Cowboys Break: Worst Contract?

episode number sixty eight. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break, live from the s WBC Mortgage studios at the Star. I got Nick back in the studio with me. I traded out, Dave's now at home, Amber's at home, and I'm ready to getting to this thing. We got a lot to talk about today. We're definitely gonna talk about uh, some injury updates, will get in to some

conversation about the Cowboys versus the Minnesota Vikings. We got a little topic we're going to hit around contracts and who do you think is the best player on this team. We got so many topics hit today, and by the end of the show, we're also going to do our picks for this upcoming game. Cowboys versus Vikings. Let's start first with an update, Dave, tell me what we what we know at this point about Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence,

who were both out yesterday due to an illness. From the sounds of it, it's kind of what we thought, which is more of a you know, a bug maybe twenty four or forty eight hour situation. Randy's back at the facility today, DeMarcus is not. But Mike McCarthy came right out and was like everything points toward him being available.

So it sounds, you know, it sounds like a situation where you take a day or two to flush it out, and it sounds like both of those guys will be available on Sunday, which is a good thing for the Cowboys because they will need all hands on dake on deck to be able to handle that Minnesota, particularly that Minnesota running game. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about that Cowboys versus Vikings matchup. First question I have for you guys is Minnesota. They are are notorious for running

the ball. They'll keep running the ball no matter how successful or not they are. We saw that last week in their game Ken the Dallas defense hold up for sixty minutes. Nick, let's start with you. Oh, I don't know if they can hold up for sixty minutes. If the thing about it is is that their offense is going to have to help them here. I mean, the offense is going to have to score some points. They

can't get down. They really need to strike first on this one, because you know, if you can maybe force Minnesota from getting out of the way they want to play now that they'll still run the ball even when they're down. I don't see the Cowboys jumping out to a big lead or anything like that. But but I do believe that it's gonna the offense is gonna have to be their best defense here. They're gonna have to

score some points. And because if if Minnesota just continues to lean on them the entire way, I don't know if Dallas hasn't shown that they can hold up. So here they are with defensive ends that aren't practicing this week, and so it hasn't been a great week for that. But I mean they're gonna have to They're gonna have to prove that they can hold up. And I just

I haven't seen it. Amber. I don't know about holding up but if they are looking to find some kind of success, they're gonna have to be able to do something, make something happen right at the beginning, because a lot of times we see that when the running game starts, you know, playing well, and they get all those yards and blah blah blah, the defense, the Cowboys defense can

never really come back and fix it. So if they're gonna try to make it work somehow or try to balance it out, they have to hopefully find some kind of success right at the beginning, because if it gets away from them, I just don't see any possible way of them turning around that game. Dave, prove it, prove it. Uh, that's my answer because I mean, you know, we've talked about it a lot. They deserve a lot of credit for the way they played against Pittsburgh, But to your point,

Pittsburgh quit trying to run the ball. That was a big part of why that why they were as successful as they were. I don't think Minnesota is going to do that. I was. I think Minnesota's just better at it. And I mean Nick's absolutely right. There's there's not a lot of evidence that suggests that they can hold up. So I'm not saying they can't, but I just need

to see them do it. Dave, You're you're either coaching the Pro Bowl, you're at the Malley Classic, or you're you're doing an aspinter costume party, or you're just no, Actually, Dave hellars just David Helmet on a Friday. Dave Helmet. It's actually, uh, it's a New Orleans Jazz Fest shirt. And you know it's it's a little dreary, it's really gray outside. I was feeling a little homesick, and I was like, I'm gonna throw this thing on. So that's

what I did. There you go. But yeah, I mean it's it's it's ridiculous, but so am I. So it's fine. You brought you brought the party today. It's a Friday. We needed the party. All right. Let's I try to bring the party every day. You do? You do? You well? You try, try not success, I'm better, all right. Next question, half of you guys, how well does do the Dallas Corners match up against Jefferson and feeling if they opt

to load the box? Because I do think that the only success that you can possibly have against this running game is getting that extra guy down which means your corners are now susceptible. How well do they match up? Let's start first with you Amber. It's it's always gonna be tough because we haven't seen this cornerback room find much success against not just like oh, good wide receivers. This is just like it doesn't take a really good

wide receiver for these corners to be exposed. So it's I think it's not gonna be as bad as we may think, but at the same time, it's not gonna be fifty fifty type of stuff. They're gonna have some trouble and if they don't find the way to kind of keep close and not allow so much separation, it's

gonna be a nightmare all around. Dave, watching that game, you know, the Vikings played the Bears on Monday, what really stood out to me is how obsessed the Vikings are with getting the ball to Adam dealing in the red zone. You know, I mean, he didn't have he didn't have a big night statistically, but he had two

