Mick Shots: The Last Word

the star of our show here. This is Mick Shots. He heard the show last week and was like, oh, I gotta get back in there. I know, let's make me sure. That's dumping on you man about that's what happens where you have to make a flight reservation in the middle of March and not knowing what was going to happen in May, and I was counting on not going to let us do anything. We're not going to be able to go watch anything. I'm getting out of here. So you have missed a pessimistic I was at that

time was yeah, yeah, yeah. Doctor Fouci decided you could be out there and uh, you know, don't. Doesn't it look like Mickey's glowing right now? That sweat and to pull back the curtain here, summer has hit all of us here in Frisco, Texas. It is. It's a it's Florida muggy out there. Oh, last night was horrible. Last night was horrible. Even with one of those clothes. You can feel it now to turn your house that doesn't help it. Yeah, it was seriously so. Because Mickey is

glowing right now. He's got so much to talk about what he just saw on the practice field, and Danny does as well. Yeah, but I'm not as I'm not glistening. How about that? As much as Mickey, you're inside watching, I watching and the air conditioning. I was working on my camp tam. It happened fast. Nice shirt, Yeah, thank you sir, that's it's my favorite. I was really dressing for Cliff. But you know, well, we can't wait to

hear what happened on the practice field. This, of course, is day one of the mandatory mini camp for twenty twenty one, and they were out on the practice field. I was able to watch from a distance. I had to get here late because I had I continued to have plumbing issues at home. And I'll relate it to football. Okay, as I told my wife, you're like a coach of a football team. Okay, you had the rookie quarterback in there,

he threw four interceptions. Now you got to get a veteran in there, and so he got the veteran plumber coming to borrow to fix that. That's enough about that, all right, nicky. What's there on the field? I saw? I saw who was participating, who wasn't? Um basically, gosh who who wasn't participating but could run? I saw George

Teague out there. He's not playing, is no? I think they they filled up their safety color there are Not to say George Sea would be desperate, but at what age George te My question to somebody when I recognized I didn't recognize who that was out there, I said, who's that? And they said, oh, it's George Teague. He's watching practice. His beard's white as ever, he's got a beard hair. Oh, his hair, his beard turned. His beard is white. Yeah, does he have full No? No, it's

clapp Okay, look look good looks. So I think the probably good news is even though that uh Tyrant Smith, Lele Collins and Zach Martin aren't participating in practice. They're doing their rehab. I saw them running and they're running full speed, so they look like they're fine. They're just being very cautious with those guys and they'll be ready

uh to start training camp. As matter of fact, the three of them, they were uh tethered to these kind of metal sleds and they were running and pulling them on the on the grass. Uh and they were able to do that. So I think that bodes well that those guys are just fine. That's the reindeer drill. The reindeer they're pulling the sled very good. I bet that's not what they call it. I don't know what ranging these little things. The other guys running awfully, awfully well.

DeMarcus Lawrence and Tristan Hill full speed sprinting. So they didn't practice but uh, and they haven't practiced yet, but we won't see them until we get to training camp.

So I thought that was good. I know it was part hype, but I saw I think I read something about last week that a three linemen are feeling better than they've ever felt in quite some time doing this part of the off scenes absolutely, um and Tyran basically said, this is the best he's felt, and he feels like what they did with his neck kind of took care of some of the things he was having with his back. Yeah, because the next connected to the what's that little ryme?

Yeah we got yeah, okay, thanks, but yeah, and and and so those guys they're they're good to go. They are just being very cautious with those Uh. Dak did everything other than they when they go eleven on eleven with a pass rush and he seems to be throwing the ball just fine. Uh, the guys that of significance that weren't out there. Uh. Donovan Wilson and Cedric Wilson both were there watching. Uh Marie Cooper there Washington watching.

You know, Marie's coming back from that offseason surgery. Uh. Donovan Wilson and Cedric Wilson both have a little something going on that from OTAs. So they just basically said, we don't need to win the season opener in June. So, Uh, they let those guys kind of hang back. Kelvin Joseph was back here. Uh he missed last week. Um, Mike McCarthy said he had to do a ten day quarantine, so he must have had contact with somebody that tested positive.

I thought maybe he was working on another album, an album, get another rap going on. Yeah, I heard it was excused, so that that was good news. And then they had some other wide receivers that last week. I think they were having allergy problems and I think they continue to do that, uh this week, including Semi Fiahoko u so the red. But after that, I think everybody else was basically out there other than the guys doing rehab and

then Hunter the punter, Uh, nice wander. Uh he's his wife's having a complicated pregnancy and so he's been excused to not be here. You know, I haven't really seen like Zerline. I hadn't seen him here kicking or anything. Maybe he kicks on his own. They don't do any field goals or anything and any of these drills. So but other than that, uh, yeah, the gang was all here. Um. So it was of a tone down practice. A lot of technique, right Danny, Yeah, and a lot of the

points I had you touched on it. It didn't feel maybe as exciting. Maybe that's because we've seen them practice a little more with OTAs, but nothing really I guess stood out in a way that surprised me. Good or bad. I will say, like little things I noted and OTAs. I never saw Jalen Smith do the sledge rills, and I saw him do some of that today, which makes me think he's recovering in that risk surgery recovering there. I noted the same thing about the three offensive lineman.

