Dallas Cowboys News

[DC_fan]

Cowboys, Rams get preseason date in Hawaii

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams will play a preseason game in Hawaii on Aug. 17, the Rams announced Thursday.

The game will take place in Honolulu at Aloha Stadium, which served as the longtime home of the Pro Bowl until the exhibition game moved to Orlando, Florida, in 2016.

The Cowboys and Rams squared off in the divisional round of the playoffs last January. The Rams defeated the Cowboys 30-22 on their way to a Super Bowl LIII appearance.

The Cowboys and Rams are also scheduled to meet in the 2019 regular season.

A trip to Hawaii is the latest in a long list of preseason adventures for the Cowboys. Under owner and general manager Jerry Jones, the Cowboys also have played preseason games in London, Toronto, Tokyo, Mexico City and Monterrey.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26324467/cowboys-rams-get-preseason-date-hawaii

 

[DC_fan]

Multiple reports suggesting that the Cowboys are set to sign safety George Lloka. The former Vikings player has agreed to a 1 year deal that most likely pair the 6-4 and 225 pound Lloka with Xavier Woods to man the defensive backfield for the Cowboys.

 

[DC_fan]

It looks likely Robert Quinn is going to be a Cowboy. Only minor details to be worked out.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...-robert-quinn-demarcus-lawrence-randy-gregory

 

[DC_fan]

It looks likely Robert Quinn is going to be a Cowboy. Only minor details to be worked out.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...-robert-quinn-demarcus-lawrence-randy-gregory

Dallas agreed to give up just a sixth-round 2020 draft pick to Miami for Quinn, sources said. The parties worked out a new, one-year contract worth $8 million, with an incentive package that could push the total to just under $9 million, according to sources. It's lower than what Quinn was slated to make with the Dolphins.

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/da...g-deal-couldnt-afford-not-make?f=r#/questions

A win win win for the Cowboys

 

[DC_fan]

Dallas and DeMarcus Lawrence have come to a deal. Lawrence and the Cowboys have agreed to five-year, $105 million deal. The defensive end will receive $65 million in guaranteed money.

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/da...us-lawrence-agree-new-five-year-105m-deal?f=r

 

[nick87]

THat's a lot of money for a dude who cant get a sack on Lane Johnson

 

[DC_fan]

THat's a lot of money for a dude who cant get a sack on Lane Johnson

He is saving them up for next season.

 

[DC_fan]

Round 2, Trysten Hill, DT, 6-3 & 308, UCF
Round 3, Connor McGovern, G, 6-5 & 308, Penn State
Round 4, Tony Pollard, RB, 5-11 & 210, Memphis
Round 5, Michael Jackson, CB, 6-1 & 210, Miami
Round 5, Joe Jackson, DE, 6-4 & 275, Miami
Round 6, Donovan Wilson, S, 6-0 & 199, Texas A&M
Round 7, Mike Weber, RB, 5-10 & 211, Ohio State
Round 7, Jalen Jelks, DE, 6-5 & 256, Oregon

The only real surprise is taking 6 selections before we got to Safety, which was a position of need. Obviously the team believes wins centre around the line of scrimmage, with one offensive lineman and three defensive linemen selected. Pollard is an interesting choice. He can rush, receive and return, so he offers a lot. Just has to be used properly. The player who intrigues me most is out last pick, Jelks. Some experts, and I use that term loosely, had him as a 2nd round pick.

Overall I would give in a B+

 

[DC_fan]

2019 Cowboys UDFA Tracker
Player Position School
Daniel Wise DT Kansas
Chris Westry CB Kentucky
Jon'Vea Johnson WR Toledo
Jalen Guyton WR North Texas
Brandon Knight OL Indiana
Ricky Walker DT Virginia Tech
Justin Phillips LB Oklahoma State
Luke Gifford LB Nebraska
Mitch Hyatt OT Clemson
Derrick Puni OL Central Missouri
Andrew Dowell LB Michigan State
Nate Hall LB Northwestern
Larry Allen Jr. OL, Harvard
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...d-free-agent-signings-tracker-udfa-2019-draft

 

[DC_fan]

2019 Cowboys UDFA Tracker
Player Position School
Larry Allen Jr. OL, Harvard
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...d-free-agent-signings-tracker-udfa-2019-draft

Yes, that is former Cowboys great Larry Allen’s son

 

[DC_fan]

Interestingly Dallas did not draft or sign a rookie free agent to the following positions, QB, TE, punter or kicker. On the roster presently we have three quarterbacks, five tight ends, one kicker and two punters.

Not to say the Cowboys will not sign another TE, but five should be sufficient to scrape through training camp with. the only change may come through with who the TEs are. At QB, it wouldn't surprise if Dallas sign a forth. But just as a training camp body only. Two punters should age sufficient. I expect the Cowboys to sign another kicker. Not just as a training camp kicker, but one who can put pressure on incumbent Brett Maher.

