Player's Lounge: Does Shultz Need to Be at OTAs?

But yes, yes, church Church was on time, on time. I was the first one here to find me. Give me the Tom Cofflin here. That's gonna be a lot. It may cost you a lot, but that Tom Coflin he gonna come through with it. Or maybe I'll be like Dalta Chelsea may start with suiting in coming in right, right, right, players, you're gonna do half the the There's another week of OTA stands for the Organized Team Activities aka the Voluntary

slash Man. Dalton Schultz is on a franchise tag. So according to the NFL Network and um Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Wanting News, John mac Children, the athletics just a couple of people are also reporting it as well. So Schultz is not coming into this week's OTAs because he does not have a contract. He's upset with the talks right now. Though he did say earlier I'm gonna let my agent handle it. I guess now he's not happy with days to handle right. Agent doing enough here,

So so he's not coming in. Yeah, um, that's his prerogative. I hope fans understand this is where you come in very safety, that this is not mandintory. Next week is man into. Yes, you will get fined if you're not at mandatory minicamp. They have the right to find you. I don't know what you know. The numbers are on those fines, but they can't get steep as the days go on. But when we get back to Dalton Shoultz,

I don't I don't blame him. I don't blame him for saying, you know what, I don't have a deal finalized. I don't want to go out there and we all know risk injury for something that's not guaranteed. I understand why wait before I say that is the franchise tad guaranteed, like once you signed that franchise. But he had just to sign it. Sign it, come look I keep and you know Twitter will start hitting it and they'll all you people always like to bash the players. You don't

have to be here. It's voluntary. And it's not like Dalton Shoultz is a rookie. You know, this is the guy he's going on the offense, not even coordinator here, not a new quarterback here. You know what to do, you know, And he had an explosive season last year. You know, I was the one doubting him. I was the one saying, all, he can't do it, but he proved me wrong last year. And he was kind of that security blanket for Dak Prescott. So it's not like

he has to be here and don't show. Doesn't seem like a guy to me at least I don't know him personally, but to me at least, he doesn't seem like a guy that goes out there and he's not gonna be working out. He's gonna be you know, drinking party and all the time and coming in out of shape. He knows what, he knows what to stake. This is a big year for him. Last year he knew what was at staking. Look what happened he had one of

his best seasons as a pro. So to me, it's it's he's gonna come in here, he's gonna be in shape, he's gonna know what to do. So to me, missing these OTAs and all that stuff, it's not you know, it's not a huge deal when it comes to Dunton Show, because I think he'll become he'll come back prepared and

ready to roll. Wants it's mandatory. It's a couple of practice in exactly, Okay, exactly, I tell you, man, there are days where I can't look at Cowboy Twitter, Cowboy Nation Twitter, something like, really, this is the man doesn't have to be here. He wants to contract. Now, I'll say this, what kind of contract you want? I assume he wants to be, you know, one of the top five pay tight ends in the league. That's what I would assume. So I'm gonna just give you just a

kind of a barometer here. Okay, David and Juco other he just got broke out. But four years, fifty six point seventy five million dollars contract, twenty eight million dollars guaranteed. God though, that's that's that's what that's what like twenty. So the other two, you know, guys who got tagged like Jissecki down there in Miami and then Dalton Shoults of the Cowboys. Now are we and this is my finger sohol this is why I was like, I don't know because you name then Joku and gets in Jisecki.

Those are two guys, well Joker got paid, but they haven't been signed. There tagged but han't been time. And the difference between to me is between Jisecki and Shultz is is basically a wide receiver. You can't split. You can't block. These dudes can't. They can't block. And he can go out there. You can split him out and he can and I think in my opinion, he can win those one on ones. Like he can go out there, if he's locked up on a corner safety, it doesn't matter.

He can go up and get the ball and he can do some damage in the passing game. Shultz he can do it as well, But I don't think he's that level to where he like Ja seki Is. I think Shoultz is more of a security blanket. Get you five, gets you ten yards, But I don't see him as a deep, big threat, deep threat defensives are gonna focus it on him, and you gotta make sure you handle him first. I don't see him as that type of guy. So does that warrant a huge contract? You know? I don't.

I don't know. I don't think he's as dynamic as in a Joku, as a jes Seki is, as a kiddo, as a as a Kelsey. I don't know. I don't see I see him as maybe a middle of the road, tited who is I say him above average. I'll give him top maybe top fifteen in the league, top ten. So so I'll go back into Blake Jarwin, for instance, who was the starter before he got hurt and then Schultz got his opportunity took it took before injury, and obviously injuries are part of him. Was Schultz better than Jarwin?

I don't think he was. They basically the same guy. He was basically saying because to me, you know, I thought Jarwin had a lot of potential. I thought Jarwin was gonna come in here and be that, you know, be the sceams guy down the scenees deep threat. You can split him out and do all that good stuff, kind of like a yes, yes, exactly, but he never turned into Kelse. He was more of a Gavin Escobar um as far as that situation goes. So I say Schultz ended up being better than than job in the

world of economics today. Okay, would it be easier for you to get another Schultz type guy in free agency for a year and then go into the draft next year? I think so with significant savings. When you start to think about, Okay, if in Joko is the type of contract and you're the agent is trying to get the same type of deal, are you really ready to do that for a tight end? And are you sure the offensive coordinator and the head coach are going to be

back here next year? You're not sure about that. You're not sure because like there's a lot of pressure on a lot of people this year. And if the job's not done, that head guy's gonna be out of here and the new guy company is gonna probably want a new OC and all that did in the offense is gonna change. Are they gonna the new OC gonna be into a tight end? I mean one of the things exactly. And I go back into this about Mike McCarthy and I've kind of had this disagreement at times with people

who get mad about the Zeke contract. I say this, Zeke was signed when you had a head coach who believed in the running game. Then you go out, you hire a head coach who's never been about the running game, who's been a passing coach. You're mad at the player. He's falling, ain't it ain't the player. I mean, yes, he might have lost his step, but he's not he's not getting opportunities he once was. I mean he was

