Talkin' Cowboys: Resetting Zeke Watch?

out ten Caden Gates. William Boykin's producing well practice practice once again after an off day, we'll see the cowboy. He's back on the field right out here at five thirty Central ish and pushing towards that first Cowboys preseason game at San Francisco on Saturday night. A lot to talk about as always, on the field, off the field,

um as it is August sixth, Malibu. Yeah, August six you cleared that up for us yesterday doesn't really mean much on the Zeke front, zek watch from Mickey did a great job of getting to and again he just mentioned he asked a question. The veteran newspaperman asked a question to get a good answer, and that's information. I mean that it's clearly that Zeke is uh. Zeke's dug

in here. You know, that's the reports this morning, right if he's dug in And you know what if you know, and it's not my job or mickey job or your job to negotiate or do anything, but you know what, he I could see his points. I could see that. I could also see, you know, and I hate riding the f I really really do, but I could I could see the front office's point about how they've got so many guys and contracts and what they have to do. But I see his point too. He's very important to

what they do offensively with this organization. And you know, you can't change my view on that. That's just that's just the former personnel guy and me job was always to find players, find elite players, use these elite players, help the coaches the best you can. You know, wouldn't my job to sign him, It's my job to find him, And they found one of the best ones to ever play this game, in my opinion. You know, if you look at how he is and what he does and

what he means. But you know, the front office has to that's to total line as well, So you know, good for them on that. We might as well start there, Mack, Yeah, because I've always it was gonna echo what he said. We're not sitting the on the fence. It's like I learned long time ago. Don't get involved in other people's money. Absolutely, and it's both sides, right, there's no question about that. And you can't sit in there go okay, this side's right.

Oh no, this side's right right, right, that's their money, right. Uh. You can just kind of report the news and um, you know at some point they'll reconcile it. Um. I still think it'll get done. Uh, I don't know why. Uh the agent wants a draw line in the sand like that. Well, and then you're speaking to a report this morning from ESPN. I believe it's Josina Anderson. Eric

Dickerson involved in the reporting too. His agent is Derek Dickerson's former agent is Rocky Arseno, who is the same agent as as Zeke, same agent that Uh, Zeke will not play this season without a new contract. Right, So that's that's coming from source reports. Um, you know, I imagine coming from Zeke's camp. Yeah, that's absolutely that's coming. That's the word so. And that's funny they're saying they've known this since January, because I don't think no, I

don't think so. And Zeke didn't know its right because if he knew that, then he would have been holding out the OTA's the mid camp. He wouldn't have been doing the offseason workouts. You know, I feel this whole thing. I feel bad for. This is going to sound really strange because I'm usually the guy that's get rid of everybody. Guy. I feel bad for Jason Garrett here, I feel bad for Kellen Moore. I feel bad for those guys. Now nicky, like Mickey says, maybe something will come together. But I

feel bad right now of guys. You know, you know, hey, I'm the guy that's always yelling about, oh do this, change this, change this. But in this case, right now, I understand from a personnel's man standpoint about how to help the coach. And David Helmet gets on me all the time about apologizing to Dave Campo, you know, back when I was here working in Scotty, apologizing him for

not doing a good enough job for him. Every time you see him not finding enough players for him you know, and and yeah, do I have my differences with Jason Garrett. I think he's been more than fair with me, though, I really do so I'll have some compassionate right now for these coaches because this is an elite football player, you know, and Mickey's he was there in the OTAs they were planning for him. Kellen Moore had some ideas. There's still planning and on him playing. They're still running

their offense the best they can. But if this thing does turn into a holdout and all of a sudden, though you don't have that elite weapon to use to your at your disposal to help you maybe move the ball to help you finish a game, then then you know, I understand next man up. But it means I don't have to light next man up. I mean, I just I want to make sure that I have the best players on the field. You would, yeah, man, I would, Yeah, I would. I would like to have planned for that.

And you know, and they drafted Ezekiel Elliott for a reason because of what he is. I applaud them at the time. I mean, I aplaud him for what he's the one consistent thing that I know about this team when he gets between those lines, he is going to give me everything he's got, you know. And as a coach, as a front office guy, I want that. That's what

I want. So unfortunately, though, they're having to live without that, and they're having to answer questions and Stephen Jones and the front office is having to say this, and people are having to come back with this, and Zeke's camps having to say that. You know, it's just it's it's it's numbing. It really really is numbing when you think about though, what they're trying to accomplish in this team. We've we've talked about how well this team has been built.

