2016 Dallas Cowboys Offseason

[eagle eye]

In the DallasCowboys.com series on the top fifty players the Cowboys will face on their 2016 schedule. Today they look at #49 who is Jason Kelly the center for the Philadelphia Eagles.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/05/23/top-50-writers-rank-best-players-2016-schedule-rival-center-makes-list

 

DallasCowboys.com's David Helman gives us his take on the Five Storylines Worth Watching as the OTA's begin tomorrow.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/05/23/helman-five-storylines-worth-watching-when-otas-get-started-week

 

For the record, I pretty much agree with Helman's take although I would add the battle at CB between Orlando Scandrick coming off ACL surgery last fall, Morris Claiborne who is in the last year of his deal with Dallas as is Brandon Carr. Throw in holdovers from last season like Deji Olatoye and Terrance Mitchell among others a the Cowboys 6th round pick Anthony Brown who the Cowboys had a 3rd round grade on. That, and who will survive the competition at RB. Zeke Elliott, Darren McFadden, Alfred Morris, Darius Jackson and Lance Dunbar. Who will the odd man out? IMO I would cut Morris and Dunbar. I don't care that Dallas gave Morris a two year deal when they signed him in March he is a two down back who sucks in the passing game and he sucks as a pass protector. Lance Dunbar is constantly hurt and he's coming off a devastating knee injury in which he tore his ACL, PCL and patellar tendons. He will like begin the year on PUP and could miss the whole 2016 season. Dallas gave Dunbar a one year deal this spring so cutting him would not kill the Cowboys salary cap. Darius Jackson could fill Dunbar's role and he's younger, cheaper and a faster RB than Dunbar. Jackson was actually ranked much higher than where he was taken, which was the 6th round of the draft, meaning if he's a keeper they have yet another player in this draft who is giving the Cowboys some serious bang for their bucks.

[eagle eye]

People say Ezekiel Elliott is a nice player but Dallas could have gotten a nice running back later in the draft. Since the NFL has become a pass happy league the value of a running has diminished a whole lot. It's rare that a back is taken in the first round and if he is it's in the back half of the round. So why take Elliott at #4 in the draft especially when Dallas needed help on defense. I'll tell you 3 reasons why.

1. Elliott is a standup guy. Never gets in trouble, doesn't abuse drugs, cares about his teammates. He's a guy you'd trust with your daughter.

2. He has an incredible work ethic and he's unselfish. I suppose I should have said 'total team player' because that is what he is. He gained a lot of yards for Ohio State but he also stuck his nose in a gap to block for teammates like Cardale Jones and Braxton Miller and he claims that is the part of his game he's most proud of.

3. He scores freaking touchdowns. Going back to his high school days he's been a TD machine. As a junior in high school he rushed for 1802 yards and 34 TD's. 34! He also added 23 receptions and another 6 TD's. As a senior he over 3,000 combined yards with 50 TD's that included 2,155 rushing yards and 40 TD's. 50 Freaking TD's! He only got spot duty as a freshman at OSU because he was playing behind Carlos Hyde who ended up being drafted by San Francisco. He still logged 30 carries with 2 TD's as Hyde's backup. He got the keys to the OSU car as a sophomore and he paid Urban Meyer back by gaining a school record 1,878 yards rushing with 18 TD's. As a senior he came back with another 1800 yard season with 23 TD's. In 4 years as a starter in high school and college he never gained less than 1802 yards and never scored less than 18 TD's in a season. In 5 years from his junior year in high school through his junior year in college he gained 7,918 yards rushing with 117 rushing TD's. By contrast in DeMarco Murray's franchise high 1,845 yards he scored 13 TD's. Elliott is bigger, stronger and faster than Murray. Last season Darren McFadden had 1,089 rushing yards in only 10 starts and he recorded only 3 TD's. What I'm saying is Zeke is a special player who will, if he stays healthy (I'm knocking on all kinds of wood right now) has a real chance to win Rookie of the Year honors assuming Romo and Dez also stay healthy (I'm knocking on wood like Neil Peart attacking his drum kit.). I, for one, am happy as hell we got Zeke in the first round and the best thing about it is, assuming he is what everyone says he will be, Dallas will have him under contract for 5 years not just 4.

What's really amazing is this could be a draft that goes down as one of the best drafts ever in NFL draft history. Every single player they drafted (except Elliott) was ranked considerably higher than where they were taken. Every one fills a need on the Cowboys roster and every one is a high character player. The exceptions to this are Jaylon Smith who is all of the things listed above but he's a player Dallas took a chance on as he recovers from a serious knee injury earlier this year. Rico Gathers, the Cowboys final pick in the sixth round wasn't ranked as anything more than a UFA or a 7th rounder, maybe. Dallas liked the tremendous potential for a huge upside in this former basketball player because of his size, athleticism and speed. Dallas was worried one of the 27 other teams who were at his workouts might steal him away so the Cowboys jumped on him. It was a reach because of the unknowns around a player who hadn't played football since he was in 8th grade but one that will be considered a huge steal in the draft if he works out.

This 2016 draft has the potential to be something special and that, for me, is the storyline of this summer's OTA's, minicamps and training camp. It's about time the good Lord decided to spare Dallas from all the freaking injuries. Jerry Jones is actually listening to the people around him who help him avoid stupid moves in the draft. The Cowboys are no longer hamstrung by their salary cap issues. Maybe, just maybe, there is a bright light at the end of the dark tunnel they have been slogging around in for over 20 years. It's way past time Dallas starts to have the breaks go their way for a change.

 

OTA practices begin today. As a matter of fact they are probably under way as I write this. Only 107 days, just over 3 and a half months until the 2016 NFL season begins. With OTA's under way it doesn't seem all that far off right now.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys completed this week's OTA sessions and the best thing you can say is nobody got hurt. The Cowboys are doing things a little different this year limiting the full contact work and limiting competitive situations. In the past the workouts were tough and in a lot of situations resulted in injuries. Two years ago Sean Lee tore his ACL in the very first OTA practice and he was lost for the season.

There are a of couple stories that have troubled the Cowboys this first week of OTA's. First former starting left guard Ron Leary who actually signed his restricted free agent tender offer this offseason meaning he would make a couple million dollars this season, the most he's made as a pro in one season. The trouble is Leary changed agents recently and probably on his advice Leary has refused to participate in OTA's and he's demanded to be traded. After the first OTA on Tuesday Jason Garrett was obviously not pleased with Leary saying he would benefit most if he was in there with the team. The Cowboys have granted Leary's request to seek a trade but this soon after the draft there probably aren't a lot of takers. If Leary hopes to get a job he will likely have to wait until training camp as injuries occur.

