The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
Cowboys.
This is the Players Lounge, broadcasting live from Dallas Cowboys World headquarters at the Star. Now your hosts Darry Church, Danny McCrae, heckma Harrison, and Newi Scrugs.
Hello and welcome to the Players Lounge sponsored by Tostitos, the official chip and dip of the Dallas Cowboys.
You are now rocking with the best.
I'm heckmc harrison and joining me at the desk is two former Dallas.
Cowboys Bear Church.
What's happening to Danny McCrae and the man that's doing the lawd's work over there in ox Nord, California, none other than Newing Scrugs NBC five's Oh come on, bow, take a nod, do something at least let us know you.
I'm gonna I'm gonna you know what.
That's how you take the show off the rail. It is about to be. That's about to play a lounge, right.
It is about that kind of the show today. But man, I'll tell you what. I used to check on you guys and see how y'all doing. But I think everybody is fine right now.
Joey boy, no sense at all, Man, eleven time in me when the new extruss is how the Knox narted and knew it obviously.
Man, you're you're going to borrow.
You're blowing up all over the place on social media.
Everybody wants to know.
Man, about your interview with one Lashawn McCoy, Man, come on, give us a lowdown on him.
First off, Shady was pleasant to talk to, and I interviewed Ocho first because I know, mannyacho, and you know, it's one of the things man makes you feel old because he's like, man, I used.
To watch you in high school. Man, what years this for you by here?
So I talked to Ocho first, and then my photographer, Nobuy's like, hey, man, that's Shady right there, and I'm like, I don't know, I don't know.
So I walked over to him and then he saw my hand say oh you're a cute.
Though, Okay, okay, It's like okay.
So right there, we got.
A little bit of respect, and then we did the interview. And so that interview I had with him, I just I tried to be fair. I didn't try to come in here with like, hey man, you know, I totally disagree with how you do your business, but I just wanted to actually ask him some questions and let him answer back. And so I enjoyed the interview with him. I kind of laughed when he said, well, what are the players supposed to say? What are you supposed to
say about that? And then I talked about James Washington, who I saw Saturday. Okay, James Washington, in my opinion, should have been the MVP of Super Bowl twenty eighth, the way that game turned around his play, but they didn't give it to him.
Imm Smith got it.
James Washington played with Troit UCLA and played all these two Dallas Cowboy teams with him. He talked trash. That's all he did was talk. Charles Haley talked trash. Jimmy had a bunch of Miami Hurricanes on Dallas Cowboys. They talked trash. So when Shady talks about I've never heard it before. I'd never seen it before. Well, I'm here for three years. I've seen Dak Prescott and Treyvon Diggs do this. I didn't see it in Trayvon's first year because it was COVID. We weren't allowed to be there.
So and he's like, so, so how does this get out here? Well, because you got cell phones, you got better audio equipment. But this has been happening out here, and so he's like, man, I came, you know, I wanted to show my.
Face that that that.
But then they didn't stay right as they hit the mojo moments to go into real practice, Acho and Shady left, Ocho said they had to go back to had to go back to LA to do their show.
So Shady never stayed around.
They never talked to anybody before camp and after, you know, after camp ended, you know, they didn't do any interviews. They didn't talk to anybody. They just kind of came and just showed their faces here. And you know, I asked Dak afterwards. I was like, did Shady acknowledge you talk to you?
Though?
He's like no, I'm like, okay, okay.
That's it.
It's a business, Thusten. Look what he got out of the whole interaction. Okay, you go on TV, you start talking this craziness about Dak Prescott and disrespect them doing all this other crazy stuff and not newie scrubs Newie Scrubs, the Emmy nominated and the winner of all these Emmys. It's like, hey man, let me go find Shady. You know what I'm saying. It's working out for now, you
get to go do a show. People gonna ask him about this for the next six weeks or a month or two months or whatever, and then you know he's gonna say the next crazy thing. It's probably gonna be about Dak again, depending on how the season starts, and they're gonna roll on through the season, just like that.
They whole show last year, or a lot of the show last year was based off what they talked about and making fun of the Cowboys and if they're gonna make it, and then you know, the Eagles were doing good, so then they had that back and forth. So a lot of the show is predicated off the Dallas Cowboys.
Players in the organization.
Well if you know, I mean the cowboys, or they're gonna get headlines. Everybody's gonna see it's gonna be clickbait. So I understand what they're doing over there. It's all the entertainments with you know, Shady and Ocho and all that stuff. But from one running back to another new y'all gotta ask you about this number two running back position for the Dallas Cowboys. I mean, we all understand that Tony Poler, when he becomes healthy, he's gonna take
the majority of these reps. But what have these backups looked out there? You know, duce Vaughan, Dad Well Davis. What did they look like? Because they're gonna have to step up and be in that number two running back role, especially early in the season as Parler gets more acclimated from his injury from last season. So what have you seen from that running back room?
Yeah, Mike McCarthy was asked a whole lot about that.