You know, this team has one of the best rosters in the National Football League. And to take a huge piece away from it right now I think is a is a terrible thing left today, Zick. August six, which again we have a month is not an issue because the fifth year option that the Cowboys picked up. No, but I'm just saying no, I'm just the first real game is not till a month away. I'm sure that's

why I asked. I'm just resetting for folks that circled that date thinking, oh, well, maybe he's gonna show up because he needs that. Accrude season, it's not it's not a factor. He's not here. The holdout continues as far as can I ask him, then Mickey can ask you a question. And I mean this in all respect, Am I wrong with my attitude about what I'm thinking about Zeke and Garrett and those guys. No, no, no, you're you're You're absolutely right. I hope that he plays. I

hope he plays. I mean I want to see Zeke play. Just from this standpoint of I think it gives this team the best chance to have the utmost success, to not only help the coaching staff, but but to also get to this team and help Jerry Jones in the front office. And that it sounds like they're the other side is Zeke side is reacting to them signing Alfred Morris as if okay, we'll show you yeah, and it's it still sounded like this was something they were going

to do anyway, right, because they wanted him as the backup. Yeah, I didn't. And all the stuff they say about Tony Pollard is fine, but you're not gonna hand Tony Pollard the ball twenty five times, no question, right, But not twenty five. I don't think you viewed Alfred Morris signing. I didn't as some kind of message to Zeke. I think it's a situation where, okay, for the foreseeable future,

he's not here. The Saints had some interest in him, we might as well go ahead and sign a guy that we have some familiarity with who we think can still play. They protected themselves, sure, and you know this

part is why why don't they just be transparent? It's like, okay, a source told me that you know it's the agent, right, yeah, it's the absolutely That's why I said, most likely, yeah, yeah, you're at you're absolute, right, yeah, And it's Steven's really the only one that has been on the record talking Jerry talking about this. I hasn't heard from Zeke, right, no, asolutely You've never said you never saw a quote unquote

Rocky Arseno, right, yeah, never. And so you know, if you want to play this game, okay, fine, but it's a month away. And I hope Zeke understands that what two hundred and twenty four thousand dollars a week means, because that's what he would forfeit if he did not play. And you never make that up. They don't sign a contract and say, oh wait a minute, miss five games, here's another million dollars for you that and I don't work that way, right, It never works that way. You

never make up money you lost. And then they can sit there and go, okay, well you want to play that game, then we're gonna enforce the fine forty thousand dollars a day. How many days has it been ten? Well, he's willing to lose the battle, you know, because he's looking at it and saying, I'm twenty four years old. If I play this thing out, then I'm twenty six, twenty seven, and then what's my market? What's my market? All of a sudden. That's that's where it's coming from.

It's pure it's purely business, not if you sign a five year deal. Well yeah, but he's trying to accelerate the talks. He's trying to, like Brian's been saying it, he wants a seat at the table. He wants to seat with Dak and Amari Cooper to try to get something done. And they don't sign. Don't sign a four year deal when you're a rookie. You signed a contract.

He did sign a contract, and that's and that's the point Jerry has made the first day of training camp that we're here, is that you know, we have ninety guys under contract, and if you're you're under contract, you're expected to be here. And he's late and he's you know, he's twelve days later at that point, twelve okay, but he has he has, he has an understanding. He knows how important he is this. Yeah, I know that. No, No, that's the leverage, right if if this was just if

this was something that you could get by without. Again, I'm I'm a guy that likes Dak Prescott, but I have my I have my concerns about Dak Prescott carrying this team by himself. And he's not totally carrying a team because he's got the offensive line and he's got Amory Cooper and you know Randall Cop. But I worry about taking a big piece out of that. As much as I respect Dak the leadership, all the things I'm from, like Mickey, I'm from you know, I'm from that Missouri.

You gotta show me, show me that you can you can if he goes out there and Dak Prescott and they play without him, say for a couple of games or three games, and they find a way to be two and oh three and O four no whatever. Then then then Ezekiel Elliott was not as big as need as I thought he would be. And Dak Prescott deserves everything that he gets. But I think there's a side of them too that would be okay with letting Dak Prescott play for the franchise tag, you know, I really do.

I mean, there's there's so much up in the air about this team. When you look at the coaching staff, when you look at the contracts, this this thing could go violently in another direction. It's an all in season. It is an all in season. And I think Ezekie Elliott knows that, and I think that's why he's holding out on you right now. Well, we'll see what happens. Obviously he's not here. Yeah, they're going to continue to practice.

And what's funny is like when we're on the set of The Blue White Scrimmage a couple days ago and we're talking about how the offense is struggled here and there, you know, they'll win us. They'll win a drill. The defense will win a drill. Right and Bill pointed out, well, you know, Amari Cooper's missing from this offense, and I think one of us was like, by the way, number twenty one hasn't been out here for twelve days. I

mean it's to your point. Yeah, he's such a huge part of this thing, and even even in these practice situations, just the threat of him on the field is a game changer for this offense. Knows that. The Cowboys know that. I mean Steven Jones has come out and said, look, he is the straw that stirs the drink. I mean, they're not afraid to say that. Um, it's just a matter of figuring out a way to get this deal

done and fitting everything under one roof. As Jerry said, we got to be able to compete with all the contracts we need to get done. We need to feel a full roster that can go win a championship, not a top heavy roster with three big contracts. And then what, you know, can we keep all these guys around? These guys that's the question, and that's what they've got to figure out. And it's I still think it's a it's a business, it's not a personal thing. At this point.

