Mick Shots: Safety First

and NFL free agency. We're deep into that, and the Cowboys have added some players, several players to the team since we last spoke last Tuesday. I'm Bill Joe with Mickey Spagnola inside the SWBC Mortgage studios at the Star in Friscoe. Everson Walls will be joining us shortly. Mickey, how you doing. I'm doing fine, Bill and yourself. It looks like today seem like things back to old times

here at the Star. I saw the helicopter fly in transporting Jerry Jones into the facility, and when I showed up, I could see about a dozen guys on the field, either rehabbing or starting to do some aerobic training with the strength and conditioning staff out there, doing some running and different type of stuff. So yeah, kind of getting back to old times out here. Yep, that's that right. And we're less than a month away from the start of the official offseason program for the Cowboys, which I

think is around April nineteenth or so this year. The other thing that is refreshing to see I'm watching on the NFL Network scenes from the Alabama Pro Day. Reportedly Mike McCarthy is there, And that's my point. It's it's it's refreshing to see coaches out on the road at pro days. And you know, Micky, Alabama's got so many NFL prospects that not only have a Pro day to day, but they have another Pro day coming up also. You

have to have two pro days, you know. And and the key thing about these pro days is, I think everybody needs to remember they are basically replacing the combine. The NFL did not have a combine, and they basically said that the school pro days would replace that when they do the official measures and times and things like that. So I think I saw the NFL sanctioned one hundred and one Pro days and so those will, as I said,

take the place of the the combine. And that's why you see a bunch of the coaches and scouts at these things as many, if not more than usual, because they got to look at these players and see where they're at at this time in their lives. And the other thing that I noticed was taken place bill is a lot of the the places where guys would go to work out, like the Michael Johnson Training Center and things like that, where guys would get ready for the combine.

Those places they're having their kind of pro days, but the NFL is not allowing NFL personnel to attend those, so they'll have to put those results out for everybody to see. So a lot of things changing getting ready for this draft. But maybe it looks like they'll be actual people at the draft this year, unlike last year when it was all virtually zoomed, including the commissioner announcing the picks from his basement. Sounds like he will be

in Cleveland. They're going to allow people to watch the draft, so things are kind of moving a little bit closer to normal. Yep. And that's great to see. And you know the other thing that they've taken some of the things that they had to do by necessity last year and preparing for the draft, like the zoom interviews WebEx interviews with the prospects, and they're still doing that this year. And they were over as usual, over three hundred Combine

invitees this year. And as far as the interviews that the teams do with the players, that's being done virtually and and Jerry really seemed to like the virtual interviews last year. Hey we got Everson wat Hey, look at there. I was I was wondering when you guys were going to acknowledge me. Thank you very much. Oh my goodness. We had to wait to see going on. We had to wait to see your pictures show up before we

knew you could talk to us. Hey, when you talk about you have horrible CP time, when you wake up early and still late, that's bad. It's great to have you here every sin. We missed you last week. And uh lot a lot has transpired since the last time you were with us a couple of weeks ago. And he's gone and he's gone right right, yea, yea. And our free agent signings, our free agent signings still suck, right, yeah, it depends depends where you're getting your information from. Right, Oh,

this could be interesting. Yeah, let you go. I want to hear what's fast gotta say. He couldn't fuss at me last week, so it was all on you, Bill. I want to hear what he's gotta say this week. Well, if he were just we're just starting to happen last week, things have happened and things are still happening, Mickey. Uh, before we dive in to what's happened in the last week, bring us up to speed on what's going on there. I understand today and tomorrow is a couple of safeties

are making their way to the Star in Frisco. Yeah, they still even though they agreed to terms or got a contract done with cano Neil. Uh is that how you say it? Or is it Kiano no I messed it up? Yeah, correct myself. Yeah, kian O'Neil, who's a who's a box safety? Uh, they're still bring in uh supposed to have visits this week with uh free safety Malik Hooker and Demante Kazi. Uh so another Falcon that

played for Quinn just like uh Neil did. So. Uh, they're they're you know, to come up with very conservative contracts for these veteran safeties, which they needed some depth at the safety position if you look at because if they weren't going to sign Xavier Woods back, they basically had Wilson and that's about it. So they needed to restock that safety position. So I would imagine with those two visiting, at least one of them will probably be signed or try to agree to terms with those guys.

And if you've noticed what they're doing on the majority of these contracts, they're all basically one year deals, kind of one year proven deals for guys that were sitting there in free agency and maybe coming off of I muted my phone and it's ringing. Why is that? So I'll take up where you left off coming off injury and that This is what happens. This is what happens when you get a new phone, right when you're forced to get a new phone because you're other one's not working.