Given we only see so much as the media, but it felt like we saw them for the longest amount that we have seen them out there working doing a little more strength and conditioning. I said, Dak looked good. You couldn't again tell ankle issues. Dropbacks were good, Passes were quicked. Nashan Wright has consistently had good coverage in

the drills. You agree with me there. Yeah, he had one play where he kind of got burned by No Brown today, but he is consistently throughout OTAs, throughout practice day, he's looked really good. I think he's around the football. Yeah, even though these are non contact thing. Although there was a significant contact thing that took place. Three guys kind of collided and I believe I've believe it was McCann

kind of it looked like he got somewhat ding. It's a it's a bad word to use these days, right, because that's what's got ding right um. And maybe the best thing I saw is Randy Gregory was out there and he looks faster than ever coming off the line of scrimmage. He looks like he's gotten a little bigger, like maybe a little more strength. And he he blew off the line of scrimmage on one play and the quarterback would have been just annihilated. I don't even think

he got touched. I believe he's going to do one of the interviews this afternoon, so it'll be good to hear from him. And he was having fun, so I think that's a really good sign to see him coming off one side. Eventually DeMarcus Lawrence on the other side. And at one point when they I don't know what kind of alignment they were in, but they lined up Michael Parsons at the right defensive end spot and it

looked like he was shot out of a cannon. He would have just again, it would have been the same thing. He would have annihilated the quarterback because nobody could touch him. He got off so fast. So those are the best thing. Yeah, and you know, he got quite a few snaps out there. He was playing I think Danny Moore of the young guys. A lot of the young guys were getting more kind of upgraded snaps, maybe almost first team, but they mixed and matched. And then at the end they called it

team tempo and I'm going, okay, what does team tempo mean? Well, it was basically team walked through tempo meant we slowed it down. Yeah, there was no temple whatsoever. So anyway, that's kind of what took place. And McCarthy kind of warned us, he said, this will be very similar to what we did in OTA's. The only difference is we can meet with them longer. So and then the last period was basically a meeting on the field. The offense was here, the defense was there, and and they were

just doing skeleton type plays and formations. So, you know, for for a right to be making all of these plays and for them to be so noticeable, I can understand it. It's just this time of the year. You're not going to be win anything in June. I get that, but you know, that's the talent to be a route to know where the receivers going to snuff out the sniff out the direction of the office of patterns. That's that's the talent to know where they're going, you know,

to decipher it and make that play. Yeah, of course it's it's just off season. But to be in position to do that all the time and for it to be that noticeable every practice from not just you, but from you as well, Yeah, I think that's something that you can kind of build on because you know, if you know what, you know it, you can't unknow it, you know what I mean, you can't go out there and dumb it down if you know it. And for him to kind of decipher things that will that kind

of gives me a little a little promise. And you know, last Friday for my column, I wrote about the cornerback position and basically said, you know, there was seemed to be this, uh like everybody was just assumption that Trayvon Diggs starts at one and Kelvin Joson starts at the other. And my point was not so fast because Anthony Brown might have something to say about it, right, the veteran. The veteran, Yeah, he's been out there working with the

first team with Diggs on the other side. And my point was, I know Kelvin Joseph, and we'll see what happens there, but don't go to sleep on Nashon right. And I think we talked about it on the Blitz on Sunday night, Okay. So that's my question about Kelvin Joseph.

How important is this time of the year for a rookie coming in here and he's missed the ten days that he would have been out here basically on the field doing I mean they had four OTAs last week three three, okay, So he missed last week, right, And that was another point in Mike, because you had Memorial Day weekend the previous week, so that counts. It was four days there, and that takes you through Monday, then four days I get you to eight days on Friday,

and then Sunday was his tenth day then. But at least he had the rookie Minicamp, which no one had last year, and had the first week of ot So he missed a week of OTA. Yes, and uh uh, you know, he looks like he has a physical ability to play. Uh And I remembered what you said, he what about his hips? Can he turn and he seems to be able to do that. Now we'll see what he can do in coverage. But I think between you know, the four of them, they just might have something going there.

Wants to, you know, get the training camp and actually see some football. When you when you think about somebody like Brown, you know, I was never a big fan of his, but just know that he's quick, He's extremely athletic. But I just don't think he has the instinct of a cornerback that grows as he as he gets older and hopefully has more experience. Plus, if you start, if you start changing the culture around here, you know, then the tip balls, you know, the bad passes, things of

that nature. He can take advantage of that, but he has to be shown that. You know, it's once you see others do it, then it's just almost like you have to fall in line. And I'm hoping that these young kids can show some of these older dbs on this team just how you're supposed to go out to the ball. So I was, now, yeah, just being able to us got that Trayvon's got. He's one of the

younger guys the way I look at it. But but you know, when you got the older guys out there who are not used to making plays, and even though Brown's not that old, he's not used to making plays on the ball. They need to be shown an example. And that's that's the way we always there. We came in eighty one. I wasn't the only one trying to get interceptions. Michael Down's out there picking stuff up, right thenis Thurman's out there picks? Yeah, nine picks in nineteen

eighty one, so Herman Steves that's why they called. But that didn't occurred to Lady five. Well, we had already led the league three or four times as a team, So it's a it's a culture that was created. So Brown did have a nice break up when they were in seven on seven, I think. But I was going to ask you last week. I wasn't here so looking at these rookies, and you may be the worst one to ask, since you had eleven interceptions as a rookie. Was the hard team if you count the playoff playoffs

and another two in the Pro Bowl. But you know, okay was counting, and that was back when the Pro Bowl wasn't just yeah, I got Chuck Mussey knocked me out. What was the toughest part the transition from college to the NFL for a cornerback. I think mainly with with me that it was a little unique. Was the flex defense itself. You know, I was you know, we were at Grambling. We didn't even play nickel defense. We didn't play nickel or dime. You just go out there and

man up. That was your I got you, that's it. That's it. I'm shutting this brothers now of a sudden. You know, we always had the zones because you know, you learned that from high school. You always have the zone play, which is easy. But now you got a flex a flex zone, which I don't know if you knew it, but it's it's a it's a it's a horrible defense for the for a defensive back. We were the sacrificial lamps. It's made to play against the run.

