The following.
He's a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
Cowboys. This he's Talking Cowboys, screaming live.
From the Dallas Cowboys World Course at the Star in Frisco.
Tag Burgers, Let's go tis Ay Continent.
Touchdown and now your hosts Isaiah Standback, Patrick Walker, Josh Rodriguez and Kyle Yeomans.
I unplugged my microphone or I plugged my head said before we got in, like right as Chris was about the countess down. So this is great, Chris says, go cole, look at Kyle's looking at me like trying to find the headphone jack. It's sit off season edition of Talking Cowboys, presented by Black Rifle Coffee Company, live from the Starr in Friscode, Texas.
At the PC Studio.
Welcome in, everybody.
I'm Kylie Yewen's Patrick do see Walker, Josh Rodriguez, Isaiah's stand back, Chris Beam in the back.
I'm Kyle Yeoman, So glad you're with us Talking Cowboy.
We're starting to represented by Black Rifle Coffee Company, the official coffee of the Dallas Cowboys.
Trouble finding the jack, Yeah, I.
Gotta find it, but I got it.
I like this desk. Is this a desk?
The desk is so bad.
I was the whole thing. Man, everybody's talking about the absence of a desk. I don't know what that experience is like. You don't know about struggles, Isaiah.
You don't know the struggle, Isaiah.
Stand back, I don't. I've been spoiled by that.
You didn't grow up on the mean streets of little Elm, Texas.
Like I did without a desk. I've been sitting at the middle of twenty twenty buddy desk list. That's true. It's not the beginning of twenty twenty. And the beginning of twenty twenty. Beamer was sending me freaking microphones and Lava mics and all kinds of stuff to my house.
You're like, who is this guy?
Yeah? He sent me a pair of Bull's headphones, and I was like, you know what, I like this. I like it, you know, I find it interesting. I still me to find it interesting that you reappear when the desk does, so you can't be with your brothers. You wouldn't in the in the Yount fighting the crotch shot. I'm kind of mad that I missed that, just saying I'm mad that I was a part of I wasn't a part of that. I wanted to be a part of that. What are you trying to show here?
I guess next week if you're Derek is like not here and he's going to be looking at his phone like watching our show.
We're that's true. You're so bad if you every wonder who we are. D just look at the podcast has ranked above you. You know what I'm saying, saying, shots fired early enough.
I can't wait, Varsity if you will select travel travel team.
Yeah, it felt that's what it's felt like recently. You're in l A, you were in Indy. I was any like everybody's trying.
To hold it down for all of us. We would love, we would love to travel, you know, with with the team. Just speak for yourself that we're talking about for.
Brazil, I'm good man, oh Man, Welcome back in everybody.
Glad everybody's back and safe.
And after what was a tumultuous trip to the to the Indianapolis com NFL.
Scout and Combine Patrick, it was great. We had a lot of fun. We saw you there quite often.
Actually, I say, couldn't walk past the TV screen.
Every time we walked into radio row or any kind of media or any kind of hotel lobby or whatever it was. I would just hear Isaiah's voice like a ghost in the back of my head, and he was like, but what about Michael Pitnix, What about.
Roman? Why? Why are all these guys not the top of the league right now?
It's like they went you dubbed face yeah and around every time.
So and now it reminds you who the super Bowl champions are.
And then there you have it done.
Let's get into some news and notes, Patrick, because the last time we were on the show was.
Right before we went to Indy.
Yeah, in my goodness, there's a lot that happened tween now and then a little bit.
All right, let's try to make this as concise as possible, so you know, yeah, yeah, no, don't do that. Yeah. First and foremost, George Pickens has officially been friends tag is done now. I like that. That is what the expectations. Style boys are looking by themselves some time. They now have until July fifteenth to get a long term deal done if he If a deal is not done by
July fifteenth. Then George Pickens, assuming he signs the tag as is expected, if it were to come to that, he would be fully guaranteed twenty seven point three million dollars. That's for twenty Yeah, that is a lot for twenty twenty six. All of that is sitting against the cap as we speak. I don't like those words. Don't like them. However, the Cowboys have already begun pulling expected triggers. So if you follow the science on Dallas Cowboys dot com, you
ain't been going that long. Come on with it on Dallas Cowboys dot com. You gotta blew through that, you know.
Isn't it so nice of the players to allow the Dallas Cowboys to restructure their own contracts?
