Talkin' Cowboys: Changes In The Coaching Staff

here today. Yeah, another time I did everybody of favor. You promised so many people. I did everybody of favor. Was that the duet with Dean Martin? Yes, absolutely, bringing him back to live Holograhamson. Maybe it was Perry Como, Perry Como there you go? Wow, you want to keep going back for I can go with you, Mickey, But nowadays, who knows we'll drop? Who will drop a single while we're on air today? Ever? Know that released? Yes? And it blew our minds. Yep, almost as much as the

incredible Minnesota Miracle. How about that, Brian? You always say that it's hard to win in that place. Hard to win. Yeah, and they were ten seconds or so from winning, So that's it's unfortunate. I actually talked to Sean Payton yesterday. What do you say I did. He just was saying that they needed to play better than the first half. Yeah, that was he did. Says, Hey, it doesn't come down to one play. He said, we made two many mistakes

in the first half of that football game. First shutout for the New Orleans Saints in the first half, sixty one consecutive games. Wow, Yeah, the longest record in the league. Yeah, he shouldn't fall behind seventeen. That's what I'm saying. He said, you know, if we made some mistakes, and you know, yes, everybody's saying, you know, the kid made made a big mistake there at the end, But we guess we just

didn't play well enough the first half. And that's you know, I mean, he's a good spirits and all, but you know, it's a big opportunity they missed there, you know, and they're running. You're getting to the end of a career with with Drew Brees, you know, and you don't know how many more of those runs you're going to get to make, you know, and it all kind of comes down. You think you kind of have everything in control and it doesn't work out at the end. Lady. Yeah, A

strange lady. It's a strange lady. Give the Vikings some credit though, for keep for the ability to keep playing at the end of that football game. So kept playing. Did he he's trying to avoid a penalty, right, I thought so? Yeah, I thought so, And he was Jimmy

Johnson afterwards too. Yeah. I was good to hear that. Yeah, they thought there was a flag or something, and well, honestly, like when the drive started, I thought they were in trouble because potentially because they haven't been able to stop him through the air the entire game, and a lot of grabbing and holding to prevent guys from running free. And that's eventually what they tried to avoid. Might have

been a penalty anyway, because he was coming in early. Yeah, Williams, if you remember he also they had a third down play I believe, where he was in position defending the tight end along the sidelines and he had his back and his hands up and I thought, oh my gosh, you're gonna get him for not looking for the ball. You know. Yeah, that's and I'm thinking, well, that could have been a call right there, but no, I mean

that's a that's tough stuff happens. Forty three two. Did you notice that it was the same number of the guy that Drew Pearson beat there for the hill Man. Oh, Nate, right, that was forty three. Yeah. Did you hear him come out and talk about that? Oh yeah, I was telling them, you know, Digs, this touchdown is going to stay with you for life. And yeah, it's pretty cool to hear him talk about it. Yeah, maybe it'll be immortalized in the future Minnesota Vikings. Maybe it gets Drew off the

hook up there. Yeah. Yeah, Mike Zimmer was ten seconds away from losing another playoff game at home. You know, that just shows you what happens and how the trual manner. The other one was a missfield seven yard field goal. They were indoors this time. M Zim deserved it. He deserves something lucky to happen to him after everything he's been through. His eyes. That's a good point his eye.

You know, family stuff. Sure, you know, even when he left here, he didn't want to leave, but his contract was up and Bill bagged his feet if he was going to stay or not, and he had the opportunity to go to Atlanta, and then that guy ups and leaves after did even finish his first year, left them

all hanging there. Yeah, at Louisville. The head coach at Louisville, So yeah, it was he's had some tough, tough breaks and getting through that eye thing, and we all know how stubborn he is, and you know, he didn't want to miss the game to have surgery, and they basically told him, Okay, go blind, then lose the game or lose your eye. What do you what's more important to you? And they basically had to strap him down and then for him to come back and have something very fortunate

happened to him. Seven Heaven was the name of the play. That's what they're calling it. That's no, that's the play. Oh. When Diggs was interviewed afterwards, they asked him what the play is and he goes, well, I don't like to talk about plays and names, but this one was called

seven Heaven. So it's a seven route. Yeah, yeah, and basically Heaven like hope for the best, for the best, it's probably the same route that Witton ran that time and at the Giants, remember when Bill went up there and they got the game, kicked the field goal to get they ran out though I thought it was an out there. This wasn't out, yeah, but it was kind of a cross right the left side. This was to the right side. So Billy Kundiff right, yeah, fifty some

yard field goal. Yeah, so is there time on the clock? You better better be careful. Stuff social man. These people who were filming themselves at the end of the game, there's this one guy, he's a Saints fan. He's in a huge bar. You can tell all Saints fans around him. And somebody comment and said, you can actually see the moment his heartbreaks and then there you know, there were different ones where they set the play to Titanic music. It was awesome as he's running into the end zone,

arms wide open, just hilarious. Not as good as Jets danced to anything, Brian, but yeah, very club love Jets dancing love. That's but you know what they came around, and we're very compassionate. I thought all the people that met the team at the airport afterwards, I saw that there was a highway sign on I ten. It said, that's so, that's okay, Marcus, Uh, we love Saints pretty good. Yeah, it's nice. And then, okay, did you see what the headline was at the time, picky expletive explative. I had

