Mick Shots: Eying OTAs

on a Thursday. You know it's not Bill Jones with Mickey Spagnola here in the SWBC podcast studio and Everson Walls, who is here too, he's not in the studio. I wonder if he's out on the practice field trying a comeback with the Cowboys as they are out on the practice field as we speak. I am actually doing that, Bill, because I am here right now at the two Lane Help System Professional Athlete care team building. Believe it or not,

I am going for a comeback. At sixty two years old, I have shrunk a half an inch and lost about ten pounds for my playing days. So I'm ready. I'm ready. So they're assessing you, and you're being assessed. Well, I am being assessed out of the ass okay, and and for that big comeback, and so the Cowboys could use you're coming back as a safety or a cornerback. Well, since my boy Marquis Bell is doing so damn well, I guess I'm gonna have to come back at the

cornerback because he has the safety position locked down. According to Mickey Stack, Noah, that's right, And I think that we'll be interested to see how they use them again this tomorrow when we actually get to watch practice. Yes, last week it was a Wednesday open practice for the media. This week it's a Thursday open practice for the media, which is why we are doing mix shots on Wednesday

at one pm instead of Thursday at eleven thirty. Ay. And as we go forward, just be very flexible because next week's schedule is the same there it's open on Thursday, and then it's Minicamp week the week after that, and then it's open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. So we got some forward planning to do when we're gonna continue doing mix shots and before we take our summer break, a tractor that. So everybody had a good Memorial Day weekend, Yes, I

know I did. I actually went to the Rangers game when they played Tampa Bay, all right, and you saw them when I saw them win. I saw Eli I believe his name, and robbed I mean just as we sat down, he robbed Joy. Okay, I think it was a three run homer in the first end. If that thing goes over the wall and doesn't come back, we're

looking at the totally different ball game. Guys. That's right, Eli of white center fielder out of Clemson University who's got a vertical that matches about Byron Jones's vertical apparently, or could probably broad jump like Byron Jones. That I mean, he didn't get up six feet let's say, like his his his belt line was over the wall. Yeah, yeah, that I thought his belt line was on on like on top of the cushion that was at the top of the wall. So yeah, he called it. How you

wanted that was? That was pretty impressed. Yep. And I talked to him yesterday. He said in college at Clemson, he was measured it with a thirty seven vertical, but he was like that he thinks he estimates he's probably at a forty vertical. Now, you know what the amazing thing is about this team being five hundred. Right now is Martin Perez is the leading pitcher in the major leagues? Right right? He had seven more shutout innings last night. It's a veteran lefty who was with the Red Sox

last year. As we are talking Rangers there, Well, but I'm gonna tell you a funny story. It doesn't matter if it's Cowboys or Rangers. Okay, you're gonna you're gonna bring it back to Cowboy. No, no, I'm now let's go to stay with Martin Perez. Um. You know, before he left, Before he left the Rangers, like his last year, they didn't resign him, and every time he pitched, it was just a struggle. And I was sitting there, going,

what are they doing with this guy? Right? And a friend of mine, his mother was upper eighties, almost ninety, and she watched that's what his fastball was too back then. And did she watch which isn't good enough in the big leagues anymore. She watched baseball every night, he told me, every night. And one day towards towards the ends of the season, she calls him and goes, why are they starting Martin Perez? And I said, I don't know, but I said the same thing, right, and now he's turned

his career around this year. Yes, that's right, and uh so's he would be your leading candidate to be the American League starting pitcher in the All Star Game right now. Unbelievable, and it is Everson. He's got the lowest urn run average in all of baseball right now, one sixty and

he got hit actually one forty two. Now. He got hit with a ninety seven mile hour line drive last night and then pitched better and they didn't get another hit off from the rest of the Cowboys have scouts out there right now to figure out if this can convert to the football field. Maybe he can be a backup murder. There you go, there you go. Well, let

before we go to get off the ranger thing. I have an entirely new love for baseball fans because as we came to the game, you know, you want to go to your seat, and after while you're like, you know what, all these open seats, I'm gonna sit anywhere there, and I want to sit, so I wanted. I wasn't even sure if I was gonna write sections. So I asked these guys of above me, some young cool white guys. Man, they were just killing I said, hey, man, is this

sectually one thirty two? And they looked at me with these beards like beard was in their eyes. You're like, I don't know, dude. We just moved out, so nobody knows what they're sitting. But they started something. So we started harassing the middle of the center fielder for Tampa because he would never tell us the ball in our section after warm ups. You know, they throw the ball back and forth to each other between each inning. You know, they'll take a ball and throw it in the stands

for a kid with the with the glove. Right, So there's Everson with his glove and won't throw you the ball help his glove. But the kid next to me had a glove and I was trying to help him out of His name was Kayden, So kay I just met the kids he's gotten sitting there with a glove. We strike up a conversation and every time the guys seemed to look at us and look us off and

throw it another way. So all those those those beer field guys behind us, they would I think his name was Phillips by kurse Phillips out the entire game being entired that you suck, you suck. I just I had so much fun, man, I joined in with the guys I met, you did I did seeing in in football, you can't harass the playhers, right, Oh. In baseball, it's a whole different ball game. Ball a little bit different.

