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Texdowns, and now your hosts Isaiah Standback, Nick Harris, John Mashoda, and Kyle Yeomans.
It's a Tuesday edition of Talking Cowboys presented by Black Rifle Coffee Company, live from the Star in Firstco, Texas in the s WBC studios. Welcome in, everybody as we get you ready for the NFL Draft coming up in
a couple of days. We've gotten losing notes to hit and we've got a whole lot more alongside Nick Harris, John Machoda, I'm Kyle Yeoman's jib Jazz is in the back, Jazmine Marshall running the board today for Chris Beam and then Isaiah, did you know that there's no weapons allowed in the building?
Are you?
Are you aware that you were not allowed to carry on site?
I thought Ota started.
That doesn't mean you can show up on a complete list.
Yeah, it's warm outside.
There's gonna be eighty eight degrees in like one hundred percent humidity today today.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm in a hoodie and genius, so that sounds good. It's not as bad.
You know, to talk to Alexa when you first wake up.
When I told it, when I pulled in the parking lot, he was out in that backfire parking lot just running with one of those parachutes behind him.
Oh nice, getting some work, trying to get a contract. Man, you're on the bands with Britain Brown, like working.
Through and the off season. My pocket is light. I'm trying to find some way to get something.
You said, you said the Cowboys aren't making any signings.
Maybe that means there's a duel sametime.
It's been opportune.
Need a little window to be cracked, that's all I need to get there. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Draft's not gonna fill them all.
We're gonna talk about maybe filling as much of those as possible. How was Cali? How was California?
It was a good experience, man, definitely blessed to have the opportunity. There's twenty five former and current guys, mostly current guys that were down there for the broadcast boot camp. It was literally a once in a lifetime opportunity where every executive in sports broadcasting was in one building, one room.
It was kind of crazy.
You know, we go to training camp and you know you might meet somebody from a big network and you know shake their hands like, oh that was cool, that was so and so it's like this is literally everybody in one room. So it was pretty awesome to be able to have that platform get feedback, you know, work on your craft, you know, get suggestions, get wisdom from
the literally the goats of the industry. So uh, definitely was able to get some gain some knowledge and bring it back here and try to continue working on the craft and pretty dope experience.
Did you get tied with anybody when you're out there?
I talked to.
Andy Dalton a lot. I talked to Chase Daniels a lot. Uh Homstead, that's a good one. Yeah, Raheemo Raheem was down there.
Yep.
I saw that picture of while you guys.
It was kind of like the picture that the owners meetings where they have all the coaches there and so like you always sit there and you're like, I'm gonna try and name everybody picture, and I mean there's a lot of it.
Was Cam Jordan there.
Cam was there, Okay, Yeah, he's just that.
Andy Dalton's letting the hair go out there, I know.
Yeah, he looks like an AI created person.
There's a lot of guys.
Honey Badger was there. Oh yeah, yeah, cool to chop it up with him. He's a kill cat.
But a lot of current guys, a lot of current guys, and then had some legends and worked with I saw like guys like Chris Myers was down there, Maria Taylor was down there working with us.
Chris Myers is a legend. Yeah, he doesn't get as much love as as some of the other broadcasters in the business, but I think he's tremendous.
Yeah, a lot of guys that you would have you would have fanned out on those.
Yeah, and I've got I mean throughout the years. Yeah, you've got to know a bunch of those because it's such a small world between play by play guys. But they have no idea who I am. I just know who they are and we've run into each other a couple of times. But really cool. I will say, just based off of the photos, you were the best dressed out of anybody during your on camera segment.
It looked great.
The pink suit was very nice. You still exactly three piece. We're not talking about just any any regular day. Also, you didn't look nearly as good as you do in the Cowboys set. Just so you know, don't go anywhere anytime soon.
I appreciate you.
We need you for pregame. J Yeah, I can't get it. You can't get out of here that easy. All right, let's get in some news and notes, Nick Harris, what's going.
On with the Cowboys recent so voluntary workouts started yesterday yesterday being Monday. A couple of notable emissions from workouts, Michael Parsons and Cedee Lamb, reports suggesting that Ceedee Lamb is potentially starting a holdout for a new contract. We'll see how that kind of comes to fruistion. I think it's interesting you look at the landscape of receivers right now, and this is starting to kind of be the expectation with these fifth year guys. So justin Jefferson didn't show
up yesterday. It was just reported this morning. He's not a fifth year guy. But Corland Sutton didn't show up yesterday to the Broncos of voluntary workouts. Now keyword voluntary, obviously, but whenever there is those reports being thrown around and then you look at Michael Parsons and it's like, that's not contract related. They were very adamant about that just being what his process is, and he did the same thing last year. Kind of takes his own training regimen.
I mean, it worked for him last year. I think he needs to find something that can get him more prepared for the longevity of the season, because I think I've talked about it a few times on the show, where he comes in those first ten games of the season is firing, but he needs to find something that kind of keeps him going through those seventeen eighteen nineteen games.
However many games you decided to play in a season, I guess before you get burnt out, right, But I think it'd be interesting to follow both of those as time goes on.
CD will be a fascinating one.
He's due for that seventeen million dollars fifth year option this year, but obviously worthy of a big time extension that can make him the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL. You know, justin Jefferson's in that same boat. I think Jamark Chase is in that same boat. You got T Higgins, who's gonna who's approaching playing on a franchise tag, So there's gonna be there's gonna be a
lot of moving around with this wide receiver market. We're finally starting to kind of see the chess game from from the receivers and it's starting to kind of come.