to stacked expletive expletive expletive. Yeah, that's pretty good. I had to. I felt like I needed to call my dad and I did, and he's okay. I've been a fan for fifty years. Sat Yeah, it was. I mean, that's tough. He's up there. You know, you gotta worry about his heart a little bit. I love the whole Vikings hashtag of bring it home because they could. They could go to Philly next week and get a win and go to the Super Bowl playing in their own

home stadium. Brian's been talking them up. They got the best defense in the league. I think it was a year early. Should have waited what Minnesota. Yeah, and I think last year I was kind of talking them up as a team I wouldn't want to have to play. You've been doing it this playoffs. I've been talking up the Eagles and I don't know, well AFC NFC title games case, Keenum, Blake Bortles, Nick Foles, and Tom Brady. What the quarterbacks? You love it? No? What was the schefter?

I think he had the stat that it's like combined playoffs starts for those three guys about equal Brady super Bowl title list. Like it's uh, it's there's a disparity. There's anybody like Jacksonville going up to New England. Yes, I love it. You got a great defense in the playoffs, you got a shot, yeah church Man, Yeah, why not get himself a ring? Maybe not say when everybody. Everybody

keeps pointing out the quarterbacks. But what they failed to point out was the four teams that are left, they all are ranked in the top five in scoring defense defense. That's why you get away normally with a quarterback like Minnesota's first, Jacksonville's second, Philadelphia's fourth, in New England's fifth. So the Cowboys, they were scoring defense in top ten in defense of the top like the top twelve teams. Uh, only two of them. Uh didn't make the play take

the playoffs. The Chargers in Baltimore. Yeah, if you watch the Jacksonville against Pittsburgh, they're in the backfield almost every play. I mean, just making Ben's life miserable. So it doesn't matter whether you're the goat. You know, if they're gonna harass Brady like that, they got a shot. Would you put Jalen Ramsey on Gronkowski and take your chances with everybody else and think that that Boulle and those guys can cover up any other problems you have? I mean no,

I'd have to think about that. Who's Who's the one weapon you would worry about in this type of a game? Gronkowski, I don't think you'd worry about the other guys. I think you worry some about a Mondola. They miss, they miss Edelman, they miss having that extra. Yeah, but he's been in space and catching more stuff down the field. Yeah, the games I've seen, why, well maybe and see I think I think Gronkowski, I think that I think Jacksonville can match up with these guys pretty if they can

rush the quarterback the way they've been. But do you worry about make them hold the ball? Worry about Belichick drawing something up to throw Bortles off? Though? I mean this is that, Oh he's gonna make Bortles. He's gonna make Bortles have to beat him. Yeah, he's gonna make that. They did to the Titans. I mean they were like, Okay, your defense is decent, but we're just gonna expose your offense all day. Better not get in a forty five

forty two game with New England. Yeah, I'll see that, but gosh, dang ro I mean the guy threw for almost five hundred yards in Pittsburgh. I know. I mean they got in a shootout game there and came out of the other end. Where do you think it's harder to play Hinesfield or New England? Well, New England playoffs. But but you know, the Steelers got beat twice this year by Jacksonville at home twice. I don't think that's happened since been ten twelve years. Maybe I was shocked

that Pittsburgh couldn't stop their running game. Fournette was running all over him till he got hurt, and they worries about the same thing. That's where they went and got that dead Harrison because I can't set the edge. He's pretty good Fournett. Yeah, and you know it wasn't a lot of big runs. It was that three four z yes. Yeah, and it just kept pounding away when it should have been one or two. Yeah, you're right, that's what I thought of. It's like this is Zeke out there and

they never let him, rarely get to the outside. It was all between the time Nate said it best defense and running game travels. Jacksonville's got that because they got a quarterback that won't turn the ball over. Though, Can you bring your horn with you to the way game? The horn the king? Oh, I don't want the Viking horn. Oh that's miserable. I wonder so if they play there, they're not allowed. They can't allowed to have that in the supermow right, they don't even run things like all

their signing. Yeah, I heard they do. I do her. I did hear they get to use their facility if they play. Oh yeah, okay, they do get to use their facility if they play. They don't have to give it up like the Minnesota would probably be. The other players there was last time. Yeah it was. And they they've got a nice I think it's in the Ghirsky Center. It's what they I hope it's new compared to the one that the Bills. Oh it practiced in. Yeah, that

was an old like fieldhouse. Yeah, they've updated it. And I've told you about how Buffalo was worried about the at Southern cal The next year. Well, that year, there was a row at the end of offices up on the second floor. Sure, and they saw a light come on in one of the offices, and they went ballistic. It was the assistant coach's office for the University of Minnesota. They went running up there to see who was spying on who's doing it? Hey, the playbook got stolen from

Alabama last week, so you never know. Let's see Jacksonville win this game. I really would. So you want Jacksonville Vikings? Is that what you're calling it? Super Bowl? They're still watch though, won't you? Yeah? I will say I think I want Jags Eagles. That'd be if they're going to get there, they better score more than fifteen points. Okay, do it? Defense is nas have a cheese teak? Yeah? Philly.

