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Putson take burners here, that's got Tisayas touchdown and now your hosts Isaiah Standback, Patrick Walker, Josh Rodriguez, and Kyle Yeomans.
It's a Talking Tuesday edition of Talking Cowboys presented by Black Rifle Coffee Company, live from the Star in Frisco, Texas, in the s w BC studio. Welcome in, everybody. We've got the whole cast and crew ready for you to rock today with Patrick no Cy Walker back in the building, Josh Rodriguez, Isaiah standback with the theme in the Backham Kyle Yeomans.
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Look at it.
I'm you know what i'mbout to go.
That's what I'm gonna put it out here.
The twelfth caller, Uh huh, the twelfth, twelve, We're gonna get the twelfth. The twelfth caller gets that jacket right there from no seat right here.
I'm down for that. All right, let's do it. That's it. Let's do we get that jacket right there. That hear you another morning, much like much like a fiber field brick. This contract is right, it's very mad. A musical contract. That is not he said. I didn't say it. Can't hold me to him.
Patrick, We missed you yesterday. Man, that other guy.
Brother, we forgot to do the drop like with him on the show. I know we missed the opportunity. Missed the opportunity.
Guys, had a little bit of a family emergency. My my fourteen year old son, he broke his leg. Oh yeah, uh just boy being a boy, boy being a boy. We've all been there.
No growth plates, right, no, right.
He went to the ortho on yesterday and turns out he does not need to have surgery. They simply cast them, make sure. Yeah, they made sure the bone was reset correctly, cast him up and follow up in four weeks.
It will assbody.
Yeah, you know how tough that is, as like a twelve year old kid to be like, yeah, I broke my leg. Okay, fourteen year old kid, uh to say like, yeah, I broke my leg. Yeah, like sorry, yeah, yeah, you guys just got to deal with your like wimpy little things over there. It was, and I'm just gonna come back stronger than that. It's awful to do it in the winter break.
Too, school, but reappear with the cast. Yeah, but see now they have it. I didn't know this was a thing.
They it's not gonna miss summer, Like he's not gonna be like, you know, like he's not gonna be able to run around outside and that kind of thing.
They make it difficult to kind of sun the cast nowadays, though, because back in the day they gave us the tan, the beige, the white cast.
Their casts are black.
Now silver gold sharpies.
Yeah, but then that's given raiders and we don't that's true. We're not doing that.
So yeah black to Xavier, Dad is extremely proud of you. I know exactly how much pain you were in when that happened. Dad has broken bones before. I know that was level fifteen pain level ten scale. But he handled it like an absolute champ. And I mean he's also he's in karate and jiu jitsu and has been for years, so he then you're his dad.
Yeah, I'm sure that doesn't hurt. But seriously, I mean he knows how intended.
Yeah, yeah, facts, he knows how to manage his pain, and he knows the mental part of it. So shouts out to Xavier, love your big boy, and hell love Dad.
To talk to you later. Very cool, that man. Well glad to have you back.
Tommy did a great job yesterday. I do you want to get your thoughts on the Cowboys and Commanders before we get into news and now, g RG what's.
That get right game? Okay, defense was a get right game.
Cowboys didn't play Jaydon Daniels, they didn't play Marcus Marioda. They played Josh Johnson. Josh Johnson put up the most points that he has in years. Okay, running backs out there looking like Adrian Peterson, you know, and I'm not just talking about Debo. I will say, yeah, Krosskey married looks like Adrian Peterson. I even tweet that day, I was like, is that Crosskey, Marritle? Is that ap or ad if?
You know?
All day?
I can respect Deebo Samuel getting his look back after Javonte Williams put one of their defenders through the planet.
That's fair.
Love me some good football, some payback football. But the defense for the most part, it just looks like it can't figure itself out. And then after the fact you ask questions about, well, why was Logan Wilson receiving zero defensive snaps? And then the answer was there was quote unquote confusion on the on the side of the coaching staff, the defensive side of the coaching staff as far as rotational.
So it's week seventeen and there's.
Still miscommunication, not simply between players on the field, maybe because he's in the booth, but was it much better communication wise when he was on the sideline. So I mean that's another takeaway from me. You you know, now you have better now you have the revelation that they're continuing to have coaching issues on the defensive side of the ball, and that you know, translates onto the field. So there were a couple of bright spots to Devion
Clowney being the biggest bright spot for me. You know, I can't stand on that table enough as far as resigning that guy, re sign him, re signed him, Jaevion Clowney. He wants to be here. He also said he wants to participate in some training camp, not for It's seldom that you hear a mercenary, twelve year mercenary say that he wants to be in somebody's training camp. He wants to be in someone's full offseason pro so that so that he won't have as much rust as he did starting.
He wants to hit the ground right.
Full seventeen plus, seventeen plus at the highest level, not not okay for the first seven and then elite for the remaining ten.
I like those words.
I did look up something yesterday after the show that has me slightly concerned with, Oh, come on, way to be a Debbie Downer.