To a head there.
So we'll see there's a lot of time between now and training camp, but we'll kind of see how that, how that, how that coincides when time goes on.
So with all that being said, is there any level of I guess concern whenever it comes to Ceedland because it is the norm. This is not something that's unexpected from four and fifth year guys going into these contract years and the options that they get, especially if they were a first round pick.
Do you did you?
Is this something we expected moving forward?
Expected from CD if he didn't have a contract by now, Yeah, for sure, But I I don't. Yeah, it's an issue if they don't get something done. But I just don't see a lot of gray area here. It's you know, where he stacks up with the best receivers in the game, So that contract needs to get done. I completely understand him not being here, completely understand it, but that's there's nothing that's happening that they didn't know that. Hey, if we don't get a contract done with him by the time.
I mean, like I said, last week's show, Zach Martin showed you if you don't show up your training camp and you're a key piece, obviously that's a key part of it. You're not just gonna be some guy that's low but if you're a key piece like that, you're gonna get your money. They're not going to go into the season without you playing. They need you, you know, So I don't I don't think fans should take this as CD's not a good teammate or something like that. That's not what this is. I mean, he is held
up his end of the bargain. He deserves to be paid like one of the highest paid receivers in the league. I completely understand where he's coming from.
Speaking of held up, do you feel like this just because he's missing voluntary workouts? Do you think this is headed for a holdout at some point down the line. I mean, I know it can get there, but you expect that from CD Lamb.
I do not expect that from CD Lamb.
I think if this conversation transitions into Micah at some point, then yes, But CD, I don't foresee that happening. I just think it's a very interesting conversation when it comes to these contracts and guys holding out the year before their contracts up. Do we need to change contracts? Like if this is becoming the standard. You know, if you got a five year contract and a year four you're like, hey, yo, run me run it back, say like like this is your foe or five.
I don't or you know you're five of five. I don't know.
I just feel like conversations probably need to change in regards to contracts being at this is becoming the norm.
Not saying that it's bad on his part.
I just think that whatever the cowboy field his best, and whatever CD feels his best, for equal parties, that they need to do that.
But I do not foresee CD holding out.
I envision that being the case for Mike at some point in time, I truly do.
I could see him holding out a mandatory OTAs here. I mean we're approaching about a month out from that. I could see that. I could see that, but I mean, if we're talking about training camp.
Talking about trade, that's what I'm about. We're talking about Zach Martin level of holdown.
Part of me thinks he can and because that'll be his leverage and sure, but also at the on the same token, like you said, I think maybe you said John he's gonna play, He's he's going to be there, but I don't know training camp. I would kind of go fifty fifty but mandatory OTAs I don't think he's there.
I think it's beyond fifty percent. He won't be at training camp. I'd be surprised if he's at training camp if he doesn't have a contract down.
Do you think it's possible with the current situation that a deal is done before training camp? Yeah, early in training camp? Yeah, absolutely, even with the current soary.
I mean, it could be like the Digs thing where it happens right before camp starts, you know what I mean. You know, let's be honest. This offseason, there hasn't been a lot to be really excited about. Jerry Jones likes the fan base to be excited going into training camp. I could easily see something like that being done.
But when you say about the.
Contract thing like about the you know, four or five years coming after four I for me, I feel a little bit differently.
And I'm not saying everybod should feel this way.
Just if you're coming off of your this is your rookie contract, this is like your real big payday. Like I have no issue with any guys doing that. And to be honest with you, I judge things so differently.
And I don't know if it's just because of covering this team, but when you're one of that like top you know whatever, five to ten percent, I just there's so much more I allow, you know, there's just there's so much more that I'll put up with when your talent level is at at a certain level, just because let's be honest, at the end of the day, this is a business about winning football games and having the
best players. So it's where you get a trickle down to like, you know, some people that maybe aren't in that top five or ten. I think that's where you have like a real issue. But for this particular team with let's say, you know, like a Dak Prescott or Cdee Lamb, I don't have any issue with a business.
I'm less concerned about CD's situation, and I'm more concerned about Micah not being here this year in particular, not from the physical standpoint, but from just the mental aspect, especially with Zimmer coming in. I think that that's a good point, the missed opportunities for him to build a relationship with him, Not to say that he can't. Right
we're in twenty twenty four orders zoom. There's cell phones, FaceTime, you know, whatever else, you know, other methods of communication where they can connect, but having that in person connection where you're building a relationship with this new play caller who's going to be the one who's tasked with putting you in position to be successful and all the intricacies that come with what he's going to expect of you.
I think it's important for him to be around this year, this off season just because of what's on the line.
Does it matter to deal with the leadership? Do you guys care about that? That part of it?
Not with him, Not with him.
I think he's a again we're not in the locker room, but I think he's more of a lead by example type of guy in terms of his production play on the field. I play on the field, not necessarily the other things that go on in the locker room. I think you have d law in guys of that nature for that. But I do believe that there may be a hit that's taken by him not being here and being present and working with Zimmer and meeting with Zimmer on the regular and his new staff and everything.
That real quick off of that, what about two years from now, let's say de Law is not here, Michael gets the huge deal, highest paid defensive player in the game. Do you think he needs to be at all this stuff if that's the case.
I think it changes in that regard.