You know so many people were against cheering for Philly this past weekend, saying I could never root for them. Why not, Brian, I know you're one of them. I used to work there too, you did. Oh we have footage of it and in the draft. Yeah. Yeah, Well, let's take our first break. When we come back, we'll get into all these coaching craziness and who's going where and who's staying so stay with us. That's next. It can be hard to find the right resource for learning

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no weggie guarantee. If you suffer one in your Tommy John's, they'll give you your money back guaranteed. Shop exclusive Cowboys underwear at Tommy John dot com Forward Slash Cowboys for twenty percent off your first order Tommy John dot com Forward Slash Cowboys. Well, here we are sitting at the Star in Frisco, just wondering who will be coaching for the Dallas Cowboys next year. Yeah, different things, you know,

so many things happened last week. We had assumed Bisaccio would be joining the crew with John Gruden in Oakland, and that was confirmed when Gruden had his press conference. And then now you know Pollock, we learned that on Friday, I believe Friday was when that was announced that he would be going up to the Bengals. Yeah, and then Paula Xander came down here. And now last night, you know,

we see on Facebook, which is always a handy resource, Eberflus. Yeah, most likely confirmed to head on up to be the DC with a good old Josh McDaniels. So, yeah, at work, Colts Colts, Yeah, Colts Colts. It's craziness around here, coaching craziness. But they haven't announced that he got the job yet right now, they've they've assume he's got it, though. Yeah, they've told candidates that were attached to the job or guys that interviewed that they're going in a different direction.

So they were kind of clearing the decks in case those guys need to go get other jobs. They don't. You don't want to hold somebody up and yeah, without them having the opportunity. But it does sound like Matt's going to go on, you know, and that's a great opportunity for him if he becomes the defensive coordinator with

the Colts. Good for him. You know, I'm sure there's some people out there saying, well, you know, why would you know, why would you not make a move with the guy here and do that, But you know, coach is obviously a head coach, and ownership feels comfortable with uh with coach Marinelli, So you're not going to make a switch there. Got to figure that out, though, you know, you gotta have some position coaches to h to hire. It's uh, it's a lot of movement for a staff

that's retaining its head coach and two coordinators. Two coordinators. I mean, it's it's uh. I made a little list before we cut on the air, and it's like, you know, six seven positions that are in flux right now. I mean, you could just go down the list just one assistant coming back? Is that all read us? The list? I

heard of Gary Brown, Gary Brown, Garry Brown. I had heard before he even went to Oakland that they wanted him back, absolutely yeah, and that he wanted to be here right, had some opportunities dragged their feet, and it was like he better watch out for himself. Houston was a team that was in as well with him, and then I know he got some interest from Penn State,

which is his alma mater. Oh really so yeah, so yeah, that was kind of one of those things that, yeah, you know, they're they're kind of taking their time on this the search, which you know we thought that they right. But Paul Alexander seems to be in the building. Gary Brown will they had him in here for his interview on Wednesday. What's your list? Um? What would okay said? Gary Brown, Why would you need to interview Yeah, yeah, and as of you know, over the weekend, it sounded

like he wasn't back in a return. Um, you can just go down the list. Hey, Wade Wilson at quarterbacks coach, we talked about him last week. They've got to replace him, could be Kellen Moore, could be somebody with a little more experience, and maybe Kellen has a role somewhere on the staff. We'll have to see. They got to replace Derek Dooley at wide receivers coach, tight ends coach Steve Loani's retiring. We mentioned Paul Alexander. We can get into

him a little bit um. And then there's some question on the defensive side of the staff. Joe Baker Greg Jackson reportedly have expiring contracts. There's been reports that you know, Baker's not expected to come back, not confirmed by the Cowboys. And then we talked about Eber Flu So, I mean it's you know, it's a long list for Garrett to address. How much credit would you give Ebert flu for the

development of Anthony Hitchins. I think he was one of the guys involved in bringing Anthony Hitchins here on the workouts and stuff like that. I I like what you know, Matt has always had a good relationship with those linebackers. I mean talking to Sean Lee about him. I know, Sean, He's always shown so positive to begin with. But you know, I think they really liked Matt. Matt's a tough guy. We've all watched Matt coach at out in training camp.

He's very vocal. He's in your face, you know, he's he appeared to me and watching him how he worked with Rod Marinelli was a little bit of a sounding board, you know. There was you know when you watched how the plays or the defensive calls went in, they went

through Eberflus to get to the field. So yeah, there are a lot of I feel like that that they're losing a guy that they they had a lot of respect for, you know, to your point, he was he got that passing game coordinator title before last season, so he was involved in kind of that. They're trying to shore up the communication between the front seven and the secon and Darry and you know, by the end of the season, with those young players back there, they did

a nice job. Yeah, so everybody kind of felt has felt like he's been the air apparent for Rod, but you know it's looking like maybe it's not heading that way. Well, I was thinking maybe they can with Besacchi leaving, they can entice him to stay and name him assistant head coach and stay at linebacker kind of a in a

place setting until Rod decides he wants to retire. But you know last year he had some feelers too in the Frans Cisco Cowboys didn't let him interview, right, So you had a feeling with an expiring contract that if somebody came after him with the same opportunity, that he would take it. I'm just and I'm not talking out of turn here, I don't believe, but you got to look at your situation with these coaches and really, what's what's ahead for Jason Garrett. This is is an important year