I thought I muted it, and evidently I didn't. So there's a lot of things of learning we can we can all agree. We can all agree this is what it happens when you're sixty something years old. Oh yes, and a new phone. Too many gadgets too right. I guess instead of muting it, I must have turned it up. So tell me about these two dbs guys. I mean, you got two with three safeties coming in. I gotta weigh in on this. I mean, oh my god, all

of them, what is this? All of them have Achilles problems and both of them and that's why, Hey, safety has been the Achilles heel of this team for how long? Very very well, Bill, Thank you so much, Bill, because it is it will continue to be that way. First of all, I don't know how fortunate it is for us to bring in three is it all? Three from the Falcons? Now? From from the Falcons? Coach? So well hoo, could not bad. But you got two guys coming in

from the Falcons. Now, if I recall god, Dak Prescott two for almost five hundred yards on these guys that I do recall, these two safeties coming from that secondary, I don't know. They might be the only defense pass

defense that was worse than hours in the NFL. So I'm kind of I'm not happy about the signing at all, but ever the fact that they might not even make it through ever since what they're trying to do they're hoping that this is the twenty sixteen in two thousand and seventeen version of the Atlanta Falcons, and that was that was pre Achilles. That was exactly right, Achilles injury, exactly right. And I don't know if they think that they're uh Kevin Durant to somebody, but unless they are,

they're not gonna come back from Achilles injuries. And that's not their only injuries that I'm concerned about, because I think they've got acl problems. It's just a plethora of injuries just from these three guys that we signed. That's why I look about signings when you do Okay, holy yes, sir. That's why they're available. And that's why they all signed one year deals for one point seventy five million. That

should be culative. Spangs, okay, that should be culative. So all three this is just add up to one plus seven. When when when you don't have when you don't have money against the salary cap, you gotta do bargain hunting and hope. Right, it's not like they're signing these guys to solve problems. They're hoping, you know, that they come right. That's all they can afford, are you man? Okay? Why is it the secondary is always that position that is

so low priority. And when we see all the good teams in the playoffs, they all had great defensive play, and especially from their secondary, at least they have guys that can make plays brave, not brave, but Winfield. With the with Tampa Bay, you know a guy is back there making plays. Uh young at that And I know, yes he's the first round draft pick and has got

the pedigree and all that from his pops. I get that, but I don't know, guys, that's still down the drain for me, spacts, that's down the drain for me, SPACs. That isn't money down the drain because most of it they're not getting signing bonuses. So or if they are, that signing boldnesses that they can deal with if they don't make the team. You forgot my point about dan Quinn. He's supposed to fix everything, all right, and yeah, and so will the pressures out of him to make a

difference in this. He bringing in all his friends. You can't bring in all your friends. You know. He's bringing in people that he knows, and those people that he know they are I'm not gonna say, though, with what I was gonna say, they just seem to be such a wasted pick. I wouldn't even say it's some lateral movement in regards to these situations. Otherwise, are you bringing them in just for training camp? Are you bringing them

into contribute at all? Because I don't see. To me, it's just like the same thing we've been going on over and over again. We are signing, all right, hoping, hoping. What would you suggest because one of these I was suggesting to get better players? None of these deals will preclude them from drafting of safety, all right, none of them. The financial well, that's why they've got one signed and two visited. Oh my god, and not only that, we if we're talking about what we had. I would rather

keep Woods than to sign these three guys. I would rather keep Woods than to sign those three guys. To me that you know, just leave well enough alone in that regard. And if you have that luxury to do that, and you don't know that they don't want to keep them, maybe Woods is looking out there in free agency and saying, Okay, I need more than a one year deal. I want to see if I can get a multi year deal and play the field here before making a descent. And

once again, that's just the lesser of the evils for me, Spags. Still, that's the lesser of the evil. And yeah, you know you asked me what I would do. First of all, I would have to know what's out there. Okay, I would have to look at what's out there. I have not looked at what's out there. But there's not much I would have to say. I will. Are they all injured? Do they all have achilles? I'm sure you can find something that have a good here's the benefit of these

guys that have the achilles. They did it early in the season, like okay, September, so they okay, should be ready, they should be ready to go. Hey, I'm jogging on the till I'm right, okay. And these guys, these guys are forty years these guys are I get it. That Bill he's he's this is these are all his achilles brothers. I get it now. I can't even argue with him because I have good achilles, So continues fans. They're they're they're forty years younger, and they're professional athlete, so they

should be far ahead of my rehabilitation. I hope we're not comparing them to your weha, that would be a bad move. We're not, little bar. I hope we are not comparing them to Mickey's athletic ability and even that, Yeah, well, the other thing we're not comparing them to is my salary either. Okay, I think, well we ought to do. We need to separate the two that are visiting, the one who has already signed and the two of the visiting.

Or a Malique Hooker who's a former first round draft pick of the Colts and had the achilles injury in the third game of the year last year. Uh and then Demante Kazi, who was at fifth round draft pick in twenty seventeen, was not a starter on their Super Bowl the team that went to the Super Bowl for the Falcons has been since and had the achilles last year, and and so those guys, and the reason that they're visiting is because they need to check out where they

are as far as their achilles are. That's that's probably the most important part of their visit is for the Cowboys to take a look at him and see where they are. So Bill, so let me say this. Let me let me say this to just go ahead. So Hooker played two games last year. He had torn his acl in twenty seventeen and then tore Richards achilles after

playing two games uh in twenty twenty. Now, because Ze in twenty eighteen and twenty nineteen had ten interceptions all right, for ten interceptions, h and he only played four games last year before he RUPs his achilles. So and he was just a fifth round pick of Quinn in twenty seventeen, started one game in twenty seventeen as a rookie fifteen, and then the next two years he started twenty nine of thirty two games with ten interceptions. By the way,