Yes, you're catching on Dallas Cowboys dot Com as its press conference, answered a lot of the running back questions.
He likes what Rico Donald is doing.
Uh.
He also is as a fan of uh Malie Davis. And then you've got Duce Vaughan in that screen game. He likes duce Vaughn here. So of course, you know Ronald Jones right now dealing with a groin injury. But the running back room, according to Mike, we're gonna see this preseason.
These guys are gonna get the opportunities to go out there to show what they can do.
He just.
He just has a comfort right now.
I don't feel like there's any panic that he said, hey guys, we got to go out here and go bring somebody else in.
He's very comfortable with these guys. I thought, Malik, I.
Thought Davis, when you go back that forty nine or given. I thought when he was been given opportunities, he's done a good job. And Donald was ahead of him before he got hurt. And here's a kid. You know, both of these running backs, people forget played at South Carolina, I mean playing in the SEC Dallas, South Carolina. Davis over to Florida so they can run the football. We know what duce Vaughan was able to do in the Big twelve.
Uh.
For me, I'm not worried about this cowboy running back situation. And then when it comes to passport, they talked about duce Vaughan picking up in pass pro profile. This Jacksonville game is going to be really good because we're gonna see some guys in some positions where they're gonna get
their opportunity to show what they can do. U caveon Turpen, You know McCarthy talked about he wants to see him at wide receiver, but the running back position in my mind right now, you know, the preseason is gonna tell us a whole lot we see. We see this stuff here. You know how I feel about the All Austinar team. You know, can you do it at at and T Stadium? You know, can you do it there? Can you go to Seattle after that the preseason game and show the
Cowboys what you can do there here? But I'm not worried about this position. And let's be honest, man, they gonna throw the ball, Okay, we've got to receive a car like this. You throw the ball, you want to be able to run it when you want to. But you know it's not like this. You know, we're not about to see you know, Ezekiel Elliott twenty sixteen where they're just run. You know, he's gonna lead one of these guys gonna lead the league in rushing. And we're
also talking about Tony Pollard being the guy. So can people ground grind out a third and three? You know, they're gonna be backups, and I think we got to remember that we're looking for a backup running back.
We're not looking for a lead. Bell Cally.
When we talk about the Dallas Cowboys and especially Dak Prescott and the years that he's been successful Newing, it's been because he has had some success from the running back position. And and maybe you know, Mike McCarthy is okay with the running back group that he has, but we know how important this group actually is. Just for you being out there at camping, you're looking at these
guys compete. Are you seeing versus the eyeball test that this is enough to win an NFC and go far in the playoffs?
Okay, So I go back to Tony Romo's best year.
It was when DeMarco Murray was the NFL offensive player year.
They ran the ball a lot.
And then for Dak Prescott, you talk about the first year, even the first two years they ran the ball.
It was a running team, but it was a different head coach.
You know.
Now you got a different coach and Mike McCarthy. So I would not look for that to be the same. But when you talk about those years, what you saw from DeMarco Murray and then Zeke's first year, you had an offensive line with a Travis Frederick there and a Tyron Smith at peak performance and Zach Martin that's not the case anymore. So you don't have that same offensive
line here. And I think at some point in time we've got to come to grips that you know, them dudes aren't walking through the door like they used to be. You know, Zach's gonna be thirty four years old this year. Tyron's a guy that hasn't given us sixteen sixteen games I think since like Obama was president. So I mean, dude, it just it just is what it is. So let's see how they gel and who the guys out here that can do this thing. Man, it's still a concern for me. We saw Tyler be Hones to sit a
roller's ankle yesterday. So man, this offensive line, we got to.
See where it is.
It's not the top five group of these number one the other.
Yet.
Have you been in ros Cools, man? You No? No, I have not been in Roscos. No, I've not been to Roscos.
Not.
I didn't go to lax. I flew into Santa Barbara. So I have been on Roscos on.
The trip, all right, So just sushi and no, hey listen, I got I got one for you.
I just want a Mozi Smith update.
Okay, we picked the guy in the first round that is that is the one that I'm like, Hey, I want to see this this pan out, want to see if it's gonna work. Does Neville Gallimore have a shot? Is he going into this season being the starter? Projected starter? Because when you spend a number one draft pick on the god especially d Lineman, you spent them to be out there record stuff, right and knowing that it was our weekly on our defense, Like I'm really paying attention to this position.
Yeah, well Mazi didn't practice yesterday because they had an MRI. Oh so yeah, yeah, I would not look for and you know, I hate that. I just talked to Bill McLay and I forgot to ask him about about Mossi.
But they say he's fine, that the MRI, he's okay.
But I would tell you I would not look for Mazzie Smith to play Saturday night. So yeah, so he is, by the way, he is participating in the walkthrough. He is participating to walk through, so and and and be honest, he's out here too. But you know, apparently they've said
he's fine, but we'll see. And McCarthy's not talking today, but I would not be surprised when Church you come out here tomorrow and McCarthy says that that Bozzie is not playing because he's been dealing with some tend nights in his knee.