for Jason Garrett going forward. How does it How do you think that impact? It does? Because because coaches, I know I'm asking you what you're saying, No, I think it does. I think that coaches look at situations and say, okay, do I you know coaches that don't have a job or out of contract, you want to keep your name active, you want to keep coaching. You know, whether you make a one year stop in Dallas and then it turns into four years at the Colts or three years with

the Buccaneers, whoever. But you got to keep your name in the minute you fall out, people forget about you, out of sight, out of mind, unless you're North Turner in Carolina. That that was a little bit of a shocker there to me. But coaches see, you know, they see like, Okay, if I can move on and get three more years, get four more years, that'll make me. Oh, I'll be fifty seven years old, fifty eight, I'll have

enough money. I'll have the Lakehouse paid for down in Austin, Texas, and I can just if I get let go, I could just go be that guy. John Gruden just got a ten year contract in Oakland, so he's going anywhere. Not the garretted but Andy and they had to four and they had to make the contracts with these guys where it's like two years in Oakland and two years

in Las Vegas. So yeah, I mean you're looking at security, You're to think, how can I you know, let's be honest, this will be a job that if there's not success, at least getting into the playoffs, that that will be under scrutiny as will there be a change, which means if these guys that are available for jobs have an opportunity, like two, where are you going? Yeah, you're going to go somewhere where a new head coach just got hired

and has a four year contract. Or are you're going to go somewhere where everybody's saying you know, and maybe nobody in the organization, but the media is point pointing out, yeah, oh if he doesn't do this, Yeah, you're gonna take that chance. Yeah, now if you if you don't have another opportunity, you will. But if you got to weigh a decision, that's going to factor in that. And and money, give me the security, give me the way that I can continue on. I understand. Hey, there's those guys here

that don't want to leave. I mean, they don't want to lead. Their contracts are up, and they've they've made a choice. The organization is made a choice. And then there's some guys that they made choice. For you. We talked about Joe Baker. I don't think Joe Baker wanted to leave, but you know he was. They're not bringing him back We talked about this a little bit, and it's different circumstances at my alma mater and m but Jimbo Fisher, now he got major money to go somewhere else.

But it was also an opportunity where you know, Florida State, maybe you could get fired next year, could be you know, and now all of a sudden he's got a ten year opportunity. It ain't it. Not that it's a better job than Florida State, but it was an opportunity for security. Not that anything is truly guaranteeding coaching though sometimes no, not at all, year to year pretty much for coaches, Yeah, operate under that. No, you gotta win. It's a replacement business. Yeah.

So tell me about Paul Alexander. You know, he is confirmed to be the new ALIGNE coach here, pretty much the new official hire that we have so far down that list. What should we know about him? Go ahead, mc no, I was gonna say, have they made the announcement? Yes? Here. I don't think it's official yet official title. I think he's supposed to be here, presumably to run the old line. As Taste said, I think Mark Colombo is still going to have a role and something prominent on the staff,

whether it's still assistant or line coach. Maybe it's another position on staff. But I think you can count on him being there because he was in the mix to maybe take over for Pollock. But yeah, I think you know, he's this guy ran the Bengals a line for twenty

three years. He's got a lot of experience and kind of what Brian spoke about on our show last week, bring some ideas, some new ideas, yeah, viewpoint of things coming from the outside on how to maybe you know, improve what they're doing with the run game, with the past protection, all that kind of stuff. He learned under when I first started the league. He learned under a line coach named Jim McNally. Who is it. Yeah, Jim McNally is a was a very successful coach with the

Bengals when in the Boomers, Sias and Era. Uh. You know, if you look at Anthony Muno's guys like that, you know, he coached a lot of those guys and Paul Alexander came in and learned from him. Again, you know, he's a guy that's a little bit more They talk about, you know, power schemes and zone schemes and stuff like that. I wouldn't worry so much much about that. Paul Alexander can adapt to whatever scheme they want him to run. If it's going to be his own scheme, he coaches

do it with the players that they have. If you know, he obviously came in and said hey listen. You know Jason Garrett and scotland Ham when they interviewed him last week, they said, hey, listen, this is what we do. And Paul says, well, this is this is what I've used to do at Cincinnati. Yeah, and this is how you know. And a lot of it has to do with when you don't have the personnel to do what you want

to do, you have to adapt. You have to adapt your personnel to the scheme in order to have success. And I think that if you look at Paul Alexander, he will be so happy to walk out on that practice field and know that he's got three Pro Bowl players and one potentially at right tackle that could be on the cusp of being that guy, the next guy, the next to the four, and then now let's figure out who's playing left guard. It's going to be a really a good opportunity for him to come in and

have that ability to kind of mold the group. He's not going to sit there and try and reinvent the wheel. That's not that's not the plan. The plan is to say, Okay, what can I see in my guys that will be different than you know, what he had in Cincinnati because he can come with ideas about how to run the football, how to have some success. Look at what they go.