Crazy? The selflessness is jerius, give me a bunch of cash? Oh my god. For those that don't understand, there's a difference between reworking a contract i e. Paycut and whatever the case may be, versus restructure. Restructures are baked into the negotiations when the deal is signed. The team has
that option that is exclusive to the team. They don't need the players permission, and it's because the players are never going to say no, because it liquid dates, more of the contract upfront, cash in the pocket right now versus down the road, Old darn Old darn So, Dak Prescott, Cede Lamb, Tyler Smith. They've now had their contracts restructured, freeing up roughly sixty six million dollars. And I tell you, Dak,
Tyler and CD they're not exactly upset at that. Okay, So the Cowboys get salary cap space, the players get cash up front. That works. Cowboys have several more triggers that they can pull. Oh so Diggie Zuoa comes to mind. Yes, sir, can you help the people and myself understand what the salary cap position of the Dallas Cowboys. I'm I'm glad you said that, because the Cowboys now are aware of what the NFL salary cap is for twenty twenty six. It is a record setting three hundred and one point
two million dollars. Does that mean that there's more space? There is more space historically more. This is also a historic jump. This is the biggest jump in the salary cap in NFL history history, literally everdo history now at three hundred and one, let's just round it, making it an easy number. Three hundred and one million dollar salary
cap space. The Cowboys before they structured any of these contracts, but including the franchise tag already in it, they were fifty five million dollars, fifty six million dollars in the hole. They freed up sixty six million dollars. They're ten million in the green with more triggers that they can pull. Kenny Clark and Quinny Williams, if you extend them now or rework their contract, one of those two things is expected to happen. You free up almost thirty million dollars
combined between those two guys alone. And I haven't even talked about guys like oh so odigge Zoo and oh doron Bland, any guys that they might want to rework a restructure. So, Cowboys face, do you think that they can get to they as of the salary cap being announced before they pull the triggers on CD Deck and Tyler for that sixty six, they can free up one hundred and thirty one million dollars in salary cap space
against the negative fifty five. And what is your response to those that are like they're just kicking the can. I'll kick your can, That's my response listen, everybody is no secret Patrick, no Sewalker does not want to hear about damn Pie. I don't want to hear about Pie. This is not life. I don't know the other pole, not that the colored pile, the whites only pole. I want to hear about Poppy. Okay, if you know the reference, you know the reference south South to Martin Lewrens and
Eddie Murphy. But no, seriously, I ripped. Two things are true. The salary cap is real, but the salary cap can and has been finessed so many times throughout the course of the salary caps existence by teams. Talk about the New Orleans Saints and the Drew Brees era, talk about Saint Louis Rams in recent seasons. They know for your Eagles. They do it every year, and everyone says, oh, well, the bill comes due. Well, yeah, theoretically the bill comes due,
but it doesn't matter if the bill comes due. When next year the salary cap goes up exponentially again, and you have new TV contracts and things like that, sponsorship deals that are coming in. It all works itself out organically. Plus you have organic attrition in the roster. There are players who are on the Cap right now, who won't be on the team next year, be it expirational contract or waving of that player, so many machinations that the
average any die hard fan. The fellow capologists also understand that this is not an issue as much as casual fans would believe. And that's why when you hear Jerry Jones speaking from the combine, even before so Stephen Jones, they're saying, even if George Pickens was forced, forced, even if he chose to play on the twenty seven point three million dollar franchise tag, and this is a direct quote for Stephen Jones, we can still do everything we
need to do, end quote Stephen Jones. Jerry Jones saying things like that's not going to stop us from quote unquote busting the budget, doing everything we can because right now needs to be the time.
And I agree, and I think one of the things that people are not necessarily focusing on that Jerry said on the bus with us the other day, and the quote that came out of that is like, I'm I could see us.
Being aggressive in free agency.
Like that was the quote that blew up, and everybody kind of like hung their hat on that. The part of that conversation. I believe it was in the same answer he said, I'm willing to wager my future. Yeah, he said, I'm willing to dig into the future and the budget. This is paraphrasing, of course, the fact that he's said that, that's the first time I've ever seen heard him.
I was about to ask the question because you guys, you gentlemen, strapping young men, have opportunity to speak with him strectly and have been around him for a number of years now, there is and obviously we have information that we can always you know, put forward to the public.
But what would you guys say or what would you guys convey to the general public about what you guys have seen from Double J from the past, you know, when he was just you know, kind of throwing out headliner, you know, comments and quotes versus the vibes that you guys get now and when he speaks like like, can you guys, can you guys descriptively convey that.
I'm gonna let you answer, But I've got something like cut and dry here that I've I've been really like chewing on some Well, I want.
You to be able to well, I just want to say that. I think there's a lot of responsibility taken in the response that he's given so far this offseason. I think he acknowledged that things didn't go their way last season because of the things that they needed to go right for them, like the health of Revel, the health of Overshown, the signing of certain linebackers that they thought we were going to contribute, the signing of iber Flus, who they thought was going to turn things around on
defense for all intentsive purposes. Now the rhetoric is that, you know, we can't rely on that anymore. We can't rely on the chance that these things are going to go our way. We can't take a shot on red shirt players that are going to contribute, or guys that we have to wait until we tend to start contributing. We need guys that are ready to go right now. My favorite quote from Jerry in that one hour bus conversation was we got to go this year.
Come on, man, It's the first time I've heard them take responsibility, specific specific responsibility, but also specific examples and basically say they were wrong. Yes, that's the first time I've ever heard them do that in a consistent manner. So and we've heard that conversation from Will McLay and Stephen Jones and Jerry Jones in.
The past, where you talk about alignment right top to bottom.
You're aligned from the front office to the scouting department, to the coaching staff to the players. And in the past there's probably been one or two of those things aligned, but not all four. Every couple of years you might see all four aligned, and that's when you get the twenty sixteens. That's when you get the twenty twenty threes. That's when you get the seasons that go really well and things are kind of rolling in the right direction, but then when one of those.
Slips out of place, then you're not there.