 

[DC_fan]

Veterans under pressure to hold a roster spot

Joe Looney (C), was a solid replacement when Frederick went down with illness last year. Third round draft pick Connor McGovern can play centre and guard. As to can veteran Adam Redmond. Depending on how Frederick advances through training camp Looney could be cut.

Taco Charlton (DE), his performances did not advance last season. His rookie season netted 3 sacks. Finished last season with just a solo sack. At 6-6 and 275 pounds has great size for a DE. With all the DEs Dallas have on the roster the former 1st round pick is under pressure to hold his spot.

Brett Maher (K), the guy has a leg and a half. Kicked a 62-yard field goal last season. But his accuracy is not that great. Only converted 80.6 percent of his FGs. Dallas did not draft a kicker, nor have they (yet) signed a rookie free agent kicker. I suspect that they will sign a veteran or a RFA, and soon. One that can put pressure on Maher.

Rico Gathers (TE), at 6-6 and 285 pounds he is huge for a TE. Drafted in 2016, Gathers has done very little in three years. His stats read 3 receptions for 45 yards. under extreme pressure to hold a spot with the team.

 

[DC_fan]

Police use stun gun in arrest of ex-Cowboys DT

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent, who has worked in the team's scouting department the past few years, was shocked with a stun gun Sunday by police as he was being taken into custody for public intoxication.

Police were called when Brent was observed to be sitting in the grass and talking to himself in a Wendy's parking lot in Coppell, Texas. Upon arrival, police determined Brent was intoxicated and, according to police, he became uncooperative and resisted an officer's attempt to place him in handcuffs. Police said he ignored authorities and was eventually stunned.


According to police, Brent admitted he was intoxicated and was taken to Carrollton Police Department Jail for booking.

In 2014, Brent was sentenced to 10 years' probation and 180 days in jail after he was convicted of intoxication manslaughter following a drunken driving crash that killed former teammate Jerry Brown in 2012. He spent five months in jail before being sent to an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center.

Brent played for the Cowboys from 2010 to 2012, and returned to the team briefly in 2014 before retiring. He has been working in the team's scouting department, although he is not listed in the media guide.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27092898/police-use-stun-gun-arrest-ex-cowboys-dt

Brent's is a really sad story in many ways. Could have developed into a quality DT if he had just stayed away from the drink.

 

[DC_fan]

Cowboys linebacker duo rated the best in the NFL, The Cowboys struck gold when drafting Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith

By Dave Halprin Jun 30, 2019, 1:30pm CDTSHARE

Shane Roper-USA TODAY Sports
Pro Football Focus is handing out some awards for the 2018 season based on best duos. For instance, they paired up linebacker tandems to see which duo was the best in the NFL. As you might guess, the Cowboys duo of Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith did very well. In fact, Van Jaylon topped the charts.

Among the important notes above includes the fact that Vander Esch is equally adept at pass coverage as he is at finding the ball carrier and making the tackle. That makes him a solid three-down linebacker who never needs to come off the field. Smith also has the ability to cover (as well as tackle); he was ranked 11th in coverage with an 80.6 grade. Plus, Smith is a terror when they decide to blitz him.

The Cowboys couldn’t have done any better when they drafted these two guys. They can run, they can cover, they are sure tacklers, they never have to come off the field. They are the best pair of linebackers in the league.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...fl-offensive-line-members-also-get-a-shoutout

 

[DC_fan]

Defensive backs ready to break out in '19

8) Xavier Woods, S, Dallas Cowboys


Drafted: Round 6, No. 191 overall, in 2017.

Though safety was considered the biggest weakness on the Cowboys' roster entering this offseason, Dallas did not go all out to land a big-money player like Earl Thomas. I expect Woods to justify that strategy by taking a big step forward in 2019. Secondary coach Kris Richard expects him to generate more turnovers (he had two picks last season) while remaining physical in coverage with receivers and tight ends, and it's safe to say Richard knows what he's talking about, given the success he had grooming Thomas and Kam Chancellor in Seattle. Woods will be a key contributor this season to a defense that ranked seventh overall and sixth in scoring in 2018.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...mong-defensive-backs-ready-to-break-out-in-19

 

[DC_fan]

Just say no to Rolando McClain returning to the Cowboys
It worked for the Cowboys once, but that’s good enough.

By DannyPhantom@DannyPhantom24 Jul 12, 2019, 2:00pm

Rolando McClain (eighth overall, 2010), who the team acquired in 2014 for a sixth-round draft pick. He filled in admirable in Sean Lee’s absence and put together two 80+ tackle seasons, with a total of three sacks, and three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

While McClain proved to be a nice pickup, he wasn’t able to hold down a job in the NFL after the league suspended him indefinitely for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Despite being out of action these last few seasons, the former Alabama star linebacker has stated he would like to make a comeback.

