Talkin' Cowboys: Free Agency Updates

I'm sure you guys feel pretty good seeing that DeMarcus Lawrence is staying here, but I don't think they feel very good seeing Anthony Hitchins go away to the Chiefs. A surprising team as we all kind of thought maybe the Colts or something like that. But were you guys necessarily surprised by the number nine million a year? I don't think we talk nine million during the season, but I think we all kind of had a feeling it would be out of the Cowboys range. Nine is a

lot good for him. Yeah, the number I was hearing for linebackers was between eight and ten. Seriously, so you know it. I'm with you, though, Tay. The team surprised me because we talked about the Colts as being the team with their third most cap space and then the Matti even Fluce moving over as the DC. But yeah, Kansas City jumped in there and made him a good offer and he's moved on on to the Chiefs. So good for him. Played well for the Cowboys. I'd like

to see how it structured the nine million a year average. Yeah, I was figuring around five or six. Really, that's kind of what we talked, yeah, during the season, but again, you never know with the market. It flipped for Terrence Williams last year. Well, you feel like we thought it

would be for receivers last year. So if you're going to offer Sammy Watkins three years at forty eight million with thirty million guaranteed, it's this is third team for thirty nine catches in five hundred ninety three yards offensive genius working with him too, right, Yeah, rams, uh boy, we're sounding like we're really positive about Sammy Watkins. I'll tell you what, this crew right here sounds like made

to run. It's Sammy Watkins. Yeah, Jaw coached him. Yeah in Indianapolis, Buffalo Buffalo excuse, Yeah, I had to say this, But if I'm Dez Brian I ain't taking a pay cut. Oh, turn tables, turn the tables. Based on who Alan Robinson and Sammy watfering deals that are going on? Rap Absolutely, Alan Robinson's getting that kind of money three years, forty two million, and he's coming off a torn acl sure, so they're betting that he's going to return to what

he did in like twenty fifteen. Yeah, well this is twenty eighteen exactly. But this is what we talk about with free agency, right every Oh no, there's no question guys are gonna make It's no question more than they probably should, or at least what they've shown potential to make, at least in the first week. Does Bryant's contract looks like a deal a bargain now compared to what some of these other guys have gotten. That's how we're just going to continue to get though. It's going to continue

to do. Oh no, I mean seriously, though, you mean, we've I've written the roller coaster on this one. I could speak for myself. No, they're not going to reduce him. Maybe they're going to reduce him. Hell no, they're not going to reduce that. You know. That's I've kind of gone the various ways when I've seen how this free agency is opened, you know, when when we're talking about players that are not at the level of Dez Bryant making massive amounts of money. No, I'm not, I'm not

going there. But his cap figure this year is sixteen and a half million and his salary I thinks twelve and a half. Is that correct? Yeah, yeah, it's kind of right in line with what it's actually like he said, it's less than what is being thrown around today. And his dead money's eight yeah, which you keep harping on that one because you're that's important. Yeah, that's important. Dan. Everybody just saying, Okay, we saved this, Yeah, but then

you got to spend eight million for nothing? Yeah for nothing? Yeah, that's true. Where do you come out ahead, because now you saved basically between the dead money and in his in his base salary, you're you're saving like four or five million. It does You've got to find a number one wide receiver because that guy ain't on the team. And you've also got nine million just sitting there for Tony Romo. Yeah not here this year as well. Yeah, you're up to fourteen million of the dead money after

what happened with Ben Samowa. That costs you a million dollars? Yeah, Ben Samowa, that move on Thursday, right, you know they released actually fifteen million dead that's but you know that's if you look at US thirteen nine one exactly. Yeah, that one tad does create cap room, and yet there is some dead money. But I think you look at Taco and say next year, no filling that The bigger

The bigger one is the Dez Bryant one. Now to me, yeah, I mean if I don't know how you could go and look at him and say, okay, we want you to yeah, after what these deals have been mate, No, no, yeah, I mean if i'm his guys, I'm like, okay, let me go. Then you know who I guarantee you there'll be a team out there. They'll take a run at him. Yeah, maybe a couple. It's so funny because sitting here last week, you know, there were a lot of people on social

media saying, oh, they can't let Dees go. He's Dez Bryant of the Dallas Cowboys, guys, And look around the league. Richard Sherman is Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks. He is now a San Francisco forty nine er, maybe the greatest happens, maybe the greatest player in Seahawks history, or at least the most recognizable in team history. And he's gone. Yeah, that's what happens. Case keenum team coming off to achilles tendon surgeries. One of them was a preventive right and

one was to repair right. So and I looked at his contract, all incentive based, all incentive based. It is his own deal too. Yeah, it's taking a beating for that, and it it it is. I mean, the majority of that contract is all him playing ninety percent of the snaps, making the Pro Bowl, making the All Pro team. Sure he's betting on himself. Yea, yeah, there's no doubt. He

even said that. He even said, you know, because Joe Thomas kind of questioned him who the tackle, the very talented tackle from Cleveland, like this is why you don't negotiate your own deals, and you know, and and he was very, you know, very you know, harsh on what he was saying. And you know, the corner came back and said, wait a minute, it's my deal. You know, this is why I'm betting on myself. And this is

how I wanted to do it. Yeah. So yeah, but when you bet on yourself, your ego takes over the one guy that bet on himself. That one was at Joe Flacco. He won a super Bowl betting on himself. He won the super Bowl and then what happened. The Ravens paid him over one hundred million. No, but I