They're used to it. They're used to it in Tampa or in Saint Pete and that stadium where they only get like four or five thousand people though, so you can hear every word. Try And Rangers played in Oakland this week last Friday night. Their attendance was thirty five hundred. I covered a game. I didn't cover a game. I watched the game in Kansas City when I was in college at the old Stadiums Stadium and it was the last year of the stadium before they built the new place.

And it was a night game, and I thought I was in one of those minor league movie films because I could hear the umpire Calleague balls up. It was so desolate in there, right, it was like watching he probably could too. But you can't harass football players who are by the way out on the field today. Yeah, and by the way, the Rangers back at five hundred on the season, yes, twenty four and twenty four And

did you know this? Did you know this? With the Mavericks advancing to the Western Conference Finals this year, the Stars made the playoffs first round exit. Cowboys made the playoffs. This is the first time since two thousand and seven, the calendar year two thousand and seven, that the Cowboys, Stars, and Mavericks have made the playoffs in the same year.

And we're counting this, Oh, you're counting the boys. The playoff games are being played in this calendar year, this first time in fifteen years, and it's never happened before that the Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars and Rangers have been in the playoffs in the same year. Who's caused that to happen? Like, who didn't hold up there under the bargain? Well, it's just this very year to year the Rangers have been

in the playoffs, you know. But those years the maybe the Stars or the Mavericks didn't make it or the Cowboys. The Cowboys didn't in two thousand and t so they own that. And then you go back ninety six, ninety eight, and ninety nine, the Rangers are in the playoffs, but the Mavericks were down before they got Dirk. So anyway, that's a little bit of trivia there. I like that absolutely, So maybe this will be the year there you go, all right, And just so you guys know, I've got

to say I'm here. I'm here in New Orleans doing this thing right, getting this assessment. And uh. I have been on the phone with Uncle Lonzo and Aunt hunt Nikki. These are that's and uncle of Marquis Bell. Oh really, I have problem with film that I would take care of their little nephews. I've talked to everybody but Marquise. Okay, Oh, I've talked to the entire family, and boy, they are so proud of him. I have found out so much about this young man, even more than Usepagnolah. So oh no, well,

I'm gonna have to brief you. You know when you talk about high characters, and you know everybody's gonna say that about their own kid, but I truly believe it with this young man. They call him a high character kid as fact, and you know how much we like that bill high character individual. They talked about his athleticism. He played every sport guy, he played every sports up for hockey, all right, And so this guy is extremely athletic. And I asked his uncle as to listen, can he

go as a safety? Does he have the range to go to the ball and gather himself to go up and get it as he arrived at that point, and he said absolutely absolutely. So as far as I'm concerned, if he can do that, we got all the linebackers. We need spags, we need safeties that can make play. I think if I remember correctly for track, I think he was like a hydra him for two Yeah, yeah, yeah,

that's what he was. He was a high jumper and a long jumper, and that just lets you know that he has the hops and he has the footwork to make those plays on deep balls. And you know me, that's what I'm looking forward to. So when I finally started working with this kid, or at least just talking to him and putting putting a bug in his ear, just tell them to stay the same. Right now, guys, he's the press, the candidate for a surprise to make this team and to make an impact. I've already pointed

that out. So you're you're late down that one, Well, what you need to do is come out here for the mini camp practices, so you can go in and introduce yourself. I am definitely gonna do that because he won't answer my phone calls. Well, here's what we need to do, Mickey, you this is your assignment sometimes show. Now. We're in the month of June. Okay, training camp starts

next month, so time is running short here. But you've got OTAs this week, OTAs next week, miniicamp the following week, whenever we schedule the mix shots for maybe the following week maybe I don't know if we're working into the schedule minicamp week or what. But when he's still on campus here, we need to have him in studio and tape mix shots with Everson here and having Marcus Bells show before we get the training before training. Kit's right,

that's right, all right, I'm game for that, guys. I'm definitely ready. Sat. That's good stuff, good stuff, all right. Well, m So the Cowboys, Well, we'll see him practice again tomorrow. And from what I hear or what it looks like, is that at least James Washington might be out of his boot and be able to do some of the grass work. I mean, he's still rehabbing, probably but looks

like he's progressing, looks like Jalen Tolbert is progressing. So the wide receiver position maybe by mini camp will look a little bit more normal than what we saw last week when it was Ceedee Lamb and Semi Fijoko and Noah Brown out there with the first team. That'll probably make everybody feel a little bit better about that wide receiver position, you know. And I think back to last week seeing Zeke out there. I don't know how much we talked about it, and if we have, just remind me,

but boy, he's really scoutined out there. He looks like he's got his legs back under him, the way he looked in the first couple of games of the season when they did a little bit of running and some blocking. By the way, with the exception of the first game, because they basically gave up trying to run against Tampa Bay and ended up throwing for gosh, four hundreds, all I remember is Dak had more yards passing than Tom