Yeah. Do you how much of the pressure is on Mike Zimmer in this scenario to make sure that that open communication is had and is met Because it takes two to communicate, no doubt. I mean, everybody that's married knows that one it takes two to communicate.
You're gonna be in trouble.
It's true.
It's true.
She would agree with me.
She's probably told me that in the past, and we've communicated. It's been great. But the it's the way that that that has to work out and work seamlessly going into training camp, going into this season, because you don't really have a whole lot of room for error anymore, especially if you're Mike Zimmer. Zimmer and your number one, especially if you're trying to stop the run, especially specially you're
Micha McCarthy. Even if you're Michael Parsons. You you can have a little bit of a room for error if you're Michael Persons. But you want that contract, You want to be the highest paid defensive player in the NFL, and in order to do that, he still has to produce and still has to be that guy.
I am watching this situation with my eyebrow raised. I really am MIKEA. Micah and Zimmer. Yeah, I am still in the belief that I believe in Zimmer as a productive defensive coordinator. I'm not convinced hit and as I stand on it today like I did before before when the hiring was going on, I'm not convinced that his style is going to work with this generation of player, and I'm just not convinced.
I have been on that.
I am waiting to see and I hope that it works out. I truly do big fan of obviously the Cowboys. I hope that it works out, but I have no evidence to show that that's going to work out, and when your best player is not present, it's really hard to build that bond during these months, right, You don't want to wait until August to try to figure that out.
You would like to have whatever.
Disputes and disagreements and understanding of personalities and how you guys communicate together, figure it out prior to training camp. Trying to figure that out at that time is going to be difficult. And again that's not to say that there's not other forms of communication, but there is something to be said. And I don't think anybody would dispute that with being in person and being able to walk over into somebody's office, sit down and have a conversation
with them. And I'm not sure that that's going to work. And I'm sure we'll talk about some of these guys' position changes and things of that nature. It sounds as if we're getting to three four territory, and we talked about that prior to him getting hired.
At this roster that.
He's coming into is not built for three to four at all. And the pieces that you lost this offseason, if you were going to enforce at three to four, you lost some very important elements and instrumental guys for the A three to four type system.
Hankins Durrance, I mean late and if he was still healthy.
So I am again I am watching this entire situation with my eyebrow raise, and I am curious as to how this thing's going to pan out. This draft, this the rest of this off season is going to be very intriguing to see what happens there.
I think draft will probably answer your question though, as far as scheme and where they could be headed there, depending on where they value certain positions on which days and things of that nature. When do they go get a defensive tackle, When do they go get a linebacker? If they do, if they go get another one, so if they go get another corner, I think that could probably tell you a little bit as well. But you talked about this this generational player and Mike Simmer having
to kind of relate with that. I think whenever you look at this defense, it very much resembles this generation.
Of player as well.
This defense specifically, it's a young defense overall. You do have d Law, a veteran. You got Eric Kendrick who's a veteran who will be coming in. But overall the mentality of that defense. It's a young core, so yeah, definitely gonna have to be able to relate with it and be able to coach it and have that respect be kind of reciprocated in the same sense.
It's funny you mentioned the NFL Draft. It's funny you missed positional values.
Yeah, what's that.
That's what we're going to talk about when we come back. We're gonna give you a little NFL Draft preview talk about some of the needs. Is an offensive lineman an absolute lock with the first round pick. We'll tell you when we come back 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.
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To Talking Cowboys.
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You got him in.
Last week when you were in Cali. You bragged about it. You brought in the guns. This morning, I did not Kyle disappointment. I know, I'm sorry, quacker oats. I do not have any rt RTGs.
I'm going to.
Bring just a box in here and see would you eat?
Is a RGG or what would be a rt E? What are you talking about?
I don't even know what you reference?
So like drinks, Like if you have like a energy drink, right, it's RTD so ready to drink?
Oh ready?
Yeah, so you got to RTG is a ready to go you know? Or you know RTE ready to eat? I mean, how would you categorize that?
Woud be an art?
It's so what did you eat?
John's more of an LTE guy I.
Have this morning? I had a banana.
I'm ann e b never eat breakfast.
Had a protein shake. I haven't had my fair share of breakfast today.
Like what are we talking about?
Like you wake up in the morning, first meal? Like what are we talking How many calories do you think you're putting back?
I don't count calories anymore, but usually it's like, for like my five am, I think this man is counting galaries, Like today's just seeing what's what's on the shoulder here? Today's my five am day where I have to be at work at five, So usually I get grab an apple, want to go. I drink like thirty two ounces of water within the first hour, hopefully, and then I get I get a shake in. That's usually like my first couple of hours, and then I try to find some food.
Yeah, I've got a couple of five ams coming coming my way pretty quickly.
You have a lot more than five ams.
Yeah, exactly? Two five thirty three. All right, let's talk about the NFL drafty seriously? Three thirty three?
Uh?
Is the offensive line position an absolute lock for first pick of the NFL draft? I hope so for your Dallas Cowboys. We haven't talked a lot of draft, but what we have talked about on this show is offensive line. That is, then you know number one concern early and often has that shifted at all for anybody?
No, I don't believe. So is it a lot? I would say it's probably eighty percent in my opinion. I think a scenario that you could see at not be offensive line is if you know a lot of those names come off the board quick, those top offensive line names, and they decide to trade back, and whenever they trade back, they lose even more names. Off that board and they end up falling off defensive tackle or a linebacker or
something like that. But I think there's probably an eighty percent chance they go ahead and grab an offensive lineman. I think the question that I'd kind of like to post to the table is if you could place one guy on this offensive line who could be a Day one starter, maybe not Tyler Smith production, but in that same raiment, in that same.