meant betting on yourself, negotiating your own I'm sorry. Yeah, you know, think about it how we all would react if we had to go in and say, okay, I want to raise and get emotional and you don't negotiate, well, right, and then you say, okay, I'll show you. Yeah, well, okay, have at it. The one guy am happy that he finally did show him because his team refused to show

any support in him. Kirk Cousins, who had been on the tag for the past two seasons with the Redskins, even though he had been productive for them, he now has a three year contract. Well he doesn't have it. Expected to sign okay, a three year contract with the Vikings. Yes, guys, the terminology or free agency. Expected to sign agreed to term? Yeah, likely too. You gotta wait till Wednesday to announce you

gotta wait to guaranteed. Yeah, hey, you know what if he goes there, they're the favorite in the NFC my opinion, because they've got arguably the best defense in the league. I'm a I'm a cousin. I've been a fan of his game, watching from a Cowboys perspective as an opponent. You know, whoever a running game there too, He's got a running game. They've got they've got all the receivers.

You've got a complete football team. Yeah. Yeah, and they let Case Keenum not officially expected to go to the Broncos. So so there's another team. It seems like you're they're they're hunting. They were hunting a quarterback. They're still hunting a quarterback. Case Keenum. Is he really the answer? What will they do at four? Boy, there's gonna be a lot of activity coming up at the top of that board. It's not going to be a Jets are desperate. Jets,

Jets are desperate. Buffalo is lining themselves up for one. I mean, there's gonna be a lot of stuff happening. Who's gonna bail first the Giants? Giants only have five picks, so be interesting to see who bails first. Between them and the Colts and what these teams are doing a lot of them are. They're not sinking their teeth into these quarterbacks they're getting now cousins, I'm sure they are. Yeah, but Denver Keenam, you're always gonna say, uh, can I

do better? Oh, they're thinking about it right now. At for Cleveland, oh can I do better? And you're always asking that question, and then the draft comes up, it's like, well, do I go, I go get this guy. I think Cleveland's creating a situation where they've got a bridge player. They've got Tyrod Taylor, veteran guy, and doesn't preclude them from spending a top pick on a quarterback. But yeah,

two of them. Yeah, actually top five have to be careful though how far they fall if they if they think they're going to get a quarterback at four, that maybe get their quarterback at four. That might be another discussion. That's fair Draft show. Sorry about that, No, it's I mean it does affect it. You know, we are talking earlier today about this free agency strategy and you brought up Taco well their free agency strategy. Of course, the bringing back to Marcus, but they went after Taco a

development type guy. Same with Jalen Smith. Yes, you know, and you just let a fourth round pick go in Anthony Hitchens, right, it affects everything they're about building through the draft. First by Mickey covered this team when we were terrible in not only signing free a spending too much money on free agents. We were in cap trouble because of things that happened in the early nineties with Super Bowl teams, and rightfully so didn't have a really

good understanding. We had a quarterback that was you know, and all these things happening. But you know, I've seen this now come full circle. I've seen it go from Cowboy fans completely. I rate at the front office for spending money and not making it work and not drafting worth of dam too. Now they draft well, but they don't spend any money in free agency, you know. I mean, I've seen it go both ways now, and I agree

with people. I think there's ways to supplem if if they had found a way to hit on some of the bottom feeding guys, you know that that bottom guys that they worked on, then I think things would be a little bit different for them. Because they do draft well, that's their strength. One of the strengths they have is their ability to draft, and you know, people have to be patient about that, you know. I mean again, you have to be disciplined to do what they're doing. They

have to be disciplined. And I said this on our on our round table, I say, I would love to see somebody outside sitting at chair and think about, my god, we got to do That's not what we do here. That's not what in free in in front offices, you don't sit there and just react to every little thing that happens. You. You have a plan, you work through your plan, and you stay disciplined to your plan. I think there's two things that fans are looking at and

they're upset with right now. Eagles, Eagles winning the super Bow. They saw Eagles go out despite being over the cap by a lot, several million dollars trading for Michael Bennett that I felt. I think that put Cowboys Nation into a deep depression because it's like they're still being aggressive. Okay, fine, but they're still fifteen million bucks over the cap and they're probably gonna have to let guys go. Yeah, they

have to. But they did something with Lane Johnson to tackle today, to free up somebody, but they still got tomorrow. They're gonna have to do something. They're gonna there's some guys are gonna go on the street. Now they're gonna lose guys on their defensive line. They're they're gonna lose their line, Bradham, They're gonna lose. Yeah, they're gonna lose some guys. They're death throwing tight end as leaving. See

this today, Burton. This is where again, if fans were just were able to sit in that chair in that room and understand what it takes to do and everybody. Again, I'm not gonna sit there and lose my mind over this. The minute they stopped drafting all pro players, then then I'll get Then I'll get concerned. That's why I asked Stephen Jones a question about at the combine, about about hey, you had some cap you have cap hits on guys that are no longer here, and he's like, hey, we've

got to fix that. We've got to figure that out. That is what has me more concerned than And like I say, I was part of an organization that spent money on free agencies, free agency, and we were god awful. If you have money to spend in free agency, typically you're not very good because you don't have enough good players of your own that you've resigned to big deals. Yes, and so you're trying to you have money to burn.