seven in one year. I would imagine the Cowboys don't have anybody on the roster with seven interceptions for their entire career, right, So it's worth taking a look at these guys and see where they're at. Heath is already gone. Heath was to that. He's already right, absolutely, and everybody wanted to move away from Jeff Heath right wasn't good enough. And you probably would have liked Jeff Heath back on the team last year after haha, Clinton Dix failed miserably

in training camp. So if you look at these two guys, they've had previous success in their career. Years now you just got to take a look at him and say, Okay, we're not investing big bucks on you in free agency. But if you look at what was available at the safety position in free agency, it wasn't that much and it wasn't that much to get you all excited. And if you look at the draft, the best one probably is the kid from TCU and he's probably no better

than thirtieth pick in the draft. So again, you're nibbling because you don't have enough money to be able to afford big time contracts on a safety. And I'm not trying to meet the safety position. But when you've invested in your offensive line, you're running back, your quarterback, your wide receiver, your defensive end, your linebackers, you know there's there's just not enough money to go around, especially when the cap dropped from one hundred ninety eight to one

hundred eighty two million. I think what my concern is, we're trying to move while we're trying to move away from this culture of just giving up so many yards and so many big But that happened last year, that happened last year. The year before, they finished ninth in total defense. So tell me what change. I don't even remember. I don't even remember that. I don't even remember that. Well, so many yards running, well, thank you, they have so they we have given them so many yards as a defense.

And where I was going was, you bring in guys from another team who's just as bad, and you understand what I'm saying, Yes, the Cowboys deal. Okay, you can talk about two years ago, but last year was so prevalent, it was so bad, it was ridiculous. So now, okay, we're gonna improve our past defense, and we come we bring in guy from a team that might have more given up more passing yards than we did. I just

don't see how their mentality coming in. Whether we sign them or not, I don't care if it's the one. All these signs the two were bringing in, they still don't even they help. They didn't play last team, And do you think that they would make a difference. Do you think they would have made a difference in that team. That's why I truly think they were difference in that team. Well, okay, so Cincinnati signed Chitubey Elusier for a pretty hefty contract,

right from a bad defense. Yeah, so what were they right? Three years nearly twenty two million? Who signed them? Who signed them? Cincinnati? Who signed him? Yeah? Yeah, they deserved him. They deserve it. I'm signing guys. You know, we go through the same thing every off season, asking you, is what changed last year from the team that finished ninth overall in defense to twenty fourth and finished the eleventh against the run in twenty nineteen and finish thirty first

in twenty twenty? What change? Here's here's here's Well, let me ask you this, what will change between last year's defense and this year's defense? There is nothing I can see that's going to improve us those guys we signed. I can't see it happening from the secondary standpoint. I just really hope. I was hoping, because we go through

this every off season trying to salvage a secondary. Every off season, we're trying salvage the secondary, and every off season, spatch you and I see up here on freaking Tuesday morning, on Monday morning, quarterback and we're like, oh, well, man, the guy couldn't made a play. But he didn't. Oh man, I'm so tired of hearing how things could have gone in one way but they didn't because of one particular situation. Here.

I want guy who's gonna come in and make plays and did and make let them get take our success as opposed to these flukes that we've been looking at for the last three preseason off seasons. Bags, you and I have been having these same back and forth. Okay, so here's sound familiar. Here's how you here's how you solve it right, get you an edge to tall Jones out the quarterback want to play? Just rushed the quarterback? Right?

I gotta say, guys, even if we rushed the quarterback, I don't see our secondary coming up with anything different than what they've already head Even if we rushed the quarterback, right, even if we do, have you seen anything in our secondary where they showed you that if we went to the cab of rush, Oh, things would have been different. If we're ahead of rush. You're gonna tell me you saw that last year? This was This was the most

miscombobulated organized defense I think I've ever seen. Right, So your hope is dan Quinn makes a difference, and I have to make a difference now because we lost Bill and we need to go to break here shots honey, big news Gary? Are you okay? Oh? I'm not Gary anymore. I'm Jackie Flash. What see? I want the latest smartphone, but the best deals are only for new customers. So to get a new customer deal, I changed my name

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for the whole family to enjoy. Support local Frisco businesses by visiting visiting us to dine, shop, and explore the Dallas Cowboys themed campus For information on all the Star has to offer, visit the Star district dot com. The start of district. Well, the Star District has hosted some basketball here in the last week. I did not know that. That's right. Yeah, Conference USA was that Who've had their tournament here? That's right. Yeah, that's how North Texas got

into the Big Dance. I try. They won four games there at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco. I know that. Yeah. And then, uh, how's your bracket looking? By the way, you know what, every bracket has been busted left last weekend. The left side's doing really well, the white the right side got wiped out. I think I said this weekend every bracket was busted. Every bracket was busted. You know what. You know what started to bust my Well, my bracket got busted first off when

Ohio State lost on Friday. Ohio State was one of my national finalists. And then what really busted my bracket was when somehow, some way Everson the Oklahoma Sooners beat Mickey's Missouri Tigers. It was it was only gonna be one point bill because either one would have lost the next game, as Oklahoma did by the way, in a no complete contests against Gonzaga. Now, actually actually that the game. You probably didn't watch the game against Gonzaga, but it

is actually one of their better games of the year. Now, I did watch really well against Gonzaga, and then they still got beat by sixteen points. That's how good Gonzaga is. Spags not gonna get no love, Spags not after had to bring it up that boy. Right, Hey, it's good for me to see some HBCUs in there, love in Texas Southern getting off in there doing something in the swack.