The second problem is the absence of MLB Rolando McClain who has taken off claiming he needs to attend a family matter. It's always something with this guy. One stupid excuse or another that keeps him from becoming the talented player he should be. You get the feeling that either he just doesn't love football or he is just lacking the dedication to apply himself. It's a shame because he has top ten talent and if he could focus he really could be one the best players in the NFL. Jerry Jones did his usual sales job convincing McClain to play for Dallas after he pretty much blew his career with Oakland and Baltimore by being a loose cannon. He came in to Dallas saying he had matured and he was ready to play football and in his first season he did, at least until his lack of offseason conditioning derailed his season. Going into his second year his house in Alabama burned down, he had surgery just before OTA's and failed a drug test. Apparently he is among the recent group of guys who can't stop smoking weed even to the detriment of his career. He missed the first four games of the season in 2015 as a punishment for failed drug tests. Now as OTA's begin this year he's a no show again. I will let DallasCowboys.com's Mickey Spagnola take it from here.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/05/27/spagnola-first-week-otas-produces-disturbing-early-warning-signal

 

Dallas got a wide receiver but not in the draft. They signed a couple of guys as UFA's, one of which is fairly intriguing. That would be the guy who played on the opposite side of recent Houston first round pick William Fuller, Chris Brown. This should be unsettling to current WR's on the Cowboys roster like Devon Street who haven't been all that great so far. There is one guy who has a chance to make his own impact for the Cowboys. A guy they signed last year after Dez Bryant missed a bunch of time. The guy is big and fast, scary fast and he's just what the doctor ordered if he can elevate his game. Here's a look at Bryce Butler from DallasCowboys.com.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/05/27/brice-butler-eager-deliver-potential-after-settling-cowboys%E2%80%99-wrs

[eagle eye]

The other the National Spelling Bee Champion was crowned for 2016. Or should I say 'championS'. Two young men became co-champions of this year's competition but it was Nihir Jafar who made the biggest impression after being declared co-champion with another 11 year old named Jairwam Hathwar Jafar threw up the "X" a la Dez Bryant.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/05/27/dez-bryant-wants-to-hang-out-with-nihar-the-machine-janga/

 

With all the talk about what Dallas has and more importantly what they do not have players can get lost in the shuffle sometimes. I mentioned one such guy yesterday in former Notre Dame WR Chris Brown. Brown ran a 4.50 40 at his pro day and he had a nice vertical jump and standing long jump as well which is a long way of saying he is pretty fast and very athletic and may turn some heads over the next 3 months of OTA's, mini camp and training camp. Another guy to keep and eye on is a kid who was a UFA by Baltimore in 2011. He's spent some time playing Canadian Football and Arena football over the last couple of years but Dallas saw enough of the kid, not to be mistaken for James Michael McAdoo who plays basketball for the Golden State Warriors, to sign him to a futures contract in January after spending time on the Cowboys practice squad in 2015. This article from Bleacher Report talks about his route to the Cowboys and whether or not he can do enough to stick around.

 

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016/5/28/11795474/can-defensive-lineman-michael-mcadoo-fight-his-way-onto-the-cowboys-roster

 

The media is only allowed access to OTA practices one time per week and in this video DallasCowboys.com writers Bryan Broaddus and Nick Eatman take us to Day 2 of this past week's OTA's. They look at 7 on 7 work during the practice with commentary and some interesting info as practice progresses.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/05/25/ota-live-rookies-vets-compete-7-7

 

Finally, a cinematic take on this past week's OTA practices.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/05/27/cinematic-spin-otas

[eagle eye]

When you talk about the Cowboys linebackers you naturally go straight to Sean Lee and Rolando McClain and if you are really up on your Cowboys you might know Kyle Wilbur. But, who's behind them? Who makes up the depth behind these 3 guys? Two years ago Dallas drafted Anthony Hitchens out of Iowa in the fourth round and he turned out to be a surprise for Dallas as he played all three LB spots during the course of Dallas' 12-4 season in 2014. The Cowboys were so pleased with themselves they drafted another Big 10 LB in the 4th round in Minnesota's Damien Wilson. So far the biggest impact Wilson has had has been on special teams. Then there is Andrew Gachkar a free agent from San Diego that Dallas signed in the spring of last year mainly on his experience with special team's coach Rich Bisacchia who had also been in San Diego when Gachkar was drafted in 2011. Then you've got Dallas 7th round pick from last year in Wyoming's Mark Nzeocha. He's like a supplemental draft pick this year because he was recovering from a knee injury suffered in his last season at Wyoming and he never really was able to make an impact for the Cowboys last season. Word is the Cowboys coaches like Nzeocha as a guy to keep an eye on this summer. Lastly, of course, there's Dallas 2nd pick in this year's draft Jaylon Smith. Smith is pretty much recovered from the reconstructive knee surgery he had to have after blowing it out in this year's Fiesta Bowl where his Notre Dame Fighting Irish went up against his new teammate, Ezekiel Elliott's, Ohio State Buckeyes. The thing that putting a damper on things is the fact that Smith also suffered nerve damage in the injury and he and the Cowboys are waiting, and hoping, for those nerves to heal--if they heal. If Smith recovers fully you may not see Rolando McClain in a Dallas uniform after this season. So there you have it, Wilson, Hitchens, Gachkar and Nzeocha are the names to be looking out for this summer. It's this group that could decide how good Dallas linebackers are this season.

 

Tony Romo is feeling better than ever and he's been in every bit of offseason work so far after having surgery to shave down a bone in his shoulder joint to try to give that troublesome collarbone of his a little give room so he doesn't break it again this season. At 36 Romo has but a few short years to finally win a Super Bowl that would change his legacy and end a 20+ year drought of championships for the Cowboys. Local Dallas sportswriter Rick Gosselin tries to answer the question whether or not Romo is Hall of Fame worthy. No spoiler alert here but I agree with Mr Gosselin completely.

 

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2016/05/27/gosselin-tony-romo-even-close-hall-fame-worthy

 

Dallas began their 2nd week of OTA's today and they will continue through Thursday. DT and 3rd round pick Maliek Collins is participating in OTA's even though he doesn't have a signed contract as yet. Collins is one of 3 draft picks who have yet to agree on a contract. It's a little dicey for a player to participate in team activities without a signed contract because the team could legally just refuse to help the player with medical assistance. Dallas isn't that cold hearted I don't believe especially since Jason Garrett believes so strongly that players should be involved in OTA's and other team activities. The Cowboys have signed their 1st and 2nd round picks and all 4 of their 6th round picks. Only the 3rd rounder, Collins, and both 4th rounders, DE Charles Tapper and QB Dak Prescott are still unsigned. It's being reported that Tapper and Prescott could be signed any time now there seems to be an interesting issue with signing their 3rd round pick. Why? Check out this article from ESPN via the Bleacher Report.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4751422/when-will-maliek-collins-sign-rookie-deal

[eagle eye]

Update from earlier post today; As I mentioned earlier both of Dallas' 4th round picks Charles Tapper and Dak Prescott could be signed at any time. It appears that was about as right as I could have been since both players inked their contracts this afternoon mean that only 3rd round pick Maliek Collins is the only remaining draft pick yet to sign.

[eagle eye]

I just have to wonder what caused the Cowboys karma to be so lousy. This team is constantly being derailed in it's efforts to get better. The latest bit of bad luck is a broken foot to rookie DT Maliek Collins the Cowboys 3rd round pick out of Nebraska. Collins was somebody the Cowboys DC Rod Marinelli wanted -- bad and he got him. In one of the OTA practices last week Collins broke his foot, had surgery on it and the news just got released today. Collins will miss 10-12 weeks while the foot heals. This is a big blow for Collins because missing all the offseason work including a big chunk of training camp puts him behind the 8 ball. This is a big setback for Collins' development and throws yet another monkey in the Cowboys wrench as they try to remake their defense. I would be very surprised if Collins is able to make much of an impact this season, that is how much all the missed time will affect Collins ability to be a difference maker for the Cowboys. This season anyway.

 

Here's an article from DallasCowboys.com by Nikki Chavanelle about 2nd year WR Lucky Whitehead. Whitehead stepped in for Dwayne Harris who left for the Giants in free agency last year and he took over as the primary punt and kick returner. He contributed on offence mostly running bubble screens and end arounds. This year he wants to widen his involvement in the Cowboys offense and considering Whitehead's 4.38 speed the Cowboys need to find a niche for him in the offense.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/05/31/lucky-whitehead-seeking-become-more-well-rounded-wr-year-2

 

Remember that guy Rolando McClain? Pretty good linebacker when he's there but the trouble is the "when he's here" part is the real kicker. McClain didn't make OTA's last week because he had claimed he had family matters to take care of. Jason Garrett was asked about McClain last week and he talked about why he was not with the team but he expected him back this week. As of yesterday McClain was still absent. It makes it even more imperative that Jaylon Smith get well because I'll bet Jason Garrett and the rest of the Cowboys front office are pretty sick and tired of worrying about McClain's next crisis or suspension.