They are a team, So that's I will say one other thing I was gonna say that fans, and we got a mail back question about this today is why can't they do more than spend the bottom barrel? Why can't they go why not get one guy six million dollars? Yeah, as opposed to a bunch of two million guys. And I think there's some validity to that. But like you just said, hey, they were, they were on board maybe making a run at Sammy Watkins. I don't think they're

opposed to doing that. No, they if they really, if they believe in the player yet, make a reasonable run, right, because if you make a mistake on thirty million, guaranteed, oh the fires are gonna go off. See. This is the problem that we have here is that from now all we hear, we're seeing all these signings and all this, and this is then it's going to turn in in two three years from now. It's wow, why they had that guy? Boy? That was a mistake. Well that, you know,

give Jacksonville some credit. They signed Klais Campbell. It worked out for him. That was one of the good ones that worked out for their team. They signed a Booyer the corner that worked out for I mean, there's a lot of teams that are that are looking at their signings right now and they're saying, man, we should got rid of that guy. Boy, I was a mistake. So that was I guarantee you. They're sitting there in New York right now wondering about Olivier Vernon. I guarantee you

they mentioned that one earlier. That's just a monster deal Olivia Vernon at JPP there, They've got forty million dollars tied up in two players. Could imagine think about that? That minds me what we had happened to us in the in the in the nineties there where we were having an early two thousands where we're having to deal with that. And I'm not making excuses, but I'm seeing you need. Drafting is important. It's important. It's a great way to build your football team. And I get it, folks,

I get it. You have to spend it free. Why not do both? I get it, But You know what, though, if you want to look at the Cowboys have had a pretty good year free agency if you count him. If the Marcus Lords got to the free agent market, he would be one of the top players signed in this draft. He'd be on the board right, it would be just be reading it to sign. It would be just like one of these quarters. It would be just like one of these quarterbacks. If Zack Martin were to

hit the thing. You think that guarding from Carolina that the Jacksonville sign is better than Zack Martin. Hell no he's not. But he just signed a thirteen million dollar year deal. But that's but I totally agree with you. But from the fans perspective, they look at it and say, well, that's not new blood, that's not we've we know about those guys. What else you got for me? Basically that's

the faith. Would you rather lose him? No, absolutely not so, because if he's out there, he's signed in a five year, one hundred million dollars deal. Your three guys, you're three guys that potentially could have been for a free and think about that. I mean, Hitchen's just got nine million dollars. Mickey just told you I'm thinking more between five and six on hitch, almost double that. But when you have money to spend, yeah, what do we do? What do we all do? We? All? Right, we paid more than

we you know, I want that house? Yeah, Okay, they're asked four hundred thousand. Yeah, well I can only afford three fifty. I don't care. I want it. I pay four hundred. Yeah. And that's what happens in free agency. When you have the available money, you can't you can only create so much money. Yeah, and you can't have everything. So they got to Marcus Lawrence. Now their next deal

is can they hang on to David Irving? Yeah, because with the money that's going around, sure, two point nine on a second round qualifying offer, somebody's gonna give him something. If that's what he gets. They've got to make a decision by Wednesday, and right we're thinking probably the second round tender for him. But think about this. I was

just daydreaming today. So what if some team tells David Irving, I'm gonna give you a two year, seven point five million dollar deal, and I'm going to guarantee you that first base salary, and I'm going to give you a million dollars up front to get him to three million, right, and then next year your base salaries three million, and I'll give you five hundred thousand roster bonus. What do

you think he would do? He's gone, he's gone. It's kind of what they did with Mayoa here, right to get him from ok Yeah, gave him a three year, eight million dollars, but they didn't have to give up a second round draft choice? Yeah? Right now? Will somebody say that second round draft choice is worth that contract?

But just think from David Irving standpoint, he's made base salary now for three years, two and a half, two and three quarters by a time he got off the practice squad, right, right, so he probably made four fifty five something six He hadn't even made two million dollars in this league. If somebody tells him, here's a million dollars signing bonus, sure he's gone. Yeah, So would you match it? Yeah? And I know what the hesitation here is is, Okay, he's had some problems. Do I trust him? Yeah?

Do I trust him for two years for a team that likes to draft second round pick? That then would probably look pretty tidy, you know, with nineteen whatever that pick would be pick fifty. He's a dynamic talent though, Oh sure he is. He is. Sure he is on the field, Sure he is. But the thing about it is can you get him to the field? Yeah? Yeah, And I don't know if other teams will look at it that because they don't have the intimate knowledge that

Jiffy he was more consistent overall. You would have tendered him a one with the attent of trying to sign him like Mickey did down the road and sign him to a long term deal because think about some of their restrictive free agents. Sure they wanted like well, I mean it does, it's not comparative, but like Keith Smith, sure, are you going to sign him to the minimum offer which is one point nine? I think no, You're going to offer him a two year deal for two million

dollars or something? Sure, and give him two hundred and fifty in his pie. Yeah, And he probably would say, Okay, that's good. That's a great segue because there are a lot of names that you guys might be forgetting out there that are free agents. Free agency officially starts three pm Central time tomorrow, and we're going to take our first break. But We'll get to those names and more when we come back. That is next. It can be hard to find the right resource for learning about important

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Mickey Spagnola. Your beard is also featured on the Blitz, which is also on that Should I Should I shave on the air? That would be awesome. Oh isn't there something with like March where you can do it where it's a a cancer initiative? Please tweet me you end up growing Thank for that. Baldrics, baldrics not shaving it. Yeah, that's your head. Can we shave your head. That would not be a good life, Saint Baldrics if we shave your head on the air for charity. What if I

just kept my mustache? Huh No, No, I'm scared of it. I'm scared of it. Well, I shaved it on the on the air in nineteen ninety. Do we have footage of it? We would have probably before and after. We didn't actually do it on the Dale Hanson's Sunday Sports special. Maybe I can just do it on my Instagram. We tried to convince the lady at the hotel we were staying, she was the bartender, to do it on the air like the Knox remember the Naxiema commercially Yeah, M with

Joe Montana right, Joe's m Joe Nameth. Yeah, And they showed them, won't she She didn't believe us that we'd actually do that. She wouldn't do it. Man, Well, before we get to more free agency news, we have to hear from you guys. I'm sorry we haven't gotten to more calls in the offseason. It's just been so crazy around here. But we do have Brian from Arizona on the line. Brian, just please please don't kill us. We're all together in this. How are you doing? We're doing good?

