Talkin' Cowboys: Spending For The Future

not D Day but E Day? Here Star in Frisco, Bill Jones, Mickey Spagnola, Rob Phillips, Brian brought us and here we are. It's the two nineteen regular season. And that was Jerry Jones on the flagship station one O five three the Fan this morning. Mickey, he's not messing around, No, he's not. And they read him this long winding tweet from a fan and they were saying, this is kind of representative of what everybody's thinking out there, that this is a really good Cowboys team. You got an easy

schedule to start the season. We need everybody there, So Jerry needs to quit messing around and get Zeke signed. So is this day? Yeah, that was saved up, didn't you. I just thought of it. I mean, look, I'll believe it when I see it. But based on the latest reports, they're trying to push to get this done. He's flying back reportedly from Cabo to be present in case they get it done. And I think we had a mail back question this morning Brian about how much time would

he need to be able to play. Well, they got one padded practice tomorrow and he hasn't practiced since minicamp in mid June. It'd be, you know, it'd be great if you could get him in here and have him do that and try to get him ready for the Giants. It's asking a lot for him to have to sign and play, Yeah, I really do, you know, And just studying the Giants a little bit the last couple of days, they should be able to beat the Giants. They should. The Giants don't match up as well with them as

some other teams down the road that we'll see. But if they can get him signed, get him going, and then find a way to get him ready again, I just think that this week would be difficult. But knowing him, he'll probably try and play if he gets in. But I think week two would be more realistic if that was me. I think that though, is the fear that that Twitter had that led to what Jerry said at the beginning is as much as on paper it looks like the Cowboys have the better team than the Giants.

Fans out there are fearful, or at least that tweeter is fearful that you need to put your best foot forward and don't mess around. Well, you're better not be messing around, because you know what, I bet somebody in nineteen ninety three thought, without em and Smith here, they had an easy opener with the Washington Redskins, and then they go and give up thirty five points and to a team that only ended up winning four games that year. So I don't subscribe to any theory about this is

an easy one. We can hold people out, especially how long you guys have been covering this team. How much of a crapshoot Division games are. Now, that's what you start off with the season, two straight division games. I don't expect him to go out there and play forty snaps. But if he gets into practice tomorrow, and I doubt they put him in pads anyway, they're going to ease him back in, but by Sunday afternoon, maybe he gets

twenty snaps. Maybe you put him out there and give the Giants something else to think about if he gets signed in time. But that's another story. It's interesting because we've seen him play on little to no practice time, you know, like his rookie year, he missed most of preseason. He got but he got a little bit of work. In twenty seventeen, he was wondering week to week whether he's going to play or not. But he had some background. He went to camp, you know, he was in pad something.

Sure is this is unprecedented for him as much as we think he's a professional in terms of getting himself ready's body ready to play, I'm with you. I mean it's you don't want to risk risk him getting out there having no football activity and then something happened where he gets hurt, you know, and they will be Well. That's why I think tomorrow's the deadline. Yeah, if he doesn't get here tomorrow, then I'm not playing him. Like

if he signs on Friday or Saturday. This isn't like Michael Irvin signing on what was it, Thursday before the Monday night season opener, and then he went out and played. Sure. Do you think Zeke feels like this is the deadline now? His deadline's three o'clock Saturday. Why explain that one? Because if he's not signed by them, he doesn't get paid for the week. Yeah, if he gets if he signs

at two o'clock, he gets his game check. Yeah. I think this is I think this is more about Ezekiel at now realizing that, you know, the Joneses are going to dig in and they haven't dug in like the Los Angeles Chargers have. At least they're talking to Zeke. At least they're talking about trying to create some type of new deal for him. You know, at least they're having dialogue. I don't see the Chargers at all. But I think it's also to me about more about Zeke.

Sam Listen, I've it's all right, it's time for me to start playing football. You know, I've got to figure out how is it under the current situation it is under a new deal. I think that I think there's a sense of urgency now with his side. Uh, you know, the Joneses have pretty much said, Okay, this is what we'll try and do, We'll try and work with you. We've said it all along. You know, we're going to talk about Lyle Collins here in a little bit, and

we've kind of always said the doors open. The cap guys said this, that door is open. If you're willing to deal with us, we'll deal with you. And we've seen that now the last couple of the deals that

they've done, there hasn't been a pecking order. No, it's just you know, I mean, I mean the whole thing with Lyle Collins, it's you know, Lyle Collins basically left, in my opinion, left about five million dollars a year on the on the you know, on the table if you look at where where his floor could have been