So it was it was made to defend. You remember the quarterback pass that was a that was a pass pattern that was called a quarterback pass. That's when they just had standard personnel, two backs to one tight end, two wide receivers. Well tight end would do a drag across on the play action pass. Here comes the wide receiver or the wing back, he's going inside as well the weak side. Michael Gallop, he's going deep posts. That's the quarterback pass. Everybody ran it. They did it for

thirty forty years. So that's what we had to learn. That defense was made by Tom Landry to stop Jim Brown, but also to stop the pass that comes off of that play action. They don't do that anymore. But we had to read the flow of the backs and you go from zone to man to man, but depending on the floor of the backs. Now you telling me what defense, what defense can read that, what rookie can read that. I have to read the backside flow from zone that could take me to a man to man. I mean,

like I got help. Now I'm help. Before the ball snapped all of a sudden, they go flow strong to the tight end. Now I'm man to man by myself. Nowhere to be found is any help. That was a difficult part coming in as a rookie because our system was so unique under Tom Landry. Other than just the regular man on man and challenge that you had to have was it was just all about trying to get through the numbers five rookie dB SO and I think last year even with digs. I think we saw there

were times he didn't read it right. There were times I don't know if he was in the right coverage, and there were times he got caught looking looking inside. Well, the main thing you always have is being a little bit too aggressive, because the pros play on that. In college, they don't have so many plays the pros can gain plan you. So of course if a rookie out there,

they're gonna play for your rookie tendencies. They're gonna want you to jump if you're safety, they're gonna want you to jump that indcut, but then that post is going to be right behind you. So things like that to where they set you up to where you think you recognize something, but it's all a ruse, you know. And if you look at Kelvin Joseph, he hasn't played that

much football. You know. He started nine games at Kentucky, right, he played eleven at LSU, but he didn't do any starting, and judging from his stats, it didn't look like he got a heck of a lot of snaps either. So you don't have a lot of experience out there. Now you might have some talent and it'll be interesting to watch him when we get the training camp. But that assumption of oh, he's a walking starter. If I read that one more time, it's like, you know, watch what's

going on out there. Coaches, offensive coordinators love rookie dB. They just look phone to I'm a victim. I can tell you they set you up in all kinds of ways to where it takes away from your aggressiveness, and if you're not careful, then they would change the way that you play. I tried my best not to let them change the way that I played. It may have something to do with some of the plays that I gave up my rookie year, but you have to give those up as a rookie because I'm gonna get mine.

You have to get yours. To me, that's what makes the difference. Either you're gonna sit back and not make plays they be solid or conservative, or you're going to be aggressive and continue being aggressive because you're gonna get beat. You're going to get the reason why these quarterbacks you're

five thousands. But you gotta make so. My other point on you know, the season opener, So you want a guy that's only really played nine full college games, first game to go out there and oh that's Tom Brady and oh that's Evans. Oh they got some yeah as I am. Yeah. Yeah, So that's going to be an interesting one to watch and Bill, as we talked about, and we can probably all kick this around when we

get to training camp. There's gonna be a lot of competition on that defense to kind of figure out who's playing and who's not or who's rotating. And that's including linebackers. Yeah, and the defensive tackles. All right, we're just getting started on this edition of mix Shot. It was a great start. It was it was you're still glowing and I can tell there's there's still more yours and we continue with more mix Shots in just a moment. Honey, big news, Gary,

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price you'll pay. No surprises. It works like a horse, so you don't have to visit United agginturf dot com offer its February first, twenty twenty one. Restrictions applying. See dealer for details. Now let's get to work. Back back to Mick Shuts. Dallas Cowboys Football and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader's Dance youth camps are back this summer for athletes and dancers of all skill levels. Two and three day camps are available with new dates added at eighteen T Stadium

and the Star in Frisco. Spots are limited. Register today at Dallas Cowboys dot com slash Academy. I think that includes you make y'all skill level. Let's go and uh and where again are those camps at and T Stadium and the Star in Frisco? And I'm thinking they're not. They are not in the parking lot at at and T stadium, and it's probably not on Tostito's Championship Plaza,

meaning they are indoors. That's the key. That's the best place to have a camp this time of the year in Danny can both attest after watching the practice, wait till tomorrow because it's gonna be even gonna be sum is here, guys, will the humidity and before we go, we should pay our respects to Jim Fossil. John Fossil's dad passed away yesterday. Uh, and so he he was excused obviously he's gonna miss this week. Evidently he had had a heart attack. Yeah, it was reported as a

heart attack. So he got there the year your second year he was, Parcels hired him as a quarterbacks coach ninety one and Parcels he hired him and then retired ya antioplastic. Yeah, yeah, and he had to retire briefly because I saw I saw somebody mentioned that, I'm going on, how did Parcels he retired? But he had hired well, he stuck around and he was the OC in ninety two. Fossil was so after Parcels retired right one two he was quarterbacks coach and anyway, yeah, John M. Yeah, that's

a tough one. And in fact, Dad, it was only seventy one years old. Seventy one years old. Yeah and uh and John Fossil Uh issued a statement that was I saw La Times posted this. It's with a very heavy heart to announce that we lost our dad yesterday. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. While our dad will be remembered as a longtime fan and face of the football world, his legacy will live forever in our hearts as the greatest dad

and grandpa of all time. He leaves behind his wife Kitty there, five kids and spouses, as well as sixteen happy and healthy grand kids. Wow wow, wow, that's a lot. So Since and another note, since today's June eighth, Uh, this is recognized as D Day two and seventy seven years ago, my dad landed on Omaha Beach um D Day two's walk in history, right there bay. He would tell the story, and here's how smart our army was. They got They were on a big ship to transport

him uh into Normandy. And though to get from the ship to the landing crafts, they had to come down these these rope ladders right, and my dad said yeah, and he goes. For some reason, they didn't figure out that the two ships to two boats aren't moving in the water at the same time, right, the same directions, and so you're you're swinging and on top of it.