I are what makes me the most.
What you said, what you used to say about Jason Garrett is the things that you don't say.
Okay.
I asked him a question about Bozzie Smith. He didn't say anything positive. You know what I'm saying, even before he had to get the MRI yesterday. I'm talking about just an update. I haven't heard a positive thing yet, not one time, said one positive thing about myself. Now nervous, I'm nervous.
Okay, okay, all right, So so let me put it this way for you.
Mozzie is coming along. I do not expect him to be in the starting lineup right now. I don't you know, Hankins has played well, Os has been doing well. Mozzie is going to be a part of the rotation. And to me, I don't think that's a bad thing. Is he gonna you know, did we all know Tyler Smith was gonna be as impactful as a rookie at this point?
Camp last year.
You know he didn't. He had some moments. He had some moments where he struggled too. So let's see how this thing plays out. I think sometimes we just want answers right now. Right now, he needs to look like he and Aaron Donnell yet. Okay, it's taken into time now, Michael Parsons has nothing but praise for him.
You talk to the other guys about Mazie.
Here's the only bad thing that I've heard about mazi Okay, they say he was terrible when he.
Had to go out there sing his rookie They said he.
Was terrible and he had to do it over. He was so bad.
That's the That's the only bad thing that I have heard about Mazzi.
Okay.
They talk about his strength, but just the premise that he's gonna step up here day one and be Vince will Fork or Booker McFarland right out of the gate, I don't think that's the case.
They got some guys that they like.
He'll play his way into the rotation and then let's see exactly what is going on with this knee ten tonight is thing, and when the players talk and see see if we can get something from him.
I had to talk about a first round thing. Okay.
I want to slide back to the offensive side of the football, because a lot of reports going out there, and you look at this wide receiver position, the number four wide receiver position, and from what I seen that camp because young man by the name of Jalen Brooks out there who's doing his thing as well as semi for Hoko, I've seen a couple of shots of SENDI out there getting some deep balls and he's actually completing them as well.
So do you see that?
Stop, I'm trying to give my boys a love just going down there. I ain't seeing nothing Fromko.
You ain't seeing.
Nothing, man, No, don't.
You don't you let me find Isaiah Steinbank sand Bank and we started talking about about fi. Come on, man, you know like the other day you saw the digs pick Simmy going to city. I mean, man, brof, you're talk about number four. Simmy ain't number four? Okay, okay, so not a shot of chance, not that right now?
Okay?
Just what about Brooks?
A right?
What about Hayl Brooks? Now? What about Jayalen brook Oh? Neither neither of them.
All ox Star, He's all he is all ox star right now.
I need to see it at at and T Stadium. Okay, how many times we got to talk about these dudes?
Man?
You know, somebody got to see in the preseason.
Game, dudes looking good out here practice. Okay, that's that's that's fine. Tolbert is doing some good things. Okay, I love it. But we need to see that translate too. Okay, we need to see that translate too. But but Jalen Tolbert is taking his job seriously, and he's taking accountability for what happened last year. He's even participating on special teams and and he's showing some signs of life there. You man, Simmy hadn't always been wanting to get on
his special teams here. I don't think he good enough not be a part of special teams, just a wide receiver name only.
But this is what I'm telling you guys.
This game against Jacksonville is something that everybody needs to tune in for to see these second line backups and what they can do, because this is where they're going to be judged on. Kelvin Joseph. There's another guy who's been out here, man. I mean, he may get a bread. He may get a bread sponsorship because he been toasted a bunch.
So let's see if he goes in Jacksonville. Okay, So he go out.
Here to Jacksonville and make some plays and we go like, okay, okay, but during these drills.
Man, these multip womans, Man, I mean my man. I mean the other day.
Man, the flag went up there and everybody it was just like, oh God, you're walking pi.
Man, I'm bad for me.
But I'm like, okay, maybe maybe it's because it's cooks and gigs.
You know what's that old meme? Like, Man, I'm not here, I'm gonna lie.
I'm getting cooked out there.
He's got to show us something.
Man, I'm gonna be probably you know what I'm saying, may go you glad.
I'm saying, Man, Kelvin may hit that he may hit Jacksonville. Show us something man. So and Mike McCarthy talked about that. He's like, man, this is the preseason games before. He's like Mike McCarty said, I don't have a fifty three
set in my mind right now. I gotta go see guys play because there's gonna be something that happens in a preseason game and a guy makes a team and you know, Danny Barry, you guys had that moment too for yourself where they're looking at hey, what's this guy doing here in the preseason you say, Okay, now that's worthy of making the fifty three. This Oxnart stuff is nice and cool, but what are you doing in these preseason games when they really do count and that's where they're great?
What?
What? What?
What game was the last season where Kevin Joseph got the I think he got the start.
It was in the af jack Invitation. It was Jacksonville.