You can go all the way back to some of the backs that they have, and I know people have said, oh, they finished in the bottom half of rushing and some you know, look at the personnel. When they had guys that were you know, when they had top talent lineman, they were good. They were good at running the football. You know, you get I you know, you go all the way back. I mean, the Bengals have had some backs come through there, the Ruddy Johnson's and Corey Dillons

of the world. They've had guys that have run the football. And not not just high level guy. I mean, they've had guys. So to say that, oh, Paul Alexander, it's a bad higher dat I don't. I don't agree with that. I will say this though, if Paul Alexander and this group fails, then you can complain about somebody else next year. I'll say that, but I think you have to give Paul Alexander chance again. I respect what he's done in his career and then what he who he learned from

with Jim McNally. I think Jim mcnalley is one of the best line coaches I've ever seen. I think it was a situation too where they changed offensive coordinators in Cincinnati mid season, brought in Bill Laser. Did a nice job down the same zen, wasn't it. Yeah, a few games were Ken Zampaz, Yeah, yes, and yeah yes, they got shut out like two games in a row and

they fired him, right and Brian mentioned it. They did struggle running the ball, and I think Paul was kind in charge of that part of the operation and maybe, you know, they just wanted he wanted his own guy in there, you know. But you can't argue with the experience. And you got to have players in this league. And if there's no players, when when they're healthy, When Tyrant's healthy, he's as good as it is in the league. I

could say. I think that everybody needs to take a step back and let this thing play out, you know, and and I think it's important for Jason Garrett. I mean to me, I look at this, I would rather have veteran coaches come in here that do have some different ideas. Nothing against young guy, nothing against Mark Colombo, but let Mark Colombo learn another year. So let him learn, you know, and if if things work out, you know, maybe maybe you lose Mark Colombo. Maybe you don't want

to lose Mark Colombo. But I think that in just saying, okay, elevate this guy, elevate this guy, and you have the same thing. No, no, yeah, because I'm thinking about some other young guys that are helping on certain position groups. Of course, Kyle Valero has been with Duelly since I think Dully got here. Yeah. I mean, and if you if you talk to people about Kyle Valero, he is

really Scott Linahan's caddy. I mean Scott Linahan. There's certain coaches, and I mean this in respect, there's certain coaches that need guys underneath them that get practice, ready to get the you know, the cards, ready to get to the film ready. You have to have guys like that. You have to have young guys that are the grinder guys. I'll give you an example. I talked about him earlier. Sean Payton. I was on a staff in Philadelphia. Sean

Payton was John Gruden's caddy at Philadelphia. Sean was responsible for everything to get practice ready, the film ready, the meeting ready, all that. You know, you have to see there, you have to be there. Yeah, so you know that's that you need guys like that. But if you're elevating a bunch of guys that might not have the experience, I mean, that's a little bit of a different That's the thing. I mean, if I'm a fan, I'm thinking, well, why elevate a bunch of guys. Have a bunch of

young guys. I don't mind one or two guys, but if you had the whole staff of young guys, you might not get the same ideas. And I do think you could see an assistant or to be promoted here to the guys that are well respected on the staff, that have a shot at it. Sure, But but yeah, I do think they're obviously with Paul Exander, they're looking outside the organization, looking at ways they can fix things and experience. I mean, the guy was in you know,

twenty five years with one organization. I think that says a lot about him. Plus he played, yeah, and he was assistant head coach also, so he's got a lot of experience, you know. And sometimes it's not always bad to have some different voices, no, because if you if you keep this and I know Tom Landry did wonderful with basically his same staff forever. But sometimes you got to get in some new ideas and a new voice. And I think guys react when there's a new position coach.

Think about when you played and you got a new coach or you moved to the next level. How hard did you try to impress the new coach? Right? And you know, sometimes when you get the same voice all the time, you take it for granted, and so you know this might you never know, it might juice them. Now, from a continuity standpoint, you hate to do almost the entire staff if you just have Gary Brown coming back, Mark Colombo, Leon Lett. But other than that, it's it's

all changing. And yeah, you got to find a special teams coach. I think Brian mentioned players and you've got zekes. The running game should be the running game here, not saying that coaching doesn't matter, but I think with with Zeke in place, they're going to run the football. Pass protection, to me is the biggest thing. Mickey spoken to that down the stretch. Dak got twenty two of his thirty two sacks in the final eight games of the season.

They've got to find a way to fix that. With Tyrn Smith on the field, you hope he's playing sixteen games next year, but without him, maybe that's a depth thing. Maybe you gotta get better personnel potentially, but maybe there's that's a coaching thing too. Can you find ways to scheme things up and do a better job of protecting your quarterback? We'll see no doubt. I mean, you're talking

about elevating guys with young, young guys. Kellen Moore's in the mix obviously for Wade Wilson's jobs or by coach, and then last week we heard Miles Austin's name thrown around a little bit for Dooley's spot. What do you

guys think about that. I think that there was a lot of speculation on a lot of guys being elevated, and my understanding was they were going to make an extensive search for guys that were availed bull and he wasn't going to be just this automatic rising of guys that have been helping out like they're candidates, they're they're getting looks. But by the end about Miles was he coached the year as he coached, he's been on the

personnel side. Yeah, yeah, assistant. Yeah, so you know, maybe he gets maybe he moves from assist the personnel department and they make him like Leon started, Yeah, you're the assistant assistant wide receivers coach. But I don't know that he could run a room. Yeah. I just think overall though, and I don't mean I hate to be get off

my lawn. Yeah, back of the day guy. But when I started in this league in nineteen ninety two, these coaching staffs were really small, and to be honest with I think they were better, you know, because guys had to coach their position. You know, Now you have assistance to the assistance going any going any team's website, and look at all the assistant coaches to assistant coaches to

assistant coaches. You know, give me the to me. It's it's when the staffs were smaller, you did you had guys like Butch Davis, Robert Ford, you know, Dave Wanstead, Dave Campbell. You had, you had guys coaching positions. You didn't have a bunch of other assistance guys. You had these guys that were locked in and the players were not formed off to another guy. They were coached by, you know, they were coached by Dave Wanstead or Butch Davis.