During their boot camp or whatever they had, they didn't teach him how to swim, and my dad couldn't swim, and he got dropped off, you know, and they were all short of the of the beach line. Yeah, yea drowned. Yeah, wherefore they got there? And I saw he had. He did a an interview later in age of local newspaper were honoring people that landed on Normandy and uh, he

had never said this, never. They asked him, what was the first thing you realize when you got in the water, He goes, The guy next to him he got shot, And I'm going every time I think about it, I'm still the miracle baby that not only did he survive that, but also as a prisoner of war. So yeah, but anyway, d day two today, So wait wait, wait he was a pew oh yeah wow for four months? Well you to be oh, I know, yes, absolutely, my goodness, that's

where I get my toughness. Gotta be from here. Absolutely. I'm glad you mentioned people don't talk about D Day two. G six is D Day, but D Day two two days later. And so you know when they when they showed up, them bodies were on the beach, that was your first you know, uh, you know, first thing you saw of a war because you know there wasn't anybody to kind of clean things up. No, no, nothing, It's

basically nothing one day. I mean, so here they are trying to get through all that water and everybody's yelling at them, keep your guns dry, and it's like, well, why didn't you get me closer than the beach? Goodness? How how was America still here? Oh? That's amazing, it's amazing. Well, I don't know how we segue from that, but I'll throw out the phone number five two two nine seven if you'd like to talk football here? What D Day two? Okay?

You know another another guy that had a nice day to day, um Johnny Dixon though yes, free agent wide receipt sign a week ago from Ohio State. He was wearing We got two people wearing six right white uniform, blue uniform. Donovan Wilson, by the way, and Cedric Wilson were not practicing I did, okay, so and Don Wilson wears number six. Now, yeah, so that's why. Yeah. So anyway, this guy, you know, his his last year at Ohio State, he was pretty darn good. Um, he didn't get drafted

and he knocked around probably drafted. Yeah, I'm not sure. Well, let me, I'll go back and look at my big green notes. Right, I think it was twenty fifteen. I think it was the twenty fifteen. You're talking Ohio State, you're talking big ten. Yeah, he's gonna get a look at They're gonna look at him. He got to go to the combine and there was the doubt if there was an injury in there, an ACL or something. I'm

not sure. But anyway, you know, he was one of those guys that could take the top off the route and he did a nice job today. I didn't he like, he looked strong, looked like he was agile, like I thought. He moved well. And that's kind of the first time in the I guess how many practices have we seen three or four where it's like, oh, who's sex again? Constantly looking at you? Right, yeah, yeah, And when you have guys missing, that's your opportunity. Right. There's no Myrie

Cooper out there, there's no Cedric Wilson out there. There was a couple other the wide receivers that are rookie free agents that were out there. Semi Fijoko wasn't out there, so he got an opportunity day, and I think he took advantage. Well, you know, when you think about it, I was a free agent, so I had a few choices. Three choice I think in New Orleans and Buffalo and in Dallas, and Cowboys needed dbs. That's why they signed so many of us as rookies. But if I'm what's

the young man's name, John Dixon. If I'm Johnny Dixon and I'm a free agent, why would I come here as a wife? That's good question. I mean, I'm just asking why would I say same for a running back? Yeah, exactly, you got Pilot, you got of course Zeke. Well he doesn't come here with the idea that he's obviously going to beat out Michael Gallup or Maari Cooper or Cede Lamb. But there are opportunities as from as far as the reserves go. I mean, especially when you look at the

contract situation with Noah Brown. Okay, he's on a one year deal and he's free agent. I mean, so he's in a contract year. Cedric Wilson's in a contract year. You drafted one in the fifth round of a hooko, you know, and so there are opportunities. And then even as far as starters go, gallops in his contract year himself. So I think for someone like Johnny Dixon, this is an opportunity. And I don't know, I have to look it up. He may have a prior because he's tried

out with other teams there. He may have a relationship with a coach on the staff, maybe even Adam Henry, maybe he tried out there before and so and there could be a practice squad opportunity and just to get his foot in the door and get and get legs with an organization maybe because and why not still with the couto. Yeah, and so you got a revolving door as far as the backup skill. So, and especially when you consider what Cedric Wilson do to make this year.