It's always good though, whether you lose or not. You got certain guys on these teams like University of North Texas that where you saw individual players that really stood out and really got the recognition that they deserved from some of the smaller schools and HBCUs in the North Texas schools. So that's always good to see in the tournament to see how one of those kids can match up against a superstar team like Gonzaga or some of

those are Pot five schools. So good to see him just get in there and represent just a little bit. Even Appoline Christian, right, well, Trappoline Christian, my nephew went to Appoline Christian, so he was. He was bragging over my brother who was a who went to ut so he had he had debs over his uncle for this

just this weekend, the Long Deep. And I'll tell you one last thing on that bill, when you talked about my saving grace, the only hope I had is that my sleeper to make into the championship game gets to the championship game, right, And in the second round, in the second half, with about I don't know, eight minutes to go, Houston's down by fifteen points, and I'm going, okay, this is over with. And they ended up coming back and winning by two. I think it was okay, there

you go. Yeah, they survived and advanced. I tried. And by the way way I've we had already made the decision on my WiFi that since since my provider and I will not say their name, does not provide broadcast of Mavericks games, Stars games or Rangers games, we were going to switch anyway. And now it's sealed since my WiFi keeps going out on this thing. So um so that's that's about to be corrected. So they will find out sooner or later, won't they? All right, So Mickey yes,

what about the rest of the free agent hall? So far, we've talked about the safeties or the lack of safeties. What do you what do you make of what sticks out for you what the Cowboys have done so far,

whether it's comings or goings. At the start, Well, the going that kind of stuck out for me is the fact that you know, we knew this was probably going to happen, but you kind of hope that, well maybe it wouldn't, that you can hang in there and you know, and somebody will just pass him by losing Andy Dalton

the way they lost to the It's just like Chicago. Yeah, and you just knew somebody was going to give him a deal one year to make ten million dollars with an opportunity to make three million more in incentives, and you just hope somebody didn't look at them as a starting quarterback, which they should have by the way, for teams that need a quarterback or a quarterback to be a bridge to maybe somebody you picked in the first

round under the draft this year. So that leaves the Cowboys somewhat in a lurch at the backup quarterback spot because the way I looked at it, Andy Dalton was probably the best backup quarterback the Cowboys had since Steve Burlin. I mean, you got somebody else you want to, you know, tell me that you know was better with more experience than him, because even when Tony Romo took over, you know, he he had played what uh no games before he took over, uh in that two thousand and sixth season.

So at least you had a veteran guy. I don't think that they're unless somebody falls in their lap for another kind of prove it deal like Andy Dalton was looking for. Do you feel good about you know, Garrett Gilbert, Ben Denucci, Cooper Rush, because that's where you're at right now, right, Yeah, you're that's it? What were you? What do you? What do you guys think about? You know, reading kind of stuff. This is probably mixed bags, man, But I just remember

when you say this stuff. Just remember when you say this stuff, there's a salary cap. Okay, don't forget there is a salary cap, just like Bill has a salary cap at his household. Internet Okay, all right, WiFi? Right? No, just really almost what we don't have a whole bunch of money out there obviously to be signed his sentimental signings. But you know, Alex Smith was brought up as far as a guy that could be an inspirational backup for Dak Prescott. He's got the experience, been through a lot.

I don't know how the leg is doing after last year, but you know he was inspirational. I have to say, never was a big fan of his until I saw what he went through and coming out on the other side. I'm not sure what a signing for him would take. But what do you think about that inspirational signing spast again? What's he looking for? You know? How much? How much do you have to pay him to convince him to

put himself back out there? Uh? Yeah, from an exterienced standpoint to bring in a bus driver who doesn't probably need a whole heck of a lot of practice. Yeah, for a couple of million dollars, I can afford that, But I really can't afford that much. When you look at the Cowboys cap right now and what they have left, you know, it's anywhere between ten and twelve million dollars, and their rookie pool for ten draft choices is ten

million dollars. So number one, they won't use all ten of those draft choices, they'll be trading around if they need to move up. But number two, if that's all you got left, you're gonna have to restructure a couple more contracts just to do business for the coming year. So again it comes down to can I get a sweetheart deal for not much? Right? You bring in a guy?

So then, and Bill brought it up last week. You know you're looking at guys like Chase is Daniel You a career backup, right, who you know not bad coming in for a game or finishing a game or starting a game. But if you need somebody to start three or four games in a row, I don't know that guy's out there for the day. What now you're looking at him? That's a that's a Missou guy, right, was

chasing MISSU? Sure is? And there's another one available two player in Missouri football history, right Mickey, Yes, absolutely, And Blayton Gabbert's out there also, going to retire his number there. Yeah, he's also from the Big twelve, So I know Bill's gonna show him some love if he comes here. So Daddy's from Daddy's from South Lakes, I'm saying, Edison, Mickey and I let me tell you the Chase Daniels story.

