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This He's Talking Cowboys Training live from Dallas Cowboys Training Camp in Oxnard, Caliso.
Street, sextown, six seconds, got ten, twenty Today, Texdown.
And now your hosts Isaiah Stanback, Nick Harris, John Mashoda, and Kyle Yeomans.
For the first time in the twenty twenty three season, we welcome you to Talking Cowboys, presented by Black Rifle Coffee Company. We are on site here in Oxnard, California for training Camp twenty twenty three. We've got some new players to talk about. We've got some new hosts to talk about as well. I'm Kyle Yeomans back here for what is now going to be my fourth season on Talking Cowboys, which is crazy for me to say, because I still feel like the newbie sometimes around these parts.
We've got Nick Harris, who's going into season number one, but you've been on the show a couple times before. We got Chris Beam in the back who's been here forever. But I do want to welcome to the show for the first time ever, mister John Machoda from the athletic. What's going on?
John not Man living the dream?
I don't know that there's anybody that loves coming out here more than I do. You might love it as much, but I don't know that anybody loves it more than I do.
What's your favorite part about being out here?
I should say the weather, but for me, it's really the social media because the policies that they allow out here are a lot better, so being able to post videos and things like that, that's probably my actual favorite part. But I mean, yeah, obviously this weather is incredible, and I love that they come out here for that, but I love the social media aspect.
Is what year is this for you?
That's a good question.
So I didn't get hired full time until twenty fourteen, but I was coming out to camp. I started coming out to camp in twenty eleven, but it was like one of those things I was at the Dale's Morey News, yeah, where I would only come out for like maybe a week, and then after I obviously got hired full time, then it was you know, the entire camp and every home and road game.
So every year since twenty fourteen, I'd say, yeah, that's awesome.
Nick, So I mean, this is your first camp, first impression.
So far, it's been fantastic. I will say the weather, it's fantastic. It's a much different, much different ray than what we get in Dallas. But yeah, it's been fun so far. Hasn't been short of any drama, and I feel like I'm getting the full experience so far.
That's the that's the tease of all teases. It hasn't been short of drama already. We've got some things to talk about but before so, I mean, this is a bit of a switch up of course for those of you who normally tune into Talking Cowboys. We will not have Patrick Walker on the show this year, and he makes the jump to the break and congrats to Pat for that and really excited to see him continue to
grow in his role at Dallas Cowboys dot Com. We still love Patrick and he's already told me today he was like, I'm gonna pull a Nate Newton and just pop in randomly, which is what ends up happening from time to time when we're at the Star and I'm sure Nate will probably do while we're out here as well. We will have Isaiah Standback on the show throughout training camp. He should get here this weekend, and so that'll be
a lot of fun going into next week. We'll have John on for every episode during training camp, and then of course Nick is on full time when we get back as well. But I want to start with getting to know you guys a little bit more. So I want to a quick ten second resume, and then what was the biggest thing you did this summer going into training camp? Not football related? I want I want to I want to know what John did this summer.
For me, probably the best thing was I went back to Michigan. I'm from right outside Detroit Warren, Michigan, and uh that's kind of the area where Eminem's from, and so I was back up there and some friends wanted to go to this at cheering concert at Forkfield, and during the concert, Eminem came out and did a couple of songs. So he hasn't toured in a while, and I'm a big fan and that was a surprise.
So I'd say, that's probably, you know, the coolest thing.
And then when I got down here, though, I got I got down here last Thursday, usually try and come in a few days early, and went to an Angels game, So I saw Otani pitch and so that was that was cool too.
But yeah, big baseball guy.
Uh, it's it's third.
There's clearly like, like my favorite sport to play has always been basketball, but the cover it's football, and it's not even close. But football and basketball are the top two, but baseball is third, but there's a big drop off to anything else. So there's kind of like that core three.
But even if I wasn't a huge baseball fan of just the whole Otani pitching and playing at a ridiculous level, it's incredible that I just it's like kind of like the Steph Curry thing, like I don't I is that really going to change the game to where like you never you know, all these guys are gonna start doing You've got to be really good to be able to do that. How many guys are gonna be able to pitch and hit an elite level? So I just kind of feel like it's a rare time for that.
So it's a spectacle. That's that's the best way to put him.
Yeah, So and you're with the athletic now, you talked about not being full time until tw twenty fourteen, how did you kind of get into the business and how did you end up.
At the athletic so being I grew up a Detroit sports fan and in uh I graduated high school two thousand, but I didn't really know what I wanted to do professionally after that. I actually went to community college and got my associate's degree in law enforcement.
I thought I was gonna be a police officer.
And then when that was finishing up, the Pistons were starting to roll and that's like three zero four to oh five ish there, and I was like, I just couldn't consume enough about the team, and I was like, man, that would be such a fun job to cover a team. And so I ended up going to Wayne State in Detroit, and a lot of this stuff I got the community college stuff didn't transfer over school wise, so it was like starting over. So I was kind of behind. You know,
your friends are all graduating at different times. But it was the best decision I ever made, because my dream was to cover like the Tigers, Allions or Pistons. I never thought i'd get a chance to cover the Dallas Cowboys. So an editor of mine, when I was a freelance at a Detroit Free Press. He got a job of the Dallas Morning News, and so he called me one day and was like, hey, if you're willing to come down here, I don't have anything full time, but you know I can find work for you for sure.
