Hangin' with the Talkin' Cowboys Break: Still Waiting

Here we go, Here we go. Welcome to the show, Rob show. All right, so you were listening to the Talking Hanging with the Talking Cowboys break. I think sure. To my right is Rob Phillips from Talking Cowboys. Correct. Welcome to the show, Rob. It's been Talking Cowboys group. Yeah, yeah, yeah, a lot of To your right is our grumpy little buddy, Dave Hellman. That's fair. Hey, how's it going from the break? How are you doing, Dave? I'm doing good man? How

are you break? Before it hits for you? One on five and hits for one of these guys got a lot of titles. I liked that little hits on one on five They some good stuff. And then to your right, my left is my buddy from our show Hanging with the Boys? Name are you doing? Are you grumpy Nate today? I'm saying all I'm saying, I'm gonna be quiet. That's that's a lie. One more day until what Yeah, you said that when you got these the new head coach of the Dallas Cowboy Man, tell them who that is?

Jason Garrett for life? Jason Garrett for life? Y'all know something we don't know? Or is that just a prediction? I know? Why would you for this man that you care so much about and and you're letting him say all of his farewells? That was the rumor at the beginning of the week, and then it went to he was hugging people and getting numbers and he guess what that was on Monday, then Tuesday, and then Wednesday. We're just gonna take off because it is important to find it.

It's not important to find a head coach or left the head coach that you care so much about. Go find another job, because every day is pretty important when you were unemployed, especially in the NFL, because there's only a certain amount of jobs. Right now, you're meeting with this man again all this just to fire him on Thursday or Friday. I don't buy it. They're not gonna fire him. They don't be the coach, they don't have to. They're not gonna let him go. You can't convince me

that anything that's happened this week changes anything. Honestly, you can't. I mean and listen, I could be wrong. Nobody. The one thing I know is that literally nobody knows what's going on. That's true unless your name is love and I love it. I don't. I love it. I'm ready for because all these people that they know what's going on, they're reporting, and then they're backtracking, and then this has happened. No way that didn't have I love it. I love Yeah.

I saw a gift. Somebody replied to somebody with a guy on a bicycle going backwards in the circle, that's kind of where we are right now. Suck. It sucked for you too, because you guys have to write stories about the end of the season anything, but you can't really do anything until this cloud that's hanging over the star out here sitting here in limbo, mate, mates, like I don't have any of you, just for the first time on the same page. Yeah, that didn't happen. Often

doesn't hardly ever, hardly ever. I just want to hear what you two guys. Well, I do have some news today. Okay, okay, oh god, Cowboys signed Clayton come on future contract, Come on, but keep your duties waiting responsibility and second guys to the reserve future lists. The season ended. I'm just trying to keep that is it's it's fascinating because, yeah, that's the type of stuff that happens in January when you're not in the playoffs, and normally it's worth talking about.

But forgive me, I'm no offense to Clayton Thorson, but I just don't really care until we know who's going to be coaching. What position does he play at? Quarterback? He's quarterback? Is he number five? Yes? Yes, the guy that we had in camp. They know he didn't come to camp. They signed him after the Sea he would work. Who did we sign I thought for real? No, he was the practice squad quarterback squirrel. He was drafted by the Eagles. They cut him after training camp. He's been

here all year. They like him a lot, and they signed him so they can keep him around. We just don't know who his coach is going to be. Okay, my point was to piggyback off what you said. Nobody knows what's going on. It's for sure we do people, No, we don't need which here's and here's the thing, Like I get it, and there's a lot of people that are following y'all's train of thought. This is actually business as usual, it really is. Last year, offense is terrible.

They had a bad game in the Division round of the playoffs. Obviously the defense didn't play well either. That's not the point. Everybody Scott Scotlandhan's public enemy number one. Everybody's convinced he's got to go. Did it happen Monday? No? Did it happen Tuesday? No? Wednesday, Thursday? It happened that week. It finally happened on Friday, Your coordinator a little bit different than about coach. How about the quarterback? How about

Tony Romo? He gets benched for Dak Prescott. Everybody, I mean, his time with the Cowboys is done any day now. They're gonna cut him, They're gonna trade him all through January. When did that finally happen April? April? How about Dez Bryant, like, let's not act like this. Let's not act let's not act like this is unusual your head coach it, why do you need three meetings with him just to be like, Okay, what what went wrong this season? Thank you, coach? Okay,

three days of that. You could convince me that they're doing it to get the conversation at a fever pitch, which is kind to what's happening right now. I mean, does that not sound like something the Cowboys would do. I have a theory this may bring it completely insane. Okay, it probably is. I pitched us a few of these this week. Yeah, and none of them have been proven wrong yet. No, you're right, Yeah, you're right. Okay. Here's

my theory. I think that from from mister Jones's comments that he made towards the end of the year, especially at the end of the season, about really having to reevaluate a lot of different things on different levels. I think what these meetings are is there in a room just like say, if you're a CEO of a company, right, and which he is, and you know your company hasn't been performing well and you want to haven't right, and you want to figure out what can we do as

an organization and a company to get better. I'm going to call in the CEO. Right, I'm the owner of this company. I'm going to call them the CEO, and say, where did we Where did we mess up as as ownership? Where we where do we have our hands in the cookie jar too much? Where do we not have enough? Where did we not allow you to do certain things for the next person that comes in? How do we fix that? How do we make it a better situation for them? How do we get better as an organization?