I mean it was a restricted preistrict so two million, two points something million, and Noah Brown is a veteran now and so if you get someone at Yeah, you're always trying to save some money. Three million dollars count found that, Yeah, go ask Atlanta right after signing Julio Jones in twenty nineteen to a three year, sixty six million dollars extension extension, right, So, which is why they had to wait until after June first and trading exactly,

which is what we talked about last week. And they put seven point seven five million of dead money in the cap this year and next year it's fifteen and a half million in dead money, So why not keeping they needed to sign their draft picks this year? Yeah, I mean because he was Gonnaly did not have enough money to sign their draft class. He was going to count twenty three to give ri the Maddie ice. Then

he was gonna get he was gonna count. I know why they had an opportunity to draft the fourth pick in the draft. Ye who would throw the ball to Jones? You got the draft pick? Yeah, yeah, he could throw the ball. That's what happens when you decide, you know, the money is more. And he had injuries last year, but it was only the first year he really had and he still was playing. Yeah, well, thirty one, thirty two,

thirty two. So I'm sure that's just another example of when you signed these contracts, they're yours, you know, and you're gonna pay dearly to get rid of them. And that was the key on the trade was Tennessee was the only There were other teams that were interested, but they want they didn't want to pay a total salary, and so uh, Tennessee was the only one that cut him a deal then said Okay, we'll take on a salary and sal I would not go to me. Tennessee

wouldn't be the place I'd go. Well, you gotta go where he probably did everyone. Yeah, but everyone's talking about the weapons that Tennessee had have enough Tennis. They have enough weapons that I know. But they did, they got, they know, but they lost the tight end. John U. Smith signed with the Patriots, and then their first rank, Corey Davis, their wide receiver, went to the Jets. So now they've got Julio Jones and A. J. Brown and then of course they've got Derrick Henry in the backfield

and tend the tight end is they signed. They got they got Anthony Ferkser who had thirty nine catches last year and Jeff Swim and then they've got a bunch of street guys. Otherwise, Yeah, I thought they picked somebody else and that maybe I'm wrong, but anyway, he ste that's what we used to call them, the street guys. They're they're out on the street. I thought it was old, the old Gil brand. You can find the defensive back on White Street, on even Street corner. I thought that

getting in a taxi taxi squatters his base salary. His base salary for this year. It was guaranteed fifteen and a half million, so Tennessee had to be able to absorb that to make that move. The Cowboys couldn't do that. They may have to make a move to get everybody else signed by time they go training. But I mean, well I'm restructure. Okay, Yeah, that's what I meant. You're not talking about a trade. So how many rookie have been signed? The most of the class. The third rounders

get signed. I didn't think the third rounds, the fourth rounders and back all got signed. Okay, yeah, I think they the third day guys got signed. For that they don't impact the cap because those those three guys will their salaries will make them top fifty one right now, and those those are the only things that count against the cap right now. It's the top fifty one salaries. And I think the cutoff was like eight hundred and thirty thousands something like that, so they would probably get

end up counting more because of their signing bonuses. All right, Danny, in the break, you were talking about the cornerbacks, and I want to give you an opportunity to say what you're saying to the rest of the masses out what was just thinking watching practice. It's early to tell and Nishan Wright or Calvin Joseph or you know what this young guys will bring to the table. But they seem

to be trending upwards. You can get a glimpse as to the potential that this scouting department, the coaching staff, you know, front office saw in these young players. And assuming that it continues trending upwards, they have a good

training camp, you feel better. You will feel better about the depth because last year Cheetahbay Woozier, you felt like there was a really big drop off between the talent and the trust you have between him or maybe who might step in and replace him, and the Cowboys lost

him to free free agency. So now when you have these young players and you've seen what they can do so far and how they're trending, you feel better about it if you have to go between two or three guys and your depth is a little more even, right, Like, you don't feel like you have to rely on one guy. Yeah, and last year, if you think about it, not only did they Woozier early in this season, Anthony Brown got

hurt too, so they lost him. And then the one free agent they signed there all whirling Bottom dial right, And see that's the other thing is Trayvon. Okay, Now we look at it, and we look at at Kelvin Joseph. Well, Trayvon he was drafted like five spots back from where Kelvin Joseph was this year, and he stepped in and he was a starter, right, Well, he earned that. Last year they had put in place veterans Darryl Whorley had

started for four or five years in this league. Now, obviously his play had fallen off, Okay, and that's why he was available at a low price. As it turns out,

they had signed him. They had Anthony Brown as well, and but Trayvon Diggs came in here and he and without an off season, came in and they knew going into last year, and that's why they had to sign a Darryl Worley, just to make sure because we don't know what this rookie coming in here, what he's going to be able to handle right off the bat, and

especially without an off season. And Diggs came in here and proved not only in the WebEx zoom virtual stuff during the off season, but when he got on the field that he could handle it. And that's what Kelvin Joseph has to do now. He has to prove Otherwise they've got options. They could they can play Anthony Brown

and wait on his development. And they also had had brought in, uh, Maurice I believe Maurice canon Nity, who is out He opted out and so yeah, so all of a sudden, it was like, oh, what do we got going here? There's another pass us going even worse. Yeah, as a rookie having to deal with no pass for us, and you know, we're sitting up here criticizing him, you know, wondering, well,

he shouldn't be better in this and that? Well stuff when you don't have anybody coming out to the quarterback and putting any pressure down on the consistent basis and the other corner, the other corner they're giving a good look at. He played a little bit last year, I believe Deante Burton. They were using him in the slot

with like the second unit. So, uh, it'll be interesting to and I'm going back to at the competition right uh and and and probably no more so than at the linebacker position, because I don't think anything set in stone at that linebacker. The level of the secondary, and that's linebackers dbs, I think the level of the secondary is going to be at an extremely high level. I think training camp is going to be extremely competitive. You know, there's there's going to be a lot of stuff going on.