Well, it's because we're supposed to speak the truth here are you talking about the Cowboys having ever the worst that the most points given up in Cowboys history.
Yeah, that's pretty bad.
That's not the one you were talking about.
No, Oh, that's not what it was.
It's the fact that Jdavian Clowney every year, every other year in his career has been productive.
And then he disappears. Then he's productive and then he disappears.
Light switch.
Yeah, And it's very back and forth, and it's very contingent on what the contract situation.
Is, Kyle. But he didn't have a full season, so he would be right in the first yea, So.
Maybe it is maybe we're okay, maybe we're we're all right, But I mean, you look, you look back at it.
So let's go after the Pro Bowl years.
So he had three straight Pro Bowl years where he was fantastic from twenty sixteen to twenty eighteen. After that, he goes three sacks, which is okay but not great. Then he goes zero. New team signs him Cleveland, puts up nine sacks. Second year with Cleveland, goes back down the three. Then he goes to Baltimore. New team, what's up nine and a half sacks on a one year deal. One of his best seasons he's had in recent memory.
Then he turns around, he goes to Carolina. Five and a half sacks not the same, but he signed a new deal with Carolina where he had more cash. Then he's, of course a free agent, comes in late with Cowboys. He's put up five and a half again, been more productive and less games and less appearances. Does that mean that he's ready for that contract and ready to take the step forward and continue that production in twenty twenty six or are we due to see a bit of a drop off.
Five and a half is double digits around these parts.
Buddy, take the.
Sacks right, the hitters absolutely.
I don't think beggars can be choosers when you have a situation where you got Javion Clowney, who is given the effort that he's giving in games that have no playoff implications and for a defensive endroom that we have continuously said is in dire st We do hope and
expect that as Raku will take the next step. We hope that the Cowboys will address the position with one of their top one of their top picks, be it first round or third or whatever, one of their top picks in the twenty twenty six NFL Draft, and then you hope they address it in free agency. But I feel like one way to address it in free agency is to go with what you know, and what you know. Having test driven Jenevion Clowney for the entirety of a season, now you know what.
He can be in the locker U all the entirety of the season, but not even you.
Also, he can be in the law. You also kind of did that, not to cut you off. I mean, uh, you kind of did that with Dante Fowler Junior, and you thought you knew. You thought you you thought you knew, and you didn't. You did, and he didn't. He hasn't done it. That's fair.
So so the same thought process could be applied to Jadevian Clowney. It might not happen the same way.
It might not.
Difference being though is again it's it's to your point, because you make an excellent point as far as the up down, up down of Ji.
I just want to point it out. I love Jaavian and I've been very impressed with him.
But the between Fowler and Clowney was wildly different. Okay, Fowler is the one coming off of a career season with the Washington Commanders, Fowler was the one reuniting with this staff and new staff, but reuniting with the organization, so they were supposed to be familiarity. That kind of helped him kind of hit the ground running to make none of those things game.
The fruition for him.
But then here comes Genevion Clowney from a completely different, different sphere with the Carolina Panthers.
He's never been with the real expectation, no real.
Expectations, and he outperforms. So you have an overachiever versus an underachiever, and that's kind.
Of what you have to look at.
I think when he was signed, though I'm waiting on you, when he was signed, I think our whole thought process is if he could get to the production he had in Carolina, then it was worth five and a half secs.
And he's got he's literally there right now.
Who knows what he gets this week to up that number, but I think he's been worth what you've had overachieving. It's just been marginal, like it's a marginal overachievement, but it is a slight over it.
It's more than you expected.
Exactly.
But it's not a marginal underachievement, not at all. Yeah, it's just not under all.
Right, Isaiah, you had your hand.
I don't believe that it was an overachievement by Jadavian Clowney.
That's what I'm saying. It's it's exactly what you fel.
Yeah, this is the expectations that I had of Jadamon Clowney, reason being exactly what I said last week or the week before, whatever it was, when we were having a conversation about the type of defensive end that I would like to bring in.
Big body, big body.
You want that, dude, because a big body defensive end that possesses the ability to pass rush as well as the run stop is more valuable than just a pure pass rusher. In my eyes, I can't speak for everybody else, Dante Fowler Junior is just a pass rusher.
Start dragging your words out like that.
In a particular system, Dan Quinn system, that's where Dante Fowler Junior has thrived.
No indictment on him at all. He's just better utilized and more.
Impactful when he's in that specific type of scheme. A Jadevian Clowney body type is somebody that has a greater chance of having success in any system that you have, because no matter what, when you bring in different coaches, you don't want to have to turn over your personnel as well. Change is imminent in the NFL, So you're either gonna be changing personnel or you're gonna be changing
your coaches. Right, You much rather be able to keep your personnel and have them adapt to the coaches should you need to change there.
Jadevian Clowney is.
A versatile He's a Swiss knife type of guy that could play whatever you need and to play you needed a pass rush, you can passor you need a run stop, he could run stop. You need to hold the fort, He'll hold the force, set the edge, whatever it might be. Every the d is not made up that way.
And that's what I would like to say about Jay clown.