Stratosphere, would you rather have that a tackle, guarter?
Center? Mmmm?
That's a tough one. So like from the draft, yeah, just.
From a first trumpet or yeah, draft in general, I mean specifically for a trump pick, but draft in general.
Yeah, because you would expect it to be a first round pick for immediate production. But you're talking about what Tyler did in his rookie season.
Yeah, maybe not to that extent, but because.
I think expecting any first round pick to be an all pro? Right right? Asking for a lot? Is it possible? Absolutely?
This franchise is known to do it quite a bit, very good at it.
You guys think it's close.
I mean, I'm I'm thinking left tackle, but center is a problem. See, but center is still a problem.
Is recycle four years?
If they have to if you get a left tackle like the Tyler's are thinking, you got that guy for like ten to fifteen years. I think them one of the top probably three most important positions.
I agree with you, I think it's left tackle because that's a top three or four position in the NFL. But the amount of conversations that we've had on this show, specifically that is centered around the offensive line, has been more focused on the inadequacies at center than it was at a left tackle. Now, part of that is because there was Tyron Smith and he stayed healthy for at least the majority of the twenty twenty three season, But even when he went out and back and forth, I
still think we were talking about center. And also you still talking about wanting a long early center.
What's the longest tenured center that they've hadais for four years?
How long was Frederick three? Four years?
Yeah?
Yeah, and then you.
Go with Andre Gerard.
I mean, I mean seriously, like I'm trying to think the last time they've had like a center.
Yeah dreams here for a minute, interviewing him tomorrow.
Oh yeah, quick, quick flex.
Yeah, it's gonna be interesting for.
A deep blue nice But I think you also to that same point, you could have the left tackle in the building already. I mean, I am team Tyler Smith left guard. Yeah, but I mean I think I think there is a realistic argument to be made that he could be that left tackle for the long term.
You know.
Oh, I even think there's no usually made as much as people aren't gonna want to hear this, but I wouldn't be surprised if at right the correct the left tackle they really want isn't there and they end up moving Tyler Smith out to left tackle for a year and next year if depending on where their das, then they take the like I don't even if they, let's say, like this season upcoming Tyler Smith is their left tackle, that doesn't mean that I think that, oh well, no, that's just for he'll be.
Yeah.
I mean, when we were at the combine and Steven said the thing about the comp to Larry Allen, That's one of the first things I thought about is I'm like, oh, that I could see them doing that for a year where they put them back out there because the right player that they like didn't fall to him. Saying I'm not saying that isn't going to be their goal. I'm saying that being their fallback plan.
So they circle back on Calvin Banks next year. That's a good one, oh man, that would be fun.
Would high enough for that? No? Hopefully not, probably not.
Hopefully we're not high enough.
The original question you said though about the position, and you mentioned defensive tackle.
So I thought about this.
I feel like myself and a lot of people that follow this team probably lean towards the offensive line because there's been this success draftnes offensive lineman. You are confident when they take one in the first round. If you had that same confidence though about defensive tackle, let's just say just throw out Byron Murphy just for suple, Okay, if you knew he was going to be the man like, oh no, this is going to be one of these like top defense tackles in the league for like ten
years or something. You could talk me into that being the pick, no, no question, just but we haven't seen them use a high pick on a defensive tackle that's been that guy, And so you're kind of like, yeah, I don't know if that's the direction you go, But if you told me that the left tackle is gonna be really good, the defensive tackles can be really good. I'll be like, oh, no, give me the defensive tackle.
I know they can find that left tackle. Just it's been a long time, Like you talk about the center, going all the way back to Andrew Girard. Yeah, when's Les Saime, they've been a defensive tackle. You're like, no, no, no, that guy's gonna be here for like, you know, ten years, Like this is this is the guy that.
Hasn't been there for ever. I mean it's been a long long.
Time since his Murphy or anybody in this draft on that level. Do you think or could be on that level?
I think defensive tackle position specifically.
And then the thing about Murphy is he's a true three tech and the other first round defensive tackle is also a three tech, jers On Newton out of Illinois. So it's like, yeah, you could draft him, but how are you gonna get him on the field? Do you want him to play at one tech at two hundred ninety pounds, Like, I don't know, it'd be it'd be tough to sell.
But I would find somebody big because based upon what we're hearing in terms of this scheme, possible scheme was Zimmer.
You don't have that guy on your roster.
You don't have the beef at all at all. You might need to get two of them in the draft.
You need too.
You also need two offensive linemen, and you also need a running back, and you also need a receiver.
Yeah, so let's rank those.
Tier one needs. Let's rank these tier one.
And a dB okay, and a like oh, a couple of linebacker, a couple line you don't have enough draft picks.
Trade down anyways. The linebacker, offensive tackle, interior offensive line, defensive tackle, and running back. Those are five spots of need.
I counted six.
Sorry, linebacker, offensive tackle, interior offensive line, defensive tackle, running.
Okay, gotcha. Yeah I didn't put wide.
Receiver or anything like that. Yeah, rank those five needs. If you want to throw in a wild card, you can't but rank the needs one through five for the Cowboys right now, right now, line.
D he had he had offen. Interior offensive line is two different, two different ones.