for where if he'd got to free agency. You know, if this thing turns into where it's say it's a ten million dollars year thing, the Cowboys got a heck of a deal if that's but we'll see, we'll see what the number is. But Lyle Collins is a fifteen million dollar year tackle in my opinion, he really is. And so if if he came in and said, all right, this is what I'm gonna do, is I'm gonna sign I'm happy about being here. Then good for him, Good for the Cowboys. They've got a deal done, and I

think that's kind of where they're at right now. See. I think what everybody needs to remember on this whole deal is the Cowboys want to do this deal with Zeke. Absolutely, they want to do it. They don't have to do it. No, they could wait three more years if they wanted to. So it was kind of their idea to get this done ahead of time. So the hold up is obviously what the other side's asking for. They don't. They don't they don't want to make them sit. The Chargers now,

I think want to make Melvin Gordon site. It doesn't sound like they have any interests in signing them, so it's time to It's time to get in. And the other thing is, if you remember last year, when you know when guys hold out, Earl Thomas held out the same way Zeke did, and on Wednesday of the season opener, he showed up without a new deal, by the way, because he was going to lose five hundred thousand dollars, and he saved face by saying, I am invested in

my teammates. I didn't want to leave my teammates down, and he came in hat in hand and played the season out. So it's time. There are some I'm checking Twitter myself, and there are there's some chatter out there that they could be close on a deal. I'll just put it that way. We've heard that a lot lately. But yeah, I don't think there's any question there's been progressed in the last few days to try to get this. Nicky, you're kind of our resident cap guy, and I'm not

asking for a number, I'm asking you. Do you feel like it was the difference between the way the contract was structured that maybe they were looking for more upfront money and the Cowboys are trying to backload this a little bit more. Do you think that's kind of what the hold up is on this? Not necessarily, because what teams have been doing lately with the signing bonus is the signing bonus has been smaller, and they've been giving roster bonuses that have been guaranteed, right, and so to

help with the guarantee money that doesn't affect the base salaries. Basically, what they're doing is saying we're gonna have these guarantees over so many years. Like a lot of these contracts, the guarantees have been three or four years, not five or six, right, And so some of the guaranteed came in roster bonuses that were guaranteed the first the second year, and then the third and fourth years. They were guaranteed

three days into the first league year. So they've been kind of messing that around so they can keep the base salaries a little bit more reasonable, because what they want to do is they don't want that pro ration hitting big at the end of the contract. They would

rather big salaries at the end of the contract. If this if okay, then if my next question to the panel then or to you, Mickey, then since you do understand this and you have a good handle on this with the fact that his off the field stuff, would you rather have a frontloaded contract with him or a backloaded contract? I would rather have frontloaded. But see, you have to be careful with the base salaries because they can only increase fifteen percent percent rule, right, is that

we're thteen percent each year. You can increase the did I say fifteen or thirty? Now you said I just said thirty. I thought it was fifteen percent. That could only increase the base salaries that much per year, So you got to be careful and where you start that base salary. And again, his if it's a five year deal, it's probably going to be a seven year deal, because he's got two years left on the contract sure worth

what like twelve thirteen million. So they'll they'll throw him some signing bonus for this year and they'll reduce his base salary and then he'll get And that's the way they did. What was the other contract they kept the smith the fifth year deal, the fifth year that they picked up, they kept that the same. Okay, So that's

the way they've been doing these contracts. Now. The difference and the thing with Leale Collins is, you know, he had a six point five six point five two million base salary this year with a two point five million dollars escalator. So by signing him to a long term deal and giving him whatever the signing bonus was and pro rating that over the length of the contract, they reduced his supposedly reduced his cap hit for this year by five point seven million dollars, which means there's more

money in there. And that's one of the things we talked about trying to get a Mari's deal done at some point is if you could, then that would lower his base outelyificantly for twenty nine. Seeing the difference is would dak it's going to increase it because he's only countant right now point one two million against the cabin. I'll go ahead and say what's being reported by Pro

Football Talk out there. It's unconfirmed getting initial chatter of a Zeke deal being done six years, ninety million dollar extension, extension extension? Who reported that Pro Football Talk? So now it's gone to seven. It was seven before, now it's eight because it's six years through twenty twenty rest of his career, right yew And again the reason I asked that I was trying to think of because of his off the field stuff or the things that you've had

to deal with. If you gave him the money later, could you get out of a deal if you gave him the money now have less to Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Right if you tried to, if you tried to backload this deal on him and he doesn't, you know, you need a reason if to get out. That's why we think because to your point, like we've seen deals around the league and Cowboys in the past, where yeah, it looks he's got an usual off the field problem.