getting twenty some carries a game. Now we've seen a couple of games this year where he had maybe twelve ten years. He's blocking more than he's running the road. I go back to this is way, way way old school NBA. It's when the Nicks hired Don Nelson to be the head coach and Patrick Ewingl was the center. That one what Nellie did. Nellie wasn't trying to run the office all right down down, That's not what they did. Patrick is pounding the ball and goes That's not what

don Nelson did. So it was not a fit. So we have seen depending on who the head coach is, it's going to affect players. Zekiel Elliott has not seen the kind of carries he did under a Jason Garrett Where I mean, you think about Jason Garrett, DeMarco Murray, NFL offensive player Belle Kyle Back, you know, won that award and then he saw Zeke went in Russian titles. That's probably not gonna happen in the Mike McCarthy slash Kelly Moore offense, especially when he's also splitting time with

a Tony Pollo. So are going back here to Shultz circling back here? Are you going to make commit to the kind of dollars that in Joko did and you may not you make who knows where your offense is going to be in the year? Yeah? Who know? Because we like right now Kelly Moore, he know, he loves his you know, tight end sets, his twelve personnel Hill sprinkles from Levin in there as well. But to me,

I see it kind of like I said Wilson. You know, we weren't willing to give, said Wilson, that long term deal and we wouldn't got a guy in a draft. I think we could have done that same thing with shows. I don't think, and I could be wrong because I've been wrong in the past, But I just don't think he's that dynamic of a player to where it doesn't matter to scheme he can just ball out. I don't think he. I think he's scheme matters when it comes

to Schultz. Obviously we don't know what the number is that Dalton Schultz wants and why he's sitting at the OTA say, but obviously he's frustrated by because several reports say, Okay, not not enough movement here, I want a long term deal. Do you think he is he that player that can get a long term deal? Like I can see, like if you said, if if everything was in concrete as far as coaches are concerned, I can see that. But

it's so so much independent air right now. McCarthy's, I mean, he gotta get the job done or he's more than likely gonna be out of here. Okay, I'm gonna ask you this because you're former safety, so you know what it is about. Checking tight ends. Is Dalton Schultz Jimmy John's used the word difference maker or is he the word that Bill Parcels used to say, Jack just a guy meaning I can go find another guy to give me similar production. Maybe he's not doing it as well

as you, but he can get this done. Jimmy. When you talk about difference makers, hey, this sky makes a difference when we go out on Sundays. This is a guy that a coordinator is all right, but here's eighty seven. Brady's looking for eighty seven. Here's this red zone. Are we talking about that kind of guy? See that. That's a tough one because shots. I don't want to disrespect him to say he's just another guy because he did ball out last year. He had he had a good

season last year. I think he had about eight touchdowns in the red zone and he was kind of that security blanket. Like I said, But when you talk about difference maker, when you talk about a guy at defenses, you go into that meeting on Monday and he's highlighted on the board as offensive guys we have gat to keep our eye on. Last year, I don't think he

was that guy that was highlighted. I believe defenses were focusing more on a Mauri Cooper, Cede Lamb, Michael Gallop out there stopping the run that we wish we would have pad. But I think Schultz's Moore four third or fourth on that list. Now going into this year, there is Noham More Cooper, Michael Gallup. He's going to be out for the first couple of games, probably more than likely.

And now you gotta Ceedee Lamb and Adult and Shoultz so he can become one of those guys that are highlighted on the defensive board come Monday morning that we gotta stop this guy to make this offense become stagnant. But as of right now, if we're talking about last year and going into this year, I would have to lean more towards being a little bit above a jag

because he made some outstanding plays last year. But like I said, I would be shocked if I went into one of those defensive meetings and they had Sholts had you gotta stop this guy. We don't stop this guy. Their their offense is going to explode on you gotta have them on there, because if you look at it, if you lost the tape last year of the game, you know there was linebackers on them. There was you know,

random safeties here and there on them. There wasn't that specific lockdown guy on Sholts, and he took advantage of it. I'll give him that he took advantage. So then he's not a difference maker. He's not. No, in my opinion right now, he's not a different So if you're taking that off the table, that's what you're trying, and you're talking about franchise tag, long term deal, you're paying difference makers.

We need to keep this player. I was supprised them, to be honest with you, I'm surprised I didn't have an issue with the tag. Now, okay, let's go to first off, Let's put the numbers out here. For Carlton Schultz played seventeen games last year, had seventy eight catches, second on the team. Ceedee Lamb led the team with seventy nine catches in sixteen games. Dalton Schultz tied Amari Cooper in terms of touchdown leaders the receiver position eight

eight touchdowns. Okay, so Schultz was there at eight hundred and eight yards, that's third on the team. Ceedee Lamb had a thousand, basically eleven hundred yards. Maria Cooper in fifteen games had eight hundred and sixty five yards. Shultz in seventeen games had eight hundred and eight yards. So

we're talking about production from a tight end. They got production there, but let's be honest as well, when you starts looking down the list of who you're trying to stop, if you're a defensive coordinator, he wasn't in the top three of the cowboys, you know, receiving or even when

you're adding the run game, and he wasn't. And then a lot if you watch it, a lot of the times we're in the red zone, they were kind of a schemy plays like oh, he's gonna block block release, or he's gonna cross the field and try to get a pick from somebody. It wasn't like how you look at Kelsey, how you look at those guys where they're like, all right, split him out there. I don't care who's on him. It could be the number one corner on

him out there. We're gonna do one on one and I'm gonna throw it up to my guy and see what he can do. I didn't see a lot of that from the dumping shows, you know. I saw a lot of you know, cross and he got picked out here and there maybe a tight end screen and he was able to make a couple of guys missing getting

the end zone, which is still a good thing. But to me, if you're talking about paying a man top dollar, he's got to be dynamic enough to where you're gonna be like, you know, I don't care who's on you on the outside, You're gonna go out there. You're gonna win your one on one battles. And I just didn't see that. And so there's there in lies the where's the age and we don't know yet, but where's the age coming from? Or what is he looking for? And what is what is the team saying okay, this is