And that was great.
That was in twenty eleven and the Rangers were rolling the MAVs obviously won the championship. You know, there's just a lot of and then the Cowboys are always of interest. So I got to go out to Valley Ranch and really was I always say it was like a drug, you know, Like I was like, I just want to cover the cowboys, like I love to being around.
I love the interest of it.
And I was at that in my mind, I was like, I'm just going to keep showing up until eventually somebody hires me full time, you know. And that, thankfully to Derek Eagleton d Elle's Cowboys. They offered me a job to cover the team for the for the website. And when that happened, the Dallasmore News was like, no, no, no, no, we'll hire you full time hire and so that it helped me obviously. So and then in twenty nineteen I ended up going to the athletic and been having a blast there ever since.
That's awesome and you do great work. I mean I've always followed John, even whenever I was in small market radio. I was on ESPN Central Texas. You were on our morning show. Almost every week. I would hit up John. I'd be like, listen, John, I need you on the show. We got to get you some cowboys talk, so had It's great to be able to kind of work with you on air. We've worked behind the scenes quite a bit, but on air is gonna be a whole new level. And I think it's gonna be great for this show,
and I'm excited about it. And then I'm excited to see what Nick Harris has in store for us this year. I've told people, Yeah, I've told people this before, but and Nick and I go back pretty far too, but nobody has seen the swag that Nick Harris has yet. Like it's just barely scratching. Honestly, both of these guys. I'm looking at the shoes. Both of you guys got
great shoe game. But Nick, I mean, tell me what you did this summer and what you're most looking forward to going into this training camp.
I would say my one highlight from the summer non football related. Took a New York trip with one of my roommates and I had a fantastic time out there. It was a couple of weeks and you know, watch some baseball, went and saw the old Polo grounds where it used to be. Now it's just a section eight up complex, but it was cool to kind of take in taking that aura, saw massive square garden, you know, did all the New York things, and then uh caught COVID on my way back.
So it was it was a fantastic time.
Obviously, and I had my wallet stolen, had my wallet stolen out there too.
It was just highlight.
Was the highlight of my summer exactly, but never did I was. I got my license. I had had to request a new license. Unfortunately I got it the day before the charter left, and if I didn't, it was going to be we're going to figure out some things. But fortunately, exactly right, I was gonna be hiding in your luggage.
Yeah, I had an extra bag. I got screened, So yeah, that wouldn't have worked out. That wouldn't have worked out this time. But that's awesome, very nice. It was that your first time going to New York.
No, it wasn't, but it was my first time spending that much time there and really soaking it in.
So yeah, that's awesome. Yeah are you going back? Oh?
Absolutely absolutely? Yeah I had too much.
Yeah, beamer is is, Yeah, you might have lost game one, maybe game two will go better for you, exactly.
It's it's gonna be funny though, like when when the not to call it any names of the older sports writers that cover this team, but like thinking of that, like so that you know that game, it's you know it's actually in New Jersey, and I just find it funny how there's some people on this beat that don't try to go to New York every time, like I always am, like when I get tired of like trying to go to New York when we go there, for like especially that year when they played the Giants and
Jets both in Jersey, I was like, well, I got to go over there, like I saw like earlier in the day before they play that the Giants to open it. The Yankees have a home game, and there's part of me that's like, man, I should try and make it over there.
I don't know if it's doable.
But yeah, I just always try and get over there for I don't know that i'd want to live there, but ye, visiting.
Is great, absolutely, I agree.
I agree. I'm with you.
Just walking around it's it's incredibly fast paced and if you can keep up, it's fun. But as far as living there, I'd have to I'd have to think about it. It had to be a hard thought, it would have.
To be a big, big opportunity to make make that.
The best way that I just I could explain to somebody the very first time I ever went there, when I got off of the say, I felt like you were in a car merging into traffic, trying to start walking with people. All right, are we getting in? Are we getting okay? Yeah, got to make.
A signal get in there. Yeah.
I spent my freshman year at Allen High School, and if anyone's familiar with Alan and how many kids they try to jam pack into those hallways, they gave me a lot of PTSD walking off that subway for the first time.
So that was that was the best way I could explain it.
I don't even want to really imagine that. Honestly, that sounds terrible. Speaking of New York, I guess that leads into my biggest thing this summer, got married. Of course, we talked about that on talking Cowboys before. I told my wife Lorena. As we were leaving, I told her I was She was like, the first thing you need to say on har is that you love me. And I was like, okay, I will. I'll tell you so. I love you, Lorena. Here you go. So now that
that's out of the way, let's talk some cowboys. Let's definitely do that real quickly. First impressions from practice number one. We'll take a break here in a minute. We might continue this conversation. But John, when you were looking at practice yesterday, definitely a lot to take in. I felt like they didn't waste any time. They only have the twelve practice sessions, ten of which are padded, and certainly practice one was right off to a hot start.
Yeah, and there's a part of me that I wish coach wouldn't do that, because again, I love the social media aspect, and when they were doing something tempost stuff, it's like, I don't have enough time to tweet these videos down and get to the next one. I get I get there doing it for conditionings, I wish he would care a little bit more.