And I just had a couple of quick comments and I want to keep the guys too long for your comments positives. First off, I just want to comment and say I'm for how the Cowboys are doing teams and free agency right now, not spending all that money. The last three ad and I was excited about was Brandon Carr and after the first two years it seemed like he could not run anymore. Yeah, because he couldn't carry guys across the field at once. He lost just a step.

He wasn't the player that they've done. So it's all about understanding what you're paying for and you don't want to end up two years from now cutting the guy questioning camp why did I sign that guy? I always go back and and I just it's still in my head when brought Us was talking about cutting, when all those restructures with Tony Romo's contract, and brought Us would always say, I wouldn't touch that because I feel like if I got to move on, it's gonna hurt me

down the line. And what happened, it hurt us down the line. So when Mickey's preaching you can't just cut dead just because of this and that, you know you, that's more dead money you're adding on. You're just palinoid, and you're palinoid, and then you got to restructure this guy just to resign your draft picks. I'm all for not being aggressive free and free agency, but I would love to see them be a little more aggressive with their draft picks. Kim draft picks is not going to

make this team. So I personally think that about six is going to make it. And sure and if if you don't mind me saying, I personally believe that if Derwin James becomes within striking distance, I believe that's going to be their pick. Because right now you're two starting safety what it looks like is Cavan Fraser and Jeff Heat And Jeff Heat I'll give him credit with his duke whereas dude, he broke on a couple of balls.

He probably had the best ball skills in the secondary to past two years as much as we as much as we power on it, but I just can't see those two guys being the starting safety. So if you ask me, I would rather be aggressive and pursue Derwin James and the Calvin Ridley. There's a rumor about Corey Coleman and the Cowboys possibly being Instersted. I don't know how much truth that is, but I would rather pursue something like that. Yeah, then to take a Calvin Ridley

at nineteen. I'm a fan of the parcels and the Belichick mode of look at your team down the middle. They need depth that running back, they need guards help, they need defensive tackle help, linebacker in safety. That is where you build your team. That's a lot you're weak and if you're in you can argue that they need help at every one of the positions that I just mentioned. That's why we say, yeah, that's why we say, are you sure about death? You sure you want to create

another big need for yourself. When you just mentioned all those positions, how many draft choice made it last year? Five? Top three, top three and then uh zabre Woods zaber Woods was Noah Brown, right, So that was that was two sixes and the three that's five right there. And you're a good call, Brian, by the way, it was reasonable. Well, he just pointed out a lot of needs. This so five five guys made it right when you had room and he's right, ten guys ain't gonna make this team. No,

and and he's you know, within within striking distance. I'm liking what he's saying, though, I think you're going to have to go up into the maybe into the teams to make this happen. Miami to Levin was a place we kind of targeted for, you know, either maybe Roquan Smith the linebacker or maybe even Derwin James. I like the call. I think they are going to be aggressive with these. You made the decision in free agency last year to let all those guys go so you would

have compensatory picks. You got compensatory picks. Now take advantage of the move up. Move up in rounds if you can. If you got a player you like, go get that guy. And it goes back to Rob. I know you hate to if somehow somebody signs they give you that second round pick, that's again more ammunition to move around. Get another guy. Maybe stand there and pick a guy, you know, maybe a more quality guy. More guys you could get in that top one hundred. The better chance you have

are really really helping your football teach. Chans Jerry about those compensatory picks on the bus at the combine. He called him a godsend and there's a reason for that because you can trade him now and you can move around Doc Prescott. So not pretty good. Just stay in there. Two most critical evaluations they have to make to me is number one, what is Jalen Smith? Is he ready for this? True? Because you can't be wrong? Can't be wrong? And number two, what is Xavier Woods? That's you want

him playing safety? Right? Or do you want him playing in the slot? That's fair. That's a good point because they do have some dbs with some flex to play safety, right. I mean Coler just mentioned Heath and Frasier. They have some other guys that No, he's right about that. Can I ask a question of the panel here, Hey, please help me with this too. If you're moving Byron Jones, are you moving him to start or are you just moving him to be the tight end but cover guy?

And both? Is he I'm gonna ask you though, is he going? Are you taking him out of his starting role to play Xavier Woods? Are you moving Byron Jones because you're trying to get better at right corner? Because of George Lewis, you don't trust Jordan Lewis or do you not trust a Woozia. I don't know if they trust Anthony Brown. I wonder what's going to happen now with Christoph Shardon coming in here, you know, and what

he thinks. That's kind of I'm just asking the question because because if, if, why, if you believe in Anthony Brown, right, then I'm not moving. I don't think he's a corner. I'm sorry, Anthony Brown. No, Byron Jones, he's played forty eight games. We haven't figured that out yet. Think he's frustrated too. He would like to sure, he would like to know, right, but sure, Yeah, he said he feels like he can't go in any offseason knowing where he

really is. I can't train for it, right See, Christoph Shardon has his own thoughts on it, right Nick, and I don't like he just got here a month ago. He will have he might he might have. He might have thought all along when when Byron Jones was coming out of Connecticut that Byron Jones was a corner to him. He likes the bigger but that corner. Oh, I know we did. That's what I'm saying. It's taking forty eight

games and now we're moving him around again. I think the question that's the I'm asking the question is if you're moving him, is he going to be your starter? That's that's what I want to know. Andrew back, No, so you're moving on from him? Yeah, yeah, he wants He apparently wants to move on in June. I would move on. Yeah. By the way, you get to stay here a little longer. Yeah, on the team. I don't think there's a rush there. No, that's what I'm saying.