It's going to be very intense. Okay, I think offensively they should be extremely careful going up against these dbs and everyone. That's a great tease for our last segment here. Okay, let's let's look at training camp battles that we're looking forward to when we come back for our final segment here on Mixed Shots and just Tomlin New Doctor Pepper,

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a perfect lens for you. Seemore do more. Selre back back to micked shots in Cowboys Nation. The New Era Training Collection is like kicking off the summer with a quick strike, touchdown, wind, big and warm weather with a star studded lineup of cats caps, bucket hats, and straw hats from your local Dallas Cowboys Pro shop. We're online at shop dot Dallas Cowboys dot com. Okay, you see what we're doing here. You noticed Danny doesn't have a

headset on. That's because her headset wasn't working. And so we're going with a silent count here. That's tough too. I don't know if you I'm Zack Martin. I'm Zack Martin, and I'm giving her this, okay, And don't take your eye off his butt? Should I tell my dead set story? Switzer wrote about it at his book Bootlegger's Boys, So I feel like I could go ahead and say it, all right, uh talking about headsets that don't work? Okay.

There's an assistant coach on Switzer's staff at OU, Wendell Mosley, great guy, Okay, And in Switzer tells the story he had he had. I don't think it was a wife. I think it was a girlfriend who he had told He told her that she He was the play caller for OU. I mean, what plays do you call? You're running the wishbone? Yeah. Anyway, so he would wear a headset on the sideline during the games and it wouldn't be plugged in, and so he had a nickname. He

called him dead set. Dead Set mostly got is some commitment to go, you know, fight through a story to that girl. Huh. I hope he commit his line as I don't know whatever. All right, this is our final segment here, yes of mixed shots, as we we're going to preview training camp here. We got two more days of the mini camp here, so more to look at the next couple of days. But let's preview training camp battles. Ever since started talking about it in the last segment,

Mickey talked about it on the Blitz. As far as the defense goes, you think how many people are have deadlock cinches to start at a certain position on defense? In my opinion, it's DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, and Trayvon Diggs. Now there's guys that are working with the first team, but but knowing that they're going to start at that position. Yeah, you got Lawrence at one end, you got Gregory at the other end, and you got Diggs at one of

the cornerback spots. And I think everything else. Everybody better not miss a practice and they're better not being any brother lawing going on on defense. Yeah, there's gonna be a lot of fights in training camp. You wouldn't add Donovan Wilson to that list. Uh, you know when they ran guys out and I know at this time of year, generally they they acquiesced to the more and players go out first, right, yeah, right, and then he flamed out.

But right now, when the safeties go out with the first team, even when Donovan was healthy enough to participate in the OTA's uh, it's been uh Demante Kaz and jay Ron Curse as the first safeties. Wilson was going out with the second ones. So I don't know that that's set in stone that those are going to be

your starters. And I thought he did too, and so I think there'll be some competition there between the three of those guys, and then you know, and who knows if if they get a backlog at lightbacker, maybe Kean O'Neill goes back to safety. But I think there'll be a lot of role playing, like this is our base defense, this is nickel, uh, this is dime. Uh, this is nickel on first down when they're going three wide. So I think there's gonna be a lot of different combinations

a guy. But that would be great because last year they didn't have enough guys to compensate for different for different positions. So yeah, I think there's going to be a battle at safety and Danny. We know. I don't think the linebacker position is set in stone either. That's

why that's what I'm most excited to see. I think that right now, if you're breaking them down in terms of position groups, from what we've seen and what you expect to see from these rookies, that might be the biggest depth you have right Like you've got Layton Vanners, You've got Jalen Smith, but like, how far behind is Micah Parsons or jibro Hawks or Kean O'Neil. Like, I think it's very compact, and that's what makes me so excited. It's like it's not so much like it's up in

the air. There's a lot of really good players and you really don't know who's going to have that starting you give up your historic numbers rush wise, Yeah, it should be. And going back to the defensive tackle position as well. Yeah, those positions linebacker, offensive tackle, that's gonna be huge. Everyone's gonna have the magnifying glasses on those positions.

So we're talking about the matchups. If you don't mind me doing your job and segueing into the matchups, I'm looking forward to a couple of speech that's going at it, and that's uh, Joseph and Michael Gallop. That should be a good one. Yeah, that should be a good speed on speed when you're looking at the training camp battles that aren't position battles, but they are head to head battles training. I'm looking forward to that because you're talking

speed on speed another one. I'm looking forward to it. And I don't know how much work they're gonna have. Taygwan going at it, you know, as far as his injury is Gonnacern, I'd love to see him in the Lawrence h going at it in training camp. That should be a nice little battle as well, you know. And McCarthy made made something came up about motivation or somebody was more motivated, and he said, hey, it's like all

of us we were six and ten last year. The motivation better be there, right, and he goes and he goes, it's about everybody, make no bones about it. So his point and he said that before because if you think about the press conference he had back in March, he talked about the number one priority to fix was the defense, right, So yeah, I think that the linebacker spot, you know, just look at last Thursday. They're they're in a I think it was a seven on seven drill, or it

might have been eleven on seven. Layton Vander esh who to me? And you guys can argue with me if you want. I think he's the best linebacker on the team. We still don't know what Michael Parsons is, but I think from history standpoint, Layton Vanders is the best linebacker on the team. He missed a lot of time the last two years. So there's a pass play on the sideline and he lays out in a darn Ota non

contact and makes a diving interception. Unfortunately, as I told Bill when we did the blitz, he landed on the football and he knocked the wind. Did right, yes, And he's laying there. I'm going, oh, come on, just can't be a shoulder and right, but he had knocked the wind. But here he was go ahead, yeah, right, I'm gonna ask it. We'll do that. Uh uh. He's diving for an interception in OTAs because he knows nothing is secure. I want to start, I want to play, and he

laid out for an interception in a darn Ota. We don't have the luxury of saying oh, I could have made that, and you know, no one made Jack last. And the same thing with with Jalen Smith. You know, I think he's under the microscope, definitely under the microscope. Yes, you know, he might have led the team last year and tackles, but there were things in his game that he needed to improve. And the thing I've noticed about him is he's been more engaged with his teammates than