So so give me a give me an old tackle, okay, okay, if it's there. Those are interchangeable, right based upon the scenario you just present it. Give me a left tackle, okay, give me a d tackle as give me a running back give me a linebacker, give me another.
Linecker, just the bodies there.
Yeah, I was especially if you're especially this is with my mindset of what I'm hearing in terms of guys going back to the original positions and things of that nature, and the word that Mike has been told that he's going to be a stand up deal.
That's three four. Yeah, that's three four.
That is okay.
If you're running a three four, you need eight linebackers on your roster.
And how many do you have?
You have two, you have three? Maybe four, you have three, you have three o O. Eric Kendricks, you got three? At least?
How many things fifty three I'm talking true traditional the ball linebackers.
How many think will be in the fifty three.
To five six five or six six you have to have you have to have six.
You don't think you can get one of those guys at least and undrafted rickey free agents you.
Very well may, you very well may. But I'm just saying that you have if you're running a three four scheme.
Coupled with the changes in special teams on kickoff, right, you're gonna use a lot of linebackers.
To talk about getting bigger at linebacker too special.
You have to, Yeah, you have to.
You're running a three four. You have three linemen spread across five offensive linemen. Yeah, linemen are getting up to linebackers. Now, if that's going to be the scheme, the primary scheme, not saying that's all they're going to run. If you're primarily running a three four defense, offensive guards are uncovered, they are working up. They're gonna chip on the on the nose tackle, and they're working up to your linebackers b two hundred and thirty five pounds.
If you want to, they're chipping you.
Yeah, you go lift you like a forklift.
If if they're running a three four is Mike could considered it a linebacker.
He's a stand up he's a stand up outside linebark.
So he would he be a part of your eight is what I'm asking.
Yes, So he would be.
He would be.
He would be classified as a linebacker who loved that conversation for negotiations, he would hate that.
Uh, Kendricks, Clark Parsons over shown. Hopefully there's four and then I mean outside of that, you've got like a mixture of guys You've got I can't believe Marquise Belt. You've got tyres We you's got Buddy Johnson too, Smallnessiliami Forjoco, He's a big, big body.
He's a stand up he could be there. He's a stand up man. He played it at San Jose State, outside linebacker.
San Jose, San Jose.
I'm thinking I'm mixing them in San Diego State, the yellow and Blue San Jose. Yeah, Spartans.
Yeah, so those are those are outside linebackers, but typically outside linebackers like do you wear was an outside linebacker.
Just to put that in context. Okay, when he first tired, he was that stand up defensive and AKA outside linebacker. Hmmm, I'm worried. I'm just being honest. I'm being straight. I'm being straight. No chaser. If that is going to be the primary system, I am concerned.
I'm really and.
I'm concerned about how Zimmer's going to affect his draft. What kind of pressure is he going to apply in that room, in the war room when these names start popping off the board.
The only thing I'll say about that is we have not seen this team draft. When Mike McCarthy is in the final year of his contract and he knows that
he needs help on this offense. So while I agree with you on that, I think anybody listening is don't think that that means that they're just going to be Hey, Zimmer's a new DC, Let's give him everything that he wants because they I think we're not the only ones that understand that they need offensive line help badly and that you're probably not going to find that outside of the first two days in terms of media to.
Help, you know. And it's interesting to think about that element to it as well. Well. The way that the hierarchy works. I mean, it's always been front office first, and I'm putting the scouting department and Will McLay in that front office category. Then you've got Mike McCarthy, who does have an impact on who they take. He does have a decision in that room, maybe not the final decision,
but a big contributing factor to that decision. Then you've had Dan Quinn who's also had a legitimate amount of opinion and input into that decision as well. Will Zimmer have that same level of input and will Mike McCarthy have that same level of input because he's saying the same thing, I need to win now, I need to draft guys that are NFL ready now because I've got one year left on my contract and I want to win as much as possible even with the current cap situation.
But when you're in the front office and you're looking at it as a long term deal, how much are they going to push away from that one year mindset and say we need to pick guys that are gonna be good for the long term.
Offense was just loaded and a bunch of guys are under contracts. I can see where you're coming from where they might be like, do it. I mean, we obviously we can handle another offensive weapon, but do we really need one. There's no way that anybody, let's say there's coaching staff's completely removed and it just just the scouting staff, front office.
There's no way you look at that offensive line and go, no, no, we can.
Just kind of patch this together with some duct tape in WD forty Like now, that's not happening.
They know that they need good point. You know some out there.
I don't want to get too far off track, but just because you said this, I have to ask you if somebody came to you and they were like, the roster's been completely clear, the coaching staff, everything's gone all we're doing number one thing, We're building around Michaeh Parsons. What do you think is the best defense for him? Because you're the way you're talking about the three four.
While it might not be fitting this personnel, to me, I'm the type of person of I need my best players in the best position to have success, and to me, Michah Parsons isn't going anywhere. So for you take everything out of it, forget the coaching staff, last year contract, everybody else that's on the team, what they have right now, it's just Michaeh Parsons is the only person and you're in charge of this entire organization. Where what's the best
way to utilize Michael Parsons. So, to like his point, you have him still playing his best later in the years and wrecking games at the highest level he possibly can do that.
It's a good question. I believe that.