The Cowboys still own his rights, but would there be anything to gain by seeing him back in a Cowboys uniform? The linebacker group is as stacked as it’s been in a long time thanks to the emergence of Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith. The team’s former star linebacker Sean Lee is now a SAM linebacker who should only see the field in a reduced role. In a best case scenario, McClain would be fighting for playing time with the reserves and would need to contribute on special teams to justify keeping a roster spot.

And while the upside is appealing, the downside just isn’t worth it. McClain has demonstrated on multiple occasions that he just can’t stay out of trouble. He’s been arrested for third-degree assault and charged with reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm inside city limits. He’s been arrested for drug charges, and he just does stupid things like giving the police a false name when pulled over.

The Cowboys are no strangers to giving players second chances, but with McClain, he’s already used them up. It’s hard to imagine Jason Garrett taking another chance and allowing a toxic player like McClain into the locker room. We wish him the best, but as far as seeing him in a Cowboys uniform again, that time has passed. Plus, his number is already taken.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...o-to-rolando-mcclain-returning-to-the-cowboys

I have to agree with the writers comments. It worked out well for the Cowboys once, but thats history now. Maybe some other team would be silly enough to take him on.

 

[DC_fan]

82 percent of Cowboys fans vote Jason Witten as the teams best ever Tight End. I voted for Witten.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...tten-billy-joe-dupree-jay-novacek-doug-cosbie

 

[DC_fan]

76 percent of Cowboys fans vote for Michael Irvin as the teams best ever wide receiver.

I voted for Irvin. But, was very tempted to vote for Frank Clarke who is forgotten about most Cowboy fans.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...yant-michael-irvin-drew-pearson-terrell-owens

 

[DC_fan]

Ranking defensive triplets; a growing trend in NFL team-building

• 
• By Bucky Brooks
• NFL.com Analyst
• Published: July 12, 2019 at 05:32 p.m.
• Updated: July 12, 2019 at 07:01 p.m.

The wild-and-wacky NBA offseason undoubtedly has NFL executives thinking about their own roster-construction plans going forward. Although there are plenty of differences in the successful team-building models of each sport, there is a common denominator between star power and successful title runs.

In basketball, the "Big Three" approach has produced multiple title runs through the years, most recently for the Heat (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh) and Celtics (Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen) before them. And then the Warriors took it to another level, adding Kevin Durant to a unit that already included the "Splash Brothers" (Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson) and Draymond Green. Long story short: Most of the NBA's top teams over the last dozen years have featured multiple headliners on the marquee.

In football, the "Big Three" concept can be applied to both sides of the ball. Offensive triplets, which garner the vast majority of ink and interest, consist of a quarterback, running back and pass catcher. Meanwhile, defensive triplets feature a combination of three standouts from multiple levels of the unit, whether it be a pass rusher, linebacker and defensive back, or a couple of pass rushers and a designated playmaker in the back seven. The top teams have a set of triplets on each side of the ball with the capacity to dominate the game.
With total domination of individual and collective battles serving as the standard, here are my top five defensive triplets heading into the 2019 season:

1) DE Joey Bosa, DE Melvin Ingram and S Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers: Before you @ me on Twitter about the Bolts' standing atop the list, you should check out the unit's dominance the last half of the 2018 season after Bosa returned to the lineup. As a skilled rusher with outstanding hands and pass-rush skills, the former No. 3 overall pick bullies blockers off the edge, exhibiting a refined game that looks like it's pulled straight from a teaching video. Not to be outdone, Ingram flashes explosive pass-rush skills and a non-stop motor on the opposite side. Despite notching just seven sacks in 2019, Ingram's relentlessness off the edge leads to negative plays from a quarterback ill-equipped to deal with pressure. James gives the Bolts a bully between the hashes with the capacity to create chaos near the line of scrimmage or punish receivers venturing over the middle.

2) DE DeMarcus Lawrence, LB Jaylon Smith and LB Leighton Vander Esch, Dallas Cowboys: Rod Marinelli and Kris Richard have put their stamp on the Cowboys' defense with their lofty standard of play. The duo not only expects each and every defender to run to the ball with reckless abandon, but they demand that they do it while giving maximum effort on every snap. Lawrence is not only standard bearer on the defensive line with his non-stop motor and unremitting spirit, but he is a high-level performer boasting 25 sacks over the past two seasons. Smith and LVE match No. 90's intensity with a wolfpack mentality that allows the young, energetic defense to flex on opponents through the unit's collective speed, quickness and athleticism. With the Cowboys in position to potentially make a Super Bowl run sparked by their defense, we could see this unit vault to the top of the charts by the end of the season.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-triplets-a-growing-trend-in-nfl-teambuilding

 

[Haffa]

Odds on Dak holding out?