Brady did in that game. But if Zeke's got himself back after the PCL sprain, he could be in for something big this year, especially if if that they found a second tight end that can go out there and block when they go two tight ends. I looked it up. I think it was after our show last week, and if this was accurate, twenty five percent of their snaps were in two tight end, but they didn't really block that well when they were in two tights. So which

guard do you think will be that? That's right, and that's what they ended up doing, right. They put Connor Connor mcgovernn out there basically as a guard or used the fullback instead. Now they've got a legitimate fullback on them and a legitimate guard who will also first round guard who will also work at tackle. Pick for the team guard. Yes, thank you. He will work at tackle also, by the way, because do you suspect he will work at tackle this week? I think I think there's a

possibility he will do both. Okay, he will be out of starting guard for the season. Okay, I'm calling it right now, but he's got to earn it, which which frees up McGovern to be the starting second tight end. Second tight end unless Jake Ferguson is the real deal. And I'm thinking if you drafted a tight end from Wisconsin, as much as they run the ball, they got better be able to block right, otherwise, otherwise he might not even been a fourth round pick. So this too tight

end off and McCarthy loves tight ends. I mean as early as the third round, you know, he's pounding the table to get a tight end. And a bunch started going off the board at that point. So who are you considering the true fullback? Ryan Nall or Nick Rolston? What about Nick? And Cowboys had a true fullback on the didn't have him active enough. Yeah, at least the other guys got Nalls, got experience, right, we forgot that

we actually had a fullback. That's right, Nick Ralston. You know you know how players advanced from their first year to their second, Well, then it's time. That's a big training camp battle, right, And that was a big training camp story, by the way, last summer for Bill. That's right. Training He found his mom and dad at training that's right. Yeah, great human. You know how you know an investigative reporter, Bill is they were probably the only two people that

had Ralston on seats in the crowd. That's right. Always for the underdog man, I try, especially if that underdog went to high school around here. Yeah, that's why I've always been an Everson Walls fan, going back to try. All right, we're just getting started on this edition of mix Shots, and we will continue in just a moment. Brace yourself for an existential question. Has your butt been having enough fun lately? Have you been treating it well? Has it been going places? If not, then it's about

time you start using seat Geek. Seat geek is the best way to get your butt tickets to live events. Just ask the thousands of other butts who have rated it the number one ticketing app. So what are you waiting for? Download the app now or visit SeatGeek dot com to get tickets to sport, concerts and live events and make your butt happy. Sea peek, get your seat in a seat I want to use what the pros use? How about the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys,

Jack Black. Right now, you can get the Jack Black Starter, a curated collection of Cowboys locker room favorites, for just ten bucks with free shipping. The starter includes four Jack Black skincare favorites, plus a full sized and tense therapy lip bomb. Go to get Jack Black dot com, slash Cowboys and use the code word Team JB. That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys, the Jack Black Starter,

ten bucks free shipping. The Cowboys Way, where sixteen Hall of Famers and five championships shows us what success looks like. Where turkey is always the second best part of Thanksgiving Day. Where we are all defined by one single thing, the star, Where we as fans know it's our job to keep the tradition going. Bank of America is proud to be the official bank of the Dallas Cowboys and to support

the quest of living life The Cowboys Way. Copyright twenty twenty Bank of America Corporation at ATNC, Everyone new and existing customers get our best deals on every smartphone. Why because you deserve it for turning your living room into your office and your gym. We're teaching Grandma had a video call and teaching her again. It's the button on your left Nanna, okay, your other laughs. It's not complicated.

Everyone deserves something new, so ATNC is given everyone new and existing customers are best deals with every unlimited plan on every smartphone, even the latest ones. A teen T may temporarily slidated spec at the network. SPECIC restrictions and exceptions may apply back to Micked shots. K Post Roofing and Waterproofing, proud partner of the Dallas Cowboys from corporate homes to your home. Have your roof checked by choice,

not by chance. Call now two one four two two five four eight six oh or go to k postcompany dot com. All right, we continue with mick shots. On a Wednesday afternoon. Cowboys have been on the practice field for another OTA session today close to the media. Mickey has his sources, however, and they will be open to the media tomorrow on Thursday. Everson Walls is in New Orleans joining us and Mickey the kicking situation with the

Cowboys hires. How concerned are you with that? Well, hopefully we'll get to see Garabay do some kicking, because the undrafted free agent from Texas Tech, right, because most of the kicking that we've seen so far in the rookie mini camp and last week's OTA took place indoors, and so we really haven't seen him. But I'm told he's got a live leg, which is good. Right. Oh no, wait, wait, wait, hopefully he's got two, because you did a plant leg

as well as the kicking leg. Former former kicking coach Steve Hoffman. Uh instructed me to just listen to the ball, how it pops off a guy's foot, and if it makes that good sound, then the guy's got a live leg, like he can kick the ball. Now, it's got to be kind of like it. I kind of like to look at it with my eyes and see if it goes between the cold post. Now, you got to hear it right, It's got to have that. Yeah, you gotta have that matter. It doesn't matter if it's twenty five

yards or forty five yards. It needs to sound to say it sounds like a baseball scout. You can You don't even have to watch a guy in batting practice. All you gotta do is just listen and you can tell whether he can hit or not. You or the or the best uh college softball player from Oklahoma right now uh Al from Hawaii from Hawaii, Joscelyn Alo home run hitter, yes, and reading stories about him, reading stories about her. She's got some pop in her band, Yes,

