The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. This is the Players Loune broadcasting live from Dallas Cowboys World headquarters at the Star. Now your hosts, Barry Church, Anthony dor sat De, Montrey Moore and new He Scrugs.
Welcome to Players Lounge Training Camp dition.
The boys are back in the building.
You already know what it is man, the Players line, but we keep it playing like it here.
And if you're looking at us right now, and you know which.
One of us in this room is very daph for down, I may say so myself. More at the set, we got Newie Scruggs.
On the line.
Who's actually about the border flight? And come on back to df W potam I am jes see Holly. This is the Players Lone, brought to you by Aristocrat. Let's get into Let's get right to Newi Scruggs before we has to has to get off the phone, uh and and take off on this flight. Newie, we haven't had a chance to talk about as a group, uh, the Cowboys and their padded practice against the l A Rams.
You said when you were done off the call that you were gonna stand right next to three time Super Bowl champion, six time Pro Bowler Nate Newton because you wanted to see what this thing looked like from a trench's perspective.
What did you gather from your uh.
Your practice eyes and the knowledge of Nate Newton?
Give me some good nuie.
There's trouble, guys, there's trouble there right now. Okay, haven't watched the practice there. They've got work to do. We talked to the oppensive line coach yesterday and he was honest. He said, you know, we have work to do in some of the things they're going to go do. Talk Saturday for the preseason game against the Rams is recognized. You know what the Rams were doing, how to get pad levels and execute better, so they know they were
not good. And Shottenheimer talking about when you took the Cowboys out, we're gonna be a Wether football team. We've got to be physical. Well, they got out physical and they could not run the football. So that's something they've got to work on on Saturday, and it's their opportunity to look at the film and say, Okay, this is what we got through. I'm still worried about the fact that you're going to try to run out potentially two more rookies on your offensive line. You did it last
year was the struggle. You got Booker over there at right guard and then you've got your left tackle. I asked about lel cause I said, well, well start at guard, and they said, yes, you're gonna start at right guard. That he they said, he wants to play left on the left side, but they're going to start him on the right. So, guys, between Ausome Richards being the backup and Thomas being the left tackles, this is it's gonna
be interesting on Saturday night, guys. But the offensive and defensive line that's got to get better for this team. After watching that practice.
De Montree is someone who's played a little on the defensive line. When you get into these type of practices and these type of games, you know, what is it that you're looking to accomplish from a defense perspective, trying to dominate the offensive line?
Man, when you have these joint practices, you're just going out there just trying to dominate it. At this point, like schematics can be coached up, we can talk about all that, but you just want to go out there and just hit somebody lay the ground where the first time in camp you've been practicing against each other. Now you actually get the opportunity to go out there and
hit somebody else. And then when you go out there and let a goose that you know, we all know in training camp joint practices that everybody's trying to keep things close to the vent. So it's straight vanilla like this is the closest you're going to get to smash mount football. And so for Nuie to say that he's a little worried, like that's telling me he's seen something out there.
He's been watching football for a long time. Hey, so so Knwie.
Like we already know with the change of the preseason games and everything else like that, the joint practices are normally going to be the places where the Vets get most of their reps before the first game. Did shot he say anything about changing that up and like actually trying to put some bests out there to get some more looks to shot and see if they could get some more cohesiveness going on either side of the ball, either side of offense or defensive line.
He's still kind of playing that look close to the vest and and you know what he's going to do at least when I when I you know, when he last talked up, I wasn't. I was there early on campus today, but then I left before a shot in the press conference. But look, there's certain guys, man, when we know we're not go to a city land that's gonna be able to see it. That crest out. But you know, everybody on the talking line, there's a lot of guys who need to play, and they Knewton talked
to me about that. Brother. There's a lot of guys who need reps and they start to practice and get pushed around. They need reps. And the shot can say, hey, look, we were vanilla, But I don't think the rams exactly out here, you know, putting on Milt chip chocolate chip out there. I mean they were a vanilla dude, and they was giving you that work. So you know, it's kind of one of those things where you can say, hey, you didn't do anything, you.
Didn't go in your bag.
They didn't really go in their bag, even so they just beat you.
I mean, you know, it says, what was.
There looking like Matthew Stafford. I mean, they was killing them in certain areas out there in that red zone, and the the dds have problems in that red zone.
Yeah, that's why I want.
To go to next when you talk about the other problem that had persisted with the Cowboys is the secondary. You have the draft pick Ravel who was still you know, coming back from injury, Trayvon Diggs who's coming back from injury. So now right now you're looking at your secondary if the season started today, would probably look like Kier one side, uh Bland the other side, and then maybe Kemon Hall as your slot cornerback. But it was, it was it was kind of getting sliceduff out there. And uh and
this practice knew me. You know, how do you feel about the secondary for what you saw?
That's that line that Dollar Bill said in the Players Club trouble, trouble.
Trouble, Well, I mean it goes hand in hand.