It looks like a lot of years, but really when you look at the structure of it, maybe it's a three year deal. So he's just got to see where the guarantees run out. Because you're probably right because the last couple of years you can put a balloon amount they should never get to, or if you get there,

you're going to restructure it. Jerry was asked, is the off the field stuff a concern in these negotiations recently and he said, no, but it is something that he's had in the past, and I don't know if it's that's one question I have and they've been tight lipped on this, but like, has that been part of the negotiation where that, you know, maybe he'd that it's an issue for him like I'm I'm not I don't need protect I don't need you to protect yourself against me,

you know, and potential issues down the road. Yeah, that adds another layer to these. You know, he's he's unusual in that regard because he does have run ins, you know, with the Commissioner's office, whether it's his fault or not. But you know, but you don't get If you do, you don't get paid, So it really he's a moot point. Yeah, but I was just thinking about if they had to get out of the deal. That's what I was thinking of, Like, just get out completely, get out deal completely, if something

were to happen. And you know, again, I'm not again everybody out there has probably accused me right now of not liking Seeks. That's not the case. I've been one of the few guys that say to pay the man. But I also understand though that the team's thought about, Okay, if something does happen, you do not want to owe a bunch of money on the cap cap money thing is. You know, Mickey will come on and tell well, he's

a thirteen million dollar cap hit. It's kind of like Taco, you know, when we were talking about talking about releasing Taco. Mickey's telling you in right, so he's guaranteed three and a half million dollars. That don't tell me that doesn't play into what's going on. He's absolutely right, And so are you in a situation with Zeke. If something happens, can you structure to get out of it? If it

in fact, that does happen. That's only if as a protection, as I'm saying right now, So anyway, it looks like it. And in fact, the fact that Jerry on the radio this morning set he was hopeful, that was a very positive sign. Yeah, And I've been saying Tuesday, the week of the first game, So here we are. I think people were saying that July twenty fifth, when the team arrived for training camp. The deadline on this thing is because three o'clock on Tuesday, Do I get an extension

to September three? Yes? Rob, No, because it's real now. They're getting back to practice, they're in pads tomorrow, and the Giants are staring him right in the face. And the other thing on Bill's point about three o'clock, because they'll have to make room on the fifty three, right, somebody's got to go. And if the person's on the fifty three after three o'clock on Tuesday, he gets paid for this week regardless if he's here, if he doesn't play,

he gets paid his weekly salary. So you might say, well, that's only thirty forty thousand, but every dollar counts against this salary cap. It makes a difference. So we're sitting here checking Twitter. There any minute bill, but there's a there are players on the team also checking Twitter until three o'clock this afternoon, especially if you're expendable exactly. That's what That's what I mean. All right, we're going to should we take a break and come back with the

LC get deeper into the l Stow thing. Let's do that. We continue to monitor social media as well and breaking news from here at the Star in Frisco, and we come back. Your new apartment's big, such a great deal. It's okay, just okay? What's not right above the subway? Weh? I bet you don't even notice it after that's my neighbor. Angus. A deal that's just okay is not okay. Get a great deal with America's best network. Come into an AT and T store and learn how to buy one smartphone.

Can get second one on us based on GWS one score September twenty eighteen. Star Sports Tours is the only official fan travel partner of the Dallas Cowboys, offering exclusive game weekend travel packages with sideline access and photo ops

with current players, alumni, and cheerleaders. That's not all, though, You'll get to talk x's and os with Senior Director of Player Personnel Will McClay, and of course with yours truly me, Brian broad Us you can trust the official fan travel partner of the Dallas Cowboys, and with us you'll travel like a pro. Visit Cowboys Travel dot com

to book your travel package today. Work the Cowboys way and channel the winning business tradition of the Dallas Cowboys and the Jones Family at Formation, This dynamic workspace provides an elevated work experience on the Star's aspirational campus with exclusive membership options available to meet varying needs. Choose from open workspaces, dedicated desks, and private offices to leverage our

home field advantage for your individual business success. Limited memberships are available now, so apply today at Formation at the Star dot Com. A man's stepson doesn't just protect him from life's elements, it projects an unstoppable and legendary spirit, just like the men wearing silver and Navy on the field every Sunday. Since eighteen sixty five, Stetson hats are