I feel like they're getting back to that same spot despite what season they had in twenty twenty five, because you're hearing the same thing from Shody, you're hearing the same thing from the front office, you're hearing the same thing from Will McClay.
Top to bottom.
They haven't been good enough, that's what they've been talking about, and they're changing. They're changing ways that they've done things consistently over.
The last decade. The red Shirt players was a big one.
I asked that question on the bus for a reason, like, have you changed the way that you're looking at medically flagged players, whether it be in free agency or the draft, And he said, yeah, you're not gonna see us take any red shirt players.
And of course fans love that because.
I jerked out of the type of thing, and that's nothing against the players they've taken in the past. I mean, Savona revel is one of the guys they've talked about glowingly as a possible second year jump.
He was a medically red flag player.
But this year, knowing the type of quarterback that you have, the type of offense you have, the type of over arching talent you have on defense, despite the lack of production as a whole last year, I think they see this as a window.
But this window is going to close quickly. And that's why they're saying.
Forget all the future, forget what we're going to wager in the future, We've got to go now. And that's the first time I've really heard that. I said this on this show a couple of weeks back. I will believe it when I see it in free agency, and I still feel that way, of course, but this is this does feel a little different.
It really does.
Listen, this is the moment that it's very much show me, right, it's very much show me. Yeah, hear you, We hear you, We hear you, show me.
I would be more disappointed this year if they don't get aggressive. But based on the build up and based on the way that they're saying things here, then I was even in the all in year in the kind of actually twenty twenty three and they're trying to push the chips to the middle of the table, We're gonna spend a lot, and then they don't. If they do that this year and it's a dud and free agency, I would be more dissip Yeah.
And I agree because the vernacular that they're using this year is different than that year. That year it was all in, and then it was Jerry kind of walking back, Well, what's your definition of all in? Yeah, Websters defines all in as da da da da dad. Now it's it's
much different and everybody's in lockstep. And when you see them being willing to again move on from Eberflus after one season, when you see them early get Javonte Williams done and now comes to bigger question, Okay, are you gonna wait until training camp for this George Pickens thing to be resolved or are you not? Brandon Novry, there's a great likelihood that at some point today they're going to put a second round tender on him, possibly TJ Bass as well. Does does that mean those things need
to continue to roll along intil the summer? No, get those deals done, get them out the way, free up your salary cap in addition to the other triggers that you have, so that when legal tampering starts on March ninth, you're one of the first ones out the gate.
I foresee.
And I asked that question because it like, like most people right kind of show me right. I don't. But then when it comes to the Dallas Cowboys, I hear what you're saying all to between between the information that we get the back end and how I see people move around here now in terms of the executives, I would be shocked if we don't see action as soon
as free agency opens up. I genuinely believe that there's gonna be a heavy hitter day one soon as it opens up day one, and I think that is going to be the trigger that kind of sends a bat signal in the air to the remain of the free agents that would potentially be great ad disges for the Dallas Cowboys that might get a little bit more money
somewhere else. But if they see that player or players come and sign with Dallas, they're gonna be like, oh yeah, I need It's a recruiting tool, the right to get in on it. It's a recruiting tool. So the moves that they make on day one a free agency, I think are going to literally send out morse code to the remainder of the free agents that would there are in a financial position to take a little bit of a hit there to come join something. And I'm talking
about defense. I'm not talking about offense. We're all talking about defense, right, So, I think there's gonna be one heck of a linebacker that I get signed. I think there's gonna be one heck of a nickel I guess heck of a safety to get signed. And I think there's gonna be one heck of an outside backer slash
pass round. Well to that last point, you just said, one heck of a outside linebacker slash pass or sure don't take trades off the table in this in this process as well, because free agency is one thing and they're looking at that, but they've continuously said they're not unwilling to come up off one of those first round picks in free agency if it for the right person. So if you want to max out and doing so
then you know by all means. But my point being, and I love that you brought the soup because we were talking about this last week. Options. You have options now in safety realm safety doesn't look great and free tocy right now. Linebackers linebacker, linebacker like spectacular. Oh there's there's two guys. Yeah, I know, and I speak on those two guys on Open Market series on Dallas Cowboys dot com. Bro ain't offenses if you add just imagine two dred headed linebackers.
Oh my god, Oh.
My god, you're a Harris And I know they're getting Getting both of the gentlemen that I would love to see on this defense would be too expensive, I'm pretty sure at that position. But if you were able to get both of those gentlemen at the second level home, we credit I will say the energy to Isaiah's point, and this is why we have to we have to balance what we're saying, because Isaiah, Kyle, Josh and myself we are all of the same ilk in that show us we heard it all before. That is true. It
is also true, though, that the air feels different. It feels like more than anything, Jerry is he's facing his own mortality. He doesn't have time for a bad time, and he's realizing it more and more. Dak Prescott, he's in his prime. How many more prime years of Dak Prescott are you willing to waste? One of Jerry's biggest regrets in his career has to do with wasting Tony romo career. Does he now want a second franchise quarterbacks career wasted on his watch? No, So it feels as
if they're moving different. They're definitely talking different. Now it's time to put the rubber to the road.
My thing is, as far as free agency goes, I don't want another situation where it's like we're talking this big game and then it comes free and then it's you know, we start signing guys, but it's those guys that you don't really know their name, and it's like, oh, well he could maybe, and no, we're gonna get some really good dudes.