We want you to walk us through this. And as you start walking through these things, and you start saying, hey, this is I would have done this, and then here's the result, and this is a domino effect, and this is what would have happened, and this would have gotten

better in this area. And you and as you're having these conversations, you start going, you know what, damn, if we'd have done that, this wouldn't happen, If this wouldn't happen, we'd have been better on offense, if we wouldn't have done this, this this would have been better here here, here, here, here, And all of a sudden, you need a third day to talk about this, because you start talking yourself into you know what, if we give this one more try one more try and do it the right way, the

way that this person is telling me they can succeed. Let's go do it. Let's get in here and figure out how to make it happen. That's my theory. Shouldn't have been a conversation that happened last year when Garrett was coming up on the last year of his contract. Needed new offensive coordinator, needed, you know, not how many coaches have they hired over the last two years, replaced

the whole staff. You would assume you would assume, we don't know, but you would assume they gave Jason Garrett a lot of input on That makes an ass out of you and me. One thing Jerry has said towards the end of the season or near at the end of the season, was, you know, he ultimately put that staff together, like final sign off on the assistance and the roles and those things in conjunction with Jason Garrett. And he said, I'd take some blame on you know,

we had some inexperience on the staff. And he talked about youth on the staff being a good thing well. Ultimately it didn't work out in a playoff Berth. So he's taking some blame and some ownership of why things didn't go well. Now is that part of the discussion this week? What could they have done different? He does that anyway, though, like Jy, Jerry is not afraid of criticism. I think he like he uses himself as a lightning rod a lot because he can handle it. I guess

that doesn't mean that much. I guess my point is he's pointing all the blame at Jason Garrett. I think one of the things that has happened is ever since probably Thanksgiving when they lost to Buffalo, everybody just assumed he was gone, just assumed, and not only would he be gone, it would be the day after, right, and nobody knows a minute after. Just be mocking y'all. Great points. I mean, yeah, like around nobody knows other than the

Joneses and maybe Jason too, what's gonna happen here. Nobody has had with complete certainty what's going to happen until Jerry Jones makes a decision and announces it. Sure, And that's why I don't think anything you throughout any theory you want but I don't until it happens, right. I mean the guys on the one to five three of the fan I said last week, they said, so you're saying he had made his mind about Jason. Yes, I don't.

I don't know for sure because Jerry has not said anything and he and he said after the game nothing was off the table. And this is a man who's been in the organization for ten years and there's a close bond there. Let me let me say this. Yes, mister dude, you've been kind of quiet. Yeah, because I'm loving it. I'm loving it. I wish I have. I loved being being being because hell man, listen to me here, sir. Yeah,

just checking to see if theories have been proven right around. Yes, I'm laughing because the goal was clear and simple from both the owner and his son NFC Championship. All else is off. That was the goal. Thing. There's one for you there, But that was If that was the goal, why is Jason still here? It's mystifying. I don't have an answer for you. Let me ask you this day. If that's not my theory, If that's not what's going on? What? What? What are they talking about? Over three days? What can't

you your thoughts? So I really I don't know if I had to guess again, And you know what, I hear what you're saying. It's like people assumed it was going to happen. If you're smart, I would hope you realize better than that. Because the Cowboys have a track record. We've been talking about this again. He's not under contract. He doesn't have to be fired to go away. It can just run out, Kyle, Kyle, it can just run out. They could be they could be asking Jason for his

input on why things went wrong. They could be talking to Jason about what can we do to help you with your next landing spot? Setting things up well for you? They can I mean, there's nothing stopping them from investigating people they want to talk to. We haven't heard anything concrete about that. That doesn't mean it's not happening exactly, And so it could be a lot of different things. It could be a ton and and just for the record, for all I know, they could be talking about bringing back.

But there's a million things that it could be that don't necessarily mean he's getting announced as having an extension tomorrow. Made It could be a two dozen different things. Okay, okay, but you bring up a good point ding that the fact that he is has an expiring contract, the coach has an expiring contract. You don't have to, I think everybody's waiting on this announcements. Have to make an announcement, you have down a press conference or a press release

or anything. What do we do in free agency when when guys are free agents on the roster right off into the site just walk away. Cowboys don't announce when a free agent leaves the team. They announce when a

new one comes in. So there will be at have to really talk about this, you know, and if they don't all waiting for them too, and because it help us out on this show, but we don't, you know, there's nothing new to talk about it because this contracts through what January fourteenth, that's the report, Well, Jake Glazer had to report that that was the first which that doesn't seem to be too supposed to been whiz I'm gonna write, I heard on Wednesday. I heard Wednesday, and

then I also heard the fourteen. I've heard. Seems more logical that I would be the fourteenth. They say, whizzed it was his cutoff day. But they say that the NFL and this coaches have kind of unwritten rule for two weeks. You know, you kind of honored it, like yeah to the fourteenth, so that if you're trying to leave or if you they trying to renegotiate with you, that they would had a grace period. Right, still get paid.