she does. The reason I brought up Kicker the Lions have released Aldric Rosas, So there you go. There's another kicker that you can bring in. I think he came through here once for a not I mean, I think like a tryout or something like that. Tho, well that's what and that's what's going to happen here now getting closer to the camp, the teams start shedding a veteran guy for a younger guy that might be looking good

in these preseason workouts. So, and by the way, today is June first, first, So tomorrow June second, Leale collins uh salary cap hit and bass salary will hit the Cowboys cap. So what does that mean? So that means that his bass salary, which was off the top of my head, like ten ten million dollars, now they can use that money because they released him as a June one post June one release and then the dead money and I'm doing this off top of my head was

like thirteen million. So five million this year and eight million next year. How much money is that free up? So we can go sign somebody a couple million dollars? All right, who do you want to go sign? Yeah, let's get it out there. Briona is rushing it the

law because he wants a solution. That's right, Well, he certainly don't need if you save five five million dollars or so you don't need that on a kicker, by the way, because you've signed your draft class YEP, so you don't need Now did they finish did they get the who was not signed? I thought one guy virtually Ferguson maybe was there's your I don't know it did or not, there's your tight end. Yeah, he'll be signed.

And as you're seeing around the league, guys are starting veteran guys without jobs, they're starting to find conscient and there could be some guy's release now, yes too. After June first, first right news around the league, Stefan too It, defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers, surprisingly announced his retirement moments ago. Oh so okay, and other news around the league. Kyler Murray has reported to Cardinals OTAs yes, stay my beating heart. I was worried about that. Now, what about

Aaron Donald? Has He reported He has not has not crossed the wire, as we said. So, so, Everson, I want you to interpret this forming all right? Uh? He said, Uh. The reason he hadn't been in OTA's um and he talked all about, you know, needing me beyond a team that wins or whatever. Well, the last three years, he's been paid sixty seven million dollars in cash, okay, and he doesn't have any more guaranteed money left in his contract, and he's got two more years on the contract he signed.

His quote is it ain't about the money, but it's business at the end of the day. Now what does that mean? You know what that sounds like? Sound like with Latrell's pretty will. He's been making about like twenty five million dollars ago. Hey, man, I gotta be my family. I need a raid. Yeah, I gotta feed my family. I laugh when I read that it ain't about the money, but it's a business at the end of the day. So, which means it is about the money and he wants

some guaranteed money going forward. Hey, I really can't talk much about I had some pretty hair brained schemes when I was trying to get my money from Gil. I recalled. I was nineteen eighty six, I retired, I was twenty six years old. I put in my retirement papers just because we were going through contract negotiations and I did not want to pay that thousand dollar fine per day when you're missed training camp back then, and so I you know, I told Drafting Stemps, you know, Gil's gonna

be a smart ass. I can be a smart ass too, So you know, at that time, we didn't have free agency as a backup. There was no free agency, so the only thing I could do was just irritate the hell out of them and just retire until they actually came back to the table and starting negotiating. The other thing I saw where and I don't know this might be surprising or not. Dalton Scholtz with the ten point ninety three million dollars franchise tag that he will play for.

He's got another month and a half to continue negotiating

a long term deal if he wants. But his cap hit for this year ten point nine three million ties Mike Gasecki for the fourth highest paid tight end in the league, So he's not doing bad for himself, right, And when it comes to base salaries, then Schultz and Gisecki are tied for first for the highest base salaries of the tight ends in the league going into this year because the other guys signed long term deals and their cap hit is higher because of signing bonus pro

rated over the life of the contract. So and you know this is this is his chance to cash in. There was a stat I read his one hundred and forty one catches over the last two years is worth most of all the tight ends and all the big names that you want to come up with. He was actually fourth, and he was six this past year, and six by the way over those two years in touchdowns with twelve, so he's kind of made a name for himself. He really has. I gotta say, guys, I'm pretty impressed

with him. You know, at first we had jaw and making all these catches, and you know, he was a guy that we thought was the finesse tight end, but then Chult comes along and as far as blocking is concerned, not happy with the finesse part of it, but he

has bailed us out many times. And he was integral to the offense when you thought thinking about the two men that they were running against this fag the whole time, right, That means our wide receivers having big time problems, and he was our outlet because Zeke acted like he's never seen a ball in the air before last year. But Schultz was ready and able to catch anything coming his way, and he feasted off of those opportunities that he had

weekend and week out. I'm impressed with him. He deserves all the money that he gets. And when you start talking about some of the big tight ends in the NFL, and he's considered to be one of them, that's pretty good man. He's ain't good coming. And by the way that I said, he was sixth over the last two years with twelve touchdowns. There's three guys tied for third at thirteen. So he wasn't that far off to pace the leading touchdown tight ends over the last two years.