You already said that it was. It was.
It was tough on on the defensive line. So we know with the limited amount of pressure that those guys will be able to get. But you can't just blame it on up front. You know, it goes all together. So that's, uh, that's scary. But we already know that you know, we're dealing with some guys have some injuries and and you know we got some new people back there. But hey, like, like like Tray said, you're going up
against some different guys. At the end of the day, you just trying to like like the scheme could come together, but you want to go out there and you want to show what you got and to hear that we didn't show well, and uh yeah, that's that's really concerning right now.
It's definitely concerning. Like forget being professional on all that. I'm gonna tell you, like this, this is where we see the depth. This is where you see the really good teams become great teams to where you could say, oh snap, we gotta dominant in the rough. We gotta with the what they say, uh uh, the best hidden kept secret, Like we don't have that right now. So seeing these early practices doing all that, this is what Vanilla is is gonna get.
This is gonna get straight back to football. No forty times, no, none of that.
And not to see people out here actually competing and stuff like that does make me nervous because it's like, yo, there's the opportunity, Like what's going on in the back end. Do we not have the depth or do you not have that dog mentality? Or like, is everybody waiting waiting and say, oh, we're going to be better when we get these vets back, when we get Digs back, when we get Michael Parsons. No, it shouldn't be that. It should be Hey, I'm trying to step up right now.
And I guess that would be my follow up question. I know you got to get going soon, but who is that guy that embraced the opportunity with all these injuries out there?
Who is that bright spot?
Give us something good to talk about because we've been hearing negative stuff.
Okay, he's had a good champ and he's showing you that they took the cheered and they took a good chance on him. Uh follow and Thomas, I think it's going to be able to come in here and play. So I will say that let's see what happens Saturday night and after Saturday, come Monday, we'll be able to really do a depot. Did they learn and whether the coach is able to coach these guys up and get them on to their uh, you know, get them on
to the next level. Because I asked Aaron Whitecott, what are you looking for on on Saturday as the D line coach? And he said, to be able to take what we saw practice where we have to work on it and implement it the game get better at it. And that's gonna to me, that's gonna be And you got playball here, you know, can you coach it? You know, you see an issue, a huge bought, can you coach
it up and get better from it? And I think for me that's what I'm looking for Saturday, and he got, how do you how do you rebound from uh struggling on Tuesday against his Rams football team and being ready for the intensity today.
Play with all right, now it's something you're about to take off, brother, So we appreciate you jumping on with us before you get on this flight.
Have a safe flight, uh, and we'll see you next week.
All right, guys, we'll talk to you laters.
Second, Safe travels, bro, save travels. Guess up that.
Yeah, you know one of the things that I heard, I got you have to talk to Nate Newton yesterday and.
He talked about tempo and speed.
He said, you know, when we were out at practice, just regular practice, said the Cowboys kind of had a different tempo, he said, but man Lo and Behold, when the Rams came to town, they had a different tempo and the Cowboys just couldn't match that tempo. And that leads me to believe when it comes to the coaching aspect of this, are the Cowboys on pace to where they're supposed to be to get ready to open up
the season. Because if you're talking about you know, another team's come in and they've had such a significant greater pace than you, energy than you, physicalness than you.
What what?
What's the hole on it? You got? You get your side out over there. So I want you to I want you to speak on it.
I'm just saying, do you be nervous about the stuff that you see in practice? Yes, But there's been a numerous the team. I've been a journeyman playing on nine teams throughout my teen year in the career. There are some days that we didn't took some whoopings, Like you think you're moving fast into another juggernaut comes in there and they show you like, hey, this is that.
Good driving the three hundred? I think it's a fantom to a fantom pull up.
Yeah, Once that fantom pull up. Then it's like ooh, snap, hold on, that is a fantom. But you know what the good thing about knowing that that is a fanom Like, Yeah, my car looked good, but guess what I just got saved with my dollars a little bit more so I can know where the measuring stick is like, because you know, you get a little complacent, you get to only see yourself in front of practice when somebody else come in there and be like, Yo, y'all thought y'all moving fast.
We're showing y'all. Are y'all ready to work? Or a y'all ready to work? This might reinnite you. It's hard to go out there and beat somebody a second time. Yeah, y'all might have got the best of us on Tuesday, but we know what's coming. We know what y'all gonna do. We sing your best right now and if we're keeping it, but Vanilla, what we already seen, we know how to adjust.
So as far as having that, are you ready for the season, I rather you take your lumps right now so you can get ready there for the season.
So we'll see how it goes.
But that first game is gonna tell us a lot like, hey, we got something to build off of, or hey, man, let's be realistic with ourselves.
Hey, I was part of a team that actually had to experience something just like this when I was with the Titans.
My cousin is Tylaw.