Edited June 2, 2016 by eagle eye

[eagle eye]

I had a fairly decent blog I was going to post today but I have been trying to do a better job of making my posts shorter and this was not a short post. I just wanted to mention this because I really do try to keep things short even though I don't succeed as well as I would like. Today's post, had I left actually posted it, was just shy of 10,000 words so, even though I liked it, I just couldn't post it.

 

Instead I'll post a link from Bryan Broaddus of DallasCowboys.com as he gives his notes on Week 2 of the team OTA's.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/01/scouts-eye-coping-without-maliek-collins-impressive-rookies-otas

 

This goes along with observations by another Cowboys.com writer Rob Phillips....

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/01/notes-next-step-dez-otas-r-mcclain-update-gathers-returns-more

 

A couple of player items:

DL Jack Crawford is from England and he's missed the first week and half of OTA's because he was having trouble getting a visa to work in the USA playing football. All that has been resolved now and he's back at practice.

Rolando McClain has not been in OTA's again this week and again Jason Garrett is saying he hopes to have him back next week. Really tired of this guy's crap and I can't believe Jason Garrett and Rod Marinelli are very happy either.

Dez Bryant had offseason surgery on his ankle and foot and he's had to be patient with his rehab to avoid any setbacks. So far he's done very well and everyone is pleased with his progress. He had x-rays on his foot and ankle and has been cleared to participate in team drills with limitations. The goal is to keep him on track to be ready for training camp and the regular season. The other receivers on the roster will benefit from the extra reps that Byrant doesn't really need during OTA's and mini camp. He will need the work in training camp as he prepares for the season and that's what the Cowboys are pointing to.

Finally a link to an ESPN-Dallas article via the Bleacher Report talking about how DL coach Leon Lett is using the mistakes he made in his playing days to help Randy Gregory, who is participating in OTA's, how to overcome the challenges he has with substance abuse and other issues. It's a good look at how an older guy with similar issues is helping and younger guy try to overcome his demons. I hope Lett can reach Gregory for his benefit in and out of football and for the benefit of the Cowboys as well.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4751483/dallas-cowboys-coach-leon-lett-using-his-past-to-mentor-randy-gregory

Edited June 2, 2016 by eagle eye

[eagle eye]

Week 3 of OTA's started yesterday and there are some things to chat about.

 

1. Rico Gather's, the Cowboys final sixth round draft pick this year talks about advice he's gotten from Dez and also how he's treating every pass thrown his way like it's a rebound. Gathers is the guy Dallas drafted as a tight end after his spent his time in college playing basketball. In fact Gathers has not played football since 8th grade so to say he is a raw talent is taking understatement to ridiculous lengths. Check out this one on one interview with Gathers by DallasCowboys.com's Rob Phillips.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/06/06/rico-gathers-1-1-basketball-nfl-nba-finals

 

2. Of all the RB's on the Cowboys roster right now I have to say I am the least excited about Alfred Morris. The guy is strictly a 2 down back and he's not good as a pass receiver and may be even worse of a pass protector which is a very ominous thing to say when you've got a 36 year old QB coming off a season where he broke his collarbone twice. I am liking Darren McFadden and the Cowboys other RB draft pick Darius Jackson much better than I like Morris. In fact, if I was going to rank the Cowboys RB's it would be Ezekiel Elliott, McFadden, Jackson, Morris with Lance Dunbar bringing up the rear. I am down on Dunbar not because I don't think he's a good player but because he's a player who can't stay on the field. He's going into his 5th year in the NFL and he hasn't been healthy enough to play in over half of those years. Jackson ran a 4.40 40 at his pro day and because his college, Eastern Michigan, runs a pro style offense he's a very legit prospect. It's too bad for Dunbar but he can't stay healthy and going by Bill Parcells criteria if a player hasn't shown anything by his fourth year it's time to move on. For 4 games Dunbar did show something but the one thing that has been his downfall is his inability to stay healthy and a really good player can't help you in the training room. Back to Morris, he says he wants to be a complete player which means he wants to be better in the passing game and better in pass protection but in this article from DallasCowboys.com even he admits he is not there yet.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/06/rb-morris-eyes-goal-be-%E2%80%9Ccomplete-back%E2%80%9D-admits-he%E2%80%99s-not-there-yet

 

3. Of all the things discussed about the Cowboys defensive line the main conversation is about who Dallas won't have for the first 4 games of the season. They know they will be without Randy Gregory and they will likely be without DeMarcus Lawrence as well but his 4 game suspension is under appeal and he may get a break like Orlando Scandrick did two years ago when he got a 4 game suspension reduced to 2 games. When talking about Scandrick and Lawrence you're talking apples and oranges. Scandrick's suspension was reduced basically because the NFL substance abuse policy had undergone a change and because of a loophole Scandrick had his suspension reduced. No such loophole exists for Lawrence but there is an outside chance the appeal may work. Probably not but we can hope. The fact is the Cowboys have to go with the players they have and one such player, Ryan Russell out of Purdue, is taking advantage of this opportunity. Russell was the Cowboys 5th round pick in last year's draft. Or rather I should say he was Rod Marinelli's 5th round whipping boy. Russell couldn't seem to do anything right last year even though he did enough right to make the final 53 man roster. A severe ass chewing by Marinelli was almost a daily occurrence in last year's offseason work. This year it's a different story as Russell, like most guys from their first to second year do, has benefited from being in the Cowboys weight training program. He came in much stronger and is even gotten Marinelli off his back. Here's a look at Ryan Russell by DallasCowboys.com's David Helman.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/06/ryan-russell-making-most-his-opportunity-left-defensive-end

Edited June 7, 2016 by eagle eye

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys finished up their final week of OTA's today. Next will be the mandatory mini camp scheduled for next Tuesday through Thursday. It will be then when we will see if no-shows to all the Cowboys OTA practices will actually show up. I'm speaking of course of LB Rolando McClain and G Ron Leary. Leary has been holding out because he wants a trade to a team where he can be a starter. When former LSU OL La'el Collins was signed as a UFA last May the handwriting was on the wall since Dallas planned to use him as a guard in NFL instead of tackle which he played in college that Leary's days as a starter were numbered. An injury actually sidelined Leary last season but the quality of his play had diminished following that injury for some reason that opened the door for Collins to take over. Leary was 1/5 of what was called the best O-line in football and he would like to get on the field rather than ride pine for the Cowboys. The Cowboys said they would entertain a trade but they wouldn't give Leary up cheap. Hence, Leary's decision to skip the voluntary OTA's in hopes of getting the Cowboys to get a little more serious about getting a trade done. Leary was a restricted free agent this offseason and Dallas offered him a qualifying offer of $2.1 MM for one year which Leary signed in April. He belongs to the Cowboys for one more year if a trade doesn't get done at which time Leary will be an unrestricted free agent. As for Rolando McClain, who knows about this idiot. He is definitely a guy who marches to his own particular drummer. He has not participated in any offseason work with the Cowboys and it's considered a coin flip as to whether or not he will go to mini camp even though it is mandatory everyone show up. McClain is in the NFL substance abuse protocol and one more slip up and he's suspended for a whole year. That's why when he tested free agency last year and this year there were no takers. McClain is a guy with elite level talent but his dedication to the sport is obviously not what you would like by any stretch of the imagination. Dallas would only sign McClain to a one year deal both last year and this year because of the uncertainties in his offseason activities. If Jaylon Smith, the Cowboys 2nd round pick in this year's draft, completely recovers from the horrific knee injury he suffered in this past January's Fiesta Bowl this is likely McClain's last season with the Cowboys because I'm sure the coaching staff and the team in general is tired of putting up with his crap. We'll see next Tuesday if either Leary or McClain shows up but if they don't both players can be fined for missing the practices which would take a big bite out of their salaries. A lot of times when you start eating into a person's salary they find that missing element of their dedication. We'll see.