what's one worked for us. That's the challenge. But obviously right now by schultzet deciding okay, I'm not going to come to OTAs this week, I'm frustrated. That's not It's all right too, because like you said, it's voluntary, it's not it's not uncommon. We saw Zach Martin do the that's just something we've seen happen before. I have no issues with that. It's just about where where is the right spot for the number and joke who's number? We kind of look at that and just say, no, no,

that's not gonna happen. And I mean the joke was dynamic, but they got a guy underneath him, and who's who's pretty good as well. So I was also surprised on that one. So let me give you a number within the division. Dallas Goddard of Philadelphia four years, fifty seven million dollars, which included a ten point two million dollars signing bonus um and thirty five million dollars gar average

salary of fourteen point two million dollars. Dallas Goddard is twenty seven years old, and this year he'll um he's got cat number four point two mills. But I just look, I look at him, and I just say, it's a good player. He's not a difference maker. Yeah, I would say he's not, I mean a good player. So are you prepared to give Schultz a four year deal in the fifty seven million dollars range and giving him, you know,

thirty five or twenty million dollars? I mean, this is where you're sitting at here, man, this is the number and that you could say, NEWI, this is the price of doing business right now for tight ends. Do you want to pay that to me? Personally? You know, if you look, if I'm the GM of the Cowboys, I'm in Will's position, I'm in you know, Jerry's position. I

just don't. I wouldn't do it. And the reason I say that is because I feel like you can find that in the draft, or you can you can find you can get a one year tight end to come in here and do with Dalton Schultz has been able to do. I mean, I maybe if he was more, if he had a couple of years back to back where he was putting up eight hundred yards and eight touchdown and we've seen it, but this year is going

to be a big barometer for him. If he's able to go out there once again and display the ability that he was able to do last year, then maybe we come back to the table when we think about this. But I got to see more than just one year, and he had so much talent around him in that one year to where he was able to exploit the third or fifth you know option defensively to guard him.

He was able to exploit that. So if he's able to come out here and do that those numbers again this year with just basically Ceedee Lamb and Michael Gallup coming off a cl and then you got a rookie, you know, Jayalen Tolbert out there as well. A lot of the pressure will be on shows to go out there and do what he does. So if he's able to do that next year, I could see them maybe coming back to the table. I'm a big fan of Mark Andrews, going back to when he was in Oklahoma

catching pastors, Baker Mayfield. He's there in Baltimore right now, pro Bowl type player. Four years, fifty six million dollar contract he got with the Ravens, thirty eight million, thirty

seven point five million guaranteed. So if Schultz is looking for this kind of number, and this is where people like Mark Andrews or Mike said Mike but the Dallas got it or at Man, that's gonna be, that's gonna be, that's that's that's I don't see them doing that based on just how Look they had issues paying Mark Cooper twenty million. Yeah, and here's a guy who's been a Pro Bowl player. I don't know how they're gonna get to this. I don't mean with with him with Dalton Schultz.

So I think this this guy just may be frustrated. Here, Uh, Travis Kelsey four years fifty seven million dollars contract, twenty two million guarantee, sir, and he signed his a couple of years ago, fifty some round. Is he is? He? Is he that? You know? That's the thing I can't. I can't kind of grasp my mind around because I look out there and I see what he's able to do on the football field, and I just see him as a he'd have to prove it. Yes, he would have to go out to improve it. Again, go go,

this is this is what this was. The franchise tag is. If you ask to Marcus Lawrence to play on it, who had Dak Prescott play on it exactly? Sorry, buddy, you gotta do it. I know you had a hell of a season last year, but this is how to game where we've had guys who've made the Pro Bowl play exactly exactly. So you can't you know, he can't expect Why am I not getting paid? All these guys

had to go through it. You can't expect to be different, especially when those guys like you mentioned Pro Bowl players, all Pro players still had to play on the tag. Guys who are in the premier positions in the league to get paid. We're talking about d ND quarterback. I mean, this is we can't talk about tight end. Now, this is just right there. If Dak had to do it, if Tank had to do it, Sorry buddy, you gotta do it, Sorry buddy. It is what it is. It

is what it is. So we're talking about Mica or something that that's a different story, because I mean, that guy has already proven to be one of the top defenders in the National Football League. Speaking of Michael Parsons, let's take a break here on on the Players Labs will dive into Michael Parsons and his thoughts on rookie Tyler Smith and also his thoughts on Tank Lawrence. Get into that and we'll remember, um, what are the good

Cowboy players? The good guys. Marian Barber is the third who passed away last burying Barry Church and respects players ons by you by Hotels dot com or das Cowboys dot Com Radio. At Smoothie King, we are blending goodness to fuel your grayness. Every blind is crafted to help you achieve your health and fitness goals. Smoote King uses

only whole fruits and organic veggies. You'll never find sugary serups or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and unlike some other smoothie places, there are zero grams of added sugar and many of our blends. Smoothie King is proud to be the official smoothie of the Dallas Cowboys. Place your order in the app or online for pickup or delivery. Smoothie King Rule the day it's game day. You know what that means. First, cubob prep steak pepper Runnion. Steak

pepper Runnion. Next, a counterclockwise lap around the rule. Now the lucky grease stained jersey goes on and laslie the dance, you know the one. This is a game day ritual no matter where you are, whether you're traveling to the game or watching from your favorite vacation spot. BOOKA plays to stay on hotels dot com and keep the traditional live and well. Hotels dot Com proud partner Robbandellas cowboys

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. The starter includes four Jack Black skincare favorites, plus a full sized and tense 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. Brace yourself for an existential question. Has your butt been having enough fun lately? Have you been treating it well? Has it been going places? If not, then it's about time you start using SeatGeek. SeatGeek is the best way to get your butt tickets to live events. Just ask the thousands of other butts who have rated it the number one ticketing app. So what are you

waiting for? Download the app now or visit SeatGeek dot com to get tickets to sports, concerts and live events and make your butt happy. Seek get your seat in a seat to the players Loud Youth Camps Youth Camps. Youth Camps Registration is open for Dallas Cowboys Youth Camps Academy presented by Visi Line. Don't miss the chance to learn from former Dallas Cowboys players and current Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. Visit Dallas Cowboys dot com slash Academy to learn more

and secure your spot today. You know Danny mccraize is always talking about secure your spot because those things fill up fast. Get your spot now, man, youth camps, youth camps, and more youth camps. Did you go to youth camps? Kid? I didn't. My parents did not have the funds to send me to the youth camps growing up. So I'll missed out on a lot of those opprotectives. Yeah, I am right, I'm right there, which man never got to go.