I think it's just about business and trying to figure it out. The Cowboys have their their line of thinking. Zeke has his. I would, I would, I would hesitate to keep poking the tiger because Steven Jones can get very stubborn. There's no question about that that. This is why, this is why I would Mickey's words should not ring hollow, because Steven Jones will dig in just as hard as Ezeko Elliott will. And you know, maybe we've talked about this with Jerry. Maybe Jerry would be a little bit

more Okay, let's do this, Let's do this. And but Stephen, he clearly has his hand on the wheel. You know, he has the you know, if you look at the way, I think a lot of stuff that him and Jerry and Steven I mean and Will have all did a great job of building a really a quality football team. You know. But Stephen Jones is you know, like I said yesterday, Stephen Jones will look at these agents in the eye and say, you're gonna have to deal with me. You know you're gonna deal with me, So just get

ready for that. You're gonna do with me for a long time. So those are all things that those words need to be addressed as well. Sitting for two years could be costly, It could be. Are you concerned that it could turn into a type situation just saying that it's costly. It's leaven elm Bell only had to sit one year. Yeah, he could sit two years. Yeah, because they picked up a guaranteed contract. And if he doesn't

show up, there's no guarantee. We'll see if somebody trades for that contract in that might But you're you're to your point, You're right, it's it's it's money you don't get back. But I think that to me with it's it's worth it to him and talking to some folks around the league and talking to people that know the situation. You know, I was under the assumption that Zeke could not match the pot, you know, like I was using the poker analogy and I was told, no, that's not true.

Zeke could match the pot. Now, is it going to be a costly pot? Yeah, it will be because what's he do this year? About three and a half million dollar absolutely? Three point eight three point eight yeah, yeah, so that's a lot of money. Yeah, and nine for anybody, and nine he's a he's a little bit different when it comes to the financial aspect, because I again I asked people about that. I said, do you feel like that Zeke Elliott could is he is? He broke that

he has to end this. Two three different guys go, no, he could withstand it's not going to be easy, but he can. He can hang in there. He could. I just I don't three point eight millions, three point eight million, don't care how much money you have. Sure it is three point eight million. It's no one ever wins the ladder in says, you know what, I got a million.

I don't need that. But if you look at what he's made in signing, bonus and salaries since he's been in the league, I believe it's over thirty million dollars If I'm right about that, well, so sixteen million. I think it was a sixteen million dollars signing. Ye. So if that's you know that, that gives us whatever right you're But I don't disagree with you mickey about this. It's it's money. It's three You don't want to you

don't want to lose that. But to me, to him, it's he's better to lose three and a half million than fourteen million. That Levan Bell lost. You know that's that's got to be his rationale that I you know, yeah, I can. I could withstand a three and a half million dollars hit, which Mickey, none of us really want to do. That. I'm with you on that, but to him on principle, might be very well worth that that that you know what I'm gonna I'm gonna make you

play games without me. Potentially, I'm gonna make you play games without me. And if you and if you have success, I lost the bet. If you don't have success and everything goes south because I'm not part of the equation, then you will realize the mistake that you made. It's a gamble on both sides. A gamble on his side, a gamble on the front office, yes, and it's a gamble within the locker room too. Right in terms of

he's got he has close friends on this team. He's got a team that, like I've said earlier, is all in to try to win a Super Bowl this year.

This this roster, I know it's young. I know it's young, but it could look a lot different top to bottom next year with the number of free agents they have coming up next When you when you you get in a situation where when you get a situation where now everybody's cool with what's going on with Zeke because Mick, like Mickey said to open the show, you don't want to get in another man's money. It's cool now, and

that's fair. But they get in to start and they start playing the season without him, and they lose games. Then it becomes a little personal. Then it becomes it. Then it becomes like, Okay, you turned your back on us, you know, whereas those those people could, you know you could another player could turn the back on Zeke if he was here in camp. It's that's the way it works. I think everything is fine until Mickey gave you a deadline.

Four weeks. He gave you a four week deadline. If it gets into those pass those four weeks and we're not seeing him play, then you're gonna see guys, not I don't know publicly, but you will see body language that's not good. You'll see body language and you'll start to hear some whispers that's not good. Well, you saw that twenty five years ago when you covered the Dynasty. Yeah, and and Charles Haley was throwing a trash can through the wall, right, but but get him and signed all things.

Zeke didn't have a contract. Yeah, so Emma didn't have a contract. It was a different situation, was different, and and and then they had to find an excuse for for getting off to a slow start, right, uh. And the excuse was Emmett wasn't there, you know, gonna blame poor Derek Lassik, you know, yeah, please, yeah, you know what was the one game they lost that It was at the Buffalo game. It was thirteen to ten or something. It was a strange game. It was a very weird

score score like that, you know, losing to Washington. Was it was Washington the opener. I think, okay, fine, you know that crazy series that things have always happened. But yeah, and Charles, you know, with the helmet and all that stuff, and you know, okay, fine, but uh yeah, and here's the other thing that I think they have to think about. And we'll get the results this year. Levion Bell sat out right, right? So is he still Levon Bell this year after missing an entire seat. We don't know the

answer to that. Playing with a team that might not lead to him to be Yeah, good taking your quarterback. Yeah, we'll see because what happens. They come to doubt what happens when you know, I understand guys missing a year and coming back from injury, that's different, right, But when you miss a year playing, you never get that year back and do you change? Do you forget how much punishment you have to take? Always always worried about that with coaches when they've set out like four years and

they say, oh, I want to coach again. You're gonna come back and work as hard right, well, and we'll see you know, will you do all the grinding you did to be successful to get to that point where you can walk away and then you say, oh, no, I miss it. I worry about those guys. Can they come ask you a questioning on a fallow up on that? Yeah? With it's a different line of thought. Do you worry about Travis Frederick that way missing the game for a year. I think a little bit. I think it's gonna take