Okay, So I thought, I thought I felt a little connection with this week. All right, so you know, my man got something to go prove out there, and hopefully hopefully you don't say the word some fun. But listen, I want to clarify this, okay, all oxen Art. It's
a designation that you get after camp is over. Okay, okay, because they call you all oxnar when you when you do all you can in camp and you out there flash moments, getting picks and all that stuff, and you go out there in the preseason games in the regular season you don't do nothing. Then you get labeled all oxen Art, All right, you don't want that label. Two guys at the desk that are not called now, but I'm gonna say positive head here, gotta put a positive spin on it.
In Newie. I know you could do it.
Just follow the brid Covante Turping, Covante Turping. A lot of talking has been on Covante Turping not only as a returner but also as a wide receiver this preseason game.
How important is it for guys.
Like Covante Turpin to atch out some playing role, a playing role in this wide receiver room. You're gonna get this positive, get this, You're gonna get this to Avante Turpin.
He've been on this for two weeks.
Okay, Okay, we can do that. We can do that. Let's talk about that.
TC on from Mike McCarthy's calling the plays, and he spoke about how he wants to see what Turp does as a wide receiver. I talked to him about two days ago and he's like, man, I'm ready to play, ready to see what I can do. And one thing that I think we don't talk about enough is while he made the Pro Bowl last year, he played a lot of football, having gone from the USFL and being the MVP there to playing for the Cowboys. His body's had an opportunity to rest. He's now in his second season.
He feels a better connection with Dak Prescott and everything.
That's going on here.
So I think Turpin is another player that against Jacksonville is going to get his opportunity to go out here and show people what he could do. He's ready for it, and we know he's going to make the team because he made the team as a special team made the Pro Bowl as a special teamer last year. I like the fact that you've got a Deuce Vaughn and you've
got a Cavante Turpin. And I've already seen some plays where Mike McCarthy is, you know, put these put some special packages in for these guys, and I think they can be effective.
So I'm looking for Turping to to improve. I think he's a good football player.
I've watched his kids since college, and if given the opportunity, I think he can make play.
Is it is it possible for your quarterback to have connections with all the receivers on the roster. No, okay, it ain't okay, because we c got it Cooks got it, Gallup got it, possibly Tobart got it, Turfing got it. I mean good, everybody got it. Okay, so I need I need to see it. But the thing is unfortunate about that is we know they're not gonna be catching no passage from back in these games.
Y'all think they can have two return specialists on the fifty.
Three better not just And you can't say who is turping going down there and tackling who's too long gonna go down there and tackle on teams like I just I can't see it.
I cannot see it. I can see Deuce fun being Uh.
Why somebody likes Simmia. That's why somebody he needs to got to play a special team.
Yes, dude, but but y'all don't see So you're gonna take two return specialists into the season, they are spots available. You taking two return specialist guys who are only going to really get a chance to do it if you punt. I mean, if there's a punt ret on you stop them, or or you're scoring a lot of points. Other than that, you might just have a guy just sitting on there on the on the hohop.
What he say, he said.
Bill Belichick would do that.
There we im, you know, the same person, two return specialists, two gadget guys. I mean that's that's two spots the same person. I just I can't see it happen screen And don't think that both of those positions are intertwine. And we've talked about that before about Duce Vaughan and
Kalante Turfing. I mean, different positions, but still in order to carry them on this roster gonna you're gonna have to have them as special teams guys, because you know what with Dukes get in the backfield, I mean, it's gotta be a gadget. So the defensive, the intendants are gonna be up.
He ain't blocking nobody.
Let's keep it mean. He's not gonna go out there and protect on third and seven. We know it's a pass, but we know he gotta get out. He's not protecting. I just don't they're one of the other is gonna have to happen. One of them is gonna have to stand out as a return specialist and take that job. And I think Turping right now is you know, head over heels above them. You got to prove to the pro Bowl. You got the Pro Bowl designation. Man, you
you already. It's like being the first rounder. You go get every opportunity to go out there and mess it up. And we know what happened in preseason last year. That's what Comte Turping made. The noise was like, oh man, this dude is he's the real deal out a keybo Well.
I mean, look, you can't put Pollard back there. Hey, that's not what you want to do. So so they're going to have to figure out who else goes. You know, who else is in this position besides besides Turping. But this is the beauty of this Jacksonville game, guys, is to see what they do, how do they utilize some of these players, and what positions and where do they go with it?
So I'm looking forward to it.
That's dan Quinn passes me right behind me here, DQ get ready to go do an interview over here.
I got I gotta ask you, man, because we are at the eight hundred thousand dollars mark for you talk about somebody with a point to prove asks the grind here is paying for eight hundred thousand dollars was in fine so far knowing come on, man, give me some good news. I need to know that at least we're making headway on potentially getting Zach back in camp.
The camp ain't going up.
I haven't heard that.