So it's a it's a it's a pretty any sometimes it's a pretty and and uh that's the thing today. Now now my kids go, I just think everybody doesn't. No, no, no no, no, no, no no, no. Kid went off to can today. Kid, I'm just think of it every day. Sign up and you good. No, no, those funds coming knocking lanes last, Rocky Bay Hotels dot Com right here

on Dallas Cowboys dot com. Uh radio. So Michael Parsons, who is sensational last year unanimous Rookie of the Year and fantastic job by Dan Quinn and figuring out how to use him. So Parsons, Okay, So he's I got to stand up because I start talk about Michael Parson back juice I mean get he gives you that vibe.

He gives you that vibe. I'm not saying he is okay, okay, But luckily in my career I got to be around Junior say out who I was living in southern California and he just talked about a guy who's got that juice, who's got that that that swagger about Michael Parsons has Junior say out like swacker and out there on the field coming at you from different areas, just wants to be good and just he's got a lot of that.

Not saying it is, but having been around Junior, you just say, man, yeah, I wish Junior was alive today because I would love to ask you, Junior, do you see some of Michael Parsons in you? That's huge right there And I can see where you say that because this guy, like for a guy that's young, because I forget people, I think people get how young he is coming into this league. For him to have the mindset

that he has, it's spectacular. He's not worried about none of the off field and all this the money that the money that you know, I'm about this, I'm about He's not worried about none of that. All he wants to do is get on the field, whether it's practice or on Sundays, and be the best player on the field. And to me, that's to be that young and that dedicated to the game. I mean, he is a he is an extremely bright future. Can I say this? And I don't think we talk about it. Uh, This dude

didn't play the year before. He didn't play football, He didn't play college football. And then the guy comes to the league and does this positions. What will he do? Now? You know the first having played Barry Church, The biggest jump in a player's career is from here one a year two. Now your body knows what to do. You know what you understand? All right? I need to get here and there? And then the coaches, the good coaches haven't understanding. This is what the player can do and

this is the expectations where he wanted to be. If he stays healthy. Oh sky's the limit, man, if he stays because you know and and I look at you know what Dwear and him, those guys were able to do and dare Paul of Fame caliber player. He is great off the edge. He got some of that d Wearing him, but he can also stand up and be you know, sideline and sideline linebacker, combination of Dwear Von Miller. It's it's it's unprecedented, and he was able to that

as a rookie. Like knowing your playbook alone as a rookie is an accomplishment in his own but being able to learn two different positions and be that high level of a player as a rookie not even playing the year before in the National Football League, where I don't care what you say, the speed is different. I don't care if you're playing a SEC big ten, it doesn't matter.

The speed is a hell of a lot different than the National Football Leading is a college and for him to just jump on that from game one, I mean, it's remarkable what he's been able to do so far. So take Lawrence met with the media early on and OTAs the first week and said, hey man, you know, rookie showed me up and I'm healthy. I want to get I need to get the sack, the sack number back, meaning leading the team in sacks. So Michael Parsons was asked about what tak Lawrence had to say, and here

is what Micah Parsons told the media. I want d Law to step up. I want him to be who he is. I'm not taking that away from her, but started telling me he's never getting that bad life. You know, he's gonna he gotta enjoy it. I want him to get all the enjoyment that he possibly can feed his head. So he could be a ten SAT guy. Great, But if tens the number, I'm going for twenty, you know, you just gotta just go out there and compete, and it's just gonna be a race to the quarterback, you know,

like it or not. So I'm excited. Hey, Pops, I appreciate what you've done before you've got here. It's really good and I have a lot of respects for it. But I'm I'm I'm the captain. Look at me, Look at me. I am the captain. Now it's my record. Now you could be number or Larry Byrd said at three point content, all right, who's coming in second? Because I'm here? Because I mean, and look, the guy's been backing it up like he has a lot of bravado and he likes the top. But the guy's been out

there backing it up. And when you put up numbers like he has it's gonna be a race to the quarterback. And he like he said, you know, if Lelaw wants to be a ten SAT guy, I'm gonna be a twenty SAT guy. He's never getting that back. But to me, it's like when the last time didn't the Law led this team in sacks. I don't know, but I just felt we had Quinn for a little bit. I want you to step up. That that was the part that had like you free to help me out. That was

a little jab, a little bit step up. But he was he lied, Thank you. I don't think I detected no lies. I mean, look, let's be honest. Okay, you know I've been on this one for a minute. Lawrence's signed, the money has not put up the numbers, and you can talk about old pro football focus and rushing and stopping the run. No, no, no, you got paid to get to the quarterback. That's what you get paid for. I don't care what the pass rush win raided all

this I throw out there where you were against the run. No, um, you got paid to get to the quarterback. Just as Trayvon Diggs is going to ask for a monster contract because he takes the ball, that is that that is what they do with the National Fall League. It's where you base the contracts off of. If I'm the agent, I'm like, look how any quarterback sacks he had? Getting to the quarterback is what matters. That's all that matters. That's what that's what you're paying defensive players to do.

The best ones can you either sack the quarterback or intercept the quarterback. Those that's why they're making the most money on exactly. And I can see if this was nineteen ninety where they ran the ball hunted times and this guy was great against the run. But we're in twenty twenty two right now, and we all know that

the past, it's a past happy league. I mean, eleven personnel has dominated the more ports of if each and every offense out there, everybody's an eleven personnel to start with out with, So what matters most is not stopping the run, is getting out to these quarterbacks and the law like like like my man Parsons said, you gotta step it up. I'll even go and say this, what's impressive about Parsons getting thirteen sacks as a rookie and anyone who can get to the quarterback like an Aaron Donald.