touchdowns and they were both short yardage. Cousins loves to look for him on you know, back shoulder balls, timing routes, stuff where he can kind of use his size to box out the dB, and that definitely concerns me Against these cornerbacks. I mean, you know, Cheetoh's got decent size, but you know the rest of them, especially with Digs not playing, the rest of them give up some size to a guy like that, and then Jefferson's such an

incredible route runner. Yeah, it should absolutely worry you. I'm you know, to go back to my point about how well they played against Pittsburgh. You know, I think they really only gave up like two or three explosive passes in that game. Um, but if Kirk Cousins has time to throw, I'm gonna guess it'll be more in this matchup. Yeah, yeah,

I mean the cornerback position. You know, they faced better receivers I don't know, you know, probably maybe even better duos than this, but they haven't fared that well, you know. And it's just this from the start to finish. I mean, the what did Snoop say? I mean, you know, if it ain't one thing, it's it's another. I think he you know, here some words in there with the other words.

But if it ain't one thing, it's another, and it has been I mean, I mean finally get Cheeto back, finally the hamstring from hell is back, and then Diggs gets hurt. It's like, oh my god, it's and it started all the way back at training camp as well. So it's been it's been a messing. I mean, this was going to be a tough position, even if they were all healthy and playing their best. Yeah, it was

gonna be tough. And they haven't been playing their best and they haven't been healthy for sure, and so it's just been up and down, up and down, and it's it's been the one position I think that has hurt not the one position. It's been on one on defense has probably hurt hurt them the most. Do you guys think that, Um, if they're gonna bring that safety down, maybe in it some instances have two safety's down and leave their corners on an island to be able to cover.

Do you think that you're more concerned in that scenario about the Minnesota running game or the Minnesota passing game. Nick, I'll take my chances on that. I'll take my chances. You know, I've said it before. I've never been a huge Kirk Cousins fan. I think he's just okay. Um, he can beat you. If he's healthy and he's got some time and he give him that scenario, you know he'll be better. But I have to just take my chances there because I think if he's just man on

a man with a run, you're gonna get beat. So you're gonna have to load in there and hope your corners can make plays and hope that cover Cousins is off because he can be that. That's to me, the best recipe because if they run downhill with Cook, you're you're consistently, I think they're gonna lose. Dave Cousins has played some really nice games against Dallas going back to when he was in Washington, so he is capable of beating you. But I agree, I mean your best bet

is still to try to make him do it. Because I'm with Nick, I don't. I don't think he's that good. I mean, I have to point out he's not that he's not consistent. At least he have to point out he's two and six against Dallas. Now, you're right, one of them was a twenty fifteen I think four hundred yards and I mean they he hid' Kellen Moore were going at it that day. But which also don't don't discount. I mean, I think twenty sixteen comes twelve, twenty sixteen

comes to mind. He lost both of those games, but he bombed away. I mean he in the Thanksgiving game when Washington came here in twenty sixteen, he threw for like four to thirty and Dak was just Dak was up to the challenge. Yeah, I think Dallas won that game by seven. But I mean so, I mean, not always winning efforts, but he has played some really good games against the Cowboys. So but I still think I would rather force him to play a great game than just let Dalvin Cook do his thing. Amber No, I

agree with everything that said. I mean, that's the kind of risk you're gonna have to take because the other option is way worse. And we've seen Dallas how much they've struggle trying to stop the run, and look at this team, how much success they're having with their running games. So you're gonna have to have all hands on deck because otherwise it's either pick pick which kind of death do you want? Do you want a slow death or do you want a fast death? So I think I

would go for maybe the slow death. And although trying to give my pick already for the game. But it's just gonna slow death. Maybe gives you a chance to to patch up your wounds and come back to life. So yeah, all hands on deck on trying to stop the running game. Just pick your poison, you know, and then you just kind of figure it out from there. But I mean, really get into the death talk and patching your holes on all that line. That was a

really morbid answer. We're really we're all right. So let's flip to the other side of the ball. Um, do you guys expect this offense to be better than they were with Gilbert versus Pittsburgh? Now that was a better defense by far, Like, this defense is not special. This Minnesota defense is not special. We heard Bucky say earlier this week. It's probably the worst that Mike Zimmer's hat since he's been there. But do you expect them to

be better than they were against Pittsburgh? Because I thought the offense for the first time since Dak has been out, actually looked decent. Look okay, they looked like an offense that could possibly win a game or two. Let's start first with you, Amber. I hope, so, I hope, so I think that having Joe Looney and there Sack Martin