No, I have not heard that. I have not heard that at all. You know, he's making a choice, he's making a stand. So until Sunday night football gets the New York Giants occurs, I'm really not I'm not thinking about it, honestly, really not. They McCarthy has talked about how Zach knows exactly what to do in this offense. He's looking looking at other guys and seeing what they can do in different reps at the right guard spot.
When Zach decides to come back and play football, he will come back inside to play football.
But he's making a business decision right now.
And oh, well, you know this thing is gonna be costly for him. But I don't see by listening to the front office right now, I don't see there's any deal that's about to take place. And if it is a deal that takes place, is going to be happy, something along the lines of an extension that extends him another you know.
Maybe two years.
But right now I haven't heard that that's something that that was gonna occur.
So, nah, he ain't here. But okay, it is what it is.
I'll tell you eight hundred. That's a lot of Ducats ducks.
And I can to me it's perplexing because it's like, man, this is the front office. Everybody you know knew we out there reporting becazactly like this. This is some who hung guy like we could go with aull them. I The train keeps rolling, man, this is a hall of favor. This is arguably the best guard in football right now and has been for the past five years. And all you've been hearing over the last couple of weeks is leverage.
Who has leverage?
Leverage this, leverage that, And you're looking at this offensive line and you're saying, dude, that guy that's not who you want to start with day one. I'm sorry, I mean, I can't honestly say it's probably a good thing that Josh Ball.
Is getting reps right now.
You want to see him get reps at the guard position, and I'm sure that the front office is applauding the fact that he's getting those reps.
He ain't, Zach Martin, I'm just looking at costs. Listen, the cost and the benefit.
Okay, I'm gonna keep going back to the big bozukah because that's what my man Jerry alluded to.
All Right, you think about the cost of paying.
Zach Martin to how it is going to affect your ability to pay the bazookah?
Do you want to be going through this situation with him when it's top for him.
To get because he don't want to hear you talking about well when remember when Zach held out, we have.
To take care of him. You know what I'm saying. Notbody trying to hear that.
So we can talk all we want to about Zach Martin being back. But I think, based off what Jerry said, there's a guy a generational talent the next one.
Because Zach Martin was one, what is one? And then now you got Michael.
Parson where everybody clearly across the league is saying that he's one of the top guys that they've seen play, you know, since they've been watching football. So that's a guy I'm gonna be worried about because, like I said, two years from now, you go you sit him down and be like, he bro, this is all we got, It's all we got We gave you something to Zagon and we had to pay CD and now we don't have enough for you.
He gonna look at you like the crazy. That's facts too.
So you know what Danny what Parsons agent doesn't want to hear. Dak's agent want to hear and see the land agents want to here. And you know that old math formually we did business school. They don't want to see Jerry stretch out. Now here's our present value money and it's less because we paid Zach Martin. So the future value and what we were trying to get to, your guy is gonna be over here and not as much to know everybody.
They got lucky on.
Diggs because Diggs took top five money to the corner spot. I'm not anticipating Dak's agent saying, well just give me the average. No, he gonna look at what's justin Herbert at We want more. Michael Parson's gonna come up here because mikeet is set up there right there on the podium on Sunday. I'm a special player. Special player is not trying to take the average here. There's not gonna be no Tom Brady discounts coming around here.
Guys.
So when he Jerry talks about that money that he knows Zach Martin wants, it will affect it. And you got and before we even get to Parsons, you gotta take care of Lamb. You gotta take care of Dak, Terrence Steele's gonna have to factor into this equation. What if Tony Pollard ends up having another Pro Bowl season. I mean there's still other guys and other issues. You
have to look at this football team. So when we talk about the leverage Zach Martin doesn't have it, these other players like Dak Prescott, CD Lamb, Micah Parson's, Terrence Steel, they'll have a leverage that he will not as a player under contract for two ways.
He's NBC's on Newie scrugs. He will be back, Newie.
You'll be back with us next week, or you'll still be out in knox Nor.
No no, no, no.
I'm flying home tomorrow as Berry Church is supposed to come out here and do some serious XM. So yeah, now I gotta come back, man, I gotta come back and go go help my kid move into her dorm room in college and get all her stuff taken care of.
Man.
Well, thank you for being out there and handling business man and going viral with your Sadie McCay uh interview, and thank you for handling all the business out there newly.
Oh what is she?
What are the donons? Man to school? Had Millie handling all the business? BC was asking, we went what school is she going to?
Oh she's going to Texas College where actually Greg Gallis, former cowboy Greg Ellis was coaching at.
For two years.
So she's going out there. She's gonna try and walk on this soccer team. So you know, I'm out there rooting for man to get it, get get everything done. So so yeah, man, it's a great thing. Man, it's a great thing. So Savanna Reice is, uh, she's trying to become that adult man. So that's what we try to do. So folding chairs out here discounted. By the way, fellows, so need any let me know we're all good. And by the way, when I see our Harris now I throw my hat. I throw my hat in the air
because our Harris hadn't seen it. I was like, oh have you seen it yet? I said, well, when you do, I'm something.