I've seen. You know, he's almost acting like a leader, going around, you know, fist bumping, slapping guys on the on the shoulder, on the helmet, talking a little bit more so I think that I'm hoping that means that he has a grasp on the defense, because that was his issue, right asked you he actually came out of admitted and had sometimes you don't know what the heck he's doing. And even Kean O'Neill, I mean, you can

see he's played some football. His instincts they're they're pretty played football at a pro bowl level before and then Dabill Cox, I don't know how that guy lasted into the fourth rod. I've always had a good eye on him. He played well all your life. Okay, so knocking so Mickey, have you ever had the wind knocked out of you? I think the last time had happened was about forty years ago when I was playing in a darn softball game and I got in a rundown between home plate

and third base. Okay, just get a mental picture, right, yes, get me down because I was faster than anybody. Right. So you wearing like a pin stripe where the beggy plannel baseball? Yeah, that's why we wore the long leg I used to wear those little tho. These flannel things are so why do they make you wear these? Anyway, I got in a rundown and the guy, the big

old catcher, right, big old fat but Larry Mondelo guy. Yeah, and it's like I'm I'm I'm toast right and he goes to tag me and I kind of jumped in the air and he need me like in the kidney right here, and I was like, what the you know, old man, I'm sorry, and I screamed at him as no, you're not. You did that on purpose. Know how cancers are there the dirtiest guys on the on the field, you know how they go. So I asked Bill, when's the last time he had to win knocked. I don't remember, no,

I down on the front yard playing football. Probably yep, I can't even remember. I'm not that goofy. That's awesome feeling. So how many people in the last forty years since then have wanted to put their knee and I'll tell you what. It's a long line. It's a good position there. Yeah, yeah, they goes. So anyway, the linebackers, I love that. I want to about you guys, matchups to see but well online backers were real quick. That's what you would expect

from Jalen Smith is to be a leader. If Sean Lee's gone and you're the most tenured guy, you know, you're in your second contract. That that's what you expect. That's what you should be seeing from Jalen Smith. And on Lane Vanner as his point when he was asked by the media after that practice the die for the interception, He's like, I'm not gonna, you know, go half speed because I'm scared of injuries or hurting myself. He's like,

that's not gonna make me better. It's not gonna make this team better and even said more so than that interception, he liked he had a soccer tackle for loss, well what would have been And that's what he was more proud of than the interception too. I mean, if you didn't already know about Lane Varnet, right, like team number one leadership, that says it all. And that's the reason why you had a practice like you had today, okay, where they didn't seem to be doing that much. Right.

These guys are competitive, and you get them out on a field and they're gonna go all out, said boys will be Look at the San Francisco forty nine ers last week. They lost a safety with an achilles, they lost an offensive tackle with an acl Okay, they're they're you know, they're on a football field, and so they're gonna go ahead and play football. And they were two teams that half. They have a lot to prove. And the forty nine ers had so many injuries last year.

I mean, they had more injuries than the Cowboys did last year. And they've already got a couple there, and so that's why you got it this time of the year. You got to scale it down and make sure um and and they've scaled it down dramatically over these last two or three years because before there was contact guy, And I never understood you're gonna give somebody a helmet, but you're not going to give them shoulder pads, right, And guys are gonna die for receptions, they're gonna die

for interceptions, and you're gonna hurt your shoulder. And I never I didn't. I didn't mind the shoulder pads. We were one of those teams that just never got a

break when it came to uniform. But I'd love going with the shorts and post the football pans to me, but you're always holding your breath with the other stuff because once you start competing, and even though there's no contact, man, if you're a competitor, you're gonna do what you gotta do to catch the ball, right, you're trying to interspire them tea. I mean, you saw the collision today, right, was it? McKee was, yeah, yeah, And it wasn't like

bad bad. He means. It was three people, two defenders that they're trying to knock the ball out. He's trying to catch it, and it's you know, and he got up. He wasn't down long. And it reminded me of Sean Lee when when he finally tore his ACL that had

some problems in it. He's in like the first OTA practice of the spring and they run a little pitch to DeMarco Murray to the right right and Murray's gonna cut back and Seawan Lee is gonna plant to come back and make the tackle and he blows out his knees and it was like he had the surgery and it might have been two weeks later or something like that. And I ran into the locker room and I looked at him and I shook my head and he goes, I know, I know, And I said, what are you

thinking about? It's OTAs just let him go. You're not going to tackle him. And Sean Lee goes, yeah, I was just trying to do the right thing. And it's like, oh, that's Sean Lee, right, and it's but those things happen, so yeah, they I think it's smart to get on the field, get everybody together, but back off on how competitive you make it, especially with the offensive lineman and defensive linemen. They're not proving anything without pads on right,