About about your tweeting. The engagement needs to be there.
The two things that that's most to me would be one is that the semi fojoco tip pass that eric'scotted up intercepting. And only reason why that stands out is because that was an issue last year. So if you see it, you can kind of be like, oh, is this gonna happen all over again? Which it's just one practice,
it's not that big of a deal. But you know, we tend to in our business sometimes overrate things, no doubt, and speaking of that, like and I don't want to oversell this because that is such a training camp thing to over sell wide receiver. But I just I really thought Jalen Tolbert looked good, Like he just looked like he was really sure of himself, was in the right spots, like uh, you know, made the catches that they were
there to make. And you know, obviously a lot of eyes are going to be on him during this camp, and I just thought he had a really great start first day.
It's huge.
Yeah, I think Jaylen Tolbert was probably the biggest standout just because of what he had to face. Last year both mentally and on the field, and this season you can really tell that he's starting to find that extra gear and find that extra switch building chemistry with Dak Prescott both on and off the field. And you know, we were able to see that early on, and seeing that early on can only give you.
Hope about what's to come.
So I actually wrote about it in one of my practice points yesterday on Dallas Cowboys dot Com.
Y'all can go check that out.
But the receiver group overall just had a fantastic day yesterday, Like even Simmy Fooco aside from that one tipped pass, he had a good day. It was just very unfortunate that his worst moment was probably the team's worst moment yesterday.
The thing I always had problems with that too, not problems, but it just you kind of have to adjust to is like, Okay, so do you sit there and talk about how bad of a play that was or then you got the Eric Scott side of it.
That's obviously a big play for absolutely a.
Young corner to make, so you want to be sure, you know, I mean, you got to be in the right place at the right time.
And he's the guy that has been doing that.
That was such an interesting play because I agree there's almost three levels to it is interception. Of course, that's a quarterback stat and everybody's been looking at that quarterback stat, especially with Dak Prescott this offseason. Fifteen interceptions last year. It's been a notable talking point and it should be based off of the year, and Dak would even say so that he had in twenty twenty two. But it was a good throw from Dak. So the next storyline
is semi Fojoko, why didn't you catch it? It's a drop, It's a tipped ball that ended up going up into the air. If you're gonna drop it, at least drop it toward the ground and at least try and make some sort of effort to not allow it to be intercepted. And Dak, even with the trip out to the East Coast and to even have that mentality he's talking about, I don't want to have tipped interceptions. I don't want to have that thing in the air, that ball in
the air after it hits my receiver's hand. So you're trying to get on the same page, why does that not happen in that specific moment? And then The third storyline would be Eric Scott Junior, young corner who a lot of people have their eyes on as well because they traded up to go get him. You saw what dron Bland did last year in the same scenario as a day three mid major cornerback that comes in and has an impact and ended up leading the team in
interceptions after a great camp. Eric Scott Junior's got a little bit of that expectation too. So there's three ways to look at it, and I think really the fourth way would just be let's not overseell this thing. Let's not get too carried away, because I mean, it was a great throw. Simmy had a better day outside of that that most people will talk about. And then on the third aspect of it, Eric Scott Junior had a PBu two plays later where he broke a pass away.
I believe it was dirt and that he broke a pass up with So I mean, overall, all three of those guys had solid days yesterday to start things off. Now, I do want to talk more about Jalen Tolbert, so when we come back on the other side of the break, Tolbert as one of the leading at least attention getters
here in the early parts of camp. Is this too early to say he's in the lead for that wide receiver four spot or could he potentially just be getting started as a former top one hundred pick when we come back with more talking cowboys.
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dot com to find a location near you. To Talking Cowboys.
Welcome back to Talking Cowboys. You can go get a free workout in the in during the summer sweat sessions at the Star powered by Cowboys Fit. Come out for a cardio dance party on Wednesday, August second. That sounds right up John's Alley from six to seven pm outside on Tostitos Championship Plaza. Visit the Star District dot com slash events for more info the summer sweat sessions. That actually a dance party sounds nice. They should have that out here.
I had a summer sweat session yesterday. I wore dress pants and it was eighty two degrees. I was told there would be a breeze. That did not happen.
You wore dress bands.
I did.
It was in a black shirt.
It was it was tough work yesterday. If you see me on training Camp Live, I was I was battling hot.
I was battling.
I love that because my very first training camp the exact same thing.
Here we are, here, we are.
I want to make sure I leave it today.
It's a completely different feel. And and for those of that are back in Texas that are laughing at us right now and they're like, you're not in a one hundred and four degree You're able to go outside and it doesn't feel like you're in a hair dryer. I agree. But it is still hot at times, especially the sun. If you want you want to ask anybody, consult my forehead on how hot it gets out here. It does
still get hot. I guarantee it all right. Speaking of getting hot, Jalen Tolbert seems to be getting hot at the right time. See what I did there, Nick the the the rookie year for Jalen Tolbert, no secret, it was underwhelming significantly, and I think for for everybody that was around him watching film once the draft happened, they expected him to come in and possibly be the number three receiver as a rookie, but John that didn't happen. Instead, he's he's taking a new approach. It seems like he
talked to Nick Eatman at the Senior Bowl. He had a great interview there, talked about how the mindset needs to change, and it looks like it has. But he's starting to show it in training camp already through is just one practice the same way he did in the summer. With OTA's and mini camp. I think he's he's on the right track to possibly take that number four spot. And as a former third round pick, do you think he has the edge? Yeah?