I throw the hat. I know what I thought my hat. You're gonna know it. Yesterday I threw the hat. He was like, he's chicken tas.
Like, man, we'll appreciate you doing it. Thank you for for coming off first second, Yes sir, Yes, Scruggs out in Osnar, California.
Please.
The podcast has a text line, so Cowboy Nation make sure you text us is eight one seven two nine three two nine eight and coming up next, we are going to talk about the NFL Network's top one hundred here on the player's lounge.
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If you're gonna number dollars, if you had a one that last year for Super Bowl fifty seven with the Eagles going and they put you on the Eagle side, how mad would you have been? I wouldn't have been mad at all. What are you talking?
Abould have went four Cowboy years just like I am right now. It would have been with it.
You're only saying that because they lost the celebration I wont they got a pan on the came, you know's a sad one and the like. And as soon as Jaylen hurds he fumbled the ball and uh lineback the piece up run for a testown.
I would have been back to life. Dollar on up.
It got it looked like Montgomery, Alabama. But we're back here. They gonna take me off the reels. I mean we started like this. It just took us off the rails right away. But the NFL Network had its top one hundred players and the Cowboys had seven players in the top one hundred. There's only one team that had more than San Francisco forty nine ers, but our Arcs nemesis to San Francisco forty nine ers. But the Dallas Cowboys
had seven players in that top one hundred. And guys, obviously from your playing days, how much did you guys make of the NFL networks top one hundred.
To me when I was.
When I was playing, it wasn't a huge deal because when you go in there, they like break you down defensive meeting rooms, offensive meeting rooms. And when you go in there, either the captains or somebody will come in there and say, all right, these are the guys we're voting for. Pick your top players from these from this category. So it ain't like you going in there and everybody has a different sheet and saying, oh, this is my
top one hundred, this is my top one hundred. Over here, you kind of all have the same one and you put it in together. So cats really just kind of looked at it, you know, it ain't that big of a deal.
But also never made the hundred.
So if i'm you know, I'm on to you know, if I was twenty one one one year and the next year they can I'm back, as you know, sixty five, how I feel some type of way.
So I understand what they're doing. But to me, it wasn't really that big of a deal.
Yeah, I ain't gonna lie to you. I probably can't even name a hundred. I was on special teams though, and if they probably had a kicker on there that played my position or something like that. But I mean, it's always like an interesting interesting thing to see when you want to see how the peer, how your peers rate other players.
Right, the most.
Important part to me is like that top ten, right you always when we play, you know, Tom Brady was gonna be probably at number one. But then now it's interesting to see the shuffle of like the different skill positions that are up there. Right, Pat Mahomes is the guy now, But then you start to see guys like Michael Parson's Where's Justin Jefferson? Like you start to see these type of guys and I'm like, oh, yeah, that's okay, that's right, or you get to look at it and say, nah,
they ain't right, right. So I think that is the main, the main thing of looking at that one hundred. So I always look at it to see but have the dude, I don't recognize who they are until I see the highlights.
That's what I'll be like, oh, yeah, he is good.
But if like for me, it's like, man, do some of these guys get off just the name alone? Like if you look at it, you know Aaron Donald's dominating as that man has been these past however many years.
He had kind of a down year. Last year he was hurt.
Yeah, but the most part he was hurt, and he still was what I think it was in the top twenty, top ten. I mean it's almost like you can't have a list unless you put it in exactly.
So it's like, how realistic is it? You know, to go by it?
So we still, you know, because he was hurt last year's still the top one hundred guy. Yeah, but so going off career question a year yea, yeah, yeah, because when that'd be a hell of a drop all of a sudden, he top ten. Also he gets hurt the next year he's off the list, he'd be like, oh wait a second. Now, of the seven dollars Cowboys that are on this list, and it was DeMarcus Lawrence, Zach Martin, Trayvon Diggs, Dak Prescott, Tony poll CD Lamb, and Michael Parsons to round out the top ten.
Of those seven.
Players, and let's take Dak out of all right, not of those six all right, one not being Dak. What is the one player that you can look on that list that has to have an impact on this team this year for the Cowboys to be able to compete for a championship. Tony Polery Tony Pouler, I think, I think when you look at our defense, you say, okay, at each level we got a guy. Some of those levels we got two guys, all right. Then you look at your office of linezac Burn comes back. Okay, we're
night even sure if he's gonna be here. But then when you look at what we're really missing the running game. What happened when Tony Pollack went out in San Francisco in the San Francisco game, everything changed.
Everything changed.