 

Today Dallas also made some moves to their 90 man roster. These moves are detailed in this article from DallasCowboys.com written by Rob Phillips.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/08/cowboys-waive-3-sign-3-signings-include-defensive-lineman-lawrence-okoye

 

Terrence Mitchell is a cornerback Dallas drafted 3 years ago in the 2014 draft. He spent some time in Dallas and he spent time in Chicago until he was re-signed late last season again where he saw some playing time at the end of the season. He is currently on the 90 man roster trying to make the club but this time he is being tried at different positions as detailed in the article by DallasCowboys.com's David Helman. Mitchell is a little slow for CB running a 4.63 40 at the NFL scouting combine but in his short stints with Dallas he has shown the ability to make plays which Dallas in terrible need of. Maybe he will be good safety or maybe despite his lack of speed his playmaking ability will be the thing that causes him to stand out.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/07/terrance-mitchell-experimenting-position-change-start-3rd-season

 

Dallas is also kicking the tires on 4 year veteran CB Brandon Boykin formerly of the Eagles and Steelers. The fact is Dallas is just seeing what's out in free agent land leaving no stone unturned to improve their roster. If Boykin was all that great a young player like that wouldn't on the street looking for a job. I really don't think there is all that much going here but it's the Cowboys so it's news.

Edited June 8, 2016 by eagle eye

[eagle eye]

The final OTA for 2016 took place on Wednesday and it was the one day this week the media was allowed to watch. And in DallasCowboys.com's place, were allowed to video. Here is the weekly look in at Cowboys practice by Bryan Broaddus and Rob Phillips. It also takes a long look at Tony Romo at practice which is nice to see. Romo has been a little scarce during practices the past couple of years.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/06/08/ota-live-ezekiel-elliott-offense-action

 

Everyone reading this is probably a Cowboys fan so I'm assuming that you know all the history about Morris Claiborne. He's a guy who was chosen 6th overall in the first round of the 2012 draft who hasn't lived up to the expectations put on a guy who is such a high draft pick. Injuries have derailed his career to this point. Even in the best season of his career which was last season he missed several games. This article by David Helman of DallasCowboys.com talks about Claiborne's continued effort to finally live up to expectations.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/09/claiborne-ready-change-conversation-about-star-crossed-career

 

LB Sean Lee had his knee scoped in April and he's been rehabbing it ever since. Unlike Claiborne Lee has shown he was worth the pick in the 2nd round of the 2010 draft but, like Claiborne, Lee has been plagued with injuries that have severely limited his ability to play games for the Cowboys. What sets him apart is his dedication and work ethic. Lee is the type of player who comes to work early and stays late. He knows the defense as well or better than the coaches on the staff and he's like a coach on the field. The guy is priceless for what he brings to the table. All of Lee's efforts so far have been to go through his rehab with the team trainers so he is healthy enough for training camp which begins August 7th. The article linked below by Rob Phillips talks about Lee and his work to get ready for August 7.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/09/lee-%E2%80%9Cright-track%E2%80%9D-after-april-knee-scope-eyes-start-training-camp

 

Finally, here's an article from Bryan Broaddus with his thoughts on the final OTA practice on Wednesday along with scouting reports on the new guys Dallas signed earlier this week.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/08/scouts-eye-standouts-ota-9-reports-new-signings

 

Cowboys mini camp lasts 3 days and begins next Tuesday. It is a mandatory camp so, in a perfect world, all hands will be on deck. The mini camp is the last time the team will be together in an official capacity unit training camp. It is the scariest time for all NFL teams because you have guys in great shape and nowhere to vent their natural energy and they are totally unsupervised by the coaches or front office personnel. It's the time when most players seem to get into trouble. We can enjoy mini camp next week and cross our fingers for the next 6 weeks or so hoping these kids don't get into trouble.

[eagle eye]

Wondering aloud this morning about nothing in particular in my usual sleepy eyed stupor that I normally begin my days with I happened along this article in the Bleacher Report that actually comes from SBNation-Blogging the Boys talking about 4 players poised to have breakout seasons this year. Below is the link to the article and below that is tidbit of my own just to add to the conversation.

 

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016/6/12/11907052/dallas-cowboys-offseason-2016-four-dallas-cowboys-that-will-have-great-seasons

 

Brandon Carr - I can only surmise that Carr has been stuck on the left side of the Cowboys defense because Orlando Scandrick has either been suspended or hurt the last couple of years. Carr is the steadiest of the Cowboys CB's but he get ripped because he's not seen as a guy who's played up to that huge free agent deal he signed 4 years ago. During OTA's the Cowboys have used him at both CB spots but as we learned from the article his best position is on the right side. Does this mean either Mo Claiborne or Scandrick will be competing for the left CB position? Could be. Scandrick, when healthy is seen as the Cowboys best CB and usually that means he's the guy playing on the left. This is a big change from recent past that could have something to do with new DB coach Joe Baker. The Cowboys have slightly restructured their defensive backfield and they will also be influenced by LBs coach Matt Eberflus who added defensive passing game coordinator to his job duties. Baker replaced Jerome Henderson who left to become the Atlanta Falcons passing game coordinator this off season. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how things play out now that Carr is playing, or could be playing, his natural position.

 

Brice Butler - Dallas has lacked real scary fast receivers for a long time. The last time Dallas had a real speedster at WR was Joey Galloway who played for Dallas from 2000 to 2003. Galloway didn't have a QB worth a crap to throw to him but Butler is hoping Tony Romo stays healthy long enough to make him a star. Tony can do it too if he and Butler are on the same page. If Butler is all that we may see a 3 headed WR monster in Dez, T-Will and Butler. All three are big guys, big as in tall, and Butler adds an element of speed that could mean Cole Beasley sits more than he would like. I've mentioned before Butler is a player to watch this summer.

 

Tyrone Crawford - Crawford got a lot of hype last year coming off a wasted 2014 season with a torn Achilles but last year was only better because he was on the field despite the fact he had a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder most of the season. BTW, it's hard to play defensive tackle with one arm. To me, it's about time Crawford stays healthy during a season where he can play up to his potential. As the article stated Dallas signed Cedric Thornton to man the 1 technique so Crawford would be free to rip and roar at the 3 technique. We'll see. I would love to see Crawford get those 11 sacks the article predicted.

 

Morris Claiborne - Last year was Mo's best season of the 4 he'd been in the NFL and he still missed 5 games with a bad hamstring. Apparently Claiborne has bulked up a little, at least according to the article we're discussing, and that can't be a bad thing. Just a hope that all the stuff about how well Mo has looked this offseason is true couldn't have come at better time. It figures both Carr and Claiborne are primed for breakout seasons because both are looking at free agency next year and both probably want another big payday. I don't have a problem with Dallas resigning either one, or both, of them if they play well in 2016. Let's not anoint them as Pro Bowlers just yet but wouldn't it be nice if our 2012 6th overall pick and our 2012 multimillion dollar free agent CBs both play up to expectations at last? Darn tootin' it would. It would also make all that angst over not drafting Jalen Ramsey when Dallas took Ezekiel Elliott a little easier pill to swallow.

[eagle eye]

Dallas held their first of three practices in their mandatory mini camp yesterday and there are some things to talk about.