Kelsey had twenty and uh Anderson, Mark Mark Andrews, Andrew Andrew from the Raves, Yeah, had from Oklahoma sixteen. There you go, So he wasn't He wasn't that far off the pace with all the other guys. All right, So how big of a priority is it for the Cowboys to sign him to a long term deal right now? Well, if they're sold on him and they think he deserves the long term, are you sold on him three years? Maybe can we do three years? Because you know what,

and here's would probably messed up the whole thing. Uh. The joco is that how I say Cleveland they signed him to a four year, fifty six point seven five million dollar deal this week. Uh so, uh my math on that is like averaging fourteen fourteen million. Twelve fourteen million, yeah, fourteen, thank you Bill. Uh And and but have you looked

at the details? Yes? I did, okay. And it's essentially a three year, thirty nine point five million dollars deal, so thirteen thirteen a year, and they can get out of it a matter of fact in the first two years. Uh. The fully guaranteed at signing is twenty five million. So there's your market for Schultz right now, four years fifty

seven million, and that's not going to happen here, I'll guarantee. Ukay, Hey, let me jays Maad, you're starting to maybe, mad man, what's happen you know you're always chop it down people's ability to make money. No, I'm looking at what happened to you. I am looking at the salary cap a company man for a way too long. I am looking at the cowboys salary cap much money? Now a kick it is. We can't sign a guard in the first round. No, you can't. He's not gonna get that much. Come on, man,

have some optimism in yourself. Okay, you you you obviously need to take a lesson in salary cap management. Yeah, I mean, look as much money as Jerry spends, that's not about his money, it's about the Cowboys money. And that's what you got to keep an eye on when you're paying a quarterback who's going to average forty million a year against the cap. So are you if you don't sign him to a contract extenchion he plays on the tag this year, Now you go into next year's offseason,

do you let him walk or do you tag him? Agin? And what would be more of ten? Yeah or basically eleven? Right? Yeah, so that basically, well it's twenty be around that fourteen million dollars ring exact for another year, right, And so it depends on how you structure the contract. Right. You can make it look good for the agent to say four years fifty six million, but it really isn't four years fifty six million when you look at the ut

when you look at the inside of the contract. But that gets back to the priority during this draft was on that offensive staff, right, was to get a tight end, and they wound up not being able to get one of the top three rounds. And so now we'll see if Jake Ferguson becomes that tight end that you can depend on, isn't that where they got Schultz fourth round? That's exactly right, and um found Witten in the third

third round. Um, James Hannah was what a sixth rounder, you know, and he put in a good number of years. Here was the first rounder? Yeah, um Um, San Diego State, Yeah, Escobar, Gavin Escobar was a second rounder. So you can miss

on those guys. The best deal was Plan B free agent. Yeah, j no guy named Jay rob Awalt at the same time in Plan B free agency they took and then he got hurt, right, and they were they thought they had their two tight ends and they really only had one, which gave Alfredo Roberts an opportunity to be that second

tight end if I remember correctly. Yeah. So so anyway, you know, it's you only have a certain number of draft picks, and um, you know, as much as it might have been a priority to get one of those, because this was a good year for tight ends in the draft. Yeah, I would have loved to have seen Jeremy rutgerd Ohio State, who went late third round to

the Jets. Um. You know, once you got passed your first three picks, and you know, there was talk that the Cowboys might package a couple of those fits and move up and back into the third round. And that's but this is the reason why, because you of the contract status of Dalton Dalton Schultz and right he's about to become it is he? Is he a tight end who you can who can command the same kind of contract as the top tight ends in the league? You know?

Is he a difference maker like that? And even after some of those top tight ends went off the board. You mentioned Rutgert, Uh, he was the thirty seventh pick in the third round. Uh, they kind of like that cade and it was the first pick of the of the fourth round, that type of a and so and which caused will McClay too pound his fifth on the table like they can frustration And that's like darn it. Right,

So there's a couple that you could have. You would have had to have traded up into the third round, and the price to pay for that would have been probably your fourth and two fifths to get that high. Yeah, that was a long way to go. And even if you moved up a little bit, it would have cost you Daman Clark probably, Yeah, depending on half round the fifth which fifth round you could you know somebody would take right and let's just assumes let's assume it would

be your first two fifth round picks. Well, you took Matt Will let's go with the first of those, and you took Duran Bland, the cornerback from Fresno State with the second of those. Yeah. So so would you be willing to give up Jake Ferguson a tied end, Matt Will Letska a tackle, and Duran Bland a cornerback to get Kado or Jeremy ruckerd That's a lot. So that's what you're looking at them. Yeah, absolutely so. So anyway, the development of those tight ends, it's going to be

a key thing going forward. All Right, when we come back here, here's what I would like to get into a little bit. Let's look at the NFC East a little bit. I was talking with a friend in Philadelphia today, a friend, and he is convinced that the Philadelphia Eagles. This is the year for the Eagles and that they are going to rule the NFC East. Let's explore that when we come back here on mix shots. Before there

was a Draft. You could size up a cowboy by three simple factors, the crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude a man, Stetson didn't just protect him from what life throw 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 respect think Cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Find a retailer nearest to you at Stetson dot com

slash Cowboys. Hi, I'm Clint Tillison with and I'm Jay Novachek, and we're both with un and Turf, the official tractor provider of the Dallas Cowboys. So if you need a tractor to bail some hay, I'm more to cut some grass or a gator to get some chores done, get a John Deer at Unitedagin Turf and then let's get to work. Hey Jay, that's my line, Well not today. Get to work with a John Deeer tractor package that's just right for you in your budget. Visit Unitedaginturf dot com.