So those guys and they didn't have anybody else to go cry on their shoulder if they didn't like with the assistant coach. Exactly, exactly. You always get another sounding board when you have too many of those game. Good players make good coaches. Yeah, well, I'm sure there will be much to learn about this week as we continue

on hearing about the coaching changes here. When we come back, we will have Rob's Twitter pool and we'll get into Bryce Butler's comments, and maybe Mickey will feel vocal at the end. So oh yes, I think you two out of three ain't bad. Yeah, we'll be back. Cowboys fans know that the second best of anything simply won't cut it. And your skincare should be no Friend, a long time locker room favorite of the players and the official men's

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member of Cowboys Nation. This is talking cowboy call. When it's cold outside, nothing better than a good hot Papa John's pizza, especially with those ingredients that they have with fresh vegetables, one hundred percent pork and beef, pepperoni, and best of all, if you were watching the games on Saturday and Sunday, you can still buy one, get one free. It's Papa Jones. Good stop, all right, Robert, all right, it's kind of weird to just have one a week, now,

I know. But so I'm trying to pack in a lot of discussion in one point. We'll get to free agency here in the coming weeks. But I thought it'd be interesting to throw this past you guys. Besides DeMarcus Lawrence and Anthony Hitchins. We know the Cowboys want to bring those guys back. David Irving's a restricted free agent. Which of these unrestricted free agents to be? Do you guys think the Cowboys need to bring back most? All right? Four options? Bryce Butler, tay teased him in the break,

Jonathan Cooper, LP, Latticer or Alfred Morris. But you a lot of fans didn't realize LP was a free agent. I know, right, We always just forget about him. How are you exactly? Until you know? Because he never makes a mistake, we take him for granted. You guys got LP. WHOA you don't take him for granted? Mick, Nope, I agree with Mickey, Okay, LP. Yeah, out of that list LP best at his job, most consistent at his job. Right, Sure, we talk about who's the best at his job. You're right,

Sean Lee, the best at his job? You know. Yeah, we used to say say about Dan Bailey too? Is Dan Bailey the best his job? But I think the consistency that you've had in the special teams is a lot of it has to do with LP the operation, the operation clean every time. Exactly, yeah, exactly. Well, he almost wins the poll. He gets thirty seven percent. Forty three percent goes to Jonathan Cooper. You're starting left guard in twenty seventeen. Now, we'll see they could they could

try to upgrade that position. He might get a better offer elsewhere. What do you guys think about that? I was just gonna say, seriously, why why do you say seriously? Well, I don't mind bringing him back, but I'm not going to over extend myself with a contract to bring him back. Do you draft a guard? Yes, you gotta, I gotta. We brought up on the Draft Show this morning, Connor Williams, the tackle from University of Texas. I've been saying it for two weeks. I want to tackle. You could play

second third round somewhere in there forth. I don't know. I can't convince you to do it at nineteen if he can play tackle and transition to guard. If it was like something that there wasn't anything else that entice me, I would do that. Absolutely. We had a mail back question about this this morning as well, and you said, because the question was, can you find that guy in free agency? And yeah, it's probably easier to do with you.

I'm gonna draft that thing. I would I would rather draft it, yeah, because if he's in free agency, somebody else didn't think he was good enough to start for him. See the thing about it is, though, you know, it's funny we sent that Klais Campbell's to a great job. If the one team that hit on free agency, they're in the AFC Championship right now. Yeah, but they had the most money. They no no, no, no money to

fail in free a Yeah, but they evaluate the position right. Yeah, they evaluated Clais Campbell right, and they evaluated Booya right. And they've also got those some that's hard to do. That's hard to do in free agency. Jacksonville also, they've been bad for a lot of years, but they hit on their draft picks too. They've got a lot of homegrown guys that are doing a hell of a job,

specifically on defense, Ramsey Jack. So it's a combination. Yeah, I mean they've they've what you're saying, though, I know what you're saying. I mean they had, like they were like sixty million underneath the cap, so they could overpay Bury Church where the Cowboys couldn't do that. They could overpay Klais Callendar H. Campbell, where Arizona probably didn't have the space to do it, right, Okay in Arizona. I don't think they're stupid, like, oh, this guy's not that good. Yeah,

sometimes your hands are tied. Yeah, but if you've got a lot of money and overpay what the money all thought, You're right, we all thought Barry Church was pretty good. We all thought, sure, I thought he was the one to bring back. It was more a money thing. Yeah, pay, But they've evaluated they did a good job. I know. And I don't wake about Jacks. We've talked about them earlier. But yeah, I kind of to me if at nineteen, if if it presented itself, I wouldn't be against draft

in an offensive lineman. I really wouldn't. I mean, because we kind of talk about what were the biggest issues last year, what was the biggest issues with this team. It's a really interesting discussion because it's like, I don't want to make it the draft show, but I'm just saying I think you have to be prepared. Mickey's right, if you could get a guy that could play guard or as a tackle that could play guard. And I'm not talking about what you tried to do with Chaz Green.