But typically, I mean, if you if you want to part way as with your coach in the NFL, it is almost unilaterally done in the Monday after the regular season, so it's uncharted territory. I don't know what that means, but like I mean, I would not be shocked. Let's say Jason Garrett is leaving, which is still what I think is ultimately what's going to happen. We might not hear anything about it until it's like Jason Garrett is, you know, interviewing with the Cleveland Browns once. Yeah, and

that that could be it. Yeah. I really don't think they're gonna make some grand announcement. Yeah, I'm with you, you guys, you robbing Dave. If it happens, I don't expect them to have this press conference that hey, we're parting ways. I think you smoke coming out of the Vatican and all that kind of stuff, Like, Yeah, I don't I think you would just hear rumors of the Cowboys are talking to these people, purse sources, Jason Garrett is talking to these teams, purse sources, and then it

just kind of takes, you know, kind of goes. But as we know, we like the show around here. We like to take the show pony and trotted around the track. So I wouldn't be surprised. I mean, whatever is happening, it's not in in the cowboys mind preventing great, it's not preventing them from from another step, the next step in their mind. It's not They're not now being rushed to make a decision on a new coach if that's

the way they go. And apparently it's not hindering Jason Garrett's future either one way or the other or the record, because it's been what it's been four days, I think that's true. By the way, is like if again look at the reports Josh McDaniels, the New England OC, he's gonna do all of his interviews on January tenth, that's a week from tomorrow. Um, who's the other guy? Eric bi enemy the chiefs OC he's gonna wait and do his stuff. Uh this, I think he's gonna interview like

this weekend and next week, like there's still time. It feels like I think with him, he's got a he's on a team with a buy, right, so he's got to do it this week, right. But McCarthy, Mike McCarthy is another one stuff schedule around the league elsewhere some of these guys aren't scheduled to even interview for these jobs, and that's a first interview. A lot of times you

see two or three for some of these guys. Like a lot of these hires aren't going to get made in the next seven or so days, which that doesn't feel like a long time, but think about how long the last four days have felt for all of us. So the fact that there's no movement on Thursday, I don't think hinders their ability to do anything. All right, Well, let's take a break when we come back, let's have fun. Let's start the new year. You don't think this is fun.

I think this is probably the most fun I've had on a show outside of the season ever, just because no one knows and it's so great what you got Nate, I was just one more day. I'm sorry, Okay, one more day. Do you think this goes into tomorrow and the next day and next week? We'll be right back on hanging with the Talking Cowboys. Break Laura's a proud sponsor of the Dallas Cowboys, helping fans see more and do more with our best vision solutions. Our lens technologies

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Dallas Cowboys out. Wow, okay, w a clown show. Hey, well, I'm not used to this. I'm not used to these intros. We don't have any live reads for this week. Wheels are just completely off the bus, like it around. Yeah, it kind of fits what's happening right now. No, no, come on, he positive a clown car. It's just it's it's just weird, that's all. But like our group, our

wheels are always off. That's true. We wing it. We're our best when we wing it, when we bulldog it, right Dave, Yes, yeah, well that's always been my strategy. Let's have fun. Speaking of fun, pay David, I did something fun yesterday, not together, but we were in the same place. Yeah, we went to the Winter Classic yesterday. We did what is that? That was the hockey game outside Okay All Stars and the Predators. That was actually a really cool sports experience. That's one of the probably

top five coolest things I've ever done. I would agree top five. Yeah, just because it was so well, it was so out of place being in the it was a wold fact. Yeah, I've never been in the Cotton Bowl for the spirits whole lot. Don't don't cut some. It was just the just just for you to have a girl that you go around with and be seen with that is a wild factor. That's probably top things out with me and puts up with my stuff. Before we go any farther, I would like to ask one question,

just one shoot. Did he give you our pete a year ago? Yeah? Yeah, I know his way out. I know. It's crazy talking about the day that I left early on a Friday and oh yeah, yeah, thank you. Was it good? We split it up between our staff. Like the guy he listens to y'all show, right, he sent y'all like ten pieces. You were already out of the office, so we divvied it up. I think I got two. Yeah, it was good. Ten pieces. They were like individually rapped, okay from it was like coal fired. It was good,

throw it in the oven. He sent it to us on the show, and I Kurt was gone left early. I left early. Dave was. It was on a Friday, I think in the off season or it was a holiday or something, and Dave was the only person up here and it was in dry ice on my desk and oh yeah, you gave me a slice. Johnathan called me and was like, hey, this is on your desk. It says dry ice. I don't think it's gonna keep through the weekend. So I called Dave, and Dave unpacked it and I think handed it out and I just

want was tasty. So back back to the show and that we don't know anyone. I was gonna say. I love the thought of like just die hard cowboys fans tuning in for like, what what's the word pizza? Talking about dry packaged pizza that we ate a year ago? What we do? That's what we do, all right? So let's start with you, Nate. Okay, what is what is the one the bright spot of this season? If there is one. If you don't have one, then say there wasn't one. What what would you think? Or anybody jump

in here? What what is a positive to come out of this season? A player? Um, a moment, a situation. Not everybody jump in here once a lot of dead air there. Yeah, I'll go um and people can roll their eyes at me if they want to. I know they went eight and eight. I know that he wasn't always perfect, and I know that some of his stats were kind of hollow. But Dak Prescott paid well enough. I said paid. That's probably because that's what's on my mind.

