Just because the Dallas Cowboys didn’t make it to the Super Bowl for the 24th time in a row, doesn’t mean that they weren’t well represented. Four different players brought home a ring that they weren’t able to capture during their time in Dallas. One former Cowboys great believes the team isn’t far off from returning to its former glory, though he thinks it will take a commitment to stopping the run to get there.
In other news, see where America’s Team ranks when stacked up against the entirety of the NFL in the Super Bowl era in a truly scientific way. It wouldn’t be the beginning of the off-season without a little bit of mock drafting, so be sure to get familiar with some names that could be targets come late April.
Former Cowboys Damien Wilson, Anthony Hitchens bask in Super Bowl glory with Chiefs :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Four former Cowboys players won Super Bowl rings on Sunday as members of the Kansas City Chiefs. Cornerback Morris Claiborne, the Cowboys’ first-round pick in 2012, was listed as inactive for Super Bowl LIV. Fellow corner Charvarius Ward signed a contract with Dallas in early 2018 but was traded to Kansas City in August of that year.
Two of Kansas City’s starting linebackers also have stints with the Cowboys on their resumes. Anthony Hitchens was a fourth-round pick out of Iowa in 2014 and played in Dallas through the 2017 season. Damien Wilson was a fourth-round selection in 2015; this was his first season with the Chiefs.
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–TB
1-on-1 with Emmitt Smith: Cowboys not far from competing for Super Bowls again :: The Athletic (paywall)
Emmitt Smith believes that the NFL will never again “see a team as talented as our team was,” referring to the Cowboys squads of the early- to mid-1990s. Smith was, of course, part of the group that won an incredible three of four Super Bowls in that span, but he doesn’t think that concentration of talent will ever happen again. “I don’t see that,” Smith says.
As far as the current crop of Cowboys making a run at claiming their own Lombardi Trophy? The league’s all-time rushing champ feels they’re within reach.
“I don’t think they’re far at all,” Smith suggested. “I really do believe we have the talent to get there. We definitely have to upgrade the defensive front. We got to learn how to stop the run because teams came in and ran the ball down our throat… That’s a problem that needs to be fixed.”
–TB
Film room: Cowboys restock defense early, add pass catchers late in full 2020 NFL mock draft :: Dallas Morning News
Mock draft season is officially in full effect. With just three weeks until the combine it’ll be a seemingly endless slew of opinions on the best college football has to offer. John Owning’s draft leans heavy towards the defensive side of the ball, though it doesn’t ignore adding a weapon or two in the fourth and fifth rounds that could be hidden gems and carve out playing time sooner rather than later. For those looking to add some help along the defensive line, however, this might be for you.
–TT
The Athletic’s 2020 “Super Bowl Era” franchise rankings :: The Athletic (paywall)
Bob Sturm’s annual tradition of ranking franchises based off of solely postseason success. The Cowboys, despite just three points earned in the past decade, still rank No. 3 behind only the New England Patriots (who earned 54 points in the last decade) and the Pittsburgh Steelers. That 70’s team with Tom Landry is doing work keeping them afloat. The five total Lombardi trophies don’t hurt either. Another decade like the last one, however, could prove disastrous for this definitive ranking system.
–TT
Three-round 2020 NFL mock draft 1.0: Dolphins pass on Tua :: NFL.com
What did we tell you moments ago? There’s mock drafts aplenty. This one follows the same blueprint, trying to snatch up as much defensive talent as possible. Safety Xavier McKinney is the Cowboys top pick here at No. 17 (14 spots ahead of where Grant Delpit lands). In this scenario Dallas double dips on the back end of the defense by taking a corner in Round 2. Click through to see the totality of this three-round exercise.
–TT
Kellen Moore called 1,109 plays in 2019, here’s how they broke down :: Cowboys Wire
Our very own C. Joseph Wright has been logging exactly the kind of plays that offensive Kellen Moore and quarterback Dak Prescott prefer to run. The most obvious thing is this: when the Cowboys offense opens in a shotgun, it’s almost definitely a pass. Prescott attempted only 30 passes all season from under center. Whether it’s a comfort issue for Prescott or a preference of all involved parties, it’ll be interesting to see if this changes under head coach Mike McCarthy.
–TT
Ready for 2020#DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/ObQYWF6OhE
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) February 3, 2020
Just a little hype video to get people ready for the 2020 season, which is a mere 219 days away.
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