But Okay, you're talking about scheme, fit and all those things. Are you saying that the Cowboys not? I'm not trying to put words anymore, but do you think the Cowboys did enough to change the personnel to fit?
They tried.
They certainly tried. That was the point that I wanted to make.
Certainly tried going back to our conversation last last yes yesterday.
Yeah, they tried.
They added two new interior defensive tackles, dulf of what you are a dogs, okay? They they they traded for three linebackers. Three linebackers. Okay, they went and ahead and drafted big corner.
Don't forget about kyri Elam.
They brought it right, they So they brought in kyer Elam was not a man and man guy. We knew that last year right when it was in Buffalo didn't have the greatest of years. But they brought him here because they said, you know, he's not a man of man guy. He's more of his own guy. So work for this system didn't work out, right, Traded for three linebackers in most people's eyes, hasn't worked out. Brought into two interior defense alignment hit. They hit on that one right,
And then they brought into Davian Clowns. So when you think about the additions to this defense, Clowney Clark, Williams, Wilson, H Murray, who else am I miss?
Sam Born? They brought in elm eight guys.
They tried, but like you just said, and I think you kind of just reiterated his point from earlier. You brought in two sure surefire guys Clark, Yeah, Clark and Quinn Williams, guys that could probably work in any scheme.
It doesn't matter the scheme.
So those are just god and they tried and in guys you knows first and foremost.
No see can allude to this.
It's not specific because it never went down right, But they tried to acquire other people as well. That would have had a tremendous impact and would have helped tremendously on this defense. It just didn't work out financially right. But so also the point we had yesterday, there's only so much pie. There's only so much pie, and it's gonna get worse because if you choose, if you choose to bring back George Pickens and Williams and Jamonti when Jamonti was not gonna kill the bank, I think you'd
be able to find somebody compromise. He's gonna want a multi year deal though, he's gonna want a multi year deal, but I don't see it being more than you know, five or sixty.
He's not gonna be a franchise tag possibility like Pickins.
Will Yeah, he's not gonna affect your salary cap in my eyes, right but George Pickens, George Pickens is right. If you want to retain George Pickens, he is going to impact how much pie can go around.
There's there's already not enough pie going around.
So most if it's on the offensive side of the football.
Absolutely three, you're gonna be paying five people, probably seventy percent of your salary your salary cap. Yeah, summer, I don't I numbers. I don't have that in front of me right now. But dak CD Georgia if he comes back, Tyler Smith, Jake.
Person, I'm not worried about the seller, Kip not worried about I'm I'm not worried about that. There's there's the pie is finite, but the pie can be you can find ways to expect to that pie, but to sign impact players and that. So that with that being said, you're going to have to let some guys walk, and that because right.
Now they're projected to be thirty million over the cap in twenty twenty six, but in which is the worst in the NFL.
The guys that you have to discuss potentially walking is not the George Pickens of the It's not the Javonte Williams of the world. For me, it's not the Davion Clowney of the world. It's if you're going to move on from this defensive coordinator. And it sounds as if because you can interpret what Jerry Jones said in one
O five three the Fantas however you like. He said, I'm glad this, thanks, but here's the quote he said, as far as discussing the defensive side of the ball and the coaching staff and the quarterator quote, we'll get to that pronto.
More than one person had their finger in this.
We're trying to solve the problem and get better where we are, and one guy is not going to do that freeze for a second. So at that moment you're thinking, oh man, he might hold on. It's not all ebra flues at all. That's a team wide breakdown. And then he continued on as far as making it sound one way or the other, there's no one between. It sounds like either Jerry Jones is going to keep his continuity with Matt Eberflus or.
He's going to clean house. He's a defensive side of the ball.
I don't feel like there's any one way in between that, which brings me back to the point I'm about to make. Do Isaia, if you're going to make that change at the fensive coordinator and clean house. Jerry also later in the conversation with the fans, spoke about his concern about progress stoppers.
That was his phrase, progress stoppers. It wasn't tied to Clowney.
It wasn't tied to Williams Jiante obviously, it's not even tied to George Pickens obviously. But might it be tied to a guy like a Jack Samborne or Kenneth Murray. Absolutely, you see what I mean, might be tied to those guys. So then if you take that thought probably from Jerry and he's concerned about certain guys being progressed oppers, not the guys we're talking about, new defensive coordinator comes in.
What's the message to the new defensive coordinator? Has Jerry Jones and the Cowboys learned to not look at that DC and say we'll get your guys, or will he say, develop who's here like your Mayris Lea Files, you're demr Fion overshown some of your younger Donovan z Roku Jamar Shamar James. It makes for a very interesting conversation to be had upstairs.
And that's where I think dan Quinn had success here because I'm I'm of the mentality and when you watch the film going back to twenty twenty one, when he took over a Mike Nolan defense that was historically bad in twenty two, when you started in twenty twenty one, I don't think the talent on this defense is overstepping anybody else in the NFL.
But what dan Quinn did is he developed the talent that was in the building because and he developed the guys.