That that home run threat that we had that was going, the ability to change pace out there in the running game, that was gone. So you saw that happen in the San Francisco game, and now there's no Zeke. So the person who has the most to foot on their shoulder shoulders right now. To me, it's Tony Poula. We don't have a running game right then, it's all on deck, it's all on Cooks, it's all on on Ceedde Lamb
and Michael Gallup. And then you get to that situation where you see a guy throwing fifty sixty passes a week, and now you got an issue. So to me, it's Tony polar You don't with you on that Tony Pollard aspect. I definitely think he has to come out there and ball out in order to keep this offense balance, because we've seen what happens when it ain't balanced. Turnover start to go. But besides Pollard, I'm gonna go with Cede Lamb on this one. I think he needs to continue
to be that number one wide receiver. You know we've seen early last year he kind of struggled to get going, you know, he kind of was with the drops or just wasn't that number one guy going too.
But from week eight.
On, I mean, he exploded, ended up with one hundred and some catches out there, pro bowler. So if he can continue that just level of being that number one wide receiver, he'll take a lot of pressure off of Dak Prescott, off Cooks, off of Gallop.
That'll open things up for this offense immensely.
So I agree with you on that, Pollard, and I'm definitely gonna put Cede Lamb out there.
He needs to continue to be that number one wide receiver. So do we have a one A in one B or do we have a clear number one, clear number two A receiver? It's your show, go ahead, No, No, I'm asking you. I'mouna say we got a clear number one in CD.
Let's say he's that clear number one, and right now I think I think Cooks is the two.
That's what I'm saying, well, I asked.
I asked from the question of like we've seen what Cooks has been able to do no matter what roster he's been on, and the roster he was on last year, you look at you and said, come on, man, now you get them with a guy like Dak, a coach like coach McCarthy, and a new offense where somebody you know can be productive, productive in a new organization. I don't know, man, I think there's gonna be another breakout
year for Cooks. I think it's gonna be another break a guy that has that type of speed that can take you down the field all right and beat the deep threat, then also can route.
You up DB's They're not gonna know what to do. They're not gonna know what to do.
That's what happened, right, So you start off with seeing Ceedee Lamb getting doubled and you got Cooks getting one on one. That's an issue, and I think all of that's gonna be predicated on Dak Prescott's ability to make decisions over the middle of the field, but those short routes being able to bake the defense into coming in closer to be able to hit Brandon Cooks on the home run ball. He can't just be a one trick
pony in this offense. So like some of the guys that we saw last year can think is t Y Hillton, he was just a fade and go right. We don't need Brandon Cooks to be that. We need him to be the intermediate routes. We need a lot of guys to do that because in the West Coast offense, as you guys know, the ball comes out quick and it's gonna be the decision making of Dak that absolutely is gonna sentuate that talent that Brandon Cooks had. I think
he's he's gonna be great in this offense. But I think it's in the scheme and it's gonna be in the play calling, in the rhythm of the offense that actually allows him to get off. But I'm gonna pick my guy. I guess who y'all think. Who y'all think I will pick the But you're gonna take some money from him, Well, I'm sorry, mart No, that's not what
I'm saying. That's what but say Micah, because if Micah can be a twenty sack, this can be a twenty sacks season for him, that's gonna impact everything for our defense.
That's gonna change everything.
You've played on one of those kinds of defenses that I mean, they were coming after you. And I believe with all the talk about this defense being the number one defense, and obviously you can see it on paper, they're gonna go have to go out there and play for it. But I believe that Micah is that guy that if he can man, if he can have a twenty sax season and just be a monster in impacting the game, I think that's gonna change everything for the Cowboy.
I agree with you, if he can have one of those you know, JJ Watt type years when he was in his prime, Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron Donald wre they were just taking over the game. It makes it a lot easier for your secondary out there because you can just sit back and look at the quarterback
from a safety standpoint. Even at the corners, you can sit and zone and say, I know, this ball gotta come out within the next five seconds or three seconds, because we know Parcels is coming off the edge and that creates a lot of takeaways that way. So if he's balling, it'll make things a lot easier for that defense over wrong, I'm sticking with mine, sticking with you hard hit it. But look, George and d C who
is behind enemy lines? George, you have to hey, kudos to you, brother, because I know you got a lot of stuff going on. If you in DC and you're a cowboy, then But George said, do you feel the starter should play at least a couple of serieses in this first preseason?
No? No, Listen.
If it were just the look, the perception of little look, I wouldn't even take them to the game. All Hey, man, y'all just go ahead, chill out of the whole. You ain't even gotta be there. I don't want you to be close to the field. This is there is. There are only three preseason games now, you know what I'm saying. There used to be four. Who knows what a preseason
is going after this. I do not want to see my starter going week one and have something happened to him that would affect him up until week six, seven, eight. It just it just don't make sense.
Get a young guy.
I missed the opportunity because I could have teased that question for the next segment because I was going to ask a preseason mental note.
I gotta be better.
All right, We'll be back because I got questions to ask you about this first preseason game and who these guys are looking at in this first preseason game coming up next.
Put your fingers, pinky fingers in the air for the players.
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To the Players Lounge.
Dallas Cowboys Training Camp twenty twenty three is here, brought to you by American Airlines. Watch the team practice on selection select dates through August fifteenth and sunny, Oxnard, California.
