorian's Armstrong's been so good. John Fossil actually talked about that yesterday. You might have to decrease his load on special teams because he's playing more on defense than what he's used to. And so in that case, you

got to find a replacement. Maybe it could be a Ron del Carter or Bradley And I don't roll out to from a pass rushing standpoint, because they're going to have to figure out how to get number nine on the field if they're gonna if they're gonna keep well, yeah, I think he should. You got to figure out the Luba Santas for two years, figure out the best way to use Jalen Smith. Let's call him Jalen Smith, not number nine. Yeah, that's I was. I was like, we're

doing We're doing that now. Yeah, No I'm not I'm not fit. Yeah, but let me ask you. I was gonna ask this rush on this same thing though. Yea. I don't know if you guys saw the report yesterday the Clarence put out Clarence Hill. Uh. He said that he's expecting that both Jalen and Layton Vanderish will be seeing some snaps on special teams. Hated in the preseason. Hated is that you hate why he hated it, because because that doesn't mean that they're going to be good

because they're they're better runs. Absolutely, I don't think Jalen Smith would be a great special teams guy. He doesn't run very well for sixty yards. He doesn't. That's not his thing. But I thought straight line running was actually where he's okay, Like I thought he could still run straight line. It's change of direction that's a problem for him. Right with Lauren kind of fetched him like forty yards back. So I know that he's I know he's a wide receiver.

I know, and it wasn't his fault. It was whoever whoever was. They need to work on that drill. By the way, I don't ever see that drill. They want to really preached turnovers and special teams work on that where the guy's running with the ball and you turn it around and actually blocking someone. Leon Lett wouldn't be member, you know, wouldn't be remembered for that play against Buffalo if Jimmy Jones would have turned around and hit the guy turn around. That's the thing. And Vanderest did did

not do it in that Washington game. White laughing, it's I'm I love your enthusiasm, just I'm because they don't do it. And I've never thought, yeah, I've never considered that they should do a drill where they and you're right and I'm wrong. Like I'm not saying you're crazy. It's just it'll get enough turnovers to make Yeah, seriously maybe. So it's like it's like the step one right, It's

like team though it's in the high school team. That's like, we're gonna practice our kneel downs, like you can never kneeling down the ball. You guys are all Yeah, let's focus on getting guys running towards the end zone with the ball before we worry about who's blocking Alden Smith touchdown against Cincinnati last year, the entire defense was on at wevel like that. Yeah, probably like where are they other guys? Seriously, we're ling we need more? Oh no, okay,

I do. I thought that there was a little more nuanced to what Fossil said than that. It's and I think it applies to the whole season, which is something that I've been thinking about a lot. Typically, you keep five or six or maybe seven linebackers the back half of your depth chart, our core special teams guys because they're big enough to tackle and block but also still pretty fast. But this whole depth chart is gonna be

starter caliber player. With all of this Rode linebacker, you got four guys that you're going to be leaning on to play heavy snaps, which means you like, where are these special teams snaps coming from? So I think what Fossil was saying is he hadn't He did say, he was like, all four of these guys have to find

something they can be useful at on special teams. Doesn't mean they all have to play every team, but they all got to have something that they can contribute otherwise, you know, how do you You got to have forty

six guys who are doing something on game day. So I thought that was interesting, just that Neil and Parsons as well, like all four of them need to find a way to be useful, or at least three out of the four probably, And honestly, I mean, I think that's the point to make, is that it's it's all of them. It's not just Layton and Jalen. Yeah, that makes it sound like them. I just thought it made it sound like Fossil was like, at least two guys sucks.

So they got to play specials and on the way they're gonna make the seams if they got to play special teams, which is not the case. Right, Yeah, okay, all right, so those we're gonna do real quick before we go to break. I want each you guys to give me one bubble guy, one guy that this game is very important for them, whether it is for them to maybe a sin to a starting role, or whether it is a possibility of them having to make this team.