Familiar names.
Yeah, I foresee that being the case.
Maybe some former enemies.
I don't know, but probably at least one of those.
Yes, you're gonna start hearing those names. That's like, oh, that's a that's a player that is a certified player of the league, that has the pedigree that can contribute to a defense right now, not the hope that this guy can contribute. The proof is in the putting.
And I'm telling you, I believe there's gonna be two or three of those guys immediately. And I think that I believe that they're going to use that and the timing of day one to grab those guys to let everybody know this ain't what has been even to go along with you know, with the with the whole, you know, whatever you want to call it, still is going to be the fact that Christian Parker will have growing pains.
We know this first year as a defense. But what's also true is his connections in this in this league is ridiculous coaches and players, and then look at the staff he's built. There will be players in free agency that look at Christian Parker and that staff and say, you know what I want end they've got the artist Dixon,
the next d line coach for the Minnesota Vikings. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, look at where these guys are coming from, whether it be around the league from Philadelphia for example, the defense that they had in Arizona, Scott Simons is coming from there. You have guys coming from the collegiate ranks UZO in Georgia. And why does it matter where these coaches were?
No?
See, what do you mean? What is it? Man? Why does it matter when it comes to free agency? Because when you get to reach back and get those guys, it's curtain season. You mean, coaches like the coach players that they've already coached before from previous teams kind of. I mean, I mean, just it happens, right, I mean, it just happened last year. The difference being is that where these guys are coming from, now there are players there you actually want on this roster.
Interesting, Okay, I'm looking at the chat right, Yeah, there's there's a lot of skeptic on.
I get it.
Show us completely understands. Jack is like, it doesn't feel different. I guarantee you in this building, I get it. It does in here, and it might fool us. It might we may be fooled by us. We may be just too close to the fire and we're feeling the heat a little bit.
I don't know.
But what I do though, is it does feel different the last we've been here.
Since I've been here since twenty nineteen, I've seen the ups and the downs, and mostly downs in the off seasons for the Cowboys. This one feels a little different. It does, and that's just how it is as we stand here on March third. By the time we get here on March tenth next week and we've got a Tuesday show one day after the legal tampering period opens, we may not feel the same.
But right now today it does feel a little bit different. I just want to lay that out.
I don't know how many times they want us to say, show us.
No respectfully with all of that, respectfully.
I get it. Yeah, which is why I'm bringing this up, and I wanted you guys to give insight. But like for myself, speaking for myself, this is the first first time where I feel like they're not going into the off season trying to get guys for discount. Double check. Yeah, I agree. Now, Like this is the first year I've ever felt that. I'm like, I don't think that they're I know, I always knew day one. They're not doing nothing so far, they're moving differently and they have time
to prove it. Yeah, they just need to look at those other gms and free agencies.
We're gonna get there.
We're gonna get here on Tuesday, and we're gonna open the show and we're just gonna be like, hey, guys, I.
Don't know, like I said, they might get in front of those other gms and free agency and so you're gonna eat your corn bread.
There's gonna be a lot of stuff that happens between now and then. All Right, you guys know what month it is.
It's March.
Mark, It's March. You know what happens in Mark, March.
Madn It's not a birthdays. You know what else happens in Mars?
What's that?
Well, you know you got the job of House Grand prin Arlington.
Oh okay, yeah, that's that's gonna be incredible, But not what I'm talking to say. Okay, you got to write the first March Madness was that.
I can't believe that it wasn't the first thing that came out of your.
Mouth well, because I'm trying to tease a segment that's coming up. Now, we've got brackets to fill out. I'll explain the rules when we come back with more talking Cowboys right after this.
How's it going. You see that Cowboys game?
Oh?
I watched.
I've been seeing some good thanks totally. They have some talent, you up, some great talent and they got some fight. Hoping this is the year me too. Oh, I'm Cody. By the way, I'm Travis.
Nice to meet you. Travis, Go Cowboys Go.
Cowboys make a.
New friend based solely on their shirt choice. What would you like the power to do?
Bank of America, the official bank of the Dallas Cowboys, Copyright twenty twenty five.
Bank of America Corporation.
Cowboys fans, We've got big news. Black Rifle Energy is now available at Texas seven eleven stores, and for a limited time, you can score two cans for just six dollars at participating location. These cans pack a serious punch, two hundred milligrams of caffeine, veteran crafted flavor.
And the clean energy you need to power through those long days.
So the next time you roll into your neighborhood, seven eleven here in Texas, Grab that two for six dollars Black Rifle Energy deal and fuel up the American Way. Black Rifle Coffee, America's coffee.
Every day begins with a promise, a promise to work hard and to build a future. That's why we're here providing the tools, expertise and John Deere equipment you have relied on for generations to help you get the job done right.
We're with you.
That's our promise to you because no matter of the project or the challenge you're facing.
Where are you, where are United at AT and T, We guarantee our network so you can talk college football with your bff while taking Buster to the vet.
Hey, yeah, I can't believiate the whole thing of chicken.
Wings, and I can't believe we're staging a comeback. Staying connected matters.