Mickey in the early days of the Cowboys Channel back in two thousand and three, two thousand and four, this is before the NFL network came along, the Cowboys put together it was with Comcast Cable. They put together a Cowboys channel. I was working for. Mickey obviously was as well. And we actually did a high school football game from Texas Stadium. It was a state playoff game. It was South Lake Carol against Denton Ryan and so. And that

was Chase Daniel's senior year at South Lake Carol. This was would have been two thousand and four, and so Mickey was he was the analyst on the broadcast. Well, he goes down on the field before the game because this quarterback for South Lake, Chase Daniel had committed to Missouri and so, but he had heard how short he was. And so Mickey went down on the field because he wanted to stand up next to him and see just how short Chase Daniel really is and the Mickey you

can take it from there. And he was short, by the way. How short, Well, I didn't have to look up very far to see him eye to eye. Okay, and he goes and he goes to Missouri and was probably one of the best quarterbacks in the history of Missouri football. And uh, I enjoyed watching the last good He wasn't Mackey, Yes, he wasn't. Probably one of the best quarterbacks in Missouri history. He was the best quarterback you don't remember the seventies. Probably he's better than Phil Bradley. Uh,

that's that's that is debate. Wait a minute there, Wait a minute, then, William, Wait a minute there, I remember Bradley. Bradley, Bradley was best. He didn't do what Chase Daniel did in Missouri. Well, from from a winning standpoint, no, he did not. What do you base it on? He was awfully good and he said all the records at that at that time in that area tonge Bill, the tone Bill.

All right, but get off, all right, get off Chase Daniel to the Cowboys, though, because Chase Daniel likely is going to the Chargers where Joe Lombardi is the offensive coordinator and Lombardi was the was the offensive coordinator quarterbacks coach with the Saints and when Daniel was there, and so Daniel is going to go be justin Herbert's back up with the Chargers. That's my prediction all right here is let me throw a name out here as a veteran guy who's kind of of the same ilk as

Chase Daniel. That is a J. McCarron who is a free agent AJ McCarron who has not started very many games in the league whatever, but he did did get a chance as Andy Dalton's back up with the Bengals, but most recently he has been with the Texans. Uh. And the connection, of course with the Cowboys is Doug nuss Meyer, the Cowboys quarterbacks coach, who was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinata at Alabama for two years when

AJ McCarron was there. If you're connecting the dots of the quarterbacks and the free agent quarterbacks out there, there's a connection right there, AJ McCarron. Now, McCarron, I believe made four million dollars last year, is still Shaan Watson's backup in Houston. The Cowboys are not going to pay four million dollars for the backup quarterback spot here. But

if McCarron is, he's testing the market right now. If vcs okay, I'll take whatever the Cowboys offer an incentive laden deal whereas and they can do that and it's not going to affect their salary cap. He would be a guy that I would throw out as a possibility

as being a veteran guy. What do you think of a J. McCarron that is, that is, if Houston doesn't say boy in the situation we're in, we may need the same they got Tyro that they signed Tyrod Taylor, and so if they're the next starter, Houston, depending on what happens with Watson is Tyrod Taylor. And that's a good that's a good point, Bill on AJ McCarron. And that's you know, and that's kind of you know, you bring him in here, let him compete with Gilbert Denucie

can still be the third guy. He didn't get an offseason last year. But that's what you're gonna have to settle for, sort of like the safety position, that's what you have to settle for because you just don't have a lot of money in for adency to go sign somebody to a big deal. You know, and I'll be very interested to see, you know, the defensive and Terrell Basham that they've agreed to a deal with and it keeps getting publicized as two years, six point five million,

but we have not seen the inside numbers yet. So like the deal for Neil was, you know everybody was one year, five million dollars right, Well, when you look at how they structured it, it's basically the first year's cap hit is two million dollars. They gave him a three million dollars signing bonus with three two more years avoidable. So from a cap hit, he's basically two million against the cap this year with a one million dollars based salary. So I'd be interested to see what Basham's deal is.

It's basically going to be a one year deal four million dollars, and we'll see how they had instructured. So if you see what the Cowboys are doing, they're nibbling because that's what they have available against the salary cap. And they still have to restructure a couple more contracts going forward to create enough money for the rest of the year. But if, yeah, if you can get mccaren for one year two million, three million with incentives, that would be a great deal. That's what they have to

settle for all right. As far as the other signings. Are you mentioned Basham and as as an edge rusher. Brent Urban is another one defensive lineman who was most recently with Chicago prior to that in Baltimore. And and then Carlos Watkins who is with the Texans, an inside defensive gay. Yeah. And if you look at Brent Urban, I think he's kind of the kind of gadget guy inside. Uh. He's six seven, two ninety five, did play defensive tackle, probably could play on the edge. I think he replaces

Tyrone Crawford. I think I think Crawford is close to saying, you know, I think this probably enough. But they signed him for one year, one point seven five million. He gets a one point two five million dollars base salary with a five hundred thousand dollars signing bonus. So if he comes in here and you know, can't play, well, you just wasted five hundred million, but the base salary you would get back. So he's kind of a rotation guy. Same thing with Carlos Watson Watkins. UH one year, one

point seven five million. His signing bonus was four hundred thousand and his base salary one point one million. So again you're gambling four hundred thousand. Basically that see, well maybe this guy can make it right, maybe he can help us out. So those are the kind of deals that they've been trying to put together to bolster that the inside for them. And the same thing with the offensive tackle. Bill Tied the sciuh from Arlington. By the way, you know, he's going to be thirty six years old.