him a while to get back in the saddle. But but at least it was an injury, yeah, right, or you know whatever you want to call it illness and it took him a while. I don't worry about that. I think offensive linemen have different mentalities than the rest of us, right because they're used to they know every play they're gonna get hit, there's no way around it. But I think, yeah, I think you know and you you stay away? Now, are you the same person when

you come back? And we'll find out what with Javian. Let's take our first break when we come back behind. I said, yeah, you know you're good. We'll take some questions off a periscope. We're streaming live right now talking Cowboys there and a couple roster moves made yesterday and O Tarrico oh Noor has been helping Cowboys fans seed better since nineteen seventy two, said they don't miss a

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surrounded by desire. But you can't drink, kids, because it's the ocean fish and even there, the only thing you want is Doctor Pepper and you can't have it. Now, That is it, Doctor Pepper? Craving, Doctor Pepper, the one you crave to talk in Cowboys, Welcome back to Oxnard, California. Dot Phillips Picking Spagnola Brian brought us Bill Jones back to Dallas we'll see him after camp breaks and we will turn to the Star in Frisco. All right, we covered a lot of Zeke stuff first segment. We didn't

get to a couple of roster moves made. Oh no, on the off day, it's always, you know, it's always an off day filled with housecleaning, you know, in the training camps, always an opportunity to work out guys, maybe you know, tweak a couple of things at the back end of your roster. And my goodness, it's the end of an era, fellas one that never got started. Rico Gathers cut yesterday off the ninety man roster. Yeah, that's one of those things. I think they're setting us up,

Mickey and Rob for some roster moves today. Yeah, they've got some guys coming in. Stephen Jones has been pretty adam. I know he's told Mickey about this. They're a little light at corner, they're little light in the offensive line. So they've they worked out some guys yesterday. They're gonna work out some guys today, have been told, and then

we'll probably have as signing a two. So we were two roster spots down right, Rob is we'd never signed anyone back for they're at eighty nine, yes, because they Rico's release opens up a spot, but they also signed time Is Powell to f there you go, okay, the type is pal that's yeah, they had two spots. So they're looking for an offensive lineman here. That's gonna be

the next. They need a guard, yeah, they do. So they needed another dB with Byron Jones out, C J. Goodwin out and Westery doesn't look like he's long for this world. Yeah, he's hurt. Uh and uh so he's hasn't practiced since he returned from his what was it a one day you know, he he did had he had a good day. He had a day back where he actually he did and then he got hurt, and then he got hurt. Then he got hurt and he got hurt. Right yeah, so yeah, we'll see where that

one goes. So they they're down three guys there, and they're down, um the guards. They let Larry Allen Junior go right, uh and then Zeke or Zach's not practicing and then Wickman gets hurt and I was told he was out a month. So he you know, he's either gonna get eye yard or he's gonna get an injury settlement one of the two, because I mean, if he's out a month and they have to make the final cuts, there's no way they're gonna keep him on the fifty

three man roster. Yeah, so so they need another body in there they can play guard. So I would imagine that'll be the next move. And Powell's a guy has been in the league a couple of years, three years. I believe he's got some experience with Chris Rochard in Seattle, right, he was in San Francisco last year, started one game. He's kind of a combo safety corner guy. Um. I believe he was in camp with Houston last week and he got cut. Okay, so it's a you know, it's

a depth signing. It's a guy with some experience that that Richard is familiar with. So, um, that makes sense there, all right, So he shouldn't call him a camp body then, No, he's a veterans. He's got some skins on the way. He's a veteran um who can who can help this team get through get through practice and we'll see what he does in preseason. Um Ander Rico, Yeah, that's the

other part before we get to Rico you mentioned preseason. Yeah, you got to play a game, yes, and you got guys that aren't going to play, So you need enough bodies to absorb four quarters of football if you're not going to play your starters right away. So now you're that's when your depth comes in into play. But Rico, huh surprised not at all saw the writing on the wall. Yeah. I appreciate the fact that they moved on. And they moved on, and you know, and and and it's like, okay,

enough's enough. And it also gives him an opportunity in all somebody thinks they can make something out of him, he gets an opportunity to go somewhere else. Um, So yeah, you know, it just didn't work. It just wasn't working. And you know that this Cody McElroy, you know, I mean I think he's a wasn't terrible in the he's a practice squad. Yeah right, absolutely, yeah, And see he's he's kind of maybe the same line of yeah, of

of what you just cut. But you know, they just didn't want to do anything and anything more with with with Rico. They mean, they felt like that they didn't see the year to year to year of him getting any better, and you know, they're like, okay, let's just move on, and you know, and I'm okay with that. I mean, they tried. They used a six round pick. People were giving him grief about, oh there's another wasted pick sixth round. You're looking for traits, which Rico's traite.