This game is critical for them. Let's start with you, David. Maybe not like critical, because I think they're both going to be on the team. But you know this Maurice Kennedy and Jordan Lewis, Like Jordan wasn't available for most of the Oxnard part of camp. Kennedy took that opportunity and ran with it. But Jordan's back as the starting slot corner now that he's healthy and he's had a

couple of good days of practice. So if this is a dress rehearsal for I'm curious to see the allotment of snaps, Like is Jordan going to get the whole thing, when does Kennedy go in, etc? And who looks better? Is that job actually up for grabs or were we just overreacting? That's what I'm looking at him. Yeah, I was gonna throw in a backup receiver, but I mean, let's call it what it is. I mean, Garrett Gilbert,

I mean, this is a big moment for him. But even though this is his third game, this is you know, if they're gonna call it a dress rehearsal, you're gonna have the offensive lineman. If those guys are gonna be out there, go get your team in the end zone. I like the things he's done. He's moved the ball, a little bit, get down there and score a touchdown.

I think if he can go and do that, and even without Zeke, whatever I think you'll have without Zeke, though, I still think you'll have your tight ends, your offensive line, your receivers, go down there and score touchdown in the first drive of the game. I think if he does that, they may still look at who gets cut and waived and all that. We've already seen a name, Josh Rosen. You're gonna see names. But I think if he goes scores a touchdown, I think it solidifies it. If it's

not already solidified, it will be all right. Here's gonna be gonna take our final break. We'll come back. We got some phone calls, we got some Twitter questions, and we may even get a little bit of a I get around going in this final segment. We'll be back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Hi, I'm Clint Tullison with you not at Aggin Turf before you can park yourself in front of the game, park yourself in

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Before there was a draft. You get sized 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. It projected a rugged, unstoppable spirit. Stetson hats are still American made with pride. Right here in Texas, there's still the unofficial crowd of all self respecting cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team.

Find a retailer nearest you at Stetson dot com. Slash Cowboys Back to the break Down. Cowboys Training Camp presented by American Airlines is back at the Star in Frisco. You can watch Cowboys practice today if you can get it over here quickly. August twentieth. Also now next we can get over now twenty seventh and twenty eighth, though next week you can watch practice at Ford Center at the Star Mission in parking are free. Vis at the

Star and frisco dot com for details. Welcome back, final segment of the break Life in the SWBC Mortgage studios at the Stars. Let's take a phone call. We gotta fallow a call from Jim in Dallas. Jim, what you got hey, guys, I appreciate you taking my call. You kind of kind addressed my Gholston concerns. His McCarthy addressed anything regarding his he had a setback? Is it more

than a hamstring? And also regarding Tristan Hill, I know they said he was pretty close in your opinion, is that meaning like something next week or are we looking at him being puffed as well to start the season. All right, thanks for the call. That's a great question. I don't think Chauncey's had a setback. I just think it was a pretty intense hamstring string that's and I get it. It's frustrating, but sometimes it's a ten day

injury and sometimes it's a month injury. Um Tristan which and I'm not trying to throw shade because I've never had to rehab a torn ligament before, but you know, Blake Jarwin tore his ACL in what week one and was doing things by the offseason program and was ready for the first day of camp. Tristan tore his in week six. Dad whatever, Yeah, same game as Dad, and and he's still working on I don't say that to say like, oh, he's he's not working hard or anything

like that. You can't compare injuries. But if you had told me that he wouldn't be ready this far into training camp back in the spring, I would have been surprised by that. I just it just doesn't follow the timeline that I'm used to. Again, not hating on the guy, but it is interesting. And as the same thing with Chauncey, like if you're not mixing in and doing things now, it's to lean toward thinking like, okay, there, it's not

expecting you to be ready for the start of the season. Yeah, I mean this is gonna be This is another example of cut down day is going to be interesting. The next day is going to be just as interesting. You know, there there are going to be players I think that get cut that will be on the team forty eight

hours later. And because of that, I think you've got because you've got guys like Tristan Hill, who I would imagine, you know, he'll probably be on the roster first day and then and then maybe move to the pup list, which and is that how that works? Because honestly, starting on the season, pup has been kind of rare here at least, like that doesn't happen to a lot of guys.