We're not gonna be We're not gonna sit there and let you just, you know, have your way. It sets a bad presence. I'd say that right, Press presidents, presidents, it sets a bad You can't have players walking into the head coach's office or walking into the Will mcclay's officer Jerry Jones Stephen Jones goes, you need to let me go. You know how long that line would be. That's all the way to hear. That's here's the thing

about Orlando. Trust me, you're right. He signed for two more years and if you cut it, we talked about saving money, you'd only save about a million and a half buck. So it's not like letting him go would open up all this space to go do something you want to do, and it's it's three point eight eight million and dead bunny, Yeah, adds up. Yeah, But I mean at some point and he sees it too, what's his role gonna be here? Well, I don't care what he thinks. He signed the contract. I'm not saying you

gotta cut him. No, I'm saying I'm saying Y's attitude about this trap. I mean, the speculation is, do you try to get a pick for him? But I would love to. Yeah, we has somebody gonna give you. What is it you give for? There? Is there any good tape of him playing last year thirty one years old? Yeah? I think so, I mean is there? Yeah? I mean he got banged up down the stretch. Somebody might trade for him, as are we piling on here as a nickel corner. I got the fan club here and lay

in the slot. It's not personal. His base salaries only three million dollars, so that's that's pretty cheap. If I can find me the guy that's going to come in and play in the slot. I don't know if there's any good tape on this guy. Didn't he have a good game against the was he already I'm watually I'm watching a good player. Man, he gets the Redskins, he had that big return Redskins. He had the big return. Yeah, when I think that's when he heard his back. Yeah.

So that's a good question about the buyer. I mean, you might you kind of create a log jam a little bit if you move him to corner. Because again, like the caller said, what do you do at safety? I think I think there you have a lot of confidence in a Woozier's potential. Sure, but it's the health thing. I mean, he missed a lot of time yow. But

when he got back, he was good. His best game was starting on the twenty ninth of October last year, and then he did decent things against the uh the Chargers. Was he on that field? That? Was he on the field that gets the Chargers? I think he got injured again during that game and then he and then he was and he missed the last four games of the year, right, yeah, and he was a captain. Right. His last game was the last Washington game here on November thirtieth. So he

saw it in December. I mean he said it, you know they're going youth in and so obviously he wants he doesn't want to be a bench guy. I didn't realize there was a thing in the NFL called total disability. Yeah, and some guys can't apply. And maybe Orlando Skinner things he might be able to apply for that. I just again, the question I want to know is, why would you move Byron Jones if he if the intent is not

to start him? That's my question. And I don't and I have a great answer, and I and I and I've been in this thing since nineteen ninety two, and I don't have I don't know why. I don't know why you would do that? Well, you may could you? Again? The guys played forty eight games. He's he's tied him and the kid at the Jets, the defensive tackle Williams had played at his first round draft class guys, breaking news. M Danny Woodhead is expected to be released. You sign

him for how long? Dylan Smith wants to know Danny Woodhead. Danny Woodhead? Did he kind of a verse old back? Didn't he kill the Cowboys in the game in San Diego one years ago? They couldn't cover him out of the backfield. The wheel route poor Bruce Carter. That was a while ago. That was like twenty fourteen. Maybe that's what I'm saying. It was Bruce Carter. Yeah, it's Bruce Carter. Yeah, couldn't cover a wheel route. No draft. They're good play

of draft running backs in the street. Like you like the depth there. Yeah, we're gonna talk about a guy today at on our breakdown from Tennessee. That's a I think it's a good play. Can I say one more thing on corner? Why why can't you have Byron start it right? And it was he started left? Oh no, that's what I'm saying. Well, I think that's that might be what they're looking at, right, Okay, but what they're gonna do it? We kind of like, is it good enough to do it? But we like, we liked Jordan.

We started four games at cornerback. Mackey. You can always move him again, you know they've done that like six times. But why why cornerback? Huh? Was he that bad at safety? He didn't really play. I don't think he played the role that he looked like he was gonna play. In training camp, he wound up he was really good player in training camp. I don't know what the hell happened. But the time we landed here and out of Ox and Art, he was like MVP of training camp. We

wrote about him a bunch. I know he wasn't that center field guy. Last year he played more to me around the box than he did well. Jeff Heath ended up playing center field. That's my point. I think maybe for that, don't you think then being a box safety? I just I find just get forty eight games, we haven't figured that out for that guy. That's that's that's amazing to me. Whose fault is that? Well? I don't know. Maybe he just know I'll fit in anywhere where, you

know where. If you have somebody coming in and saying he's not this to me, you know, then maybe that's maybe that's it. Maybe they say, hey, listen, we Chris Rorishard comes in and says, I don't think he's a safety. I think he's a corner. Maybe that's their way of saying, okay, well let's try. You know, I'll tell you what physician flexibility I think maybe hurts this team more than it helps him. I don't know, how can you say that with Keith Smith and Rod Smith and guys like that,

that they've been able to Tyron Crawford. Tyron Crawford, Yeah, that's true, and people are looking they ever played him at one position? Oh, I think he's a defensive end now about David Irving, that's I think he's the defensive backle Now he can help guys find a role. Yeah, like Keith Smith, sure find a spot in the league. Like I feel like he's had more success as a fullback than he did well, he wasn't gonna make it. I do think. I do think we see position flex