American made with pride right here in Texas. They are still the official crown of all self prospecting Cowboys and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Find steps and hats in the pro shop or at Stetson dot Com. Today, back to talk in Cowboys. Oh what a big week. This is a game week. We're going to get into these New York football giants as the week goes on. But it's getting some business taken care of today. That has been the hot topic around

these parts. And of course we await news on Ezekiel Elliott perhaps being well. He's on his way back here according to reports, and we'll see what happens later today as far as him perhaps getting signed and then being out on the practice field tomorrow as the Cowboys will have there. They worked out yesterday. But the game week officially begins on Wednesday. For any team playing on a Sunday in the league. We're now, you know, in Chicago

and Green Bay, it's Friday, they're playing. They're playing on Thursday night. That's try this one hundredth season of National Football League action gets underway as they honor the one hundredth year. All right, let's honor else a little bit. I've said it's E Day. Well, let's started out as ELC Day. As well, and Lyle Collins. He has posted on Instagram a picture of him signing his contract and

saying that he is a cowboy, fertile and good for him. Yes, and I think he's very smart on his part too myself, if he wants to be a cowboy for life. Yeah. It's funny how round draft time we were saying, oh, I don't know if we could, they could get him resigned next year when he's set to be an understricted free agent, and Connor McGovern wasn't drafted solely for that purpose. But then you're thinking, oh, maybe he's a guy could move into guard. You kick Connor Williams out at right

tackle next year. Well, Nole Collins is your is your right tackle for the foreseeable future here? Yeahle Collins is developing into a top flight tackle. If you if you ask me about the way he's playing, the toughness he you know, you talk about just the guys that on that offensive line, him Frederick Martin Smith. I mean that's a that's a one of the better lines in the league.

And to have him as at right tackle as he continues to improve, and you know, he did the right thing as you guys were saying, he wants to be here. He made a deal. He went in there and told the Cowboys, hey, I'm willing to listen to what you have to offer, and here's what i'd like, you know, and these guy guys are smart, they'll make these things work,

and they did with him. And you know, I'm one of these guys that believed if you took this year and then watch Lyle Collins hit free agency, he would have got paid very handsomely. And the fact that he took a deal that was friendly he believed to himself and to the football team. Credit to both of them forgetting that done. And it's good that he's part of this because I believe he will continue to develop into again a top flight right tackle. And he get his

money early. That means something. Plus you've got now you've got some security too at that position. That's why I thought everybody was wasting a lot of words and breath on this, overthinking the draft choice of McGovern, who kind of fell in the Cowboys lap. That wasn't their idea and it certainly won their idea to move to Connor Williams to right tackle and let this guy walk and obviously not since they signed him, well, I didn't go to a five year extension and worth reportedly fifty million

with thirty five million guaranteed. Obviously you want to keep him, and they are keeping him. But if he were to get to the open market next year, you don't know what he could command and whether they could afford it. So if it worked out a right year, yeah he was, they were probably gonna have to let him go. But again, I don't think there's anything I seen early you convince him to stay. Yeah, And Brian said it that he came to them and said I want to be here.

And you know what, it kind of reminds me of the Jalen thing because Jalen talked about how they took a chance on me injured. Well, the Cowboys signed Lyle Collins and some of the most unprecedented circumstances undrafted a first round talent, and I believe two years ago they rewarded him with a two year extension, got back some of the money he lost so much money not getting drafted. And I'm sure he feels loyal to this team for

what they did there. And you know, he talked to the media yesterday a little bit he talked to us. Not he didn't break any news on this, but he said, you know, the coaching I've gotten here, starting with Frank Pollard to Mark Lumbo, he just he thinks it's really helped him progress as a player, and he clearly wants to be part of this organization. I think these guys jail and they see the youth and the talent on this team, and they see something special that could be

brewing here, and they want to say. I just think they see money. Now, money now means something. Would you want to resign on a bad team just to get money? You know? Yeah? Now I don't. I don't know. I think I think that's the arrow pointing up for this organization. Is another reason for these guys to want to buy in long But you would hope so, yeah, I mean you could. He could very well have said I'll just play this out if people are on a bad team and say I'll get as much money as I can

next year. Would it would be interested to see his thirty five million reported guaranteed on what's that? How many years that spread out over? Because the deal with clotting this year would be six, So it'll be interested and see how that's spring you think Amari Cooper wants his money. He was asked he was asked the status of his nosing because you know what, he knows he's gonna make fourteen million this year thirteen nine. Right, But so the

incentive would be, what's my signing bonus? Sure is my signing bonus is going to be fourteen million, And I get it right now. I don't have to wait till December till you know. Only thing about Lyle is that is he's from this part of the country, okay, And so from that standpoint, a family standpoint, he wants to be in this part of the country. Okay. The other thing is where I give him a lot of credit, is him understanding what he is. Yes, okay, he is

a right tackle. In this league, the left tackles get the humongous contracts. Okay. Now he could play it out and see what the market is out there for maybe and some team might give him a shot to play left tackle and pay him left tackle money because he did it a lot in college, right, Right. But but