You have more of these quick passing games, three step drives. So guys know, all right, I can't hold this ball longer too long because hit comes Donald, come, here comes Parsons. They know it's coming. So you gotta go ahead and get rid of this thing quick. They they they haven't understanding what they gotta do. Look, Justin Herbert is one of the special quarterbacks in this league. He was getting to him and they knew, all right, but we gotta

we gotta cut cut down. And so if Justin is not taking a five I mean, if he's taking a five step drafted, he's gonna have the opportunity to take that cannon arm he's got and throw down thought down the fields right and hit a kennyan ally. But when you've got you got Mike out there, you now and set of five, you may have to cut it to three.

Or if you take the five, understand it could be could you could get got and and that's and that's to me is what Mark's a great defensive player when offenses have to change their whole mentality or their whole approach to the game. Man, we want to attack this defense deep. We want to be able to attack their secondary. But man, that got off the edge, he's not gonna give us an opportunity too. So we gotta switch it up.

We gotta go to bubble screens, we gotta go to play action and get three step drops and get the ball out quick. Because when you got a superstar, when you got a guy like Michael Parsons on the outside, you can't have the can't hold the ball that long. And to me, that that's what mark's a great player when the offense has to switch up their whole mentality in order to stay away from one defensive player. And

Michael Parsons has been that so far. And we have seen the last couple of seasons when Tech Lawrence has been healthy, he has been able to make a difference. The problem has not been one hundred percent healthy, and that's part of the game. So right now we're talking about an offseason where where there's no issues. But they need him. Yeah, they need Quinn needs him, Mike McCarthy

needs him. If this team has any desires to go where they want to go, there cannot be a tank Lawrence missing six, seven, eight games because if you just can't have if you have a Tech Lawrence in there. That rotation of fresh guys being able to get after the quarterback. I mean you're talking about to bash him a Dante Fowler, the Law Parsons coming up, they're able

to rotate that and get fresh legs in there. I mean, that's gonna be a huge difference maker as far as quarterbacks being able to hold the ball because those guys are fresh coming off the line, those offensive tackles, those guards and centers, they're gonna be getting worn down as the game goes on. So hopefully we can have every each one of those guys on the D line fresh and ready to roll, because if you add d Law to that combination, it could be dangerous for the Dallas Cowboys.

All right, So Michael Parsons, his job is to get to the quarterback, and that means also offensive linemen have to beware of him too because he's so quick as he's shooting these gaps here. Michael Parsons had this to say about the Cowboys first round draft pick out of Tulsa, Tyler Smith Ticklus. I think Tyre is going to be a really good player. I know because some people it's probably wouldn't be what they expected. But I think, man, we're all really excited about him, and I think he's

a strong kid. He gets his hands on the MC too many people getting away with him, and he got the best of a lot of guys here and practice so far really made a great impression. I'm excited to see a step forward. It seems like he knows exactly type of player he wants to be and what steps he's gotta take. And I think he got the best tackle in the game to look from. You know, he got Tyren Smith from running still, got Zach turn the guard position and tackle whatever he's learned. I think got

some true Hall of Fame guys to learn from. And I think he's stubbing into the right shoes and Sharan exactly what we wanted to see. You know, he got some of the big guys and he's like, oh man, he got some strong hands. So I'm really excited about That's a that's a great comparison right there, because that's all we said about Tyren Smith when he came into the league. Man, that dude has some strong hands and when he gets his hands on you, it didn't matter

who it was, they were locked up. So that's one of the that's a great compliment right there, and that he's got that strength to be able to hold up these guys on the interior and on the outside. And like he said, I mean, he has two of the best offensive lineman in the game to learn from, Tyren Smith and Zach Martin when he's talking about guard or whether you're talking about tackles. So for him to get that praise it's early, it's great. And I know we're

just in shorts in Jerseys. I know we're just in that, But to me, I like that would be harder for an offensive lineman the block when you're just in shorts and pass these guys can do wiggling around and daughter speed, but when you have pads on, you got more surface area to get your hands on. So for him to be out there doing what he's doing in OTAs right now, I think that's impressive. I would love to see when

he gets to pads because I want to see that nasty. Yes, I want to see driving into the ground, just you know, Williams type stuff. So that's what I want to see going when we get the pads on. But early on in his OTAs is great to hear that he's been able to pick things up and get his hands on gas. I think when you have an opportunity to talk to Tyler Smith, you're really gonna like his mentality and what you talked about with Mica in terms of, hey, I want to be good, I want to learn my craft.

That's Tyler Smith. The teaching and how he is able to absorb the teaching and play is going to be something to look at. I still would tell people he's a project player. Yeah, he's still a project play. Mean. Micah Parsons played at Penn State and played at the high levels an All American. I don't think that's fair to try, hey, because he's a first raffic he's gonna he's not going to be that player. It's gonna take him some time because let's be honest, if he was,

he would have been drafted higher. So he had the holding penalties in the American Conference at Tulsa. So there's going to be things he has to work on. The people who drafted him have said we understand it's a process. Terrence Steele, to me, that is really a barometer that they should look at them. You know, in a perfect world, he could be a better Tarren Steele. Okay, and that's good because I turned out to be a really good football player two years in his career, and so unlike Terrence,

he doesn't. He's got ots, He's got you know, he's got he's gotta He's gonna have some teaching before he gets to training camp because off covid T Steele didn't. Then there was also the virtual or learning they had to do during the years. So Tyler Smith is going to be able to be in a different position. But I would just caution people that just say, hey, look, there is still going to be a learning curve for this young man, and it is going to be I

think for the first maybe three picks. I mean, I know, Sam Williams a defensive end at a Whole Miss. He was All Pro or All Conference player out there in the SECT first team all that, and he can get out to the quarterback. But it's definitely gonna be a learning curve for him. And then Jaalen Tolbert as well, coming out of Southern Alabama. I want to see how how he translates his game from that small kind of