He fit guys to the system that he had, and we've talked about that multiple times, and then that system kind of a game.
His system.
He said, Okay, it worked here, maybe it'll work in Washington, and he got a couple guys to go with him. It worked for a year, and then when those guys kind of fall out of favor or get hurt, then it falls into what happened this year in Washington. I think he was a developer. Mike Nolan didn't develop dan Quinn. Did Mike Zimmer No, No, he did not. And now we're at Matt Eberflus, And.
We've talked about it before.
I like Matt Eberflus. I've always liked him as a person. I think he's a good coach. I just don't think it was the perfect fit here in twenty twenty five. I just don't think it worked out the way he wanted to. But I also can't say that he's had a more talented defense because outside of the interior defensive lineman, outside of maybe a healthy drom Land, who else on this defense are you confident.
In right now?
Really quickly?
Though?
I don't want to just because talking a lot about dan Quinn and what did work here, but let's not forget that there was a lot of bad too. We played a season without linebackers, yeah, and a safety as a linebacker for an entire couldn't off the run to save your life, couldn't stop the run, which is a thread that has followed the Cowboys for many years now.
So I don't want to just say, oh, like the defense was unstoppable.
Is that a problem or a scheme problem?
I think that was a scheme problem. I think that was a person maybe both.
But you were lacking linebackers. You had to bring a safety down. You had no interior divas linement, so you had to try to bring pressure.
See.
But that's the thing is they had to bring relentless pressure in the scheme that made it work. And they had to bring relentless pressure and that gives up the run almost for sure.
So is it a scheme problem first or is it a personnel Probably personnel, and then the scheme tries to make up for which came first.
Exactly.
The egg came first, and that is the personnel.
But we're talking about the Green Bay playoff game, like your biggest loss ever, I mean absolutely, But why is that not a scheme?
But why did you change the scheme because it was already because you had you didn't have enough cornerbacks, right, and the one cornerback that you had invested in for that year, the veteran cornerback and Stefan Gilmour had a dislocated shoulder, couldn't play press man. What is like Dan Queen like to play press man? So what do you have to do that game? Because of the lack of personnel change the scheme personnel scheme had a change.
It's saying on the same page there it was personnel I just don't think the guys on this defense are very good.
That's just playing and simple.
Yeah, you don't have an I don't you don't have enough.
I don't think you have certain certain guys.
Guys you have some tech.
I don't think either take is incorrect. I know it all again, there's one one to get to the other.
Like Jerry admitted, this was a team wide failure on the defensive side of the ball, which means you have to assist the personnel outside of Quinn Williams, Kenny Clark and also who you just paid and wanting to bring back to Dave Yon in the development of Israku and you got a couple of young linebackers. You have to look at it from a personnel standpoint. How are we
going to attack it free agency versus the draft. You don't want progress stoppers, but you need a veteran leadership such as Javian Colony because you don't have DeMarcus Lawrence in the building anymore. And I feel like that's a great replacement for DeMarcus Lawrence at this point in time. And then you look at the coach staff and you say, okay, well it's not all on Matt Eberflus, but it is
on Matt Ebraflus, But it's also on position coaches. Right, Are the position coaches the one maybe the right guys to develop.
The guys that you have. I feel we've had this guy have and I did that for a reason. But I'm believing that.
I know one last point before we move on, because we got to take your calls. But you talked about whether to attack it through free agency, trades or the draft. You what has really hamstrung you more than anything in my opinion as well when it comes to personnel, is they have struck out on the defensive side of the ball in the draft. I'm gonna take twenty twenty five away, okay, because their rookies, Yeah, taking.
Twenty twenty five out of it.
The guys after before that that you have drafted, And I don't know if you can look at me and say you've seen enough out of any one of these guys for any particular reason. Please, but you've got of course, rest in peace, Marshaw Neeland, Love you, brother. He was probably the best guy out of that twenty twenty four class in terms of the defensive side of the ball. Maris Leafu, Kayln Carson, who's shown some thing.
But have you seen enough?
Same with Marris, absolutely not, same thing with with Mahris.
Then you go down to Justin Rodgers, he was a seventh round pick, not even in the league anymore. Mazzie Smith, No Demarvi and over shown. You've seen some things and he might be the one exception, but he hasn't been on the fields, so that's tough. Villiami Fojoko, no Eric Scott, no Jalen Brooke. Oh wait, sorry, that's what offensive side of the ball. Sam Williams the year before that. He's still around, but has he lived up to the second round expectation?
Absolutely No.
Deron Bland, Yes, you've seen enough there that one's fine, Demon Clark, John Ridgeway, Devin Harper.
I mean it goes on and on.
That's three or four drafts where you have struck out on guys and you're still waiting on twenty twenty five. Donovan Azraku looks like he's going to be somebody, but you still need to see more. Savone revel he's been hurt, unavailable, and when he has been available, it hasn't shown out yet. Jamar James has shown some things, but still need to see more. You can't keep striking out on the defensive side of the ball in the draft.