hurt Chaz Green. Last year they came into a guard mill showers. We're looking at him. He's you know, he's he's done, all right, Jamil for hanging around. Okay, so you moved Byron Jones, who's playing safety. I think you'd have. You're not going to use a first round pick on a safety. You're not. We're going up to get one. You're not. I'm taking you with me, Mick. We're gonna go get him at at and T Stadium, Mickey. This guy,

this guy Florida states pretty good. It's pretty good. I mean, I'll sit down with you one day and we watch him play. What do you want? You want a linebacker. Do you want to guard? No, I don't want to guard. You know what? Make the first Let me ask you this though, With what they're paying their guards now, shouldn't you think about drafting in the first round? Yea second or third? I need I need somebody who's gonna make a significant difference. Wide receiver? Can the safety do it?

I'm okay with a wide receiver. I'm okay with a linebacker. Gos we can get real quant smith here. Linebacker gonna happen? Won't happen? Come on, Robb, I mean, hey, he's Sean Lee two point zero. But I don't see it. Okay. Edmonds is part buddies at the Raiders might get and they're only one linebacker in the first round. Two, it's actually two, and they're they're totally different guys. Oh the Tremaine Edmonds Tremaine Edmunds Virginia Tech. Is about a six five,

two hundred forty five pound guy. That's it all good at football? Yeah, there's some other there's some other good linebackers. But can I seriously, one we almost a break. You have to break. We're about to break, So okay, you want to leave a cliff asked the question, No, I just mickey with what asked the question is why would you not consider guard at nineteen if you've seen what guards are getting paid now and when we come back from our second break making it well that so stay tuned.

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is Talking Cowboys. Do we still want some Papa John's pizza? We? Yeah, Ursel's going We're hungry. In this free agent I saw you can get a cookie, a two leader bottle of Stays, and a large pizza for twelve ninety nine. How can you beat that, especially the quality of the pizza you get from Papa John for that ingredients, the veggies, the pepperoni. It's a great deal. Sign up for it. We're in

our third segment here on Talking Characters. Only have about fifteen minutes the restructure my bi weekly budget, and before we get to Rob's Twitter poll, we left you with a cliffhanger from Brian brought us. Ask the man, Mickey Spagnola. No, I mean you were talking about a guard? Yeah, should we look Should we look at these guards differently now than we did, say, five, six, seven years ago? Oh? I got no problem with that. My problem would be

paying four of my five offensive Lineman. The type of money that it costs to keep those guys. Once you pay Zach Martin on a long term deal, you've already done. Layo Collins, you got the three Pro bowlers. I mean, unless this guy is the guard to end all guards, I can't afford that many resources. If you're drafting offensive lines, you're drafting. I'm drafting. I'm trying to draft one. Yeah, I know, and still it's still that would be one, two, three,

four first round picks on the offensive line. What's the okay? How much is okay? Smith? I mean what am I passing up? Smith is seventeen million dollars, Frederick's thirteen million dollars. Martin is nine million dollars right now now, Lyle Collins is five million dollars. Give me, give me how much money did I just spend a lot? At seventeen thirteen?

I recently added it up thirty count the nine. Is it like buying a quarterback fifty fifty million dollars or forty five million dollars on the offensive But is it like you're buying a quarterback and are more important the starting left guard or a swing tackle who can come in when Tyrn Smith is hurt. Oh, we we went down that road. They need to find both, they really do. But I don't need a What am I forefeitting to take a first round guard in fourteen? It just depends

on what you value. If you value he's the top guy at your board, you're not okay with taking that. I got to fix your offensive line. I was supposed to be the strength. I went straight down this is where, this is where can I real quick tabre? This is where now I feel like that if the offensive line can can be your strength, which at once two years ago, I mean last year we felt like they had some issues with the health of it. But if you have to make it transition at quarterback again, you have to

go to a younger quarterback and say things. You know you're trying to help Dak, but say it doesn't work out, and then you have to make a commitment to saying, Okay, well we need a young quarterback to come in here and play. That was the beauty of putting Dac in two years ago, that it was all set up for him. Mickey, I'm always trying to help the quarterback and I got you, but and I know times have changed. You're thirty years ago. I found me a USFL cast off that ended up

being a Pro Bowl guard. Nate Newton was a hel of a player. No doubt you can find a guard. Did they find one? Did the guard cause all the problems last year? No? The backup tackle caused the problems. So if I'm spending budgeting money, then I'm budgeting that for a backup offensive tackle. So you're fine resigning Cooper and he's be can't find a guard in the second or third round. I don't need a first round guard. Okay, either way, I think it's a priority because this is,

like Brian said, that's the strength of your team. You got. It's built around in your running game, protecting your young quarterback. They've got to fix that because you've you've pointed out that was your issue with the offense. Okay, So the biggest issue with the offense last year was Ezekiel Elliott going out at the same time Tyr and Smith went out. Can They were averaging twenty eight points a game over the first eight games, right, and that was with Cooper

and Green playing guard. Can I make an addendum addendum too, I can't even talk. It's an idiot precedence. Can I make an addendment aside aside? I was I was driving this morning. I think Rob was right about Cole Beasley being a big problem or lack of Cole Beasley production that hurt this offense. Well, was Dees Brian a threat? Oh? Yes he was? But now I'm just can just hear me out? Yeah? I think Rob was right Cole Beasley

half the production. I think Cole Beasley's lack of production hurt this offense, maybe even just as much as the offensive line. And when I said that, because we were talking like bounce back guys for next year, I didn't put it all on Cole I think, could you find I'm just saying there was a lot of extra attention put towards him because it was clear in twenty sixteen