There's nothing as unique as our eyes, which is why SLOR pioneers ways to make lenses as unique as you. Varilux for super sharp vision, Essential Blue for protection, I'm Chrisol for freedom from glare. Three cutting ex solutions in a single unique lens. So whatever your needs, insist on a salor, visit your local or experts and find a perfect lens for you. Seymore, Do more, Lore new, Doctor Peppers zero sugar. You deserve it. I do deserve that.

You deserve decadent flavor without sugar, and a day at the beach without sand getting everywhere, and a relaxing bath that your children don't interrupt. I deserve all that. It's really just a visual metaphor for doctor Pepper zero sugar. Everything you want, nothing you don't, a visual metaphor on the radio. I do deserve that, Doctor Pepper, zero sugar, the zero you deserve is finally here. Back back to micked shots. Whether you're watching from home or cheering in

the stands. With lenses, you'll see every exciting play book. An appointment at your local SLAR experts and find the perfect SLR lens for you. See more, Do more, All right, Bill Jones, Mickey Spagnola Everson Walls, our last segment of this week's edition of A Mixed Shot says, we get you set for another day of reporting tomorrow. You'll be seeing all the reports after the practice is over of what happened out on the practice field. Because rules are rules,

right makes right reporting while things are going on. No no texting, wild texting or tweeting when things are going on. So here it is. We're in the month of June. Now, training camp is going to start next month. Okay, the season will be here before you know it. My question to both of you, gentlemen, who's the team to beat in the NFC East. I'll defer to the representative in New Orleans right now, who played for the New York

Giants as well as the Dallas Cowboys. I would have to say, guys, when you look at last year, with all the talent that we had that allowed us to take over the nfcast, and I don't care how many draft choices you have. I don't care how promising your quarterback might look in Philadelphia. I don't care what they do with Jones in New York. Now. The only the only I know this the Cowboys, even with their losses

at wise receivers. With Mardy Cooper being gone, and even with our offensive line being the way it was, we were still able to dominate the NFC East last year. Nothing has changed as far as I'm concerned. They may have closed the gap as far as the other teams in the NFC East, but to me, the Dallas Cowboys still have the veteran talents enough to go on and continue to win the FC. It's still gonna be, to me,

one of the weaker divisions in the league. I still believe that, unfortunately, but the Cowboys are still the class of this division. So I know they lost some talent from last year. I get it. But here are the scorers in NFC East last year for the Cowboys. They beat Philadelphia forty one twenty one. They beat the Giants forty four twenty. They beat Washington twenty seven twenty the closest of all, twenty one six over the Giants, the second time, fifty six fourteen over Washington and fifty one

twenty six over Philadelphia. So did Philadelphia closed the gap that much? They have not? I don't think so, then they will not. Here's those scores carry over? You get? Can get? Is it like wrestling, you get riding time for dominating. Oh there you go, Yeah, that would be nice. It's like soccer the aggregate. Yes. So here's the other thing. I saw this stat come up, so I figured it out. Quarterback ratings over the last at least the last thirty five games, and you have to throw at least eight

hundred passes. Aaron Rodgers leads no shock there one oh nine point two. Kirk Cousins is next at one oh five, Wilson one oh five, Mahomes one oh three, seven, Tannehill one oh two, and Dak Prescott is sixth at one oh one point six. Any of those quarterbacks ahead of them in the NFC East, by the way, Nope, it's Jalen Hurts. You have him on the list. Do you have to throw enough pass didn't win over at least thirty five games? Okay, so he hasn't played definitely. Yeah. Yeah.

And so to me, if you're looking at this, who's got the best quarterback in the NFC East, I think it's hands down it's the Cowboys. Do you do really trust Jalen Hurts yet? I don't know, do they? Right? They seemed to think they do, all right? They keep telling everyone that they do. And as much as I do like Jalen Hurts, I think I like him a little bit more than you guys. I still don't think

it's enough to be able to beat the Cowboy. Yes, I think he has improved as a quarterback, but I don't think he's improved that much to where they're ready to take over the division. I don't see that. Here's the Jalen Hurts stats from last year. Okay, he was eight and seven as a starting quarterback, fifteen starts. He completed sixty one percent of his passes for thirty one hundred forty four yards, nine interceptions and sixteen touchdowns. You

got Dak stats there from last year. I've got him here. If you don't know, I knew right here. So Dak Prescott was four hundred and ten or five ninety six, So sixty eight point eight percent, four thousand, four hundred and forty nine yards, thirty seven touchdowns and ten interceptions with a one oh four point two quarterback radio And so that was thirty seven touchdowns, ten picks, and Hurts

was sixteen touchdowns, nine picks. That here's what Everson is getting at what he probably likes about Hurts's game too, though, is Hurts ran four seven hundred eighty four yards and ten touchdowns. You like that part of it, don't you, Everson? Yeah, And that's it's the whole body of work field. I'm glad you brought. And he probably led them in rushing though, yes,

by thirty yards over Miles Sanders. And then you know that that that just goes to the you know, it's just a testament the kind of heart that he has. It's going to be a testament to the percentages catching up with him now. I'm yeah, the percentage of your heart can get your hurts. You know, if you run too much, if you run too much, then you're going to have those those instances to where you could possibly be out for the game, out of your career. We saw it out Dak Prescott back and I guess that

was twenty twenty. So when you start talking about running too much in the NFL, you don't want a quarterback. Lamar Jackson, to me, is an exception. Jalen Hurtz is trying to be back, but his passing, his passing production is not It can't compare to Lamar Jacksons. If I'm not mistaken in any means, by any means, but he's good for what Philadelphia is doing. That's why they like him so much. They don't want him to carry the team.