I think he looks at himself, he understands it. He sees that I'm playing for the Dallas Cowboys and the opportunities that represents, much like with Jalen Smith on a very good Cowboys team, what that could mean in terms of more money coming in whatever, and just having that stability in his life that okay, I know, I am here, okay, and I think I think there's there's value in that.

And I give him credit for making a mature decision when once they came to these terms on it, you know, and I bet he still is somewhat grateful that after what happened when he was a rookie and the Cowboys couldn't redo his contract till after two years, and they didn't have to do it because it was a three year deal, but Jerry did what he thought was the right thing, and they redid the deal after two years and gave him a two year extension on what he

didn't make that first two the total opposite of the running back, right, if you look at should be grateful, well the deal the thing I was gonna Cooper. I mean, That's what I'm saying. If if if again and people out there think I'm bashion Zeke, I'm not bashion Zeke. I'm just saying, though, if if you talk about players that should be grateful for opportunity, should be grateful for you know, for what they've done for guys having your back.

This this running back really wasn't very grateful. Now he's he's you know, he is what he is because he's a he's an elite player, don't get me wrong. But if there's anybody that should be appreciate what this owner tried to do for him, it's this guy. And I don't think he has I really don't, or the agent has it yep, or he doesn't, hasn't told the agent, hey let's do this. Yeah, and he should and maybe he has yeah. Yeah. I think I think this could have been I think this deal with with Zeke could

have been done if Zeke would have reported. I really do. I think that they could have worked this out with him playing, practicing being part of all this. I think Stephen Jones Jerry Jones are reasonable in that way. You know, he's like, hey listen, this is where I'm Matt, can you help me here? You know, because Jerry Stephen did, they did have his back when you know, I said it earlier. I don't know what I said on this show. I said on one of these radio shows I was

on that. You know, you look at Jerry Jones went after the commissioner on behalf of Ezekiel Elliott. Think about that, he's trying to take down the commissioner of the National Football League. That was a that was a bizarre season and bizarre stretch of weeks. Like I said earlier, we're like he didn't know whether he was eligible to play up until Friday, and then he'd played, you know, and yeah, and they had his back the whole way. A lot

of its business Brian, as you know, he's twenty four. Yeah, he's looking at it probably and saying, if I have another two years on my deal and play those out, that's another five hundred, six hundred carries on my tread on the tires, and I'm older and I want to cash in while I'm at the top of the when the Cowboys wanted him to cash in. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying what he probably is thinking business wise. I understand, I understand, you know, and look, it looks

like eventually they'll get there. But it would have been nice to Brian's point to have him in camp and have him We're not discussing how much time he needs to be able to play in a game, they'd have

got this done. I would like to know how how far apart they were in the negotiations, because I had a giggle that I didn't get to use on the pregame show when we had Michael Irvin on, and I went back and looked when he held out all of training camp and signed the Thursday before the Monday night opener, and it came down to they were one hundred and

fifty thousand dollars a partner. And really, when you look at it, if it turns out that these unconfirmed reports of six year, ninety million dollar extension, it is right. It right where anyone could have seen it was going to wind up. Yeah, you know that generally is yeah. Is it just the path that we took to get there wasn't the ideal path, especially if you know, and the Cowboys love Ezekie Elliott and they do, they really do.