clearly helped a lot with the O line. And hopefully, hopefully, even though I'm I'm part of the group of people that kept bowing for Garret Gilbert and wanting to see him play this upcoming game again, but hopefully Andy Dalton is back on his feet all well and he makes this offense click a little bit better than what we saw last week with Gary Gilbert. So I would imagine that they are able to play it better than what

they did last week. Dave, this might be like this, This will be what I eat crow about the most in the coming weeks, because I just, for some reason, I just feel this confidence that Andy Dalton's gonna look a lot better in this go around. He's gonna have Zack Martin in front of him, He'll have Joe Louis there, so he's got two veterans hopefully keep in the pocket

a little bit cleaner. Minnesota doesn't have the pass rushers that Washington had that flustered him so much, So you know, I'm sure Terrence Steele will have you know, it's always an adventure, but there's not a guy over there that should be able to abuse him like we've seen a couple of times this season. And I really I think I think this offense is gonna look pretty good. Like not you know, I'm not saying it's gonna look like when Dak was here, but I think Dalton should have time.

I think he'll be able to you know, he'll be able to find all three of his receivers. He's not going to be zero and in on a guy. I think I think this is going to be the best that the offense has looked since Dak got hurt. That's what I think. And more than touch them, oh yeah, like they will look and I don't know if they'll win, but I just think that they will look like a competent NFL offense. And yeah, so I'm I'm eager to see how smart or stupid I look, because I I

really think Dalton's gonna play well. I don't really know why. I just do. Nick, I don't see them playing well so much, but um, you don't see the offense playing well well. All the team's saying offense, I can kind I can kind of see what what what Dave's saying a little bit, but I mean it's just like like he just yelled at earlier about prove it. I mean, I'm just kind of at that point with the offense, like, you know, they're gonna have to prove it. But but

it's it's good to think that way. I mean, I do think that he'll be better than Gilbert. I still believe that, um, But but the one thing that he's gonna have to show that he's better than Gilbrandon. And when Garret Gilbert really surprised me with his mobility, with his awareness and figuring out where the blitz was coming from and even about to go down and finding Zeke and thought that play was amazing. You know, Zeke could have spun out of that, that that would have been a

huge play. But you know, I just think I think that's what Dalton's got to be good at. I think he's gonna see things. I think he's gonna be able to throw it probably better, but he's gonna have to show that mobility. I just I think they'll be a little bit better, but I'm not I'm not saying more than two touchdowns. And they might get two touchdowns, but I'm not saying more than two. So the bar is so low that yeah, you can, you can be better.

I mean they're missing they're still obviously missing their two tackles, and that means a lot. But you look at the interior of the offensive line, it's back to the guys that they thought coming into the season would be their starters. So you would expect that you should be able to get better play from the interior part of your offensive line.

You're not playing the game this week against a team that has what you would think our premier defensive end pass rusher types, so you would hope, you would hope that the Cowboys offensive line will look better this week and that will give Andy some opportunities to be able to show what he can do. As Jerry says, he is a starting caliber quarterback in the NFL. We'll see if they can get that kind of production out of him this week. Are we're gonna take our first break

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studios at the Star. Let's keep going, next question for you guys listening to the players talk this week and I heard Tank talk about I heard Cheeto talk about it, Andy Dalton talked about a little bit Zeke did, and even this morning Mike McCarthy talked a little about it. They seem convinced that there they have a good football team. Despite the record, despite the other things, they seem convinced that they have a good football team. What areas down

the stretch? Could you see them being better than they've been so far to get better results. Let's start first with you, Nick, I think that you know, they don't turn the ball over, you know, I mean, that's the one thing about the defense that that's been so so challenging for them is that, I mean, they're they're not really that good anyways, but then when when you turn the ball over in your own end like that, it's

only magnifying what's what's happening. Um So I just think that it's it's it's a situation that they need to play. They need to play better, don't turn the ball over. And then I think that if you give teams, you know, longer, longer fields to go score, I think that they can

be in these games a little bit more. And you think that's an area they can be better, like you, you expect that they will be better down the stretch in that area, Yeah, yeah, right, yeah, I don't think the turnovers will be as bad as they've been, Okay, Amber, I think there are a lot of areas that need improvement clearly, but one that I think that they can possibly get better at its just being able to score period, other than just having to get to field goal range

and having to kick it. I think that they can get to a point where they can finally start moving the ball and getting to the end zone. Dave for starters, I just want to say, like, I hope that they think they're good. Like if they don't even think they're good, what are the rest of us even doing here? I mean that's I would hope the guys in there, you know, are capable of digging down and finding that confidence even in these circumstances. I mean, I at least have some