I wouldn't want to say that the four to three and the three four are equal for him in terms of opportunity. The thing is, you want to get him isolated as much as possible. If you put Micah in a three four where he's standing up and coming off the edge. Yes, he has great matchups in terms of his ability to have those one on ones, but also there's a huge opportunity for them just to go to the opposite direction to run the ball right.
So like having him in a four to three, you you.
Would like to discourage them from running the rock right, and you have more guys to take up more blockers, they can't double team you as much.
So I like, I.
Personally like the four to three better for Micah, especially with the personnel that is currently on the roster. But I get your point in terms of having him standing up on the edge versus guys, But you could fan all you're gonna get as a fan call and a garden Attackle are going to turn and turn and go out to him, and the center is gonna turn to that to that defensive end that they have Supposedly, is it.
Really such thing as a true four to three and a true three four anymore in the NFL? I mean, I feel like every team runs a variable very much defense, a variable front that that ends up being multiple. But if if I'm saying the same thing, I'm saying the same thing as you as if there was a you're running four three or three four. I would rather have him as a four three because I think it benefits him and the other guys around him a little more. And you can hide him in a lot of that too.
Four to three staying on one edge or four to three like he's venues moving around back.
And forth, three both. Yeah.
I don't think if you're trying to utilize Micah in the right way, you're not gonna keep him in one spot. Like, that's just not how it works. He there are guys in the NFL where it works for them. I mean you think about guys like Bosas or TJ. Wide and how those guys work. They can work off of one Miles Garrett, one singular side and have success regardless. Micah's strength comes from his versatility.
Do you think that that's had any impact on maybe a little later in the season.
Yeah, I think exactly.
I think so.
Like I don't want to say burnt out because that was a key word towards the end of the season, but that's kind of what it looked like. You saw him get completely wiped out of games slate in the season.
Green Bay is a perfect example.
I think it really started to turn around the Seattle game. I think that's kind of when you started a good game, you kind of, yeah, it was. It's kind of when you quit noticing his impact on a quarter to quarter basis, because there's always one two plays every quarter where he's either getting in on the action or he's getting a sack, and that's when you started to see that kind of decline from there. Seattle game was kind of when it
started to get noticeable. So maybe a couple weeks before that, maybe a week or so after that, give or take.
But I think that very well could because.
You have him lining up in different directions, you have him going up against different body types, you have him taking on different kind of loads every week.
I think that definitely plays a part in it.
It.
Conditioning is going to be a huge factor going into this offseason for him, but also he did a lot of boxing work last offseason. He's got to do even more because at the end of the day, he is a smaller pass rusher and he's going to have to
take on bigger guys. He's always going to rely on his athleticism, But what happens when you can't rely on your athleticism, what are you going to do, and I haven't seen that kind of click for him yet in his three years now, so I need to see a little bit more of an element from him whenever someone can line up with him athletically like a Jordan Milatta has been able to do a couple of times, or you know, various left tackles as well.
I like it.
There's a lot of conversations that go into the draft pick in general, and I think all of these conversations are being had across the hall because it's not just a luck that it's an offensive lineman.
Early.
If let's say one of these top edge rushers is there and they're sitting at twenty four, maybe you have a conversation because you don't know what you have on the defensive side of the football right now, top defensive tackle, same thing, you don't know what you have. I think if I'm you said eighty percent, I think it's even more. I think i'd say like eighty five to ninety percent it's going to be an offensive tackle or an offensive lineman.
I'm just hatching, Yeah, you kind of have to use There's no such thing as a one hundred percent, No such thing as a one hundred changes draft. Yes, so keep that in mind, all right. When we come back, let's talk about some of the not so much needs. There's not a whole lot of them. I feel like you could probably address any position on this roster when we come back here on the Doubt or on Talking Cowboys.
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Nope. This segment is brought to you buy and Visiline the official smile of the Dallas Cowboy, and I want to remind you, of course, we are nine days away from the NFL Draft at Michigan. The Dallas Cowboys dot com Star magazine Draft guy Nick Harris contributes. I contributed. We've got Nick, Nick Eatman, We've got Patrick Walker, got so many different storylines. Grab your copy today. Print copies are available now, so if you try to go by your print copy, get your hard copy. And it wasn't
able to initially, it's available now. It's only ten bucks. Ten bucks is all it takes.
To get one of these you'll be the smartest guy in the draft room, one fat hundred smartest guy in the living room.
That's what we're here for. We do it in season, make you the smartest guy watching TV. And then now you've got Nick Harris.
Do a dog on A good job with that.
I appreciate.
It's actually it's it's a lot of work.
It is a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun and it's it's rewarding when you get to see it and hear all the stories of people reading it. If you did get your copy, by the way, send us a picture on Twitter. Go ahead and tweet it at us, show us that you have your copy and that you're supporting. All right. We haven't talked a ton of draft prospects, specifically more so about the needs and
the fits for this Dallas Cowboys team. I've got another hot topic question, when would be the earliest you could see Dallas taking a.
Quarterback twenty four. I'd be surprised if they take on it all at all.
Yeah, I would too.
I think this is a situation that if Michael Pratt from Tulane slips to like the fifth round, or a Jordan Travis slips to the skiffs. Yeah, you would say you would love that, and then that's probably where you uh, that's probably where you think about it.
But you don't need a quarterback in this draft. You need a lot of other things.
I think quarterbacks, quarterback, tight end, in safety you don't need to address in this draft.
And some people give me hell over safety.
I do not think you need to draft a safety in this Okay, those are the three positions that you're safe with.