He's big, he's big, he's you know, it's worth it to try to try and develop him a little bit. And he he just do it. Do it now. In great tradition of cowboy tight ends that get released here, he'll go sign somewhere else and then and then be an all pro. So we'll see how mean, yeah, we'll find out today if he got claimed by somebody exactly. Yeah, you know, he played in fifteen games last year, three catches,

forty five yards. I think, you know, with Winton back and this being a deep roster, excuse me, the idea of keeping four tight ends probably not realistic. I mean, it's possible if you're keeping a fullback too. Obviously, they like the development of Blake Jarwin Dalton Schultz, right, I think they were ready to make a move and Cody McElroy. I guess that's somebody we can keep an eye on here. Sure want to call him Rico two point zero? Yeah,

he's I think he's twenty six years old. He has really never played football up until one year of small college football. It's really a baseball I'm a basketball player. But he's a guy with with athletic talent that they're going to try to develop here in camp. Yeah, twenty six, you're right, Yeah, so we'll see, all right, Um, who was the tight end that they let go because he didn't want to play tight end? And then he went on, was it Dwight It wasn't Dwight Clark? Was it? There

was a tight end? When you just said that about in the true history of cowboy tight ends, they go somewhere else. Oh, Todd Christiansen, Todd Christensen, Yeah, went to the Raiders. They wanted him to be a tight end. He wanted to be a wide receiver, to be a wide receiver and they and anyway, but yeah, like, yeah, I went on Dwight Clark on my mind. Uh, that's okay, Dwight Clark's from the same era. Uh. Is it possible to use Jalen Smith as an edge rusher in certain packages?

Guys an edge rusher and not rushing from not just rushing linebacker, but an edge rusher. Make you hand down, and I don't think you want to do that. He's got too much speed to put there that that limits his ability. I don't think he's good with a couple of steps and a head of steam, but I don't know about hand on the ground. He's also two fifty. He weighs two forty eight. Yeah, that's a that's a

light edge rusher there. That's a good question. See. I like the question because I like how well he rushes the passer. But Micky's right, you're not gonna put his

hand down. Where where Jalen Smith really helps is when and we saw it the other day because he got he got Dorian's Armstrong home on a rush where he attacked it was Zach Morton and Lyle Collins and he was so he attacked those two so hard that it occupied him and it got it got armstrong home where Armstrong had the duck, so he didn't hit hit Dak. But that's what you could get from the fact that he plays with so much violence. I see why they

asked the question, because he plays. But I don't know if you want his hand down and then him having to do to move somebody. He needs to attack you and shock you and then kind of work off you. Is the kind of how I would describe him. Attack you. Let him go straight ahead into the pocket. Don't put him on the edge of the pocket. Put him straight ahead in the pocket, and he's gonna have better success.

He does play with violence. He thumps somebody. He thumps somebody pretty good during the Blue White A lot of people, you know. And with him and Sean Lee, those are two linebackers they've got that really excel rushing the quarterback. You can rush both of him. You can rush one, drop the other. Um plus you's good comment. You can't plan on double teaming him, because what happens if you say, okay, we're gonna double him, right, What if he doesn't come?

Now you've got two guys on nobody right, So with him with a running start or is he coming? Is he not coming? I think it's a it's a better weapon than putting him on the line. And let's Tyrann Smith get his hands right right, lock them up right? What else you got Brian? Yeah, People have asked, well, that's that's probably not a fair question. So I'm not gonna asker it. But people, uh, I'm really I mean, there's a lot of people having discussions on periscope. I

appreciate you guys, if you have any questions. Fine, I mean, I'm it's a ton of people out there. They're all kind of fighting with each other. But I'm arguing amongst Yeah, they're arguing. They're arguing. Is in a chat room right now? They're they're fighting among themselves. Don't fight get it? Okay? Well? How about this though? Maybe and this is is this from Tito and it's just a he says that Zeke is the next to Marco Murray. Is that in terms

of too many, too many mileage, too much mileage? Well, it's maybe that that it's a it's a thing where if you were to pay him, then we say age difference to the client. Absolutely, that's what I was saying. Age. I wouldn't compare the two at all. Don't you comp Don't you think that's what he's looking at that if I get two more seasons of three hundred carries on my plate and I do hit the market, it's gonna be well than one of my worth. At this point, as opposed when I'm twenty four years old in a

rushing they want to sign him. Yeah, they would sign him today. I'm just trying to Yeah, I know, I know. But they want to sign him though. That's the thing, right they do. It's not like they didn't want to sign Murray because they didn't want an old running back on their hands. Two years later. How old was DeMarco when he left for Philly? He was twenty seven? Yeah, okay, and if you signed him to a five year deal,

he's finishing it at thirty two. So and he didn't play five more years, did he or if he did, it wasn't a high quality five years. The thing about DeMarco, I think you could argue Zeke's some more durable guy than DeMarco was. He had some injuries when he was here. Yeah, he's built different, built differently. I don't know if he was built like a I just got down guy. That's a bad comparison because the age difference. Yeah, it was significant.