Dak Prescott played well enough that I feel comfortable making him the quarterback of this franchise going forward at what costs, preferably slotting him where is thirty four would be great if I could give him a little bit more than Carson Wentz and Jared Goff, certainly not as much as you know Russell Wilson or Big Ben or what the other guys are gonna make, which will be more. I mean, I think Patrick Mahomes could flirt with forty a year when he's when he's ready to do that, which could

be as soon as the Chiefs are done playing. I wouldn't want to do that, and that's that's gonna be one of the big storylines of the season, is where do you come down on that? How hard or you know, or the cowboy's gonna play hardball or Dak and his team really going to hold out and try to break

the bank. I don't know, but assuming you can get that deal done and not set the market, I feel perfectly comfortable with that, And I honestly which this will make people feel some type of way too, but like it's it's interesting to me that this is happening after an eight and eighth season. That's when Tony Romo signed

his last really big contract. He got whatever it was at the time, one hundred and five million in the weeks following an eight and eighth season that saw them get knocked out in the final week of the year. So obviously, you know Dak had he didn't deliver this year, they didn't make the playoffs. I get all of that, but there were enough positive signs for me and his youth. I think he's only going to get better and I would be very comfortable pulling that trigger. Only glit No,

ye do this started franchise stage. Just say hey, this is where we started it and that may be what they end up doing if they can't get to an agreement. Yeah, the only problem I had I love Dak as a human, as a leader. I think the big blood coming well the Cowboys, Well, the Cowboys haven't really given themselves much of a choice. They've kind of backed themselves into a corner. And I think that's you're really your only option because they remember far too well the days of Quincy and

Chad Hutchinson and the big gap between. If you want a devil's advocate, I mean, you could franchise Dak and draft the quarterback you like, what kind of what kind of locker room would that be? Sure? That that dynamic that would be I don't think it would be a good idea, but you I mean you could. You're not

married to him, that's the whole point. But I think that's that's that's the reason why they didn't bring in a One of the reason why they didn't bring an established veteran in is because you didn't want that controversy or that you know. But I would have liked to have seen Dak a couple of times this year when they needed him to put the team on their back, him go win a game. Yeah, And I didn't see that this year. I saw it last year, the year before and the year before, but this year, like when

you really needed him strap it up. New Orleans was an example. A couple of other games, like go go win us a couple of games, and I don't know that could have been play calling, that could have been coaching, that could have been talent around you, whatever. I just when you go pay that kind of money, I feel like Russell Wilson's gonna win you two or three a year. I feel like Drew's gonna win you two or I feel like Aaron Rodgers gonna win you five or six

a year. So yeah, but you know, on the flip side of that, one thing I've for Dad when his numbers haven't been as good as they were this year, even in the past, the thing that I always felt like with him, I feel like he's a pretty clutch quarterback when he has the ball in his hands lad in games throughout his career, I've always felt pretty good about it, and on top now it kind of flipped this year because I think his numbers are better, but

the wins aren't there. Yeah, So I think he's still young enough in his career to what piggyback on what Dave said, I think he continues to get better. But one thing you said about the backup situation, I think they've gone young because they just they they've brought in veteran backups before and it's been not great. It's been the disaster at times, but those guys have had to play. But rather go young backups on a reflection of how good your team is. Like Pittsburgh Steelers, they got a team,

big being come back. It's gonna be a nice ain't rolling. They got a team, and I think we have a team. But the issue, the issue here is, and I'm with Hellman and I'm gonna go a little bit deeper. You start at the franchise tag and you work it slowly from there. Do not feel like you have to rush just in case they go against Min Shannon wishes. They go against Min Shannon wishes because the new coach may see that in a different light. So that I think

about that all the time. I mean, if Jason Garrett is not the coach, and that's the thing is a new coach shows up, and it's uncanny how quickly you can transform a roster when you do a regime change like that. John Gruden just did it a couple of years ago. I keep thinking about him, and there are they're in position to do that this year because they've got thirty something guys that could be free agents, Bud

just over half the roster. I think a prerequisite for any hire they would make would be that the coach has to be convicted that Dak as the guy. Totally agree. I can't think they're sold. Times have changed in the last what five, six, seven, eight years to where you gotta have a coach that's committed to the quarterback and can you win with this guy? And if you can't, and we really want this coach. You've seen it several times the last few years, the quarterbacks gone and they

bring their own guy. You saw it with McVeigh, right, I mean that to me, it doesn't seem like it used to be that. The Cardinals they go, oh yeah, I'm sorry, you saw it. Kingsbury not so much. McVeigh. Goff was already the wrong coach. But this this is my issue. When y'all talk about Dak and we sit here on our show and he shouted her and he said a million times Dak has to take from his past what is successful and blended in with the new. He became a passing machine. And we saw Dak twice

this year. Go back and look at the films. We saw him against Philadelphia and we saw him against the Red Skins, where he did everything, ran uninvited. I'm trying about. I'm talking about let his instincts. Let him keep his instincts. A lot of this this year he's just sent back there. First were first wall bundles thirty four, third and three, third and five, and we're dropping back passing. Okay, was nothing wrong in the offensive line. We still had Zeke

and Dak said, okay, there's three yards. Well he tried to throw. I'm saying myself, is he lost it? What is he thinking? Is he over coach? Now? Because I know North Turner, but that was a different deal with Troy Troy like, hey, we're gonna throw the ball. With Troy that hey, you sometimes you have to stand back then make something happen. But I didn't see that with Dak. And when you see that with Dak, now we got the games closer and were going down the stretch, and

I see that type of day. I didn't see that Dak this year. I think that's fair. I mean, the late game heroics were not there. He had a chance. If he's if he's a little bit better, maybe they beat Minnesota. You know, they had the ball before, even if you change the play. That's the question that's Philly obviously is the most recent one where I mean, he could have stepped up in that situation and potentially tied the game. You didn't see it this year, and that's

it's a very fair criticism. I just people always say, like they're like, you want to pay for what you're gonna do, not what you have done, Like you're paying for the future. And I feel comfortable that he will continue to grow and be a better quarter. All that said that, the team itself wasn't as good last year. The defense didn't get the takeaways for the short fields to allow Dak maybe more comfort running the offense. The special team, the fuel position wasn't there for the offense.