So you've got to I know, you can't go to injured reserve, but is it the same thing with pup, Like you got to be on the team for a day before they can do that. Well maybe maybe, okay, you know what, maybe I'm I'm miss boke I are to return, That's what I'm talking about, okay, And that's where he'll have to be on the on the roster for for a day. Explain to people what the difference is as far as the amount of time you got to be out. Is there a difference? Honestly, I don't

think he could. I don't think you can put a guy on PUP if he've already not put him on. I think that's a designation for the start of the season. But he is right now. He was on the training count act, so he's on he's on active pup, which and that's and so that that's where the differences. But he he counts toward the roster right now, whereas and so then if they move him to end season pup, then he doesn't count toward the roster. Are I think? I think? I think they'll probably put him on IR

to return is only three weeks? Yeah, through but the minimum is three weeks. Yeah, he's gotta be three is like six weeks? Right, Yeah, it makes it makes more sense I think to put him on IR to return, But he's got to start, you know, getting back in there. I don't sorry, go ahead, but to do that, he's gonna have to be on the roster for one day and then they'll you know, they'll cut players and then

bring them back. I don't get the impression Tristan's going to be on the fifty three at the outset, No, nor um. Let's let's real quick. We'll take a question from Dot's hell on. He is on Twitter, and he says, at what point does Kellen Moore get placed on the hot seat with consistently early offensive struggles. With consistent early offensive struggles and bad red zone execution three years, He's

not on the hot seat. He's not on the hot seat at all, they love him here and maybe not three years, but I mean three years years along now he's not on the hot seat. Yeah, he's not one. Let me ask you a question. Does that stem from the from from preseason? I just I don't care that they bogged out in the red zone when Garrett Gilbert and Terrence Steel are playing. I'm sorry. I think that's the point I was getting too, is I think a lot of fans probably look at last year and they're like,

there were all kinds of offensive problems. But yeah, there were all kinds of offensive problems, and they all stem from the fact that basically had your second team out there. Two telling quotes. Zeke told us this week that Kellen Moore started training camp, the first thing he said to the offense was the goal is to be number one. The goal is to be the best offense in the league. Mike McCarthy said yesterday that Kellen Moore's relationship with Dak

Prescott is the most important relationship in the organization. He was like, I have a good relationship with Dak, but I've told him a hundred times I don't care about our relationship half as much as I care about your relationship. With Kellen, and that's why he wanted Kellen to call

the plays. He didn't want Dak to change systems. He went through this whole spiel about like the most successful quarterbacks are the ones that stay in a system and get comfortable and thrive in it rather than changing all the time. So first of all, that should tell you Kellen's not on any kind of hot scene and he decides the league and what could happen also, but well, for sure, but I'm going to hold Kellen to that.

To what Zeke said, if your goal is to be the best, yeah, then I'm going to hold you to the standard of if they are not top five, and you know, Tampa Bay is a different thing, but like after a month of the season or so, if they don't look like they're clicking, then that's problematic and criticize the hell out of you for it. If your goal

is to be number one, let's be honest. They're probably thirty two camps where the offensive coordinator walked into the offensive meeting on from day one and said our goals would be the best offensive the league. They have the personnel to back it up. I get that, but I'm just saying, like that to me Zeke saying that, he said that everybody's saying that, by the way, it happened in the defensive room, and I don't think any of us think this defense is going to be the top

of the league. Yeah, okay, And maybe Mike McCarthy said that yesterday too. He was like, everybody thinks they're going to win the Super Bowl at this time of year, Well do they? That's at least what they're telling their team. There are there's got to be at least six teams right now where the coaches are watching tape and they're just like, oh my god, but they're not telling. They're not telling. Okay, I don't care. Kellen Moore has the personnel to be the best off in league and that

is the standard. They don't have to be numbers of today. Let's say that, because you know that's the thing. Injuries are an issue. They don't have to be number one. But if everybody's healthy, this should be a top five scoring and yardage and efficiency offense. And that is let's stand that's what I expect. So I play better in the first quarter of games, and that it does go on the preparation of the team offensive coordinator all that