Now now that's why they didn't resign him. You know, they might have resigned him to a two year deal, three year deal in Philadelphia, gave him five and then cut them one year later, here's a question makes you think a little bit. Who if you look at overall, which team has better weapons in the division? Dallas or Philly? Just weapons? If you know, if we can't counting Zeke, counting Zeke, oh, I think the Cowboys, do you? Yeah, I kind of if you went, if you went running

back for running back. I think Dallas wins. Their offensive lines are very similar to how they would go. I mean that that's not a weapon. That's I guess the weapon if you can use your offensive line quarterback. I'm going Dak based on durability. Durability alone, Yeah, and number of games one. So why do you think Philadelphia everybody's

picking them to win the East? They're a good team. Yeah, I don't know if everybody's picking I think if you haven't seen one that hasn't probably the coaching staff, because the coaching staff has and again I know, I mean there's no slam to Garrett. I'm just saying that that guy has won a super Bowl. The nature of the league too, you know the stat one's the last time somebody repeated two four. It's a fluctuating division. Always is they're playing that game? I wonder if they're gonna regret

paying Carson Wentz as opposed to Nick Foles. Just anybody. I mean, I'm you know, I'm yeah. I wonder wonder if they're worried about that. He's a great player. I mean great talent, great talent. But you know what, if you count the years he still had it on his contra better tied end by the way, all that, all that, yeah, all that, all that talk about him making thirty thirty two million, it comes out to twenty seven. Yeah, because the base salary still counts. See, that's what we need

to happen. We need a big old high number for these guys. And then but Mickey does his research and it's actually only the third or fourth best contract. I think that's what the Cowboys are trying to do, don't you. Yeah, they don't want to they don't want to be the top dog in the thing. But they'll give you an opportunity to be in the mix. Give you, give you a fair, top five, top seven contract. Yeah. Hey, one

more thing about about the division. Don't sleep on Washington, Okay, Yeah, I'm just they have they have a terrific defensive front that's gonna challenge you. I just look at that Week two game and everybody's talking about Philly and maybe I have visions of RG three. Well with Dwayne Haskins coming in, I mean there's a chance he can come in and they make things. You know they have, he has an offensive minded head coach. Maybe he has a terrific rookie season. Right.

I'm just this division is not going to be easy. That's why this Zeke thing is a little unsettling, because again, you don't want him missing games. Well, that's why that's why it's good the Cowboys have them early because you're gonna if they're gonna start a rookie quarterback. You know what if it was me in Washington. Jay Gruen's another one of those coaches it's probably looking at, you know, win or do something else kind of a guy. But

I go ahead and start that young quarterback. I would I just so and and and and start the journey. And you know, if if it works out, you might have you might save your job. If it doesn't, then you still might save your job because that might be the reason you look at and say, okay, well I try, I try. Yeah. People want to know here, has Taco done enough to make the team as of right now, he's got a guaranteed based salaries. So yeah, you think they'll keep him just because of the salary. It's like

three million dollars three something off the top of my head. Yeah, that's a lot to burn when you're trying to sign all these guys. Okay, to take the take the this is this is a loaded question, Mickey. I'm sorry. No, That's why I answered it that way because I don't know that he has done Yeah, that's what I'm saying. If it came down to you had to keep him because you don't want to eat three and a half million dollars, you would you would you make that decision.

But but just based on take away the take away that money part, and and ask has he done enough? Has he shown you enough currently? And and we're we haven't played in these preseason games yet, but has he done enough in practice to make you feel like, oh, the rise is coming now? He's had some good days. We talked. We talked to Rod Marinelli about him, and he said he was impressed with the way he's practicing. And to me, it's not just his production out there,

it's the it's the motor. It's all of those things, because that was one of the things they talked to him, and he talked to Taco about in the offseason, and man talk, you know, it's Rod wants you to carry yourself in a certain way out there. I just wish it would look like he was having fun out there. He doesn't smile at all. Everything is a everything is a grind to him because but we talked to him, he's got so many eyes on him and and it's

and nobody ever says anything kind about it. And we talked to him about this last year too, and he acknowledged, you know, I'm kind of a laid back guy, and I give off maybe a certain impression. It's it's it's not accurate necessary, you know, Like I think he he's one of those people that maybe you can't necessarily just read the body language. Only. I want to see him make up play and celebrate. I want him to take

the football and throw it over the roof. Yeah, you know, I mean there's guys like Malie Collins that don't you know, he's not He's not d law in terms of personality, right, Yeah, but he looks like he's having fun up there. Yeah, that's that's what You're right, Brian, He's been under a microscope for three years now. I mean there's not here's a lot of criticism. Glare has been very bright on him. Yeah, they're very We forget he was twenty eighth pick in

the draft. Yeah, you know what are you gonna find? Who's who's it? Who's his main competition to make this team? Then Jolkes carry Hyder Hyder Yeah, those Joe Jackson, Joe Jackson Jackson, there's there's competition because Dorence Armstrong is on this team. Yeah, yeah, I think that too. I think you're right. Speaking of making this team, Periscope would like to know, is there a possibility that Donovan Alumba could be the sixth corner? If you wit six corners, four safeties,

could Donovan? Who would Donovan Olumba have to beat out? He's on my team? Who's the fifth one I'm trying to think of. Let's go through him, who's the fifth? I'll go through him for you give you four, I'll give you do this on the other side. Other about that? How about that? How about we tease We're gonna break down the defensive backdep chart for you. Now around the corner on talking. WHOA I like that. If you're like me and you love I mean, if you have a