I agree they've added some pieces, but none of them have worked out, and that's a problem. Free agency, maybe free agencies the ante. Maybe trades are the answer. Who knows.
I think they've they've kind of started dabbling in those realms over the last couple of years. All right, when we come back on Talking Cowboys, we're going to take your phone calls eight eight eight eight five five two two nine seven more Talking Cowboys right after this.
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Back with Patrick No c Walker, Josh Rodriguez, Saya stand back, Chris Beam in the back.
I'm Kyle Yeomans.
It is a Talking Tuesday, the final one of the twenty twenty five seasons.
I really like those words.
I know we will take calls in sporadic points throughout the off season, just not right like every show because we're on Tuesday, so don't expect us to take calls every Tuesday.
So here we go, Mike in New York, get us started. What's up, Big Mike?
What's going on guys. I feel like the Cowboys. Yeah, I know instincts. I wish the season wasn't coming here, and I feel like, you know, I hope we do something in free agency. I feel like the draft full of those things. You know it's hit or miss. You know, you get guys, you think you're gonna get guys that are good, and you just don't know. I like to see us do a little more free agency on the defensive side of the ball. I mean, I feel like Quinn Williams in interior's good, but we need lie we
need lie backers, and we need sick indary help. I don't know. I know there's a lot to talk about Brian. Brian Flores is our new defensive coordinator. I don't know though here is it gonna change? I mean, I mean, yeah, coachem matters, but the players have to do it as well. And it's kind of you. I don't know, it's it's the way to see it.
Thank you Mike for the call as always, and he brings up a good thing to remember when we go into this offseason. There are names and I'm not even gonna say Bflow because he's still under contract and he's doing this thing up in Minnesota, and there's a reason why he's having success on the defensive side up there despite not a great season. There are going to be names that fly around, whether it be coaching or free agents.
Anytime there's a name that's mentioned online that is a free agent, in some sense of the word will be tied to the Dallas Cowboys. That does not mean that there is mutual interest between the Cowboys and that person g lidity. There might be interest from that person to the Cowboys. There might be interest from the Cowboys to that person, but there has to be mutual interest for
that to happen. So this is a good reminder going into the off season that you cannot put your eggs in every basket that you see along the way, because just because a name is out there doesn't mean it's a real possibility or even that there's any truth to that name drives the price.
Up and that's the case.
And can you also communicate to our family, Yes, about what we can and cannot speak about.
If anybody is under contract for the length of the league year, we can't talk about it. So if they're under Kyle, because that would be tampering get in real big trouble and the organization could lose draft picks if little old talking Cowboys decides to talk about people that are under contract on other rosters. So we can't talk about that. Let's do move on though, anybody else have any thoughts on it?
Was a service announcement?
Pa PSA. All right, Jalen and Shreveport. What's going on?
Jayleen?
Jalen just dropped.
Oh, Jayleen, but we got Mike in Kentucky? What Mike in Kentucky? What part of Kentucky.
I'm just a little bit west of Lexington.
I don't know if I love Lexington so much. That's one of my favorite cities. I'm not even gonna lie so much. Bourbon and good food.
It's a good spot. What's up that's on your mind?
I think I'm the only Cowboys fan out here. It's a little lonely, but you down the fort.
Here, Yeah, you'd be surprised. Appreciate you, Colin.
Yeah, So I'll be quick today.
I just want to say how much I love the show.
Thank you.
I look forward to it every day, and I appreciate how positive you all are every day.
It's just a bright spot in my day I get to look forward to, and I just want to call in to let you all know that as we finish up the season here.
But uh, that's all I have. Keep doing what you're doing.
Uh.
I appreciate y'all, Thank you, Mike.
Appreciate it.
But you just said positive in.
Like, what's that about? Where the heck is Corey Isaiah? No, not today remaining positive on us talking Tuesday.
I like it. I like it.
Appreciate you calling. Thanks, love and enjoy Lexington because that's a great talent. All right, Hoodie Cush from the bab Boys.
Cush, what's up? Fella tells everybody this lovely day. Everybody enjoyed their holidays.
Yes, absolutely positivity.
Patrick, no seat prayers. Going up to the young man with a broken leg, you got to tell him to stop putting his foot up. People jump talking about.
Well, you know, if it's free and Stoff talking about the Cowboys, maybe he won't break the foot off.
I'm saying, Okay, some things are some things are acceptable, but let's let's get into it. So I'm seeing online you know shoddy is you know, uh the quote was we we messed up the rotation. That tells me that's coach speak for I'm taking bullets from my defensive coordinator. Am I wrong? And as far as coaching is concerned, as far as the uh prospects of coaching, I mean, you got Vans Joseph out there, who's probably going to uh his his contracts coming up, Steve Spagnolo, Jim Schwartz. Uh,
there's a there's a litane you guys. So you guys are correct. It takes two to tango. We may want them, but do they want us? I am big on that, but that's pretty much where I'm go to leave it. I want you guys to have a blessed day. You heard, Happy New Year to y'all.
So again, can't talk about those guys that he just mentioned. He was on hold, Kyle, he was fine.