 

1. Rolando McClain and Ron Leary finally showed up to practice. Both had missed the 3 OTA sessions the past 3 weeks. Leary missed because he wants a trade it was his only leverage and McClain missed because of "family matters". If one or both had failed to show up they would have been fined a big chunk of their 2016 salaries.

 

2. Darren McFadden will miss up to two month because he required surgery on his right elbow which he broke on Memorial Day at his house when he fell trying to catch his cell phone which he had dropped. McFadden had participated in OTA practices since he hurt himself but it was determined he would need surgery to fix the damage. More reps for Zeke, Alfred Morris and Darius Jackson. This injury to McFadden could accelerate Elliott's timetable for becoming the Cowboys starter come Week 1 in September. McFadden shouldn't need too many reps but he is going to miss about half of training camp because of this.

 

3. DE Benson Mayowa is going to have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee which he hurt in last week's OTA's. Mayowa is expected to be back by the start of training camp in six weeks or within a week of the start of TC.

 

As for the actual practice yesterday Bryan Broaddus of DallasCowboys.com gives us his views of yesterday's work. He also gives a brief scouting report of two new CB's the Cowboys signed after releasing two last week. He gives us a quick look at Isaiah Frey and Dax Swanson who were signed after Terrence Mitchell was released and Brandon McGee was waived/injured.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/14/scouts-eye-terrance-williams-shines-tapper-shows-other-thoughts

 

For those of you who care about such things, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Swimsuit issue of the Dallas Cowboys Star magazine is out. It's summertime!!!!

[eagle eye]

The countdown to training camp has begun. Actually, it began last Thursday after the conclusion of the final mini camp practice of the summer. The next 6 weeks or so will be the players enjoying a little free time while Jason Garrett and his staff pray to the football gods that that fun time doesn't include anything banned by the NFL or illegal in general society. You can't buy a break though as Dez Bryant is being sued by a Texas State Senator, no less, for trashing the said senator's rent house. The damage estimated at $600K is the lowest number I've heard. The actual lawsuit is for between $100 and $200 K. Dez denies any wrong doing of course and that will be Bryant's main concern for the next few weeks.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2647856-dez-bryant-sued-by-texas-state-senator-over-damage-to-rental-home

 

A sidebar here is that former Cowboys RB Joseph Randall has just gone bat-crap crazy--again. Already in jail for other crimes Randall was cited for making a criminal threat to one of the jailers at the Segwick County (KS) jail. This kid is just crazy or severely bipolar. Either way, people should feel much better with this nut bag behind bars. (Article from Bleacher Report)

 

http://www.kansas.com/news/local/article85096247.html

 

In case you didn't know it the Cowboys held the last practice ever at their current practice facility, Valley Ranch, last Thursday. The team will be off the next few weeks until the start of training camp again in Oxnard, CA and when they return to Dallas after 3 weeks on the left coast they will occupy their new training digs at The Star in Frisco about 20 minutes northeast of Valley Ranch. All the podcasts on DallasCowboys.com will be broadcast at their new studios inside The Star. Here are some articles from DallasCowboys.com about that last practice.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/16/cowboys-past-present-get-nostalgic-after-final-practice-valley-ranch

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/17/longtime-media-members-reflect-covering-cowboys-valley-ranch

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/galleries/2016/06/16/valley-ranch-through-years

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/06/22/blitz-mickeys-memories

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/06/21/cinematic-spin-last-practice-valley-ranch

 

http://www.5pointsblue.com/valley-ranch-trash-treasure-darren-woodsons-autographed-locker/

[eagle eye]

A few more reminiscences about Valley Ranch comes in the form of DallasCowboys.com's Mickey Spagnola. In part one of a two part article on "The Ranch" the Mick talks about his 31 years covering the Cowboys from the inaugural season of Valley Ranch to the final practice last Thursday. Part two will come out next Friday.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/24/spagnola-these-ranch-memories-really-do-light-corners-my-mind

 

As for the new, the Cowboys announced that there will be a new restaurant in AT&T Stadium that will be open every day of the week including pre and post game on Cowboys game days. It will be huge restaurant seating 650 customers and is open to the public. It is a carry over from the old restaurant in Texas Stadium as Dallas adds something new to with the past in mind.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/24/cowboys-announce-new-stadium-club-restaurant-att-stadium

 

Just in case you want to mark it on your calendar the Cowboys plane arrives at Point Mugu, California on Thursday July 28th. The opening press conference will take place Friday the 29th and the first official practice of the 2016 Cowboys training camp will take place on Saturday July 30th. The first preseason game will take place on Saturday August 13th in LA against the Los Angeles Rams. (You just don't know how it satisfies my sense of right to have the Rams back in LA. Now, if I could get the Colts back in Baltimore and the Cardinals back in St Louis I would be in heaven.)

[eagle eye]

I mentioned in another thread that there are seven rookies from this year's draft class that have not been signed as yet. One of those unsigned is Cowboys 3rd round pick Maliek Collins the DT from Nebraska. Collins has missed some of the OTA's and the mandatory mini camp because he broke his foot during OTA's. He is scheduled to be back sometime during training camp but his progress transitioning from college to the NFL was surely set back quite a bit because of the injury. That isn't why Collins hasn't signed as yet. The fact is nobody knows why he and the other six players haven't signed. I don't think that it's a coincidence that all seven are either 1st round players (3) and the rest are 3rd round players (4). Often times 1st round players get hung up in contract negotiations because of "offset language". What that means is teams don't want to be liable for a player's salary if he retires or is released prior to the end of the contract. On the other hand the players want their money and it only benefits them if the drafting team pays them for the remaining years on their contract as well as being paid their salary from their new team. You can understand the point on both sides but those deals will get done. Since the rookie salary cap no draftee has failed to be signed. The 3rd round picks are a different story but offset language may also be a factor but, for some reason, 3rd round picks have more leeway than the other rounds and third round picks are often the ones lagging behind everyone else. Personally, I don't care but I want Collins to sign his deal so I can quit worrying about it. Seriously, don't these players know how crazy and nervous fans get over stuff like this? Sheesh.

 

To fill the void before the start of training camp the writers of DallasCowboys.com have come up with a series called, "Longshots". Players who have the potential to make the team but because of position depth may have a hard time cracking the final roster. Today we look at DT from Akron Rodney Coe. At 6'3'' and 305 it looks like Coe may have a shot at the 1 technique but as you see from Nick Eatman's article make the squad will not be easy.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/27/longshots-former-rb-rookie-dt-has-rare-athleticism-d-lineman

[eagle eye]

An article from the Bleacher Report says that there is no significant change in LB Jaylon Smith's knee. The report came from ProFootballTalk but it's not something to get worried about. First, the structure of Smith's knee is good and he is doing rehab with Cowboys trainers. As he was when he was drafted he and everyone else, especially the Cowboys, are waiting for the damaged nerves in the knee and his ankle to start firing again. The fact that there isn't a big improvement yet is pretty much expected. Nerves are temperamental cusses who respond in their own sweet time. Nobody expected Smith to play in 2016 even though there was an outside chance he could IF the nerves began firing. So, don't jump off a ledge because Dallas wasted a 2nd round pick. Be patient and let nature take its course. That's what Smith and Cowboys have to do. Just don't let a guy writing an article because it's a slow news day freak you out.