optimism that the defense can keep this trend going. You know, we said it so many times in September and October that like it is an anomaly for an NFL defense to look this awful, you know, just as hapless as they looked in in the Cleveland game and the Seattle game, obviously the Washington game. That's that's not normal. Like even bad NFL defenses look better than that. So I'm absolutely optimistic that they will look more like a professional football

defense in the last seven games. Okay, So I'm gonna ask this question. I want to go back around the table and say, Okay, so based upon what you said was there you thought that could get better. What have you seen that gives you evidence, at least in your mind that convinces you there's a possibility they can be better in that area? Nick, Well, I don't think. I just don't think that history shows that you're going to

turn the ball over as much as that. I mean, they come in bunches, right, which means they don't come in bunches as well on the flip side, So I just they mean they might be coming in bunches for them too, so actually get some turn off they did, didn't they get like four in a game? Its like, yeah, is that our bunch? Yeah? Okay, you know, I just think of something else. Um Um, I think that. I just I don't think they're gonna play I don't think

they're gonna turning the ball over that bad. And I think that that I think the offensive because they all think the offensive line will get better and that's where a lot of the turnover problems came from. And so therefore, I just think if you continue to keep punting the ball and you have, you know, maybe a better punter than you've had, and you know you can keep doing that and given teams longer fields, I think the game

can be way more competitive. And then when it's competitive, then it's close, and if it's close, it comes down to field goals. If it comes down to the field goals, I think their line can make them. So I think you win more games. It's just domino effecta turnovers. So, Amber, what have you seen or what do you see in this team that makes you think they'll be able to score more down the stretch red zone? Well, I mean,

based on what I saw in the game against the Steelers. Yeah, they only were able to score once one touchdown, but at the same time, you were able to see some more movement, some more energy there on the offense, some more connection. And I know it was a different quarterback, but I still think that whether it's Andy or maybe Gary Gilbert, we'll see down the line what happens there at quarterback. But if you keep Joe Booney in there, it's like Martin. Just having them both back in there

clearly helped. Seeing some of the things that Cedric Wilson was doing. I think it's it's heading towards the right direction as well as the running game, some of the things that Tony Poller was able to do. And I think that if the Cowboys keep trying to find the right combination between how many snaps to give each guy, Zeke and Tony, if they find a good combination there, I think that the offense can finally get the ball moving a lot more and get there to the end zone.

So there are just little positive things that I think we all were able to see in that Steeler's games that gives me the hope that they are just able to play better overall in the next few months, here, next few games. What's your proof, Dave for starters is, you know, two back to back really nice defensive performances, you know, and they gave up seventeen points to Philly

because one of those touchdowns was defensive. I know, Philly's terrible, but that's still better than what we were looking at. And then again, Pittsburgh's offense isn't a juggernaut, but that's a talented offense with a very good widely quarterback that they were able to keep in check for the most part. And on top of that, let's just be honest, they don't play very many good teams the rest of the way.

You know, they got three games against the division. They got a banged up forty nine Ers team that might not have Jimmy Garoppolo and he I mean, Baltimore is a much better team than Dallas. But like their offense hasn't looked as amazing as it did last year. So these aren't These aren't juggernauts that you have to keep in check down the stretch. I really, I've said this a few times this week. I think this game will be a really good litmus test because this is one

of the best offenses left on the schedule. Probably even with a losing record, the Vikings are one of the two best teams left on the schedule, so I don't even need him to win. But if they just play a competent, close game, that gives me a lot of faith that they can win some games and be competitive with what's left on the schedule. Ye. All right, let's move on to the next question I have for you guys. This question might take a little bit of time, so

let's let's dive in which of the current players. And I tied this up yesterday when we were talking about the contracts of some of these guys. Which are the current players or contracts or a future contract is worse for Dallas? And I'll give you guys some of the list of what we have. Zeke Elliott He's on a six year, ninety million dollar deal, fifty million guaranteed. He is the number two highest paid running back in the NFL. Jalen Smith is a six year deal sixty eight million

dollars thirty five million guaranteed. He is the number sixth highest paid inside linebacker in the NFL. DeMarcus Lawrence a five year, one hundred and five million dollars deal sixty five million guaranteed. He's the number five highest paid defensive end. However, there's one interesting note to that, he's number sixteenth in cap hit among defensive ends, which actually favors the Cowboys

a little bit there. And then you've got Dak Prescott and we don't know the terms of its new deal, but the expectation is he's projected to be somewhere if the Cowboys get a deal done, projected to be somewhere at least above thirty five million, possibly forty plus million annually, which is the worst deal for the Cowboys based on what we know right now. Let's start with you, Dave. I would have to say, I think it's jal and