I mean, but they also were in a tough spot because of drafting so well, and they've got guys to sign. They also couldn't just say, like, you know, the Rams just rolled over on Todd Gurley to me, they rolled over you know, they're moving from Saint Louis. All. I know, it happened last year. I get that. But they just rolled over on that deal, you know. And now and then you know, the Rams are going to give me

a situation. They've got a bunch of young players that you know, they're gonna have to take care of themselves, and all of a sudden, that Gurly deal is not going to look as good to them, and all it's going to be, you know, oh, well we need to

do something here. So I just, you know, I understand what I understand what the Joneses did, because if they if they roll on this deal, they just rolled over, then they're gonna have a whole bunch of their players trying to do the same thing as Zeke elity and you can't do that. You just can't do that. But the Girly deal a year ago, where he was at the exact same point in his contract that Zeke is right now. Sure, that's what gave the Zeke camp conviction

that this is what we can do right now. Yeah. Yeah, sometimes it works and Melvin and sometimes it doesn't. Yeah, it depends in you know, the bottom line is Cowboys need Zeke, you know, there's no question they need Zeke. I mean if they've said that, if if you're gonna, if you're going to get to where you need to be, you need him. Now, let's see what Kellen Moore does. Everybody out there who is analytics guys, and I'm not an analytics guy. I don't know if anybody in this

room is an analytics guy. I do know though, that with my own eyes, I see what he does for this football team. I see how he can affect games. You're gonna see a guy this weekend for the Giants that can affect games the way he plays. That's sae Quon Barkley. So don't tell me elite players can't make a difference in these games. And if you're th out there and say, oh well, they could just go on and do so. She don't need running backs. It's not important. Okay, fine,

whatever you whatever you want to say, it's great. But we don't know what Kellen Moore is, how Kellen Moore is gonna call these games. We really don't. We've watched thirty practices, we've seen four preseason games. Might have a little a bit of an idea, but Kelly Moore might say Okay, we're gonna be very very play action heavy. You know, we're gonna be very much try and throw the football and first down and stuff so which we

haven't seen before. So to me, you know, if you sit there, oh, they can live without the running back. What you know, that's that's that's just not accurate. That is just not This team needs this running bay win six games without him in twenty seventeen and it was a challenge. Man, those I think that what they lose and then and everybody argue. Everyone will say, oh, he only averages five yards to carry. You can throw the ball again eight yards to pass. You know, it's it's

it's it's on and on and on. I'm not an analytics guy. And folks, if you're out there and you love analytics, good congratulations, But also look at the eye test. Just sit down and just watch the damn game. Who said that, By the way, somebody said that we well before you. Okay, I'm just telling you though, that that's where it's right, that's where that's where this this guy accounts for two thousand yards of your offense, no question, Jo, go try and replace that. Yeah. I love Tony Pollard.

I'm glad they have him, But don't go try and replace two thousand yards. Go out and try and replace a guy that could blitz pick up and guy could catch the screen and go sixty yards. You know, that's my eyes. That's my eyes. That's that's nothing to do with analytics. Or throwing the ball on first down, or throwing the ball on second down, or throwing the ball on third down, or going forward on every fourth down has nothing to do with that. In other words, don't

overthink it. I don't think Yeah, you're right, all right. It's the first Mickey read of the regular se Can I have one next here? On ducking Cowboys. It can be hard to find the right resource for learning about important financial matters. You search how to build savings, you end up reading about the one weird ingredient from supermarkets

that can make you a taller. That's why Bank of America build Better Money Habits dot com, a safe little corner of the Internet for answering financial questions, full of simple videos and tips, and Better Money Habits can show you how to make the most of your money without resorting to random searches that always seem to lead to unbelievable photos. Of childhood stars grown up. To learn more, visit Better Money Habits dot com. It's time for tailgating

with the auterbox Boys. The autobox that builds those crazy protective phonecases. Yep, and now they're changing the side dish game with the Auterbox Trooper soft cooler, lightweight mobile, and leakproof. Trooper is perfect for blitzing a crowded parking lot with a freed pie. Amazing. Hey you think I could fit my seven layer salmon salad into the Trooper cooler. Yep, but please don't. And that's been tailgating with the Autobox Boys.

Learn more about the Trooper soft coolers at auterbox dot com. While a player could look good on paper, it's when he's out on the field that you really find out what he's made of. That's why the Cowboys rely on more than just stats and scouting reports when building their team. When picking a tractor, it's why you should rely on more than just specs and FeAs. You've got to take it out and put it to the test. The Cowboys did when they named John Dear their official tractor experience

one for yourself. Visit my John Deardealer dot com slash football. Doctor Pepper is the one you crave, But how do you explain that craving? Imagine a surging river of ice school doctor Pepper roaring with carbonated mists of desire. You're dangling above it, upside down, like a fishing lure in the wind. Twenty three flavors tickle your nose, but the river is too far away to taste. Doctor Pepper calls to you. You now, that is it, doctor Pepper. Craving?