I'm talking about legitimately can go play at nineteen you're at the very end of your free agent or it's gonna be your first round grades. In my opinion, you are. So we had eighteen last year, Yeah, with Connor, and the running back was the last one, right am? I right? Yes, the kid that that Minnesota took running back from Florida State, Calvin Cook. Yeah, exactly right. So it's one of those things, Tay, that you you make sure that the strength of your

team is still the strength of your team. Your offensive line, I mean, stack it up, try to make sure that it's still solid because you rely so much on your running game and protecting your quarterback, and maybe we expect too much out of your three Pro bowlers, you know, so if you can find a guy that can make sure that you're still really solid there, maybe you do it. No matter what, It's going to be an expensive year for the oh line because you got it lock in

Zach Martin, right, and they're comfortable with that. Yeah, they've been planning for that. Yeah, expected. See that's to me, it's kind of like, look at the situation offensive line, linebacker, which one in the first Yeah, nineteen, I'd probably go with a linebacker if I knew he's a walk in starter. Yeahs matter if Hitchens is back or not, you still feel you need that guy. Even if he's back. If Hitch, if you do sign Hitchens, you're gonna you're gonna go

somewhere else. See again Draft show Tam. I'm sorry, no, no, but but but it's a it's a personnel thing that they've got to decide um and and I think it all comes down to you can say all the nice things you want about Jalen Smith. Yeah, is he a sixty snap a game starter? That's and I don't know that they can answer that, as he was doing really well down the stretch, playing maybe a little less than

thirty something like that. Yeah, because because teams didn't get a chance to plan for him, to over expose him, right, or to expose him. Everybody you talk to feel like that he's getting more flex in the foot, you know, more, more, more of that. You know where we were. You know, initially it wasn't as good, right, and now you're starting to see he's having control of his foot. But I just like what Stephen Jones said that that when you look at it and if you can, then they need

all three of those guys, right. They need Sean, they need Jalen, and they need hitch And they came right out of his mouth a week ago. It's such a position of attrition because those guys take a beating. I mean it's just a physical, physical position and they I think nine combined games lost by Lee and Hitchins last year alone. I mean, think about it. We understand what Sean is. You know, he can blame himself for not

being available for sixteen games. Okay, fine, but stuff happens, right and you're you're not one hundred percent sure on what Jalen Smith is. So to me, yeah, linebacker's got to be up there, you know, near the top listeners thinking what if that left guard, like it, say, if as a Connor Williams, Texas again can play left tackle if something happens to Smith. Yeah, if that, if that guy legitimately your left guard is a starting tackle kind of a tackle ability, I'd be down with that. At nineteen,

absolutely it see that's over. I just think, you know, if you're doing this, if you're picking it four or at six or eight, one of those places you can kind of hone in on a guy. I think at nineteen you're at the mercy of the board and you have to say, maybe you have to think about this thing a little unconventionally. You know, everything's well, offensive line is a strength of a team. Well, we've also said this that offensive line was one of the reasons why

team struggled overall. We felt like it wasn't all on them, but we kind of felt like they got they got held hostage at left tackle. Wasn't good enough. Whoever they put out there, it wasn't good enough for sixteen weeks with the exception, and there were times when we were Tyron Smith wasn't as Tyrn Smith best. You know, No, I think I think that's got to be a high priority and you cannot let, like you just said, that

one position muck up everything. As for the linebacker, I would be looking for a two for one there somebody that can play linebacker. But what about putting your hand on the ground on on on nickel situations and rushing as a defensive end. Somebody can give me some little extra there, so kind of more of a versatile UH type player and I could qualify that. Look, you can just name me a position, and I bet I can qualify taking it pretty high. Name any position. Wide receiver, Yes,

go ahead, go ahead and take him. No, I'm saying why not? Why not? Who's your who's your backup if Dez goes back? Yes? Yeah, who who's your backup? Who's your starting if Witton goes down? Who's your starting tight end? Jeff Swaim? How you feel about I mean yeah, yeah, I mean they I think four games but sixteen yeah?

Um yeah yeah, D line you can never have enough pass rushers, D tackle, you got corner, corner, safety, sure, I mean you got you got to me and not knowing what's going to happen with Scandrick, you have three guys you can count on. Now. Is Marquez White ready to be your fourth if Scandrick's not here, I don't know. Yeah, I just think you just need good players, and I don't think any position is going to say, oh I can't have one of those? What if? What if there's

a nice quarterback at the fifth round? Yeah, nice little QB. I got no problems with that. Let me ask you this. You're gonna love this one. Take one at nineteen a quarterback? Yeah, probably not, Probably not. Take one of the second round. Still too high. There a guy you got in mind, Brian, No, I'm just trying to get I'm just trying to he's

trying to get He's trying to get some competition from Prescott. No, No, I'm trying to figure I'm trying to figure out though, Oh do we have a big group behind us to turn around and wave and say, actually, no, please do Yeah, Micky's gonna wait for it. I'll do it. But welcome to the Star. By the way, But at nineteen you wouldn't know, but you would take an offensive lineman at night? Yes? Absolutely. What position other than the quarterback would you not take

at nineteen? Kicker? Punter, well, yeah, deep snapper, yeah, uh, I would I don't think I I mean, I wouldn't take a center. Yeah yeah, what the center could play guard? Would running? I want him to play tackle? That's interesting, Yes, she asked running back? Uh yes, uh not not with the first round pick, second or third? I would take one. Yeah, yes, yes, Who's I mean? I think Rod Smiths got a chance to be your backup running back, but has a chance. But could you what was the guy you wanted? The