They want him to be a compliment to their defense, and at this point, that's what got them into the playoffs. He was just a compliment to their defense. He's not gonna be that quarterback that we like a Dak Prescott. He's not gonna be an Aaron Rodgers. He's not gonna be any of those guys Russell Wilson. He's not trying to be, but they want to. They want him to be the kind of quarterback that Philadelphia needs to compliment their defense. And that's not gonna get you passing yards,

but it did get them once again into the wild card. Okay, let's how about this part of it. Compare the Cowboys weapons on offense with the Eagles weapons on offense. With the Eagles acquiring A J. Brown on Draft Day, with their trade with the Tennessee Titans, they've got Davante Smith, who of course, was a first round pick last year. They also picked up Zach Pascal who was with the Colts,

picked him up in free agency. The former first round picked Jalen Rager, who has not performed well in his time. Greg Ward's still around there, tied end. They've got Dallas Goddard, they drafted in the sixth round around Grant Calcata out of SMU And of course they're running backs. You got Miles Sanders along with Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott. Or you like those weapons around Hurts or do you like what the cowboys have? Well, I don't care what you

have around the quarterback. The quarterbacks still got a perform. Otherwise those guys don't get to excel, right, and our quarterback and performed. The cowboy at quarterback, he performed. This guy knows how to get it to his receivers when they're open, and sometimes even when they're not open. But when you start looking at guys like Brown, I mean when you dropped, when you trade for a guy like Brown, you know he's that that Deebo Samuels type of guy.

You know he's gonna make He's gonna have a good bonds out to the catch, yarns out to the catch, and they're gonna be short throws to him and let him make his way down the field as best he can. When you're talking about that kind of physicality, you know he's he's kind of making up for the Heisman picked that they had what's the young man's name, the other wide receiver, Smith, Dete Smith. I mean, come on, man, this guy, this little bit of guy, you know, he's

not gonna be He's not gonna have many yacks. When you're throwing short passes. You gotta catch him down the field. Brown can keep the change moving for the Philadelphia Eagles, and that is what they're looking at. She is, to me, like dwing the ball to him would be like Jalen Hurt's pitching to a great money back. You understand, That's what it's like. They're gonna throw short to him and they're gonna see how many yours, how he can move

the chain. So that that was a strategic signing for them because to me, I think he gives them a little bit more physicality from the wide recited position for a team that wants to be physical. So I got reminded of this yesterday. The Cowboys banking on Cede Lamb being the number one receiver and and you probably can find this. It was on NFL dot Com, Bucky Brooks wrote about Cede Lamb breaking out to be I believe the quote was one of the top five receivers in

the league because he's gonna get the opportunity. They had a nine minute highlight film of CDs catches from last year, and when you put those all together and you sit in there questioning if he could be a number one receiver, I was like, oh my, if he gets more opportunities. I mean, there were some spectacular plays in nine minute video, and it just kind of reminded me how explosive he

was last year. If you look at the catches he made, the runs after catches he made, and some of them, how wide open he was in the game behind the defense. So maybe that's what gave the Cowboys the confidence to say, Okay, for salary cap purposes, we can move on from Amari Cooper because we've got a potential number one receiver playing

for us that we're going to invest money in. The difference between that, to me, Spags is Okay, you got a highlight reel, that's great, but you know you got low light reels you can well, he's got to cut out the drops. I get it. I know where you're going. Yeah, and and trust me, I love some CDs and I'm

hoping that he turns out to be that guy. But that low light reel is going to be where he disappears where we couldn't find him, where he was nowhere, where he couldn't get off the jam, you know, to where we needed him to be opened quickly because that rush was coming, that four man rush was coming because once again we needed what spag and offensive guard. Okay, so that's what that's what we had to deal with last year. The highlight wheel is great, it's when we

needed him and he wasn't there. Those are the times that where you say, okay, that could have been greatness, But where was it? You know? And that that's what I'm looking at. When when when we start to falter down the stretch, you know, when the when the pressure started to get to us up front. Yeah, we needed him to get off of that dB who was on the line of scrimmag scrimmags jamming him because that was the m O. And for teams to beat us in

our passing game, we're gonna jam the outside receivers. And even though if you're playing Nicola Dome there's jamming the flop receiver as well, which is where sometimes we would line up CD lambs. I feel like him being in the slot prominently, but he's got to be stronger. I'm hoping he's in that weight on this our season. He's got to be stronger, and he's got to learn some moves off the line. If y'all were called they had