 

Former NFL QB Jake Plummer is an advocate of smoking pot as an alternative pain management method. Of course he probably likes getting high as well. In an interview he went on a rant about how NFL owners are billionaires and players in the NFL are millionaires but it's the players who get raked through the coals in disputes with ownership. He specifically called Jerry Jones a billionaire asshole because Jones made comments about post concussion syndrome not being related to playing football. Admittedly, that was dumb of Jerry when so much evidence points to repeated head trauma's playing football lead to problems later in life for some players and you can understand Plummer's frustration. Here's the article and you can decide for yourself.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2649134-jake-plummer-blasts-jerry-jones-for-cte-comments-talks-drug-usage-in-nfl

 

Remember last summer when Tony Romo and the company he is part owner of Fan Expo LLC were attempting to put on a fantasy football convention in Las Vegas? The NFL effectively forced the convention to be cancelled after the league threatened players who were supposed to participate in the event. Fantasy football generates millions of dollars and literally millions of Americans play in leagues across the nation. It was an opportunity for fans and players to meet and greet and promote fantasy football. The underlying problem is the NFL doesn't get a piece of the FF pie so an event like Romo's convention is an affront to the shield. If the NFL can't make money at FF then nobody will. Romo and his group sued the NFL for its part in squashing the affair. Recently the case and it's remaining 13 claims was tossed out by Judge Carl Ginsberg without providing any reasoning for doing so. It seems the NFL did it again forcing cancellation of a similar event this summer by bringing pressure to bear in the same way they did it last summer. If this is a free society how can freedom be crapped on by a powerful entity and get away with it? Hey, Judge Ginsberg, can you answer that please?

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/06/30/judge-throws-out-all-remaining-claims-against-nfl-in-fantasy-football-convention-lawsuit/

 

In the 'Longshots' series Nick Eatman of DallasCowboys.com takes a look at OT Ryan Mack a rookie UFA who is trying to make the Cowboys roster when training camp starts at the end of July.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/28/longshots-rookie-ot-mack-has-already-shown-flashes-versatility

[eagle eye]

Dallas hasn't had much luck lately in terms of the legal or NFL processes. First, Tony Romo's group lost their law suit over the NFL tampering with the ability of Romo's group to put on a fantasy football convention. To make matters worse the judge who made the ruling didn't give a reason for the ruling. Sort of made the judge look like he was in Roger Goodell's pocket and, to me, it was really unfair for the NFL to use coercion to deny a group from making money off fantasy football. The NFL claimed it was protecting the shield by stopping the convention because it was being held at a casino meeting center. The claim was the NFL was avoiding any appearance of impropriety with gambling. Okay, but the NFL did the same thing when Romo's group had plans to have the convention in Los Angeles. Sad state of affairs.

 

http://dal.247sports.com/Bolt/Tony-Romo-forced-to-postpone-fantasy-football-convention-45807827

 

The next bit of bad luck came yesterday when it was announced that the appeal of DeMarcus Lawrence's 4 game suspension for substance abuse was denied meaning Dallas will be without both their starting defensive ends for the first quarter of the season.

 

To add insult to injury perennial idiot Rolando McClain has been suspended the first 10 games of the 2016 season for substance abuse. McClain was suspended the first 4 games for the same reason last year and this comes as real kick in the teeth to the Cowboys defense. When he's on the field and playing well McClain is one of the best LB's in the NFL but he keeps shooting himself and the Cowboys in the foot with his stupidity. I'm tired of this guy and I hope Dallas is too and give this chump the old heave hoe. It is being speculated that Andrew Gachkar is the likely replacement for McClain since he has taken most of the 1st team reps during OTA's and mini camp this offseason because of McClain's absence from team activities. Anthony Hitchens, the Cowboys 4th round pick from 2014, is also in the mix. It all depends on who separate themselves from the pack. There is also a chance Dallas picks up an available free agent as they did when they got McClain 2 years ago. Who that might be I couldn't say.

 

All in all, June hasn't been the best month for the Cowboys so in that regard I'm hoping July will be a much kinder and gentler month.

[eagle eye]

Just a quick thought before I go enjoy the rest of the weekend. I've seen articles ripping Jerry Jones for making bad personnel decisions. The last 2 years have seen Dallas make some doozies. Greg Hardy comes to mind and after a one year experiment Dallas cut bait with him. It was an experiment that was supposed to fix the Cowboys pass rush issues. The very issues that betrayed their march toward Super Bowl XLIX in Green Bay when a crippled Aaron Rodgers picked the Cowboys apart because the front 4 or 5 guys could not pressure a guy who literally could not run. Hardy turned out to be the douche bag everyone thought he was and he's now, at long last, trying to do damage control so he can get a job. Good luck with that Greg. Dallas drafted DeMarcus Lawrence in 2014 and he emerged as the Cowboys best pass rusher last season. Unfortunately, he failed drug tests and got himself suspended for the first four games of the season. Whether or not the suspension was related to medication he took following off season back surgery is unspecified but pretty much unlikely because as we learned from Randy Gregory's suspension you have to fail at least 4 drug tests before you get suspended. Then, of course, there's Gregory who Dallas got last season when he fell into the 2nd round of the draft because he failed a drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine. How stupid do you have to be to fail a test you know you're going to have to take? Pretty freaking stupid. Gregory was said to have top 10 talent and Dallas saw an opportunity to get a player at great value AND help get his life together. That has not worked out at all yet. It looks like Gregory is the next Josh Gordon, a player with all the talent in the world but his love for the herb superb is such that he is willing to throw away his NFL career. Too bad. Then you have Rolando McClain. This guy has been a pain in the ass since Oakland drafted him with the 8th pick in the 2010 draft out of Alabama. McClain is big and strong and fast and dumber than a box of hammers. He never panned out in Oakland who released him after the 2012 season and he was signed in the 2013 offseason by Baltimore but he wasn't feeling it at all there and he retired rather than play for the Ravens. In 2014 on the first day of OTA's the Cowboys Sean Lee tore his ACL and was done for the season. The Cowboys were desperate for LB help and Jerry Jones talked McClain out of retirement and worked out a deal to get his rights from the Ravens. McClain was both spectacular and disappointing for the Cowboys in their 12-4 NFC East division championship team. He missed most of OTA's because of some unknown reason and ended up with hamstring issues off and on all season. The NFC Divisional round of the playoffs he was a non-factor against the Packers. In the spring of 2015 McClain and the Cowboys found out McClain was going to be suspended 4 games because of failed drug tests. Pile on to that that his house in Alabama burned down and you might as well of just wrote him off in 2015 for all the impact he had. In 2016 Dallas will be without Randy Gregory, DeMarcus Lawrence and now Rolando McClain. Gregory and D-Law will miss 4 games while Mr Dumbass will miss 10 games for a 2nd violation of the substance abuse policy. The coaching staff was already pissed at McClain because he missed all of the Cowboys OTA practices because of some mysterious family issue and now the bomb dropped. I know what the Cowboys were thinking, put up with Mr Dumbass one more season, get Jaylon Smith healthy and on the field and cut bait with this fool ASAP. Now, it looks like Dallas has every reason to kick him out the door right now for all the good he will do the Cowboys in 2016. Back to Jerry, don't bag on him too bad because he's not the only one calling the shots for the Cowboys these days. Jerry's son Stephen and player personnel guy Will McClay do most of the heavy lifting now. In fact it was this tandem that saved Dallas from the Johnny Football debacle and landed All Pro guard Zack Martin and they were likely responsible for drafting Ezekiel Elliott this year even though Jerry was all in on him from the git-go. The trouble with the Cowboys is they have a history of rescuing players nobody wants and makes them productive players for the Cowboys. Unfortunately, their track record in this lately is pretty bad. As hard as Dallas has tried to steal top level talent in spite of character issues the last success story is Dez Bryant and he's still on a tight leash by the Cowboys organization. Dez's issues weren't that he was into drugs or illegal stuff or carried guns around he was pretty much an abandoned child who needed some sort of guidance until he became mature enough to handle himself. Basically, Dez was a 12 year old in a 20 year old body when Dallas drafted him. These other guys have had serious character flaws and a tiger doesn't change his stripes very often. Young Stephen and Will will need to learn the difference going forward and stop wasting their time and money on idiots. Jason Garrett has always talked about the 'right kind of guys' being Dallas Cowboys but the GM office keeps sending him players from the Group W bench. (Listen to the song "Alice's Restaurant" to find out what that reference means when you have a spare 20 minutes.) The whole question is now can either Andrew Gachkar or Anthony Hitchens play worth a darn at the MIKE LB spot and can the offense carry this team into the playoffs like it did in 2014. Dallas has tried like hell to build a good defense they just have had shit for luck doing it. The whole process to answer these and other questions begins in just 25 days when training camp begins. Watching the Cowboys is like watching a major car accident. It may be ugly and gruesome but you can't take you eyes off of it because it is just too compelling. Happy 4th.