college conference to the NFL. I mean, we've seen it done before, We've seen guys come from small schools and have great NFL careers. But I'm interested to see how he translates because I think he'll be thrown into the fire. Maybe even before Saint Williams and M. T. Smith he could have an opportunity. Yeah, and that's what training camp is gonna be about a lot of these guys. How much how much can they take from OTAs and this mandatory mini camp in a training camp that's something you've

gone through yourself. And and what's gonna be huge is that that month break time. I think, to get like a month off between the last mini camp in the beginning of training camp. To me, that's gonna be huge for these rookies. How are you going to approach it? How are you gonna attack it? Are you gonna be you know in the playbook? Are you gonna be working on your craft? Or you're gonna have like a veteran

presence in there teaching you the game. Because what you don't want to do is let all this OTAs and mini camp kind of go to the waist at all. I'm on my break time, I can finally relax now because you're not there yet. You're not there yet you're not that vet status yet, So you gotta make sure you attack the game plan, attack the playbook, and make sure when you get into camp you're in the best shape of your life and you know the playbook like the back of your hand, because you're gonna get tried

and tested as soon as the camp starts. So I'm interested to see how these young rookies attack this little break they have. All right, Barry Church, where we come back. Let's hear from Cowboys running backs coach Skip Pete on the late Maryan Barber the third, his remembrances of him. And also we'll talk about the current running back Ezekiel Elliott. How's he feeling now since the injury. We'll hear from Zeke. Next, this is the players lash bart to Hotels dot com

or Dallas Cowboys dot Com radio each game day. You know what that means. First cup Bob prep, Steak Pepper running and Stake Pepper running. Next, a counter clockwise lap around the rule. Now the Lucky Grease staying Jersey goes on. I'm laslide the dance, you know the one. It's just a game day ritual, no matter where you are, whether you're traveling to the game or watching from your favorite vacation spot. Foolka plays to stay on Hotels dot com

and keep the tradition alive and well. Hotels dot com proud partner of the Dallas Cowboys. 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. The starter includes four Jack Clack skincare favorites, plus a

full sized and tense 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. At Smoothie King, we are blending goodness to fuel your grayness. Every blind is crafted to help you achieve your health and fitness goals. Sweetie King uses only whole fruits in

organic veggies. You'll never find sugary syrups or artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and unlike some other smoothie places, there are zero grams of added sugar and many of our bloods. Smoothie King is proud to be the official Smoothie of the Dallas Cowboys. Place your order in the app or online for pickup or delivery. Smoothie King rule the day. Brace yourself for an existential question. Has your butt been having enough fun lately? Have you been treating it well?

Has it been going places? If not, then it's about time you start using seat Geek. Seat Geek is the best way to get your butt tickets to live events. Just ask the thousands of other butts who have rated it the number one ticketing app. So what are you waiting for? Download the app now or visit SeatGeek dot com to get tickets to sports, concerts and live events and make your butt happy. SeatGeek get your seat in a seat to the players loan. Guy that I'm going

to truly miss had opportunity coaching for several years. Unbelievable person. I mean, the guy showed up every day, had a smile on his face, came to work. If I could show anybody a model and a role to develop a running back to play in this league, it would be definitely marrying. I mean the guy came to work every day, practice hard every day, did a great job in the

meetings every day. He was a little bit like obviously his name, Barbarian as a player, very physical, very physical player as a runner, as a protector, and had the ability to run routes out of the backfield. Very unique in that way. But I think the thing that maybe a lot of you really don't know about him is that he was an unbelievable person. Give the shirt off his back, invite people over his house, cooked dinner for him.

He was stopped by my home, play with my kids when they were young, and very personable in that way. I mean he was very shy when he got to doing what I'm doing right now, but one on one,

was very very entertaining to talk to. Hadn't really spoke to him in recent years besides when I just first got back the man I'm going to remember as a guy coached, how he came in this building single day, what he meant to his friends and what he meant to me, the guys he played with, and the determination to try to make everyone a little bit better person at Skip Beat Cowboys running back coach. I'm marrying Barbara.

The third NB three passed away last week right here in the city Frisco, where the Cowboys headquarters is located. The star found unresponsive at his apartment complex. So um, we'll get more details obviously, as a corner releases a report Barry he played, Yeah, marrying Barbara the third and it's extremely sad news. But everything skip Pa said is one hundred percent true about this man. I played with him my rookie year and when I came in, this

is the guy that he come like. He said, like Skippy, I don't know about smile on his face every time, but this man came to work every single day. It didn't matter if we were in shorts and jerseys or if we were in shoulder pads and we were hitting the two of days. This guy had the same mentality.

You want to talk about physical I've had the opportunity to go head to head with Adrian Peterson, you know, Marshawn Lynch and Marrying the Barbarian, and I would say he is up there with those three guys when you talk about physical runners. It would take more than one guy to bring this guy down. And I'm not talking

about just you know, a dB Tacklings guy. I've seen him go against guys like Igor Olsinski, who was one of the biggest, strongest men I've ever seen in my life, and he's been able to run through guys like that. I mean, this guy. You saw the famous two yard run this guy had. I mean, he was throwing guys off left and right against the Patriots. He only got two yards, but it was one of the most physical, dominating two yard runs you've ever seen in your life.

And he had that type of approach to each and every day. And when you talk about giving the clothes off your back to somebody, this man was one of the most kind. Even though he had that name Barbarian, he was one of the most kind individuals I've ever seen. When you got him one on one, he was shy, like Skipp said, in a group setting, but when you got him one on one, he would open up to you. He would talk to you about anything and break the game down to you to where you can understand it

and have a better career off of it. This guy, I mean, he was a professional, just through and through. And it's just sad news that he's been gone at such a young age because I think he was at thirty eight, and I mean that's that's extremely young to pass away. But I mean the impact this guy left in our locker room back there was amazing. I mean, he's one of the strongest runners and strongest people that I ever had had a chance to be a teammate with.