when they had the show last year, hard Knock. Mary Cooper was trying to show him different ways to come off the line of scrimmat I hope he was listening because he gave him some good tips. You try to attack somebody head on, it don't work with these dbs. You have to attack him from angles, especially when they're jamming. Are like that, And I'm hoping CD was listening because if you do it like that, you give yourself a

chance to get off the jam as opposed to getting down. Well, he says he put on ten pounds of muscle, for whatever that means. Although when I checked his weight, when I checked his weight from what's on the thing now till last year, is about to say, so maybe he

got rid of some fat which he didn't have. Lost ten pounds, Yeah, muscle yeah, maybe he got Actually you know what though, when I when I looked at him, he and maybe it's because we haven't been able to do interviews standing next to anybody, right, We've always been five six eight feet away. When I was standing next to him in the locker room, Uh, this past week, it was like, he looks bigger and he's pretty cute. Right, he goes, well, I did grow a half an inch.

So he grew a half an inch in Everson, you said shrunk, Yeah, no, no, he tiptoed half is that's what he did, got up in his tiptoes when they measured him. I know that's trick. You got stretched that, nick Man. Okay, So then Mickey, as you go out to watch practice on Thursday, what are you watching for? Well, I mean again, watch how they're using Tyler Smith. Is he the backup still the second team guard behind Connor McGovern, And is he going to uh play some at left tackle?

Because even though uh Tyrant Smith uh did not practice last week, Uh, it sounds like he's going to be out there again a return this week to practice. But how much does he need to do in OTA's right? So I'm thinking maybe they take a look at Tyler Smith some snaps at left tackle, so I'll keep an eye on that. Um, let me ask your questions, because this is the kind of the elephrom the room. Do you think he's gonna be ready Tyler Smith? Do you think Tyler Smith can last the whole season? Tyler or

Tyrn Tylan? I'm sorry, Tyrn Tylan Smith. Yeah. Hey, I'll take thirteen games of him over seventeen of anybody else you want to put over there. Can we get thirteen? Yeah? He always seems to have just missed three or four somewhere in November couple games. I'll take. I'll take you got you in at least kind of what you you were talking about. I think we need to have a play count for him all season long. I don't I

don't care how good he looks. I hope we have the luxury to have a play count for him, because, like you said, Bill comes as the season goes on, it seems to weigh on him a lot physically, and that's when no injuries thought to power up with him. Yeah. Yeah, that's interesting because you see that with defensive lineman, they

rotate in defensive lineman. You don't see it as very often at all with offensive lineman where you'll rotate in, although there are some teams who do that with maybe with a veteran player or with a younger player too, where they'll rotate in for one series a backup right tackle or something like that. Uh, it's obviously a tough thing to do with a veteran future Hall of Famer like Tyrn Smith unless Tyran wants to do it, and and there's something to be set on the offensive line

for continuity. So speaking of the offensive line, I also want to keep an eye on over these next couple of weeks, like who's the backup center? By the way, you know farneyak Okay, that's what they were saying at the draft. They love Matt farneyak. No, they say he was here every day. Okay. I took that as they love. There's a difference between being here and beingtdy. Yeah, right, because Everson I show up every day. That didn't mean Mickey loves me. I just show up every day. Yeah.

You got the pessimism of bags and the optimism of field goal. You know, do they give Connor McGovern an opportunity back at center that he did like five or six years ago at ten State. But that's what how did they did? We did we try him and train the camp at They really didn't give him an opportunity to Connor Williams. The opportunity they gave Connor Williams. They were hoping for a double there and they got a little greedy. But a McGovern's gonna play center, then, who

plays tight end or fullback? Right? That's right? So hopefully you've covered tight end and they free him up to maybe be the backup center. That center guard. You got to have one, right, Yeah, that's where you have That's where you have to have continuities at the center position. You're talking about someone with his hands on the ball. That's even more delicate than you're talking about your blind side attack. So I'm going to keep an eye on that, and also I'm going to continue to keep an eye

on the safety position with our man Marquis. And the guy that I think everybody shouldn't forget about is Coyle. Tyler Coyle rookie for agent last year. Impressed him in training camp and in preseason games. And he's back and let's let's see if what he can do. Because I was impressed with him last year, I thought he you know, he had enough, he had enough to get on some special teams. I think he only played like maybe a couple of games. I can look that up real quick.

Bad guys, we gotta go the doctor. Wade though, Oh all right, this is how I keep you guys on schedule. And and Tyler Coile did play two games last year, had two tackles. Okay. I hope the doctor's not too intrusive with you there, Everson, and I hope they don't find anything. I'm about right, Okay, we all leave that. I'm glad we're not zooming. All right. Then we'll chat at you next week, and we'll let you know when we're gonna do this, all right, I'll be ready to

either way. Okay, all right, And that we're at a time. On this edition of mix Shots, you have a parting shot, Mickey. I wish I did. Okay, since you just kind of cut me off guard here, I'm gonna keep an eye on deck Prescott. How's that? There? You go? He looked good last week. Yes, he's did keep on, keep it on. All right. That does it for Mick Shots for this week. We'll have a full report next week. On another week

of OTAs. Here at the Star in Frisco has been a production Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club