I know, I know.
But when it comes to his first point of Brian Schottenheimer taking bullets for the defensive coordinated, he believe that's the case.
Oh absolutely, I think so absolutely.
He took one most recently, and I respect Brian Foye most that's what a head coach should be doing.
Not twenty four hours ago, he took another bullet because he said when he was kind of pressed about it being confusion on the coaching staff, because it was Stephen Jones that said to one O five three the fan that there was confusion as far as the Logan Wilson situation, and then they asked him to clarify.
He said it was on the coaching staff.
Okay, So segue to yesterday Brian Schottenheimer's press conference. Brian was asked about it and Brian said, yeah, it was on the coaching staff. He went to explain and then he pulled back for a second and said, hey, it happens on the offensive side of the ball too.
Mm took that bullet again, did y?
Yeah, absolutely, he's taking several bullets for the offensive coaching staff.
And there are a couple times this year where you can see through kind of his wall a couple of times just because he is such a nice guy and he loves to talk, and you can kind of see there's a couple of times where eber Flus is not mentioned specifically, but you can kind.
Of feel it. That frustrate frustration.
But I think for the most part, I think Schottenheimer has done a good job of trying to shield the problems on that side of the ball and put it on himself as the head coach.
As a guy that's so open with everybody and open with his answers, you can definitely see the wall when he puts it up. Yes, there will be certain questions where he's like, yep, could happen. I don't know, Jane Blue could be activated.
I don't know who does. Who does and I don't know, but he'll protecting his guys.
But I also stopped like he's he's the type of person that you know he'll do that great jubble of protecting the guys and then as soon as the press conference is over, pull that same gun to the into the offense seat.
You're killing me, small, What are we doing here?
Yeah?
Doing?
Have y'all watch The Hard Knocks this season the nfcas it's worth a watch. It's actually really good.
But there are some behind the scenes of Shody in that show that no one on the outside normally gets to see effects.
And it's really it's He's intense. And I've said this before.
One of the ways I was impressed with Schottenheimer to start was the way that he commanded the draft room on draft weekend. I've never seen anything quite like it. And one day, if I end up writing a book about some of the stories that I don't talk about on the air in the building here.
That's gonna be one of the first chapter.
Yeah, the Tyler Booker and the Donovan Azeraku pick both of those were big time shoddy audience.
Like those were not not shoddy, guys.
But it was the way he commanded the room and put a vendetta across the board to make sure that they knew it was the right guy. He It was very interesting. It was quite interesting. I hope they make a documentary about it one day. Anyways, what were your thoughts on that one?
For Isaiah? Were next? Call war stories? Three? Maybe? I don't know one? Last one one an emmy. All right, let's get to Jalen and shreem parties back. What's up, Jalen?
How's it going, guys?
New week and day for here, Yes, sir, it is just like Jalen to drop one and then come right back and and call back.
Yeah, good stuff, Jalen.
Today is also today for the Independence I was.
About to say, is the Independence Bowl today?
Is that?
So?
It's lot of tech and who uh if.
I knew that the initials are CCU, but I cannot recall like the Carolina car.
Team that I could.
It was a new team I've.
Never heard of, coast Coastal Carolina. Yes, oh okay, so LO Tech in Coastal Carolina. That'll be fun. Are you going?
I am, Actually it's gonna It's about a couple of years since the last time I've been out there. But I have a cousin who's actually at the Louisiana Tech.
Oh there you go, nice, very nice. We'll say hi to my my good friend, head coach of LA Tech, Sonny Comby. Good dude, h what's on your mind?
I had a comment and a quick question.
All right, okay.
The comment was actually in reference to a couple of for being. First off, I'm gonna say I'm a long time listener for The of the Top Cowboys, and you're actually talking to the winner from a couple of seasons ago, to the person who won the Delays Potato ships.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was awesome. Yeah, like the Lays turf chips it was yeah.
Yeah.
And I was the one who want that show and my loyalty for y'all all the ones that helped made that happen.
Man, My question was, do you.
Feel that the Cowboys need to both put more attention on free agency to fill the Greater Boys on defense and then leave the.
Draft for.
Uh BP a best player available considering where they are picking in the draft in the first raft.
Great question, Jay, and appreciate you call, and appreciate you listening from all the way back there in those laze Chip days.
Josh, I'm gonna let you start on this one.
What you got, Yes, next call.
Free agency, best player available? We solve the Cowboys, all right, that's it. That's what you do.
That's what you're supposed to do.
Honestly, it feels like the Dallas Cowboys have kind of made a shift over the last off season to be more active in free agency, something we haven't seen from them in years.
Right.
I think a little bit of that.
I think it went a long way for us because you did get certain guys that are helping right now, thinking of Javonte Williams, thinking about a few other guys that really did contribute among all the other guys that didn't contribute that we talked about earlier in the episode. But I think that's an indicator of if you're getting guys proven guys. They are going to help your team right now. Regardless of the scheme. You need guys, Go get them.
Yeah, I agree.