they need to come out and have better opening drives. Um, we've seen it in the past where they have been really good at that and it sets the tone for the entire game. So they need to do that way better than they've had in the past. All right, let's get a phone call from Javier and Austin. Javier, what up? Hey? Guy taught to going uh the first time caller? Um A two questions for y'all. One, I was just wondering if there was I don't any update, you know on

the Marcus Lawrence. I know, I guess like the overall vibe of him is that he's gonna be ready on the season opener. But I was just wondering if I can get an update on that. And then my my

second point is my ready a question? You know, on yesterday's show, y'all kind of talked about how, you know, how Cooper was still the the number one receiver on the team, and although I guess you could say at the time that it is true, I guess my point is, like, moving forward, could his injury history you know, proved to be that CD Lamb is now the number one because he has proven of course, albeit it's been one year

to be available for every week. And then I guess my reference for that is, you know, I feel like in the NBA, whereas Kawhi Leonard, like, you know, for a long time, people were saying that he was going to be a better a Lebron, he was going to be the best player in the league, you know, day and day out. But for him, his biggest thing, he's not available every day or for every game. And that's

the guys. Then thanks, let's talk about that one first. Um, the to me, you know who who decided The Cowboys don't decide necessary other than paying them. But in the you know, each game, the defense decides who a number one receivers, not the offense. So um, they'll let they'll let you know what you know, what they're trying to do, you know, and and who they're trying to take away and all that. I mean, I don't know. I think

it's so close it doesn't matter. But I do I do think that there is there's a reason why the Raiders got rid of them. I mean, they just wanted to cut ties with him, and they were maybe fed up with the nagging stuff. It's not major stuff, it's just nagging injuries. We still see it now, and they wanted to part ways with it, and they got a first round pick for it. And I think both sides would probably say that they're happy for with it. I don't think so. You think the Raiders are happy with

what they're getting out of Jonathan Abrams, I don't. I doubt it and and Amory, but they wanted They didn't think he was gonna match with their car anymore, and they were tired of messing with it. I'm thrilled that he's here, but that John Gruden did something stupid like John and John Gruden strikes me, which so I was about to go on a whole different rant. Why do we call Amari Cooper injury prone? Is it because he pulled himself out of the Jets game after three plays?

Is that why? Because I'm looking at it, he's missed one game in the time that he's been a cowboy one he's been he played sixteen games last year, he played sixteen games, And you're like, what is it because he's on the injury you know what it is. You know what it is. It's it's that, It's it's stuff like this, it's our show when we're talking about throughout the leak, Well, Amari, I don't know if he's gonna

play this week. He shows up every Sunday. He has injuries throughout the week, and so people will and so for for fans who are out there listening, it feels like he's always injured, even though he's really showing up for games, and so it doesn't really matter. This isn't And that's what this goes back to what we were talking about before, Like fans just want the peace of mind, like they don't want to have to think about you. Right, But guess what this isn't Madden right likes football. This

is a ridiculously violent game. Cooper actually went through it. He went in detail about that Jets thing the other day. He was like, yeah, I could barely walk on Monday after the Packers game, Like I my bone bruise. He was like, it hurt, Like hell, I don't even know how I got ready to go. And then the exact

thing that I was terrified of happening happened. He caught a ball in the flat on the second play of the game and got tackled right onto it, and he was just like, holy crap like I can't do it. And if that still rubs you the wrong way, that's fine. He pulled himself out. He was healthy enough to get into the game. If it bothers you, the guys played like basically every game since he got here. I don't care when how much he's on the injury report. He

is not a hurt guy. He hasn't been. That doesn't there's no evidence to back you up when you say that. I don't remember where I was going, But that's just something that's always kind of annoyed me. So if CD overtakes him as the number one receiver in Amari is healthy, then CD's probably overtaking everybody but three or four players in the league as one of the top players, which

and that could absolutely happen. Like if CD, if he builds on this, on what he's looked like, we absolutely might be talking about him as like one of the ten best receivers in the league by the time the season's over. I mean maybe absolutely. And that's what do I always say when this comes up. I just say I'm not ready to go there yet, because Amari has this amazing resume and I've seen him do it and