He kicked around in the Arena League, the Canadian Football League, and then it ended up being a nice backup guy, ended up with the Bills, and he signed basically the same type of deal. So to me, anything better, Well what about this? What about this Brent Urban guy? What about the talk about yeah we did that, that was the that was the first guy. Yeah we mentioned yeah, Brent Urban. Uh. And so those are the kind of

guys you know that they're kind of bringing in right now. Um, they decided to go a different direction at long snapper signed. Jake McQuaid had been with the Rams, so fossil was you know, certainly knew about him. Now you traded a forty year old deep snapper for a thirty three year old deep snapper, and I guess the money's probably the same because LP lattice or wouldn't cost him the Cowboys

much at all. He kept playing these last couple of years on the veteran uh minimum, the veteran exception minimum. Uh So, that's what they've done so far in free agency. And that's why the Twitter feed is all filled up with complaints like Everson's was, because they're nibbling and they're not bringing in big time guys. And that's the title. The headline to my column last year is, well, we're back at March madness in it ain't the March madness you think it is? Right? You are? Okay. That leads

me to my tease for our last segment. What is it that will get Everson and the rest of Cowboys Nation excited about the Cowboys defense going into the twenty twenty one season. What needs to happen for any excitement to be generated? When mix shots continues in a moment, we're back in a tasty treat that's sweeping air waves and taste buds. It's new doctor pepper and cream Soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor cream Soda. Is he a new combone that's music to my ears? Okay, doctor time,

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for details. All right, very good, Mickey just keep keeps getting better and better with his Thank Everson, you think so. Just give me a couple more years, seems to be. Can give me a couple more years. I'll have it down. I'll have it down in a couple of years, all right. I asked the question before the break about what can get Everson and the rest of Cowboys Nation excited about

this Dallas defense. Let me say this though, before we get into that about Keyan O'Neil and Mickey, let me ask you, how do you think in contrast to the other safeties Kazee and Hooker that the Cowboys had brought in with their achilles injuries just last season. Well, one thing about Keyan O'Neil is that he has come back and played an entire season after both his acl and his achilles. Last year he had a hundred tackles for atlant he had nine tackles for loss, and so he

has done something since his major injuries. The thing that intrigues me about Keyan O'Neil not only is the fact that that prior to his injuries his athleticism. I mean, he first round draft pick and was productive his first two years in the league. In fact, he made the Pro Bowl in twenty seventeen when Atlanta went to the Super Bowl. So he's done that and he's got a year under his belt getting over those injuries. But what intrigues me the most about him, Mickey, is the possibility

of the Cowboys using him as a nickel linebacker. What do you what do you think about that? What have you heard about how the Cowboys might use Keyan O'Neil in this defense? Well, yeah, and he's a box safety, and you're right, he had a pretty darn good season this past year. He's like, he's like a poor man's Jamal Adams. Right, He's that type of safety. He's close to the line. You don't want him in coverage. Probably. He started fourteen or fifteen games after coming back from

a ruptured achilles, had a hundred tackles. Not a big guy for interceptions, he had one. But the one thing that I thought stood out to him. And you know, he was a former first rounder, seventeenth pick in the draft, and in his rookie season in the Super Bowl he ended up with thirteen tackles, nine solo against New England. Unfortunately, it was that defense that fell apart the second half,

but at least he did something. And you're right, as he's big enough to be able to play the nickel linebacker spot, and that was one of the problems the Cowboys had. Jalen Smith should not have been out there on that nickel as the week side linebacker when they went to two linebackers. He struggles in coverage or just struggled period. Right, So it'll be interested to see if if he is the type of guy that can do that.

But he's not that big. Um. I think he's like two twenty five if if if I'm correct, he's actually I mean, he's listed more like two twenty two sixteens. Okay, So yeah, but that is that is what's happening in this league with all the three receiver four receiver sets and you're in nickel and dimes so much that to have someone who can tackle who I mean, he's not Cam Chancellor, but he plays a lot like Cam Chancellor,

you know. Uh. And as far as being able to to as a nickel linebacker alongside Vanderish, my question on it is what we have seen in the last throughout Jalen Smith's career here is there has not been a defensive coordinator willing to take Jalen Smith off the field and or find a role for Jalen Smith and a nickel. If you're gonna put Kean in Neil and Layton Vanderish as your two nickel linebackers, what do you do with Jalen Smith? Is my question? Yeah, And I'm not sure,

you know. And we're talking about a guy that led the team and tackles the past two years, right, And I know everybody doesn't like his antics on the field, this and that, but you got to figure out how to play him. I'm not sure he's a weak side linebacker. I thought he did better in the middle, and Vanderesh was probably better on the outside if he stays healthy. You know, they tried to make that switch last year without an off season. It didn't work out so well.