He was playing for the Patriots, and so we used to work out and train together in the offseason. And so one time I was actually up in New England and I was able to go to like they let me come in and take part in one of their workouts. You know, our strength coach at the time in Tennessee's name with Steve Waterson. I called Waterson that day and I'm like, look, bro, I'm gonna tell you what the
difference is right now. I'm like, their workout, their warm up is our workout, all right, and so like you actually get a chance, and mind you, that could have been one of the most beneficial things that happened for the Cowboys that early. All right, to see, Okay, we think we at the right pace, but now we really recognizing that we got to turn it up a little bit more so if anything, like like Trey said, get them bumps and bruises early, get them learning experiences early.
So later on they turned into like a great graduation experience by the time you get into the regular season and get into the postseason.
And big fact, this is where you're going to see your dogs.
Like when you say, hey, I need to see who's that dog who had that Jordan Lewis mentality on this team, shout out to him.
That was my dog. It was a team man.
I got to see him as a young puppy, a young dog to growing up to being that big dog. And right now you're gonna get that eye waking up moment. You're gonna sit there and say, hey, we might've got our bus whoop, but there ain't no proven starters. The coaches are coming in there, oh I'm embarrassed this and that like it's gonna be a certain dynamic to tell
you like, hey, you gotta go. And this is where those dogs get that certain genis at qua like hold on, this race way closer than what I think you do.
And the guys that are the real races, what do they do.
They take off, they get that last leg like hold on, I can be starting right now. This spot ain't sold up. So this is where I say not talking about just corners when We're not talking about one position in particular unless you're like Dak Prascott seeing Lamb.
Everything else is up for grabs over here.
There is nobody like Osa, like there are certain spots that are open, so everybody should know, like, hey, this is where we're gonna show up. So I do like hearing this because anybody can be good when they up on top. I want to see how you're gonna respond once you get punched in that mouth. You got punched in the mouth this week. I want to see if you're gonna come back over here.
That.
I love Dragon ball Z because Goku he goes there and he takes him a good but whooping every show. But guess what, you ain't gonna whoop Goku two times like that, you come back, he's gonna say, Okay, I know what's going I got stronger, So I want to see who's getting stronger now.
So it's that time.
All right, man, we're gonna take our first break on the show. When we come back, we'll evolve and then we'll be super saying we'll be will next next?
All right there, But I do have a question.
Did Brian Schottenheimer show us who the Cowboys identity really is. But something he said at the podium, I want to give this topic to you guys to play around with it. I picked up on and see what you guys think about it. So stay right here with this. This is the players Lounge.
We'll be right back.
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Welcome back to the Players' Lounge training camp in oxen On. The Cowboys Cowboys Nation of twenty twenty five Cowboys Training Camp presented by American Airlines is here. You gotta go fast because this is the last week. They're gonna be there ahead of the sunny Oxtar California for the twentieth through the twenty second through the thirteenth. Watch the team practice as they get ready for the season, and mission is free from more information, visit Dallascowboys dot com slash Training Camp.
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So, fellas, I brought up a topic as they got through the padded practice and Coach Shottenheimer he had his press conference and he was kind of disappointed.
He didn't like what he saw in there.
But as I'm I always like to just I take in my brain, I take what I see, I take what I know, and then from the people who are in charge of it all, take what they say, and I start to piece it all together right, And I'm trying to figure out how of this puzzle put together right?
What you're putting down.
So Brian Schottenheimer coming into this training camp, he was very adamant about this is going to be a physical football team. We're gonna run the football, That's how we're going to operate. We're gonna work under center, we're gonna work off play action, all of these things. And as the practice is going on, right, you're practicing against yourself. You have an opportunity to go out there and work
on the things that you want to work on. One of the things that I a little bit detest when it comes to a training camp coverage when you have and I appreciate all the media members that partaken, but sometimes it gets a little bit overblown when a player happened and then you'll look running back runs out for twenty five yards and I go, did we not see the guy run across his face and tap his hit.
Fl Like that's a tackle on the backfield, that's a two yard game.
That quarterback was back there sacked twice, you know what I mean, They're like, what a great throw out of film, Like did we not see the cornerbacks get sacked like that's not a real thing. All right, cool whatever, Right, but they celebrate what they see and so I get it.
I understand it. And then you get to the point where.
All right, now we're adding these practices and again I know some people say it's just practice. Well, for the ones, this is all I have because they won't play in the preseason games when we were coming about Veterri's played at least in the third preseason game. So that way you got a chance to really see, all right, what it was, what the guys are gonna look like, this is what the team's kind of identity is going to
be built on. Coach Schottenheimer got to the podium and he said, you know, he'd liked the pad level and the pace and all the type of thing. They didn't do what they wanted to do. But then he said, I got outside myself. He said things weren't going right, and I took a shot through the bomb. He said, I threw the bomb. He said that was off script, it wasn't in what we were supposed to be doing.
But I got upset, and so I took the shot right, And for me, I'm looking at okay, I want to be a physical running football team.