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For more information, visit Dallas Cowboys dot com slash Training Camp. Back here for the final segment of the Players Lounge And uh, Man's been one of them kind of shows.
Man new he got it crunk. He gotta saw the.
Date right, you know, he gotta start right after back n G is being right, and we'd have kept this thing going the whole way. But I gotta ask you guys, for two undrafted guys that knew that the preseason was going to be so important, how did you guys approach
or what was your first preseason game? Like, man, that was the hardest game I ever played in my life, with with with the INN, the NFL, just preseason for a guy like me being undrafted, I had to play almost was almost every snap at safety as well as every special team snap. So you going from kicksteping, blocking, defensive ends on punt, running down on punts, so you got a forty yard sprint.
Then it's right after that.
If you ain't got a commercial time out or commercial break, you going right the defense, and they they roll those preseason games, so you just going back to back to back. Then if you do stop them, you got to go on punk return and block people. So it was one of the toughest games I've ever played. I mean, Danny could attested. We was out there gas because I think it was just me and him playing safety for the most part, so we had the entire game to go
against it. I think it was going against Cincinnati in the Hall of Fame game. I did get the tackle o Cho Senko, so I was pretty cool. But other than that, man, it was it was one of the toughest games I ever played. Yeah, listen, like everything Church said, we had to do everything all right. So you go out there and then it's it's your first opportunity to play NFL football against other people that are not in your practice. Right then it's the Hall of Fame game,
so it's a week earlier, so it's just you. Right, So now you essentially are playing a prime time game in your first opportunity to play in the NFL. Look luckily for me, uh special teams went well. They threw up a hell Mary the end of the hands. I got mad, you know, I said, So it worked out for me. I was glad I was in it. But did I want to play any more preseason games after that?
And I was like, Noah, coach, I'm good. You see I got the skill, bro, just this hold done you if you play, if you could, you know, pick early in the pre come onave me out. Not you, but but like you really approach the game knowing that this is your chance. Right, so you go until you say, listen, we put all this work in the OTA's rookie minute camp. Now we in camp. Now it's time for us to go out here and show what we what we can do.
And if you have a coach that has your back, he's going to tell you exactly what you need to do and let you know, he's gonna try to put you in a position to make those players. And we had coaches that really really were rooting for us and wanted us to be on the squad.
So coach Maxie was there, Joe D.
Camillis was there, and they were like, hey, listen, this is what you have to do.
Bring you to the sideline, coach you through. So for us it was positive.
Everybody else probably some people probably don't get that same positive experience. This is when sorry, this is when you're in trouble. You're a rookie, all right, it's your first time coming on there and you don't get no playing time in the first Prezeas game. You know, they don't even schedule out the reps for you. That's so look for the guys who's not getting no You just clean jersey. So guys get before we get up out of here. One name for a guy that you're looking at in this preseason game.
Child's Baul. Easy. Look, Zach Martin's not there.
Even if he was, we would still be trying to figure out what the what the change would jobs ball be? From right tackle to right guard? Can you play right? We got a new offensive line coach. Everything's new for you, got a new voice for teaching you. Whatever new technique are you? Are you embracing it? Have you worked out in the summer, worked out all the kinks that you had last season to make sure that you're a better player, Like,
we have an opportunity to see that. So I want to see, Hey, man, I is Zach Martin don't come back first first regular season game?
Hey can you hold up? Then?
For me, I'm going with a Marquees bell out there, the big safety from Porter.
I think it was a famu. I think he will too.
So to me, he has an opportunity out there because you know they paid the two top SATs, Hooker and wils.
You know those guys are paid curse.
He's been an outstanding safety since he's been here with the Cowboys, but they didn't offer him that those bag, or at least we didn't think they offered him those that bag. So he has an opportunity to just slide in there as at that third safety position.
You know, maybe not this year but next year.
So to me, I want to see what he can go out there, soda versatility out there, and see what he can do for this preseason. One name for me, Na shon Wright, Right, I want to see what Na shon Wright, the third round pick has been on the team. Now this is going on this third season, A lot of questions have been asked about na Shon Wright, even his ability to make this fifty three. And I think a lot of his fate is tied in to Kelvin Joseph.
Seriously, they're tied in together in the way.
But I'm really looking at Nashon Wright, his height, six four hundred and ninety five pounds, see him put this together.
He can be one of.
Those guys that that's in the cornerback rotation that you know Dan quinn Is. He likes those big corner long corners and uh, this is a guy man that has to make an imprint, especially uh in the preseason. But man, that's it, that's all we got. We got Cowboy football coming up on Saturday.
It's on. Are you going to camp? You Na, I'll be back then'll be back here for Okay. So he was cabin Yeah, no, no, I got serious.
Yeah, you don't know when who knows? But man, we wrapped it up. Man, what hell of a show show. The Players Lounge will be back next week. We'll be throwing our hats up and having the poldogeays and we're back at it and we gonna ride. This has been the Players Lounge on Dallas Cowboys dot com.
This has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
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