[eagle eye]

The link below is Part II of Mickey Spagnola's Valley Ranch memories series.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/01/spagnola-valley-ranch-memories-part-2-includes-ranch-reports-young-room

 

Last week as part of a rant about his frustration with NFL owners lack of compassion for the players on a wide range of issues former NFL QB Jake Plummer directly called Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones an asshole. Last Friday Plummer crawfished a little by saying he didn't know Jones personally and was a little too harsh in his comments even apologizing to Jones for calling him an asshole. The point of Plummer's rant was people tend to blame players for demanding higher salaries and wanting some consideration for their post football lives because of the beating they take as players and temper some of their drug policy to allow players who use marijuana as an alternative pain medication. The gist of the matter is that players get the blame for issues because they are "spoiled millionaires" and Plummer wonders why the "spoiled billionaire" owner don't get more heat over these issues. Plummer admitted he was wrong to criticize Jerry Jones personally and insult him with profanity without really know Jones as a person. Okay Jake, I'll agree with you that there needs to be some level of responsibility that the NFL owners need to accept and I am happy Jake was man enough to realize he was out of line in regard to Jones.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2649134-jake-plummer-blasts-jerry-jones-for-cte-comments-talks-drug-usage-in-nfl

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys have had way too much drama this offseason. From 3 starting defensive players being suspended, one of which for 10 games, to former Cowboys in trouble with the law. Crazy RB Joseph Randall is just psychotic. Already in jail he made his situation worse by threatening a guard at the prison he is in. Nice. Former Cowboys DB and special teamer CJ Spillman was convicted and sentenced to 5 years in prison for sexual assault that occurred in 2014 when the Cowboys were staying at the team hotel, The Gaylord Texan. The woman involved claimed she was assaulted while Spillman argued the sex was consensual. Nice. The Cowboys 3rd round pick Maliek Collins from Nebraska has not yet signed his deal and he has also missed most of OTA's and mini camp because he broke his foot in an OTA practice on June 1st. It's all a load of hogwash and as a Cowboys fan I am sick and tired of all the drama. A lot of it comes from Jerry Jones who loves to rescue players from the scrap heap and hope they turn out to be another Nate Newton or Charles Haley or Dez Bryant. The track record of Jones' rescue attempts isn't great and it's only gotten worse in the last couple of years. It's got to infuriate Jason Garrett who always talks about getting the 'right kind of guys' an Jones and the GM staff keep sending him jerks, felons and idiots. Greg Hardy's signing comes to mind but even the Cowboys could barely tolerate the guy for one season before cutting ties with him. Hardy has realized, maybe too late for his NFL career going forward, what an ass hat he has been. He is trying to clean up his act in the hope somebody will take a chance on him but I hope he isn't holding his breath waiting. Rolando McClain is another. The Cowboys signed him out of desperation after Sean Lee tore his ACL in the Cowboys first OTA practice of 2014. When McClain is healthy and playing he's a beast but the trouble with him is he likes playing the games but he hates practice. As a result he finds excuses not to show up. The fact that he didn't show up for any of the Cowboys OTA practices this offseason was reportedly the straw that broke the camel's back for Jason Garrett and his staff who were infuriated over McClain's absence. There is a feeling by some in the Cowboys organization want Jason Garrett to have more control of the roster.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2650379-insider-buzz-some-in-dallas-want-garrett-to-take-more-control-of-cowboys-roster

 

I can't say I disagree. The Cowboys roster has gotten better since Garrett has become head coach because of his plan to build the roster but Jerry is always looking for the next Charles Haley. A player with a load of talent who for one reason or another couldn't get along where he was. In Haley's case it was San Francisco. The problem was, back then, Jones had Jimmy Johnson who did have power over his roster. If Jimmy didn't like a player he cut him and if there was a problem in the locker room Jimmy was free to deal with it. No coach since has had that power because Jerry won't allow it because, IMO, Jerry doesn't want to give another coach power enough to claim Jerry wasn't calling the shots personnel-wise. Such was the trauma of the split between Jerry and Jimmy. Two egomaniacs who thought they were God's gift but they were not nearly as effective separately as they were together. Jerry has spent the last 22 years trying to prove he was the architect of the 90's Cowboys dynasty. That's why every coach since except for Bill Parcells has been called a puppet of Jones'. Since Jason Garrett took over you can see the organization had a plan for building the roster that started on the offensive side of the ball and it was a success. The Cowboys have had really bad luck as they have tried to resurrect the defense. But, it wasn't bad luck that caused Jason Garrett to tolerate Greg Hardy last season. Late for meetings, taunting Tom Brady by talking smack about his wife prior to the Patriots game (was this the way you present yourself when you are already under a microscope over domestic violence charges), and generally disruptive in the locker room was reason enough for any coach with any say-so to cut this fool and restore some harmony in the locker room. That should be enough reason for Stephen, who seems like he gets it, help convince Jerry to let Jason decide who the right kind of guys are in his locker room. After all, it was Stephen who refused to let his old man draft Johnny Manziel opting instead for Zack Martin. Hopefully Stephen can loosen the reins enough to let Jason run his team like he feels it needs to be run. When that happens guys like me won't be blogging about how tired they are of all the drama surrounding the team all the time. We can all kick back and watch Wimbledon and the Olympics as we wait for training camp to begin on July 28. Eazy-peazy right? Yeah, right.

[eagle eye]

Dez Bryant has scored 61 TD's for the Cowboys since he was drafted with the 24th pick in the 1st round of the 2010 draft. DallasCowboys.com's David Helman has taken it upon himself to rank each one of those TD's from the bottom to the top. Here is Mr Helman's take on the touchdown career of Dez Bryant in a series titled "View From The 6".