The bottom line is in the NFL, the short of the window that you have, the more you need to lean on free agency, because the more you need proving guys you don't. You have less and less time to wait for a collegiate prospect to have a breakout season. Defensive line typically that's year three, if it's going to happen at all. Cornerbacks that's fluid, could be year two, could be year four. In the contract here, you need
guys like a Jenevian Clowney. You just using him as an example because we were talking about him earlier that have already proven that they can and still play at a high level.
And then that allows you to go into the draft.
BPA have that freedom and say, Okay, these are the guys who are going to develop alongside and behind the proving guys we got in free agency. But again, I feel like if the window is longer, you can lean more on the on the draft side of things because you have some time to develop guys, which also means that you probably have some veterans already that you're still
good to go with. But when you look at the Cowboys and you have a shrinking window, you have Dak Prescott still at a high level, but he's in his early thirties. I think he turns thirty three, thirty two, thirty three next year a second. Yeah, But when you have the window shrinking, bottom line is you have the windows shrinking, and you have the owner in general manager turns thirty three, and you have the owner and general manager becoming very aware of his own mortality.
Not to be grim, but that's just the fact of the matter. Even deccoluting. He talks about it, all right, He talks about it all the time.
Window is shrinking. You need more proven guys than developmental guys. I can't disagree with anything you guys just said. We'll get them guys. But it's not only just the guys in their capabilities on the field. You need some mental dogs, like especially on the defensive side of the ball. If there's a mentality that goes along and there is.
A you need to intimidate a little bit. There's something about your defense right now is intimidating.
Aside from your.
Every in every dominant defense has an identity. This is one of the first years, regardless of how bad some of the defenses have been over the recent years, where you didn't feel as if there was an identity.
Well they have one. It just it's just one spot.
I'm saying, like even even star with it.
We've had a lot of teaks. There's been a lot of discuss. There's been a lot of discuss.
In terms of the defense of predictivity over the last whatever horse has been now.
But you can go along the line, start at Nolan and walk your way down.
You can say which each coordinator brought, what their identity of the coach was, and how they tried to reincarnate that with the players on the field.
You can't say that this year.
No, you can now like DQ, you can say takeaways, you can say pass rush, you couldn't say run defense. But yeah, he's zimmered. Do wa gat You know what I'm saying, Like fusion twenty twenty five, Well you got you got Q, you got Kenny, But those came.
Yeah, but that's not identity.
Those are players. What's identity.
That's that's a good point, all right. We got to take our second break. When we come back, we'll get to Jamie in Edinburgh, Texas Edinburgh, Edinburgh in just a moment. But we're talking Cowboys on a talking Tuesday.
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That's the last opportunity like that, like this, yeah, like that too. That's like this like that, that's nice, Hold on like that like that, do it slowly?
Not like that?
No, all right, we got two more callers that we're gonna get to.
Let's go here in this final segment of a Talking Tuesday's been some great calls already, so the pressure is on for Jamie in Edinburgh, Texas.
What's up, Jamie?
Hey, thank you guys along time listener, and just want to say thank you for QB vision and for lab coat Dells or two awesome segments. Thank you guys for that, and uh, I just want to say two things one two more things. One, Kyle, if you could do me a favorite? And the U t R G V Vocos they're the inaugural season was this year they went eight and three and kind of wanted to maybe for the draft, U see who could be you know, considered from that team for the draft. Awesome, Thank you so much. I
appreciate it. And then the I'll nex we'll make it quick.
Uh.
The other thing too is what would be the type of decordinator that you guys would like to have on this team. I know we can't say names said they're under contract, but like let's say a Rex Ryan type or I'm going to go way back in the day, so they wants that type and would you want the identity of that decordinator to be a front to excuse me, a front to back or a back to front. And U with that, I'll hang up and listen to you guys.
You guys are amazing. Thank you so much for everything you guys appreciate.
Yes, sir, happy Rex Ryan defense, it'd be foot.
Well.
Since you asked, I am of the mindset of very aggressive defensive coordinator.
MMM.
And he's not under contract, so you can go ahead and say the name.
I've been on the table for for Rex for some years and I've I'm on that mountain by myself. It's okay, and I'm perfectly fine being on the mountain. What is it I climb out Killiman Jarl two years ago? I have no I'm climbing mountains people, all right. Rex Ryan is somebody that I will put in the pool of people that I would like.
To Why is it aside from his personality, aside from the name, what is it about his defense?
I've had to prepare against his defense? So I'm speaking, yes, you can. That's a problem right into lat.
No problem, No, no.
And I've told Kyle this before, and I'm sitting on this platform before. I've had to prepare. I've had the the privilege of sitting in a room underneath Tom Brady as he and we prepared to take on the New York Jets at the time that was that was led by Rex Ryan. It was the most difficult team to prepare for. It was just hands down that that scheme was the most difficult scheme to prepare for and some
for a defense is one thing. For a defense to be effective, is one thing for a defense to be aggressive. It's another thing for a defense to be confusing. Hardly ever do you get all three. And that was the one defensive coordinator personally that I experienced on the field, And now I can say, watching film all the time for all the games that Cowboys have played, that possess
all three of those those categories for me. And I know, I know he's a wild card, and I know he's a big personality and all the things that people can dislike or like about him, but you can't talk about his scheme and if he has the personnel with that scheme and that confusion and that aggressiveness. I like all of that because you can literally adapt who you are from a week to week basis based upon your opponent.