I do, and I think not only is he doing all the right things and saying all the right things, like this is with certain players, Like it's not like every single guy says the right thing, does the right thing, it's doing the right preparation. There's certain things that I'm not going to name any players' names over the years covering the team, but there's certain guys where you're just like, I wonder how serious this players even taking this. That's
not the case with Jalen told at all. And that goes back to you know, OTA's in mini camp, just when you're around him talking to him, and then obviously during that portion between that ending and then training camp starting. You see he's out there with Dak, he's working out, you know, as much as possible, trying to be you know, a sponge. And for me personally from what we do, I just really liked how he owned up to it,
you know that, Hey, it wasn't like trying to. There's just some guys that will try and act like it's all that you know, you guys are just hating them. It's like now, I mean it was there, you didn't really make that big of an impact, And he totally owned up to it. And so the mindset absolutely seems to be there. And again the way that he started out yesterday I just think is a great start for him. So yeah, absolutely, I think you know that number four
spot right now. I think it's up between you know, him and him and Simmi Filoko. And the other part of is that when you take a guy in the third round, you're gonna give that guy every opportunity to try and win that job.
Yeah.
Absolutely, And you you mentioned him just kind of finding a different level of maturity. I think that's that's probably what we see most whenever we talk to Jay Win Tolbert, That's what we hear most out of him, and you could tell it No tis for sure, you know he was on the same page. It seemed like he was talking to more guys in the offense and just another level of understanding. And I also think Mike McCarthy taking over his play caller kind of allowing him to just
reset completely. I think that really benefits him the most, just because of how disappointing his rookie season was.
And he would even tell you that.
So being able to come in with a fresh system, a fresh mindset, fully healthy, you know, getting on the same page with your quarterback, that can only help him. And after practice one he's the guy. So you know, as far as we can tell, he's the guy right now, What is.
Real What is a realistic expectation for for Tolvert specifically, because if he does win the wide receivers for spot, let's let's assume that he's in a rotation. I mean in an offense where there is Michael Gallup, there is Brandon Cooks, who, hey, he has been working with significantly and he's latched onto. Uh. That's what Brian Schottenheimer told
us and told the media after OTA's were over. But there's there's three names with Michael Gallup, Brandon Cooks and of course Ceedee Lamb that are going to get some some targets that are going to get that those reps. But if he does win that number four spot, does he need to be an impact player or what is that expectation there?
Well, if you say that those first three are going to stay completely healthy, then the expectations probably can be a little bit lower because just the touches aren't going to be there, the opportunities aren't going to be there. But I mean there's gonna be opportunities for him because even if let's say a guy isn't lost for you know, the season or something like that, there's gonna be times in games where a guy gets dinged up. And if you're that number four receiver in today's NFL, I mean
you got to be preparing like almost your starter. They're just gonna be so many opportunities there for you. So I mean, yeah, as they say here today, I mean they would love that. Yeah, you know, we need a Jalen, but we didn't need him a ton because those top three guys never got hurt. You know, That's yeah, you'd hope for that, but let's be realistic here.
It kind of reminds me of Cedric Wilson.
Wilson, Noah Brown. There's always been a guy that you know. And then the way the NFL keeps going, it's going in that direction. You need four or five quality wide receivers.
What's a good season for him and fifty fifteen hundred yards?
No, Wow, he'd be comeback Player of the Year exactly if he did something like that.
Yeah, that's a good question.
If he hits twenty receptions, I agree, honestly, and the yardist will come. I mean, if you have twenty receptions, you're probably gonna have two hundred something yards touchdowns, probably three or four touchdowns if he can make an impact from a reception standpoint, Because you also got to throw the tight ends into the mix as well. I mean, the expectations for this offense is they want to run the ball, But this is an offense then right now in terms of the talent is set up to throw
it for sure. I mean, you've got so many receivers, you have these young tight ends that you want to unleash at some point as well. He's gonna have to find those receptions somewhere. So I would think twenty twenty five receptions would be a solid year.
And of course it's that you know, people go back to that play in Green Bay. You know, you got to be in the right spot, can't line up off sides, things like that that you know, it has to be fundamentally sound. And if that happens, I think everything else kind of take care of itself.
Yeah, no lapses in discipline and just doing your job. I think that's that's all you can do as a wide receiver.
Four two.
Well, you also look at what he did last year. I mean he had what two receptions I think for twenty yards and nine yards that's what it was. Two receptions for nine yards. Siemi Fojoco had three receptions for
I think it was eighteen yards total. So either one of those guys bringing production to your offense as a whole is going to elevate things for for Dak Prescott and it We kind of talked about the defense a little bit earlier, but I think with this defense being as good as they are and with it being one of the tops in the NFL, a lot of eyes are on the offense to try and match that energy.
Do you do you have a specific expectation. I hate to keep asking about expectations, but do you haven't do you have some for the offense on what they could bring to the table to try and match what the defense has done these last two years. I mean, and maybe not even stats, but just in cleanliness with Mike McCarthy's play caller and Dak trying to take care of the football for sure.