 

61 to 51: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/05/views-6-ranking-all-61-dez-bryant-tds-starting-bottom

 

50 to 41: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/07/views-6-dez-lights-nfc-east-part-2-td-countdown

 

40 to 31: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/08/views-6-part-3-brings-reminders-2014-playoff-run

 

30 to 21: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/11/views-6-part-4-features-revis-island-willie-mays-more

 

20 to 11: Coming soon

 

10 to 1: Coming soon

[eagle eye]

Here are Dez Bryant's 61 career TD's ranking series by DallasCowboys.com's David Helman. Today we have numbers 20 to 11 as the series gets down to the top ten TD catches made by Bryant so far in his career. I like this series primarily because we see a more personal side of the writer and as it turns out he's dry and funny and, best of all, doesn't take himself too seriously.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/12/views-6-dez%E2%80%99s-forgotten-moments-shine-part-5-countdown

[eagle eye]

Some might say this hiatus between mini camp and training camp has been quiet especially by Cowboys standards. We had quite enough news in the spring when Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence were suspended the first four games of the season. It was punctuated when the hiatus began with news that LB Rolando McClain would sit for 10 games because of yet another failed drug test. Losing 3 starters on a defense that wasn't all that great to begin with isn't the greatest news in the world for fans starving for a championship. This season will be the 21st since Dallas last won a Super Bowl and even playoff berths have been scarce in those 21 years. At one point Cowboys fans thought it was their birthright for their team to be in the playoffs. Since 1995's last Super Bowl season Dallas has made the playoffs a meager 8 times. The 8th time it sure looked like Dallas was a team of manifest destiny as they blew through the 2014 season with a 12-4 record. They beat Detroit in the first home playoff game in Dallas since 2009 when they beat the Eagles for the second time in as many weeks but everyone knew Dallas didn't have the team to go all the way in 2009. 2014 was a different story, Dallas was finally ready to break through and win it all until a blown call on a Dez Bryant reception at the Green Bay Packers goal line dashed the Cowboys hopes of going back to Seattle to play the Seahawks, whom they had already beaten earlier in the season, for the right to go to Super Bowl XLVIII. In the 21 years and 8 playoff appearances Dallas has a woeful record of 3-8. The other season it looked like Dallas had a shot at a title was in 2007. Dallas was 13-3 and was a favorite in the NFC to go to the Super Bowl but they ran into the real team of destiny, the New York Giants, as Eli Manning led the 10-6 Giants to wins over Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay all on the road and they beat the Brett Favre-led Packers at Lambeau, in January with the temps hovering around zero degrees, in overtime. Then the Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl to complete one of the most improbable playoff runs ever. The Giants beat Dallas in a game where Patrick Crayton dropped a pass that hit him between the numbers that, had he caught the ball, had a ton of open field to run in after the catch. Crayton makes that catch and if he doesn't score outright it would have put Dallas in a position to score and pretty much ice the game for Dallas. But, Crayton didn't catch the ball and the Cowboys ever suspect defense couldn't make a stop to save their souls and Dallas was denied yet again. Will this season be any better? You can't say the Cowboys won't be much better than the 2015 version of the team. A lot depends on whether Tony Romo can stay healthy which has been a hit or miss proposition the last few years as he has battled back surgeries, broken collar bones, broken ribs, a punctured lung and a various other maladies. What we do know is when Romo has had a full season the Cowboys have been in contention for the playoffs. The Cowboys will have a healthy Dez Bryant to lean on after he spent nearly all of 2015 battling foot and knee issues. If Romo and Dez stay healthy I have no doubt Dallas will be in the playoff hunt again. The little something extra is the addition of Ezekiel Elliott who was selected in the first round of this year's draft. He could be the piece missing from last year's team that lost DeMarco Murray to free agency after the 2014 season. If Elliot is all he's cracked up to be Dallas should have a top notch offense yet again. It's that damn defense that will be key to just how successful Dallas can be. The suspensions I mentioned earlier hurt but does Dallas have enough left to be decent anyway? The defense has Sean Lee and last year's first round pick Byron Jones leading the team and they did sign DT Cedrick Thornton (forgot about him didn't you?) as an upgrade to Nick Hayden in the middle. They have a healthy Tyrone Crawford as well but like Romo injuries have dogged him his whole career in Dallas. They have a motivated Mo Claiborne and Brandon Carr at cornerback as well as the return of Orlando Scandrick from a torn ACL. The Cowboys have high hopes for DL David Irving and they did draft two D-linemen in Oklahoma's Charles Tapper and Nebraska's Maliek Collins although Collins suffered a broken foot in OTA's and will miss most of training camp. The Cowboys also signed free agent DL-men Benson Mayowa who was also injured during OTA's. Dallas also has 3 players, 2 on defense, that were drafted last year but were never able to play. They were LB Mark Nzeocha, DE Ryan Russell and OT Chaz Green. Maybe the Cowboys aren't in such terrible shape defensively after all. In all likelihood Dallas 2nd round pick in this year's draft Jaylon Smith, won't play because of a devastating knee injury suffered in his last college game but it will just be lagniappe if he does. Maybe this isn't such a bad defense after all and they will get better in week 5 with Gregory and Lawrence's return. Who knows, or cares, if McClain will be back. I think it's just general consensus that nobody wants the guy back because he's just been too much trouble. Yet, here I am daydreaming about football again and I'm thinking Dallas may not be half bad after all. Edited July 14, 2016 by eagle eye

[eagle eye]

There is some news out of Cowboyland and, believe it or not, it's good news! Dallas' 3rd round pick Maliek Collins the defensive lineman from Nebraska and the Cowboys have agreed to terms on his contract meaning Dallas now has all nine of their draft picks under contract. Collins' deal is for 4 years and $3.2 MM. With contract worries no longer an issue the only thing left to worry about regarding Collins is when he will be back on the field. In late May he broke his foot during an OTA practice that he had to have surgery on to repair. The timetable for his return was 10-12 weeks which means he should be back near the end of training camp. It's a big setback for his progress in his rookie season. If he was a veteran player this wouldn't be that big a deal but your first training camp is pretty important in helping make the transition from college to the pros.

 

As for how much the two men Dallas drafted to bolster the D-line there is always a question as to how much of an impact a rookie can make. First, do these players have the talent to play in the NFL? That question can only be answered when the hitting starts in training camp. This is where Maliek Collins will miss the most from his development standpoint. They are important reps but the one thing is Dallas pretty much already has their starting defensive tackles in Cedrick Thornton and Tyrone Crawford. Collins will need to get as many mental reps and he's going have to have a Sean Lee-like diligence in the film room and he will still be behind but maybe not as much if he didn't have that access. As for the Cowboys fourth round pick, Oklahoma DE Charles Tapper, he should get a shot very early on to make a difference for the Cowboys. With DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory out the first 4 weeks due suspensions Tapper will get an early shot at D-end. The thing about both these players is the thinking is they are better than their college stats say they are. Why? Because both Oklahoma and Nebraska played a 3-4 defense. As you know the D-line in a 3-4 has a whole different responsibility than players in a 4-3. 3-4 D-linemen are there to fill gaps and occupy the O-line so the linebackers are free to make plays. Just by definition of that job means they will not have great stats. Both Collins and Tapper were 3-4 defensive ends in college which is a whole lot different than a DE in a 4-3. In Dallas they will be free to fly around and make plays because they won't have to face double teams on every play. They both have good athleticism and, in Tapper's case, excellent speed. I think Tapper has the ability to make more of an impact than Collins simply because of Collin's injury and the invaluable time he will miss because of it. The hope is both will be long term answers for Dallas for a long time. If they are then they are much better than average and Dallas will have finally hit on some defensive players at last.

 

The sixth and last installment of the 61 career TD's is finally here...then it was gone! For some reason the sixth and final installment of the View From The 6 series by David Helman of DallasCowboys.com was posted yesterday and today it's gone. When it is put back up I'll post it.

 

The NFL has announced the rule changes for this coming season. It's nothing new as some changes are instituted prior to every season but one of the rule changes is in regard to what constitutes a catch in the NFL. This article from ProFootballTalk.com by Mike Florio talks about how the NFL "refined" the language of what constitutes a catch. It's interesting to note that even under the new language Dez Bryant's non-catch in Green Bay 18 months ago would still not be a catch. Even on Mike and Mike this morning they were saying that Dez caught that ball. The head of NFL officials for the league office, Dean Blandino is a colossal ass-hat and the NFL is trying like hell to avoid the "Dez caught it" controversy. The problem with the new rule language is it doesn't clarify anything at all and Blandino and the NFL league office continue to confuse what should be a pretty cut and dried issue.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/07/08/changes-to-catch-rule-will-make-it-harder-to-overturn-on-field-rulings-of-a-catch/