Okay, that's fine with me, That's fine with me. But then I go and look, I go, whoa, you don't really have the offensive wine to do what I said you.
Want to do, right, And then you go, we're gonna be We're gonna run the football, and you didn't really bring in the backs that.
You're gonna really, I mean, nervous past it, bring it around, bring it.
Nothing, nothing wrong, nothing wrong with Javonte go tar heels, nothing wrong with bills and you know all that kind of But I'm just saying, like that, ain't that ain't the backfield that makes me believe you're gonna really be a dominant, physical running football team.
Fired? But go ahead, pastor what they say, keep talking to me.
So when the thing when?
When when the ish hit the fan and you try to come in against the rams and run the football physically and oppose your will.
And you could not.
Dang, you fell up with the brakes on them and you could not.
You said, the hell with it. Here's what I know I can do and air that thing out.
Was that shoddy showing a little bit of yeah, I'm saying this over here, But because at the end of the day, here's what I do know, and here's what I am confided in. Most teams don't have an answer for eighty eight, right, most teams don't have an answer for three.
There you go.
Four will be just fine. As long as he's upright, that's something that you're going to have in your bet. Yo, Jimmy's and Yo, those jimmies and Joe's ain't too many catchs. On the other side, got enough Jimmies and Joe's to say otherwise to stop there.
Okay, So it's Shody kind of giving us a little bit of false talk about this whole running.
Game thing, because when it all sat and done and he got he got upset.
He said, you're gonna go past his football?
Hey, man, I think that Shody honestly was was was that was his game plan. I think that originally in his mind he had the concept that he wanted to come out here and be a physical, run first football team. But if that ain't working, then you gotta lean on what you know is gonna work. And like like like we said before, if I know I got something proven in this hand, I really don't need to worry about too much.
What's over here. That's gonna have me guessing in this hand. You already mentioned we.
Got Ceedee Lamb out there, all pro receiver, and you got George Pickens who just came into the fold, who on most teams is gonna be somebody's number one, not somebody's number two. So in order to try to balance the odds a little bit and try to get some upper hand, if you can somewhere, you're gonna have to
start throwing that ball. You're gonna have to try to find a place, a way to make a play, or to say, like what Shaddy said, to find some relief to stop being upset with what's going on right now. So you gotta take a shot. So am I thinking that what he's saying is somewhat like a backpedal out of what he's now. I don't think he's backpelling. I think he's just honestly recognizing where the team is right now, what he has to.
Do with it.
That's fair.
Man. What he said I might be a walking book and cliches, but what they say on Friday when the cops came in there, he said, Man, I know you ain't gonna rest nobody.
But I just want you to will beloved.
And so what I like from this, I'm not reading too much into it, but I like that he's telling us, he's giving us the coaches answers. But we seen something that we seen we haven't seen from our Dallas coaches in a long time, which is that passion having that Dan Campbell mindset of like you know what, we got a game plan, but sometimes we just got to go in there, bite ankles, knees and go in there and do that and shot he took it, like yo, I'm tired of it. Is like, hold on, we know this
is prankic, we know it's supposed to be vanilla. But let me get you about me real quick. Let me show you when you jabb and he jabbed him up off of him. But like you said, he whipped a little something on the way out. But at the end of the day, I'm not really worried about it. I don't want you to show your hand too early because if that, if that was your ace in the hole and you showed me that and there's nothing else that can proceed or you know, kind of counterbalance it. It's
gonna make me nervous. But on the top of it, it's like it's training camp. Then just just punch somebody, like what the coach saying, Hey, I don't want you all to fight, but if you fight, hit somebody, Hit somebody and make it worth it. If we're gonna do joint practices, man, damn that you got something to prove.
Right now.
We all talk about that people are supposed to be waiting and stuff like that. People don't play in these first games. Like no, let's be realistic. At least from my playing days, everybody played except your prima donnas the bat And when we say prima donna's, y'all might be offended. Don't get offended, quarterbacks whatever. But the guys that are back there in the back end, your qbs, you're running backs,
those are the guys that set out. But in that trench work, it was a certain bravado that you had to have amongst yourself, like I'm gonna get my reps in, young buck, you're gonna get yours in, But let me show you how I dog this and dominate this so much that hey, when it comes to the game, the coach is pulling me back in that front floor, you pull them back in that front seven. You typically got to say, hey, get out there, go ahead and show us what you got, Like, ain't none of that right now.
So our starters that are the starters need to be there to help the young guys develop. The guys that are behind there, they need to be showing up like this is all hands on deck. This is a new team, this is injury and unproven. So I need to see all that, and Shoddy is out here, like, yo, I'm a new coach. I gotta go out here.
We need to see this. But also I know there's questions.
I know people are in the media saying I'm not the sexy hiring this and that He's like, nah, I'm about to show y'all.
I'm coming out here and I'm punching it.