I mean, changing stuff up as long as everyone's on the same page should benefit the entire offense. You know, obviously losing Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard stepping into that spot, there's gonna be a lot of questions about, you know, how he handles that and the success that he's able to have there. They're going to obviously run the run the football. But for me, I mean it's I know this sounds basic, but it really is just like, tell me if if they're how healthy they're going to be.
I mean that it's just such a big part of the NFL. Injuries are such a big part, and so you look at all these playmakers that they have, and you look at Dak Prescott, but really, at the end of the day, if you tell me that it's going to be musical chairs. Again on the offensive line, I don't understand how anybody can expect you to be, you know, the best offense or one of the top five offenses.
If you just constantly always have a new five that are out there, I think I think people would really be surprised at the trickle down that would come if you could have those same five starting for an extended period of time. Just how many other things that would open up? I mean, doing you wrong man covering Like those fourteen you know, sixteen teams, they had great offensive lines of like they still most for the most part,
they stayed relatively healthy. You were able to have some cohesion there, and so offensive line kind of gets thrown, you know, especially this time of year.
But yeah, the back.
But it's such a big key to it.
If you can tell me that they're going to have that five, I think everything else falls into place.
Is that your biggest area of concern, Nick, all terms of the offensive line, as far as the offense, in just as far as the roster and in a role because I think for me it would be mine. I would say so because I mean, of course Zach Martin not reporting, that's that's a huge deal. But that's gonna work itself out, you would hope at some point down the line. But the health, just the rotation that they've
had is not something that is conducive to winning. And Mike McCarthy's even said that significantly these last couple of years. So I think I look at it and I'm saying, okay, cornerback check. We feel really good about the death and the top end quarterbacks. Same thing with wide receiver running back, even without Ezekiel Elliott. I feel good about the running back room. But then you get to the offensive line and you got some questions. Yeah, and that's that's where I have a little bit of worry.
Me And you were talking about it yesterday. I think the key factor to the entire offense being able to succeed as Tyron Smith staying healthy, because if he gets hurt, then that throws everything in disarray. You know, you said, if Tyler Smith gets hurt, we feel like there's a guy that can come in and be that replacement and you know, not play up to the level of Tyler Smith, but be able to play left guard and be all right. Terrence Steele he went down last year, they were able
to figure it out. So Tyron Smith going down, that's when you start moving a lot of guys around, That's when you start, you know, getting dis rhythm. And I think that's that's gonna be the key factor here. He hasn't played a full season in a while. I don't think he's played more than ten games in a while as well, So just being able to keep him on the field, especially as the season goes on, that's gonna be really important.
I'm interested, John two. I mean, they got three guys you mentioned, all three of them, Terrence Steel, Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, that are all tackles first. I mean, that's where they're comfortable playing. I wonder if Terrence were to go down, or if Tyron goes down, if it just automatically sets off a domino reaction and then the only two guys that are set in stone are Tyler Biadash at center and Zach Martin at right guard whenever he returns. So, I mean, I think either way, if one of those
guys goes down anywhere, there might be some shifting in involved. Regardless.
Yeah, Terrence Steele going down would be interesting because, like, especially why we're out here right now, this is this is a big time a year for Matt will let's go, because if he can show, hey, you can count on him. Then if Terrence Steele was was you know, was missing time or you had to move some things around, you'd feel good about that. But if you have questions about, well, let's go, then that's where I think it goes back to what he said.
Then it's musical chairs.
Then Tyron Smith's going over to right, Tyler Smith's going out to laugh, you know, and.
You don't want that.
You want to be able to keep some continuity there. I mean, having all five healthy all season might be a little unrealistic, but at least have three or four.
You know, especially for a running game that's going to be you know, needing to get in that rhythm very early on behind Tony Pollard and being able to have the same front five up there, that's gonna help tremendously in that area.
Oh man, that offensive line worries me at times. I mean, because you have so much excitement around the guys that we're just talking about with with Jalen and even Michael Gallup, who's looked good in the short amount of time that we've seen him coming back from injury and having that fully healthy offseason. I think you need that offensive line to really step up and to be solid. Now, do you feel better about the depth at the offensive line
this year? You mentioned what Matt Will, let's go, Josh Balls getting snow it right guard, you feel better about the offensive line depth this time around that you did at the same point last year.
I don't think I do. I just need to. I just again, that's one of the good things about being out here.
And then the other part is just the preseason games that I know can be a beating for people sometimes, but there's just a lot of pieces on this team that have me looking forward to the preseason to get to see, you know, Josh Ball a little bit more in pads and Matt Will let's go guys like potentially playing with the ones because you're not gonna be throwing Tyronsmith out there in preseason games.
And I'm excited to see Awesome Richards. Yeah, because absolutely sure for somebody that I mean, we've we've talked a lot about, well, let's go in ball, but I think Awesome Richards as a draft pick, we kind of forget about him, and we will because they haven't put pads on, yet it's not significant enough to really say, Okay, these trenches are getting great work in They're they're mostly working
fundamental and footwork at the moment. But once they put the pads on, I hope he starts to shine and starts to take a stuff for me.