kind of dunbar like guy? I want that toy? Yeah? The guy to where did you go to? Chargers? Yeah? They who pick him right before? No? Philadelphia did right? Oh yeah, Pumphrey the kid from San Diego. Yeah yeah, give me give me a guy that can scatter around. Absolutely, you guys catch wind of aolve Bryce Butler's comments last week? Yeah, get it, Mick, Yes, I saw it. Ask you this, ask a question today. Bryce Butler better player talent wise

than Terrence Williams. I'm not comparison to touchdowns this year. I'm not comparing him to Bryant. I'm keeping it out of that. But does he have a point about Terrence Williams? And but see Bryce Butler, I don't see him as a z you know, that. But but does he does he have a point about how much time he should have played? Here was thinking about Terrence Williams. Let me just read this quickly. Terrence Williams got paid last year. So there are times where I was like, I'm making plays.

Aren't we trying to win games? Why am I not on the field. But that's the only thing I can really think of. He's not going after Daz, He's but in our mind if you're watching, remember him coming out of training camp. Yeah, and a really good camp. And then what happened early in the season. Yeah, what start dropping balls? Drop dropping them? And then you lose confidence in a guy. Yeah, and when you're only getting three opportunities or four opportunities in a game, sure you can't

go two for four. Sure. So and he had the foot down the stretch too, well, he had it almost all year. Yeah, they got hurting training camp, right, Yeah, so into training camp. He didn't factor that into all his comments. But you know, if I'm him, and I'm sure he was listening to his agent. I'm a free agent. You wouldn't have gone that route. I'm not I'm not eliminating one team. Yeah, I want all thirty two wanting me. Yeah,

I'm not going to start eliminating people. Maybe he kind of feels like the ridings on the wall here though he didn't. He didn't get the opportunity, like you said, over Terrence. They feel comfortable with Terrence there. They drafted two ride receivers last year, although you know, Switzer's a different type of receiver or of a slot guy. Maybe he feels like it's, you know, this probably isn't the place for me. He's not expecting to get an offer from the Cowboys to come back, well he not that,

not that they won't, but maybe that's his opinion. Which year was a better year for him this year or last year? Last year? And who signed him? Cowboys for a one year deal right, which means no one else was offering him anything. He kind of signed early. Then he signed before free agency started. He was kind of

looking for a job. I think Bryce, I think I think what happened is they started seeing the market where all those guys were getting one year deals, right, and all of a sudden, people got blown away by Terence getting a four. I want to say though he signed early, think I think he probably and I haven't talked to him about this. But it may think that Terence wasn't going to be here and he had an opportunity to bet on himself and be the starter here last year

and it didn't happen. Terrence comes back and he's back in the same role he won. I agree, So you know it works better when you put the mic in front of your face, though I'm not talking. Okay, all right, Well quickly before we have to end today show, we have a caller all the way from Germany, Bjorn I hope I said your name right, Yeah, you said it right. Hello, Hello. To make it quick. Question. You talked before about the influence of coach Eberflus, Maybe short Lee has also a

huge impact on those linebackers. Just let's throw a name out, Dean to Holloman. A few years ago, Mickey talked about this on Talking about Cowboys a Lot. How he talked with Holloman study tape with him. Does this make maybe a chance to draft the linebacker who needs maybe two or two years to get ready to play, but can help on special teams and also a good work ethic.

And next question is we have a few free agents, and if we leave the money out, who should consider to stay with the Cowboys because, uh, for individual success, it's the best choice. For example, would would Hitchins be as good as he is with the Cowboys without having for example, for the day by day around him also on the field off the field, or would Taxmber sac Martin would be would be he as good as without Travis Redwick next to him? Thank you guys, yeah, thank

you quickly if you guys, pretty thoughtful question. Yeah, it was how you a draft show? We had a question Philippe from France called then we have a here? Question just shows you the scope of our deal here. Yeah, I think that, you know, I do. I think anthy Hichins would play in any scheme. I really do. Three four four three. I think anywhere anti Hichins goes, if he stays here, great, Absolutely you'd love to have anti Higgins.

The draft that's going to present. I just don't think the draft is going to be as deep as people believe at that position. And you might have to go early, and it might be a guy you might have to reach a little bit on. But you know, I think that whatever whatever Hitchens goes, he's going to be just as good as he is. Because if you think about it. He played well in Sean's spot when Sean was out. His problem was then they got exposed in the middle exactly,

he wasn't there. Yeah, he is capable of doing anything in any scheme, and I think that people will see that, and I think that people will give him that opportunity. But there are some guys that fit into what he was talking about, that fold of you play your role on this team and then you get paid big to go somewhere else. Right. I always bring up Elvin Harper.

He was a great number two. Tampa Bay paid him to be a number one and he wasn't a number one, right, you know, gave him a big contract and two years later he was gone. Answer is I think Zach Martin would be an all pro anywhere. Yeah, but you have to worry about it. You're right, there are certain guys that are in that mold. Well, you guys are all pros. And we hope that our all pro audience will join us again next talking Tuesday. We'll be back same time

at eleven am. Thank you so much for joining us today. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.