The overall team wasn't as good, and how many you know, some of it slow starts on offense, but how many times I mean, I think in the last month Dak was averaging forty five pass attempts a game that's not his game, that's not the offenses game, and that's some of that's play calling. But someone's just a product of how the team is playing, and they weren't. They didn't get themselves in position to maximize his abilities and run

the offense they like to run it. This is what I do know, Rob, This is what I do know two years ago, and last year and a year before that. For the last six years, we have not been a team that turned people over, right, We have not been a interception team that follows on the term. But what we were and we would never second guess, was the ability to tackle. Yes, that is that. One number one thing that crushed this team this year is their ability

to tackle. And if they fixed just that one thing and little little things that were cropped up down the street last eight games of the season, the screen game, trying to just get plays made in space, just fundamental stuff. Just winning football you have to play. They didn't do that consistently this year at all. Yeah, I mean, you're right, like though, I mean, they haven't gotten takeaways the whole time I've covered this team, But they forced to tackle, man,

they forced teams to kick field goals. They get off the field. Yeah, I mean, how many amazing like sideline to sideline tackles did vander esh and Jalen make last year that didn't get made this year. Let's take it in that direction. Date, So you're sounds like your biggest thing they have to improve on to be a better team next year's tackling. If they do that, I'm telling you, man, this is automatically, this automatically a one or two win

better team just about tackling. Even last year, they would have threw an eighty yard bomb. Again, I'm talking about the Jets, but they wouldn't have made it to the end zone. I guarantee you we would have got them. We would have would have got That was the hallmark of Marinelli's defenses for years, is that those type of players didn't happen. That's right, brother, and I believe that because is that coach Marinelli is that. I was gonna ask you, how do you? I mean, how do you

fix that? I mean you're changing coaches back there now? Hellman, I could answer to Jason Garry question quicker than I can serious sick. What went wrong? It was it? The players? The coaches are both Yeah, what's what's something Nates is tackling. I think mine, mine is I think going into this year, for whatever reason, there were too many games where you gave up on the run too early and calls Dak to throw forty plus times the game. Like, that's kind of what I was speaking to, And it's it's not

all play callings, it's the way the game went. But yeah, Zeke, Zeke had a hell of the last stretch of the season. I mean, they were blowing people off the ball at times in the running game, but I don't know if they were as balanced as they would like to be. Certainly weren't as balanced as they've been the first three years. With that, it's almost like they would get scared. They would they would panic once they were down to seven. Coordinator.

That was the youthful offensive coordinator. That's all I'm calling it how it is. See Jason Garrett, you have to press him, but he easily said our coordinator is calling the plays. The first time he said, I'm like, oh, the second time he said, my officeive coordinators calling the plays. Then you digg a little deeper and find out that mister Jones, say, hey, you would office coordinator called these plays. We pay you for your aggressiveness, for your creativity, we

ain't paying you for your experience. And then you know when it came home for me was when we played Philadelphia three and out. They got our defense on the field for five minutes. Then we come back knowing we need to do something to save our defense. We go three and out again. Did we come out again? They hold the ball? Did we come back again? And the only thing that the reason we got five plays called we connected on the forty one yard but after that

we was out of the game. Our defense got sloted for thirty four minutes. You can't do that as officsive coordinator. You have to save your team. Now that goes straight to the head coach, but your office a coordinator making these calls. No brother tackle and run in play, special teams, special team. So there's another one. I'd say takeaways. I mean, it's just Nate said it. It's been years and years where they're midpack to bottom of the league. I think

they were tied for the fourth FEUs. They've just got to make more plays on the defensive side of the ball. They have talent on defense. Now they've got there's gonna be a lot of changes on defense. I mean, I think there's like six guys that are headed front restrictor free agency that started games this year. Whether you know, Anthony Brown counts as a third coin, Anthony Brown, Robert Quinn, Byron Jones, Jeff Heath, Shawn Lee, UM coach man, Antoine

Woods is going. He's gonna be an exclusive exclusive rights so he's probably not going anywhere. But it's a lot at every level of their defense. I mean, there could be changed, but Joe Thomas not a starter out Thomas, but yeah, that can help Dak in the offense is more than anything. I mean, you see some of these

Super Bowl champions in the past few years. They haven't necessarily had great defenses, but they took the ball away and that that they almost need to reconfigure the ratings for defenses because the Cowboys finished I think top eleven twelve. But if you're not getting takeaways, that is such a critical part of what you do defend. Which but like you can yeah, those stats are misleading, but you can go look at like efficiency like DVOA they were like

twenty fourth in the league. Okay, awful. Yeah, and that's for me I know the offense had inconsistencies. They have bad games. There were stretches where they looked pretty terrible, But that offense perform, That offensive performance all sixteen games gets them to the playoffs with a better season from your defense, especially especially with the hype that we put on them, like every I mean the hot boys got