So when you say, hey, I'm supposed to do this and then I seen a little emotion, I love that because now we've seen that passion, We seen what we want from a coach, and that lets me know, like, you got some fight and it's early right now. You ain't just come out here and say, hey, guys, this is a it's a joint practice. We don't want to do this.
Oh yeah, they want some We're gonna go back to the drawing board. Nah. He got up out of his side his stuff. He said, I got all my composure and I need to do that.
That's what makes the best football player players because of the passion being able to channel in and so for him to do.
That, I like it.
Shot, show me your dog, you said one of the most important things just a second ago.
But with the fact that this this whole new coaching staff.
I mean, unless your DAK or CD, everything is up for grabs, you know, So it's whoever.
Got a multi million dollar contract or if you ain't a first round pick, I'm gonna tell you like this, and the way the first round picks are moving nowadays, your fourth year ain't even guaranteed no more. It used to be four years is guaranteed. And we knew they were gonna take the fifth year. Now they started taking the fifth year. To now we getting it to where people are trying to put clauses in the contract to get people out of there their second third year when
they're not productive. This league is starting to get more and more cutthroat, and when you're not a team that is run recently and a team that either needs to be in the media or needs to be winning. Guess what everything is gonna be questioned and right now in training camp, these are where the questions get answered. And if I'm a player, I'm putting up and I'm trying to show up right now in my best foot forward.
And in that light.
So you're using your logic, right, this is where the questions get answered. Did we answer the question of this Cowboys team being a physical running for.
With getting the questions answers that can't be answered in one day. You can't be answered in one practice. Yeah, you have good days and stuff like that. So what I say, there were some questions that were being answered. The question we all had on the show before we came in here. What we said secondary, Well, guess what KNW We gave us our answer. He said, Elam is showing up to be that guy. He is being that bright horse. Not we're not talking about people that are
injured that are not there. We're talking about it available. He's been that guy. And then for me, I patted my chest earlier because my teammate, my dog, Solomon Tommins, I told y'all he's going to be a sleeper horse. He's a workman in a workman's defense. He's going to show us something. And guess what he answered that question so far. Now guess what is still time. We still got two more preseason games, so these questions can continue
to evolve. So I am happy about certain things, but there's other things I want to know.
Yeah, Now, my question was going to be to you and just to get your evaluation on it, and so the people, so the fans can understand too as well, Like we've talked about it, but like what would your approach be and what was your approach in these joint practices as a guy who say, wasn't a top draft pick, but you know, you're trying to make the squad.
You know, like what shed some light on how you?
Yeah, for me, it was killed everything right, Okay, that was That's been my mentality since since jump right, because I knew the only way for me to because I wasn't I was, I was probably one of the biggest, wasn't the fastest. I didn't come in with a lot of draft I didn't have a bunch of guaranteed money had had to held my way. I didn't I didn't have all of the people in the front office backing me, right. I had one dude who was really on my side.
Jody Camillis was my special team's coach, right, and so Jody would tell me.
Jody would tell me, Dag, listen, I got your back. You have my say less.
So when I when it came down punt team, kickoff team, kickoff, return team, return team, you felt one six. You felt me every single time. You know what I'm saying, So like what it was personal protective wing. I'm R five L five and this was we had four man wedges, three man.
I'm like, nah, let's I gotta take you. Know what I'm saying, I got it right before that.
So I'm like, I'm like, that was my mentality when I got a chance, when I got a chance to go out there.
Whether it was scout team, whether it was in the rotation, that's what you're getting you all right, Every rep count.
And my thing was not that I was looking for a fight, not that I'm the toughest dude or that I'm the baddest dude, whatever, but if me having to fight you to get this money, or them cutting me because I didn't go hard at you listen, but we got to fight there, it's gonna be thirty seconds however it goes. However this goal, it's gonna be thirty say before they break this up. You know what I'm saying. So it wasn't about being but it was for me.
I was always one hundred. It was one hundred miles an hour, no matter what.
And you know what, you like what people don't.
It brings me to another point that they don't pick up is when you going in that fight.
Mentality, you're going and doing all that.
You have to do so good right now to where when these big name players come back, your Michael Parsons, your did Is come back, they're gonna get their reps, they're going to be guaranteed the spot.
These guys we know are going to be here.
You got to do so good because guess what, right now, people are trying to see other things.
They're playing their backup.
So just because you think you're making them plays right now, you might go out there and be what they say, a preseason all American, but in all actuality, the coaches and stuff have you slotted as a four string guy, special teams guy, or a guy that's going to be a practice squad guy that can develop We want to keep you here, but we're not there. So you have to get so much extra leg room right now to one. We're not talking about we're talking about potentially earning the spot.