we're still projecting with Lamb. Even though it looks like a safe projection, I still want to see it, you know, And that's no go ahead. I was gonna say that. And that's the thing I was I was mentioning on our show Wednesday, was that the both things can be true. Amari can still be a great receiver and Cedee Lamb can ascend to being one of the top five receivers in the league. That can be Both of those things

can be true. And by the way, when you were talking about the defenses determine who's going to be the number one receiver that also can fluctuate game to game, possession to possession. There may be certain situations in games where teams are like, this is the guy we need to take away in this situation red zone. They're going to be concerned about Cede Lamb. There may be other situations where they're like, well, more concerned about Amari Cooper. So look, both of them can exist as that level

of great wide receiver. Ever, I just think Ceedee Lamb is on a trajectory where he might be one of the best in the league, if not the best in the league. At some point here in the next year or two years, three years, he could be. This is a column that I'm working on. But this team needs to get out of the six and ten mode in more ways than one. Obviously, they were six and ten last year. If you look at that, this year, they'll get out of it. Yeah, well I definitely will. But

but with with seventeen games schedule. But if you look at where they are, like when they were winning championships and the nineties, I mean you could say they had top five quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, you know, and then of course the offensive line and all that stuff. Safety. I don't know if they have a top five other than guard. I don't know if they have a top five. I think they have a lot of six to tens. They are a lot of that. So clever. Where when

did this pop into your head? Was that like a shower thought? No, that's what you know. You do your best thinking? No, no, no, no, I just were when I'm working out, that's my best thinking. Well, no, six to ten though, And honestly, I just I just did the six and ten record reference just now, like ten seconds ago. But six and ten I was thinking, you know, they I think if you look at the best quarterbacks. We can argue all day long, but I just think

Dak is probably right there, right there. It's like Romo always was, like right about seven or eight, like Zeke right right now, that's where he kind of is. I think that's where Cooper is. Hell, CD might jump in there too. At the tight end. We're not there yet. I think Tyran Smith he's gonna have to prove it. But I think right now they're voting him, you know, they're putting him in that six, seven, eight, nine, you know, and you know, maybe maybe Lyle's a right tackle, maybe

in the six to ten. But other than other than Zach Martin, they've got really really good players. They need to play like an elite status and I think if you start winning, you would get there. But they need to get more guys from the six and ten range into the top five. I'll tell you this, really, the one that's most important is the quarterback. Okay, if you look at it, you look at the teams that have a lot of great success, there's one common denominator. That

quarterback is typically in that top well, there's four. Can he cannot really surpass one of the top four right now unless he wins the Super Bowl. I think it's gonna be just if he can have a season, he can have a season that puts him into that conversation, like if he has an MVP type season, he now is in that conversation. Rogers, Mahomes, Brady, and Russell have all won it, and they're guys, and they're right there after that, then it's about they're all they're all ready

to just they're primed for it. It's Josh Allen, It's it's it was, it was the Shawn Watson. I mean, who knows what's going on there? Dak Um miss him. Brady's ruining it for everybody. Yeah yeah, get out of yeah, like and you know, like Rogers is talking about how like Rogers is eyeing retirement clearly like he's only gonna

do this for a few more years. Brady's yeah. Um. But I just I just think it's just it's a it's another way of saying that they need to get more guys need to be elite, and if they start winning, they'll be viewed that way. They'll be viewed that way. I think Zeke can get himself back into that top five. Absolutely, I think he can. But there's a lot of good

running backs and they're all on the damn schedule. But you know, the interesting part about it, if you look at the running back position across the league, everybody wants to question Zeke, but there are question marks all up and down that top five, Like there are very few of them that you're like, oh yeah, that definitely. I mean there maybe MC questions like Kamara and Kamara and Um and I'm thinking about the guy from Tennessee, Um

and Henry. Those two probably have the least questions because they did it last year. Most of those other guys, like they had all kinds of problems throughout the year last year, if not out for the for most of the year, you know. As in case of mccaf, I think he's my favorite non cowboy in the NFL. Of Kamara, I just think he's awesome. You know, if you have a fantasy you love it. He can have a really bad game and he got you twenty six points because