So I'll be interested to see. But I think a box safety, you know, that's pretty good. I just I just don't want to see that nickel defense out there against teams with two line two fullbacks on the field. And I will leave it at that. Okay, Now, as to get excited, I'm taking that Everson didn't get excited over the Cowboys resigning Jordan Lewis their nickel cornerback. Well, here's my thing. If you're gonna use Jordan Lewis the way we use him last year, I am not in

favor of that. Bill brought it up in regards to the nickel defense. You just brought it up in in regards to the nickel defense on first down versus two tight ends or even one tight end and a fullback and a dominuative and a fullback, you're looking at the dominutive guy out there doing the best he can. Now, I disagree with you on one thing. I didn't like him against the run, but spags I did like him against the past. He did decent in the slot. He's only the only guy we have that can come to

that slot guy. You're not bringing in Kean O'Neil to be Jordan Lewis on pass in nickel. You bring him in just in case they want you continue to be this stubborn team that wants to play nickel against two tight ends or tighten the fullback. So we're going to continue to do that, and I don't know if Quinn is a fan of that, then Keyan O'Neil would be the guy that would be a better fit against the two tight ends up one tight end and fullback. Yes,

I do get that. In regards to Jaylen Smith, maybe having Keanu out there, if he's able to do all the things be wanting to do, and he plays us as as strong and plays at box safety like he did last year, then that might be a good thing for Jaylen because now he doesn't have to feel like he has to overcompensate for a guy out there who's

five ten, one hundred and seventy five pounds. So hopefully it will give Jaylen an opportunity or whoever that linebacker is, to have more of a straight line path to helping stop the run, to maybe even making an I pat in the middle of the field, because now you've got Keyan O'Neil having a nice anchor out there against the two tight end and one tight in fullback situation. So hopefully bringing in Keyanu, I don't have to be a fan for it, but I give it love if it works.

If you bring in Keyanu to help anchor on that nickel defense, maybe Jayalen Smith can have an opportunity to be more of a straight line player, because when it comes to movement outside, he keeps getting cut off, and that's what I don't like. He keeps getting cut off by offensive lineman and therefore they carve down the pursuit. If Keyan O'Neil can come in and anchor that better, then we might be looking at a totally different thing. If they continue to want to use nickel defense on

first down, which I'm still not in favor of. Okay, Bill, so well, what wouldn't get you excited? Well, one more thing on Jalen Smith. I would like to see a coach come in here and just see if Jalen Smith can do anything as an edge rusher. I mean, we thought we've seen him being used rushing the passer, but they were lining him up like in the middle, and you know, without him being able to use any edge

rushing ability that he might have. I don't know what kind of edge, but to your point, ever, since he's more of a straight line defender than he is playing in space, and so I would like to see him if, if, if, if their plan is to have Neil and banderashes your two nickel linebackers, is the plan, then have Jalen as an edge rusher. I'd like to see him at least experiment with that and see but not as an inside

rusher like what they were using under Marinelli. The only downside, the only downside on that, Bill, is who you taken off the field to make him an edge rusher. To Marcus Lawrence Brandy Gregory, I ain't in favor of either of that. No, that's right. Yeah. And when we go back to the original question of what really excites me? Have we signed all the Smith yet? No, they have not. Are we going to sign him? Are we thinking of signing him? That's does he want to resign? You know

you have to ask that question too, looking for? You know, how much is he looking for? I always said, and you and I agreed on this bags that moving all the Smith up and down the line and not having him in one place and being so isolated, that really did help not just his stats, but it helped the cowboy's defense, and that's what's most important. When he's being moved around. They got a little bit confused on the other side of the ball in regards to how to

block him. And it was somewhat effective in regards to how we played against the run. And I know we didn't play well against the run much at all, but when the eat, when Alda Smith was moving up and down the line, it gave them off this problems. Keep in mind that probably Alden Smith's biggest advocate in that room as the personnel decisions, is probably his biggest advocate on the coaching staff was Jim tom Sula, who had him in San Francisco and Jim tom Seula is not

here anymore. So I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. So we'll see what happens with him. All right, Alabama Pro Day going on today. You talk about what might excite me as far as they got to do something at cornerback obviously, and I think all signs are pointing right now to them. Really, I would say if I put a percentage on it, Patrick Certan, the Alabama cornerback is I would put it at seventy five to eighty percent chance that the Cowboys are drafting him at

number ten. Mike McCarthy's there today. I mean, just reading the tea leaves on it right now here, over a month away from the draft. I wouldn't be at all surprised if curtains their pick. What would you think of that, mister cornerback over there with I do not mind having a Alabama bookends it regards to the cornerback position. But these guys, as we could tell with Trayvon last year, it's hard to be that Alabama guy when you don't

have that Alabama front four. Okay, and that Spags pointed out if we could just get some pressure, it will make a big difference. But I want to see how players are gonna play without that pressure. Can can he come in and do well in that regard. We didn't see that from from Trayvon last year. When we did and they have pressure, he didn't play well. So you have to be able to adapt, you know, to that

little adversity that you're gonna have to deal with. You're not gonna be able to squat down on the routes like you did in Alabama. You don't have the defensive lineman and we had Alabama. They don't have to. We don't make the impact from the front floor like they did at Alabama. So you better be ready to adapt to the situation and make sure that your game is conducive to being able to play defense and being able

to play one on one. For a long time, when I was with the Cowboys, as much as we had doomsday defense and we had Ed and Randy and John Dutton and Harvey Martin, when you have the flex defense call, they ain't going nowhere. I had to play defense back there for like six seconds because my defensive lineman, We're being handcuffed by the system itself. When you let them go, we're bawling. But when they're not, we have to be