You're just kind of touching up and go. But then you know, you get a little heated and I got I got another one for you okay, you talk about Kelvin Joseph versus Michael Gallup. I want to see Cedee Lamb against anybody, you know, I want I want to see Cedee Lamb on that field in a second year with a fool offseason, you know. And he talked about it last week where you know, he didn't you know, he was training at home and he's been in so he's been in an NFL offseason training program and he

was as good as he was last year. That making that jump from first year to second year. They always talk about it. I think he's gonna have a huge year. And he looked like a veteran last he did. Yeah, he's always say that. He looked like I mean, think about it. That was his first OTA practice, right, because they didn't have it last year. Randy Gregory. This is probably his first mini camp OTA because he was probably after his rookie year. There were suspensions and things, and

he came in do you come in late? Last year he was here, but he couldn't play in the first six games. That was part of his suspension. So yeah, you're you're exactly right. These guys are getting things this year. Ceedee Lamb, he had a catch last week on Thursday. Unbelievable, just unbelievable. It's like, how does he do that? Yeah, and he had another one today that was a pretty darn good one that he had to kind of contort his body. I think he puts himself into position to

where he makes these great plays. Yeah, it's too easy right now. And you read about his braceless like bracelet right he was wearing get your popcorn ready? Yes, I did hear that. So I think, you know, you look at what he did last year and he only got four and a half games with Dak right, and then it was like pot luck at quarterback the rest of

the season. Remember, still broke the rookie receiving record, And I still go back to Marie Cooper right the year that he had somehow and then the shakedown, the ankle breaking that he did at the line of scrimmage still to me one of the best moves off the line scrimmage I've seen in a long time. You just don't see dbs going down like that as if you're going against Alan Iverson in a crossover move. That's the kind of stuff I like, and that's why Marie Cooper is

m dude, and I'll tell you who else. I'm sorry, who else looked good out there? And it's hard because running backs, how do you know writing this stuff? Zeke looks pretty fast and quick. He looks like he's in really great shape too. I was insane. Other matchup, well, the two tight ends, and they're not necessarily Blake Jarmon DN maybe going against each other, right if they're going to do more twelve personnel packages and whatnot. But coming off the year that Schultz had filling in for Jarwin

who missed all season. Towards the first week, I mean, yeah, he proved. I mean he had a rough first two games right with like miss blocks, drop passes, but he he really shined last year and proved that he can, you know, take have a larger role on this team. And so that'll I think will be interesting of the two of them, and they don't see it as competing against each other. I mean, Dalton Schultz was like so ecstatic to tell media like, I want Blake Jarring be back.

I'm excited for him to be back, but I think that'll be interesting to see. Yeah, this offense could be pretty prolific if they stay healthy. Says the Apostles versus z. Oh, yeah, that's a good one. It's a good one, Okay. And then three months from tomorrow, three what happens three months from tomorrow, it's uh September ninth. That would be September ninth. It would be Thursday night football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

First play of the game, Buccaneers come out on offense, and they they line up Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown as their receivers. So they're going with it with their three receivers set. Who who's lining up at linebacker for the Cowboys and who's who's who's in their secondary? Okay, let's just say their secondary. Who's in the Cowboys secondary? First game against um Tampa Bay. You know, I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

But I don't know that I've got a guess because I don't think, yeah, we have to guess. You have to get us up right now? Have you got to get them out on the field right now? They're lining up? Okay, who's going out there? You got digs, right, digs? Okay's at one corner? You got Joseph Okay, you're going with Joseph the rookie at the other corner. Yeah, and they'll probably use in the slot. They'll probably use one of the Lewis. Jordan Lewis is the st Joan Lewis really

yeahs will be in the slot. So there's your So there's your three. We're talking because they're coming out with Antonio bront I mean they've got the three receivers set. Okay, all right, So there's your three corners. Who are who are your safeties? And who are your linebackers. I have no idea on the safeties, and I think the linebackers will be Vander esh and Michael Parsons, Okay, and then uh,

you gotta go with something. Let's let's line up Keian O'Neil at one safety, okay, and let's put Kaze at the other one, all right, okay? And then up front then a four man front, and you've got Lawrence and Gregory at the ends. And who's your tackles? Go Hannon, Watkins, maybe Gallimore or you go brand Urban, you go Watkins, you got Hill, you got one of those defensive ends? Will move inside? How about like they'm Terrell Basham Terrell basham. Okay,

I haven't heard Jalen Smith's name mentioned. No, I don't think he's on the nickel. Okay, I don't think he should have been on the nickel last year. Okay, that's interesting. Unless they're unless they're unless unless they wanting to start, right, they want him to start. You line him up at linebacker, and you have Lawrence, Gregory Parsons and whatever tackle you want out there on your front. Yeah, because because you know DeMarcus Lawrence could rush inside, right, they got some

defensive ends. Yeah. So on that first play, what's gonna happen. Parsons is coming off the edge. He's getting a sack of break. There you go. It's yo, Randy, right, remember the old the old uh sit not a sitcom, it was actually Parsons is gonna come up the middle. He's gonna line up a middle linebacker. He's gonna bletch up the middle. He's gonna sack Brady. You remember you remember RN ten ten? Yeah? Yeah, you used to yo many. Yeah, this is this is thirty years, four years loudly. All right,

so save that. That's Randy, all right? That does it? All right? Yay, enjoy your last couple of days out in the heat. Yes, I will kang, I'll be out there. You should do one of these bucket hats from the pro shop. That's what you need. I do need one, you know what you know? Those those those those I think you're hard like Safari Safari hits you. You don't need one of those. It's it's it was so hot. It was so hot in which top Falls. I went and wasn't I went and bought one of those, just

to make a statement. I'm on my ten speed with me to Oklahoma. I was in the best shape in my yeah, best for the hot and hell hundred it was hot. It was hot every day every day, one hundred and five to one hundred and ten, and wind would blow twenty miles an hour, so it felt like you were in a convection of it. And there was no shade anywhere where. It was practice field. And for those who live outside of Texas, which Stall Falls is known in late August for a bicycle race, it's the

hottern hell hundred and so and God bless people. That could right? All right? Does it? For mix shots? And Oxnard, California, here we come. How's that? I'm I'm ready and I'm hoping there you go, all right, very soon, I'm getting ready for the Rams to come a calling too. That's right practice there, So we go back in history on that one. Right there you go, all right, see you

next time on mix Shots Go Cowboys. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.