I don't want to say that phrase ever again. Now they took that in San Francisco, we don't have to worry about seriously, they I mean, they didn't play up to the hype you got. You thought guys would make jumps. That didn't do it. Tackling ninety two yard touchdown against the team that won six games. I mean, come on. I mean the two games where they played lights out the best they played all year, first game against Philly and the Rams, and they got takeaways, impactful plays defensively

that helped their offense out. To me, that's the biggest key going forward. Because Dad's not going anywhere, Zeke's not going anywhere. They've got the pieces still on offense. They're coming back. I'm gonna tell you some fellas you know, and I love having fun, but it's Jason garretting. But one thing I do know, whoever is the coach, you have a window here. Of course, talent, if directed in the right way, for the next three years, all we should be talking about is ten plus win seasons. This

was one. That's what makes this frustrating. That was this was a year off the window. That's what I'm saying. They needed to make some hey here before all these contracts come home to roost, because that's gonna be a problem in the next two or three years. Let's talk about contracts and free agency. I want to get you'all thoughts. One. I want to just take Dak out of it. We'll take a break when we come back. Think about it

in the break. Who's the one guy besides Dak that is a free agent that you have to get back on this team. And then also let's look at the wide receiver group and what you would do with that. You know, Maury's a free agent, do you have to bring him back? Or is Gallop ready to take the next step? And then you go get another guy in a draft. You also need back end help on the defense. What do you do with that draft pick. Let's talk a little bit about that before we get out of here.

But We're gonna take a break, pay some some bills, and we'll be right back on hanging with the Cowboys, talking break and stuff like that. By since eighteen sixty five, Stetson Hats are American maid with pride right here in Texas, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Want to show your Texas and team pride too, You can by purchasing your own Stetson. You can look just like how the flag guys do on field at every home game. Stetson Hats the official crown of all

self respecting Cowboys and your favorite football team. Get yours today in the stadium pro shop or at Stetson dot Com. Ratty Hell, are we gonna win? Share? Just okaying is not okay, whether it's cheerleaders or your wireless network. At and T is America's best wireless network. Best network based on GWS once were September twenty nineteen. Laura is a proud sponsor of the Dallas Cowboys, helping fans see more

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you see it. Twenty three doctor Pepper stack from top to bottom as far as the eye can see. The phrase two going to be true comes to mind. Yet there it is a rich, delicious doctor Pepper paradise. Wait, did did that can of doctor pepper just open itself for you? They all are as if to say, so nice to treat you. And even though it feels weird to talk to we, can you pick one up and say, it's so nice to be treated doctor Pepper, So nice

to treat you. This He's Hanging with the Talking Cowboys Bread streaming live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the official Dallas Cowboys Out and We're back for the final segment of this combined show. Shannon Gross from Hanging with the Boys, Rob Phillips from Talking Cowboys, Dave Hellman from the Break and Nate Newton, my homeboy from hanging with the popping that paper. Oh wow, he trying to defy you. He trying to defy you. Hellman? Sounds what movie was horrible? Radio?

I have no idea boomerang, boomerang, I've never seen that. I'm saying, what, all right, that's a great movie. Boomerang. Yes, Eddy Murphy, Yes, yeah, with the guy that just passed away recently. What was his name? Is his dad? Um was in Friday? What was Oh? I know, I don't know. Yeah, I don't remember his name off the top of my head. That was him. No, No, I'm not Debo his dad in boomerang A Witherspoon, John was Debo. He was in Friday. Did you hear their coming out with the Coming to

America Part two? Yeah? I cannot wait. Everything's got to have a sequel, I swear. Has anybody before we move on to football, has anyone watched Dolomite yet? Is that any good? I hear it's really good though, John Witherspoon, John, I saw him the improv here. He's great. He did. Yeah, great movies? All right, Back to football, Okay, get a little bit free agents. Let's talk about the wide receiver group first, obviously Amari. Do you have to sign Amari?

Or are you good with the one thing? The one thing? I love him Mark, he might be my favorite receiver that's ever been here. I think I might like him more than Daz. I just wish he had a little bit of Deaz in him. I wish he had a little bit more dog in him. Yeah, just a little a little more. Hey, when it's when it's time to go, like go and I don't take me out of the game, right, No, I'm not coming out. You have to pull me. My farm has to be hanging off my b Yes, I

love I love him Mary. I hope he's back because I love watching him run routes. I love his demeanor. I like him. He just calm, He'll answer any question in the locker room. But I just kind of almost like I wanted Dak to take the team and put him on his back a couple of games. I wanted to Mary to take the team and put him on his back a couple of games. But I hope he comes back. What are y'all's thoughts as far as are you signing ah Mari? Is it come down to if

you got the money. Is it got to be the right deal or is he a guy you just go pay no matter what. Well, correct me if I'm wrong, Davy. But if the CBA remains in place, by the speak can use both tags. They can use two tags. They could if they have to, they can tag Dak and they can take and tag them both. So I don't I mean, I see him being back next year. I completely know. Whether it's a long term deal, we'll see, you know, it's kind of like Dak. It's going to

depend on the money. But I think he's back, and I think I think he had a good year this year. I think you have to also take an account the guy played through a lot of stuff this year, um,

and I think it affects now. He told us he can't healthy, but I don't think he was completely He told us on Monday that he was healthier the second eight games than the first, which really kind of disconcerting because he was because he wasn't like his worst games of the season all happened in the final five or six weeks, right, So if he was feeling better, that's not great. And he wasn't even on the injury report in the Philly game, where everybody is wondering what happened there, Um,

so you can't blame it on injuries. But I think he's back and and but there's no question getting act that chemistry that he and Dak has on a consistent basis road home that's a huge must for twenty twenty. Dak and Amari are pretty funny because they both had really good seasons, but not seasons that where you're just like, pay them whatever they want, break it, like, you know, there's there's reservations about both, and I think they're fair. I agree. You know, you'd like to see some more

dog from him. You'd like to see him play well on the road if he's gonna get top three money, Like I need a guy that doesn't get taken out of a game two or three times a year and that well, So me and Derek had this conversation out of the game physically, but out of the game like shut down no, and well, Derek and I had this conversation.