I don't know that it's particularly close. To be honest with you, I know you know, and I think we're gonna get into Zeke. A lot of people are hating on Zeke. A lot of people are talking about how much the Cowboys regret that contract, and I don't. I don't necessarily disagree, like I don't think that contract is a great thing right now, but I was trying to think of an analogy for this. I look at I

look at Zeke. Zeke's contract. You know, we love to use cars in these football analogies, Like if the Cowboys are a car, then Zeke's contract is like these big, gaudy, badass tires and they're like not inflated properly, you know, like you don't have the right PSI, you're not getting good gas mileage, the car's not driving as fast as smoothly as it's supposed to, but you can still get from point A to point B, Like you can still win football games and be a good football team with Zeke.

Jalen Smith is more like you're driving a car with a faulty transmission. Like he's just he's he's he is for what you are paying him. He is a liability and he's supposed to be a foundational piece of your defense, and that's just not what's happening. Like if everything's great with the offense and everybody's out there, even if you feel like you're overpaying Zeke, like he can still contribute to a successful offense. Jalen Smith, he's not playing, He's

not even playing at that level. And it makes you wonder, like can you feel the successful defense if this guy is the center of it, and if you can't, then how do you get out from under the size of that contract? Like that, more than anything else is that's the number one thing that I have circled for the Cowboys is like, what are we going to do about Jayleen Smith? Which is the worst contract. I was gonna say Jalen as well, And I mean just how they

structured everything. It just it was a bad It was a bad deal. I wouldn't have done it to begin with because I was never convinced with Jayalen. But now it's to the point where I was talking about it with Nick, and you know, I always have issues with all these contracts and trying to understand them and money and cap and blah blah blah, and apparently you lose all that money anyway. So it's like either you just lose all the money or just decide to keep him.

If you keep him, then at that point, like me, personally, I wouldn't keep him as a starter. I'm like, go sit down and be a backup. But when you look at the rest of the guys on this list, like Zeke, DeMarcus and Dad, all of those guys, I still have hope and I believe one hundred percent that they can play better and that it's just a matter of whatever is happening in this twenty twenty season. But I don't have any hope. I feel like this is Jalen and I feel like he's not gonna get any better than

what we've seen. So to me, he has to be absolutely the worst one on the list because as far as money, yes, the other guys are taking up a lot of money as well, but I still feel kind of okay with their future and thinking that they will be better next year or even in this second half of the season. Nick Um, I think it's DeMarcus Lawrence is the asia as the worst contract of the group. But I mean just because it's like, yuys, we're talking about how how do you get out from under it?

I mean it's not I mean he's not producing to that to that level if you really look at the deal, I mean the way they structured it's it's average. It's an average of twenty one million. But like the last year is he's only making three so that's a that's a year that doesn't really it's a wash. I mean these three years in the middle here, this bulk is it's really twenty seven million a year. Twenty seven million a year is what he's what his cap count is

for these three years. And so by doing that, I mean you just look at defensive ends around the league that you could making twelve, thirteen, fourteen million or whatever. Even Clowney's at thirteen million. I mean, just think about what production you could get then get another safety or get a linebacker or something else. I mean, I like him, I think he's he's playing better, but I mean there's no way that he can he can play at that level.

I just I don't even I don't care what Pro Football Focus says about all this win rate and stuff like that, Like, I don't think he's making that much of a difference for that price, and I think it's handicapped in the whole defense. I look at this list and I think I agree with the premise of what Amber and Dave are saying, because I think Jalen Smith is the worst of these players, and so for him to be making a significant amount of money against your cap,

that's a bit of a problem. But if I'm looking at this, to be honest with you, I think the worst deal here is Zeke And the reason why I say I think he's that's the worst deal is not so much even Zeke's fault. It's more a situation of what are you getting for what you're paying for. It kind of goes to what you're you're premise Nick, and I think it's worse with Zeke. I think the replacement value of a guy like Zeke, a really good NFL running back, can be a significant amount less than this.

What you would have to invest in order to get a comparable running back would be significantly less. Right now, I say that he's a number two paid, highest paid running back in the NFL. Right now, he is fifteenth in yards this season in the NFL. He's only averaging

was at sixty three point six yards a game. So when you look at what you're getting for the money, and you look at replacement value for a comparable quarterback, and you start looking at some of these names, these guys are a lot of these guys are on first contracts, which, again that goes back to the idea of in today's NFL, you're better off just always drafting one and keeping one ready, a young guy that you just kind of keep rolling with because the amount of money you have to pay

for him is significantly less, but you can get a huge amount of value. Like you can't do that with a lot of other positions, like quarterback, you can't. You don't expect the guy to come in and immediately be great running back. That's one of the positions in the NFL where guys are great right off the street. Immediately when they come in the door, they can be great. And so you might as well take advantage of the lesser money that you have to pay for those guys.