he just called eight passes, right. I just loved his game. He looks like he shouldn't be a every down back because you're stereotyping, but he definitely is. And he's he's a fun player to watch absolutely all right, real, Oh we didn't answer the caller's first question. Sorry, Yeah, he was asking about Tank giving up DeMarcus. When we got out to Oxnard, I was like, he looks fine as he's ready to go, man, and I they're being smart with him and he probably doesn't need it, and that's

fine by me. But he's gonna be out there week one and he's gonna got an opportunity to give Darn's a ton of snaps. Right, Yeah, it's it's actually it's the same as that. I mean, we we've gotten to see more of Gilbert, We've gotten to see more of the running backs because as we had to see more of him. You gotta remember, this is the first year of McCarthy's had preseason games here with the Cowboys. We

don't know this is kind of his plan. We would we wouldn't have been as surprised if he would have done it last year. We didn't. We didn't know his plan with this. His plan is I saw everybody hurt last year. I'm not taking any chances and I'm I'm you know, I'm more and I mean like I'm not exaggerating. July twenty second, I saw DeMarcus working out and I was like, he'll he'll be ready. He's not. He's fine. So yeah, I think you're gonna see those defensive ends

really good. And I and we're already kind of seeing a little bit with Darren and we're like, is this what dan quinn does? Because it means Seattle guys, it's hard to even remember who they were. You know, legion of Boom. You know that they're not every you know, they're not names that you know that well. They were good, but I think they were a product of the system more than anything. And I think we could see that here. I think that's part of it. I think the other

part to it. I want to see how this plays out, but I don't think. I mean, at this point, we all have seen it. This team is a leaner than they've been in the past. You go down the list and every like guy, one guy after the other. It came back a lot leaner than they were before. And I want to see how that plays out in a season. Was this something that that was consciously done they I mean they the offensive lineman talked about the fact that they did a lot more running this offseason and they

were better conditioned coming into camp. I want to see how this all plays out into a season. Does being leaner actually helped you throughout a seventeen game season? We'll see you think Carol Nash would draw me up a plan your I got a plan for you, guys. Yeah, I got a plan for you guys. Let's do it. Skid lean, skid lean. Nick was like, but now, I mean Jesus, yes, fat boy, Yeah, yeah, forgot but you can't run, so I can't. Yeah, you got some figure

it out. Um, yesterday it got a chance to talk to Mike McCarthy a little bit, talk to some of the beat writers. It was really good. It was it was it was on the record, but it was also there's some things that got off the record. It was, you know, just real personable and it was great. It's great to have those moments when he allows that. And um, he said something I thought was really interesting. You know, he said about the defense. I think it was about

the defense more than anything. He said, we got some dudes. We got some dudes over there. Said it. He said it in a way of like got some you know, and and you said leaner, but they're they're also a bigger team. They're taller, long more, you know, got more presents to them and uh, he you just something about the way he said it, you could just tell like he is he is. He doesn't want to say it

yet because you don't want to be burned. But I think he believes this defense has made a big jump and and and they're going to be a physical team that that that hits people. He also said that he thought the Minnesota game was going to really turn it all around last year. That was exactly how they wanted to play games. Balanced, tough, knocking around Dalvin Cook, ball flying in the air, comeback, win the game, defense not playing well until you absolutely had to and you made

a stop and you got off the field. Sorry, you don't get to play Kirk Cousins more, but when you know, but you know it was a good win. Now, there was no I mean there was the sound, there was the but there wasn't any crowd behind that damn horn at honk horn means your quarterback brought us. If you hear that, horror means they're scraping your quarterback off the ground with a spatchel at them at the Metrodome. Yeah, because he's playing you know, yeah, right, just trying to

get a football football win here. All right, guys, we appreciate you joining us. We'll be back on next Tuesday. We'll get you guys. We'll catch up on what happened during the game. We'll also get start getting you guys ready for the final cuts that'll happen. Like they have a cut to eighty next week and then cut to the final roster the following week. So we may start talking a little bit about that, maybe even start talking

a little bit about preview of Cowboys versus Buccaneers. We'll see about that when when we when we're back for Dave Helm and Nicki. But I'm Derek Elton. 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.