That's why in the rare event of a network outage, you'll automatically get a bill credit for a full day service for wiless downtime lasting sixty minutes and more caused by single incident impacting ten more towers must be connected to imact tower, don't set about it. Regstrictions and exclusions apply to eet dot Com sluch guarantee for full details.
To Talk in Cowboys.
Back here on Talking Cowboys presented by Black Rifle Coffee Company, the official coffee of the Dallas Cowboys.
This sentglement is also brought to.
You buying vis a line the official smile of the Dallas Cowboys. Patrick Ocaser Josh Rodriguez stand backer in the back real quickly, Pat, I know we kind of like upended news and notes. There's a couple more just bullet points we probably need to hit, starting with Donovan.
Azrak Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So over the course of the combine, we were told that Donovan Azeraku underwent laboram surgery on his hip several weeks ago.
Uh.
The expectation is that he will miss OTA's in mini camp, but that he will be a full goal for a training camp. So as long as he recovers as they expect, he will effectively escape the pupp list to start training camp, which is going to be huge because he's going to be looked at to be a young guy who takes a huge step forward as an outside line becker in this new three four for Christian Parker. Also, I'm forgetting yeahs Rouncle Maris marys lea Foul so Ein Schottenheimer made
an official the day prior. Kyl and I were speaking to the new inside linebackers coach, Scott Simon's and he dropped this nugget, which, like I said, was confirmed by Shotty twenty four hours later. Marris lea Foul is no longer inside linebacker for the Cowboys. He is now an edge rusher outside linebacker. He's going to be working with Shanero Uzzo Deribay exclusively. I'm not going to be sending any work with Scott Simon. Simon's going to focus on
Shamar James demarionover shown and he said Justin Barron. I believe Simon said Justin Barron was an option there as well. But they're they're going to look to add an in sidelinebacker, be it in the free agency of the draft. But Mary Sleafoul is now an edge rusher. He is going to have to bulk up. It's going to have to put on weight. That's one of the transition things. I talked to Christian Parker on Friday. I believe Nicole and I did. One of the questions I asked him directly
and shoddy as well. I said, tell me the challenges and the transition planned for Marris lea foul boking up and as far as hand placement, learning how to rush the passer, the guys have resources, guys like the Marcus ware who rushed as a three four guy as if that was going to be an option. So both of them pretty much were in lockstep in that he needs to boke up. But one thing Christian.
Parkers, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, ohit, sorry, I'm gonna say.
One thing Christian Parker said that stood out is that this isn't new to uh to merist. He pointed out how he was Sam at Notre Dame and that he's rushed off theirs before as a stand up guy the NFL.
Yeah, not at the level a little bit different.
The challenge is that the ability is there, the length is there, the mass is not there yet. The hand technique is not there yet, and that is more concerning to me than the mass you can put on the muscle, right, but learning yeah, but learning how to defeat offensive tackles in a phone booth, so to speak, versus having a five yard running start that's going to be diff that.
On top of everything that he's going to be required to do on special teams.
I don't know.
I think it's gonna be really tough off season for Maris, but I.
Have Oh, he's going to have a off season to.
I have concerns for Maris, but ultimately I wanted to go our way.
Of course, this it sucks, bron Listen, I'm not saying it sucks because it's an opportunity, right, So you're blessed to have an opportunity to play in this league. But it sucks from a standpoint of putting on weight when your number one asset is your speed, it sucks. Right, He's gonna have to put on twenty pounds and I don't know how many people have put on twenty pounds. It's a lot on vacation, hey, fifteen to twenty pounds.
It's a lot of muscle because your calling car has always been your quickness and has always been your speed and your expilsiveness, right, Like that's his thing. Right, When you have to put on that weight, not only are you naturally taking away from all those things that have been assets from you, you have to work to try to maintained that speed, maintain that explosiveness, but now you're adding extra stress on your body's ligaments that your body
has not become accustomed to. Right you Also, if it doesn't work out for you, if it does not work out for you here, now you're out of size how to position for any other opportunity that might might have presented itself. Right, So it sucks in that regard. That's when I say it sucks. That's what I mean. Like it's literally chips all in Hopefully you don't get hurt
type of situation here in Dallas. And if it doesn't work out for you in Dallas, now you're in a position where I have to now lose twenty pounds, lose fifteen to twenty pounds to get back to who I was before. It's just it's just ring around the rosie situation that people don't necessarily think of. I know he's not going to complain about it. He's going to take it and say, hey, this is my challenge. I accept it, but understand what it is when systems change and you
don't necessarily fit that system's personnel. We talked about it here. For God like him is going to have a tremendous impact on the effectiveness that they can have and may have here in Dallas. And you bring up special teams, well, what does he do on special teams? He's a freaking lightning bottle, right, So now all of a sudden he puts on fifteen twenty pounds. Is he the same effectiveness
on all special teams? Probably not right, So I mean what it effects not only just his position, but affects everything that he does. And I tell you it's it's going to be the first major test for outside linebackers coach Uzo de Reba. Of course at Georgia. This is a guy who coached a guy like Michael Williams into being a first round pick last year. So I mean he has the ability to absolutely get marriage at least in year one. Maybe serviceable, That would be my expectations.