And again that's not Zeke's vault. That's more just a situation of just how the NFL plays out and how players play out from the standpoint of value relative to what they can bring to the team. All Right, here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna take okay, but but oh yeah, I just I think these are very different conversations, and I think you need to you gotta you kind of have to differentiate because I agree with everything you

just said. The problem is is it productive to say, oh, maybe they shouldn't assigned Zeke, maybe they shouldn't assigned DeMarcus, they shouldn't have done that. It's done, Like the money has been spent the cap has been affected. And that's what brings me back to Jaylen Smith is because I look at it and I say, Zeke is not giving me my bang for my buck. But I can win with Zeke DeMarcus Lawrence. I'd love him to get more sacks.

I can win with DeMarcus Lawrence. Jaalen Smith, I say, I don't know how I feel a very very good defense if Jalen Smith is one of the foundational pieces of it. And that is why. So, like I said, like you go into the offseason, I'm not worried about Like I don't. I don't feel like they need to cut or restructure Zeke or DeMarcus. I really don't. It would be great if they could, but that's not the way it works well where Jalen Smith I'm like, yeah, exactly.

And but Jalen Smith situation is the point where I'm like, if you want this team to be better, you got to figure out a way to fix that. Like whether whether it's a restructure or whether it's you cut him, whether YadA, YadA, YadA, I don't know. DeMarcus and Zeke can be very good, very productive members of a playoff team that the Jalen Smith. Situation is different in my opinion, and that's why I answered that way. No, I agree with what you're saying, and I guess I think you're right.

It's probably two different conversations. Who's the better player and we're going to get into that, or who's the worst player, I guess in this instance. But there's also the contract, and I know you can't go back and change the contracts at this point. And the question is not so much from the standpoint of going forward, it's more a situation of in retrospect, where did you make the biggest mistake?

And again, I personally believe that the biggest mistake was made in signing a second contract with a guy that's going to cost you ninety million dollars at the running back position. And that is not about Zeke again, that is about I don't know if there is a running back you got to go to the tr like the the the all time transcendent running backs for you to say it is worth going into a second deal with them.

In today's NFL, because there are just so many guys that are coming into the league that are capable and ready to be able to produce at a high level coming in. Yeah, and that's why I think it's it's d law just because of the money. That the same thing. I just don't think he's going to he's not going to be that kind of player, and he hasn't. He hasn't been in the last two years. And so I mean, he's been a good defensive end, but he hasn't been to that level twenty one million or even twenty seven

million if you count these these last three years. But that's just how they structured it. He's twenty one million a year. Yeah, And I will say this that that was one of the points I made earlier about his cap hit, the fact that he is the fifth highest paid defensive end, but his cap hit is ranked sixteenth. That tells you that they kind of worked it to where it's not really killing them from a cap standpoint, even though he's getting a ton of money. Or is

he rank in sacks it's the sixteenth, I don't. I don't know. I have a question, yeah about his contract that when I was looking at some of these may yeah yeah, yeah, um, maybe I should know this, but I don't. Um. I understand the whole signing bonus thing, but I don't get why was he signing bonus so high? It looked it was twenty five million dollars And when you look at other guys, I mean, I didn't see

any other like signing bonus that high. Why do you have to give that amount of money right off the bat? Well for those players, you know, at this point in the game, when when you're talking about guys that are wanting in the negoti the number one money or a figure that they're looking at is guaranteed money. Like that's that's what they want, is guaranteed. What is the guaranteed because the contracts aren't guaranteed, But what is the money

that's guaranteed? And so obviously assigning bonus hits their pocket, right, then that's guaranteed. And then sometimes they have guaranteed seasons and guaranteed bonuses that that go you know, throughout the year or so. So for him when they were doing the negotiation, yeah, twenty one twenty one million was a big deal for him. But also what is the what

is the overall guaranteed money? And so that's the way to do that is to you know, give them a guaranteed money and then and then divide it out and that's that's the sticking point I think. I think it's a sticking point with with that right now. Obviously with the four and five years, but it comes down to cowboys want five years because they want to give him enough bonus money and spread it out, which doesn't take

more of a hit. Yeah, that goes to that. That him being sixteenth in cap, it is because they can take a lot of that money and what the cowboys are They a lot of that money that was guaranteed and they put it into a signing bonus and then they could spread it out, which means it has hit on the cap every single year is much less than

it would be if you didn't do that. So it's just the way to kind of manage your cap, I think from the standpoint of ultimately, you know, getting the guy the money he wants, to guaranteed money he wants, but doing it in a way that gives you some relief on your cap. Are we gonna take our final break when we come back. I want to talk about a comment that Jerry made earlier this morning on the radio where he called Ezequiel Elly at the best player

on this team. I'm gonna ask these guys if they agree with that, and if not, who they think the best player on this team is. We'll do that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. We're back in the tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor Pepper and creep Soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor Soda. Is he a new come bonus? Music to my ears? Okay, doctor music to my ears and mouths new Doctor Pepper and cream soda? A delis.