We're talking about solidifying yourself to where you give yourself enough of a lead stretch on these guys that are coming back to where you can get that, because, like you said, it's a different day and age when it comes to special teams. Now, people aren't hidting, it's not things are starting to get fair catch, so it's not as a high demand versus back in the day you had a guy that made his name on special teams. Then from that the next year or the next game,
he's in there being a playmaker. It was the physicality, he's doing everything right there. You don't have all that in that totality. It's very short now. And what guys need to know is you make the team on special team, that one guy that's fighting on you. When you said hey, it was my special team coach, he had to come in there and say hey, Like for me it was Larry Izo. He came in there and looked at me and de Boy and said, yeah, you're third round picking
this and that. But you know, you gotta play the game within the game, play chest, not check it. What do you want to do? I want to get on the field and pass rush. Okay, well you know you got to get on the field to even earn the opportunity to do that, right.
I said? Okay?
Cool? He said, you know what if you really the dog that you think you are, how you feel about playing gunner?
What defensive end?
What six something two hundred and fifty pounds coming out there to sixty playing gunner? Yeah, let me go a hand, dude, let me keep but being anominally like, how can I get out there and make myself more valuable? And when you build that value, that's when it's like you get those opportunities. So I hope these guys are doing that. So when we talk about your elungs, your Solomon Thomas's, I know Solomon is going out there and doing it every position on that special team. So I want to
know who are these other guys? And that's what I'm gonna be paying attention to this weekend.
And that's it.
In this business, we call that a great tease because what I have for this final feak well take a break, is that as we're heading in the preseason game number one. What are some guys, maybe some positions that you're looking at to go out there and kind of show themselves worthy of an opportunity to gain some more reps, to move up that depth charge, and just to talk about what these preseason games mean for the guys who aren't Michael Parsons and Cede Lambs and George Pickens of the world,
what these games actually mean to them. We'll talk to the guys when we come right back. This is the players lines, We'll be right back.
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To the players Lounde.
Welcome back to the players lounges, Sea Geek. Cowboy Nation twenty twenty five Cowboys schedule is officially here and let me take us all available now and get ready to bring the noise as you watch a Cowboys live at at and T State. Then when they host NFC rivals Eagles, Giants and Commanders plus the Packers, Chiefs, Charges, Vikings and Cardinalsville. Visit Dallas Cowboys dot com, slash tickets or SeatGeek dot com,
the official primary ticket partner of the Dallas Cowboys. And speaking of games, Demontree Moore uh at the Dorset Jesse Holly here in the players lines we had Newie Scrugs on earlier. Barry Church is out their crew will be back here, hopefully as a full squad.
Next week.
I'll transition back to hanging with the boys with Nate Newton, Shannon Gross, Kirk Daniels.
But as we get Hey, let me join your show. I'm gonna put that out there right now. We're live, y'all seeing it. Bring me on you.
Hey, what do you saying on the von Nels Show with Martin Lewin? Hey, I want to take some of your catfish politics right now? Let me come to your show with the big guys.
I don't know we got wrong.
I heard got it back there just swimming in the lake. But that's let's get back to this.
We got catfish it. Oh yeah, we got the right in the back. You know what I'm saying. Friday dyed led to the side, red.
Be's and great, Okay, pull up, I got you. You got me right?
I mean, pull up on us?
Pull up and how Martin, don't make me pull up on us?
What have you?
Our show was full though, but you can pull up on us.
We'll have you as a guest now the show full man. We got we got a four man team.
Me shinning, Nate Kirk, bro you've been a you've been that guy.
You know how it goes. You go to the VP line and say, uh we fool. Now that ain't my dog? Come with me?
So, no, you could come on the show. I just I don't have the power to kick nobody off the show.
I ain't say kick him off the show. I said, I want to be there with everybody. Yeah, come on, I want to go up there.
Just just oh yeah, I got I got I got that kind of pooll.
I just want to get that.
Kay, I got that kind of pooll. Okay, I got that kind of pool. Yeah, don't give me. J Holly got low pull around.
I heard I heard him.
Oh, Jay Holly got a little bit of pull around here.
I've been.
I've been around these part fifteen plus years. I gotta make a couple of phone calls.
We'll talk to him.
Yeah, I canna be a couple full.
He will have me on another show.
All right, But the Cowboys, Uh, I got another show for you too. You know what now you're talking?
You know no, you don't talk just right to another show you, Hey boy, this shows I talked to you. I talk to you, okay, all right.
The Cowboys are heading into preseason game number one, against the La Rams this Saturday, six pm.
You know, this is this is the kind of the kickoff, right.
We've been in OTA's, We've had the draft, we've had all the conversations that have surrounded the Cowboys. We've seen the jointed, padded practice. But as we get into the game, the live action coaches get y'all butt on the sideline. We ain't doing all this scripted stuff. Ain't all the do over stuff. You got to go out there and
play the game. Who are some of the guys or some of the positions that you're looking at to go out there and show themselves worthy of maybe getting a spot on the roster, moving up the depth chart or showing us I am here.
Let me show y'all. I'm like that Anthony.