Try to get him serviceable in year one based on where his starting point is coming from, a true inside linebacker who needs to put on, you know, twenty plus pounds and needs to get hand technique of things. Now, I just need him to be at least serviceable. But it's a huge first test for Uzo and you know, and speaking with Uzoh, he's up to the task. And I know for a fact that he's up to the task. We're not. Yeah, can I say it?
No?
Okay, but but go dogs. But I'm not. But I'm not going to objectively sit here and say that Isaiah is wrong at any of his points. There is a lot that is going to go into this transition and not a lot has to go right. What we do know is marriage is high football. Like you, his work ethic is through the roof. He's going to give it
his all and just have to see where it lands. Now, if it does work out for him, which we all hope it does, then it also works out for him in the bank is where his edge rushers get paid more than absolutely. But I also say, I mean, and people might take this the wrong way, but it's the reality. Genetically, he has an advantage talking about just.
Just built muscle.
Well what I'm saying, yeah, I mean being a Polynesian, he has the ability to put on masks faster than other people do it. But I would say Polynesians, I would say Nigerians. There are certain people based upon your and some of the German cats that I play with. Right, Genetically, you're more opt to be able to put that weight on struggle. That's just fast, right, so that he does have that to as advantage.
I didn't know that was the thing.
Oh heck, yeah, I got to look up to science. Yeah yeah, all right, typically some big bull I know, I've seen it.
Yeah, I've called you trinity, and that's happened in Baltimore Ravens game.
It's been a couple of areas. All right. I've got a bracket for everybody. It's March. It's March Madness. We're gonna rank the number one need for the Dallas Cowboys.
But we gotta go single elimination all the way down, and then when we get to the semi finals.
We're gonna have a double elimination. We have to be unanimous.
Wow.
So there's a debate that will ray John and we will fill out this bracket. It's got to be unanimous. Some of these early ones will be unanimous.
But then I think when we get to the semi finals, things are gonna.
Get a little bit crazy. Okay, Okay, that's off the table. Here are the positions that are off the table. Kicker is one Brandon Aubre. You're sticking around, You're gonna be here dog like quarterback, running back and interior to five of line. And the reason why I do that is because you've got Dak Prescott. You just resigned Jvante Williams. We believe in Javante. It's the most recent acquisition. So let's just take it off the table for now. And
then so is interior defensive line. I think they've made the acquisition. You're okay there, traded for Kenny Clark, traded for Quinn Williams. Phil, you could totally add one more. That's not the point. The point is number one need and we're gonna try and get there. These are eight seated positions. Game one, linebacker and tight end. Go linebacker, linebacker, linebacker. That's a pretty good one. Moving on tackle versus safety is sure?
Oh wait do you do?
You do you disagree with the number one?
No?
No, that's just the first that's the first thing that's.
Between the two are so you agree? So tight ends?
Yeah? Okay?
Tackle and safety is game two?
Safe? Safety, safety?
Safe?
Three on one Coyle safe you lost.
I will say safety, but I don't think it's that cut and dry.
It's I think have some options at tackle.
That's probably the hardest first round.
They don't have the options that safety to move around. They just they have You've got some options at time, That's what I'm saying.
Okay, I thought you mean like to grasp what I said safety in the feats tackle, and I agree.
You don't have the guys there.
You need a safety, especially for this defense and what you're trying to build with Christian Parker completely understand, and I'm okay with putting them in through to the next round.
Wide receiver and edge rusher.
This is the three six that's not even close and really quick to the chat. We're not saying there's just the guy opposite Azrakl. We're saying he's a guy they're putting in the chart. So yeah, you still need to add a guy. They're just telling him so he had time right now, they're telling him where you're not going to be, right, We know where you're not going to be, So we're not going to waste your time with this.
This is going to be your position. Do what you need to do to be prepared to play that position.
Yeah, yeah, all right.
The two versus the seven seed corner and interior if or interior offensive line.
Corner that's an easy one. So there's the first round.
Okay, So your five need is offensive tackle, your six need is wide receiver, your seven need is interior offensive line, and your eight need is tight end.
You feel pretty good about.
Those, Chris.
If you could put the bracket on screen, yeah, can you.
Just throw that up there forrest? Beamer?
Appreciate you, dude. I made this in the middle of the last brow like, what the hell's going on? Peamer's like, what graphic?
Uh?
Game five?
This is the first semi final, and this is where things are gonna get dicey linebacker and safety linebacker. I still think linebackers number one in that need. Yes, I think I'm there too, so maybe not.
As dicey as I thought.
But I am going to move safety into a consolation bracket for like the third place game, like they do in soccer. So it's gonna be down there and we'll talk about safety here in a second. Edge and corner is yeah. Okay, so this isn't really a super debatable topic at this point. But I'm also gonna throw a corner and safety into the console bracket, which is where we are now. So you got safety versus corner who's the number three?
Need safety? Safe?
No, number three over corner corner safety is corner safety.
I think I'm going corner.
Well, here's the debate you were looking for.
Yeah, there's there's a debate. Why do you say safety?
I say safety because you need you need a captain, bactor, you need a commander.
Okay.
I think you currently versatility of being able to play back and play up.