back there and played discipline, man to man defense. And that is tough to do for four or five six seconds in in the NFL. So whoever they'd better bring, whoever they bring in, they'd better be ready to have the track shoes on and not get frustrated giving them up deep inside plays throughout the entire season. So Bill Curtain is yes, go ahead. No, I was gonna say go ahead on certain, and I got one more thing to say about it before we go. Well. The other

thing on certain is, uh, he's not running today. Uh. He measured six two, two hundred eight pounds, So there's a big corner. Yeah. Nice. Uh. The other thing that I like about bigger than his father, right exactly. And of course his father played very well in the NFL at a very high level. And uh certain he has been groomed to be an NFL cornerback since he first was tossed a football by his daddy when he was two years old. I mean, he came to Alabama and

he started immediately. He was you know, Trayvon was a receiver like his brother Stephan and converted to cornerback. He may have more upside from an athletic standpoint in his NFL career as far as being a playmakers. Talking about Trayvon, but Curtin was the better cornerback when they played at Alabama because of what all those things you're talking about, his discipline, his training as a cornerback and so far.

I mean, it's kind of like he didn't have the playmaking skills probably or on his resume as what Antoine Winfield junior head at University of Minnesota, but he was like, like Curtain Winfield was trained out of the womb to be an NFL defensive back, and he showed it his first year in the league. And so that would excite me about certain all right, Mickey, close it out, And

here's would probably not excite the fan base. When I saw Bucky Brooks's mock draft, the second one at number ten after four cornerback quarter after four quarterbacks were taken in the top nine, two offensive lineman and two wide receivers and one corner which was Fireley, who, by the way, is getting ready to have micro dissectomy surgery for a ruptured disc in his back. And he's probably out until May. Yeah,

he's not going at number ten. A number ten, Bucky Brooks gave the Cowboys offensive lineman Vera Tucker from Southern cal who I think he played a combination of guard and tackle with Sir Tan still on the board. And also Micah Parsons, who he labeled as the best defensive player in the draft, a linebacker from Penn State who didn't play last year. By the way, So, uh, I keep seeing this offensive line thing, and I just can't

seem that they can qualify taking an offensive lineman. If you think that Tyrn Smith and Lele Collins are ready to go, yeah, well you think, and they should know and by time April twenty ninth shows up, they should know what sort of situation they're in. And both of those guys are out here running right now and don't seem to be limited. Okay, don't seem to be limited.

But they've got the they've got the medical records, and we don't have the medical record, right, And that's why I'm saying, So if they if they do that, then we'll know that they have reservations about one or both. Right, But if it's true, But if they think those guys are ready to go. That guy's gonna come in here and to me, I get and I'll say it till him blew in the face. If they have another injury

at offensive tackle, Zach Martin immediately moves out there. He's my tackle, and I'll take care of the guard position, not wait like they did last year and let that

position ruin an offense. So but if if they have an injury at offensive tackle and they've drafted a guy with a tenth pick who's an offensive tackle, who's your offensive tackle that goes in there, well, he better be ready if I take him in the first round, right, that exactly, And so that's where they got to do their due diligence on that tackle exactly where Okay, he's he's the guy now, because if they don't get hurt, Martin, if they don't get hurt, that guy is he gonna

is he gonna challenge to be a starting guard. You know, at some point you can't have forced first rounders on the offensive line. You've got to spread it around. And I can qualify a linebacker because after the two linebackers they have, who's the next guy up? That's what I thought, well, right, Silence but you can also qualify Mickey. You can also qualify an offensive lineman. Because I told you who the next guy they lose one on. The next guy up

is Zack Martin. He'd better be working again. He better be working for his fans right now. Connor mcgovernn, you know, came on as a guard when he took Zach's place, when he moved out to tackle. Well, here's here's the other thing, and we're out of time, but or way past time. The other thing on these draft picks, it's not solely about this year. It's the next five years. And so where are you at with Tyrn Smith next year, the year after, the year after two, and where are

you but at the same point a linebacker? Where are you at linebacker? Yeah, zact same thing, cornerback, the same thing. So it gets back to take the best player exactly the position that you can use him exactly. And that's always been the Cowboys of philosophy really for a long time, even back to Joe Brant, and if he can the best athlete possible, and if it's an offensive lineman that they better trade back. This is the tenth pick in

the draft. Ye I gotta have Smith I gotta I gotta have DeMarcus Ware right, he was a left Well, you gotta have tyringth if that tackle is the tenth pick in the draft, right, it's gotta be Tyring Smith. And I don't want a guy to play guard that can play tackle, Okay, I want to tackle that can play guard just like a guard. It's a sixteenth pick in the draft, he better be Zach Martin right In that too, it was a center. Who's the thirty first pick in the draft. He better be draft that they

that they traded back to get him at thirty one down. Yeah, that's true. We got the receivers Cherns Williams, who's well, never mind any great that we figured all this out, but we needed seven extra minutes. I see, all right? Does it for Mick Shots? Wow? These offseason mix shots we can go two hours. Good job, guys, the good job, all right, good job, all right. We'll talk at you again next Tuesday on Mick Shots. See you guys, Gold Cowboys, Yes, sir.

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