For me, it's it's it's it's what I you know, I've always believe the Cowboys are built off for two things, and me growing up just being a Cowboy fan my whole life. Running backs, solid running game and that doomsday defense today used to talk about all the time. So for me, it's going to honestly see like it's going to be like I want to see this running back committee and if it's going to be running back by committee.
I want to see that if it's going to be one dude that's going to step up and show that he could be the workhorse, I want to see what's going to happen there. And then the questions that we're already dealing with in the secondary as well. You know, kyer Elam is here, he stepped up, he's been playing well,
He's had an awesome camp. I want to see him continue to do that, you know, because if he can, honestly you resurrect his career here and turn that thing into like him digs and bland out there, you got three solid dudes out there that can literally go out there.
And ball Donald Donald on the cornerback though he said.
So, I'm talking about the corners, but but for me, that's where it's going to start. I want to see the running backs. I want to see how this run game is gonna come together. That's gonna be a part of the offense line of course, and I want to see what's.
Go saying right now far as the running backs you're talking about, from the way that the the the Cowboys, they had their unofficial depth chart come out the other day and they had it as Javonte Williams, they had Miles Sanders, and then they had Jayden Blue. I saw earlier today Deuce Vaughn has come back into the fold. He's back off the hamstring injury. He needs this, he needs this work. Of course, Hannter Lipke will be in
that mix as well as well as Phil Maffa. So there are a lot of running backs and I don't know how much the Miles Sanders has been out for a couple of days, so I don't know if he's actually gonna play in the game. But that running back crew, it's a lot of unproving guys who need to kind of this is a bunch step race in the running back room. It's a bunch step race in the running back room. A lot of guys have to prove themselves to be worthy of the reps that they want to
get this upcoming season. The mantra, who was some guys a position that you're looking at.
The positions I'm gonna probably be looking at it, and we all know where I'm going.
Everything's won in the trenches.
I want to see this trench warfare because, like I said, if we can't keep back up, none of the weapon's gonna be good over there.
If we ain't got a good offensive line.
Guess what, we ain't gona see none of these running backs being able to be running back by committee, or guess what, whoever we if we do have a bell cow, guess what that bell cow is gonna get his bell rung a little bit too much early to where he doesn't lie. So I'm looking at the offensive line. I'm looking, like I said, I'm looking to see football like who can build value right now and say I don't care, Like I want to see that first moment of adversity
and say, hey, I'm dropping it. I'm putting it right here in the saying, and we're going by. I need my offensive line. I need them to be nasty. I need them to go out there and turn this up. I want to go see this defensive line. I want to see y'all go hunt with also seeing y'all hunt. I don't want to just see y'all out here getting sacks and tackles and stuff. I want to see who's going to be making the plays on special teams, because most likely that's where we're going.
To see you at.
Whoever is the defensive end. Yeah, we know Michael's gonna be over here. Then we're gonna have whoever's there, but that second guy, that third guy. You're going to be on special team. So I want to see who's going to be out there not only making the special teams play or the defensive plays, because there's always going to be somebody that we get excited about. We like, hey, let's see him against starts, let's see him against that.
But the guy that is making and not only the defensive plays, but also making the crazy special team play like those highlight plays taking them back for a touchdown. I'm talking about going down there and smacking somebody and making him drop the ball like where he's playing it like it's a defensive rep. Those are the guys where I'm gonna be like, hey, he got dog, he got fight, he got skilled schematics gonna come later on he can
develop into those guys. And that typically comes from your front seven on the D line, your defensive ends, your linebackers showing those athletic guys. And if we see a big guy out there, a d tackle that can potentially add value by running down on kickoff and stuff like that, Like there's going to be some athletic plays if you know where to look. So I'm going to be more interested to look at the old line and look at the special team play.
For me, I'm looking player specific. I'm looking to go.
I like Sam Williams. This is a guy who's been here for a while. And the one thing that from when you look at Sam Williams, he's never lacked the talent. He's like the discipline, right to do things, and then he's been hurt. And this is a guy who's in a contract year. We're talking about Mike and some other guys. Sam Williams is in the contract year, so I'll be looking for see. You know, he's talked a lot this off season, and I like some of the things that
he said. He talked about, you know, I had to eliminate some of the distractions of my life. I got rid of some close friends and family. I've learned how to say no. I've learned how to turn my life into much more of a professional thing. So I want to see if that mentality has now translated over into the football field and if he can go out there and make some plays, because if he can, if a guy likes Sam Williams with his ability, his size, his power,
his speed, his strength. Then that gives you another one of those guys in that rotation up front and that defensive line that whether Mike is there or not, you can have a solid front.
And we are not to cut you off. Sorry about that.