And it's it's sad to hear it, and the condultes goes out to his family, But this guy, I mean, when you talk about bringing it each and every day, I mean that dude brought it each and every day. And sad to hear him passing, but man, that was he was a hell of a player and a hell of a teammate and hell of a person. So Friday's his birthday would have been such so young man. I remember when he came. I remember I was here when they when they drafted him and fourth round or out

of Minnesota. His teammate Lawrence Moroney was taken in the first round by the Patriot Patriots and he they split time at Minnesota and I think had Mary and been the lead ball carrier. No way he lasted until the fourth round. But when they had maryan Barber and Julius Jones together, Bill Parcels had a nice he had a nice run game going and obviously Julius did not fulfill the thoughts to so many people thought that his career

could be. But barbera ended up with a Pro Bowl, having a Pro Bowl year and just was a reliable guy when he played. And I'll miss him. I remembered we did a podcast here recently a couple of years, maybe it was right before the pandemic, and I saw him out here at the Star. We just we just you know, smiled and just had a quick little chat with each other, and it was just nice to see him. And he lost a lot of weight, yeah, basically, And Barry,

you know this because you play. Bill Romaneski once told me, he said, guys, either get fit and get the one of the two. That's it. There's no in between. You either you're gonna blow up or you're gonna get real fit. It's it's just one of the two. And he lost that weight that he didn't have to have to play that that bruising style. So he had lost that weight, um that he had there. So Mary Barber arrested piece. So many of us who were around you appreciated you,

without a doubt appreciated you. And that's um, you know that that's something you'd like. I think when we all get called home, we'd like people to say the kind things about us that that Mary and Barber has had said about him. Speaking of the current bruising running back for the Dallas Cowboys, that is Ezekiel Elliott. Um. Now you know, okay, it wasn't one hundred percent last year he was playing. He said he was fine. He lied to us, Uh, not the first time players applied about

in reach. You know that bart guys, which I personally, I don't understand why if I'm hurt, I'm hurt. Yeah, I understand with his situation to see how folks, that's how come guys don't just go tell it. If I was in his situation, I would because he like, he ain't gonna get Wally Pipps, So it ain't like he's got a oh man, I gotta I gotta make sure I'm out there for my job. You know, they gave you the bag. So I'm not so sure why he didn't just go out there and say, I mentioned, man,

I needed a little bit of rest. But I guess you know, he's being there for his teammates, and you know, I guess he felt that him being on the field gave our team, or gave the Dallas Cowboys the best opportunity to win. So maybe that's why he didn't. But to me, I already got the bag. I'm I'm hurt. I'm hurt. You know I can't. I can't go out there and perform to the best of my abilities. So why not telling Jim Jim Meer or Britt Brown what the deal is? They knew he just wanted to keep playing.

He just wanted to keep playing. And talk to someone on the in the organization said, hey, man, we tried to. He did not want he did not want to miss time. He wanted to play. And I just come back. And that thing, I'm like, who's charge? Because when you go out there and play, it's like, now everybody's looking at you. All he didn't lost a step or he doesn't have it anymore, you know it. It wants you on that field. It's like all injuries go aside. People don't. People don't

see those injuries. They just look at your production. I see it when you when you're in that Okay, hey, we're in this hole where we gotta do this to make the playoffs, and you're in the playoffs. But you know this has happened before. It happened earlier in the year. Man, take three weeks, take a month off, get help your team by getting yourself right, especially when you had we had to lead in the division such a margin. I mean, you gotta rest yourself and get ready for when it

really matters. And we saw that you know, he didn't do that was played which hey is that warrior mentality. Seventy percent of him got a thousand yards, But what would ninety five percent? Maybe where where could it have helped the Cowboys out? Here's Ezekiel Elliott at OTA's talking about the injury and how he's feeling right now. You know, I feel good, I said, I'm healthy, you know after last year. Yeah, you know, it took me maybe you know, a month or two to you know, get the feeling

one hundred percent. But I said, at this point, obviously you know, I'm feeling good and I'm ready to go. This is the last year of his guaranteed money. Yeah, so this is a major season for Ezekiel Elliott. A lot of pressure to to really I struggled to say, get back to where he was. I don't think I don't know if we'll ever see that again. Correct, I mean this is the body is a running back. I've been told by many people, including righting backs, and you

don't have so many hits in you. And if you go about history, I think there's only been one back to I'm talking about Adrian Peters and when he towards Ahl and then came back to Rush for two thousand, that was able to do that. If you go through history, he wants that decline stars. Maybe it's not steep, maybe it's you know, here and there, just you know a little bit less yards here and there. We rarely see a guy come back up to where he was at his peak, and you know that's what he was one

of the best when he was at his peak. And I also say that because where we're talking about in the show it was a run based offense. Yes, it was under Jason Garrison. It's not a run based offense anymore. And Tony Pollard's going into his last year and they're trying to figure out why he's to get Tony Pollard touches as well. So I just don't expect to see

Ezekiel Elliott leading the league and rushing. I don't expect that that we're going to see that guy that we saw with a high volume putting up big total rushing numbers that we saw the first couple of years. But can you still see a guy who can be a difference maker and make a difference that coordinators say, Okay, look, we gotta make sure we know where twenty one is. I do believe that is still that is still something that's there, and I'm with you on that one as well.

I think he can he can still get the respect of the defense as to where they got to stack the box and make sure they slowed him down first before anything with this offense. But let me ask you this, though, do you think the Cowboys will give more I want to say more touches, but I want to get a better look at Tony Pollard before they they let him in free agency, you know, I want to see they I would think they would want to figure out what they have in Tony Pollard before they just let him

hit free agency like that. Do you think that is a that that could happen this year? As far as the touches are concerned with, is with the Mari Cooper going and seeing the ability of what Tony Potter can do. I don't see how they don't. They got to you have to maximize your weapons because you don't want to let him go out there and in the next and you realize you lost an explosive back out there. So I can see them getting more touches for him involved,

which we'll eat into Ezekiel Eliots. And at the same time, knowing that Ezekiel Eliot's going to have, you know, they're they're they're they're going to have to make a decision about Ezekiel Eliot and his money, whether you decide to make a cut of the player, or you decide to do almost what you did with in terms basically what they did with tank Lords there at that point in time.