Everything else, everything else is on the table. You can make an argument for Okay, what about tight end? Why do you think tight end is no longer a.
I mean, you spent the second round pick on it last year. Jake Ferguson exceeded expectations last year. You got John Stevens Junior coming back, you got Peyton Hendershot coming back. I mean, you're gonna have competition in that room. Maybe you go get a guy in the undrafted pool just kind of throw in in that mix and kind of beef up the competition in that room, similar to what
John Stevens Junior did last year. But I mean, you have four guys that were capable of making a fifty three man roster last year coming back next season, and when you look at all the needs on the offensive and defense side of the ball, you don't need to tie in.
I mean, they found Peyton Hender, shot, mcewne was serviceable, John Stevens.
These guys are all undrafted guys. If they needed another guy in.
The room, that makes sense, and I would be more open to a lot of those things. But as you mentioned, they just don't have the number of picks and the holes that they have in other spots.
Just they're just so much greater.
And fullback you don't need a dress oh obviously obviously, Yeah.
Why is that? Nick oh Man?
Just I think you got the best fullback in the NFL and the team, you know, see.
The only fullback in the NFL.
There's still there's Baltimore go to.
Cheek guys, tongue in cheating. Yeah, but yeah, Kyle check, I know, I get it. The big guy Baltimore four zero who likes to fumble at the goal line.
Five and fifty five pounds in their backfield.
Now, I do think Lipkey is going to be more more of a factor this year than he was, Like, yeah.
I think so, Yeah, of course you think so. We can't take anything I say.
That I'm biased, Like, let me take my lippy hat off for a minute.
I think I'm just saying, like off season conversations I've had with people that are in positions to know these things will tell you that I think Lipky will have more, and I think Cabante Turpin as a receiver will have more.
We've talked about it before that this team is so good at snagging the post draft process and taking advantage of that. I mean, DJ bass I had a fourth round grade on the guy last year and they got him undrafted. He could possibly be your rotational starter on the interior, depending on what happens. Like really, truly it could happen. Uh. Then you've got Hunter. I had a fifth round grade on him last year and he could be a significant piece of your offense. John Stevens Junior
what he's brought to the table as well. I mean, they have that. But with all that being said, and maybe the possibilities of those positions notwithstanding, is it more likely to see a trade back scenario this year than in recent memory?
Absolutely?
I think so too.
Yeah, you look at missing the fourth round pick, you look at needing.
Which, by the way, if you want to talk about taking a quarterback. The Cowboys took a quarterback with their fourth round pick. That's what they've done.
Oh yeah, yeah, so you're talking about they took those years ago.
I'm talking about trading and that fourth round pick that they had this for this draft, they've already used it on a quarterback.
So yeah, that's very fair.
I know there's some national conversation about taking a quarterback. Don't expect it.
Yeah, I think that's very fair. I think you need to trade back.
If the guy you love at twenty four is not there, get on the phone, pick up an extra pick or two, and start filling those needs with some more picks.
What do you think?
I agree? I agree.
I would like to see if I would like to say office of tackle taken obviously, but to your point, if the guy that you love is not there, and then get out of there, Yeah, I mean, you're in it. You're at the part of the first round where you're either going to get your guy or you're not gonna get your guy. You're either going to be in love or you're not going to be in love. So if you're not in love, then go play the field well, and a.
Big part of it too, is that as we sit here today, I mean, when you're at twenty four, so much stuff has to happen that you can sit here in today and you can have multiple calls out saying, yeah, you know, we got three different partners to move back with,
so probably good chance Cowboys are gonna trade back. Well, and then stuff falls a certain way in those first twenty twenty three picks and all of a sudden, those teams aren't interested and you're sitting there like, well, I thought we were gonna be able to trade back, and stuff as an a or something happens where there's a player sliding that you maybe you're not you're interested in, but somebody else is, and all of a sudden, you get that call when you're on the clocket twenty.
Four, you know it's overpaid.
Yeah, so they'll be prepared for it, but it's hard to predict right now because you don't know who's going to be there. It'd be way easier if we're doing the show and they were on pick twenty right now and being like, well, these guys are all available, and he and the Cowboys like all these guys, I bet you they could move back four or five spots and still get one of these guys. This is you know,
I think they would love that scenario. They would love to find a path there to move back a handful of spots, gain a fourth round, third rounder, you know, in the process. But it just will that be there. The thing that they won't be doing is they won't be trading up. No, you know, I mean happening you simple math here. You just add this offseason and how conservative and boring it's been in terms of adding players.
There hasn't been any aggressiveness at all. With the fact that they haven't traded up since Mooke Clayborne in twenty twelve. Like that's a long track record of not trading up, traded back twice since then, once with the Frederick once with you know, the Michael Parsons pick. But moving up plus, I don't think that there's anybody in this draft that they would move up for. And when I say move up, I don't mean move from twenty four to fifteen.
I mean we even move up five spots. I haven't seen them doing it.
Maybe like there's Tally Si Fuaga, Is that who you were going to say?
I know that's the one guy. I think they get on the phone.
How far up would you move for that?
You would have to get inside the top fifteen to do it, and I think that's about as far as they're going to go.