Keep given the benefit of doubt to Mike McCarthy too, because of the fact that, you know, if you're on Twitter, it seems like people want to write off Josh Ball or Matt I haven't seen anything right away, but like if you look at his track Mike McCarthy's track record in Green Pay, they found a lot of outstanding value in like the third or fifth rounds in the offensive line. So because of that, I'm just kind of in the heck. I mean, since he's been with the Cowboys that Darren
Steele was an undrafted guy. So because of this, I'm just like, you gotta be kind of patient, you know, like it could click for one of these guys and then all of a sudden you have a really good offensive lineman that you didn't have to you know, invest a ton in. But that's what that's been missing. They've been missing that piece to be able to step up. So maybe this is the off season or preseason whatever that, well, let's go or ball step up.
And I will say I I haven't seen much from him personally, but Steven Jones has talked up Chemii Dooga at least twice in a public see before, so you know that might be a name from the front office to keep an eye on.
Once we get pads on, I think we'll get a better idea too. It's so tough and even yesterday, absolutely there was one point when Mazzie Smith was on his on his backside at camp and it's like, Okay, everybody's looking at it. Everybody's looking at Mahazi. They're like, why is he on his back? Like there's no pads. Let's
let's not get carried away just yet. Yeah, he probably needs to stay up off the ground a little bit more, but as a first round nose tackle that's supposed to do that, I think he needs to get up a little bit. But man, I'm excited to see this offensive line fully healthy. Let's just let's put it out there in the air all season long. We're not gonna have a single injury. We're gonna make it work. Okay, we're
gonna we're gonna manifest this. But when we come back here on Talking Cowboys, we do need to talk about the guys who aren't healthy going into training camp, and we did have a couple injuries here on day one. Maybe some updates coming here in a minute with Mike McCarthy, but we'll talk about what we know when we return with more Talking Cowboys.
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Welcome back into Dear Doctor, the show where I answer life's questions with an ice cold can of doctor Pepper. Sheila, Let's hear from my next caller, would you, Dear Doctor.
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Welcome back to Talking Cowboys, presented by Black Rifle Coffee Company, the official coffee of the Dallas Cowboys. The schedule is set in. Limited tickets for the twenty three Dallas Cowboys season at AT and T Stadium are available now. Do not miss your chance to see your Cowboys live at AT and T when they host the NFC East rival Eagles, Giants, Commanders Plus the Jets, the Patriots, the Rams, the Seahawks,
and the Lions. Visit Dallas Cowboys dot com, slash tickets or seak geek dot com, the official ticketing provider of AT and T Stadium. Back here for the final segment of Talking Cowboys, episode one of the twenty three season. Excited to be back and I love doing the show every single year. Loved Talking to Cowboys Nation, and we've got John Mitchota, We've got Nick Harris. Our next show, we will have Isaiah Stanbacks. We're gonna have the full crew up here for the first time. I'm Kyle Yeomans,
and we did get to see practice number one. We're preparing for practice number two behind us, but we saw a pair of safeties go down for the Cowboys. Donovan Wilson, Israel Mukuamu, I mean John. Both of those guys were expected to do good things this year. Of course, Donovan Wilson got a brand new deal, excited to bring him back, and then all of a sudden he may miss some time. But overall, how does this impact the safety room with both of those guys leaving in day one?
Yeah, you don't want that, but I will say they're in a much better situation than they were three four years ago.
I wrote a story.
About how not not only did the Cowboys have like the lowest investment at the safety position in the division, it was the entire NFL. And so they are more equipped now than ever. This is the best safety group since I've covered the team, for sure, and so I mean, it sucks to lose those guys.
I think Donovan Wilson. It's being reported four.
To six weeks, so should be back for the opener, which is obviously that's the number one thing that you care about there, Mukuamu with the hamstring. I don't know the severity of that, but I just feel like they're kind of in a good spot because of Marquise Bell, who immediately jumped out in there and just you know, and talking to people.
They're just very high in Marquis Bell and what he can do.
And so because you have you known curse already back there and you have Malie Hooker, it just it sucks. But it's a position where they can afford it a little bit more than maybe some other positions. But yeah, I mean, this is the time of year when you just you hate to be out there watching practice. I know, you guys are doing a show live or next thing, you know, there's someone in the cart. You just never want to see the cart, you know, because you never know the severity of it.
You don't know if it's.
Something you know that could be just a couple of weeks, or it's something that ends the season. And so fortunately it doesn't sound like it's anything like that, but you don't want to lose anybody. Also, I need to add in there. We were just talking about this during one of the breaks, that this is the best that these practice fields have looked. So for anybody that's out there thinking like, oh, maybe it's just they're playing on some bad fields, that's not the case. I mean, these are
top shape. There's been some times I've been out here where I was like, man, it's kind of rough out here, especially after a first couple of practices. These are the best the fields have looked, and you would rather the guys be this time of year beyond grass too.