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professional and details by visiting SLOR USA dot com. That's USA dot com. Terms and conditions apply back to talking cowboys want to use what the pros views. Jack Black is the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys. Get your Jack Black playmaker for JB babes plus a full size lip bond for just ten bucks with free shipping at get Jack black dot com and use that code. Cowboys like that Check Black stuff like that liner that was smooth mick. Yeah, but there wasn't any fun because

there you guys couldn't make fun of me. Yeah, people, I was listening that I was listening, good Jack Black, get you something, all right, let's go through these cornerbacks. Robert, It's okay, let's do it. Okay. You got a woozy on this team. Yeah, I think so. Jordan Lewis, Yes, okay, count along with me. Boys, it's too CJ. Goodwin, I think it used borderline. I think you'd better get back on the field real quick. I'm leaning towards yes because of special teams. All right, keep a number in mind

what you're doing here. Anthony Brown Yes, Byron Jones, Yes, Mike Jackson Senior. Yeah, that was your trouble for a Lumba or Goodwin or Goodwin or Goodwin. He's making some plays out here, isn't he. Yeah, So yeah, that's a tough one. That's stuff they like him too. See, there's gonna be a couple of guys on this team. Noah Brown could be another one like C. J. Goodwin that

you really don't see it out here right now. And then all of a sudden, we're to get the final fifty three and it's gonna be C. J. Goodwin's on there and Noah Browns on their specialty good one was a guy I want to say he broke his wrist or his something, his forearm a bonus the first game he played, miss some games and they really were like disappointed in that because of what he gives him put him. They put him on the bring back injury guy, didn't

they He came back. He came back. I should know this. What's his injury right now? He got like a hamstring or something, don't know. He tresses up, but he never runs anything. He never He haven't been out there the last couple of days. Yeah, I mean he's been. He hasn't. I mean I think I've seen him once or twice early when we were here. It might have been through that walkthrough period that we were the acclamation period that was and then he and then he wasn't doing anything.

Collie McGovern who, Yeah, I need to find that out. Yeah, I need to find that out. But but it's gonna come down to him. Like if you want Donovan a Lumba on this team, is it gonna come down to Mike Jackson. We need to see a Lumba against the top corners when he makes plays. It seems like it's always the second team offense man. He Yeah, he had a heck of a day the other day though, and then he and then he got on a fumble the other day that was caused by by by the safety

that nobody ever talks about. And it was a and it was a fumble, right yeah, my little guy, Donovan Wilson. Yeah, because don Wilson a little nice practice. I was standing there and I said, oh, I'm gonna throw the red flag. We punched it out, punched it out. Well, maybe that's something the coaching staff that looks at you know, bump him up, give him some first team reps you don't

have Byron Jones. And anyway, we're gonna find out in preseason and the games, right sure, yeah, sure, because I don't know how everybody else is gonna play their guys, if you're gonna play first team or not. See, he's gonna be out. This is where Donovan Almbo. I kind of thought Donovan Lomba was one of those guys that's gonna always be in position but never make plays. Kind of a clapper, you know, one of those guys. But

he's proven me wrong. But I just wonder if we've seen it with Lancell Nor Remember Lancellor looks like all Valley Ranch and then all of a sudden you get him in a game and you're like going, like, did he just do? Lights are too bright? Yeah? Lights are too bright. So you know, I know there's a lot of folks cheering for Donovan Alumbo. I know that I'm raising my hand right now. Yeah, I know, because you had lunch with him every day and the start, he never missed the no. But you know it works out

by himself. He does. Christopher Shard has put a lot of time in him. Yeah, there's no trudge to develop him, no question, you're seeing it out here. I wouldn't. I would if Chris will stand in that meeting and fight for him over CJ. Goodwin. I wondered, Now this is where this is where, all of a sudden we look at the special teams and coach special teams and the

special teams. Coach would say, well, listen, can you promise me that Donovan Alumbo will do this, will cover kicks, we'll do, we'll cover punts, will be a blocker on the on the outside. Will you promise me that? And if he is, then then you gotta fight, you know. And I think they're I think they're starting to listen to Keith O'Quinn a lot more. Yeah. I think, you know, when he first got the job, I think everybody thought, oh, well that he just you know, they did the easiest

thing and promoted him. But I think his voice is starting to get a little louder. Well, he got tired of finishing twenty fourth and all those categories. He's that kicking situation though. That guy missed that kick so badly the other day. I gotta keep track of it today. I gotta keep track of it today if he's kicking today. Yeah. So, but we we said it's gonna come down to that. We think Jackson's gonna make the team, right, he would

be five right, right, But they're playing the Coup. They're playing de coup out there too, but the coup hasn't been seen anything. It's kind of a safety. Isn't he more than a corner? They keep playing, They keep playing him. It's slot. Yeah, can you keep six corners? I guess yeah, I am. Georgia Loca is not on my team right now, Guys, I'm sorry if I'm in thir he's third team and he's not first team on any of the special teams seen when they're line up, it's been Darian Tompson ahead

of him. Yeah, my Aggie, Donovan Wilson as well. Right, well, Cavon a Cavon, Cavon, Frasier ca Cavon Cavon, they're all there, Lavan. Okay, So so it's a tbd on mister ask you this says, Okay, we were kind of touting. Brian brought us touting Luke Gifford. Yes, Luke Gifford find a way on this team. Let's go through the lineback right, right, shams Man, I think it could come down to him and Chris Comington. Right, do you think that's the matchup as a backup linebacker? Special teams?