he was Dak's safety guy. Yeah it was. Maybe the offense didn't hum along as well as it did because of Cole Beasley's lack of production or they could not find ways to get him open. I mean, I like Mickey's offensive line argument, I'm with him all the way, but the Cole Beasley being half the player that he was last year, I think that really affected this I was just driving along, I'm like, yeah, I would Cole Beasley really do tough year for him and he can

still play. No, no, he can't. They team started treating him like a number one receiver. Yeah, it really did. And so then what else? How can you attack that? You know, and I don't think they did it a good enough job doing that and maybe creating opportunities for him to get open others the game over the first eight games, that's all I gotta say. That's all he's got to say. You lost two of them when you scored thirty points. Well, they got everybody back against Seattle

and what happened that was his first game back. Okay, I knew that was coming. You put up twelve points. Bit on that. I mean, you're gonna beat the captain of the debate team here, No, I guess go to your Twitter pool. Yeah we win. I got to today. Actually two yes, best free agent signing in recent years and yeah, the one you'd like to have back the most from the last couple of years. Let's start with, let's go positive day recent years. Jonathan Cooper, Joe Looney,

Darren McFadden, Alfred Morris and look these are again. This goes back to these low cost deals. They you know, I'll give you the best one of all time, low Roy Glover. Okay, thank you. That's not the poll, but that's the Wow, that's the one thing we did, right, That's it was a good signing four Pro Bowls. Yeah, that was Yeah, it might have been better than Dion Sanders. Okay, because appreciate you saying. I think Sanders is still the best one they've ever had. Yeah, and the record con

we were a bad team. We were a bad team with a really good player. Okay, I'm sorry going No, Yeah, you're good. We got to choose one of those four. Don't worry about it. No, no interested, No, no, we are. I mean I mean not interested because I'm trying to I'm stalling to think. I'm stalling to think. You gotta go to darking Cowboys. What were the four again? McFadden had a thousand yard season though, right he did? Seems pretty pretty bold. Joe Looney is filled with Morris. Yeah,

I would have to go with McFadden myself. They tied Morrison. McFadden tied thirty three percent. And now, as we've talked about, they've missed on some free aident signings last couple of years. Which one would they like to have back the most? Carol Mayoa Paya or Cedric Thornton. Cedric Thornton. Yeah, most money spent on Cedric Thornton. Nolan Carroll wins that one fifty four percent of You know, he was the starting

corner to start the year. That had something that's really wrong about had a lot to do with the young guys being hurt. Wrong about him and who was the second guy. Yeah, it's wrong about both those guys, talk about dead money. Wrong, Yeah, wrong about both those guys. I was just as guilty as the pro scouts on that one thought that maybe knowing that he would come in and kind of be a bridge player. He never was that, alrighty. So then your second poll, Robert, that

was it. That was it. Good and bad? There we go. Yeah, see, I gotta hit if you're gonna spend, you know, if you're gonna nibble on free agency, you gotta be able to hit on those guys. But I've got We've had some worse guys than Nolan Carroll though. Yeah, in early two thousands, we'll say that the margin for error is uh is not great when you're when you're spending on guys that are borderline starters, rotational guys, I mean it's it is more of a challenge. You're not getting much

of a sure thing with those. But with those those two running backs, we can talk about their yards. Yeah. McFadden had three touchdowns. Yeah, and Morris had one last year. Yeah. I want a guy that's running in the end zone. Yeah, you've always said that. I think the thing about it too is I look back in this free agency and the signings and I think with parcels and what he we've spent twenty seven million dollars on three guys one

time Ferguson, Anthony Henry and then Marco Marco Rico Rivera. Yeah, that one didn't work out. He was past his prime, but he was over paid back but his had a back problem in Green Bay. I was in Green Bay with Marco Rivera and Bill. Bill didn't want to play in free agency initially, and then we jumped in with both feet the next year and it was a mistake, you know, And Ferguson was we signed some guys that were bad. Rivera I think was thirty three years old

something like that. You know, it was bad It's just, it's just it reminds me. It makes me want to draft players more and more each day when I live this, folks, I live this. You know. Yesterday I popped in with Hanging with the Boys and U Nate kept saying, I would rather draft a guy, yeah, than sign somebody in free aids somebody else has cast off. But if I draft him, I gotta play him. Yeah. I can't sit here and write right he was and his I think

its reference was too. And this is what he said all last year, by the way, from training camp on if you're gonna draft Taco Charlton, I am, and you think he's a developmental player, don't waste snaps on Benson Mayowa. Play Taco Charlton. They got rid of de Montree more and what happened, Taco started playing more and he started getting more snaps. And yeah, Nate was very consistent even on our pre and post game, on the postgame shows especially,

he was very consistent about that throughout. Play those young guys, the young guy And that's where this league going. If you look at after that San Diego debacles, the Los Angeles Charger debacle, they played those young kids. They finally all got healthy and they played them and I felt like they played pretty well down the stretch. Yeah, it's so wild. I feel like growing up, you know, you waited for guys to kind of get their chance in the NFL. You knew the first year they were probably

not going to get many snaps. But now it's it's all hands on deck. You have a choice. And Steven has said this, they more and more have bought into it's a young man's league, and when they look at older players, they look at durability and what are we spending on a guy that may not be able to get through a sixteen game season. So that's that all feeds into that draft first mentality. And look, the fans argument is it can't all be draft, and they're right,

they're right. But again, you're also spending your money on your top Pro Bowl guys to retain as well, and that's going to eat up a lot of your salary cap. That's just a fact. Yeah that Brian made a good point earlier about the Brandon carr one. You know, three three guys in that in that free agency period, all three cornerbacks all signed for fifty million dollars, and that was the that was the price of doing business, and then wanted one. Des Bryant signed his contract the same

time as the Marius Thomas Thomas. There was one more was Antonio Brown wasn't around that time? No, no, no, there was one of more receiver. Yeah, but those those two guys and then now we're all kind of like, get rid of Das, get rid of DEAs. You know, that's again that's what we do. Is this a what have you done for me lately? League? Or it's a shame that it's a shame that we it's a shame that we don't have discipline to see this thing through.