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in your area. See att dot com slash five G for you for details. Back to the break. You can snap a photo with your favorite player favorite Cowboys player anywhere, at any time at and T pose with the pros. You go to the Cowboys app under the stadium tab. Welcome back. At the final segment of the Brake Clive at the SWBC Mortgage Studios at the Star we're heading up toward the end of the show and we're going to get to our picks here in just a moment.

But I did want to address a question stop it, Dave. I did want to address a question that Jerry, Jerry asked this one oh answered this morning on the radio on our sister station one oh five dot three the Fan. He was asked about, you know, Zeke, and he said, Jerry, he called Zeke the best player on the team. Now, assuming all players are healthy. Let's assume that you know everybody's healthy and can play. You guys agree with that statement, and if not, who do you think is the best

player on this team. Let's start with you Amber. I would say he's the best player of the team. I don't he's not playing like the best player of the team this year, but in general, I would say I would say so if you're looking at this season, per se, I would have to give a shout out to LP this year because I think he's only made like one mistake this year in the game against Philly. Other than that, Um, that's basically it. I think this is the first time

I ever even mentioned LP. So yeah, he would be maybe the best player for me this year, but overall, I would still stick to Zeke made about statement. No, no, you made the strongest statement you've made all season just then by saying Yelpi was the best player. Because it's not about the fact that Alpie's the best player. It's about the fact of all the other guys that are not better than LP. That is the statement, right that

tells you just how bad of a season it's really been. Me. I want you to get her to pronounce his last name. It's what I want to do kid now, sir, Yeah, there you go. Good job. You know actually you know that's how we say it last sir, but actually in the pronunciation guy, but we don't. No one says that sold, all right, So yeah, just I kind of just popped up because I wasn't expecting that answer. I would have thought you would have said zero line because he's actually

won the two games. But well, he has missed, has missed a couple. Yeah, you know, all of his misses are fifty yards or more, so he's had that's consistent as well. He didn't miss a extra point gout that but best best player overall, I mean it's kind of a cop out, but I mean he is the best player. Is Zach Martin is your best player? I think I think he's. I think he's the best at his position.

I think you could see even from the guard position, you saw that things were, you know, that went terribly wrong without him, um in Washington, So um, I think he is their their best player. I think he's now become better and more consistent than Tyrant Smith when it comes to the line. And you know, but but that's kind of a problem. That's what she said. That's what I'm saying, you're not winning with with. That's what They're not drafting guards, number one, They're not drafting deep, they're

not drafting snappers at all. So the problem is is your most consistent best players at their position aren't the ones that are considered the premier positions there. Ye, Dave, it's Zach for sure. I mean just it's you just look at it and say, who on this team is the best in the league at what he does? And it's Zack Martin. Who on this team has a real case to go to the Hall of Fame one day, Zach Martin. Nobody else does Zeke. I think more highly of Zeke than a lot of people do, but he's

averaging fewer than four yards per carry. He leads the league in fumbles among running backs or among non quarterbacks. I should say he does like he doesn't have any explosive runs like go look at go look at the season long For all of the top rushers in the league, Zeke has one of the worst of anybody that's in the top twenty. And I, you know, I get it. He's not playing with his quarterback, he's not playing with

his preferred offensive line. But to be a fifteen million dollar running back, you're supposed to be able to make it work in those circumstances. I don't. I don't know that i'd have Zeke in my top four or five. And I mean, yeah, if you extend it to guys that are on IR I think Tyrn, Dak, and DeMarcus, I would put all of them above Zeke right now. Yeah,

I can't argue with that too much. I actually was thinking that I might go the route of saying Dak, But I think the point that Dave just made is really the point there's only one player on this team that, based on what we've seen so far. Now, maybe maybe

Dak somehow can become that later. But based on what we've seen so far, there's only one player on this well, I should say two two players on this team that I think have a legitimate shot to be in the Hall of Fame one day, Zach Martin and Tyron Smith. I don't think it's even close. I think those are the only two right now that I think have a legitimate shot, based on what we've seen so far, that have a legitimate shot of maybe getting into it. And

you gotta be qualified that too. Because of the Arizona Cardinals, the best guy they've got to go to the Hall of Fame as lare Fitzgerald, and he's not their best player on their team, so you got to be. And that's my point, Like I think Zach is still playing at that level. I don't know that Tyron is still playing at that level I think. But that's goes back to what Dave was saying about the Hall of Fame light.