Doctor Pepper, the one you crave. Want to use what the pros use? How about the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys, Jack Black. Right now, you can get the Jack Black Starter, a curated collection of Cowboys locker room favorites, for just ten bucks with free shipping. A starter includes four Jack Clack skincare favorites, plus a full eyes and tent's therapy lip bomb. Go to get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys and use the code word team JB. That's get Jack Black dot com slash

Cowboys the Jack Black Starter, ten bucks free shipping. Back to talking Cowboys. Well, I've got another new free offer from Jack Black. It is time to shed that skin. The exfoliators free with a sixty five dollars purchase and this deal ends at midnight tonight. The exfoliators include face buff energizing, scrub, deep dive, glycolic facial cleanser, five milli leaders of oil controlled toner, and line smoothner. So that really helps out if you got some lines in your face,

you're going to smooth them out. I was looking to see if you had any of their built, so maybe to get black dot com and get your sixty five dollars purchase in by eleven fifty nine tonight. At the same time they announced Zeke. That's right, fifty nine tonight could be joy. Epstein tweeted if Ezekiel, if Ezekiel Elliot hold out ends today, there will be something wonderfully biblical about the cowboys running back, wandering and hold out wilderness

for forty days in forty nine. Hasn't been forty days. I guess it's been forty days and forty nine. Good job, there you go. You know, we haven't had an opportunity. As we've talked about Zeke a lot and LC a lot over the first half hour of this edition of Talking Cowboys. We haven't talked about the fact number one, we are going to be in this time slot eleven am Central Time throughout the season, followed immediately by the

break right, absolutely eleven forty five. Okay, so keep that in mind as we go forward throughout this a regular season. We also haven't had an opportunity to talk about what happened over the weekend, which is this roster got put together. Oh yeah, take that takes. It takes all around on what happened as this roster got or is getting finalized at three o'clock this afternoon. I don't think there were really many surprises at all, and I think a lot of it has to do with just the depth on

the team. You kind of had a feeling, give or take a couple of spots who was gonna make it, and you know guys that probably would have made it anyway, or on injured reserve or on pup like a Noah Brown. So it kind of sorted things out that way. I mean, it's there was not a whole lot of suspense. I think there was maybe more suspense on who was going to make the practice squad after guy's cleared waiver. I didn't see Brandon Night making this team. I'm sorry, Yeah,

that's right. I just can't. I can't. I can't go there. And you know, and and we kind of talked about what was going on, the fact they couldn't figure out what happened at safety. Yeah, that that was another thing. And maybe it had something to do with injury, maybe with Cabon Frasier. The fact that they went five and five, I think tells you, you know, that they had problems

figuring out what was going on at safety. Maybe again, maybe because of because of Thotovan Wilson's injury, they had to carry the extra guy for a for a This first couple of weeks might be the case, but I didn't see Brandon Knight making the spell. Let's just remember,

within two weeks, two more guys have to go. So Brandon might in the thinking might be somebody might take him on a Sunday, But by Friday, your roster's already sure fifth finalized for that first game, and if you pick him up then you owe him three games on the roster, right, so they may be thinking that might be a way to get him from the roster to the practice squad. Yeah, because I'm agree with you that that that might be the only one I was going.

I was going nine offensive line and they ended up with eleven. I mean I was a little surprised. They don't have it, they don't have an extra tackle. But it's ten now right? Well, yeah, yeah, recalled I r it was a little surprised they cut Jordan Seun running back, but then they wound up bringing him back yesterday. So how about no love for Mike White, not even for the practice squad? For the practice squad? Did someone else him not seen it? I mean they lost the Justin Phillips,

the linebacker to the Oakland Raiders. Did they he went to the Raiders practice squad productive? But yeah, he was producted the preseason. Did they lose him or did they not want to sign him? Well, I'm just saying they just want he went he found us no, because if the Raiders really wanted him, they could pay him more than eight thousand dollars a week. I'm sure I don't know what they're paying him, but he's no longer here.