Either you cut him and try and eat some money over the next two years, or you come up with a contract that reduces the number drastically and you keep the player longer. And that's what they did with Tanks. So they're going to have to come to that decision with ezekielt the way some of these contracts have been set for star players, it's going to keep coming into this position of them, all right, what do we do.

So as you look at Mary Cooper, as you look at DeMarcus Lords, as you look Tyrn Smith, the left tackle is going to be in that same position coming in the next year as well. Okay, what do we what do we decide to do here because we have a player in the contract. You saw what they did with all Collins exactly. This is the nature of And by the way, it's not the Cowboys. Pretty much every team league that is giving out some big contracts. What do the Kancity Chiefs say, Hey, you know Tyreek Kill. No,

we're not gonna We're gonna move on. You want that kind of back, We'll move on. We've paid Kelsey, We've paid the homes. We can't pay you. Yeah, and then you got as a player, you gotta really Okay, that's where I'm at in the pecking order, So make moves necessary. But it's gonna be a huge year, a lot of pressure on a lot of players and coaches in this organization. And if you're if in some ways, if you're Jerry Jones, this is good. Yeah, You're gonna have some guys that

have to have a reason to go next level. Dalton Schultz, Zekiel, Tony Pollinn, Pollard, I mean, ceedee Lamb, he's you know, he's gonna want to be that number one guy. Tyrn Smith, you're center, Tyler Beyondest. There's a lot of guys who need to perform, and that's not a bad thing at all. We've seen what it did for the defense when it was competition, when guy needed the ball out, we saw they got though, they rose to another level and that that defense showed out. So hopefully that same thing can

happen on the offensive man. Tristan Hill, he got a ball, the young Gator, the enforcer, he got a ball. You can try to make this team exactly Tackle trying to make this team herself. He was training camp for him. I'm looking forward to getting out there. I'm gonna leave the twenty fourth to get on out to California for training camp and it's gonna start up on the twenty fifth, So I'm gonna be looking forward to seeing exactly what

they do. There's a lot of pressure on a whole lot of people, from the coaches the players, and like you said, that's a good thing. That's a good thing in my opinion. Competition breeze the best iron, Sharpen's iron. So hopefully those guys can go out there and say, you know what, I'm gonna to best year of my career, and hopefully as a team they have the best years their career, careers, money and all depends on it. Here something look as we know every year and you you

experience it as a player. Everybody didn't come back. Man, everybody don't they to be right. Couple folks ain't gonna be here. No locker room will be different. That's what they always say each and every year. The locker room is gonna change. Whether it's a big dog leaving or you know, a couple of guys on the bottom of the roster, that locker room will change. Very church good stuff. You out next week. I'm out next week. And so we'll convene. Do we have the one we know we're

gonna be off? We all once once, many camp ins, many camp weekends, the word we'll be off and training camp. So the next time the three of us will be together, Danny mcquiback, well, we'll be our training camp. At least I'll be training and uh, we'll we'll crazy do what we did last year. Dog getting reports about what I got. We'll be listening and I'll be listening. You know, I'll lean on Tank, that Tank, but I'll lean on Nate Newton, big name, make sure he gets you right with those

dudes and the trenches. That's it. I'll watched, literally, that was my thing. I would go find Nate Newton and watch practice because you broke to us early how Terren Steele was looking out there and next thing we know, he doesn't took off at some point. I'd just be smart enough to know who do you need to go an? You know, so him, Derek Eagle, toon Nick Eatman, you know different guys Hellman, you know right when I'll go and watch and talk with them at camping and Bradsham,

Christie Scales, Baby offers. There's a lot of people and even when folks come out, like a Bucky Brooks from NFL Network comes out of Willie McGinnis will come out, I'll go find them. It's watching practice. Let me tell me what you see, Carl, and I'll be listening to him the other line, you know, because I'm seeing things. But you know, I like to see what other people who I respected this game, who follow football, what they're seeing as well. So same thing with coaches. So, man,

I'm looking forward to her brother. Real quick, real quick. I know we got we gotta leave him, but real quick. When did the undrafted free agents start getting a bag to come to? What? Your boy? The Marky's Bell got two hundred grand to come out here from mini camp? All these undrafted guys getting six six figures to come a man? Who guy, I came here for ten k to get You want this ten k and mini camp? Invite? Sure,

I'll take three. Pierson got five hundred dollars. I'll be fifteen or five hundred dollars times of change, right, I mean you got ten grand? I mean that's what Romo guy. Yeah, that's true. You got the Roman number. So it was a quarterback. Yes, money just keep going up. So um one good agent, that's true. His first thing Bell has is a good agent, an agent. I say this, if I'm in the safety room, I would be very I would be very cognizant of what that young man made.

You knew I would have known he getting two hundred Okay, yes, okay, he will be. He will be in some packages. Yes, he will will dime dime package. He will have opportunities. He's going to have to cut himself because they're trying to keep him on. Even if it's in a practice situation. They're going to do what they can. When they give you that kind of money, they have a plane for you.

And and I asked I speaking about I asked dan Quinn about it and in the group setting, and he said, hey, look I see him as a linebacker, and so he's got a type of vision that he's looking for for Bell. So it just sounds more and more like Damn was up there like, yeah, I think I can do something

with this guy, camp Chancellor dot kind of thing. And they're like and they just said, okay, if you can see the vision, and based off what he did with Michael Parsons last year, all right, he wants Sam Williams, you worked him out here, and he says, yeah, I'd like to work with that player. Okay, Fine, He's proven to be able to get the best out of his players.

So and that and that's gonna be a very interesting thing about um dan Quinn and his role depending on whatever happens here for twenty twenty three, because you're putting a lot of that on him. Yeah, because if you're putting all this on him. Then then you may want to try to continue that consistency because his vision may not be the next person's vision. This is true. George Lewis can tell you that this is true about guy's

visions and what happens in your career with it. So man, stuff is always beat Church, all right, Chris Bean, We appreciate jazz will everybody's been a part of a player's loge. And my man McCrae, he was trying, but you know, it happens, It happens, it happens. Half a attendance is no more. We'll chat with you down the road right here, oh, Dallas Cowboys Dot Out Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.