I heard a rumor, just a rumor, but apparently somebody came in from that does World Cup pitch the pitch for soccer. They come in and they've redone this whole field, and so I mean, for the most part, it's immaculate out there. We were, I mean, Nick Harris and I if you saw it on Cowboys stories on the Cowboys. Now, app we're playing playing catch baseball. Wise, we'll have to join us at some point. We'll get I got an
extra glove we brought it. Don't worry, you're good. But we were playing catch out there, and it's it's almost like a fair way or a green like it's incredibly taken care of. So I agree with you. I think that's a great point to add that these guys going down it's not because of the playing surface. It's it's
a legitimate thing. But also I'm sure for these players it's it's that security blanket for themselves personally saying okay, like we can be steady and where we're putting our feet and where we're doing this footwork and where we're going through these drills, because sometimes if you are on an uneven playing surface, you don't get that same level of work.
In I will say I think at least from the early impressions from these two injuries, I don't think either of them are going to carry into the season. So you know, getting getting experienced for these guys in the depth of that room that can only help, especially in the preseason.
You know, we might see a guy.
That plays all four quarters, so you know, a guy like Marquispell that this is gonna be very valuable experience for him and being able to step in and you know he's kind of a verstle defensive back anyway, so he could kind of fill in multiple spots and have that experience.
A lot of comparisons whenever he was picked up last year as a undrafted free agent, was Jayron Curse. I mean, he's got some size to him, He's above six foot, he's athletic, he can make the coverage plays like jay Ron can against tight ends. But can he come in and play that over the top safety look like we've seen from Donovan Wilson that enforce a role where he's able to come down into the box every now and again.
That's a good question. I think we got to find out a little bit more.
But yeah, he helped get every opportunity now because even when those guys come back, they're gonna be careful with them, sure, and so if you're well, you got to be loving this opportunity to run with the ones and get a chance to go against you know.
A really good wide receiver crew.
So, I mean, I don't know for sure, but he's gonna get ever opportunity to find out.
And there's a lot of defensive backs in this room that are versatile. I mean, that's what dan Quinn preaches, and I think being able to kind of play into that versatility as much as possible moving some guys that are more comfortable with Nickel and maybe get them some safety time. Again, it can only help in the long run.
With Donovan Wilson signing the new deal. And then you have Israel mcwhamoo, who of course is fighting for rotational purposes and fighting to try and stay on the roster and stay relevant, not that he was necessarily on the cut line. Who do you think needed this camp more? And I'll even throw in a couple extra names, a couple of Michigan guys, Jordan Lewis who will start the
season on pupp the Physically unable to perform list. And then you've got Luke Schoonmaker, the rookie second round pick at tight end who will start with the NFI and dealing with a foot injury. Out of those four players, Israel mcwamu, Donovan Wilson, j Jordan Lewis, and Luke Schoomaker who needed a full camp of work more to try and make an impact on this football.
Team, I think we might have the same answer. We'll let you go.
Yeah, for me, it's not even closed. It's Luke Schoonmaker, Okay, Yeah? Why is that just because you don't have Dalton Schultz anymore, and he if he's out there for every single thing and uh contributing and he's on the same page with Dak Prescott, he's got a chance to get a ton of playing time. And for the others, like for like Jordan Lewis, I just look at him as a guy that he's a veteran, Like it's kind of like the Zach Martin thing.
I understand, Like, you know when you show.
Up here and people like Zach Martin's not there, Like this guy's falling and I'm just kind of sitting there and like guys like when it matters, he'll be here.
It's not it's not just the money.
I feel like it's also his bond with this team and stuff like that, like when the when the games matter, he'll be here. Like So that's kind of how I feel about Jordan Lewis. He's a veteran and and everything will He'll figure everything out. But the Luke Scoomaker thing just makes me think of of Jalen Tolbert last year. You know, we we were in the OTAs in mini camp. He's dealing with I think was a foot.
Yeah, I think you had a little bit of a foot all.
Yeah, and just I don't know when you're a rookie like that, especially in the spot where like you can come in right away and possible win a starting job, you know that that that's a little bit of alarming. And then there's a little bit of an injury history there too with him. And then I also think just because of the style that he is coming from playing in college, that he translates that if he's out here, I think he could hit the ground running.
So that's very valid.
But I feel like the leash is a lot longer for Luke just because obviously he's coming in as a rookie, whereas Jordan Lewis, I feel like that leash is much much shorter. You know, Dern Bland came in last year, wow, wowed everybody, and you know, now now there's a competition there and you know Jordan needs to it needs to
be on the field showing, showing his value. So my answer would be Jordan Lewis just because I feel like there's a sense of urgency there now, whereas with Schoonmaker, I don't feel like the urgency really needs to be there necessarily granted being able to come in rookie and win a starting job. Definitely, that would be fantastic for him. And this is his best opportunity to do that, and the earlier he can get on the field is the best way he can.
So do you think Jordan Lewis, I mean, with the addition of Bland into the mix, and then I mean there's no Anthony Brown at training camp this year either you bring in another corner in Eric Scott Junior, you think he's at least on that that watch of I need to be on the practice field to make this team.
And to talking about Jordan Lewis, yeah, I think as far as making the team, it's just as far as you know, if Deron Bland gets that starting nod week one and he picks up right where he left off last year, why.
Do you fix it if it's not broken?
You know?
So I think that's kind of how you look at it from a coaching staff perspective. I don't think his roster spots in jeopardy by any means, but his his starting job's definitely in jeopardy.