And again it's Philadelphia went in the Super Bowl. Congratulations, they had a nice year. You know, there were one play away from you know, Atlantic, if they got their hair at at their rear and would have called something different other than sprint ride option, you know, we wouldn't be talking about the Eagles right now. Mickey mentioned it earlier though. You know, Foles caught a touchdown pass from Trey Burton and he's expected to expected to be signed,

expected to be signed away Bears. They don't recover that fumble at the half yard line. They don't even score a touchdown sure against Atlanta. No, I'm just high machine. Yeah. Hey, good for them. Give him credit. They want they want, They got the trophies they got, they got a couple of stops when they need him in the Super Bowl. And controversial catches, it's all right, how about that. It's a cheese teak. Yeah, it's a catch. Yeah, three years later,

it's a catch. Yeah, it's life, Mickey, it's just disappointing federal men. Mickey, we are we are, you know. And I keep seeing and I want to rephrase this because I think this was a great point you brought up earlier. And we're all sitting here. I'm seeing that DeMarcus Lawrence is going to be joining the Show of Total Access later today on NFL Network. Good. I'm so glad though

he's going on there as a Cowboy. And if you followed his Twitter account since he signed his franchise tag, he's seemed so excited about it and it just had a good attitude if you would about it. And we're sitting here and everyone's like, why then, I made big moves. The Cowboys made one of the biggest moves they have in the offseason, and last week. I think again, it goes back to and Taylor. You're absolutely right. It goes back to what we're talking about and having patience and

the discipline. They're gonna make him pay for play for a bigger deal. That's the right way to do it. That's the way life should be. You know, perform, perform, and then you get a bigger contract. Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, Will McClay. They know that if he plays at a better level, they can tag him again, which would be significant, or they could they could work on a longer term deal. And you know that's good. That's what it should be. You know, you had fourteen fifteen sixteen, se go do

that again. If you do that again, we'll pay you. I mean, I don't think Jerry Jones won't pay him, So you know, I mean, I like the way this one's going that way. And you're right, seventeen million dollars is a huge commitment to one player, you know, with this team. So are you saying you wouldn't try to sign him to a long term deal? You would? Wait, I'm waiting, Mickey, Okay, Yeah, you know what, I'm probably gonna get burned for it. Mickey but I'm gonna wait.

You think they will wait? I think depends on a lot of stir and talk. Sack Martin thing has got me nervous. I think. I think it's going to depend on how they construct what he would accept. Yes on a long term yes, because if he wants seventeen million a year for five years, it ain't happening. What makes you nervous about Martin? The fact hasn't been done yet, the fact that guy at Jacksonville just signed for thirteen million a year. That's okay, but you need to see it.

But I mean you know what you need to see what? Yeah, you need to see it. But say what if anybody serves him there? If anybody deserves thirteen million dollars a year, it's Sack Martin. Four years, four Pro Bowl, Yeah, four All pros. Yeah, Yeah, if anybody deserved it, He's the one guy that's played and deserve the money. He's gonna get, no doubt about it. Yeah. If you guys caught the blitz on Sunday night, one of my favorite things. Though,

you're talking about patients Lamp's dumbbar. You're a fan of maybe seeing him back here in Free I'm just trying to find a gadget running back cheap. I agreed with your opinion on it. I thought it was very Why I said it, Mickey, I'm gonna give you that's the guy with patients man with your with your compensatory picks. We're gonna John Kelly Tennessee, I'm gonna I'm gonna make a run. And then I'm gonna make a run with

get Nam Walton from Miami. Yeah, they didn't give me a choice of yeah, no, no, no, that's or draft no no no, But I'm gonna give you. I'm gonna you know, I've kind of got something. I want that guy I want, Yeah, I want some guy. Hines is a kid from North Carolina State too. We talked about Darryl Williams from LSU is another guy, Carter from Grambling. They've got some guys that kind of got that what you guys want, absolutely and they're young and healthy, young

healthy and Raidar role. Because Lance Dunbar had injury last year, they kept him out. Tiller is a broken man. Yeah, but it would be cheap. You can get him on a one year minimum. But how many years he's now in the league. I think five yeah, but can we get him cheap on that? Then they're a deal where you can kind of manipulate the money to make it only like six hundred thousand dollars. Yeah, like they I

mean there's there's some kind of deal like that. Oh no, yeah, yeah, you can pay him this, but he's only going to cost you this against the cap. Yeahs, as long as you don't give him more than eighty thousand dollars signing bonus. There you go. Yeah, absolutely, well, thanks guys. Thanks Ken's yeah, and thanks Katie Pencard who's been doing our graphic. Thank you so much, Katie. Thank you guys. Another hour's worth of information. What I said, we have another hour's worth

of information. We gotta wait till next you gotta wait. It's time for Mickey's minute. And I'm tired. Ken, I'm seeing people driving on Sam here. It's taken over. We'll be back next Tuesday. Join us. Then we'll have so much more needs than This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club