I think if they were to do it, if he's still on the board at like sixteen, you get on the phone with whoever has eighteen. I think it's maybe Jacksonville or since he since he. Yeah, you get on the phone with Sincy and start kind of working the phones there, and you have to kind of parlay some picks next year. I think the one bit of a breathing room that you do have if you want to trade up is the fact that you're probably gonna have a lot of comp picks next year. So it depends
how aggressive you want to be there. But I think if Fuaga is falling that and they view him as the left tackle of the future, then I could see them being aggressive and going to grab him.
I personally do not think that the Dallas Cowboys will trade up in the first round with Jerry Jones's owner ever again, unless it's a quarterback. Yeah, if they trade up in the first round, it'll be because, of course, I don't see them doing it for another position player again, I really I just don't.
I don't see that happening.
Yeah, Isaiah, what do you think about Tyley Esi Fuaga out of Oregon State? What do you think about him?
I don't like the school he went too. But he's a big boy.
They're not even the same conference anymore.
They got there's no there's no beef anymore.
He's a big boy. Sixty six three twenty four. Hunh you can play, he can play, he can play. That might be your one guy, but I don't think it's happening.
I don't see them trading up.
Man.
This is again we're talking about going out and grabbing a guy that you would really love, but you're sacrificing the roster spots.
That you really need to, that you really need to attend to.
So even if there's a guy that's absolutely amazing, I still don't think that you can pull the trigger. I think you put yourself in an extreme disadvantage. You're going into this draft with an extreme disadvantage. So to go out there and be like, oh, yeah, we locked this one, we got that one position on lock, but now we have all these holes and.
We lost draft picks. You know, I just I can't foresee that happen.
How would you feel if that first round pick is a center?
I wouldn't just opposed to if he was a dog, If he was an absolute dog, then obviously then at that point then you have to move Tyler Smith out.
There's two guys for you. There's it's Graham Barton and Jackson Powers Johnson. Those are your two xach Fraser. You can make the argument you think for a first round twenty four or overall? Oh no, no, no, I think he's a trade back scenario.
We're talking about twenty four.
Specific Yeah, they take one of those two centers at twenty four. How are you guys feeling Let's say that's one of those two centers is the pick.
I would feel great if it's Graham Barton, Oh man, I would be cartwheels. If it's graand Barton, I don't think he's going to be there one and two Jackson Powers Johnson. I think he's great on film. The medicals are a little concerning of what we've been hearing.
That's about it.
Like, outside of the medicals, I think he's a great player, and he may be legitimate for years to come. But it's just with the twenty fourth pick, you gotta be sure he's.
Gonna have to grow schematically as well.
Yeah, I think that that there has to be a lot of teaching between now and training camp.
But we'll see.
That would be one reach kind of wait and see. But you bank on the trades there and he's got them.
So I just kind of wonder from a down the road standpoint of can you pay a center big time money. Let's say that they identify one of those two guys and they are a ten year Travis Frederick, you know where it's like, Oh, obviously, if Travis Frederick never as Gian Berret, you know, still the center of the team
right now? Yeah, for ten years, can you pay him and Tyler and then whoever your left tackle is and your quarterback and Micah and CD you know what I'm saying, Like, there's one thing about center where I'm just like, if that's your key piece there, that's gonna because I feel like where they're at right now at center, they'll just rotate in somebody every a young kid.
Every four or five years move on to the next one type thing like that.
But to be able to find that left tackle that you could have there for ten, ten, fifteen years, like pay them, you know, a top of the market. I think that's completely worth it, you know. But if you have a generational talent at center, I guess you got to do it too. I mean, Creed Humphrey seems like he's doing a good job.
Win a Super Bowl, so he's done a couple of good things along the way.
I just think there's a decent chance that that's the pick. And I just I'm interested to see the way that the fan base will react to a center being their first first pick.
Just know that you're you're getting your left tackled at the same time. Yeah, his name is James Tylers Smith. If you draft the center, you have your left tackle and then brock Hoffman or t J as your guard. I mean, it makes it simple. It simplifies your decisions. You know what you have at the offense line at that point.
What's your confidence level? And Tyler Smith that left left tackle for a full season.
I need to see more of it. I haven't seen it since his Ricky year.
Yeah, so he was good. He was good.
Yeah, I mean he has the pro but but he has a position of flex I mean, give him reps.
I don't know if I've been around it.
Like a younger type player though, that has the right mentality more than he does.
I mean he willing able.
Yeah, he he checks off every box like that.
I mean yeah, you couldn't get a better person, for sure to be in that situation.
He's possibly a top five guy in that lockero.
Oh for sure.
Yeah.
I think he's he's he's everything that they've ever wanted at that spot and more. All Right, that does it for us. You're on Talking Cowboys quick announcement. Uh, this is my last Talking Cowboys for the foreseeable future. I'm not going away forever. Don't worry, not going away forever. The babies are coming home today. So we've got two of the three coming home today. Today is day fifty three of them being in the nick Q. So I'm taking my leave starting next week and Josh Rodriguez talking
Cowboys for the foreseeable future. So really excited about that. It's likely that my leave would be up. Maybe I could get one show in in the next come. I could get one show in coming up soon, but it'll probably be training camps. We'll be the next time that I'll be back on the air. So it's for good reasons, good reasons. But I will be back soon and I will certainly be watching and interacting on Twitter.
Come back with bags under his eyes.
That's probably true. That is probably true. That is it for us, For Jasmine Marshall in the back, for Isaiah Standbank, John Manchoda, Nick Harris, Bobby Belt tapping on the glass. I'm Kyle Yoman saying so long from Talking Cowboys. We'll see you next week.
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