And John, you talked about well Scoot Luke scooonmaker and getting off to a hot start. I mean if he's if he's fighting for a starting job against Jake Ferguson and Peyton Endershot, that's one thing, But it sounds like from a veteran standpoint, Jordan Lewis coming in, he's fighting for a starting spot with a younger player than he is, and so it's kind of an interesting one too. One of them is the rookie trying to establish himself, the other one is the veteran trying to stay established. So
both of the answers are certainly valid. I'm I'm kind of torn in in the middle of it, though, because Jordan Lewis, if he were playing at the level of Trayvon Diggs, that's one thing, and having a bit of an injury and then he's gonna be fine. He'll come back. That starting spots his no matter what. I don't know if you can necessarily say he was playing that level of football that at the point where he got hurt.
I know he got hurt on an interception, but yeah, going into it, it was kind of an interesting timing of the whole deal.
So I would probably feel a little bit different about that.
If let's say Dan Quinn took a head coaching job this past offseason, okay, but because he's back, I just he's been great with moving guys around, using him in different roles, and just with Jordan Lewis, I know that dan Quinn's a fan of his. The way that he's able to use him sometimes as a blitzer, I just find like, yeah, with obviously, if Bland keeps playing well, you're gonna have him out in the field. But I just I find it I feel like dan Quinn's going to find a way to get Jordan Lewis on the
field if he's healthy. He's a savvy veteran. He'll use him in some different packages. But no question what you said is I completely agree with on the around Blank keeps playing like that, you can't take him off the field and that will cut into Jordan Lewis's playing time absolutely.
But I don't know. Maybe maybe I'm just a bigger.
Jordan Lewis fan than others, but I think I just think he's he brings like intangibles that you know in the locker room on the field, and then he just can do a variety of things, not just as as a dB, but also you know, playing downhill and stuff like that.
So I think that they'll be some type of a role for him.
Yep, it'll be certainly interesting. Now before we wrap up on our first talking Cowboys will be back on Monday. By the way, nine am Pacific time, eleven am Central time, Isaiah will join us. I want you to give me one player to watch. One player you're watching on the field non starter in training camp. Then I want everybody that's listening to go and do their homework.
On It's funny because if they were about to be in pads. The very first person I was going to say was Mazi. Oh everybody, because doing these shows and writing stories about this team, it's your first round pick, and everybody.
Wants to know it was the first round pick, Like, what's the first round pick look like?
Well, when you don't have pads on, it's hard to really evaluate the defensive tackle. And then other part is that you were hoping that Zach Meyer would be out here going against him, and maybe that will eventually happen sooner than later. But of a non starter. I hate to just go back to Jalen Tolbert, but that's just a player that coming in. I just I've really wanted to see how he fits in because I think he can have a pretty big role. But yeah, for me,
it's on the offense. It's it's a it's a Jalen Tolbert, or it's any of those running backs behind Tony Poller.
Okay, yeah, absolute, I'm gonna give you one on each side of the ball, and both are rookies. I'm gonna start with Demarveon Overshown just because the linebacking corps.
I feel like there's an opportunity for him there.
He feels like there's an opportunity to start there coming out of training camp. So to Marveon Overshown, you know, he's he's got it. He's got it up here, and you know the coaches have loved what he's been able to bring to both the locker room and the field so far. So definitely a guy I'm keeping an eye on. And then I know I set it in our Camping Out podcast, But Jalen Moreno Cropper, I think that is a guy. By the end of training camp, we're gonna
start factoring into some conversations. So he's He's had a lot of production at Fresno State. Fresno State has obviously produced some fantastic receivers in the NFL.
I think I think he's going to be the next in line.
Yet.
Phenomenal Day one, Phenomenal Day one.
You checked the boxes on day one. Uh to get that done. By the way, Chris Beam had a phenomenal shot of in the end zone. It's on Dallas Cowboys social got all gamer in the back. He's not just a podcast man, he's a camera man too. He does it all. But yeah, no, it was a phenomenal, phenomenal catch, drag both feet, it was no question touchdown. We went under further review of Chris Beam's phenomenal shot. It was a grab. So uh yeah. Excited to see what jaylen
moreno Cropper. It seems like every year there's an undrafted free agent wide receiver that emerges. Last year Dennis Houston. This year might be jayalen moreno Cropper. I'm gonna stick with with who I said in the Camping Down podcast. Both of these guys had great day ones. Eric Scott Junior, who had the interception, had a couple of PBUs as
a rookie. I just think he has those intangibles. He has at that athleticism that Dan Quinn loves and I think even if he doesn't necessarily find his way into the corner rotation, I think he'll be an impact player on special teams and then on the offensive side. I'm looking at tight end John Stevens from Louisiana LAFIATT. He's an undrafted free agent. They call him stretch, and there's
two reasons for that. He's got some size he's above six y three, but then he's also he can stretch the field a little bit, so they call him stretch within the locker room. So keep an eye on John Stevens to see what he can do going into year number one. But that's gonna do it. For episode one of Talking Cowboys here in twenty twenty three, be sure to join us on Monday for our next episode. For John Machoda, Nick Harras, I'm Kyle Yellmis and for Chris
Beam running things in the back. We'll see you on Monday for more Talking Cowboys.
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