I think I think people, you know, you focus so much on one team, I think you can find yourself in a bubble because that happens with you're only seeing other receivers on Sports Center and You're like, oh, another great game from him, like he never gets shut down. I don't think that's really true. I think Michael Thomas never gets shut down, DeAndre Hopkins and maybe who Leo Jones. But like the rest of the wide receivers in this league. But that's not bad. But the chalk up a twenty

two yard perform. But that's what I'm saying. If you're gonna command top one money, I need you to play like a top three guy every week. I would be happy to pay a Mario a long term contract if I can slot him in at eighteen or nineteen million a year, like if he wants to top Michael Thomas's deal. I don't feel comfortable with that. Okay, fair enough, Nate,

and I'm with you. It's like we're the ones doing the talking, and fuck for us to be talking about amor a guy that said, oh, I'm okay, Well, you know, we don't even know why he was okay. He just said I'm okay, I'm good. So I'm gonna wait. I want him back, but I can let's see what he let's for us see what he what are asking for? Do we have a bottom line of what he's asking for we knew at one point, we thought we knew, but what that actually turned down to thirty five million

on a contract? Yeah, I don't. I don't think the talks with the Maria had the same type of it. Yeah, I don't think they got us far. Yeah. No, And there's that, So there's some stuff going on there where like he changed representation. There was like some time over at his agency. I don't know. I will say, like, if you don't feel comfortable signing him long term, lets I mean, let's say they tag him and it's another one year deal, you better do some aggressive work on

your wide receiver corps. Because I love Michael Gallup. I think he's one of the feel good stories of the season. I don't want to put that strain on him a number one to be the guy. And Randall Cobb's a free agent, he was fine. A lot of missed opportunities there for him. I mean, Tavon Austin, that's like, there's exactly no, I know, there's not a lot of pieces here. What like, you look at it right now, you're like Mark Cooper, Randall cop and Michael Gallup. That's pretty damn good.

And then all of a sudden if Cooper's not part of it, you're like, we got Michael Gallup and some dude. And I've heard the argument if you look at the draft show seasons coming up. But if they, oh, I'm gonna take a long look at like not necessarily slot receivers, but receivers that can move inside and outside, I think it sounds like it's a deep class, at least at

the top of the draft. It absolutely is. But the thing about that is it's like you say, oh, yeah, they could just go do that, spend a top pick, Well, okay, what about tight end? What about defensive tackles, what about safety? What about corner? What was Byron Jones's future? There is a ton of You can go down the list of positions on his roster and say, oh, they I could see that, I could spend them picking it. I could see them spending the top yeah draft pick on this position.

Exposition sound it's really fun to draft one of those freaks out of Alabama or God, there's there's a kid in Colorado that's awesome, Like they could do some damage with this wide receiver, Claus. Do you really see them they having spent a first round pick on them, Maury Cooper. If they're not going to give him a long term deals, maybe they should. I just don't see if he's on, if he's tagged and you don't know what his future looks like, then maybe you should. What's wrong they? I

love it. Great discussion, but comes but no, no, no, a great discussion because man, you just ain't that. I've been saying the same thing for two weeks, but it always get back to this right here, whether we want it to a not And I know we don't draft a need, so you could make the case that they kind of and they've done that and messed up. But fellas, I think maybe with the fifth pick I would draft

the offensive player our defense is find to go through it. Yeah, you're not wrong, So you're a lot of potential train We do not fix our defense. I promise you we'll be looking at the same season again next year. The top sack guy, Robert Quinn is going to be a fair ag Are they gonna pay him? And if they don't, who's playing opposite Tank Lawrence. I mean, there's a lot of let's take it, let's take it another level, Okay,

until we get some clarity on this coaching situation. You don't even know what kind of scheme they're gonna run. I don't think they could switch to three four next year? Why not if if I'm just what if they hire? What if they hire? Like I mean, let okay, we don't. Maybe Jayson Garretts come back tomorrow, he's going back, Okay If he doesn't, it's almost two o'clock. If what if they get there? What if they get a home run higher And it doesn't matter who the name is, but

he's just like, I do a three four. I'm a three four guy. I want that. That's what I That's what I want. It's hard to do, I know, the same. Even Parcels waited two years before he got to his three four, which it's true, you got to spend a draft, a couple of drafts doing it. But but you, like, my point is like right now, we're like, well, they got to find a way to keep Byron Jones. They have to. He's he's played so well the last two years. New new DC comes in under a new coach, He's like,