Every coordinator can't do that, and I've always felt as if he can do that, and he's a crazy enough dude where he is like I'm gonna die my own sword.
Like if you're gonna beat us, you have to make a freaking play.
It's not gonna be no sit back and chill and let you just work your way down the field or there's nothing. There's nothing about him that says, eh, go ahead, you know what I mean? And I like that as a decordinator. Now, most offensive head coaches don't like that. They rather be safe, right, So they didn't get the ball back. So I understand why he's not perceived as being somebody else should be in a conversation. But I
like what he's done in the league. I like his personality because the guys that are on the field are him right. They're balls to the wall, hit you know, go run through somebody's chest, aggressive type players. You have to have that personality type to play for a coach like that. He's not the only type that does that, but he is unique.
Now to his question, is he more of a like from the secondary?
He is?
He is line of scrimmage, He's defensive lineman all the way out to the corners. Corners, gonna be big, physical, in your face. We're in your hip pockets.
Right.
It's very much so like a dan Quinn. He is a which is why I love dan Quinn. Dan Quinn was that style of defense as well. If I'm gonna go out, you got to beat me, right. If that's just my style. Right, if I was the coach, You're gonna be one b one man.
Mono, E mono. I'm challenging you as a man to do your job. You do your job, we win.
And if they and if they do happen to beat us, it's because they made one hell of a play, not because we sat here and watched them run routes in front of us. Right defensive line, same thing, aggressive, same thing. If you're gonna protect against us and you're your quarterbacks, you gonna have time. You're all gonna have to work for it. It's not gonna because we're rushing for or maybe we'll bring one edition. No, no, you're getting after
it and you don't know where it's coming from. And I love that about these defenses.
I love everything you're saying. I love the mentality that that would bring.
I love the opportunity that it would give to a lot of the guys on the team already to maybe take their game to at the level I think I'm good, understanding good without Rex Ryan and that capacity.
Now, I will say there are two things to remember.
One Brian Schottenheimer was the offensive coordinator under Brian Schottenheimer for a couple of seasons in New York within the Jets. The number two thing you got to remember he was fired by Rex Ryan as the offensive coordinator after a couple of seasons with the Jets.
So we don't know what that relationship's like. We don't know what that would turn into early in his career. It was early on, it was back in twenty nine and the twenty eleven or whatever it ends up being.
Sometimes paying makes you grow, you appreciate those things.
Sometimes one thing, great, argument, great, great, great, next year is what twenty twenty six Yeah, okay, Rix Ryan hasn't coached an NFL defense since twenty sixteen.
Yeah, I mean it's ten years. Our NFL offense is the same as they weren't twenty sixteen. Not even what's his role? It's the window long or what's his role?
What's his role right now? Football?
It's the window long.
So you're speaking to coaches in our past who have been away from the game, not tied to the game. This person you're talking about, somebody whose job is literally to watch football every day and then talk about it.
Do you think he does that? Absolutely? Absolutely right.
I'm just curious people who love people who love the game, watch the game, right And if you love the game and you're gonna watch the game, and if you're paid to talk about the game.
You're gonna watch a game.
You're gonna watch a game.
Okay, you're stripping context ten years of that, that's fine, absolutely call. You're absolutely correct.
So from the football acumen aspect, still sharp, I'll assume. So I'll assume.
So the offensive game has changed from twenty sixteen, and these aren't the same types of players, better or for worse.
You have to coach these players different.
You're absolutely correct, different generation.
And different generation and for better for us.
I know people want to jump in the channel to look Okay, I'm an old school guy for sure.
Just so we're clear, I'm an old school guy. I'm an old school sports guy, and I was.
Talked to a certain way when I was in Pop Warner in junius, in high school and college. It was I'm raised on two A days in pestle juice, and that's those things wearing trash bags. That being said, I'm also not being asked to coach these plays. I don't disagree with these players.
That's a whole other These players are here right after so let me ask you this question.
So do you just take that and say I'm not saying, or do you bring in somebody who has a certain requirement of his players? And if you were to take a coordinator and place him on this team right now, which person could you put on this staff that will require less turnover and he can actually work with you?
Have?
I have a couple of ideas, got to say because in the contract. But what you need is a guy who can blend both the old school and the ability to relate. That's what Shottenheimer does on the offensive side.
Yep, Sorry Chris, we didn't get time to get No.
Twelve collars.
Yeah, sorry Chris and Mendeth. So we love you buddy. All right, we'll talk to you again tomorrow.
More Talking Cowboys for Patrick Nosi, Walker, Josh Rodriguez, Isaiah stand back, Chris Beam in the back.
I'm Kyle yum As. We'll see it tomorrow.
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