I think coverd on this team, I think. So gotta pick the other day nice pick. Yeah in team. See that's another one. Can you keep seven linebackers that that's gonna be a problem. So one of those, one of those spots will go long because of special teams. Could you'll just say he's a special teams guy right where we're gonna steal that spot from We're gonna steal We're gonna go three tight ends, right, yeah, we're gonna go two quarterbacks. Yeah, how many offensive lineman you mean you

could go with eight, but you probably won't. You probably go with nine, right, nine er ten? Right? Yeah? Hard to find offensive defensive linemen are hard to find during the season. Yes, so I'm always going along at those spots because I don't want to have to go out and try and find a guy off a practice squad. Well, let's let's break it down. MB We remember Gifford, Um, he's on all the spell, the first, the first special,

all the special teams first ye special. Covington also missed some time early on campus, right, No Covingtons on it also though, Yeah, well boy, that's what that's where the games are gonna come down to. Yeah, that's where the games. I mean, I mean we act like preseason doesn't matter, but it matters to these type. Absolutely matters these guys. It's really important to them. So who your backup offensive lineman.

Then at this point that you'd keep fleming, uh, well you got fleming, and then you're gonna have to figure with the McGovern looney. See, I think they're gonna carry McGovern if we've got a mailback question about him today. Man, this is tough. I mean, they get eye arm and then bring them back in nine weeks. Yeah, yeah, I think that's I see where they're at, see where they're at. A roster spot and you don't lose a guy that you can because it doesn't sound I mean, I don't.

You don't see him out there running, do you know? I don't see I mean you run into peep and you ask the McGovern and you're like, they're like, it's unfortunately, he's just not strong enough. His his his ability, his his injury does not a lot. He hasn't been strong enough to go out there and practice. And they're not gonna put him out there until he is strong enough. Right,

So when is that? It could be after camp and then by that time you're gonna maybe need a roster spot, you know, and if and if and if and maybe you decide, well, he really does need surgery and yeah, and then surgery means you're done, yeah with that injury with a peck with a peck. So um. But somehow they're gonna want to keep his his rights obviously, right, So yeah, how many did when we counted Looney Redmond? Redmond? For sure, I'm given Redmand the nod because he could

play guard and center. I know that's the same thing as is Joe Looney. Yeah, if fleming, okay, let's count him a house. You got your five starters right right, and I'm just going down the list. Redmond would be six, ok Uh, Looney would be seven, Sue Philo would be eight. Right. Is Sue Philo the bubble guy on the offensive line? I think so he's your first team left guard right now?

He's I just I agree with Mickey. I think he is a bubble guy saying if everything's equal, like Zach's good to go, if they had to carry, if they have to carry, if they feel they have to carry. Connor McGovern, I'm not sure that that Sue Philo is on this team. I'm not only if McGovern can complaint can practice because of because of the position flex of the other guys. Yeah, yeah, because I don't think there's another tackle they would keep. Let hyatt. I'll tell you what.

Mitch Hyde has had his days where he's looked okay and then he's okay. What about Brandon Knight moving him at guard? He's playing guard and tackle that's out of necessity. Yeah, but he hasn't been terrible. We'll see in these games. I keep saying we'll seeing these we got we got four games, I know. But but the thing with Brandon Knight, he looks better at guard than he does at tackle. But this could he could he play? Could they use him as that guard and tackle guy? Could he be

the tenth guy that they don't want to lose? See that's where that's where maybe maybe you're right. Maybe it's nine guys. I needed my pen to add up stuff. Maybe it's nine guys. That's where I think it's nine guys. It's not ten. Brian wants to keep ten. Brian doesn't have a tenth guy. Yeah, that's that's the problem. Yeah, especially if you keep Sue Filo. Yep. And don't even get me started on the d line. Don't start. Don't get me started on the receivers. I think Nick Eatman's

coming up with a list of that today. Stay tuned for a top ten on wide receiver and the wide receiver. Yeah, ten of them? Yeah, like the how they're ranked? Yeah? How you ranked the top ten receivers in camp? Right now? Are I'm making the team? Is? Let me ask you this to make the team just about a minute to make the team, Noah Brown, yes or no? You know my answer. He's in the Jeremy Nincy category. Just I don't know against think about it, think about it. In

the end, I'm right all the time. Yeah, Oh, are you sure about that? If I missed on they love Noah Brown. Yeah, because if you play specialty camp play now he's coming off that knee surgery. Zach Martin ain't playing right now? Is that a problem? No? No, all right, Zach Martin can block. I don't need by wide receiver to block the way the rules are now, you give me one to run. Yeah, you can't come back and crack back anymore. Exactly. That's a good point, Mick. All right,

we'll continue this tomorrow. Let's end on that good point. All right, we got a practice to cover today, five Central time. Stay tuned to Dallas Cowboys dot Com for all Brian's recap our recaps, and we'll have the practice talk about Yeah, training camp live. Do there's still another minute on this clock here? Yeah? Well, Caden's taking charge right all right, running the ship, all right, the breaks

up next, See you guys tomorrow. Thank you, guys. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.