Okay, I think I'm going to change to safety. Yeah because No, genuinely, because I think you have some pieces there at corner that you can rely on and hopefully a year or two jump improves that whole scenario for you. I think you don't have any answers currently at safety. You don't have a lot of uh, you don't have the same bodies that you had now as you did last year because of free agency and how that's going to turn out. We don't know how it's going to
turn out. But at least right now, I don't think there's an identity there at safety that you can really rely on that needs to be completely there's overhaul.
There's not a safety that you be safe without a shoutout of a doubt. That's my guy. No, there's a corner with a shadow.
There are two of them.
Yeah, are you hurt? Okay, So we talked about reliable. He said, it's not a reliable option safety. I don't know if there's a reliable option a corner.
I would love to say that Darron Blane get back back to prime form. I would love to say he'll be durable. He might had consistent issues with that foot.
That is.
Don't disagree now, so as we have this conversation, because Kyle rightfully so he likes to point out the date that we're having this conversation. So March third, twenty twenty six. Dron Bland has durability issues with that foot as a cornerback. I agree that is concerned. That is Savonevel has yet to have a full off season that we've seen the potential, especially under Christian Parker and Ryan Smith and Derek Anstley.
The potential is there, but hope is not a strategy. Okay, So we're hoping Revel can get a year or two jump. We're hoping de Ron Bland can stay durable. Ready Stewart's exclusive, right, So let's say they keep Ready in the building. But at corner, what else are you really working with at safety? Who's your cover safety? Thank you? No, no, no, I'm not No, I'm in the corner. I'm trying to figure out if pick anybody can try. I'm trying to figure
out up and cover the safeties. I need somebody to walk up and put their hands on the tight end. Elijah Clark till hit you. We'll see you got to. I have concerns about one year Thomas that safety as well, because the migraines. We need to know that the migraines are behind him, you know. And he's a restricted free agent. So here you negotiate with other teams as well, and the Cowboys can match that offer. But we're not saying safety is not a top need. Oh, I know you
put that. That's the part actually in the bracket when you put safety versus corner bag. I also do think they do wrong. But what's making it harder on the safeties is that your cornerbacks have been struggling, right, So the guys are getting past your cornerbacks, and now your safeties don't pass rush to strap what's going on. And now it's too late because now it's like, no matter what hurts, but my thing is like, no matter what safety you name, you're you're not. You're gonna have bubble
guts about them. That's that's my thing. There's not one safe that you can name that you say I feel good about them.
I feel the same about corner. That's that's what I'm saying. And that's what that's where there's a spo even when healthy.
I'm looking at it. Understand you guys are looking at the injury when healthy position group versus position group. Yeah, I have bubble guts about the safeties, you know what.
I see what you're saying here, and I agree with that factor. But in my head, I'm thinking I would rather have healthy bodies.
Then absolutely, I would rather have your safety cover And also shouts out they play man. Can they play his own No?
Probably not, But it's it's understand some saying, so what are your safeties doing that you guys feel good about not selecting them?
Number one, as it stands right now, you have your two starting corners, two starting boundary corners as we speak in this conversation right now, can your backup guys aboudy ability? Can your backup guys plays own defense? Your corners name me backup corners. Don't I'm saying a bad about Ready Stewart out there. I mean, you got alive out there, you got Kevin Carson, All those guys can play zone. I could teach those guys to play his own. Can you teach the safety that it plays on? Didn't you
want to move Stewart to safety to safety? Absolutely? But right now, as of right now, he's a corner as we sit on right now. Yeah, yeah, you know what I'm saying. There is no safety that you feel confident putting on the field and saying play ball. Get a man or zone? All right.
So here's how we're going to settle this. Since we're split in the table to to in the chat, give us your vote safety corner, Which is the biggest need safety or corner? I'll decide that on the other side of the break will count up the votes when we come back the championship. Who is the biggest need linebacker or edge rusher?
And are they kind of one and the same. When we come back on talking Cowboys at at and T.
We guarantee our network so you can talk college football with your bff while taking Buster to the vet.
Hey, yeah, I can't believiate the whole thing of chicken wings, and I can't believe we're staging a comeback to your stress.
Staying connected matters.
That's why, in the rare event of a network outage, you'll automatically get a bill credit for a full day's service for wireless Downtown lasting sixty minutes and more. Cause by single incident impacting ten more towers must be connected to impact towern't set about it. Restrictions and exclusions apply. Se eet dot com slash guarantee for full details.
Cowboys fans, We've got big news. Black Rifle Energy is now available at Texas seven eleven stores, and for a limited time, you can score two cans for just six dollars at participating locations. These cans pack a serious punch, two hundred milligrams of caffeine, veteran crafted flavor, and the clean energy you need to power through those long days.
So the next time you roll into your neighborhood seven eleven here in Texas, grab that two for six dollars Black Rifle Energy deal and fuel up the American Way. Black Rifle Coffee America's coffee.
If you shout, how about them, Cowboys, you have that undeniable passion that's the heart of Cowboys Nation, And if you like to drink Doctor Pepper, you love the unique blend of its twenty three flavors. Together, you're one of a kind fandom paired with the one of a kind taste of a delicious ice cold Doctor Pepper is the game day lineup that can't.
Be beat better.
Yet, Gather your Cowboys and Doctor Pepper fan friends to watch the next game and crack open a delicious ice cold Doctor Pepper for everyone.