That's why if you're gonna say the best player on this team, Zach is still playing at the level where he is among the very best at the art position in the NFL this year. Yeah, that all being said, and based upon his career, he to me, is is clearly your best player. I do think though, I see Dak making that push to where he will be your best player in my opinion, within the next year or two. I truly believe that because of what I've seen from

him so far. Dave Jess, I'm you one throwing I just if he I know, you know, he can roll your eyes. He hasn't been he hasn't been reliably healthy in a long time. But if Tyron Smith's healthy, He's still there. He's still one of the best three or four tackles in football right now. And I maybe it's just because I know the guy, I've been around him. I just think I think he'll be right back where he's supposed to be next year, if if his recovery and everything goes well, and that's the big key, if

the recovery goes well and he's back to himself. Right look at the Cleveland game. Look at the Cleveland game. He missed the week before he comes back for that game. Actually he missed the two weeks before he comes back for that game, and he plays and he played pretty well in that game. There was no issues on that side of the line. And then he had season ending surgery. It's not like he felt better and he got hurt on the last players. By the way, that's been his career.

Like he's the guy that battles through things. Right. So the point that I'm making that I think Dave's making, and you know, we all can see that if that's the standard when you you're on the verge of having season ending surgery on your neck and you can finally get healthy, then yeah, he's gonna be right back to it. And I still think he's got four or five good

years if he can, if this surgery really helps. It's all about health, yea, it is absolutely all about health, all right, real quick, before me in the show, let's goad and get some picks for this weekend's game, Cowboys versus Vikings. Dave e'rerope first. What happens this weekend? I think, I mean, I think they're gonna look better. I really think they've turned a corner and you know, we've put that spell of just awfulness behind us. But I still

think this is a flawed football team. Obviously, how could they not be with all of these injuries, I mean across the board. I just think the Vikings basically have every advantage. I don't think the world of Kirk Cousins, but at this juncture, I think he's better than Andy Dalton. I think Dalvin Cook speaks for himself. The Vikings are at home, so I think it'll be a much more competitive game. But I'll still take the Vikings to win. Like twenty seven to twenty one sounds fair, okay, Amber,

I'll try to be quick. I think that a win is coming for the Cowboys at some point. I don't think it's gonna be this game, though, maybe Thanksgiving. I think that the offense does played better, but at the same time, I don't trust the Cowboys defense to be able to stop this kind of running game. So I think the Vikings win, and I would say something like twenty eight seventeen around there. I agree with everybody. You know, the Vikings don't really scare you, but you know the

Cowboys are the Cowboys. Do you know they scare you just by the way that they can play. I think they're gonna play better, but I don't see him winning this. I agree that a victory is on you know, it's got to happen at some point, but I don't think it's this week. I think the Vikings are actually playing better too, so that that doesn't help the Cowboys much. I think twenty three twenty was the score that I'm going with, and that means it's gonna come down to

probably field goals. We'll see if Dan Bailey makes fun for them. But I go twenty three twenty all right. I think it's gonna be a really close game. I actually think Dallas is going to continue on the trajectory they've been on these last two games, where they've played better offensively and defensively. I do think there'll be some big runs for Dalvin Cook because you don't get away

from games mainly unless you got a great defense. You're not going to get into a game with the Minnesota Vikings and not have Dalvin Cook hit you for a couple of big plays. However, I think on the whole, I actually think it's gonna be a little upset. I think the Cowboys get to win this week. I think they win twenty four twenty three, a very very close game.

I think they played better, and that's the key. I think they're gonna be playing better than they've been playing, and I think it's going to continue with what we've seen these last two weeks. I don't think that's an aberration. I think this team is actually getting better, and I think this will be the moment when we start to say, Okay, now maybe they're turning a corner. Now, let's see what

happens down the stretching. If they can get on a bit of a run, regardless of what happens with the playoffs, Can they get on a bit of a run so that you can restore a little bit of faith in the fact that they hired this whole coaching staff and you were expecting better, expecting different. All Right, we appreciate you, guys, Jonas. We'll be back on Monday. We'll tell you what went

right and what went wrong for the Cowboys. So then, for Nick Eatman, Dave helm and Amber Garcia, I'm Derek Eagleson. 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.