He's an open that That was my point. Yeah, you would have thought that he would have been a Devin Smith made the team. We all felt like he earned that spot. They cut Cedric Wilson. You know, we thought maybe they'd keep six receivers. I mean, there's just there wasn't a whole lot of suspense here. Wilson's on the

practice squad by the way I was. You know, it's weird how we always kind of go into this, and maybe it's because you're so focused on the team you're dealing with, but you're thinking, Okay, there's no way that this guy's gonna make it through. There's no way this guy's gonna make it through. There's no way this guy's gonna make it through. Heck, every one of their guys made it through. That just shows these teams like their

own guys. Now. I will give Will McClay credit for this, though he signed a tight end on the practice squad that wasn't here, and he went for the quarterback that wasn't here. That to me, is a good thing. If you're a team that will sign yeah, if you're a team that will sign seven of your own and three of somebody else's, that's evaluation right there. That's just not being married to Justin Phillips and Mike White and those

guys like that. Even though justin Phillips, I felt like deserved to be on at least on the practice squad here. You know, well, how about Nate hallt Nate Hall didn't make it on the practice squad either, Buffalo Buffalo practice squad. Yeah, but that's what I'm saying here, That's what I'm saying here. He was, you know, here's there was a there were several guys. How about the tight end Cody McElroy. Kind of thought maybe Cody McElroy might have a chance to develop,

But no, he didn't make it. He didn't he it was it was waived injured. Yeah, he's gonna be Yeah, exactly. Jalen Guyden's not on this practice squad. They went out and signed Vientel Bryant. Yeah, from what Cincinnati he was in Cincinnati's camp. I think that had more to do with Guyden's understanding of the offense or lack of That's kind of the impression that I got that there were Yeah, the talent is clearly there. Does he fully get what

they're doing? That was that was a big question right there. So with with Mike White, they basically traded off fifth round picks right because the guy they signed was a fifth round pick this year by the Eagles, right, And I didn't realize that about him. He started fifty three consecutive games at Northwest Shore. It did ten record and tied to Power Five Conference record for consecutive starts, but he didn't make it there, so I think, and so it's like, hey, we know everything we need to know

about my White. Let's take a look at this guy. We liked him in the draft, and obviously they weren't going to pick him because of Mike White being you know what, he fell victim too. I think in Philadelphia though, is Sudfeld's injury, yes, because they they're keeping Sudfeld, but

they couldn't have. They couldn't have. Basically they were gonna have to keep four quarterbacks if they were going to keep their draft pick, because they signed Josh McCown and they let Cody Kessler go and so, but Sudfeld does not have a season ending injury. He had a broken

wrist first preseason game, and so you're not keeping four quarterbacks. Absolutely, So that credit the Cowboys there again on that one is picking up that guy and at least take taking a good look at him and see what he's got and there's something to be said for being a four year starter and having that at Northwestern. No matter where you're playing, right, there's a there's a track record of guys with a lot of snaps in college being able

to do something. Yeah, some of these guys ended up with for two dis injuries too, Like yeah, Noah Brown was they wanted to keep them, but they were able to keep him on pup And the same thing with Jalen Jelks and john Vay Johnson because I bet if Johnson wasn't hurt, I don't know if he would have. I think I think Johnson might have made the practice Johnson had been on the practice squad. They moved on

from Guyton, right, But yeah, that was clear. But the D line kind of got sorted out with injury Daniel Ross on injured reserve. You cut Daniel Wise and brought him. It's a rotator cuff, right, yes, Ross Ross? Yeah, Yeah, So all right, two minute arding goes to both benches. Here what you got the final two minutes As we look ahead to the rest of this day and the Giants coming here this week. I like the fact that everybody practiced that was supposed to practice Yester, all the

guys you thought of. It was nice to see Zack Martin out there, Tyren Smith out there. Uh, you know, it's going to be interesting to see how they incorporate Byron Jones and Byron Jones was running with the twos. That mean Anthony Brown if they go the way that, if they go a week that way, then likely, uh, Anthony Brown could be your starter right cornerback with uh with across from a woozy les Dan. Don't you think that's smart for the guy coming off the hip and

haven't been able to do that much. Oh, No, it's absolutely And you know, and we might get a situation too where we see with with with Barkley being the type of player he is was receiver, could we see another thing where Jordan Lewis takes that takes that Alvin Kamara role. Something to keep an eye on, maybe, you know, hint or snoop around see if that's the case at all.

Anybody else got anything here? No, I was gonna echo the wit and the guys that were injured that they said would all be ready to go by the start of the season. I think ten guys if you include DeMarcus Lawrence and Tyrone Crawford. All those guys were back practicing yesterday in some form or fashion. Uh, the entire offensive line back in order, Sean Lee back out there. Um so yeah, I think that Annamari Cooper out absolutely now. Didn't do a lot, but it's first practice, you ease

them in. So I think that was very significant in the usterria getting ready for that first game. And now we wait some more. Yep, Zeke Watch continues forty days, forty nights. Will it be a forty first night? And one thing that I take out of this edition of Talking Cowboys, we are not messing around right. We'll talk at you again tomorrow. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.