The wins will be even taste here.
It's a pepper thing.
It's the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys, Jack Black, and right now Cowboys fans can get fifteen percent off their seventy five dollars order, plus because every deal needs a playmaker, your order will include a free five piece skincare set and free shipping. The Jack Black Playmaker is four of Jack's favorites and a full sized intense therapy lipball. Make a play for the playmaker at Getjack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP.
That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP to Talking Cowboys.
Back.
You're on Talking Cowboys presented by a Black Rifle Coffee Company. Back with Patrick Nosey Walker, Josh Rodriguez, Isaiah stand Back, Chris Beam in the back of Kyle Yeoman's all right, we have our official count. I am stopping the votes by a score of fourteen to six. Safety moves on. I don't disagree.
I really do not nothing, John Snow.
I think safety is a massive need, and I agree with every point that you make. I think, just for myself, I think corner is such a question mark, and.
I think it's close. Yeah, you know, you know how I feel about corners. You gotta have some corners, but at least have some guys that you can say, okay, go out there, plays on, right, Like, at the very least, plays on. I know you can't cut, I know you can't get out the break all just plays on. Just sit there in your little five yard box. Safeties or don't they don't have that. They don't have a five yard box. They got to cover a lot more than that, right.
So these guys that you saw this past year, it was told me on Friday he was like cornerback though he was like there's no Wi Fi. Yeah, he's like, you're on an island.
So yeah, question though, and this kind of a loose to what you said earlier about safety is not being a big asset and free agency currently like, yeah, there's not a it's so is it something to where you can a lot of the middle of the pass a corner and free agency and then wait for the draft for safety?
Yes? Yeah, absolutely, safety.
It's kind of a blanket, say, because we don't know who's going to be available to.
Pick the I don't think they're gonna wait for the draft for safety.
They're gonna have to get somebody.
I think they'll grab a safety and they think they'll grab their safety before that dot com dot com yesterday literally my open market series focused on safeties. I have several safeties that you, guys and gals, I want to take a look at. What I'm saying is this crop of free agency safeties there's maybe one that's above and beyond two tops. The rest are all kind of conglomerated into the middle. I think I think they grab you will kind of like in the seven million dollar range.
I think they grab one of those in free agency. Yeah, I think we all know the one that they're most likely going to. We feel like this, who is that rap? And then they're I think they're gonna draft one. I'm trying to read between your lunes. Is there one that's I don't know, but I think they're then the draft one?
All right, we got a championship game. Yeah, we gotta go linebacker and edge edge?
Well, what do you lie outside or backer?
That's that's my question. Linebacker, linebacker, linebacker, line backer.
That kind of outsounds both now right outside line, Yeah, it's kind of both.
It kind of now, it's kind of one.
No, put inside linebacker, outside inside, it's like bugs and daff dunk season, rapid season outside linebacker. If you don't you you could not. Who's your commander in chief? Who's your commandal chief on the edge? I understand that, But to that point, is it more you who's your green dot? Who's who's your guy that they're scheming against on the edge? As we have this conversation March third, twenty twenty six.
Rushing the passer, getting home not just pressuring pressures are great, but also getting home against the passer, which is something the Cowboys struggled mightily to do. That is going to dictate how your linebackers can play, how your corners can play, how your safeties can play. And right now you have a high upside guy in Donovan Nezraku who's coming off of laboring surgery. You have a guy in Mary Cliophile that you need to transition to a whole new position.
And then hear what else you got? I agree, I agree how the personnel, the lack of personnel's outside line, but at least an inside linebacker. You got a promising guy Shamar James tomorrow and overshowing if he remains available, kaboom, and then you can mix in a guy like Justin Barron, and then you can still address the position. You were just talking about it after the quarters.
You were just talking about health issues on the cornerbacks and how that would make it a bigger need. You don't have a solidified the Marvin overshown as far as you.
Know, that's right, okay, So using that logic, let's pluck him out and I still say it.
Tomorrow, Ve shows coming off of hip surgery to mar.
No breaking.
I promise that's not I meant, Donovan.
There you go, I do.
I can get.
Shown out. But then that's a wash by the fact that as Rock was coming off of labor surgery. So I know we gotta get out. I will get on board with Edge, but I believe wholeheartedly that the first person that we signed will be a middle linebacker.
I'm okay with that.
Yes, I was literally just about to say that, like, I think the priority is going to be linebacker in free agency and not edge.
And then take a trip to Miami for your edge rusher. Now we're cooking, we're Vegas.
All right. That does it for us? Here on talking lots of fun. Our bracket is filled out. So is it Edge? Is that the winner? Edge? Edge wins? Did you have line look at come on over?
Sure?
Okay, so edge wins.
So it's edge linebacker's your safety, corner, offensive tackle, wide receiver, interior, offensive line, tight end. That's how it filled out. I hope you had fun with it. It's March madness. We'll be back next week. It'll be one day after the legal tampers.
All right, let's.
All right for Patrick No see Walker, Josh Rodriguez for Isaiah stand back.
I'm Kyle Yomas for Chris Beham in the back. We'll talk to you next week in the legal tampering period. So long from Talking Cowboys.
It's been a production of dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.