You good, but we all know that that third guy is really will make everything go around. Like you have your you have your Batman, you have your Robbin, but that third gadget defensive end, like that's who's that's the guy where like we don't lose a drop off when he comes there and the next thing you know, he goes out the next year and get a fifty million
dollar contract thirty million. He might not be the highest he might he might not be one hundred million dollar guy, but you showed those those qualities and being a backup, like being a young veteran that's been here, that's proven, that goes off and play. You had guys like I don't want to say milite Collins because he's been killing since day one, but those guys that it was like, hey, people were talking about Tyrone Crawford, d Law and stuff
like that. Then you had a Malite Collins come in there and kill and then all of a sudden he goes to another team, he gets paid. He's been a starter and been a perennial starter for a year and
the year out. So when you talk about Sam Williams, I'm not about to lie and say, oh, I'm very familiar with this game, and you know that I need make me familiar with your game, make me believe everything everybody else is talking about, because we're talking about is potential and stuff that hasn't happened.
So yeah, potential get your fire a lot of times. You know what I'm saying.
One of the presser bus pipes and the other guy I'm looking at, I'm I am president of the team, Jack Samborn, Jake Sambory, Jack Sanborn. I'm president of the Samborn fan club.
You can't even get it right.
I'm president of the I'm president of the Samborn fan Club.
But I gotta see my dog go out there. I have no history with Samborn.
He's just one of the guys that I when I look at football players, especially on the defensive side, sometimes you just need football playing dudes.
You know what I'm saying.
He might not be the biggest, the strongest, the fastest. You know, it reminds me of Angelino. That's a guy that Detroit Lions Angelina. And he's just a football player, dude. He just shows up every single week. He's just out there making plays, playing with his hair on fire. And and for for for Samborn, I need him to be that for the Cowboys. I don't need you to be sexy. I don't need you to be out of this world. I just need you to be a football playing, destructive dude.
And so I want to see him out there on this defense and at that lineback and cores, just creating have it.
Do you think he's gonna do that? I do you do?
I do think that.
I do?
I do think that.
You know you said, I know, we all say what we want to see. Let's be realistic off of what you've seen and what you heard so far. I do you think he's gonna be there?
I think he's going to be your prototypical white linebacker.
And if anybody knows the shan Lee all those guys.
Now, I'm not gonna put him on that level. No no, no, no no, put him on that level. Only different. Okay, that with my teammates different bring.
He was gonna put me back.
No, no, no, but no, but hold on, hear me out when I say this, though, when I say now, I did say he's going to be there.
On that talent. But I'm talking about that mindset.
Correct.
When you said Sean Lee, everybody knew he was going to know his assignment. It was gonna run full ye and he gonna hit it even if his arm is broken, like yeah, cast off Blue Mountain State.
He boom, yes.
And so that's what I say, that mindset. I didn't say time, okay, so let me finish it, let grandma come. But you think for you to say that when you say that about linebacking corps, that's all I think about when Cowboys, when they were at their their peak, they had those guys back there where it was like we had the sexy players in the front. You had the Greg elisis the Marcus where uh shoot, he can keep
going on. Other guys in front exactly spears all those like those were the names that we talked about, but you had guys on that back end that were the smart guys that were the workhorse. And so for you to say that the Cowboys finally have that workhorse and if he's durable, that's what that's what I feel like, that's been the missing piece of the defense for years.
It made me think about your boy that way. Yes, first person carrying to my mind, and that.
Was great in his own retrospect, but you got lost between behind the star power. But everybody knows that Dad was out there chasing it to a lot of these guys that matter.
For you to say he's going to be that prototypical linebacker, I'm like.
Okay, said white linebacker. I'll say it for you.
I mean my white line white linebacker, whatever the case would be. You know what I'm saying.
But yes, when you when you say that, that that that's that backbone of the defense. Like it's always been this backbone in the defense, and so who's going to be that backbone?
So I'm curious about that.
So when you say that, I'm really excited, especially hearing that coming from a person of your caliber. We all know that we judge our positions way harder than anybody else.
So for you to give him that praise.
Watch him, watch watch him.
Why I am appreciated. If not, I'm promising I'm gonna send you a text would be what they say, we're gonna we're gonna have that that paper right there.
Yeah, that's fine with me.
You gonna have to answer the call, that's fine with me.
I'll definitely take it.
Mister Sam Sam Bonn.
Let's go, baby, let's go baby, white linebacker with the hump and the crooked nose right there.
If it ain't black face out linebacker, I don't want to. I'm talking about the guys that paint up everything.
Go to war?
What what the what?
What Jarry? What Jerry used to say back in the day. If it ain't an award, daddy.
I don't want I'm with you, all right, fellas, that's our show. I appreciate you guys. Let me rock with you this week.
Man.
For sure, I'm gonna get you on. I'm gonna get you hang with the boys. I might have something else for you. It might have I guess you know.
Get some of them good good, good good quality raps. Yeah, that good good stuff, that good stuff, man, all right. Man for Barry Church, for new Scruts, for Demante, for Anthony. I am Jesse Holly and this is the players. Long see you guys next time.
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