I don't need that guy. That guy doesn't feel with Dave. Since you're talking, who's your guy, who's your guy outside of Dad that you have to keep free agent. Oh goodness, UM, I would probably go, I mean, this is boring, but I'd probably say Amari followed by Byron. I don't know how realistic that is. I think Byron's gonna unless they were to tag him. I think Byron's gonna price himself

out of here because he's gonna get money. I'm I mean, he doesn't get picks, but good cornerback play as a valuable commodity in this Yeah, and so I think that's gonna be a tough contract to keep up with UM after Amari. I mean, if you can find a way to get Quinn back, I would love that. I you know, I think about the deal DeMarcus Ware signed after we cut him. He went to Denver and signed three years for thirty million. Quinn's turning thirty, he's been through the league,

he's gotten paid. If you could sign him to a deal like that, I'd be all for it. But but that I mean, as always, that depends on the market. I mean, somebody else could offer him twice as much, and it's like, well, we did our best, but you gotta be responsible too. Who's your gaff? Rob? I agree with everything Dave said. I'll throw out Sean Lee. I know he's gonna be thirty four, but coach, well, he

may want to keep playing. And if he does, I think given Layton vander Esh's status coming off the surgery and they say he'll be ready in the offseason program. But having Sean not in a monster role, but he played the role he played, and and that veteran presence in the locker room, I think that's important. He wants

to play in football. Has there ever been a player coach probably in like the nineteen forties, Yeah, you know, yeah, Hustle on the Celtics, you know, eighteen ninety nine Rutgers like he was the court, he was the half back, quarterback, defensive end and coach or something like that. Who's your guy, Nate, Who you gotta keep? The reason I want to keep this guy because I still don't know who he is. It's Blake Jardan, I don't I don't know. I don't know who he is, but I would like to find out.

And we cannot. We cannot keep losing tight ends, and and that that position is not prosperous for us. That used to be a killer position when when our guy was uh uh five years younger that that was a gimme almost a thousand yards team ten touchdown. This disposition is suffering, whether we want to agree with it or not.

And I once I get past Blake Jarred, I'm going with this man, you better keep one of these corners and preferred to the one that we think we're gonna get man, because if you deplete your backfield, what in the world are we gonna do? Byron Jones doesn't have picks, but he's the most he's the most consistent corner you got, you better do something. I'm d I will gladly. The man didn't have an off season or a training camp.

He wasn't perfect, he didn't he's not gonna be all pro like he was last year, but he was solid and didn't have an off season to get himself right. I think that's really impressive. And guys don't throw at him as much. That's part of it too. They stay away from some of you. They don't test him all that much game the game. We're not saying that this kid is great, but if you don't think that this kid is good or solid, what the other side show ain't proved to be and I don't. And I love Cheeto.

He came out as a playmaker, Cheeto Woozia came to college as a playmaker? Is it him? Are the coaching good? Question? So? Wow? Hey, but it's money too. I mean we just talked Dakamari Byron. At some point, you know who's who gets lost? Man? Tag is nice? Yeah, that's what the tag is there? Fun man, I'll tell you. I'll say this though, And you know, I get anybody that wants to be glass half empty. I get it. It was a disappointing season,

but it was a coaching change that saved Byron Jones' career. Yes, well, so I'm not gonna close the book on Cheeto Xavier Woods. I thought, you know, both of those guys probably didn't live up to the preseason hype. But they're under contract. And if you're gonna change the coaching staff, which I still think is likely, who knows? So can we all agree to disagree? Or where we're at with Jason too far and undecided's over here, right, I'll tell you right now,

even if he comes back, it won't be tomorrow. Well, they're gonna drag this thing out for a little while. But I'm not say if we get an announcement this week, great, but I'm not holding my Let me ask you if they if they do call a press conference, is that is that announcing that he's coming back? Is that? Is it a is it a we moved in a different direction? Or is it just a endo the year recap like we always have but we haven't had yet this There is no way in hell they're gonna do an end

of the year recap and talk about it. Yeah, that's hard to see, Okay, So that they're talking about the pressure, y'all know how these press conference announcements come down to us. It's we're sitting here, everybody's about to leave, and then PR walks by and says we're having a press conference at four and it's three twenty, and then we all scramble and try to figure it out. So I'm just saying, if you were going to do an end of the year, okay,

that's the game, So that that would have been. So if there is a press conference announcement, just so the fans know, what, what what's your money on? Is it he's coming back or we've moved on? They're not gonna have a press conference to say that the day's moved on. I could see. I could see a situation where Jerry and Stephen hold a press conference to Native's actually calling Jane on her right, she's right outside. Dave Campo did that right? Didn't they have a press conference when Camp's

left you? It's I wouldn't hear, but I think it happened. Yeah, But I'm with you, David. I can't see them doing a press conference that they announced their parting ways. Maybe they do a press conference where Jerry and Stephen recapped the season and and talk about why they parted ways. But man, I don't know, all right, So I don't know what I'll say, Like, I don't I don't think Jason Garrett's coming back. I don't know why it takes

sixteen meetings to figure that out. I was with you until Monday, and I smooth taught myself r I didn't do this, doesn't make this way. I'm gonna put my feet up on the desk and when they tell me, they tell me, I'm I don't know, I don't know find out. This was fun, Rob, Thanks for hanging out with each other day. You guys good I can't reach you. I got short arms. Good to get the band back together for show day, wowny as always. It was awesome that we will be back. I guess next week at

eleven am. We don't know what show is, what day. We don't know anything. We don't know what's going on. Hopefully our keys work tomorrow when we get to work. Happy New Year, Happy New Year everyone. Thanks for hanging out with us. We'll be back with someone normal schedule, once a day for each show next week, every day at eleven am. Jason gar Kyle, thanks for keeping us on the air every day. Cayden, thank you for not

having anything to good with the show. We will talk to you in some shape form or fashion next week on Monday at eleven am. Thanks again. Hanging with the Talking Cowboys, breaking stuff like Hi, Hi why. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. H